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So then I went back up to the balcony and watched their last song from up there.
stellastarr* at irving plaza
March 31, 2004
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Mandy again.
stellastarr* at irving plaza
March 31, 2004
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Same here. Except this time it's 30% artsier.
sxsw part two: more bands and visiting tara
March 20, 2004
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Another band shot. Woo.
sxsw part two: more bands and visiting tara
March 20, 2004
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They blew me away.
sxsw part two: more bands and visiting tara
March 20, 2004
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Just as the party was starting to lull a bit, The Stills (who I'd never heard before) hit the small stage that was set up outdoors in the corner of the party and played.
sxsw part two: more bands and visiting tara
March 20, 2004
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...all the way up front of the stage. At first I was excited just because Joan Jett was one of the first women I ever remember having a crush on. When I saw her in the "I Love Rock and Roll" video at age eight, it was one of the first times I remember getting a funny feeling "down there." (Who knew this she was just the first in my long line of lesbian crushes?)
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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After she finished her second song, I was no longer content to watch from afar and managed to weasel my way...
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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...but that doesn't mean they rocked any less harder. After the set, Fatty and the boys packed up their gear and got ready to begin the long drive back to New York City. Me on the other hand...ON TO PART TWO
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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Hey, the Fatty might not have a horde of raving, fanatical lesbian fans...
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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For reals, yo.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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I got their early and was psched to see that it was The Butchies that had the timeslot before them!
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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Then Fatty's band played.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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The (mostly female) crowd (ahem) went absolutely batshit while they played.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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They put on one of the better shows I saw at SXSW, if you ever get a chance to see them, go!
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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....to some venue to see Fireworks Go Up play their SXSW showcase.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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I was so close I almost got my eye poked out by guitar strings.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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The audience was so close we were even encouraged to maraca along with the band. HOT!
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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There wasn't even a stage so they literally played like six inches in front of the crowd.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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Later that night, we went to another private Spin party (this time it was held a ways out of town at some relatively new clothing store) and got treated to a performance by Pretty Girls Make Graves.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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...Joan Fucking Jett. Here's the pics from Mandy and I's original vantage point.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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After the Fader Party, I walked over to the pavilion and managed to sneak into the back just in time to catch Piebald play (from like 300ft away).
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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Spin actually bought this photo from me and published it in their SXSW coverage section! Woo!
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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French kick! Woo!
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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And then towards the end of their set, he jumped off the stage and landed on the crowd barricade.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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Sooo awesome.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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Their singer got the crowd going something fierce.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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After BBQliciousness, the Hives came on. Now, I'd never really cared for their music much, but after seeing them live, I, much like the Monkees, am a believer.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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After years spent capturing Grant's airborne antics, I was on the money to capture Pete's antics.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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Like this. See? Crazy, right?
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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Yay. The Von Bondies.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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After hitching a ride to the new hotel (a little closer to town) I bid the band farewell, hopped a cab and headed into town to meet up with Sarah...
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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Band shot. Scott, Dan and the Fatty. aka - Fireworks Go Up.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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But Joan, blew the fucking doors off the place. Crush schmush, she put on one of the better rock shows I've seen in my life.
sxsw part one: bands in austin
March 18, 2004
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Later that night, I met up with Sarah at Pianos to see Morning Theft's first show.
fatty quits and two karaoke nights
March 01, 2004
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On Friday, a whole bunch of us headed over to Arlene's Grocery to see Grant join Fatty in playing with Fireworks Go Up for the first time. (After only five or six appearances as their rhythm guitarist, Grant left due to "creative differences.") Boo.
the march roundup
March, 2004
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Okay, okay and to make jokes about Colin's hair. (You know I love you, Big Daddy).
the march roundup
March, 2004
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On Wednesday night, Colin's band played their first gig at Pianos. I only went because I heard their guitar player looked like Funky Winkerbean.
the march roundup
March, 2004
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Fatty's band play!
the march roundup
March, 2004
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Saturday we all went to the Knitting Factory to see Fatty's band again.
the february roundup
February, 2004
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And then went and saw Fatty's band play at Sin-e.
the february roundup
February, 2004
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...Franz Ferdinand. Oh sure, like you'd heard of them back in January.
