Rough Wakarusa notes...since I didn't write an article
Calexico
Song about suburban sprawl. Guitars switch shape on Joey sometimes resorting to his bare hands, a clap. Bugs flew in their faces. Extinct instruments emerge. Violent drumming like shots fired. Horn made an encore. Sound problems. They played Minutemen cover. Don’t dismiss them for some 30-something desert band. At the end of the show on Saturday, they said “thank you have a beautiful face" at the end of their set. To much echo and not quite a strong enough voice, but spotlight switches off Joey and the others have their turn. Powerful, but not quite confident enough, like an opera singer on a first date. Wilco made us clap, I hate forced audience participation, just play the damn music, if you have any. I can clap when I get home. $5 hot air ballon ride. Fried oreos for 5 bucks. A dancing Rabbit outfit.. On stage, All smiles, flashing lights. Crowd really roaring. “Nematode” chanted the crowd to Lotus, begging an encore. “I’m doing something organic and hallucinogenic”. The sound guys breath smelled like Anarchist-was it Dave Strano? Turbans and Kafias and mix-matched yuppyized organic ethnic food. The press area fills with dancing hippies, snuck in. Sporadically security sweeps them out. Muddy dance floor. Lotus finished and Radiohead played. A camera swooped by on crane. The crowd were dancers when the camera hit them. Lost black border mix running lost--out entrance after Wilco. VIPs are making out, the kind of making out you see in Jr. high, in the suburbs. I camp at VIP/ They are a rich white stoner culture. Jeff Tweety’s dancing was too orchestrated and stiff. “who are you” someone in the crowd asked. “We're Wilco” Jeff Tweedy replied, continuing jokingly “shit we're at the wrong concert.” The crowd laughed uncomfortably. The crowd became dancers when the camera hit them. Wilco’s mediocrity became apparent only at the live show, it simplified my previous-liking for their music to a good recording. His voice needs to be produced but it was an organic-loving crowd. Are they trying to be hip like high school. Why are you noticing you look fat on the monitor Tweedy, and why are you pointing that out to the audience. The Kansan sent me two Christian photographers; so pure they didn’t even drink coffee. What the hell were they thinking, sending them to Wakarusa, to work with me. Night footings brought Morning scroungers. A woman in a sumo costume wondered Shakedown Street. “Get your narcotics here” yells a traveling vendor holding a cardboard sign. Beetle Bob, some journalist for sauce magazine out of Saint Louis approached me in his purple velvet lounge suit and beetle’s haircut. At the moment I thought he was my messiah and I asked him a bunch of questions. In return, he asked me how he could find Wilco and told me “I’m good friends with Jeff, I was at his first show. The next day someone said they recognized him. He was a regular at some punk club in St. louis. I though Wilco pulled a Milli Vanilli on their song "Nothing", but no one seemed to notice-can’t trust the pot crowd that is this audience-asked Beetle Bob about it. There are some punks on crew. Jeff Tweety insulted the VIP section “so you just paid a little more for some elbow room. Wilco’s lyrics were pretty fucking cheesy. The VIP section is predominantly blond, opposed to the dready standard audience. Behind me Rachel, the photographer from Iowa said “string cheese is bigger than the world.” Turned around, String Cheese was on the screen and beneath them was a small blow up globe. The festival was unorganized. Everyone was too stoned to plan. Painted or tattooed nipples? Poppin fresh, c-mon come on up. Circus hippies. Green grown happiness $5 hot air ballon ride.
"don't get so mad at you customers" Said some hippies
"My kids are jerkin off at me at home. Don't tell me how to my business. " He responded as a young employee exits from the back door and storms off. "get out of here" he yells. Pink behind me. Crowd behind fence. Huge. Loud. Red. Pink? A pink bobbing bunny hat.
Joe wide-eyed, What's her name--next to him,--ahh, yes Jaquilin,
Jaquilyn: Hi Yoni
Joe is wearing red soccer shorts, matching headband, sneakers and no shirt-his usual attire. I laugh.
"Hey guys" I say
We exchange small talk. Joaquin is working concession. Joe is out of it. Joaquin is having a good time. She is dating the dude who works at Henrys. Water.
"Man, I am so thirsty" Joe says
A glass of water is waiting in Joaquin's hands. She goes to work, he works on his water.
"you are beautiful" Joe says to two blonds in black Columbia fleeces.
"Thanks. Same to you guys." they said
My heart stopped. Eyes went to the dirt. The ground is brown, grazed of sand. There are rocks, cigarette buts. The ground almost looks yellow in this light.. Joe is babbling about something.
"….I mean everybody. You too, your all so beautiful."
