Nerd News in Brief

The public – and by “the public” I mean, like, half a dozen people – has spoken; apparently some of you do want these stickers.

So here’s the deal: if you’ve got a little scratch to kick in to help with the printing and shipping costs, that’s super cool. You can use the Paypal link in the sidebar to make a donation to the cause in whatever denomination you see fit. There should be a notes field in the Paypal interface where you can input your address, but if there’s not just email me your shipping addy and we’ll be straight. The stickers cost me about 35 cents apiece to print and a stamp’s, like, what? 39 cents. But let your conscience be your guide as to how much (if any) you want to part with for these cheesy decorations; I’m not looking to finance a bicycling trip through central Europe with them or nothin’, and anything I make will just go into printing more rudimentary “merch,” picking up new music for the ‘cast, or, failing that, buying amusing t-shirts.

If you find yourself financially destitute - which I know is far easier these days than one would think - and still want a sticker or two, just hit me up via email and I’ll see what I can do. You’re kind of doing me a solid by taking these things off my hands, and I don’t wanna nickel and dime y’all any more than I have to.

Yuck! That seemed an awful lot like business.

Now, on to the news.

• What do you call a baby Wombat?: Heartfelt congratulations go out to Wombat (of CAGcast fame) on the new addition. Yesterday at 1:00 PM, he and Mrs. Wombat welcomed Sabrina Eden to the world. Welcome, my friend, to the long, hard road of fatherhood.
• You can call him Beef: Beefy specifically asked me to pass on this nugget to all the producers in the audience; for his next album, he’ll be accepting sample-free beats from “anyone interested.” Are you anyone? Are you interested? Then holler at Beef Thompson.
• The Dork Knight: Church has found some more nerd ink. It’s ties in well with the release of The Dark Knight, so it seemed a shame not to call your attention to it. Wait, did the last Indiana Jones movie get any nerdy tattoo love?
• A change of plans: Earlier this week mc chris announced that he would not be able to make his promised return trip to the PAX stage this year. mc apologized, but didn’t exactly state why he would be unable to appear. But now the reason for his withdrawal seems to be that he’s going to be touring with Reggie and The Full Effect at the time. Good news for mc, bad news for fans who wanted to catch him on the Penny Arcade Expo stage.
• A secret that everyone knows: On to something that’s sure to please fans, geek rockers The Four Eyes have released their two disk Secret Center Sessions Volume 3 as a free download from their official site. It includes nerded up cover versions of everything from “Hey Ya” to “Everybody Hurts,” and is not to be missed. If you’re quick enough, you can also catch Secret Center Sessions Volume 2 featuring “The Joker” and the theme from Knight Rider. Is it any wonder I love these guys?
• Funny guys doing good work: While I'm probably as guilty as anyone when it comes to adding arbitrary distinctions within the larger scale of geeky music, I’m also the first to admit that comedy music artists are a huge part of our culture. With that in mind, please take a moment to check out the recent FuMP charity comp. It benefits filker Tom Smith, who’s facing a shit-ton of medical bills following an accident earlier this year. The project features covers of Tom’s work by Sudden Death, Possible Oscar, The Great Luke Ski, and more, and all you have to do is make a donation to check it out.
• Corny, but in a good way: Con on the Cob, Akron’s foremost geek culture festival, will be featuring a number of these same comedy artists, as well as nerdcore hip-hoppers Dual Core. What’s more, the musical portion of the show is being brought to you by our friends at The Awful Show. Should you be in the area between October 2nd and 5th and have the urge to try and weasel your way onto what’s sure to be an amazing bill, holler at Tha Mike.
• Magical, yet also technological: Those of you wishing to relive the geek glory of festivals past should check out Magitek’s full Nerdapalooza set over at YouTube. Personally, I’d recommend you peep “Weapon Select: Quartz Relic” and “Weapon Select: Thugmasta J,” new cuts from the band’s forthcoming EP.
• Scarred for life: Matt was also nice enough to point me toward some great vids from an amazing event that I was, unfortunately, unable to attend, Portus. Scarhead Productions has some amazing cuts from The Mudbloods, Catchlove, The Moaning Myrtles, and other WRock heavyweights. Take a gander at them, and be sure to leave nice comments.
• Covering all the bases: Nerdcore vids - check. WRock vids – check. Oh yeah – VGM! Not to be forgotten are also these videos from GM4A's Level Up! Level 2 event. With The Megas, ZeaLouS1, and Super Barrio Bros,what’s not to love?
• Sort of like MC Lars lite: While you’re getting your YouTube on, also check out this Olympic Trials Rap that Soc found. It’s pretty damn informative. Especially if you’re interested in women’s discus. And ducks.
• Her achy breaky heart: Just to clarify, the hackers taking credit for the new round of (alleged) racy photos of Miley Cyrus cribbed form her cell phone? They make their home at YTCracker’s DigitalGangster.com. I reckon you’ve all figured that out yourselves, but, y’know, it seemed topical.
• This just in: I regret to inform you that I’ve just been informed that Glenn Case’s band The Half Racks have disbanded. In the wake of split, which was amicable and not wholly unexpected, the decision has been made to release their forthcoming debut album Coffee Now not as a CD, but as freely downloadable mp3s. I wish the guys my best in all their post-Racks endeavors.
• Z phones home: In the latest edition of Little Miss Gamer, Z explore what makes a bad game bad. More specifically, she examines what made the Atari 2600’s E.T. (and its modern descendants) so awful. Will she survive her time trapped in a pit? Watch and find out.

Stick it!

Remember those stickers I ordered for Nerdapalooza? Yeah, they finally showed up. (Fat fucking lot of good they do me now!)

At any rate, here they are in all their glory. I included my DS Lite in the picture to give you a sense of the dimensions of the decals themselves. And also because I was playing Final Fantasy Tactics A2 at the time.

I know a couple of my Nerdapalooza cohorts had called dibs and a number of loyal readers had requested some as well, but I can’t help but think I’m pretty much stuck with 100 bumper stickers and significantly less bumpers.

I suppose I could use them as the raw materials for a guerilla art project. Or, I reckon, I could fashion a crude but admittedly dapper wallet out of ‘em. The possibilities, as they say, are endless.

Nerdapalooza Wrap-up 3: A Journey into Sound

I’ve spent an entire week trying to figure out the best way to approach the subject of the performances at Nerdapalooza. Talking about each and every participant is out because it is both time-consuming and a little insincere; I did, admittedly, miss a number of sets and a far greater number of half-sets. Likewise, talking about the headliners seems a bit of a disservice to the other 28 artists on the roster that put their blood, sweat, and tears into making this event the often overwhelming spectacle that it truly was.