a random night at lit
January 21, 2004
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By now, January's unseasonably warm weather had gone away and the month had turned into one of the coldest that NYC had seen in years. This particular night was like 10 degrees and snowing so the place was practically empty. So all of us that were there to see Chris' band were sort of hanging out in the back waiting for them to come on. The band playing before them wasn't about to let us ignore them, so their guitar player walked 40ft off stage (let's hear it for wireless, woooo!) to walk right up to us and play some hot guitar lixxx all up in our faces. It fucking ruled.
the january roundup
January, 2004
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Bastion.
the january roundup
January, 2004
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Parties in LA are a little strange because you have to drive everywhere so everybody can't get all stupid amounts of drunk, because they have to drive home. And if the bottom line is, having to spend 4 hours of carefully monitoring your drinking (while there's FULL OPEN BAR ALL NIGHT) really just isn't all that much fun - so by 1am the party had pretty much cleared out. Which means that when the band Bad Religion showed up (who were my favorite band of all time when I was 14), they only played to a room of 50 people (have of whom were still at the party only because they were waiting to sober up so they could drive home).
trip to cali part 1: nyc to la
December 10, 2003
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Brian Baker (what up, Dag Nasty) and Jay Bentley. Wooo!
trip to cali part 1: nyc to la
December 10, 2003
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The masses of humanity will always have to suffer. You tell 'em, Dr. Graffin.
trip to cali part 1: nyc to la
December 10, 2003
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My little camera wasn't cooperating and somehow this is the best picture I managed to get. Boo.
the november roundup
November, 2003
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We made it into the theater just in time to catch "Thunderstruck."
european vacation part 4: london & ac/dc
October 21, 2003
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After Thunderstruck, they left the stage - but thankfully came back out to do an encore of "For Those About to Rock."
european vacation part 4: london & ac/dc
October 21, 2003
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The concert was fucking amazing - I'd never seen Radiohead live and they blew my tiny little mind. Thanks again Bev & Emily! I love yous guys!
the october roundup
October, 2003
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Oh, and did I mention that Vito Covino, their lead singer, dresses like a fucking ninja? Hmmm, now that I think about it, if I've learned anything from Hollywood, it's that there are two groups of people that you don't fuck with: Itailians and Ninjas. Considering that the lead singer of this band is an Italian that dresses like a ninja - I'd like to take a moment to re-iterate that I thought that the band was totally fucking amazing and that I just didn't like the music they choose to cover. Everybody square on that? Ok, moving on...
visiting sammy out in hoboken
September 27, 2003
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These guys were really fucking amazing players, they just kept covering songs by the shittiest band! Case in point, according to their site just some of the artist they cover include Puddle of Mudd, Staind, Trapt, Hoobastank...need I go any further? (PS - Is that dude on the left wearing a fucking hockey mask while playing? Awesome.
visiting sammy out in hoboken
September 27, 2003
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When we walked into O'Donohughe's, we were assaulted by really crappy nü-metal music blasting on the jukebox. As we ventured further into the bar, it turned out that it wasn't a jukebox; oh no! Instead it was a totally amazing cover band, covering really crappy nü-metal music. Ladies and gentleman, I present to you Beneath the Skin!
visiting sammy out in hoboken
September 27, 2003
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Saturday night, my brother and I crossed the bridge to experience some Long Beach Island night life action. We went to some club and managed to catch a clutch Bruce Springsteen cover band (I shit you not). Even though faux-Bruce rocked the house, the night didn't come close to last year's LBI Nightlife Antics.
move the god-damned shed
June 21, 2003
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On Sunday night I was sitting home working on this stooopid site when I got a call from Sarah (whose fancy job is always getting her invited to fancy events) who asked me if I wanted to go see the Dashboard Confessional with her in a few minutes. I cooly answered "Sure, I guess I meet you there" (as my secret inner emo-fag wept with tears of joy and excitement).
the may roundup
May, 2003
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As his set progressed more and more "party dudes" got up on stage with him and shook their fists.
motherfucker party
May 26, 2002
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What you can't see in this picture is that the entire Vice Magazine staff was up on stage licking Andrew's asshole as he performed.
