Damn this feels good
Last night may very well have been a tremendous milestone in my life. I was given the opportunity to be head director of videography of the second annual Seattle Ska Fest, and don't you worry, I did damn good. Arriving 2 hours early, a laminated paper with "event staff: Video Crew" emblazoned across it swinging in the wind, I got to work. 4 cameras, positioned at my descression. 3 goons running around at my every whim, doing their damndest to abide by my pre-set game plan.
Goon 1 - Stay steady in the back of the venue, work a tripod if needed and focus on full band shots, you're the backbone of this production, baby
Goon 2 - Stay in the middle of the venue, preferably the left side. Stay tight on the full band, but focus on the singer and guitars
Goon 3 - You're with me up front. Stay to the right, I'll take the left. If a solo goes down, you get it. If the bass player is getting especially groovy, that's all you. I'll do the same on my side.
I needn't say that it was a magical experience.
Alki Beach leaves the stage, Keiser Soze sets up, and Mike runs up to me
"Garrett, Goon 2 is out of batteries and goon 1 is almost out of tape"
Pressure set in, but in a strange way. For some reason I didn't feel the urge to trundle over and give in...
"Pull goon 1 up front and give goon 2 my camera, have him fill in for me" as I literally sprint to Fred Meyer's.
Crisis effectively averted.
It just went on and on, and yet still was one of the best experiences I've had in my life.
Upright dub orchestra is now my favorite band.
Not because of their music, which I assure you is goddamned amazing, but for one simple reason.
They were able to mix a Big Lebowski reference, a Pulp Fiction Reference, and a Hasidic Judaism reference all in one goddamn song. No fucking way, you say? Oh yes. Fucking way.
The song starts out with some slow, very mellow reggae (these guys are real roots ska, not that Alki Beach shit) and their singer states "This day, my friends, is Shomer shabbos, which means we don't drive our cars, we don't pick up the phone, we don't go to the bowling alley, but we do play ska music!" and immediately following that statement, they break into the bitchinest ska cover I'd ever heard. It's of that stock stereotypical klesmer song, the one that gets played in any cartoon when there's a vague reference to Judaism. If you don't know what I'm talking about off the top of your head, I'll play the recording and you'll know. Oh sweet Jesus you'll know. So as I'm telling myself, "wow, this is the best ska cover I've ever heard" They did something that blew me away. The horns cut out, and the guitar player starts really ripping, but he's not playing any old ska song, oh no. This guy is playing fucking miserlou. For those who don't know, miserlou is the Dick Dale song that is generally referred to as the Pulp Fiction theme song. A second guitar starts slapping some ska chords in and the horns start up full blast, providing all of the harmonics, and I couldn't take it any more. When this DVD is released and you see and hear what I saw and heard, I guarantee you'll never go back to the Bosstones or Operation Ivy.
Oh, and I got laid off, which I honestly could care less about
Anyone want to be a personal reference for me for Blockbuster video?
Goon 1 - Stay steady in the back of the venue, work a tripod if needed and focus on full band shots, you're the backbone of this production, baby
Goon 2 - Stay in the middle of the venue, preferably the left side. Stay tight on the full band, but focus on the singer and guitars
Goon 3 - You're with me up front. Stay to the right, I'll take the left. If a solo goes down, you get it. If the bass player is getting especially groovy, that's all you. I'll do the same on my side.
I needn't say that it was a magical experience.
Alki Beach leaves the stage, Keiser Soze sets up, and Mike runs up to me
"Garrett, Goon 2 is out of batteries and goon 1 is almost out of tape"
Pressure set in, but in a strange way. For some reason I didn't feel the urge to trundle over and give in...
"Pull goon 1 up front and give goon 2 my camera, have him fill in for me" as I literally sprint to Fred Meyer's.
Crisis effectively averted.
It just went on and on, and yet still was one of the best experiences I've had in my life.
Upright dub orchestra is now my favorite band.
Not because of their music, which I assure you is goddamned amazing, but for one simple reason.
They were able to mix a Big Lebowski reference, a Pulp Fiction Reference, and a Hasidic Judaism reference all in one goddamn song. No fucking way, you say? Oh yes. Fucking way.
The song starts out with some slow, very mellow reggae (these guys are real roots ska, not that Alki Beach shit) and their singer states "This day, my friends, is Shomer shabbos, which means we don't drive our cars, we don't pick up the phone, we don't go to the bowling alley, but we do play ska music!" and immediately following that statement, they break into the bitchinest ska cover I'd ever heard. It's of that stock stereotypical klesmer song, the one that gets played in any cartoon when there's a vague reference to Judaism. If you don't know what I'm talking about off the top of your head, I'll play the recording and you'll know. Oh sweet Jesus you'll know. So as I'm telling myself, "wow, this is the best ska cover I've ever heard" They did something that blew me away. The horns cut out, and the guitar player starts really ripping, but he's not playing any old ska song, oh no. This guy is playing fucking miserlou. For those who don't know, miserlou is the Dick Dale song that is generally referred to as the Pulp Fiction theme song. A second guitar starts slapping some ska chords in and the horns start up full blast, providing all of the harmonics, and I couldn't take it any more. When this DVD is released and you see and hear what I saw and heard, I guarantee you'll never go back to the Bosstones or Operation Ivy.
Oh, and I got laid off, which I honestly could care less about
Anyone want to be a personal reference for me for Blockbuster video?