"What are you on," I ask him.
"Everyone, I just think that"..Joe sighs.
"Lucy in the sky?" I ask
"I'm doing something organic and hallucinogenic."
The crowd prepares for lotus
"Cool, well enjoy yourself Joe. You gonna watch these guys?"
"Yea, I'm watchin all these guys, I''m one of those guys. I like watching people, because they are so beautiful."
"see you later Joe"
"Thank you for sharing my heart"
Radiohead played after lotus finished their set.
Backstage, while I wait for Lotus I meet Andy Banks. She's on stage crew she tells me she is from Salina, Ks.
"Are you enjoying the show" I ask her
She laughs. She explains she hasn’t been listening to the show.
"I came to bring pies to these guys, I baked them. And to socialize my puppy." She tells me
"Cute dog." I say
No dogs were allowed. She didn't know that. Main stage, midnight or so, quiet.
My photographer sucks. She meticulously sets the apature shoots and checks the photo, " how do you work this thing" she asks
The band is becoming irritated. I flash them nod.
I ask Keri to use the camera. I shoot the whole roll in two minutes. The band is happy. We shake hands.
Furry-coat people flirt drug references; others hiss, passing people like ant highways.
At the press tent. Heather Lofflin talking loudly on her phone in the back.
I'm on the phone to.
"Leslie, I got you a photo pass. My photographer totally sucks, please come out. You have a good camera right? Great. What time do you get off Zen Zero. Cool, Well call me when you get here. "
A Sign reads: LOST! Black Border collie mix.
The bands smooze with each other. The Guitarist from Nico Case (link) tells me he just wants to party, Neko comes to get him. I tell her she had a great set.
"Pot smoking, free-loving, capitalists."
What kind of smoke is this?
I met Rachel Munney: Detached strobe. Quick fingers. Flash and fucking small eyes.
"who do you work for?"
" University of Iowa"
"cool"
"What about you?"
" The University Daily Kansan."
"cool"
"yea"
That was Rachel.
"Can I see your Pictures?"
"Yea sure"
Her pictures were good. I told her I need a photographer. She told me to meet her in the press tent Saturday at 2:00 That was the beginning of Rachel.
Turning rebellion into money/.
Down shakedown, right on the L-dirt road off shot, down near the V split, there are sounds of A crowd roaring. My eyes find the source. A CD player, from behind the reclining fowl merchants.
The cops make a bust.
"Hi, whats going on" I ask some embroidered badge cops in a golf scooter
"None of your business" they respond threateningly
"I'm Jonathan Leyser, I'm press"
"This is our scene, We need you to Leave."
They looked at me with eyes burning of evil and danger. I left. Cops and dogs searched the SUV. The next morning I would find out Wector and Eamon were camping just across and witnessed the trauma too.
MORNING AFTER.
Check facts
-call vodika, touch and go, contept. Where the fuck is sonic youth's publicist contact.
Call relic-next time pitch it first, to Wes@relix.com
NEKO case is wearing a red Kansas shirt, underneath it reads "the land of Ahhhs". and playing sweet guitar. She also has a slide guitar. Her face outlines some frustration or nervousness. Like Wilco it's non-violent music.
"This [song] is about killing your boyfriend and sticking him in the furnace" -Neko Case
She was 30 something and simple-looking but had a casual non-forced bravado that claimed her (or her right to rock).
"I want to go make out with Split Lip Rayfield right now" -Neko Case to audience
"It's good to be Back in the Plains. No offence Nells, but I can't breathe In Los Angeles." -Jeff Tweety on stage infront of Kansas audience.
sunday
Withstanding the harsh conditions at Wakarusa was a question of sanity for the rich, trendy who left their cul-de-sacs and spent the weekend at the festival. Their coolness is getting hot in the Kansas.
There were a lot of vendors, will there be enough customers to buy their goods?
“Pot-smoking free-loving capitalists”
Furry coat people flirt drug references. Walking down Shakedown Street the sound of a roaring large crowd can be heard. It’s coming from a tape player in the chicken kabob shack..
I'm sitting in the airport on Christmas day, waiting for Camilla and Jacob to arrive. Around me trample hundreds of misshapen, rushed blurs of people. LAX. Faces rush by without stopping to say hello.
I'm sitting in the airport on Christmas day, waiting for Camilla and Jacob to arrive. Around me trample hundreds of misshapen, rushed blurs of people. LAX. Faces rush by without stopping to say hello.
I'm sitting in the airport on Christmas day, waiting for Camilla and Jacob to arrive. Around me trample hundreds of misshapen, rushed blurs of people. LAX. Faces rush by without stopping to say hello.
