THE FRESNAN

Do This Fresno!: Go Mall To Mall

It is Bike Month douncha know Fresno!? Plenty of things going on in town this month - Fresno is working its way to becoming a biking city, if we're not already. Wednesday is a very cool event called the Mall-to-Mall Ride...actually it probably WAS a cool event since you're probably reading this too late because we totally suck ass and only posted about this the night before...*sigh*

What would have happened is you would have joined up with other local cycle-heads at Manchester Mall and had a escorted ride to Fulton Mall. More details on I Bike Fresno.

Yeah so we missed that. At least there is Bike To Work Day on the horizon.

Tonight @ Fresno: An Excessive Amount Of Things

Fresno's really showing off now. It's Spring and there's too damn much going on, especially for one shitty blogger to keep up with. ArtHop is tonight with dumps of stuff (artists love it when you refer to their pieces as "dumps of stuff") all over at places like this:

Also, that blog that has never stopped believing that blogs are popular, the Fresno Beehive, are putting on another Tweetup with the Grizzlies, poolside:

Downtown Fresno is all into doing stuff on Thursday nights now:

Arthop is so popular it produces bi-product events:

Oh yes, there's the normal during Arthop live music like the Light Theives playing...

...And post-Arthop live music as well:

There's probably a buncha other junk happening too...after all it is Fresno: lot's of stuff happens here.

Music In Fresno Tonight: The Harmed Brothers Brew On The Fulton Mall and Brother Luke Veni's Tower

Playing at the new Fresno Brewing Company (old Milano's spot on the Fulton Mall) is Eugene's The Harmed Brothers. These guys play American folk and indie-grass style music. The show starts at 7:30 and is FREE to ALL AGES. There will be craft beer and pizza available along with FBC's coffee choices.

Check out The Harmed Brothers:

Also tonight, let's not forget one of our favorite local acts, Brother Luke. They're (or maybe just he is) playing a show at VVV's starting around 10pm. It's free and is 21+ only.

Brother Luke:

Fresnan Late Night: Josh & Jaime - Dorktown Podcast #105C

A long running joke on Dorktown is that the engineer/co-host sucks at engineering - and hosting but that's a whole other thing. Sadly this joke isn't written in or on purpose. Random bad audio just seems to happen on the podcast. Mics not working, random buzzing, levels all over the place and even the occasional deleted show.

Well that's what happened to the Original Dorktown #105, with guest Joshua Tehee. Somehow it got deleted. So Josh was nice enough to come back a week later and record it again... half way through, the file imploded on itself and THAT was deleted, but in a whole NEW way. So what you're (hopefully) going to listen to now is the second half or third attempt at #105-C.

In this episode you'll hear:

• Bells and Mikey hanging with Joshua Tehee and Jaime Holt as they talk about their band and how they're playing Fulton 55 Monday night as a fundraiser for Cat House On The Kings.
• One of the "members" of Mr. Rude calls in. 
• Josh & Jaime play live "In The Corner".
• Is there somewhere to go on the Fulton Mall?
• What's a merkin?
• Josh & Jaime make a big radio related - EXCLUSIVE to Dorktown - announcement.
• FRESNO "OR GAME".
• FAX stories.
• How did Dorktown get its name?
• Fonzy Eyyys.

Be careful, lot's of cussing as always. Listen by clicking:

Josh and Jaime - Episode 105C

Dorktown on: iTunes, Facebook, YouTube.

Fulton Mall Moves Another Step Closer To Being Just Plain Old Fulton Street

We think this is bad. The PBID (it's like a board of people that own property in Downtown or something) voted to support tearing out the Fulton Mall and putting in some of that new fangled asphalt everyone talks about. This is bad, no? Seems like things are heading towards the City Of Fresno bringing back cars on the Fulton Mall. Art and uniqueness be damned.

Some folks say this will bring more people on the Fulton Mall ... actually it would just be Fulton. Yeah, that does sound right given Fresnans car driving ways. But then Fashion Fair and River Park do just fine without traffic. We're confused.

Maybe we should do a trial run and open up traffic to Manchester Center and see how that goes.