As you can see, my options have already worn thin.

What I am left with is less a description of concrete events, catalogs of lengthy set lists, and stage mechanics, and more an account of intangibles. Of feelings. Of energy. Brief snippets of pure geeky genius.

I truly felt that energy during my first full set of day 1: Random. Ran took the stage early, and managed to deliver with both nerdcore and non-nerdcore content. A personal highlight was Ran’s rendition of “City Boy,” a favorite track of mine that is surely no nerdier than any other hip-hop meditation on one’s youth and old neighborhood. The lead-in for the track was particularly interesting, as Ran led an entire room of geeks (and obviously perplexed Taste staffers) in a rousing rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” It was a wonder to behold.

Shortly after Ran left the stage, Wizard Rocker The House of Black favored us with a wholly different flavor of musical content, her style mixing sharp electronica with classic acoustic folk. All of which was, of course, Potter-related and wholly beautiful. That gave way to acts as disparate as lo-fi rocker (with no “w”) marc with a c, who punctuated his set with a rap number of his own; MC Gigahertz, who showed us the true meaning of Absurdcore; and an oddly patriotic pre-recorded set from chiptune maestro in absentia Pixelh8.

An underlying theme of the event, which could assuredly be felt in the offerings of the aforementioned, was a genuine sense of fun. Whether the crowd was packed-in or sparse – which I can’t imagine affected Pixelh8 either way – these artists gave it the proverbial 110%. Their music, their energy, was transmuted into pure enjoyment.

Audience reception was particularly strong for ZeaLouS1, who seemed at home on the stage even during an early onset of the dreaded technical difficulties; Sudden Death, who proved that funny musicians are nothing if not serious performer; and funky49, whose blistering set featured Colon:P, Redvoid, Sir-Up and MC Wreckshin, party poppers, 3D glasses, and anyone/anything else that happened to stray near the stage.

funky49 served as a perfect example of the very unique dynamism inherent in all of the local Floridian artists featured. And while the turnout for heavy-hitters like Captain Dan & the Scurvy Crew and Killer Robots! was high – and rightfully so – it was the contributions of comparatively smaller acts that continued to wow me over both days of the event. Rocket Propelled Geeks functioned seamlessly, almost as a single rhyming entity. (I’m attempting not to make a reference to an old Japanese cartoon involving robot lions here, but you get the idea.) Krondor Krew managed to make what could well have been off-putting stage attire compelling by proving that their lyrical chops are just as striking as their ninja garb and giant swords. Magitek, who played to an early and obviously heavily hung-over 2nd day crowd, functioned just as cohesively as RPG, albeit with an underlying feeling of family togetherness that made their set as emotionally appealing as any I’ve seen. And the center of the Orlando nerdcore community, Emergency Pizza Party, made up for their glaring lack of a Betty Rebel with ample on-stage dynamism and by reuniting with former EPPers Benjamin Bear and Jaylyn.

Suffice it to say that headliners MC Frontalot, Uncle Monsterface, Math the Band, and Harry and the Potters were also easily as epic as one would expect. Front played to a small (albeit packed) room as if it were a record-breaking PAX crowd, and welcomed to the stage a trio of special guests from the festival’s nerdcore ranks. An eager throng of fans seemed wholly unfazed by the fact that Uncle Monsterface vocalist Marty Allen sang their entire set in his lower register, the side-effect of a particularly rousing gig played earlier that day. Moreover, The Potters brought to the table a stage presence and musicality that I found genuinely polished when contrasted with their famed modesty as musicians/performers. The 3rd group of the Unlimited Enthusiasm Expo, Math the Band, put on a show that was so rich with vigor as to be literally staggering; I had to catch my breath afterwards to even begin to process the amazing power that emanated from their meager 3-piece stage setup.

In retrospect, it’s hard to imagine that so much happened during those two blissful days. Watching old-acquaintances-turned-new-friends like Myf, DJ Snyder, int eighty, YTCracker (Who did his entire set in black fuckin’ toesocks!), Whore Moans, and mCRT rock a pair of tiny stages in a manner that would make any rapper proud was inspiring. Equally inspiring was seeing acts running the gamut from Halifax’s superlative Wordburglar to Boca Raton’s unfathomable Zombies! Organize!! charm a heavily uninitiated audience into their own unique schools of musical thought.

While “energy” may be this missive’s buzzword for Nerdapalooza, it could just as easily be “change” because that is what each of us in attendance experienced. Just as the music changed from rap to rock to WRock to poppy electronica and back again, so did each of us change with it. And while there were certainly a few among us who were there for one band and one band alone, the vast of majority of faces in that sea of warm bodies and cold beer were familiar by the end of the 2nd day. Old favorites were supported and new favorites discovered. Preconceived notions about certain genres and acts were challenged and, hopefully, shattered. And just as we ebbed and flowed from one stage to the next, never quite knowing what to expect, so did the spirit of Nerdapalooza wash over us. We were baptized, baptized by music and nerdy brotherhood, and we emerged changed.

And though each artist, audience member, and bewildered passerby surely has his own opinion about the single defining moment of the festival, many of the attendees I’ve queried agree that it rests squarely on the shoulders of one man. That man walked into the venue early Friday as an unassuming chap named Mark Schaffer, but by nightfall he had transformed into the sinister, sexual Schaffer the Darklord. His metamorphosis mirrored the change, whether subtle or extreme, that occurred in all of us, and while we each remember different aspects of the events of Nerdaplooza ’08, I’ll wager everyone in attendance remembers STD’s set. It was a geeky work of art. A perfect aspect of nerdy beauty from a weekend that will not soon be forgotten in the annals of our tribe’s history.

The MC Lars Show

Whether you call his music nerdcore hip-hop or post-punk laptop rap, if you’re reading this blog chances are you’re a fan of MC Lars. With lyrics touching on everything from internet relationships to Moby Dick, Lars is geeky rapper who always manages to make his rhymes accessible and truly enjoyable. He is also – and I’m sure others who have interacted with him can back me up on this – a totally amiable and wholly courteous cat.

For those among you who’d like to experience the subtle charms of the man we call Lars while simultaneously enjoying his first class lyricism, I humbly suggest you check out the MC Lars Live channel at Ustream.tv. It features a weekly freestyle show in which he uses topics from the chat room as the basis for his characteristically witty (and utterly improvised) rhymes, and it just so happens that this week’s show is scheduled at 9:00 PM PST tonight.

So tune in and give Lars some love, some support, and some song ideas.

I’m sure he’d watch your Ustream show!

LA Levels Up!

If you are in the Los Angeles area this Sunday( July 13th) and are looking to shake your Post-Nerdapalooza Depression, let me suggest you make your way to CIA in North Hollywood for the second anniversary concert of my friends from Game Music 4 All.

