FEST PREVIEW: THE 26 ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCES AT BUMBERSHOOT 2014 FOR VERY BUSY PEOPLE

Are you a busy person? Of course you are. You have a CRAP-TON of things to do, right? Word to your mother. You don't have time to get yourself all stressed out over figuring out what to choose to do at Seattle's mighty Bumbershoot, the music and arts festival that occurs each and every Labor Day weekend, correct? Well, right on, my quick-step brothers and sisters, which I why I'm giving you this fast n' easy list of my picks of what you cannot miss! You may thank me at the festival by either buying me a bottled water or offering to carry my 8 prillion pounds of camera gear. Here we go!


27 MORE WEIRD RECORDS FROM WISCONSIN THRIFT STORES!

Oh ya hey, I'm tote-ly back in Seattle now, but I got more stuff to share with you from my Wis-CAHN-sin visit, eh? Ta-day it's gonna be more ahhd-ball recurds frahm da St. Vinny's and da Goodwill! I even bought a few but I ain't gonna tell ya which ones! Ennyway, please to enjoy!

What in the hell does this '80s-style dancing robot/ant have to do with Big Band music??





POPTHOMOLOGY PRESENTS PIZZA FEST 2014, DAY THREE PHOTOS & REVIEW: HIGHLINE, SEATTLE, WA. 8/16/14

(Today, photog/writer AJ Dent wraps up her delightful coverage of Seattle's punk party of the year, Pizza Fest! Be sure to check out Day One and Day Two, too! THANK YOU so much, AJ!)

It wasn’t long before madness took over Pizza Fest’s final night. I rolled in as Freak Vibe was setting up for their grody, punky, manic episode. With shockwave vocal twists, trudging riffs, and sweat everywhere, they felt like the audible equivalent of sickly-gratifying actions. Like throwing a couch into a bonfire and chasing cheap whiskey with two-day-old black coffee. The band consists of members of Nudes and Sioux City Pete and the Beggars, creating this cauldron of steaming, irresistible stew. Perfect for all of us ravenous weirdos.


POPTHOMOLOGY PRESENTS PIZZA FEST 2014, DAY TWO PHOTOS & REVIEW: HIGHLINE, SEATTLE, WA. 8/15/14

(THANK YOU to photog/writer AJ Dent for this monster coverage of the punk party that is Pizza Fest Day Two! HERE is Day One if you missed it and don't forget to come back to see even-more-monster Day Three!)


We can all agree that due to Pizza Fest’s furlough in 2013, last year was full of tears and void of meaning. Thanks to the work (and pizza cravings) of Wheels Capponi and many others, though, I found myself at the Highline on Friday all set for the returned feast.

Walking in to the choice tunes of DJs Sloppy Jo and Dyl Widdit started it off perfectly. Boxes of Big Mario’s were stacked high, everyone already had a drink in hand, and La Luz merch was not-so-inconspicuously laid out on the back table. I had come to the right place to party.



POPTHOMOLOGY PRESENTS PIZZA FEST 2014, DAY ONE PHOTOS & REVIEW: 2 BIT SALOON, SEATTLE, WA. 8/14/14

(I am so excited to bring you three days of coverage from one of the big highlights of the year for Seattle's punk/garage/psych music community: Pizza Fest! My friend, the very talented photographer/writer AJ Dent, is your tour guide to the fun and games, stepping in for me while I am on vacation. I thank her profusely and will stop writing now so you can dig into what she's done! Please to enjoy and come back for Day Two and Day Three!)


























20 ODD ITEMS FROM WISCONSIN THRIFT STORES!

I'm here in Wisconsin on my annual family vacation, and of course I must keep up with my thrift store visits, eh? Ja! Here are a few weirdo things that caught my eye. Please to enjoy!

The expression on the smaller doll perhaps reflects some poignant angst over the larger doll's looming puberty.


17 WEIRD RECORD COVERS FROM THRIFT STORES IN WASHINGTON AND WISCONSIN!

A dual-state post of more musical mayhem from the past! Please to enjoy!

Tell it like it is? OK, THERE IS NO GOD!


RIP ROBIN WILLIAMS 1951-2014, FROM ME AND MOM

(My mom steps in to write this short but heartfelt piece tonight, as she and I and millions of others across the globe mourn the sudden and terribly sad passing of actor/comedian Robin Williams, who died today at the age of 63.)


The phone rang.  It was my daughter. 

