Radio Free Hipster Ep. 147: The Living Bookend

It's hard to live here in modern America and not think about political divisions. Shit, it's practically all we think about.

At the core I believe the real difference comes down to two simple ideologies; those at the farthest point to the left want everything to change, while those at the farthest on the right want nothing to change. And while I lean more toward the former with regard to actual socio-political philosophy, I can be pretty damn right-wing when it comes to my own life—almost staggeringly inflexible.

I am content to do the same things in the same ways not just because it helps to dull my perpetual anxiety, but also because it's easy. Sadly, things seldom stay easy.

Right now things are especially not-easy, so I'm stepping away from some projects for a while. Hopefully just a short while more, mind you, but the podcast—at least as I left it last year—seemed particularly… unfinished.

So let's just call this a better end point, temporary as it may be.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 147: The Living Bookend [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 83.9 MB Running Time: 58:45 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
Not everyone can say they have a Beefy/Spellah-penned theme song.

Track 1: Adam WarRock – "GRWN UP KDS"
I've been bumping this track since the week before the EP actually dropped. Continually.

Z's 1st interlude: "Great big adolescents."
Which is, I should point out, not the name of my Adolescents tribute band.

Track 2: The 88 – "At Least I Was Here"
I started to play the full version, but this truncated cut seemed more impactful.

Track 3: Marcus Coronel – "Bacon Pancakes vs. Empire State of Mind"
For this one I specifically played the full version. Because bacon pancakes.

Track 4: R_Garcia – "Indifferent Times"
Definitely check out No Holds Bard. Garcia always manages to impress, but this one is especially engaging.

Track 5: Illbotz – "Michael McDonald's Crunk Classics (skit)"
If my life is gonna be a Michael McDonald song it's damn well gonna be one sung by Big Perm.

Track 6: Stenobot – "Welcome Home"
I dream of an R_Garcia/Stenobot collab. It would surely be a chip-rock masterpiece.

Track 7: Reel Big Fish – "Ask"
A last-minute addition to the play list, but one I'm definitely happy I included.

Track 8: Anchorman dialog / The Police vs. Jungle Brothers – "Lonely Jungle Brothers"
Call this one a throwback to the earlier days of the 'cast.

Track 9: Dual Core – "Staring at the Last Star"
Don't give me none of that "all the feels" shit; admit that this song made you cry!

Z's 2nd interlude: "Another gorgeous composition."
I never got around to reviewing All the Things, even though I rightly should have. Suffice it to say it's excellent, and you oughta own it.

Track 10: The Grammar Club – "Phonin' It In"
I actually pushed this show back a bit so as not to step on Bioavailable's release date. Didn't wanna let this track slip out before you could actually make it your own.

Track 11: DJ Earworm – "United States of Pop 2012"
This one should have been a part of my year-end podcast, which sadly never happened.

Track 12: Psycosis – "United States of Clop 2012"
See above.

Track 13: melodysheep – "Secret of the Stars"
Neil deGrasse goddamn Tyson.

Track 14: Marc with a C – "Daddy, Make the Sun Come Out"
Marc's Popular Music does some strange and wonderful things, but this track is a personal favorite.

Z's final interlude: "The best thing, the strongest thing about this community—about this culture—is you."
File under: Cheesy But True.

Track 15: Optimus Rhyme – "Daryl Hannah"
"How will you feel with an expiration date?"

Before this goes any further I'd just like to thank you all for your kind words and support over the past few weeks. They've meant a lot. More than you could know.

Now as for what happens around here, well, that's still being discussed. It seems that, while my need for some time off was understood and unanimously supported, my plan to let the land go fallow was, well, less so. I've had a number of allies inquire about minding the blog while I see to moving and whatnot, and even some parties interested in keeping the podcast going in my stead.

And I like that idea. I like it a lot.

YONO: You Only NOFRIENDS Once

I brought my field recorder to last weekend's final show of the NOFRIENDS TOUR 2012 in nearby Charlotte, NC. I also brought my iPhone steadicam mount to capture some live video. But I ended up leaving all that shit in the car. I decided, for the first time in a long while, instead to totally lose myself in the show. And I did.

Okay, well not immediately. I mean, first there was the requisite pre-gig dinner at Pinky's. (Sean owed me hush puppies!) And then we kicked around the Milestone's well-worn bar in part two of our ritual. Where I mostly pestered poor Jesse Dangerously – fishing for listening suggestions from the substantial number of Canadian hip-hoppers who are what you might called Backburner-adjacent and complaining about how wholly unprepared I am when approached with questions concerning things of greater global import than, say, music or video games.

The night kicked off in earnest with MC Stealth, a local rapper that I know better as "that chick that stands next to me at the Dual Core show." She brought the house to order with a blend of sultry swagger and geeky self-awareness that I wasn't quite prepared for. Up to this point I'd only really seen her do the odd guest verse with The ThoughtCriminals, and though the crowd was sparse this early in the night she played to the goddamn rafters.

Next up was Sulfur, a cat I often see perform as part of the aforementioned TCs, in a sharp but too-short solo set. In the absence of the rest of the crew, Sean's personal style – I like to describe it as that of the world's warmest and most fun-loving street corner prophet of doom – really came through, especially on joints like the atomic-powered "1945." Oh, and let me pause here to give a nod to Tribe One for pointing out that Sulfur has a spit that is rather reminiscent of another southern hip-hopper, Goodie Mob's Khujo. (Good ears, Niles!)

Sean's musical soulmate Mikal kHill (AKA: The Human Disaster) then did his thing, and I was once again reminded that, no matter how many times I see that same dude at that same venue, kHill always brings something a little different to each set. Like Sulfur, Mikal naturally comes through a little different in the absence of the funky chip-rock of his fellow ThoughtCriminals, and that dynamic naturally shifted yet again with a little on-stage assistance from his various tour-mates.