Level Up! Level 2! boasts an impressive line-up including The Megas, Hot Waffles, Super Barrio Brothers, and my bro ZeaLouS1. The doors open at 8:30 PM, with the first band taking the stage at 9:00. You can get your geek on until midnight for the very reasonable price (especially for LA) of $10. Plus, this is an ALL AGES event, so bring the kiddies!

And be sure to give Ant a hug. A manly, reassuring hug that says "I miss your comforting voice and friendly presence in the least homoerotic manner possible." He'll know it's from me.

Nerd News in Brief

In a world where Jesse Helms has hurried up and died and Jesse Jackson has threatened to emasculate Barack Obama, I must resist the urge to get all political on that collective ass in this edition of NNIB.

By the same token, I must resist the urge to make it all about Nerdapalooza. The first few items are steadfastly rooted in the festival and its participants, but there’s some other stuff too. I’ve got two weeks of news to deal with, so I hope you're sitting comfortably.

• Pictures to prove it: For those of you looking for a visual representation of what you missed in Orlando last weekend, there are many options. My friend Denika took a lot of great shots (which are only now beginning to surface), as did Sudden Death, funky49, Dual Core, and scores of others. What pictures are your favorite?
  
• The sound of things to come: Also from Nerdapalooza comes news of new albums from, y’know, everyone. Wordburglar announced his follow-up album Thirdburglar; MC Frontalot and crew dropped some (secret) knowledge about guests on their new Final Boss; Krondor Krew and Captain Dan & the Scurvy Crew announced their Pirates vs. Ninjas project, and Random, Schaffer the Darklord, and Pixelh8 all spoke of new material. More news as it becomes available.
• Contractually obligated: Sangriaa made me promise to include her in my next Nerd news In Brief. Consider yourself included. :)
• Sponsorship has its privileges: I also need to give a shout-out to Steffo, Stephen, and funky49 for donating to my Nerdapalooza travel fund. I scored just enough from these cats to cover that last emergency fuel stop I had to make crossing back into SC. This is good, because the money I had originally spent on that gas was earmarked to buy the D&D 4th edition Player’s Handbook. Henceforth I roll in their honor.
• Gotta be he: Props to Aussie hip-hopper The Ranger for his new song “Gonna Be.” It’s a smoking track in the hard-living spirit “Rap Bukowski.” Peep it. Bump it. Love it.
• Grammar Club get up get coffee: The Grammar Club has just offered up a superlative cover of Coulton classic “Code Monkey.” Jonathan said so himself. His fans? Not all feeling it. Bump the track and then go weigh in on this great debate.
  
• Until you make it: Brad Sucks also has a new single. It’s called “Fake It,” and he’s looking to pair it with the most cliché music video ever. If you think you can help, give Brad a shout.
  
• He’s a supermodel?: Ultraklystron has a new track as well, and it is lyrically fierce! Take a listen to “On Game,” and then give Karl back his lunch money. He will cut you, man!
• Welcome to his level: Our lovable Mega Ran has broken into the blogging mainstream as a new contributor at That Videogame Blog. Big up to Ran and, by extension, me; Random still has my Nerdapalooza VIP badge, so it’s kinda like I’m doing it too. Right?
• I mentioned this yesterday, but it bears repeating: G Minor 7 has a number of really cool musicals under his belt. Two of note are 29 and Reality: The Musical. One’s about growing up and how it may or may not relate to growing old, while the other’s about the bane of the modern man: reality television. Peep both at MySpace and be sure to friend ‘em. Nerdy music is more than just songs about Transformers!
  
• Dress to impress: This Sunday (July 13th) Dante’s in Seattle is hosting the first annual Summer Semi-Formal featuring the chiptastic Leeni and local rap nerds/hip-hop superheroes Southside. The show starts at 9:00 PM, and since I’m a whole nation away I’m hoping a kind native will go check it out and report back to me. Anyone planning to attend?
• Southern Comfort: Speaking of cool stuff to check out, be sure to listen to the latest episode of the Gamewave podcast. Not only will you get to hear great VGM and chiptunes (as well as some delightful British accents), you’ll also hear nice mentions of GM4A, Rocket Propelled Radio, and even little ol’ me. Oh, what charmers!
• Pure nerd: And while I’m plugging the songs, gigs, and ‘casts of my friends, let me remind everyone that RhymeTorrents.ORG (note the extension) has a really cool exclusive interview with Frontalot that dropped earlier this month. Check it out and leave nice comments.
  
• Nerd Ink, Undead edition: Church hit me up with a link to this piece on the zombie tattoo guy. I’m sure he has a perfectly serviceable name that his mom gave him, but he’s pretty much become the zombie tattoo guy at this point. Dennis, I’d like your comments on this dude's dedication to the ghoulish cause.
• Hippie WRock: My buddy Matt shared his thoughts regarding both the Monsters of WRock tour, which he recently attended, and the forthcoming Portus festival, for which he’ll be leaving shortly. Check it out and bask in how seamlessly he shifts from Wizard Rock to jambands and back. It’s almost frightening. Oh, and if you’re gonna be in Dallas for the event, give Matty some love on my behalf.
  
• Her enthusiasm, it is unlimited: And speaking or WRock show reviews, be sure to check out Snidget’s take on the Unlimited Enthusiasm Expo. And don’t worry, Snidge, I gave Uncle Monsterface an extra helping of love when I saw them last weekend!
  
• Attention hosers: My pal Snake Eyes is looking for nerd musicians – nerdcore, geek rock, WRock, VGM, chiptune, what have you – in the Toronto area for a special project he’s trying to put together. If you’re a southern Ontario nerd who makes with the sweet sounds, give Snake a holler.
• More Uke: Rather than end on a ‘Palooza vid, I thought It'd be fun to let you know what Optimus Rhyme have been getting into. Here’s a video for their newest track. Now if only we could convince them to tour with the Accio Bodyguard gals!

Nerdapalooza Wrap-up 2: The People That You Meet

I imagine that by now everyone is waiting for me to give my rundown of the performances at Nerdapalooza, and I plan to. Just not now.

I’m not trying to jerk anyone around or anything like that, there’s just another element that I feel needs to be addressed before I get into it. If you really want a sneak peak at my impressions of the musical element of the show, feel free to check out my recent post over at GeekDad. Actually, please check out that post anyway. It isn’t exactly burning up the charts and a couple extra page views couldn’t hurt.

I once had a friend tell me that he didn’t have to respect an artist to enjoy his music, but that it sure helped. I find steel in that statement. The attitude of a performer both on and off the stage can really make the difference between an average concert experience and the kind of affair that you talk reverently about for months thereafter.