Song about suburban sprawl. Guitars switch shape on Joey sometimes resorting to his bare hands, a clap. Bugs flew in their faces. Extinct instruments emerge. Violent drumming like shots fired. Horn made an encore. Sound problems. They played Minutemen cover. Don’t dismiss them for some 30-something desert band. At the end of the show on Saturday, they said “thank you have a beautiful face" at the end of their set. To much echo and not quite a strong enough voice, but spotlight switches off Joey and the others have their turn. Powerful, but not quite confident enough, like an opera singer on a first date. Wilco made us clap, I hate forced audience participation, just play the damn music, if you have any. I can clap when I get home. $5 hot air ballon ride. Fried oreos for 5 bucks. A dancing Rabbit outfit.. On stage, All smiles, flashing lights. Crowd really roaring. “Nematode” chanted the crowd to Lotus, begging an encore. “I’m doing something organic and hallucinogenic”. The sound guys breath smelled like Anarchist-was it Dave Strano? Turbans and Kafias and mix-matched yuppyized organic ethnic food. The press area fills with dancing hippies, snuck in. Sporadically security sweeps them out. Muddy dance floor. Lotus finished and Radiohead played. A camera swooped by on crane. The crowd were dancers when the camera hit them. Lost black border mix running lost--out entrance after Wilco. VIPs are making out, the kind of making out you see in Jr. high, in the suburbs. I camp at VIP/ They are a rich white stoner culture. Jeff Tweety’s dancing was too orchestrated and stiff. “who are you” someone in the crowd asked. “We're Wilco” Jeff Tweedy replied, continuing jokingly “shit we're at the wrong concert.” The crowd laughed uncomfortably. The crowd became dancers when the camera hit them. Wilco’s mediocrity became apparent only at the live show, it simplified my previous-liking for their music to a good recording. His voice needs to be produced but it was an organic-loving crowd. Are they trying to be hip like high school. Why are you noticing you look fat on the monitor Tweedy, and why are you pointing that out to the audience. The Kansan sent me two Christian photographers; so pure they didn’t even drink coffee. What the hell were they thinking, sending them to Wakarusa, to work with me. Night footings brought Morning scroungers. A woman in a sumo costume wondered Shakedown Street. “Get your narcotics here” yells a traveling vendor holding a cardboard sign. Beetle Bob, some journalist for sauce magazine out of Saint Louis approached me in his purple velvet lounge suit and beetle’s haircut. At the moment I thought he was my messiah and I asked him a bunch of questions. In return, he asked me how he could find Wilco and told me “I’m good friends with Jeff, I was at his first show. The next day someone said they recognized him. He was a regular at some punk club in St. louis. I though Wilco pulled a Milli Vanilli on their song "Nothing", but no one seemed to notice-can’t trust the pot crowd that is this audience-asked Beetle Bob about it. There are some punks on crew. Jeff Tweety insulted the VIP section “so you just paid a little more for some elbow room. Wilco’s lyrics were pretty fucking cheesy. The VIP section is predominantly blond, opposed to the dready standard audience. Behind me Rachel, the photographer from Iowa said “string cheese is bigger than the world.” Turned around, String Cheese was on the screen and beneath them was a small blow up globe. The festival was unorganized. Everyone was too stoned to plan. Painted or tattooed nipples? Poppin fresh, c-mon come on up. Circus hippies. Green grown happiness $5 hot air ballon ride.
"don't get so mad at you customers" Said some hippies
"My kids are jerkin off at me at home. Don't tell me how to my business. " He responded as a young employee exits from the back door and storms off. "get out of here" he yells. Pink behind me. Crowd behind fence. Huge. Loud. Red. Pink? A pink bobbing bunny hat.
Joe wide-eyed, What's her name--next to him,--ahh, yes Jaquilin,
Jaquilyn: Hi Yoni
Joe is wearing red soccer shorts, matching headband, sneakers and no shirt-his usual attire. I laugh.
"Hey guys" I say
We exchange small talk. Joaquin is working concession. Joe is out of it. Joaquin is having a good time. She is dating the dude who works at Henrys. Water.
"Man, I am so thirsty" Joe says
A glass of water is waiting in Joaquin's hands. She goes to work, he works on his water.
"you are beautiful" Joe says to two blonds in black Columbia fleeces.
"Thanks. Same to you guys." they said
My heart stopped. Eyes went to the dirt. The ground is brown, grazed of sand. There are rocks, cigarette buts. The ground almost looks yellow in this light.. Joe is babbling about something.
"….I mean everybody. You too, your all so beautiful."
"What are you on," I ask him.