Halifax Rap Legend Jesse Dangerously took the stage in one of his very rare appearances this far south, and, as I said to the man himself after his set had concluded, it was exactly the performance I'd been waiting 5 years to experience. Jesse had mentioned going in that he planned to concentrate on newer material, but I was particularly impressed by how well his latest single, the haunting "Slept Through a Landslide," translated within what had been up to that point a predominantly aggressive musical event.

Tribe One, who served as Jesse's immobile monolith of a hype-man took point next, and, as I've been assured he did literally every other night of the tour, fuckin' killed it. From massive set-ender "Kaiju (CrushKillDestroy)" to the nigh Jesse D level of motormouthery in "The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z" (which hit hard on my Wired podcast earlier this week) to the goddamn-Niles-don't-make-me-cry-at-a-rap-show performance of "Different," Tribe delivered the goods.

A mowhawked Adam WarRock did the final solo set with a fairly eclectic selection from his vast back catalog. He came correct throughout despite late night time constraints, but "Waka Flocka Swanson," with its crazy audience call-back, was an easy highlight. I honestly expected the guys – especially Euge, who'd only recently returned from the road prior to embarking on this tour – to be a bit worn down at this show, but they were electric. I never should've doubted.

The final ThoughtCriminals set, which was really more of an everybody set, was a proper sendoff to a night of lyrical magic. I've come to the realization that there is simply never a time when I don't want to hear a live rendition of "Earthbound," though I can't imagine that puts me in the minority. I'll stop short of saying this was a perfect show, mind you, because the Milestone is no place for perfect shows; it's more a place for loose experimentation and seat-of-your-pants set lists. In short, it's the perfect place for this motley crew of musical miscreants.

The 'Stone is a live venue in the truest of fashions. It's a place brimming with history that only seems to take on more relevance as it expands its scope into an ever-branching series of distinct musical tributaries. The audience and the performers are separated by mere inches, and that sort of intimacy feeds directly into the brand of hip-hop community-building that NOFRIENDS is all about. Okay, it doesn't hurt that Sulfur and kHill quite literally grew up on that stage, but regardless it speaks volumes about both the often ignored strengths of the Queen City as a live music destination and the pure artistry of its local talent and their vast network of allies.

Maybe I didn't get to hear "Gravity Falls" or "Out of Gas," but I did get a night of unbelievable performances from friends fam old and new.

Year of the Horse

I am a creature of habit. I toss out phrases like "regular feature" and "annual tradition" a lot around here, and that's because these things, in their own weird little way, give me hope. The fact that this blog has been around long enough for me to have go-to pieces reminds me of how fortunate I am to still be able to do this.

I don't write full-time, I haven't yet arrived at that ultimate blessing/curse of doing what I love to do as my for-real employment, but Hipster, please! and, to a greater extent, my work at GeekDad has allowed me to supplement my income by actually doing something I dig. And I have you to thank for that.

'Cause it's what I do. I'm a thanker.

It's also *ahem* tradition that in this year-end wrap-up I thank longtime backers like Jason, Matt and Church (AKA: The Shadow Council), faithful supporters like Larry and Chris and Jarod, and new-found homies like Euge and kHill.

Which I guess I kinda just did.

It's also required that I hem and haw over what were the standout releases of the year, and this time around that's even more problematic than usual. I mean, I reckon I have my top spot reserved for either Kirby Krackle's Super Powered Love or Supercommuter's Products of Science depending on which way the wind blows at any given moment. But with stiff competition from (aforementioned homeboys) Adam WarRock and Mikal kHill, The Bossfights' phenomenal debut full-length, Illbotz hilarious Pudding is Delicious, that brilliant Weird Al tribute album and significant major label showings from old favorites like Anthrax, there really are no losers in this race.

But what I do most in this little year-ender is spotlight one particular geek that set the tone for the previous 12 months. Sometimes I single out a long-established musical innovator. Other times I point toward the future of our tribe. Mostly, though, I cheap out and pick a whole group of people as my "nerd of the year."

Which I'm about to do now.

As nerd culture becomes pop culture, fandom, long our secret, hidden shame, becomes our currency. Whether in a bar or at the supermarket, I'm just as likely to hear cats rattling off baseball stats as passionately discussing Galactica, and that's an interesting paradigm shift. But, lest you fear that this wholesale adoption of nerddom will somehow sour your loser-makes-good victory of brains over bros, let me point out that 2011's most potent, virulent and widely remarked upon flavor of fandom came from a very unlikely source.

Over the past several months, as the brony ranks have continued to swell, I've heard their little enclave often damned and even more so observed with a sort of stunned journalistic silence. But while I can't claim to be one of them – my casual association with the property likely paints me more as at most a "brony sympathizer" – I am here to say that they are no more confounding (or annoying) than any group of motivated Trekkies, Browncoats, Wrock kids, Juggalos or Volunteers fans. They merely represent a new breed of fanboys that are less afraid to let their geek flag fly, even when it does so in the face of the traditional trappings of masculinity.

In a culture where gender roles are so ingrained that we almost refuse to think about them, the idea of men in their 20s and 30s latching onto a "girl's TV show" for no other reason than they recognize its artistic merits gives me renewed hope. Sure, nerd life has long existing in a space that often avoids some common masculine pursuits – sports, to use one stereotypical example – but the idea of men willfully embracing a series aimed at females represents a small but significant shift.

If nerdism stands for anything, it's the dogged refusal to put away childish things. It's a willingness to cling to the joys and wonder of youth even as we feel ourselves getting older. We are eternal adolescents, reminders that one can grow old without ever growing up. This is personally liberating, but the larger specter of gender disparity stills haunts us as a group.

