Ya live in San Francisco for 22 years but don’t log much time in North Beach. Well, I’m starting to. Chuck’s show at Live Worms on Grant got me over there. Have to say I’m feeling it as deeply as my Mission hood. With the exception that I can’t walk home from the bars. So we loaded up the art a few days before and this is the opening night. Not bad.
Looking froward to Chuck’s showing at the FalloutSF where the Seagulls will play same night. A few days ago I was at a Seagull’s video shoot where by all accounts I should have inured myself dancing. I did not. They may have charmed me. Can inhabit my 25 year old body on set of all Seagull’s videos? Prolly not. Don’t press that shit.
In my prior post and video I simply let the camera rip at Chuck’s place as he was preparing his work for showing at Live Worms Gallery (Nov 17th- Jan 8th 2022. Group Show). Here is a conversation that followed the next day.
Chuck: Hey Chris….you know most of what you shot at my place will not be in the show.
Me: That’s cool. I made no claim it would be. I said we were preparing….which I documented.
Chuck: It’s just that people might get the idea due to the hashtags and URL and so on that these will be in the show.
Me: Legally I think you are safe.
Chuck: I can send you lots of videos from TikTok that will be in the show.
Me thinking: This sounds like more work
What I actually said: Hem……Haw……um……ok. : )
But I don’t actually mind. Just gives me an excuse to drink a 6 pack of my corner store shandy which consists of whatever Belgium-ish beer is cheapest and Santa Cruz organic raspberry lemonade. Many variations of this all taste good. Yes, drink this, edit video in Reaper, and chill into the near midnight. Could be my new happy place.
(Music by The Citrus Kids) The synapses that opposed networking, self promotion, and meeting new people, have died off in my brain. Better late than never. Somehow I’m enjoying posting social media, driving around SF, and meeting people. Life is mysterious. Part of this new mysterious path is video documenting Chuck’s new book, Instagirlsz, which I am very much looking forward to buying. This video was shot in preparation for his work showing at Live Worms Gallery in North Beach.
Chuck and I spent more time talking about art then looking at it tonight which is why I fully micro-documented nearly every piece of art within 100 feet of the wine n’ fudz bar. Music by the Citrus Kids.
In hindsight micro documenting art ain’t’ so great. Many pieces I wanted to stop the video for. Get a close up. Learned. Next show.
Shout out to ArtSpan’s Open Studios in San Francisco. They even had a Youth Open Studios section which triggered me on account of my youths fleeing me 2 decades ago. At least I have my 15 year old daughter’s Spotify playlists.
I always knew in the back of my mind that my healthcare provider was giving me the shaft. Today proof came in the form a $36.55 check with my name on it. I called chuck and told him of my good fortune. “Chuck! Drink is on me tonight when we see The Boars, Hot Laundry, and The Seagulls at Thee Parkside.
Then I meticulously went over the itemized bill I was never given and found it. One q-tip at $36.65. Robbery. But now vindicated. You can tell I’m feeling the arrival of justice by the way I edited this 32 second encapsulation video.
Since this is really a post about seeing live music in San Francisco Imma give a shout out to the night. First off, whoever put this together either got lucky or knows how to curate. All the bands were good (this should never be taken for granted) . And every performance was high energy. Too high energy for me as my strategic reserves of gently moving to the music were at 70% for the headliner. No matter. That’s just me. I have the hurty back from doing stupid man things. It was refreshing to see the front man from The Boars run through the audience mid set. Even more refreshing for the person who got beer splashed on them. Hot laundry had a whole lot of glitter and dance moves. People need to learn those moves for the big choreographed number in their music video. I hear they let you keep the Rhinestone prop jackets after the shoot (they do not). I included one of my favorite Seagulls songs above. The more I hear the Seagulls stuff the more I find myself humming it.
When Chuck sez hey you wanna check out this performance space that’s new in my hood I always say yes. Was expecting concrete and I-beams in a warehouse but it wasn’t anything like that. More like someones very comfy very large living room. Mulled cider, home made apple pie, and a performance that was really it’s own thing. Check the video.
Inspired my real life events this song came together fast. A few voice memos to Sean outlining the chorus. Sean handy with the garage band or something similar. Back to me. Slice. Dice. Produce in Reaper and voila-ish. Done in a week. Wish they all went this way.
Video. I was up at Camp Chillama the official rural retreat of the Citrus Kids and 1970’s trailer extraordinaire. Had no plans to make a video but Sean was into it. We threw together some props we found laying about the place. My fav was the rural bling inspired by Flavor Flavs biggo clock necklace circa 1990. My version keeps your neck in shape and keeps you warm for .5 hours if need be. It was lots of fun pretending to have high volume wangs for 4 hours around the trailer.
In this version of the video we added a shout out to Flomax which is a real product with a fabulous name. It’s at the end of the video. We reached out to the Flomax people on socials. We DO NOT understand why they haven’t responded to us. It brings a sadness to our heart and urethras. fine. FINE.
This song was one of the most straight forward to produce. Maybe I’ll do a breakdown video of it.
This is all part of Artspan in San Francisco. As far as I can tell it’s when lots of talented artists open their studios to the public across San Francisco. It’s also where, after the official hours expired, me and chuck drank tequila and watched the movie Downsizing until past my bedtime. This morning I wanted to post some of the video I took showcasing his upcoming book Instagirlz which i want in hardcover but can’t seem to find in the US. Chuck, get on that.
Anyway, Here is that video set you The Citrus Kids latest single “Oh God Damn (The Trial of Velveeta)”
Dropped by my friend Chuck Whelon’s open studios and had a great time. But where can I order a hardcover of his book Instagirlz? Cause I want it.
Joe Medina calls me up and asks if i will mix his entry in this Misfits cover album. Conversation go….
Joe: can you mix this?
Me: yeah. hey why don’t we do it like this. blah blah blah.
Joe: no that will sound too much like this other band.
Me: you can tell that now?
Joe: Yeah. I’m clairvoyant.
So then i go and produce the first verse as a proof of concept. Joe does not like that either and says i should just enter it myself. So I do.
I checked out the label that’s putting it together and they’re pretty cool. like the aesthetic on the site. like the samples i listen to. https://www.perpetualdoom.com/
Do I need to say it? Misfits good. Hitting girls bad.
Ironically or not I don’t own a single Misfits album nor had I any recollection of ever hearing this song. I do like the song. And I do like punk but mostly for its philosophy of questioning authority, DIY, and truth to power.
imo it’s always good to support the lil’ guy or lil’ label. otherwise they go out of business being mercilessly crushed by the likes of soul-free money funnels like the streaming services who serve you up what they want and pay most artists pennies.
Matching set up on Alvarez guitar to Gibson J-45 for Bay Area musician tdksa90 https://soundcloud.com/tdksa90/sets/originals. Fairly large truss rod adjustment. Lowering saddle .04″ on bass side only (gradient).
Chris Porro 