Makes me wanna holla...

Today we go camping. Photogal and I are getting to the site his afternoon, so we'll have a big jump on everyone else who isn't showing up until later tonight. I'm pretty excited since this is the first time I'll actually be camping with a large group of my friends.

When I was younger, I was a Boy Scout, and we would camp all the time. As it is with most things we are forced to do when younger, camping became more like a chore and less of a joy for me. When I started dating photogal, who had spent her entire life in the 'burbs and then the city, she wanted to go camping and outdoorsy stuff all the time. I complied primarily because when you love someone you want to do things that make them happy even if those things are less than your cup of tea. You KNOW it's love when those things are more like stale coffee grounds than a cup of tea.

Last year, though, I had enough. Photogal's brother-in-law loves camping so I announced that, for the most part, I was done with camping This has worked out fine, but I knew that deep down Photogal was happiest when I was the one pitching a tent for her.

Wait, that came out totally wrong. You know what I mean, gutter-head!

Anyway, when this opportunity to go camping with a crew I knew and loved presented itself I realized it was a win-win situation for both of us. Plus, Photogal barely ever does anything social with my crew anymore so it would be great to let her see what a great folks the people she was less familiar with really were!

We're packing up the car first thing in the A.M., and then we're off, so wish us safe travels.

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...and makes me wanna scream with joy.

We're only camping one night, though, since I set up a nifty little show at Subterranean Saturday night. By some fluke, three of the four bands contain all of the members of the final permutation of Woolworthy, so the evening will be extra-special for me since I haven't seen all of those guys share a stage (even though it will be at different points of the evening) since their farewell show a few years ago. Wow, has it been that long?

What makes the evening even more special is the chance to pair up some of my favorite Chicago bands with one of my favorite out-of-town bands (just so happening to feature my old college pal Ringo) Spanish For 100.

The icing on the cake? DJ Mother Hubbard is DJing in the downstairs space so everyone can see me dance / convulse after the show! Plus, since I'm DJing upstairs between bands, I'll have diPOD and tankPOD with me in case we want to mutiny and commandeer the decks.

Kidding!

Anyway, an I know I say this every time (and I honestly do believe it every time but this time it's REALLY true), this is a show NOT TO MISS.

Here are some mp3s of the bands performing (The track by The Assembly I've posted is actually something of a rarity, but it's an old fave of mine.) Take a listen, and I'll see you Saturday night!

Spanish For 100 "Say What You Want To Say"

Textbook "Find My Way Back Home"

The Assembly "Who Knows Where Your Life Went?"

Also, here's a poster in case you want to hang it in our cube / on your bedroom wall / on the ceiling of your sweet ride.


...heh, and here is what 1/3 of Spanish For 100 looks like at 3am...