If we are ever to get past not only our own culturally propagated sexism but that of the greater world around us, we must learn to avoid our own long-laid traps. If we're to raise our daughters to understand that chemistry and coding and Call of Duty are as much within their realm as that of their brothers, then we need to set examples. Even minuscule ones. If we're ever to make the words "geek girls" – surely as buzz-worthy a phrase as "steampunk" or "dubstep" was in 2011 – an obsolete relic of our divided past, then we have to change the way we allow our culture to be defined, from within as much as from without.

A violently promiscuous new Catwoman or a line of fem-LEGOs don't represent steps forward for our nerd sisters; they stand out as further examples of our general miscalculation of what the women, young and old, in our midst both desire and deserve. And if a group of a dozen dudes getting together and combing the hair manes of their pony dolls while talking about the symbolic importance of The Wonderbolts can ever so slightly nudge us in the direction of a community that's somehow a little less dependent on bullshit gender identification – many bronies even refuse to differentiate between male and female members, eschewing the designation of "pegasister" altogether – and a bit more welcoming to nerds of all genders, backgrounds or orientations, then I say go the fuck on, bronies.

You go the fuck on.

In 2011 bronies made news and music and memes and, yes, waves, and they did it all for the love of a cartoon. And if that ain't nerdcore, then I don't know what is.

Queen City Rules

Stevie-devie-me!

It's the holiday season, and that means that a number of festive projects over at my payin' gig have been eating into my writing time. (Speaking of, you can still enter today – Friday the 9th – to win one of 5 DSi XL/Kirby Mass Attack bundles, and on Monday we kick off our massive 12 Days of Geekmas giveaway. Get one that, son!)

Basically this means I've been neglecting the old Hipster, please! over the past few days, and I apologize.

It's been particularly trying for me because, in addition to a dozen or so album reviews sitting half-finished in my Dropbox, there's something I desperately want to talk about. That thing is last weekend's southeastern nerdcore mini-tour. I've already waxed poetic about the personal significance of these shows, and I'll go on record as saying that Saturday's gig at the World Famous Milestone in Charlotte was the musical highlight of my year.

Adam WarRock said something to me at that show that was so clear and accurate that it still rings in my ears. Concerning the Milestone, an esteemed punk club and venerated southern dive bar, he noted that it's the one venue that is always willing to give you a great show, providing you as a performer put in the work to meet it halfway.

All these guys held up their end of the bargain, and they all reaped the rewards.

The night started off… well, technically the night started off with everyone eating dinner at Pinky's, but I'll fast-forward through that part for your convenience. The show started with special guest Keysa Soulsay, a glorious staple of the nebulous and rather stylistically fragmented Queen City hip-hop scene. His sets are always interesting affairs, as his calculated flow and tightly timed setlist contrast sharply with his conversational delivery and the effortlessly intellectual slant of his lyrical content.

Illbotz were up next, and if you managed to catch them at this summer's Nerdapalooza then you already know their performance plays out kind of like a house party on the short bus. This was no exception, and if anything I had a hard time believing the boys weren't on their own home turf. The crowd loved them, and, with a set peppered with all my favorites from Ringtones for Rotary Phones and Pudding is Delicious (including one very special request), they owned that shit.

It's like Where's Waldo? up in here.

Dual Core's int eighty – the artist that I've known the longest and, likely as a direct result, have seen play live most often – started his performance with preferred opener "Invaders Must Die." He too hit all the fan favorites from "My GF Is..." and "Hostage Down" to "Natural 20s," but for me an int eighty show is always about the surprises. His cypher, featuring Keysa and Tribe One, was particularly satisfying, as was the dubstep-y "All Fall Down" which included, if I'm not mistaken, a dash of Dual Core classic "Orbit." The most remarkable thing about eighty, though, was his boundless energy. Always an on-stage dynamo, the guy manages to not only push that supernatural vigor through his own set, but kept it going for the entire 3 hour gig!

Adam WarRock and Tribe One have only recently wrapped up mc chris's massive Race Wars tour – and Adam himself has continued living that musical migrant lifestyle by doing a string of one-off city shows ever since – but neither of them showed any signs of road wear. Both these cats are still obviously hungry, and a set packed with fresh new material from WarRock's "616" to Tribe's divine "Single Player" managed to stand out even alongside all these other amazing acts. Tribe's comfort level on the stage mirrors his offstage approachability, and the lyrical aggression evident in an Adam WarRock performance is at last bleeding over into his new studio cuts. Add to this expert implementation of guest stars in the form of eighty on "Nerd Corps" and kHill on a pair from the epic Browncoats Mixtape, and you begin to understand the power of their performance.

Closing out the night were hometown heroes The ThoughtCriminals. I've been following these guys for going on two years now, and the thing that strikes me about the 'Criminals is how they're continually refining their craft. The band has downsized, it's gotten leaner, but the sound itself seems bigger and more cohesive. This was on full display last Saturday. On everything from fresh new joints like "Walking in the Wasteland" – the latest from Sulfur that showcases his lyrical dark side, a character I've come to call Dark Sean – to sing-along geek-outs like "Turtle Power," it was an amazing showing. By the time the guys got to the star-studded second half of the set featuring rager "Return of the Antagonist," new school nerd anthem "ONLYFAM" and the always astounding "Earthbound," the floor was pretty much in chaos.

If you missed this spectacle, then I feel bad for you. There was no point in the night that I wished to be anywhere else but at that show with those people, and as crazy as shit got as the show progressed it was always a very warm, welcoming and supportive environment. If you missed it, that just sucks.

But take heart; I actually managed to bootleg the whole thing, save the first few seconds of Soulsay's very first verse. If the guys are cool with it, and if I can find time to properly tag and edit this monster, maybe I'll make it available to those who'd like to check it out. In the meantime, here's just a sample of the evening's festivities.

