Attack of the faxes!

This is what I tried to submit for Attack Of The Show's Faxathon. YouTube favorite FPS Russia versus AOTS parody Reading Rambo:

 Candace is the co-host of the show and she recently visited the Oklahoma Full Auto Shoot and Gun Show. She shot many types of weapons there.

Attack Of The Show

FPS Russia's YouTube channel

A Little Cheesesteak heaven and a little Ric Rac

  I ventured to Connie's Ric Rack in South Philly to see the Absolute Zeros' last show for the summer with Kelvin visiting friend and family in the U.K. for a few weeks. The club is a few blocks from Geno's and Pat's Steaks (my first time in the area) where I ran into Kelvin and walked with him the remaining few blocks. The club is small but a nice place with crazy art, old toys, a cash box made from an NES and a ping pong table where people were playing all night. Not much of a distraction unless the ball bounces off someone standing at the bar(!)

Steve was at a wedding reception but made it in plenty of time for the set. James from The Sobriquets came up and sang on a few numbers. Besides the Sobriquets, Pretty Blond and Clouds Make Sounds also played.

Tiff Randol Back in Town

Tiff Randol was back on the East coast so I made sure to stop by the Triumph in New Hope on a rare Wednesday night. On the way there I ran into Jessica and Donny Jensen, old friends staying in town for their anniversary. Tiff was guesting with local musicians and it was the first time I had seen her play guitar live. She played one set of her originals, then had a second set that included a jam session with her guests, sharing vocals and playing some covers including the Beatles and Elton John. We talked about her recent performance singing backup for Moby on the Tonight Show. My old friend Jess who used to work at John and Peter's also dropped by, I hadn't seen her for almost three years and it was great to see her. She has a family now but still loves music as much as before.

Living Up to the HYPE

Saw the Absolute Zeros at the Triumph Brewing Company in Old City as part of another HYPE show brought to you by Boy Wonder. It had been almost one year after I had last seem them there and since then the venue created a performance area on the first floor for bands to perform. This area was a bit cramped, the keyboard player was stuck behind a support post, it was hard to walk around the stage area and to the bathroom during sets. Also at the show was photographer John Haynes who is a fixture at Hype shows. I was disappointed to not see Steve's girlfriend Rani there, she was in Atlantic City with friends for the weekend.

A true Legendary venue returns

The second part of my back-to-back trips to Philadelphia featured my first vist to another recently reborn venue. The Legendary Dobbs which was the Pontiac Grill when I visited once before way back in 2004. It was one of the best venues for music in Philadelphia back in the '80s and early '90s and it seems to be trying to be that again. The sound levels were good if a bit loud and the place has a nice vibe to it. The interior is basically the same at it was at the Pontiac with a revamped stage. And like at Grape Street a video screen drops down between bands. I was there to see the Absolute Zeros for the first time since their EP release party back in May. The band had honorary member Joe Randle helping them out on keys and harmonica. Later we hung out wtih some of the bands' friends including a few visiting from Brooklyn and listened to the other bands.