I’ve stated before that one of the best things about moving in nerdy music circles is how genuinely nice everyone is, and my time at Nerdapalooza corroborated this statement. Never have I been in a room with so many individuals who so desperately wanted to get along with each other. Seriously. Nerds are, by nature, timid creatures, and that certainly came into play, but not once did I make an awkward first stab at conversation only to be giving the coldest of shoulders. Each interaction with a fellow fan or performer immediately turned into a truly friendly exchange.

There were a number of folks in attendance with whom I’d previously spoken, Frontalot and his crew being chief among them, and I found them even more relaxed, conversational, and congenial than previously anticipated. I never saw Front – who is, let’s not forget, a big fish in our pond – turn away an eager fan, interview request, or idle exchange. Both he and Blak Lotus were particularly friendly to me at the pre-event show at A Comic Shop, and keyboardist G Minor 7 talked to me for a delightful stretch before their set at Taste. (As an aside, Gaby has written some really interesting musicals that you totally need to check out.)

And the headliners on the other side were just as engaging. It was a thrill to finally hang out with Dan and Marty from Uncle Monsterface, as well as Monsterface himself, and I got the honest impression that they were just excited to talk to me. Justine from Math the Band has got to be one of the most instantly endearing people I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet, and the fact that frontman Kevin was still able (and willing) to speak after a set that can be understatedly described as intense is a credit to his agreeability and urge to reach out. Sadly, I didn’t get much chance to talk to the Potters, but Paul thanked me for promoting the band via my blogging efforts and signed my Ravenclaw prefect badge. (Don’t you fuckin’ judge me!)

Artists across the board were simply amazing to talk to. I spent literal hours of my weekend palling around with int eighty, DJ Snyder, and Myf, three cats whose music is as engaging as their personalities. Maja and ZeaLouS1, who arrived at the venue together Friday afternoon and spent their first 15 minutes there greeting a crowd of onlookers with smiles, hugs, and well wishes. Schaffer the Darklord, in an obvious attempt to slacken his reigns on the powers of ultimate darkness, took a personal photograph with what may well have been every person in attendance. Wordburglar, when not busy simple being a wholly debonair motherfucker, convinced the guys from A Comic Shop to give a copy of Watchmen to a lucky pair of fans. funky49 handed out party favors during his set; Whore Moans bopped up to perfect strangers to chat; Bootyrage Samurai offered to come on and hang out with me on a future ep. of RFH; MC Cool Whip took some great pictures on behalf of Ant and me (who had neglected to bring our own); the list goes on and on.

Some of my favorite times were had hanging out with the local FLA talent. I’d heard stories about how it was impossible to understand the power of the Florida nerdcore scene without experiencing it live, but that’s only partially true. Just as important as seeing them on-stage is interacting with them off. The Magitek family – and I call them a family because that’s exactly how they carry themselves - is a veritable fountain of positivity. Spork (who, along with EPP’s Sir-Up, was an unsung hero of the festival’s logistical burden) and the RPG crew were as much fun to watch as to hang out with. Masu from Krondor Krew treated me like a lifelong friend after all of about 2 minutes of talking to me, as did the group’s chief cheerleader Sangriaa. In fact, the upbeat energy of Sanny and ColonP (of Bushido Stylus) was the only thing keeping an exhausted Z. going during the event’s longest hours.

I could go on, but I believe you get the picture. Whether it was Hex and mCRT doting over each individual attendant like a hyper-nurturing pair of neighbors from some wacky sitcom or watching Dennis and Denika spread some design love to needy artists, Nerdapalooza was very much about making that personal connection with your fellow geeks. In the absence of that we attendees are left with what Anthony has termed Post-Nerdapalooza Depression. PND is a disorder marked by malaise, listlessness, and the feeling that you’ve just left your 300 closest friends behind. I’m just afraid it will take them a year to find a cure.

Nerdapalooza Wrap-up 1: All Apologies

I spent a good chunk of yesterday pouring over my notes from Nerdapalooza. There were a lot of them. As such, there was a large amount of, um, pouring.

I’ve got my write-up for GeekDad pretty well polished (it should go up sometime tomorrow), but it’s more about the big picture than a study of the tiny building blocks of nerdiness that made the event, at least in my humble opinion, such a total blast -- which is exactly the kind of stuff I’d like to get into here at Hipster, please! That being said, it’s gonna be a multi-post affair, probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 separate entries, and it could take me a couple of weeks to get all my thoughts sorted out.

But there are a few things I need to say before we get into the real meat of my ruminations on Nerdapalooza. You see, like any man I have a selfish need to be liked and accepted by my peers. You’d think being a huge dork for three decades would have dulled this silly reflex, but no such luck. Case in point: when I got home Sunday night, the first thing I did was prepare a mental list of all the people I had harassed and/or annoyed over the weekend. It’s true.

Like Kid in the Hall Bruce McCulloch, I am a shame-based man. Therefore it is in the interest of clearing my conscience that I would like to apologize to:

• The fine folks at A Comic Shop for not buying anything. By the same token, I didn’t steal anything either (although that plush Doop was tempting), so I reckon it’s not as bad as it could’ve been.
• Anyone who found themselves on the receiving end of an unwelcomed hug. I’m sort of a hugger.
• Anyone who wanted a hug but didn’t get one. I imagine you’re in the minority, but I will snuggle the hell out of you when next we meet.
• Anyone whose set I missed.
• Anyone whose set I partially missed because I was taking notes or fucking with that damn Flip camera.
• Ant and MisterB for never making it to the EPP house to do that tag team podcast. I am both an old man and a lightweight.
• Justin for this picture. Man, even this one is pretty bad. I’ll try to be more handsome next time.
• That handful of you that asked me to sign something and had to cope with that totally horrified look I gave you. I didn’t mean to offend; I was just sort of taken aback.
• Those poor headliners who had to sit through my wholly inept introductions. I don’t do well addressing crowds.
• Those who had to sit through my wholly inept second introduction of YTCracker after he’d already been properly introduced simply because there was some confusion re: the master set list earlier that day, and by the time it got cleared up YT and I both obviously didn’t want to seem disrespectful to each other by going back on our previous agreement.
• Anyone whose drink got spilled because of me. (I am looking at you, funky49.)
• Wordburglar, The Potters, and everyone else that I neglected to buy merch from even though I kept reminding myself to do so. I am sore ashamed.
  