It's "Illbotz Rock the Spot and Go Crazy," and it, like the show itself, lives up to the name.

Gatos Luchadores (Or: A Grand Don't Come for Free)

I didn't realize it until I finally sat down to pen a missive, but this is my 1000th post at Hipster, please! And I reckon that is a fitting enough occasion given the subject matter.

I talk a lot around here about music, obviously. About new songs and albums. About artists and shows, but this bit concerns something that's, well, uniquely personal.

Early next month five outfits that represent – and I don't say this lightly – some of my very favorite live performers as well as some of my very favorite human beings will be conducting a southern mini-tour. The kick-off's in Roanoke on the 2nd, and it wraps up in our own hip-hop mecca, Atlanta, on the 4th. In-between, on that Saturday the 3rd, this little travelling sideshow will come through my own backyard of Charlotte, NC. At the World Famous Milestone Club, to be exact. A place that is – and, again, I'm speaking without hyperbole – my favorite local dive.

The bands in question? Well, as the song says they ain't my friends, they're my fam.

There's int eighty of Dual Core, whom I've been down with since the very dawn of time. (Now he ain't exactly from around here, but we give him a pass 'cause he's our boy.) He's joined by The ThoughtCriminals, my neighbors to the north, who are, for those not already in the know, the rural, East Coast answer to the question what am I supposed to listen to now that Optimus Rhyme broke up.

Holding up the high end of the former Confederacy are the Illbotz, that rare modern confluence of comedy rap that contains ample doses of both actual comedy and real rap. And rounding out the lineup are Adam WarRock and Tribe One, a pair of amazing MCs, consummate performers and two guys that I've only recently met but I feel like I've known forever.

Now this is, admittedly, not a huge affair. These are small club shows, I'd even go so far as to say intimate in most cases, but I'll make you a promise internet; if you're within driving distance, head out to one. It will be worth whatever meager door price you have to pay to get in. Shit, I'll go so far as to say that you'll have such a great time that you might even feel led to pick up a t-shirt!

I guarantee it.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 118: The Who Knew Mixtape

So apparently the concept of a bunch of guys getting spectacularly drunk and recording it on the internet is inherently flawed.

Yeah, I know; I'm as surprised as you!

When I started Drunken Podcasting Month some 4 years ago I knew it came with some risks, and the chief among those - aside from, y'know, liver damage - was a unique set of technological hurdles. Even when dead sober, a Skype call can be positively fraught with problems.

This year the boys and I managed to hit that perfect level of intoxication wherein the conversation was fun and fierce, but, sadly, not all of the recordings of that evening's festivities survived intact. I salvaged most of it, but not quite enough to do the episode justice.

Therefore I present to you this unexpected mixtape show. It's not what I wanted, but I reckon it'll do.

The musical selections are, if I do say so myself, superb, and I'm pretty sure if you just get sloshed while listening to it you'll have as much fun as we did.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 118: The Who Knew Mixtape [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 90.5 MB Running Time: 57:01 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
Were Beefy and Spellah drunk when they recorded this track? Probably not, but they should've been.

Track 1: Illbotz - "Jesus Gave Me Water (But What I Wanted was a PBR)"
I've been waiting forever to play this one!

Track 2: Toolshed - "Irish Car Bomb Pt. 2"
This is another track I've been saving specifically for Drunken Podcasting Month.

Track 3: Hypnotic Clambake - "Tie Dye"
Matt made this very special song request. That explains the distinct hippy undertones. ;)

Track 4: Community dialog / DJ Le Clown - "Evil Whisky Bar"
I've been watching a lot of Community lately. If you haven't been, shame on you!

Track 5: Mikey Mason - "Too Fat To Troop"
At some point I began working food-related songs into the drunken podcast. I don't remember why, exactly, but in my defense I was probably drunk.

Track 6: The ThoughtCriminals - "Liquid Happy (Live)"
I played the studio version of this cut a few episodes back, but I thought this live take worked well within this show.

Track 7: Community dialog / YTCracker - "I Got the Product"
You can buy drugs on the internet! For reals!

Track 8: Mary Prankster - "Breakfast"
Another one of Matt's selection. Mary is sort of a DPM tradition.

Track 9: Torrentz - "Cereal (A Day in the Life) [feat. Mr. Spastic, Klopfenpop, C0splay, and Marc with a C]"
I know some folks disagree, but I love Marc's weird twee pop part at the end.

Track 10: Marc Gunn - "Monahan's Mudder's Milk (Firefly Song)"
This one's for Church. I'd played it previously on my GeekDad podcast, but this is its Radio Free Hipster debut.

Track 11: The Doubleclicks - "Worst.Superpower.EVER."
Apropos of nothing, I really like The Doubleclicks. A lot.

Track 12: Edison - "Armetis versus the City"
My pal Larry sent this one my way. It is an ideal track for those in need of chill music.

Track 13: Soup or Villainz - "Keyz"
This one's just in here for fun. It's SoV's take on crunk. And it is fuckin' infectious.

Track 14: Alex S. - "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Intro (Alex S. Glitch Remix)"
Jarod passed this one my way for inclusion in the ep. It's another great example of music from the brony community.

Track 15: DJ Paul V. - "Tequila Lip Gloss"
A repeat track from way the hell back in episode 39.

Track 16: Southside - "Cheeseburger (with Billy the Fridge)"
Another food song. This one by two of my favorite Seattle acts.

Track 17: Community dialog / nYgel - "Closing Time [Semisonic]"
nYgel continues to make some of my favorite pop remixes.

Track 18: Ilysabeth - "Fluttershys - MLP Fireflies Parody"
Church specifically asked to end the show on this one. In our original (drunken) conversation, he also waxed poetic about bronies and Friendship is Magic. It was epic.