"Everyone, I just think that"..Joe sighs.
"Lucy in the sky?" I ask
"I'm doing something organic and hallucinogenic."
The crowd prepares for lotus
"Cool, well enjoy yourself Joe. You gonna watch these guys?"
"Yea, I'm watchin all these guys, I''m one of those guys. I like watching people, because they are so beautiful."
"see you later Joe"
"Thank you for sharing my heart"
Radiohead played after lotus finished their set.
Backstage, while I wait for Lotus I meet Andy Banks. She's on stage crew she tells me she is from Salina, Ks.
"Are you enjoying the show" I ask her
She laughs. She explains she hasn’t been listening to the show.
"I came to bring pies to these guys, I baked them. And to socialize my puppy." She tells me
"Cute dog." I say
No dogs were allowed. She didn't know that. Main stage, midnight or so, quiet.
My photographer sucks. She meticulously sets the apature shoots and checks the photo, " how do you work this thing" she asks
The band is becoming irritated. I flash them nod.
I ask Keri to use the camera. I shoot the whole roll in two minutes. The band is happy. We shake hands.
Furry-coat people flirt drug references; others hiss, passing people like ant highways.
At the press tent. Heather Lofflin talking loudly on her phone in the back.
I'm on the phone to.
"Leslie, I got you a photo pass. My photographer totally sucks, please come out. You have a good camera right? Great. What time do you get off Zen Zero. Cool, Well call me when you get here. "
A Sign reads: LOST! Black Border collie mix.
The bands smooze with each other. The Guitarist from Nico Case (link) tells me he just wants to party, Neko comes to get him. I tell her she had a great set.
"Pot smoking, free-loving, capitalists."
What kind of smoke is this?
I met Rachel Munney: Detached strobe. Quick fingers. Flash and fucking small eyes.
"who do you work for?"
" University of Iowa"
"cool"
"What about you?"
" The University Daily Kansan."
"cool"
"yea"
That was Rachel.
"Can I see your Pictures?"
"Yea sure"
Her pictures were good. I told her I need a photographer. She told me to meet her in the press tent Saturday at 2:00 That was the beginning of Rachel.
Turning rebellion into money/.
Down shakedown, right on the L-dirt road off shot, down near the V split, there are sounds of A crowd roaring. My eyes find the source. A CD player, from behind the reclining fowl merchants.
The cops make a bust.
"Hi, whats going on" I ask some embroidered badge cops in a golf scooter
"None of your business" they respond threateningly
"I'm Jonathan Leyser, I'm press"
"This is our scene, We need you to Leave."
They looked at me with eyes burning of evil and danger. I left. Cops and dogs searched the SUV. The next morning I would find out Wector and Eamon were camping just across and witnessed the trauma too.
MORNING AFTER.
Check facts
-call vodika, touch and go, contept. Where the fuck is sonic youth's publicist contact.
Call relic-next time pitch it first, to Wes@relix.com
NEKO case is wearing a red Kansas shirt, underneath it reads "the land of Ahhhs". and playing sweet guitar. She also has a slide guitar. Her face outlines some frustration or nervousness. Like Wilco it's non-violent music.
"This [song] is about killing your boyfriend and sticking him in the furnace" -Neko Case
She was 30 something and simple-looking but had a casual non-forced bravado that claimed her (or her right to rock).
"I want to go make out with Split Lip Rayfield right now" -Neko Case to audience
"It's good to be Back in the Plains. No offence Nells, but I can't breathe In Los Angeles." -Jeff Tweety on stage infront of Kansas audience.
sunday
Withstanding the harsh conditions at Wakarusa was a question of sanity for the rich, trendy who left their cul-de-sacs and spent the weekend at the festival. Their coolness is getting hot in the Kansas.
There were a lot of vendors, will there be enough customers to buy their goods?
“Pot-smoking free-loving capitalists”
Furry coat people flirt drug references. Walking down Shakedown Street the sound of a roaring large crowd can be heard. It’s coming from a tape player in the chicken kabob shack..
I'm sitting in the airport on Christmas day, waiting for Camilla and Jacob to arrive. Around me trample hundreds of misshapen, rushed blurs of people. LAX. Faces rush by without stopping to say hello.
I'm sitting in the airport on Christmas day, waiting for Camilla and Jacob to arrive. Around me trample hundreds of misshapen, rushed blurs of people. LAX. Faces rush by without stopping to say hello.
I'm sitting in the airport on Christmas day, waiting for Camilla and Jacob to arrive. Around me trample hundreds of misshapen, rushed blurs of people. LAX. Faces rush by without stopping to say hello.