• Anyone who was nice enough to introduce themselves to me only to have me turn around and ask them again who they were a scant 5 minutes later.
• Anyone who got locked into a laborious conversation with me at the bar with nowhere to run. (I am looking at you, G minor 7.)
• Anyone who had to put up with me running off in the middle of a very nice conversation because I needed to check out what was going on on-stage. (I am looking at you, pretty much everyone at the merch table.)
• My friends Uncle Monsterface for singing along with all the songs in their set. Generally bands eat that shit up, but the way I sing it’s better if I don’t participate.
• mCRT for sitting down for the whole of his “set.” It was only one closer song, but I was so exhausted that I could barely make it back to the stage 1 area before collapsing in a heap. (I blame Math the Band; they sapped what was left of my strength.)
• Anyone else who I annoyed, ignored, passed over, bumped into, trod on, or otherwise inconvenienced.
• But most importantly I have to apologize to Dennis and Denika for being a slothful and utterly useless houseguest.(Please buy lots of cool zombie crafts and amigurumi from them so they can afford to let me come down and mooch off of them next year too!)
  

And with that, I am absolved!

Right, guys?

Absolution?

Right?

Prelude

I've been back home for approximately 24 hours, and most of that has been spent in blissful convalescence. Sleep is obviously a rare and valuable commodity in Orlando.

I can only describe the Nerdapalooza experience as amazing. I saw dozens of my favorite acts and found almost as many more to add to the list. I met Wordburglar, a man who treats every fan and fellow performer like his new best friend. I hung out extensively with Myf, DJ Snyder, and int eighty, three cast who are as friendly, genuine, and engaging as they are talented. I talked community with Quartz Relic of Magitek, a crew that knows a thing or two about family and made me feel like a new addition. I drank with MisterB, a man who always roles high on Constitution checks. I could go on, but there'll be time for more elucidation later.

Rather than a "lost weekend," this may very well have been my found weekend. What I found were friends, comrades in arms. And fortunately I also found my way back to SC. Nerdapalooza was the place I fit in, but this is where I belong. I'll be writing much more about my experiences over the coming days, but right now I'm just enjoying the simple pleasures of my family life. I reckon I missed them even more than I realized.

The life of the roving nerd is rewarding, but not without its drawbacks.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 48: The Early Bird

Confession time: there is no NNIB this week.

With all the preparation inherent in readying myself for Nerdapalooza, I just don’t have the time to do everything I’d like. Sadly, Nerd News In Brief was one of the things I had to cut out.

I know, you are crushed. That’s understandable.

If it's any consolation, I promise to really wow you with next week’s edition. I will bring the pain. Hardcore from the brain.

In the meantime, here’s something to help take the edge off. It’s a super-early episode of the Radio Free Hipster podcast.

Who loves ya, baby?

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 48: The Early Bird [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 47.2 MB Running Time: 51:34

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)”
The catchiest song ever? I think so!

Track 1: Married With Children dialog / EzLee – “Vain Mistake”
You can’t go wrong by mixing The Clash and MC Lyte.

Z’s 1st interlude: “Songs or parts of songs that are just so damn catchy they get stuck in your head.”
Like you guys don’t know what an earworm is or somethin’!

Track 2: Andrew WK – “McLaughlin Groove”
Thanks to Church for turning me on to this one.

Track 3: Justin Finch-Fletchley and the Sugar Quills – “Dumbledore Is Gay (And That’s OK)”
“He’s still the greatest freaking wizard of his day.”

Track 4: Gred and Forge – “A Little Less Incantation”
I sure hope y’all like this one, ‘cause I think it’s gonna be on the next episode of HipTrax as well!

Track 5: Jesse Dangerously – “So! Much! Fun! (Unh!)”
Expect both a review of Verba Volant and an interview with Jesse D himself sometime after I return from Orlando.

Track 6: YTCracker – “DugDig”
You may have heard this classic in G4’s latest commercials for X-Play.

Track 7: Married With Children dialog / Bill O’Reilly – “Bill O’Reilly Flips Out (Dance Remix)”
Who would’ve thought that a hate filled asshole could be susceptible to such profanity-laden outbursts?

Track 8: Harry and the Potters – “The Blood of a Prince”
The Brothers DeGeorge do hardcore, and do it well, I might add.

Track 9: Wordburglar – “Sayin’ Raps”
I am really excited about seeing Burg perform this weekend. The word “squee” comes to mind.

Track 10: Super Barrio Brothers – “System”
This was one of the tracks that was available for free from the SBB’s MySpace last month.

Z’s 2nd interlude: “The cousin of nerdcore producer and hip-hop aficionado DJ Snyder.”
Andrew WK is nerdy by association.

Track 11: Optimus Rhyme – “Reboot”
This podcast needs more Optimus. Its cowbell, however, is at an acceptable level.

Track 12: MC Frontalot – “Good Old Clyde”
That’s some old school Front right there!

Track 13: Alex Desert / Yo Gabba Gabba! – “Pick It Up”
We sing this one a lot in the Z. household.

Track 14: Sugar Fix – “Rule 34”
Download this song and share it with the one you love.

Track 15: No Kill I – “Wearin’ Red”
Poor redshirt never saw it coming.

Track 16: Metaforce – “In the Rain”
Rain City Blooze won’t be the newest Metaforce album for long. Their third full-length should be released shortly.

Track 17: Married With Children dialog / Lenlow – “Last Night”
I always wondered how I could get some Traveling Wilburys worked into this podcast!

Z’s final interlude: “A big pile of tracks I care nothing about.”
A good mash-up includes some bits from your favorite songs. A great mash-up is made entirely out of tracks you hate, but still manages to move you.

Track 18: DJ Earworm – “United State of Pop”
Bringing new meaning to the phrase “polish a turd.”

This episode felt like cheating.

You see, when Church suggested I do an ep. centered on earworms, I was instantly taken with the concept. It sounded like a solid enough idea, as it was something fairly relatable to all of us; I mean, who hasn’t gotten a song stuck in his head at one time or another? But the truth is, to me damn near every song in every edition of RFH is an earworm.

That’s sort of my selection criteria. If something stays with me, if I find myself repeating the lyrics or humming the melody, it goes in the show.

Sure, occasionally I’ll play a request or something that I’m not super familiar with, but those songs are a minority. But don’t let that stop you. I’d love to hear your song suggestions and show ideas. So please share 'em!

The pre-show

As I make my final preparations to leave for Nerdapalooza, I keep discovering these pleasant little surprises.

First, Josh and I unexpectedly scored the family van to make the trip down in, which is a definite upgrade from our previous ride. Then funky49 made a $4.49 donation to my travel fund (bringing the grand total of the contributions up to a whopping $4.49). And now I see that MC Frontalot and Wordburglar will be doing an in-store at A Comic Shop Thursday night! A free in-store! With free pizza and beer!

No one pinch me; this dream is just too good.