Even though their contributions didn't make it into the show-proper, my sincerest thanks go out to Matt, Church, Jason and the lovely ladies of Social Knitworking. Thanks to you folks this was the best Drunken Podcasting Month celebration yet, and my only regret is that I couldn't share it with the rest of the nerd world.

Next up are my twin Halloween-themed episodes in October and my annual holiday and year-end wrap-up shows in December.

What will November hold? I have no idea. So feel free to hit me up with your suggestions and requests and whatnot.

Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama

I'm leaving you, my tiny baby birds. I'm afraid you will be forced to fend for yourselves for the rest of the week while I take the fam on our regular pilgrimage to the coast.

Hush now. Don't cry. Your ol' Uncle Zack will be back before you know it. And if you really can't live without me you can follow my exploits via the Twitters. I will endeavor to regale you with tales of all the crazy shit my kids do. That'll keep you entertained for a bit, right?

Those of you in NYC, however, have a very special assignment in my absence.

This Saturday night (August 6), my good friends Schaffer the Darklord and the newly revamped Monsterface will be playing at… a bowling alley in Brooklyn? Wait; that can't be…

Yup. It's a bowling alley in Brooklyn.

I am counting on you Gothamites to head out there and support 'em. And to come back with a full report of the awesomeness that will assuredly ensue. And also to maybe bowl a couple of frames.

You have your mission. Godspeed, internet!

Imagine Mii and You

Yesterday was the proper launch of Nintendo's next generation handheld, the 3DS. In case you've been under a very large rock for the past six months and/or are completely unable to discern from the simple context of its name it is like the traditional DS. Only with the 3D.

Through what I can only imagine was an enormous blunder on the part of Nintendo's PR machine, I received a demo unit early. (Never let it be said that being a GeekDad doesn't have its perks!) Just last week I shared my impressions of the 3DS, and I'd like to reiterate that my favorite piece of non-core functionality is the interesting way in which the Mii avatar system has evolved.

In addition to being able to mingle with passersby using the system's StreetPass, you can also share Miis directly by exporting them as scannable QR codes. I've included mine below along with my Friend Code on the off chance that you would like a tiny virtual Zii of your very own or would care to be my bestest video game friend.

Blogger shown actual size.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 105: C'est L'amour

I typically try and drop a holiday-specific episode a few good days before the event itself, but when I realized I could potentially release my regular Valentine's show on Valentine's Day I figured I'd go for it.

Unlike previous years, where the theme has been love in a larger sense, this time around each one of the song titles contains the actual word "love" or some apparent derivation.

Clever concept or lazy song selection? You be the judge!

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 105: C'est L'amour [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 42.4 MB Running Time: 46:19

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
I love 'em both! 

Track 1: DJ Moule – "Good Love, Good Rock"
Led Zeppelin vs. Joan Jett vs. Does It Offend You, Yeah? vs. Peaches

Z's 1st interlude: "Perhaps even more literally than in years past."
I'll give iTunes one thing – it does make searching for song titles containing a certain word a breeze!

Track 2: The Remus Lupins – "Lovely Lily"
Not my favorite vocal delivery from Alex, but easily one of the band's best instrumental performances.

Track 3: the1shanti – "I *heart* Olivia Munn (ElekTro4 Remix)"
From Tru Statement Entertainment's F?@K LOVE.

Track 4: Q-Unit – "Old Fashioned Outta Control Lover"
Q-Unit's Greatest Hits was the first proper mash-up album I ever downloaded in its entirety.

Track 5: Super Bad dialog / OxygenStar – "I Used to Love Her"
Rather than my typical romance movie sound clips, this time around I went for more of a bromance thing.

Track 6: Sprites – "I Love You, You Retard"
From their phenomenal Modern Gameplay album.

Track 7: I Love You, Man dialog / Hellostereo – "Digital Love"
"Digital Love" may be the ultimate nerd love song.

Z's 2nd interlude: "And now we are gonna head right back into the music."
A listener recently told me that I keep my between-set commentary short and to the point. I'm actually pretty proud of that fact.

Track 8: Illbotz – "Give a Little Love"
Perm's Charlie Sheen line still cracks me up!

Track 9: Ookla the Mok – "Guggenheim Love"
And I followed that up with yet another great comedy track.

Track 10: Maroon 5 vs. Marvin Gaye – "This Healing Love"
This particular mash-up was shared with me by my good friend Glenn Case.

Track 11: Warp 11 – "Replicate My Love"
Warp 11 remains the most delightfully filthy act in Trek Rock.

Z's final interlude: "And that is some bullshit."
For those not familiar with the game, all of the background music for this episode comes from Animal Crossing. K.K. Slider FTW!

Track 12: HDninja – "No Love Song"
Since I mentioned how I felt HDninja was under-appreciated last ep, I decided to include them in this show as well.


These lovey-dovey editions are always greeted a certain amount of ambiguity depending on how each individual listener views the subject of romance and it's place in this particular holiday. That's why this time I went more with love as a lyrical device than as an inspirational concept.

Maybe it worked – maybe it didn't. I'm pretty pleased with how it came out, and I hope you dug it too.

But either way, consider it my Valentine's gift to you. You know, 'cause of my undying love and whatnot.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 100: Centennial Man

I compare producing the 100th episode of a podcast to losing your virginity – you're really anxious and excited about it, but once it's over you're pretty sure you did it all wrong.

That being said, here's Radio Free Hipster episode number 100. I couldn't have done it without you, and I mean that in more ways than one. So kick back and enjoy.


Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 100: Centennial Man [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 53.1 MB Running Time: 58:01 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
Fun fact – Spellah's RFH theme song premiered in episode #15. Does that necessitate its own anniversary show? 

