Natalie transfer: 2009

Monday, December 28, 2009

Test

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

365 Days, 365 Photos: 11/25/2009

I was prepping food for our camping trip to Big Sur (approximately 6 hours before we left). When I cut the top off this pepper, this is what happened. I said it looked pretty cool and E told me I should take a photo of it. Good thinkin'.

365 Days, 365 Photos: 11/24/2009

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Drummer from Fanfarlo. They strung those lights up on the back wall of the Casbah, and I love how you can see one glinting through his cymbals.

Show Photos: Fanfarlo, Freelance Whales @ Casbah, 11/24/2009

Photos: Fanfarlo, Freelance Whales @ Casbah

This show was one of the best I've seen all year. I definitely appreciate two-band bills (which seem to be pretty rare these days), especially when those two bands are as high quality as Fanfarlo and Freelance Whales.

The latter have been creating quite a buzz lately, and with good reason. Their debut album, Weathervanes, has been getting a lot of play on my iPod, and with lyrics like, "and if you're partial to the night sky, if you're vaguely attracted to rooftops?" how could I not swoon?

And wow - their live show. It was...joyous. I'm talking about the bouncing-around-the-stage-with-huge-grins-on-their-faces kind of joy. It was as infectious as their music, and they absolutely stunned everyone in the room with their set. I was sad to see them leave the stage.

I couldn't be too upset, though, knowing that Fanfarlo was up next. I picked up a copy of their CD Reservoir at some point over the summer, and ever since, I have found myself humming "The Walls are Coming Down" quite often.

They played a set that felt shorter than the Freelance Whales', but packed in that short amount of time was some great music. I left the show that night giddy and flushed and full of happiness.

Pitchfork Photos: FM94/9 Holiday Hootenany

If you haven't already, check out my photos from the FM94/9 Holiday Hootenany over at Pitchfor k. It was blast, even with the last minute changes due to the rain. And look for more photos here later.

Friday, December 11, 2009

365 Days, 365 Photos: 11/23/2009

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With it getting dark so early, and me doing a lot of photo editing at my desktop computer at home these days, I decided I needed more light in my living room. So it was off to Ikea to pick up, you guessed it, another light fixture. Which I promptly took a photo of

365 Days, 365 Photos: 11/22/2009

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For a (hopefully) upcoming project detailing the streets of North Park. This is 33rd and Redwood.

365 Days, 365 Photos: 11/21/2009

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Sweater texture. And yes, I've now sunk to wearing sweaters when it's 60 degrees out here. It's almost shameful, if they weren't so cute...

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Show Photos: Friendly Fires, The xx, Holly Miranda @ Casbah, 11/20/2009

Photos: Friendly Fires, The xx, Holly Miranda @ Casbah

This show sold out WAY in advance, and I'm not sure why I was surprised. The xx has recently become everyone's new favorite band (with good reason, I might add - have you listened to "VCR"?), and Friendly Fires never puts on a bum show.

The only unknown to me was Holly Miranda, and she was quite a surprise. Her and her amazing voice really rounded out the bill.

Also, this guy's shirt was awesome:

Anticipation was pretty high for The xx's set. They'd recently downgraded to a three-piece, but fortunately for all of us, it hardly showed. They played the songs fairly straight from their album, but sometimes, when an album is that good, that's all you need. I don't usually make that exception, but in this case, it was valid.

I half expected most of the crowd to jet after The xx, but the majority stuck around for Friendly Fires, and I'm sure no one regretted that decision. The two previous times I had seen them, they put on a frenetic live show from first note to last, and this time was no different. Their set may not have been long, but they put their all into it, and left me feeling absolutely wiped out, but positively wired afterwards. So wiped out, in fact, that I sadly missed The Big Pink the next night, because I just couldn't take a third consecutive night of ass-kicking music.

365 Days, 365 Photos: 11/20/2009

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Friendly Fires at the Casbah. More to come.

Show Photos: Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, Portland Cello Project @ Casbah, 11/19/2009

Photos: Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, Portland Cello Project @ Casbah

I arrived at this show right as opener Dave Schultz was finishing up. The Portland Cello Project quickly took the stage and proceeded to humor us with various song renditions composed for - you guessed it - cellos. Four of them. This included a sing-along of "Hey Ya!" which, as a group, the audience kind of failed at. Oops. Maybe next time we can try it with "Baby Got Back"?

I remember that it took an awful long while for Thao and the gang to make it to the stage. Long enough to get antsy, especially considering that the stage was already set up for the band. When she did finally take the stage though, the show proved worth the wait. It was bouncy and bubbly and beautiful, and afterwards, I bought her new album, Know Better Learn Faster. I've spent a lot of time with it since, and it never fails to put a grin on my face. Also, the cover art is amazing. I want to go back in time and help out with that photo shoot. Seriously.

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down @ Casbah, 11/19/2009

I wanted to edit these images in color, as I felt that would best represent the way I felt at the show, but unfortunately, due to the lighting, this was the only photo that came even close to working in color. Sad face.