A Whole New World

In recent years I have put together a compilation or two, so I can say with confidence that the process of assembling such albums is no picnic. It is, in fact, not like a picnic at all. There is, for instance, no handsome wicker basket, no babbling brook beside which to sit, no potato salad. What there is, instead, is a lot of hard work.

Hours upon hours of time spent pondering agendas and pouring over possible contributors. Scores of timid emails attempting to woe the cream of the crop of nerdy music to participate. Missed deadlines and delays galore. A veritable mad dash to the finish line that occurs just moment prior to the album’s release regardless of how well you planned shit. These are the things one has to look forward to when assembling a comp.

And while I’ve proudly fashioned a pair of these albums, my friends from Game Music 4 All, a site no older than my own, have produced something in the neighborhood of 600 times that amount! Yes, 1200 compilation albums in less than two years!

Does that strike you as unbelievable? It should, because I totally made it up.

On the side of truthiness, GM4A has produced far more comps than me in the two years since that blog launched, and I have found each to be an enjoyable endeavor. Recently, Ant and the boys have commemorated their second blogiversary with the completion of the Welcome to World 2 compilation.

Now it must be noted that these gents are my friends, and that I would doubtlessly say nice things about their effort regardless. But biasness aside WtW2 is a startlingly brilliant release the likes of which summarily outdoes even their admittedly superlative previous efforts.

Don’t believe me?

Of course not. I totally lied to you about the "1200 compilations" thing, so you should be suspicious. In that case, allow me to elucidate.

The album kicks off with a beautiful rendition of the Final Fantasy 6 Intro by Select Start and doesn’t let up until the final trains of its concluding track by UK geeks Elfonso. Along the way you hear Entertainment System’s take on the music of Fire Emblem, a Mega Man-centered rocker form The Megas, and some ninja chiptunes from Videogame Orchestra. And once you finished that, there’s a bunch more supplementary tracks on the companion disc from Dual Core, Doctor Octoroc, Player Two, and countless other high profile acts.

I twisted Anthony arm and had him confess to me that he would, in fact, be selling the album at this week's Nerdapalooza for a mere 5 bones, so if you plan to attend be sure to bring a little extra scratch to pick it up. It’s a damn fine value, especially at that price.

For those for you not in attendance, keep an eye on Game Music 4 All for an official release date and related order information. Or you can just listen to Radio Free Hipster, as I have a feeling I’m going to be playing a lot of it.

YTCracker Redux

G4 finally decided to grace me with the embed code for their "It's a Nerd's World" spot featuring the one and only YTCracker. Saving me the trouble of, y'know, finding it myself.

At long last, behold:

Q: Are We Not Men?

Church just hit me up with a link to an interesting post at Club DEVO, the new wave nerds' official web presence. Apparently McDonald's outfitted their "New Wave Nigel" American Idol Happy Meal Toy in a most DEVO-esque manner, and Mothersbaugh et al are not amused. Of particular concern, even more so than fig's day-glow jumpsuit and trippy eye-wear, seems to be the inclusion of the eponymous "DEVO Energy Dome."

How important is said hat? Important enough, apparently, to warrant litigation. Pitchfork Media says:

Devo bassist Gerald Casale-- who designed the trademarked energy dome headgear-- is quoted as saying, "This New Wave Nigel doll that they've created is just a complete Devo rip-off and the red hat is exactly the red hat that I designed, and it's copyrighted and trademarked. We're in the midst of suing them...they didn't ask us anything. Plus, we don't like McDonald's, and we don't like 'American Idol', so we're doubly offended."

Looks like my Happy Meal just got significantly less jovial.

Fot those of you in the audience too young to totally grok the depths of this beef, here's the Casale-directed video for "Whip It," a piece that introduced many a slack-jawed Booji Boy to the band that repped nerds in the age of excess. Note the funky hats.

Nerd News in Brief

Do they make a Twitter patch? Maybe some gum or something? I think I’m kind of hooked, and I sometimes wonder if I’ll be able to get off the stuff.

Unlike MySpace and Facebook and similar services, Twitter doesn’t ask much of me as a user. I basically just toss random sentences up at irregular intervals and the train keeps rolling. The people I’m following do the same and, failing the perpetual outages, everyone’s life is enriched by shared minutia.

Is it wrong that I care what @cdharrison had for lunch, what kind of song @triermusic is working on, or what @badddspellah thinks of those feet that keep popping up on BC’s shoreline?

Probably, but it helps pass the time.

• More of me: A new edition of the GeekDad’s HipTrax podcast, co-hosted by little ol’ me, is currently available. This episode features music from my man Random, new friend Mindscape Music, and Wizard Rock chanteuse The Butterbeer Experience, who I believed I referred to as “adorable.” That… um… that probably crosses some sort of line.
• Tag Team, back again: For those of you not keeping proper tabs on your RSS feeds, know that Letters vs. Numbers, your favorite rapper’s podcaster’s favorite rapper podcast, is back! After a lengthy delay, episode 6 went up Monday and, in addition to having an almost alarming amount of references to me, it features an amazing cover of JoCo’s “Still Alive” and that hot new MPFM joint the kids are so crazy about!
• I always forget the “h.”: Also from our Game Music 4 All friends, specifically Jephso, comes an interview with UK chiptune artist Pixelh8. It touches on Pix’s influences, the role of nostalgia in micromusic, and airport security hassles. Which, now that I think about it, has got to be a recurring problem for traveling chiptuners.
• Warp Zones Are For Pansies: I probably shouldn’t even be discussing this here, as I’m planning a more detailed post concerning the release next week, but let me just say that GM4A’s new compilation Welcome to World 2 is fuckin’ amazing! Ant favored me with a pre-release copy last week, and it’s what I would term “required listening.” Again, I’ll save my full impressions (as well as pricing and release information) for a later date, but it’s a phenomenal collection of some of your favorite VGM, chiptune, and nerdcore acts.
• “I’m a scientist.”: Earlier this month, hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash released his memoirs, The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash: My Life, My Beats. In a recent Newsweek article about the book, Flash discusses his love of technology, his mechanical mindset, and his ceaseless obsession with collecting records, giving credence to the view that hip-hop is built on the backs of the geeky.
• This above all: Crank Them 3’s!: Also on the subject of hip-hop and book smarts comes these two links from Church. The first concerns a Forbe’s article about CD/educational aid Smart Shorties, and the second a similar product: Flocabulary’s Shakespeare is Hip-Hop, which should be pretty self-explanatory.
• Keys, like Alicia: Shael Riley has procured the necessary drum, bass, and guitar support he was looking for to again start gigging around his native New York, but he still needs a keyboardist. Are you a keyboardist? Do you live in one of the famed Boroughs? The give Shael a holler.
• Happy Bandiversary!: Fervent congratulations go out to Wizard Rock pioneers Harry and the Potters. This week Paul and Joe celebrate the 6th anniversary of the founding of the band. Please join me in wishing continued success to the brothers DeGeorge.
• Enthusiasm Levels Rising: Speaking of the Potters, today marks the first day of this summer’s Unlimited Enthusiasm Expo. For more information on this groundbreaking tour (featuring three amazing groups: Harry and the Potters, Uncle Monsterface, and Math the Band) see the official Web site. And for a sneak peak behind the veil, check out my recent post over at GeekDad.
• Haven’t I made this pun before?: In other Wizard Rock news, The Harry Potter Alliance has launched a new project simply entitled WRock the Vote. The goal is to have WRtV volunteers present at every Wizard Rock show of the season to help of-age attendees register to vote. If you’re going to be in attendance at any of these events, why not volunteer yourself?
• Oh, the humanity!: For those of you planning a WRock-free summer, may I suggest you attend a nice convention? There are, of course, several of these events that should be avoided at all costs, as my pal Matt was nice enough to point out. Hey, leave ROFLcon alone!
• Bits and pieces: Over the weekend, a new video by my pal Church hit Boing Boing. I submitted it thinking it would be cast aside like so much chaff, but Cory saw wheat. Delicious, nutritious wheat. Since the piece centers on DRM, a geeky topic relevant to many of us, and it also includes that lovable Larry the Cylon, I thought I’d end on it. Enjoy!

