It seems like all the news over the past, say, 100 years has been a real downer. Third-Hand smoke? Seriously? So you go to the bar, particularly in North Carolina and other tobacco belt states where, well, people don’t seem to mind hanging out in a room with air quality that wouldn’t meet OSHA standards in a coal mine, and after drink one or two too many and accidentally playing a Barry Manilow track on the jukebox, you go home, somewhat ashamed, only to wake up in clothes reeking of … third-hand smoke.
According to a recent study, the residue that stays in your hair and on your skin and in the fabric of your pants is riddled with carcinogens, radioactive material, and toxins that can kill small animals. Damnit. I was just having fun with my buddies. Nobody told me I’d be spending the next day as a test subject for the Atomic Energy Association.
So, for 2009 I’m going to spend more time in non-smoking establishments. That’s right. Non-smoking establishments.
Sirius B, a very fun and exciting band from Asheville, NC came all the way to “Harvey’s Kitchen” on Saturday for what will surely be a very interesting video. Self-described as “Absurdist Gypsy Metal Folk Funk Punk” this band is like nothing you’ve heard before. Unless, that is, you’ve been lucky enough to catch some of their recent gigs around the state. Read Post
We’ve been lollygagging lately. Feteing on rich minced meats and spiced rum. Meanwhile our local listserve is reporting more and more break-ins, car thefts and the like. One could attribute such activity as the typical holiday thievery but recent statistics show that North Carolina unemployment is the worst since 1983. Of course how those statistics are gathered and countered is like trying to figure out a compromised abacus made from baby heads and thimbles.
One statistic you can count on is the rise in liquor sales. In our fair state the ABC sales outlets are a government monopoly and they had a bumper year in 2008 and it looks like 2009 is going to be even better. Who knows, maybe it’ll help offset the decline in tax revenues that’s sure to be a shocker.
Another thing that’s certain is that the music tends to get a lot sassier in difficult times. People tend to prefer dancing than leaning back in a daze listening to the tiny bleep bleep of electronica in a field of ambientness. I still enjoy both but with more and more of my friends losing their jobs or worried about their job security a dance-off seems way more appropriate than a trance-off.
So, maybe the secret to 2009 other than working longer hours for less pay is finding a great band, getting in your car or scooter or bicycle or on foot, and listening to some live music to get your mind off of that bleakness that is certain to predominate the next 12 months unless by some miracle the behemoth companies getting kickbacks from a massive bail-out actually do something innovative that kick-starts the economy. I doubt that’s going to happen. Just look at Bank of America who just received a massive “incentive,” and used it to give its shareholders an 11 percent dividend despite record losses.
Let’s ponder.
2009 is here and we here at Monkeywhale hope this year brings all you much joy and good fortune. Read Post
I walked to my first job interview in a very long time today. Actually it was more like a interview/meet a guy about a job/I don’t really know what it was. I had one cigarette, belly full of caffine, and no light. I’m very nervous. Been at the Coffee Shop for a while, haven’t had a drop of alcohol in Twenty Eight Days, and I smoke a LOT of cigarettes. Read Post
In case you missed the show at Studio B last night … Read Post
Folks, maybe you’ve been out of town or out of touch or not checking in enough here at monkeywhale.com but you need, need, need to come out to a show tonight that is most definitely gonna blow your socks off. Read Post
O, make the topping Read Post
I know it’s two days after Christmas and many of you have already started to forget what the season is all about so I thought I should show you a little something that might remind you what it means to BELIEVE. This is for anyone who doubted Matty’s recent post about having a discussion with Santa about saving the monkeywhale. I hope it sways your skeptical little hearts. Read Post
Here’s something you don’t want to see when you come home very late at night after hanging with friends at your neighborhood bar. Read Post
The rush of a cool autumn breeze making contact with your pupils as you hike through a cedar forest. They’ve been called Altoids for the eyes. People trade gaming systems just to procure them. Santen Neo FX eyedrops not only make you feel more alert, but more attractive too and younger. That’s right. Younger, more [...]
Throughout this interview were 5 people constantly playing music. I’d ask a question. Contemplation. The silence would be interrupted by a contemplative melody on a banjo or guitar. In the 2 hours we had the pleasure of listening to these guys, they displayed the kind of energy you only see in [...]
These guys came into our kitchen and played so many songs and told so many stories we couldn’t fit it all into one piece. Plus, the world of warcraft addiction was too good to skip.
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia Pete now lives in Greensboro, NC. He and his wife own and operate the Green Bean, a coffee shop/gallery/performance venue. It was one of the first downtown businesses to emerge that sparked a mini cultural renaissance which now includes a host of bars, a regional theatre, together with a [...]
Born in Dodge City, Kansas with a penchant for using her slingshot on old companions, Molly McGinn now lives in Greensboro, North Carolina. After a brief respite from singing she has returned with a vengeance. You may recognize her from Triad Stage’s production of Black Beard or as a co-worker at the King’s [...]
Molly wrote 2 songs. Here’s the 2nd one. We don’t normally do multiple postings but these chansons from this chanteuse were so good we couldn’t resist. This one will be played at the Greensboro Urban Ministry sometime very soon.
