it's yaytime!

October 16, 2003
I've started working on some color drawings of all the Astronaut Elementary characters to use for pitches and things.
Here's the first one of MIYUMI:

5:24 PM

Last night I went to a cool event at the Museum of Televison and Radio that showed really rare early works by Jim Henson. Some were back when he did little bits for a local TV station in the 60's, some where old commercials, and many were from various variety shows. There were also failed TV pilots like the "Legend of Tinker Dee" and some corporate films that really spotlighted his diversity and constant creativity. Afterwards his wife, and several people (including the guy who did Guy Smiley & the Count as well as the woman who built the Ms. Piggy puppet) from the Muppet creative team came out and answered questions. It was fantastic and only furthered my love for all things connected to Henson. It was obvious that a lot of people in the audience wanted to be puppeteers of some sort. When they were looking for people in the audience to ask questions why guy kept getting overlooked because instead of raising his OWN hand he had a puppet on his lap trying to get their attention!

3:42 PM

October 14, 2003
So with my health almost fully returned I made it to the Frames show at Irving Plaza Friday night. Waiting in line I saw a girl with a YO LA TENGO (awesome band) shirt on and asked her why she wasn't seeing them tonight ( I knew my friend Erin was seeing them in Brooklyn at that very moment). She didn't know what to say except (Well I've seen Yo La Tengo). Which I already assumed based on her T-shirt ;)

It was so very different from the last show I saw them do at Bowey Ballroom. Less of the long building atmospheric songs and instead they mostly just play their straight out rock songs.
Which is fine by me since I enjoy watching them "rock out" and a lot of those songs aren't on the newer albums (or just don't have the same feeling as hearing the feedback echo through the theater).

**Best of all they played a fully charged, insanely awesome cover of the PIXIES' "Where is my Mind?"--which is probably the closest I will ever come to seeing the Pixies live. It was just so incredible and of course the crowd went nuts. They also played a dark and brooding cover of Bob marley's Revalate as well as some music from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory complete with dialog from the film. There were also some improved bits which were funny and as usual the fiddle player just tore everything up.

Afterwards was the headliners Calexico, who weren't too shabby. They sort of reminded me of Man or AstroMan? with tex-mex in place of surf guitar. Some great atmosphere music that'd make a good film score, but hardly the energetic and passionate performance established by the opening band ;)

The coolest moment was when Glen Hansard, the singer of the Frames (Pictured below) came out to watch some of the show and stood right next to us. It's a good thing I'm not gay or I would have freaked out ;) He's just such a character! He didn't stay out long becuase people kept asking him to sign CD's and stuff and seemed like he didn't want to disrupt the show.

Can't wait to see them again!

12:45 PM

11:59 AM