Track 1: Baddd Spellah – "99 Balloon Flights"
Starting off the show is a cut for GeekOnABlog. 

Z's 1st interlude: "And pretty much did my job for me."
For serious.You did. 

Track 2: Parry Gripp – "Yub-Nub"
My brother Dave the Knave picked this one. A fine addition! 

Track 3: Dual Core – "Fantastic Four (feat. Beefy, YTCracker & Wheelie Cyberman)"
This one was sort of a catch-all. A lot of y'all wanted to hear it. And so did I. 

Track 4: Dave Ross voicemail / Captain Dan & the Scurvy Crew – "Shore Leave"
Thanks so much for the nice voicemail, Dave! 

Track 5: 10000 Spoons – "Astley Gone To Heaven"
This one is for Antisoc, without whom this podcast would be bereft of the bandwidth it needs to succeed. 

Track 6: POWERLIFTER – "Mr. Brightside (feat. Jeremy Spring)"
Oberon the Fool asked for some Scrub Club, so I delivered the new hotness. 

Track 7: Wordburglar – "Hermaphromic"
This podcast has only one rule – if Snipeyhead makes a request, I damn sure better play it. 

Track 8: The Mudbloods – "I Wish You'd Be My Witch"
My buddy Matt, who actually really got me into the Mudbloods, asked for this little jewel. 

Z's 2nd interlude: "You knew I'd play them anyway."
You guys know me so well! 

Track 9: Optimus Rhyme – "Click-Click"
Is it wrong to play my own request? Probably. 

Track 10: Schaffer the Darklord – "Club Destroyer (feat. Removal)"
For Tom B. I chose this amazingly rocked up joint from Manslaughterer. 

Track 11: Metroid Metal – "Prime Theme (MP)" / Bonehand voicemail
Steve was not only nice enough to have me on his own show to promote RFH 100, he even went so far as to leave me a congratulatory message. What a guy! 

Track 12: Random & K-Murdock – "Dream Master" / Seattle Geekly voicemail
Thanks to my homey funky49 for the request, and much love to my comrade-in-arms Matt (of Seattle Geekly) for the voicemail. Truth be told, the kind words of my fellow podcasters were the true highlight of this show for me. 

Track 13: Rivercrest Yacht Club – "Robot Jox"
Alex wanted to hear some Rivercrest Yacht Club. I chose this one because I love the trippy, Star Trek-style intro. 

Track 14: I Fight Dragons – "With You"
This one's for datavortex who wanted to hear an IFD song featuring the dulcet tones of former member Laura Trainor. 

Z's final interlude: "Turning you on to even more great shit."
Speaking of, big ups to my longtime friend Brux for the tailor-made background music. 

Track 15: Southside – "1010011"
Southside, just like Schaffer the Darklord before them, are the recipients of the coveted "See, I Told You They Was Dope" Award.

Guys, I've said it before and I'll say it again – this show wouldn't exist without you. For those of you who've been down with Radio Free Hipster from the beginning, thanks for your continued support. For those that are new to the show, thanks for giving it a chance. To my fellow podcasters, thanks for your kind words and for providing me with constant inspiration from your own unique undertakings. And to my crew – Church, Matt, Soc, Dave, Jason, et al – you guys are the oil, gears and animalistic grunts that keep this machine moving ever forward.

By this point y'all know the drill. December will see my annual holiday episode and a last musical gasp before year's end. If there's anything you'd like me to cover in either, don't hesitate to give me a holler.

That's No Podcast – It's a Space Station

Dick jokes galore!

There aren't a lot of things I'll stay up late for, but The Bonebat Show is one of them.

Last weekend I did just that. My pal Steve and his lifelong home-skillet Gord invited me on to sit in on what I consider to be the best comedy and culture 'cast around, and I was honored to do so. The fellows were amazingly gracious hosts who even allowed me to hock my wares – specifically the forthcoming 100th episode of Radio Free Hipster – and managed to keep me thoroughly entertained well into the early AM. Though, truthfully, I'm not sure if I did the same for them. Like I said, it was late, and I'm afraid I was a little off my game.

In addition to talking up my meager projects, we also spoke at length about music and comics and all that other dangerously important shit. I even endeavored to wax poetic about the odd semantics of geek-versus-nerd in their "What Pisses You Off?" segment, although I imagine my point may have been lost amid so much drowsy rambling.

The important thing, however, is that I was not the only guest on deck that evening. Seattle's own Death*Star were also all up ins, and they even managed to pull off a live performance in-show!

(Regarding this I am both totally pissed off that Steve and Gord did something like this before me and completely in awe of how well it came together. Mostly the latter.)

The long and short of it is that The Bonebat Show is awesome, and you should totally check it out. The episode in question won't be out until next month, but don't wait until then to wade into the delightful madness.

I'll also urge you to keep an ear to the ground concerning new stuff from Death*Star later this year, both as a contributor to the first in a series of themed EPs from yours truly and in the form of their own follow-up release to The Fandom Menace. But I can say no more, as half of these are not my beans to spill!

In closing I just want to thank Gord, Steve, 3PO, C0s and Bill Beats for their late night camaraderie, filthy jokes and riveting conversation. These are truly the things that dreams are made of.

A Winner is… Me?!

 I'm not used to winning awards. Especially those based on merit!

In case you haven't realized, this Labor Day weekend plays host to two of the absolute biggest events in nerd culture. The first is Penny Arcade Expo, a relative newcomer to the con scene but already a genuine powerhouse, and the second, of course, is Atlanta's annual Dragon*Con. Due to vested interests in the goings-on of both, I had a hard time deciding which one to attend.

PAX, though located on the opposite side of the country, was set to feature special GeekDad panel, and editor Ken Denmead specifically invited me to take part. Meanwhile, my Radio Free Hipster podcast was again a finalist in this year's Parsec Awards at Dragon*Con.