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 47: Even the Losers

Ah, the lovable loser: a nerd archetype all its own!

Seriously, though, I sort of worry about saying an episode is “loser-themed.” I mean, will my (often unwitting) contributors not find that a little insulting?

I hope not.

In truth, I think this is one of my favorite episodes of the podcast thus far. Sure, the levels of my voiceovers are kinda shit – I tried a new mic setup that merely seemed to highlight my late-spring allergy voice – but, musically-speaking, I think it’s top notch. Because of the musical selections presented, the whole ep. seems to have this air of triumph, despite my constant references to failure.

I really dig it, and I hope you dig it too.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 47: Even the Losers [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 46.6 MB Running Time: 50:56

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)”
These lads? They’re winners!

Track 1: Brother Machine – “Every Day of the Week”
I’m not sure of Brother Machine’s nerdity, but he does know Glenn. I reckon that makes him a geek by association.

Z’s 1st interlude: “Insignificant, undesirable, or just plain sub-par.”
Which is, coincidentally, the name of my autobiography.

Track 2: The Illuminoids – “Lugosi's Mongoloid Loser (Beck vs. Devo vs. Bauhaus)”
I copped this from the Mashup Town 2007 best-of. I’ve been waiting half a year to use it!

Track 3: Totally Radd!! – “The Bobby Song”
Was there a lot more wang in this show than usual? It seems a little wang-y.

Track 4: Southside – “Quite Yer Job”
The fact that Southside included references to the company picnic as well as pilfered paper “from every department” pretty much means this track is made of win.

Track 5: Uncle Monsterface – “Kill Your Boyfriend!”
As I mentioned before, this might be my new favorite Uncle Monsterface track.

Track 6: The Aquabats – “Pizza Day”
Li’l X. loves Yo Gabba Gabba!, and because of this I find myself listening to a lot more Aquabats of late.

Track 7: Lauren Fairweather – “Engines Make Me Hot”
I like that some WRockers are going out their way to write non-Potter-related material. I love that Lauren chose to write about Firefly!

Z’s 2nd interlude: “The story of a broken-hearted and broken-down (Mister) Marty Allen.”
I have in my possession the demo for “Kill Your Boyfriend.” Sure, it sounds a lot like the final studio version, but it’s one of those cool exclusive perks that make being a nerdy music blogger so oddly rewarding.

Track 8: Leigh3 – “GWP”
“I got my guitar and a bottle o’ wine and a porno magazine!”

Track 9: Computerization – “Fukuwinicu”
Computerization’s self-titled album is now available for free MP3 download. What, you didn’t know that?

Track 10: mc chris – “fallyn” / Angus dialog
I’m really enjoying mc chris is dead a lot more than I did initially. The backings are sort of, well, I think mCRT described them as J-pop. Still, while the first few songs didn’t grab me, I think the second half of the disc is pretty damn good.

Track 11: The Whomping Willows – “Wizard Rock Heartthrob”
I finally broke down and bought Whompy’s Rock N’ Roll Redux. It’s, like, 6 bucks and comes highly recommended.

Track 12: The Butterbeer Experience – “Basically the Man”
Lena of The Butterbeer Experience has probably my favorite voice in WRock. She’s also currently taking pre-order for her new disc Accio Hot Guy.

Z’s final interlude: “You get to a bad place in your life and it’s easier just to dig in deeper than to try and climb out.”
When I try to come off profound I very often just end up sounding like a hick. I can’t imagine that surprises anyone but me.

Track 13: The Streets – “Empty Cans”
An odd aside: what is it with you Brits and your Reebok Classics? Seriously.

It looks like I might actually be able to crank out another podcast next week before I leave for Nerdapalooza. It’s rare that I find myself ahead of schedule, but stranger things have happened.

Church has suggested the theme of earworms for the next episode, and I quite like that idea. I plan to run with it. Run like the wind!

If you’ve got any suggestions for songs or topics, or if you just wanna share your thoughts on this episode, give me a shout. I’d love to hear ‘em.

I wish my brother George was here.

Hey, folks.

I’ve got a new edition of the Radio Free Hipster podcast that I’m just putting some final touches on right now. It should be up this afternoon, but first I wanted to commiserate the passing of comic luminary George Carlin.

As my friend Matt is often quick to point out, our contemporary flavor of nerd culture – our modern nerd revolution, if you will - is intrinsically linked to the classic counterculture of the 60’s and 70’s. Carlin’s unique brand of clever, anti-establishment humor was very much a part of that movement. It was unafraid to challenge norms. It was far more concerned with being smart and accurate, with being thought-provoking, than with being accepted.

And that’s nerdcore.

The Wrath of Anon

Just this morning I received a message from the undisputed king of nerdcore himself, Mr. YTCracker. YT wanted me to know that his G4 commercial spot was now available on YouTube as well.

For those of us who got to check out his personal clips of the video shoot before they were mysteriously removed, it's really kind of cool to see how the final product came together.

It's a glorious blend of frenetic cuts, text overlays, nerd dancin', and, of course, that YTCracker flow. Take a look below, and then hit the link to rate and comment.

STC is the greatest!

Nerd News in Brief

I am currently tired and listless.