[Pic stolen from here]

Fresno Bee Fail: A Story About The City Turning On Some Fountains At Fulton Mall Becomes 'Homeless Dude Bathing In A Fountain'

If you get the ink version of the Fresno Bee (like us), then you saw it on Saturday morning. Right below the fold. A homeless dude taking a bath in a Fulton Mall fountain. No, it wasn't a story about how Fresno's homeless are the most hygiene conscious in the country. It was a story about the City Of Fresno turning on some of the Fulton Mall fountains.

Nice. Finally the city is doing something positive with the Fulton Mall. Things are looking up a little bit. Maybe I'll go check those fountains out...THEN BOOM: homeless dude in fountain.

Those backwardsass Fresnans that are scared of downtown just got their fodder for the next time they call Ray Appleton or Chris Daniels Daniel (or for comments on the Bee's website).

One picture. Two steps back for downtown.

[Photo stolen from here]

INCOMING!: Fresno Chile Festival June 18th

Any time you can get a festival going on the Fulton Mall it's a good thing. Check out all the stuff happening that day (including a nice music lineup) by going here. And there's still time to sign up be a vendor. More info is at www.fresnochilefestival.com.

Hummm, a festival on the Fulton Mall... some other Fresno festival should consider this.

Fulton Corridor Meetings: Wait. There Were No Brawls? Nobody Even Acted Buttholish? Well That's Boring

Nope. Nobody threw down Monday night at the Fulton Mall workshop. In fact, some were impressed by how non-buttholish everyone was. The main wow factor item unveiled was the Eight Fulton Mall Alternatives:

1. Do nothing (hey, it's already budgeted)
2. Restore it.
3. Restore it and open up cross streets.
4. Keep south and center closed.
5. Keep the center closed.
6. Reconnect to grid 1.0 (small street through the mall).
7. Reconnect to grid 2.0 (bigger street).
8. Reconnect to grid 3.0 (say bye bye to Fulton Mall).

Number two seems ideal to this blog, but number three sounds interesting too. Let's just hope it's not number one or eight and go from there. But really, if there was money to throw at the mall, our humble suggestion is to make living in and renovating spaces above the Fulton Mall, the easiest thing there ever was to accomplish ever in Fresno. Then get crackin' on fixing the mall part.

For those that missed the Fulton Mall workshop, lots of nerds bloggers were there Monday, even if one douchey nerd wasn't, to get you up to speed. We know that James already has a post up. Maybe Conlan? Those Beehivers probably will. Dumb Drum perhaps? Funny man Travis? Famous Whitewater is famous for Fulton talk. And Archop must have one coming.

The workshops continue tonight with "Limited Economic Resources: What is the Development Strategy for Fulton District, Cultural Arts District, South Stadium, Chinatown" ZZzzzzz ZZzzzzzz

Battles!: Save The Fulton Mall Fresnans vs. Traffic The Fulton Mall Fresnans

 

Tonight. From 5 to 8. Two rival Fresno gangs (Save The Fulton Mall Gang and Fulton Mall Traffic Gang) will be locked into one room (probably not locked) at the Downtown Holiday Inn, to finally end the debate for good (nothing will be decided). End the debate of whether or not the mall should be pulled out so cars can drive down the Fulton Mall.

Yeah, okay, so the debate won't end after Monday's meeting (it's really a workshop and less of a debate). But both groups will surely be there and they don't seem to like each other that much and they're going to be forced to "workshop" together. Should be fun. Speaking of fun or whatever, did you see the meeting/workshop on Saturday that kicked off this whole week of Fulton Corridor Plan talk stuff? It turned into a Social Studies class out of nowhere. Seriously, we took this class at City, like, twice. James Collier did a nice live blog post of the whole thing, if you haven't seen. They made people do stuff (HA ha).

The Fulton Mall is maybe the most polarizing (whatever that means) issue in Fresno (well, outside of the debate: Which is better teppanyaki: Yoshino's or Edo-Ya?). It should be a fun night of talking about the mall, even if we're all sick to FUCKING DEATH OF TALKING ABOUT IT.