A cursory look at my finances, however, made the choice quite clear – I really couldn't afford to go to either. So instead I stayed at home with the family and did my best to keep an eye on the internet for news from both.

I was elated to hear that GeekDad's showing was extremely well received. Though, truth be told, I knew the guys would do us all proud. But I was even more ecstatic when it was revealed that my show had actually won the Parsec for Best Speculative Fiction Music Podcast!

I don't really not what to say, save holy shit! The time for acceptance speeches has come and gone, so I'll be brief and simply thank the Parsec Awards' judges panel, all of you listeners who nominated RFH and especially the other finalists Wander Radio, Wandering Geek Podcast and last year's winner the mighty FuMP.

Much love to all, and, again, thank you!

101 Damnations

If my math is correct – which may or may not be the case – Radio Free Hipster will reach its landmark 100th episode this November. Strictly speaking, it won't be my 100th podcast, as there have been a number special shows that have thrown the actual count off, but it's the canonical number 100 and that shit's got to count for something.

I've been racking my brain trying to figure out a proper way to commemorate this event, and I think I've finally settled on a solution. The bad news is that it relies heavily on you.

What can I say? I am a lazy old man.

Essentially, what I'm asking for here is song requests. I do this regularly, but there's an added twist this time around. I want you to think back over the past five years' worth of episodes and point me toward your favorite tracks.

Did Radio Free Hipster help you discover a new artist or uncover a particularly tasty song? That's the kind of thing I'm looking for.

Best-case scenario: a dozen or so of you will each pick a jewel previously featured in the podcast and I'll use these to build a special fan-fueled retrospective episode. If you have anything else you'd like to add, you are also certainly encouraged to relay it to me through email or Google Voice. (Although I'll not hold my breath on that last part. I ain't no fuckin' Casey Kasem.)

As for the song requests, you can share those with me by commenting here, via Twitter or by using the aforementioned avenues of email/voicemail.

In closing, just let me thank you for listening. Without your kind attention I'm just some dude talking to himself. That's an early warning sign of schizophrenia, and I'm uninsured so, y'know, doubly bad.

Above & Beyond

I fucking hate award shows. Seriously.

All those lame-ass setups and the institutionalized hyperbole: they just aren't for me. And don't even get me started on the generally unworthy recipients!

Still, I love the concept of recognizing excellence, in whatever form it may take. This is why I will now outline my personal picks for Nerdapalooza 2010's Best in Show. Of course, since this is Hipster, please! I won't be relying on your more pedestrian categories.

No, this time around we're keeping shit nerdy with plenty of allusions to Xbox Live.

On with the show:

The Nerd Up Award: HDninja
"Hey, HDninja, you guys get to kick off Nerdapalooza with the very first set of the festival. Y'know, no pressure or anything. Just you guys. On stage. In front of a crowd that's expecting you to set the pace for the entire event to follow. Also, um, due to some scheduling problems we are gonna put you on a couple hours late. So folks might be kinda antsy. Oh, and one of your mics isn't gonna work. That's cool right?"

EMPulse Record's HDninja had the deck stacked against them – they were the very first performance of the festival on a day that had already proven itself a logistical nightmare. Plus, pretty much everyone in the crowd, myself included, were zombified from a late night of partying. Yet somehow, when the first note of the hook from "Carformer" hit, suddenly everything was okay. Well played, my ninjas. Well played.

Best Merch: T-Shirt Bordello / Nerdapalooza / Scrub Club
Nerdapalooza 2010 succeeded on a number of levels, not the least of which involved sponsors and merch. Both were in abundance this year, and added an interesting classic convention feel to the proceedings. So much so that's it's hard to quantify who did it best. In the end, I have to recognize a trio of fine merch-slingers.

The first is easily Jacksonville's T-shirt Bordello. Not only was their booth stocked to the nines with amazing tees – I managed to snag one of their swank TARDIS shirts myself – but owner Don Myers actually rocked a full zombie ensemble for the entire first day.

Not to be outdone, Nerdapalooza's own merchandise output was once again uniquely satisfying. Again relying on the talents of the one and only MadKiwiX, this year's logo design revealed an amplifier array behind the classic logo that, as hex put it, "looks like they've been back there the whole time."

And the first of many props to the Scrub Club family comes as a direct result of MadHatter's amazing (and unexpected) bead sprite art. Amongst the anticipated stickers and sampler discs, Hatter presented a fine selection of tributes to classic 8-bit gaming as well as pieces commemorating comic and nerd television icons.

Worst Merch: Those Goddamn Foam-Ball-Missile-Thingies
I love you, Cloudspace. Really I do. I mean, not only do you provide both hexWarrior and Nina with day jobs, but you also pulled out all the stops to support Nerdapalooza proper. Unfortunately, your choice of swag – those weird hybrid Nerf footballs/heat-seeking missiles – were like some kind of biblical plague on the show floor!

Show me a man who wasn't beaned in the noggin by a Cloudspace-branded foam ball, and I'll show you a dude who wasn't at Nerdapalooza 2010.

Chillest Set: Kirby Krackle
When I heard that Kyle from Kirby Krackle was doing a solo acoustic set at this year's festival, I was a little bummed. How could it possibly live up to the cranked-up, full-on comic book rock of their two studio albums?

Even with my undying faith in Kyle's skills, I could've never dreamed how effortlessly the Kirby Krackle bangers translated to this minimalist interpretation. KK wound down a hectic evening in style, and without losing any of their trademark geek rock substance.

The Iron Man Award: Marc with a C
Marc with a C is a longtime Nerdapalooza staple, and this year he proved himself to be a genuine trooper to boot. Somehow between working the sound boards, guesting with other artists and otherwise running about the event like the proverbial headless chicken, Marc was still prepared to rock a solid Sunday evening set for us. What he wasn't prepared for was to take a spill two songs in and sever a tendon. Live on stage.

