Last night was fun. Got to see a couple songs from Battles, Richmond Fontaine, Faz and Brandon’s Sharpening Markers and M. Ward. Nice to be out and about. On the docket tonight: Muslims, Night Marchers, TV on the Radio, Crooked Fingers, Monotonix and maybe some Built To Spill.

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RYNO, I’M EATING MY WORDS, ONLY THIS ONCE: Battles last night, at the Wonder Ballroom. So good.

So yeah, about the “eating of words.” Three or so years back in Minneapolis, Ryno tried to push them on me, and I resisted. He was on this dangerous Clap Your Hands And Say Yeah (No.) kick, and out of fear, I lumped the Battles in with them, or, into Ryno’s mania or something, and naysayed it all. My loss. I finally got on board with them a little over a year back, and, well, about fucking time. Great shit. And on stage, it was just super refreshing to be moved by something again. Their swagger, confidence and tightness was super impressive. Great style and man, that drummer. The best. John from the old Helmet days.

And man, great design. Records, shirts, posters…all of it. So impressive. This poster still “gets me every damn time.” Bravo.

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FOR ALL YOU LITTLE PISS ANTS, LURKING IN THE SHADOWS, DIRTYING UP SHIT WITH YER HALF-ASS STYLE WAR TAGS AND SO-CALLED “STREET ART”: The Reverse Graffiti project. Interesting idea. New take on things. My take on all the bullshit littering every flat surface of the city: “Spray paint is for pussies.” (Thanks, Mitch!)

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ON THE LIST FOR THE NEXT TIME GO TO THE U.K.: The Cumberand Pencil Museum. So good.

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GREAT TYPE ALL AROUND: An Eskimo Pie box from a long time ago, people.

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JUST BECAUSE: A Pretzel Ampersand. We dig.