Tell Fresno You're Saving Fulton Mall For Saving... sake

Have you been sitting around thinking "Dammit! When is somebody going to make a green shirt that tells everyone I support the Fulton Mall?!" "Not a white one. Not a red one. A green one. With maybe, like, the clock tower on it or something." Well, finally somebody has done it.

The Facebook campaign to Save The Fulton Mall now has t-shirts you can purchase... almost on the Fulton Mall. Two locations now have them, one being the All Things Fresno Store on Fulton in the Warnors Theatre complex. The second location being Yoshi Now.

Basically you're saying "no" to traffic being returned to that infamous stretch of Fulton. Or, wait, can it still be the Fulton Mall with traffic? Can you still support the Fulton Mall but want traffic rolling down it? Probably not. No... You know what, just buy the shirt, it's only ten bucks. Gezzz, we don't need to make this into a thing do we?

Side note: One wonders if this past weekend's wildly successful Central Cal Invitation Rib Cook-off would have been as successful on the Fulton Mall.

Tuesday In Fresno: Dancing Off The Summer

What's this? Another new all-ages venue in Fresno? And on the Fulton Mall no less? Looks like FuSE Fest just got a backup venue: Los Panchos. A lot going on tonight too with Maya Over Eyes and:

At CYC: It would be nice if you brought the band gas money, but it's a free show with St.Louis punk band, Cardiac Arrest:

At Starline: Art Silva brings you Your Hero Is A Villain (2010 FuSE Fest band) and more:

BANDGEEK!: Current Affairs, Jellyfests, Skankin, Awakinings, Big Sandys, Reving and Captive Loving

If you're looking for some Meatball Magic this weekend: you got it. If you're looking for Fashawn throwing out first pitches at Grizzlies games: you got it. If you're looking for an incredible amount of live music to enjoy this weekend:

KUPPAJOE'S: Always quality acts at Kuppa and tonight feels like a half-step above that with The Fore Cast, A Current Affair, Queens Club and From Indian Lakes. [7:30 $8]

AUSTIN'S DOWNTOWN GRILL: A pretty massive party as they'll be using both floors of Austin's for "Jellyfest". All kinds of jello-related drink specials, all for the craziness of the classic comedic punk/rock of Green Jelly. Also there's Leather Serpent, Cosmic Hayride, Dirtmouth and Psychostick. Presale tixs at Lovesick Tattoo. [7:00 $12 adv.]

CLUB BABYLON: They'll be "skankin up the Tower" with The Action League, The Notones and The Hooligans. [9:00 $6 21+]

STARLINE: It's the night of all nights for psycobilly and punk fans with the Midnight Howlers, Tabalitix, Idiosyncracy, The Horror Dolls, Not 4 Hire and Belladonna Beauties. [9:00 $6 All Ages]

CLUB RETRO: All ages awesome with Down Word, Driven Cure, Bittersweet Awakening and Bradley Alfred William and more. Advanced tickets bought at Afton Shows. [7:OO $12 adv]

 

CYC: Welcome to Chinatown. Tonight it's the home of No Guilt, Gideon Bezona, Where The Sidewalk Ends, Mighty Arrow, Iwanaga, NOBTA and Glamor Tronic. [6:00 $3]

AUDIE'S OLYMPIC: Fresno welcomes Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys (hopefully a euphemism). Lucky Tubb and Highway City will also be there. [9:00 $10]

SATURDAY

THE CAPTIVE: The lovely folks at LTC have a real office now and are having a party to celebrate:

Facebook: The Newest Venue For Fresno Nerds To Argue About The Fulton Mall

Let's face it, bloggers: Facebook pages have taken some juice from blogs. "Blogjuice", if you will (mmmmm, blog juice). Some of the classic blog wars that used to exclusively take place on some Fresno blog or Mindhub, now can take place on Facebook pages or Twitter.