Miraculously, not only did he finish the show, but this slightly less mobile than usual Marc still managed to keep the crowd entertained. "Bounce! Bounce! Bounce!" indeed.

The Rock Out with Your Spock Out Award: Sci-Fried
Sci-Fried transitioned from one of my most anticipated acts of Nerdapalooza 2010 to one of the brightest highlights of my festival experience within the span of about a song and a half. And while I was a little worried that their style would be lost on a crowd of nerdcore hip-hop heads, they easily commanded the audience with their blend of balls-out arena rock and southern-fried geekery. But their true claim to fame – even more so than their earnest, irony-free enjoyment of sci-fi schlock and Motley Crue-style antics – was the moment when they literally brought the house down.

In a nod to their rock 'n' roll roots, the band distributed beach balls to the audience and encouraged them to bat them around with extreme prejudice. Half a set and one broken chandelier later the inflatables were retired, but a nerd rock story for the ages had already been written.

Breakthrough Artist: The Bossfights
I can't exactly tell you what I expected from ZeaLouS1's new hybrid outfit The Bossfights. All I can say is that as high as my hopes were, even those paled in comparison to the grandeur of the actual listening experience. Blending searing vocals, machinegun guitars, punk rock energy and the slightest hint of funk rhythm, they are truly the breakthrough artists of 2010.

From the moment the guys hit the stage, under cover of darkness with the sounds of helicopters in pursuit, I was mesmerized. In a set that included everything from plasma grenades to a special MC Frontalot tribute track, it's hard to pick a defining moment. So instead I'll say that if you missed a second of the action you did yourself a grand disservice.

Best Stage Energy: Scrub Club and Emergency Pizza Party
When funky49 told me the Emergency Pizza Party set slated for early Sunday morning was church-themed, I told him he was full of shit. And then I saw the choir robes. And the pizza box crucifixes. And Sir-Up's bible.

In an event that could only be described as a musical conversion, EPP blessed us with the power of shine. But when they turned the stage over to their Scrub Club brethren, I assumed the sermon was over. That is until MadHatter unleashed the "Christian Side Hug" upon and unsuspecting audience.

What followed was a spiritual experience, to say the least.

Best Worst Cover Song: "Wannabe" as performed by MC Cool Whip
I was both congratulated and chided throughout Nerdapalooza weekend for my cover song challenge. It seems that tracks like the aforementioned "Christian Side Hug" were both the highlight and the bane of many an audience member's festival experience.

But surely no track was more divisive than MC Cool Whip's pre-party rendition of The Spice Girls' "Wannabe."

Tell us what you want, Whip. What you really, really want.

Best Best Cover Song: "Mr. Roboto" as performed by The Protomen
On the other side of the coin, of course, were the covers that everyone loved. And among them all none stood so high as The Protomen's impeccable interpretation of this Styx classic.

After a much-delayed, truncated set played sans-Panther on Saturday, attendants were delighted to learn that closing headliner MC Frontalot had agreed to push his performance up to allow for a second appearance by our favorite freedom fighters. As a result, "Mr. Roboto," though certainly no stranger to the band's setlist, was an unexpected surprise that closed out Nerdapalooza 2010 with a bang.

Best Support Artist: Kids / Bar2-D2
Nerdapalooza is about the artists and the fans, but often that blurry line between the two is all but ignored. You see, there are some individuals who are at once both and neither. They are the special guests. At Nerdapalooza 2010 this important position was held down by our most diminutive brothers and sisters.

Children played a delightful part in both the Emergency Pizza Party and Krondor Krew sets and a tiny back-up man of another kind – a special R2-D2 styled cooler – helped keep me and the Sci-Fried crew properly hydrated throughout a long, hot weekend.

The Gandalf the White Award: My Parents' Favorite Music / The Adventures of Duane and BrandO
This year's festival saw not one but two triumphant returns to the stage. Saturday afternoon, Steffo of My Parents' Favorite Music came out of retirement with an energetic set that incorporated dancing control pads, physical challenges and a Phoenix Wright costume. And Sunday saw a recently reunited The Adventures of Duane and BrandO tear up the stage to the mutual delight of nerdcore and VGFM fans alike.

FYI: If I was giving away an award for best hugs, these two acts would have to split that one too.

The Superfan Award: Datavortex
And while I'm celebrating the acts of Nerdapalooza, let me pause to also acknowledge a fan without peer. My boy Datavortex, a rabid supporter of nerd music and vigilant defender of our culture, deserves a special shout-out for all he brought to this year's event.

No, not what he literally brought! Although, now that you mention it…

I'm referring instead to the fact that not only did Data make a significant financial contribution directly Nerdapalooza (via their Final Boss program), but he also personally saw to it that both myself and Dr. Awkward could muster the scratch to make the trip down.

He's truly a pillar of our community.

The Schaffer the Darklord Award: Dr. Awkward
Each year, Nerdapalooza sees one artist show up everywhere. He's the guy rocks his own set, and then pops in for guest spots in practically everyone else's. Those of us in the know call this "pulling a Schaffer."

This time around, as STD himself made his mark (Aren't I clever?) between his own amazing performance, his hyping of the Epic Win burlesque crew and his brilliant guest spot on MC Frontalot's "Nerdcore Rising." And yet he was still somehow out-Schaffered by the one and only Dr. Awkward.

Doc commanded the stage during a solo set Saturday afternoon, brought the religion with his Scrub Club comrades MadHatter and Kabuto the Python Sunday AM and then knocked shit out of the park as part of The Bossfights that same evening.

The next generation of nerdcore has truly arrived. With a vengeance.