Not much I can do about the tired part, as the boss tends to frown on at-desk naps. The listlessness, though, I believe can be remedied. With a list.

I shall call it Nerd News In Brief.

• Please, Harry, Don’t Hurt ‘Em: Church has uncovered a trio of interesting facts about the boy who lived. First, the new Potter story recently penned by J.K. Rowling will be made into a short film to be shown at newly announced Wizarding World theme park in Orlando. Also, the uses of the core Harry Potter books have recently been broadened to include legal precedents and tornado safety. You can’t make this shit up, people.
• Adorable: On the WRock front, Matt has hipped me to a new project from The Butterbeer Experience. Now that her recent tour has concluded, Lena has challenged herself to write 2 songs a day for a week. Information on the challenge (and the chance to help pick song subjects) can be found at YouTube.
• Fertile Myrtle: While you’re getting your ‘Tube on, you might also want to check out a preview of the title track from the new Moaning Myrtles album. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that said clip contains hot witch-on-witch action. Seriously.
• Dumbledore’s Army: Also from my buddy Matt comes this link to an AP article on Wizard Rock. It’s a pretty even-tempered piece that links both the ‘Pedia and the HP Alliance. Go read it and then feel bad for missing WRockStock.
• Another Level: Ant and the GM4A crew have just released details concerning their second annual Level Up! event in LA. Featured artist include ZeaLouS1, Super Barrio Bros, and The Megas, and it’s scheduled for July 13th at CIA. Go. Take pictures. Think of me.
• Get Your Fix: If you, like me, have been lamenting the lack of nerdy piano pop, may I humbly suggest you peep Sugar Fix. It’s the musical stomping ground of one-man band Hillel, and I really think you’ll dig what he’s doing. He has a song called "Rule 34." It’s that kind of a party.
• Blimey!: If what you’re looking for is more in the bastard pop vein, let me direct you to Good Blimey! This is a repository of nearly 3000 mash-ups, all free for the taking. Thanks to Glenn Case for pointing this one out!
• Free At Last: More sources of free music can be found in this Free Geekery – not to be confused with free_geek - post. While some of the choices are questionable, the inclusion of OverClocked ReMix alone warrants a thumbs-up from me.
• Blazing, Not Entirely Unlike a Star: On the nerdcore new release tip comes news from funky49. His new album Starblazer, funk’s first full length, will soon be here soon. It’s just a hair under 70 minutes in length, will be available in physical and electronic formats, and features longtime collaborator redvoid as well as mCRT, Ham-STAR, MC Wreckshin, Betty Rebel, Sir-Up, and mc jeff z/dimension. The gang’s all here!
• These Internets Are: YTCracker’s new EP Serious Business is currently available through iTunes. This is YT we’re talking about, so he pretty much gives us permission to pirate the disc in the liner notes, but would it kill you to throw some duckets at the man?!
• This Old Console: Video of MC Frontalot’s new G4 spot has hit said Internets and it is pretty sweet. Front says you should be seeing the commercial “on G4 right around now, or on any other basic cable channel if your provider is Comcast.” Behold his bespectacled glory.
• True Patriot Love: There will be a very special nerdcore battle set on July 1st, also known as Canada Day, at Boh! Canada: Rewind (221 Rideau St. Ottawa, Ontario). Interested parties can peruse the flyer here and here, and local geeks are highly encouraged to attend.
• We All Screen!: Nerdcore For Life has two new upcoming screenings. The first is at The Philadelphia Independent Film Festival on Saturday, June 28th, and the second is at The San Francisco Frozen Film Festival on Saturday, July 12th. Dan is unable to make the Philly fest, and has offered to pay for the ticket of someone willing to check the screening out and report back to him. (Plus he’ll throw in a fancy new Nerdcore For Life t-shirt!) Additional details can be found at the new Crapbot Prodcutions blog.
• DIY Traveling Summer Camp Circus Crazy Rock Tour and Freak Show: The Unlimited Enthusiasm Tour kicks off next week in Boston, and to celebrate this fact we’re gonna end with the new video of the tour’s unofficial theme song. It is “GO!” by Uncle Monsterface, and it’s like a carnival ride through a Muppet minefield.
  

In a nutshell

My buddy Anthony, known both as a cornerstone of the GM4A blog and as the co-host of the Letters vs. Numbers podcast, has recently taken up the weighty task of prognosticating the forthcoming events of Nerdapalooza '08. Yes, through his Nerdapaloozer blog, Ant is giving fans a preview of the things to come at next month's festival.

By re-captioning panels from old Transformers comics.

While I imagine this is a rather unorthodox means of devination, it obviously works as evidenced by this morning's entry that pretty much sums up my existence.

Behold:


Zounds! I've been found out!

File under time-wasters

It's my first day back at work since last Wednesday and I miss my kids. I miss my house. I miss my bathrobe and 1Up slippers.

How have I been coping with 8+ hours in my tiny, windowless office? By screwing around.

A link to this Scion Crest Generator came across the GeekDad group last week, and I'd been meaning to play with it. I was sort of an easy sell, as I'm a Scion owner, but some of y'all might dig it too.

This was the first crest I came up with. I'm thinking of using it as the wallpaper for a MoonShell skin I'm working on for my DS.

Stuff for Me; Stuff for You

Happy belated Father’s Day to all my fellow geek dads (and GeekDads) out there! Here’s hoping everyone had an enjoyable one.

In addition to the standard Dad’s Day fair, I received an additional little present this weekend. It’s a copy of Ultraklystron’s latest release Opensource Lyricist. The album came with a nice note from Karl, complete with silly drawings. Said note specifically requested that I review the album (which I’ll be doing shortly), but it also promised guaranteed more releases from him in the future. Ultraklystron fans rejoice!


That same afternoon I also received a postcard from the Unlimited Enthusiasm Expo street team inviting me to the local NC and GA shows for “unlimited fun.” As tempted as I am by the offer, it looks like I’ll have to miss them. But, since I’ll get an earful of the tour at Nerdapalooza, it’s kinda hard to get down.

And speaking of Nerdapalooza, my wife Em decided at the last minute that the presents she and the kids had picked out for me – namely a Dalek t-shirt, a Vespa Motorsports t-shirt, some new shorts, a fresh pair of Chucks, and a bag of lollipops (which I’m pretty sure X. had picked out for himself) – weren’t enough, so she opted to let me choose from two additional gifts. It was between a D&D 4th edition Player’s Handbook and some bumper stickers to give away at the festival. In the end, the stickers won out. We only ordered 100, but, honestly, I can’t imagine that won’t be more than enough. Here’s a rough image of the final design, so if you like what you see feel free to hit me up at Nerdapalooza for a free sticker!