motherfucker party
May 26, 2002
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Andrew W.K. rocks it out.
motherfucker party
May 26, 2002
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Christine, Melissa and Amanda.
wit and cake again
May 17, 2002
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Amanda! (Looking just like a Robert Palmer girl from the Addicted to Love video).
wit and cake again
May 17, 2002
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Started off at Don Hill's to check out WIT. (Lipsyncing it up, yo).
wit and cake again
May 17, 2002
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As the show progressed, they eventually went as far to put their "prop" instruments down. This is where the show, in my humble opion, really transformed from a "rock show" to a "insightful art performance piece remarking upon the inherent irony in post-existentialist thought."
wit and cake again
May 17, 2002
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They don't really play their instruments on stage, because it's, you know, artsier that way.
wit and cake again
May 17, 2002
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I didn't think he be able to top his balcony tricks...
les savy fav at bowery ballroom
May 15, 2002
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...until when in the middle of the next song he ripped off his sweatshirt and sweatpants (yep, he was wearing sweatpants on stage) to reveal this kick-ass wrestling singlet (complete with ear-protector...nice!).
les savy fav at bowery ballroom
May 15, 2002
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Okay, see the kid in the wife beater and silky track suit pants? So he was totally rocking out to the show and Amanda nudged us and was like "Yo, that kid's totally popping a metal boner." We looked over at him, nodded in agreement, and then turned our attention back to the show.

That's when Amanda nudged us again, this time directing our gaze with a finger pointed at his crotch and said "No, look...he's really got a boner!" We had assumed Amanda was talking about a "figurative metal boner" (which we all had) but this was a "literal, honest-to-goodness, metal-boner." So let that be a warning to you, if you plan on seeing the metal-wizardry that is SPEL, make sure to wear loose-fitting clothes from the waist down.
fucked company book-release party
May 14, 2002
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So after people have had a few drinks, Philip goes up on stage and talks a little bit about his book and has a Q&A session with the audience. Then after that, SPEL, the band that Philip plays drums in, took the stage to play a 45+ minute set of instrumental metal!!! The only thing more awesome than SPEL's music is...
fucked company book-release party
May 14, 2002
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Case in point, here's one last pic. C'mon, admit it. You're hard right now, aren't you?
fucked company book-release party
May 14, 2002
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Why yes, it is real sateen. Why do you ask?
fucked company book-release party
May 14, 2002
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...the two long-haired, metal-gods that front the band. Check these two dudes out - they are no joke.
fucked company book-release party
May 14, 2002
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...as were all the black-glassed hipsters in tight, ironic tees. Mosh, hipsters! Mosh I say!
coatal drag gang
March 24, 2002
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When Saturday night rolled around, the Drag was in full effect...
coatal drag gang
March 24, 2002
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Stage shot.
random february parties
February, 2002
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The crowd gathers to watch Soviet play.
random february parties
February, 2002
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Our friend (and fellow Syracuse alumni) Amanda plays keys for Soviet.
random february parties
February, 2002
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Some ska band playing on our friend's porch.
the end of college
May, 1998
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Clever banter!
archers of loaf with doug
October 24, 1997
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The show was amazing!
archers of loaf with doug
October 24, 1997
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This guy is Doug's idol. Seriously.
archers of loaf with doug
October 24, 1997
I edited together all the video footage into a seven-minute movie! Thanks for having me along, everyone! It was like the summer-camp for grown-ups I've always dreamed about and I had an awesome time! <3
on tour with the all-american rejects
September 10, 2016
I edited together this montage of some choice cuts of the hits from the evening. (My favorite moment is Fatty's expression at 3:20) Enjoy! Track listing:
1. Christmas Wrapping
2. I Can't Go for That
3. Christmas Wrapping (part 2)
4. Head Over Heels
5. Plush
6. Peace on Earth / Ziggy Stardust
7. Let's Go
8. Fairytale Of New York
9. Creep
10. Don't You Want Me
11. Do They Know It's Christmas?
the december roundup
December, 2015
This video of the band warming up on the bus before their show in Charlotte is one of my favorite things from tour.
on tour with all-american rejects
September 21, 2012