Mom, did you hear the news? 

No. 

Robin Williams committed suicide. 

No!! 

Oh no! My heart sunk.  It was like the loss of a dear, dear friend. A friend who
took our cares and worries away and filled us with smiles and laughter.

In the late ‘70s Marianne and I went to Milwaukee to see him practice his magic.  At
one point he stepped to the front edge of the stage as though he was going to dive
right into the audience. From our seats in the balcony we watched – and felt --  
the audience in a body gasp and lean forward in unison to catch him, to save
him. Robin Williams, so talented, such charisma, the feeling the whole
audience had in the theater that night came back to me again. If only one of his
countless fans could have leaned forward now and caught him, saved him.

-- J.C.


























Mork and Mindy bloopers Season 1

12 MORE WEIRDO KNICK-KNACKS FROM THE VALUE VILLAGE THRIFT STORE!

Halloween idea: buy up a huge pile of these creepy knick-knacks from your local thrift store and pile them around your front door on October 31st. You will either delight trick-or-treaters or scar them for life. You're welcome in advance, and please to enjoy!

THE OLIVE TRAY OF DEATH!!!!!


IPHONE PHOTO MINI-ROUNDUP: SEATTLE'S ARCHIE MCPHEE STORE & GAS WORKS PARK, 8/6/14

A lovely day out yesterday with our visitors from Florida to a couple of Seattle landmarks: the epicenter of all things goofy, Archie McPhee, and the very unique Gas Works Park. Here are a few photos because, fun. Please to enjoy!


PHOTOS & FEST REVIEW: WIMPS @ CAIRO PRESENTS VIBRATIONS 2014, VOLUNTEER PARK, SEATTLE, WA. 8/3/14

Ah, we wait impatiently through the grey and gloomy fog and rain months for days like last Sunday in Seattle: a perfect summer afternoon with blue, sunny skies in a lush green city park, an ideal setting for Vibrations 2014. This one-day music and art festival, now in its third year, is sponsored by Cairo, an out-of-the box retail/art & performance space/clothing line/record label collective incorporating three locations (Cairo, Prism, and Topaz) in two cities (Seattle and Tucson, AZ). Both Seattle and Tucson have a strong quirkiness running through them, perhaps both having to do with hosting people that are driven to creativity from hiding from the weather half the year. Vibrations 2014 was a definite reflection of the kind of contradictions that make up interesting things -- mellow but punky, groovy but witty, loud, quiet, colorful, serene, AND free and family-friendly! There were bands and art installations, cold brew coffee, jewelry, giant sheets, aura readings, and Otter Pops eaten by tattooed drummers and chubby-cheeked toddlers.

With kids in tow, I had just a brief time to spend at the fest, even though it would have been completely enjoyable just to hang out there the entire time, which is something one cannot say about many festivals. Fortunately, I was able to catch the set by wimps, one of my very favorite local bands. Any time I can see them play is a good time, and I always leave feeling happy, sweaty, and energized, like I would if I were the kind of person who was addicted to going to Jazzercize or Zumba or Roomba or whatever those classes are where people still dress like Flashdance and have very white teeth. You don't have to understand what I am babbling about, but you do have to understand that wimps have just finished recording a new album and that I expect you to buy it when it's released and to see them as they tour the West Coast this month!

For their performance at Volunteer Park, guitarist and vocalist Rachel Ratner was mysteriously joined onstage by the "sisters" of bassist/vocalist Matt Nyce and drummer Dave Ramm. The "ladies" certainly knew how to rock out and all, but I hope they both choose to visit Cairo and update their wardrobes soon, and to think about laser hair removal. Seriously.

(As always, click on the photos to enlarge and click on the Flickr set links to see more!)

wimps, Vibrations 2014, Volunteer Park, Seattle 8/3/14 Flickr set

Vibrations 2014 miscellaneous, Volunteer Park, Seattle 8/3/14 Flickr set


15 MORE WEIRD RECORD COVERS FROM THE VALUE VILLAGE THRIFT STORE IN WOODINVILLE, WA.!

Have you made a record yet? What?? Why not?!? 'CAUSE EVERYONE ELSE HAS! Or at least you would surmise so by perusing the vinyl bins at the thrift stores. Here are some examples of "everyone else," and please to enjoy!

The best you can be, apparently, involves trying to rescue a child and a dog from the imminent sun explosion. Also, the t-shirts and the MOUTHS. OMG.