Shout outs

I had a chance to hang with a fun crew on Saturday, many of whom have blogs and/or websites of their own. Check them out below...

- Joel

Leila Grothe - The Prima Gallerina
Cassie Edmondson - BTW Photo Blog (I had to leave before Dylan and the rest of Booker T. crew rolled in but shout out to them)
Barry Whistler - Barry Whistler Gallery, Barry Whistler Gallery Blog (maintained by Leila)
Brian Gibb - Art Prostitute, Art Prostitute Gallery, The Public Trust
Allison V. Smith - allisonvsmith.com, Superficial Snapshots
Holly - Halz Haz A Say

Two other shout outs to people who may or may not have websites or blogs of their own...first to Jonathan (Leila's boyfriend) who withstood the peer pressure and went home rather than staying out for karaoke. Second, to the little boy sleeping on a table at the karaoke bar, who we affectionately named Joel. Oh and one more to Jeff and Nicole. I can't remember their last names but they are without a doubt one of the trillest married couples I've met here in Dallas.

Don't Forget

- Joel

Photographer of the Day

© Kevin Miyazaki

Kevin Miyazaki

The picture on the right reminds me of my grandparents' house in Dodge City, KS.

- Joel

Love Lockdown

Kanye got arrested today. Looks like he didn't keep his love locked down. Somehow love escaped, which prompted him to assault a photographer (actually more than one photographer). So listen to his new track here to make sure you don't do the same thing.

- Joel

Photographer of the Day

2006 © Brian Adams

Brian Adams

- Joel

Ode to Booker T: A Remix

What's this elixir
Photo class calls fixer?

Drama floatin like humidity
Dylan promises the blog of the century.

Why must a class so trill
Be forced on hands and knees to drill?

Yeah, I'm calling you out Miss E.
You got a response better than "Get off me"?

But I won't hate, I won't clown.
I'll keep it like Kanye, keep my love locked down.

Because whether you're a fan or just off the street
You can't deny Booker T. brings non-stop HEAT.

- Joel

Photographer of the Day

I Look Just Like My Daddy, 2003 ©Cass Bird

Cass Bird

- Joel

Lamps On A Wall ©Joel Thomason

You should read "Birches" by Robert Frost. It's a poem so it's short. Read it here. It is my all-time favorite poem. Here's one of my favorite lines:

One by one he subdued his father's trees
By riding them down over and over again
Until he took the stiffness out of them,
And not one but hung limp, not one was left
For him to conquer.

- Joel

Erich Nagler

Crowd, February 2004 ©Erich Nagler

Graphic Designer. Year 2000 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Check him out.

- Joel

Downtown Owl: A Novel

I can't seem to fall asleep tonight, so I'm up messing around on the internet...Chuck Klosterman has a new book and it's called Downtown Owl: A Novel. It just dropped (can you use the term "dropped" when referencing literature?) this month. Considering that I have loved most everything I have read of Klosterman's, this novel will be next on my reading list. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is the first fiction work by Klosterman. The best introduction to his work is Sex, Drugs, & Cocoa Puffs.

- Joel

Burn After Reading

Besides going to see the AVS show, I want to see this movie this weekend.

- Joel

I found out about a new blog today - Halz Has A Say - which led to a new music discovery. I'm obviously late on this one, considering that Halz posted this back on June 23, but better late than never. Here's what she wrote about this mixtape that lays The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds on top of J. Dilla beats:

UK producer Bullion fuses the The Beach Boy's Pet Sounds, and J Dilla's beats. I know it's been around awhile. For those who haven't heard it in its entirety, download this summer-friendly mix.

The mixtape is called Pet Sounds: In the Key of Dee and it is definitely worth a listen. Download it here. In the Key of Dee reminds me a lot of Danger Mouse's The Grey Album, but maybe not quite as coherent as The Grey Album. Summer may be on its way out, but the mixtape is definitely worth a run through. "Wouldn't It Be Nice" is my jam off the tape. Definitely could be dropped at a club and get the hipsters bobbing their heads in their skinny jeans and Chucks.

Thanks to Halz for the heads up and thanks to Allison for introducing me to the Halz's blog.

- Joel

Hall Pass

I'm not sure how many people in the Dallas area actually read this blog, but I'm posting this anyway. I have an answer to your question, "What should I do on Saturday?" You should come check out Allison V. Smith's show Hall Pass opening at the Barry Whistler Gallery. There's a reception from 6-8pm and you can hang out, see some cool photography, and even meet Allison in the flesh (she's really fun). And no, it doesn't matter if you live in Dallas or not. Make the trip. I'm bringing a friend of mine from Oklahoma City. Come to Dallas. Hang out for the weekend. And go see Hall Pass.

FYI - this will be the first of a few posts this week imploring you to see the show. If nothing else, check out her website and her blog.

- Joel

Exhibit A

Kanye murdered it tonight at the VMAs, so did Wayne. Total side note, I think Wayne is a great rapper, not the greatest. The thing I loved about the performance was that is was unlike what I expected, not the back pack toting brash Kanye spitting out of the side of his mouth with more swagger than anyone else. But Kanye is a shunken suit with a broken heart glowing on his chest. Not only cool, but the dude is prolific.

dc

Memory Lane aka My iTunes Library

Enchanted Lighting.  August 2008 © Joel Thomason

I just got hired to DJ another wedding in December.  I had to work on the contract tonight which prompted me to run through my music and separate some of the better stuff into "Dinner" and "Dancing" lists.  Here are a few realizations I made while going through my music...

1. I LOVE Christmas.  Since the wedding is in December, I'll have a chance to bust out my extensive Christmas collection.  Is it weird that I get goosebumps just hearing snippets of Christmas songs?

2. Nothing works like oldies music to get the entire room out on the dance floor.  This time through my library, "September" by Earth, Wind, & Fire (see below), "Ventura Highway" by America, and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" by Frankie Valli jumped out at me.  Plus, you can never go wrong with The Beatles or The Beach Boys.

3. Everyone should periodically go through their iTunes library.  It's a great way to rediscover music you didn't realize you had.

4. "American Boy" by Estelle is effortlessly cool.

- Joel

New Cool Kids

The Cool Kids recently dropped a new track called "Delivery Man." It's not their best effort, but it's new so it's blogworthy. Listen to it below. Download it here.

- Joel

Dallas at Dusk

It's hard to catch a sunset from my place in the city. There is no horizon line when you're surrounded my buildings, houses, and trees. Here are some attempts with to catch a few with the Holga.

- Joel

The Rat

Here's a great old (circa 2004 so not that old) track from The Walkmen.  It's my favorite off their previous album Bows + Arrows.  This live performance comes courtesy of Pitchfork Media's "Life from Juan's Basement."  If you haven't already, check out The Walkmen's newest album You & Me.

- Joel

Banksy Tags New Orleans

My new friend Allison and I had a conversation yesterday about Banksy, the mysterious British graffiti artist, and his post-Katrina grafitti around the city of New Orleans. Now, post-Gustav, the nation's attention is once more drawn to the Gulf Coast and the city of New Orleans. The grafitti is pretty nuts (as in really cool). Check it out. Here is Banksy's website. His stuff is already cool but becomes exponentially cooler given that no one knows who Banksy is.

Also, people are in the process of taking photos for the Yer City's A Sucker Photo Challenge. You should too.

- Joel

I'm Just Saying

These are the two coolest dudes in the world.

dc