Most active as of late is the Save The Fulton Mall page. A nice sized BLOG WAR!.... or um, Facebook War? happened the other day. It was sparked by a previous statement by Mayor Swearengin, calling the mall “a fundamentally flawed attempt to preserve what amounts to a failed urban renewal experiment that has bankrupted every effort to revitalize downtown Fresno for decades.” Scroll down the page and find it, it's worth the effort.

There are plenty more debates happening on the page too, some of them even positive. If you're like us, you'll want to follow the page just to see how Fresnans smarter than you, like to argue.

Seems though, no matter what the venue, we'll always be debating about the Fulton Mall. It's as Fresno as tacos and August heat.

re:FUSE Fest: Fresno's Biggest Music Festival Is Here!

Hopefully you haven't been too annoyed with the amount of re:FUSE Fest postings lately. Sorry, but we love seeing local bands and the Fresno Urban Sound Experience is the mega-store for just that: experiencing what Fresno has to offer musically. Near every kind of Fresno band, DJ and hip-hop artist will be represented Saturday starting at 3 atop the Spiral Garage, then splintering out (within walking distance) into more downtown venues.

Please don't just take our word on how awesome Saturday's festival will be (pre-party Friday at Full Circle - 8pm). Listen to some folks we respect more than this blog's opinion:

Mike Osegueda - Fresno Bee:
"With a one-stop shopping approach and a getting-started-early schedule, it's probably the best opportunity for someone to dabble in Fresno's music scene.

Let's put it this way: If you've always wanted to dive into the deep pool that is Fresno's music scene but never got past sticking your foot in, this weekend is a good chance to take the plunge."

Joshua Tehee - Fresno Famous:
"Right now, you need to decide this is something you want to do. Forget all the things that might keep you away and decide that your plans for Oct. 2 and 3 will include time for this. Decide that you will find parking. You will get over your fear of being shot/mugged/panhandled. You will pay your $15 and you will be downtown after dark and you will have fun and yes, that is very much OK."

Alright, some key links for ya in case you haven't been following along:

• Page listing all of the bands and DJs playing, along with the times and venues.
• Mucho informative posts by Mike Oz and Famous Whitewater.
• Edward Stewart recomends some bands to see.
• Why this is called the re:FUSE Fest and not just FUSE.
• A new DJ venue is at the Loft in the Security Bank building and will be sweet.
• The importance of the Spiral Garage to the festival (this is where you can park, pay and watch all in one spot).
• Podcasts from Flowing With Famous to The View Looks Good From Here, Fresno provide more audio info.
• All the questions like tickets, parking and what not.

Also, we'll try to upload some video to our YouTube channel during the fest (as long as our phone's battery will let us) and do some tweeting, if you're mobile and care. Also, you can follow us, or the FUSE tweets, we're sure Mike Oz, Travis S, Ed Stew, Down Word, Sonic Foundation and many others will be updating (leave a comment with your Twitter address if you want folks to follow ya).

So there, it's going to be hella fun and great and all that, all ages (mostly), we can't wait, hope to see ya, enjoy the Fresnoness!

re:FUSE Fest: Updates and Band Schedules

Alright, now the re:FUSE Fest hyping is starting to get really fun because the schedule for when and where the bands play Saturday has been released (check on the right of the page). This is fun because we can sit down and start planning our day. What bands do we want to see over another band? Where and when will we take a dinner break? What time and place will our beer-buzz kick in?

MORE Re:FUSE HYPE
Mike Oz at the Beehive has got a primer post up and so does Famous Whitewater at FF. Very good posts if you want to get your basic info along with some more heartfelt stuff.

Listening to hype is fun too, that's why you should check out "Bill McEwen's Straight Talk" show from Tuesday. The aformentioned, Famous Whitewater (aka Joshua Tehee), was on and did a couple informative and entertaining segments with Bill, talkin' all re:FUSE Fest. To listen, click here and then click "Joshua Tehee 1".

SPIRAL GARAGE IS KEY
Wanna see the backdrop the bands will be playing in front of at the Spiral Garage venue?

I dunnoooo, we think it's going to look pretty damn sweet. Just don't fuck around too much up there (you know, like being all drunk on the ledge) or you will never see the top of the garage used for anything cool ever again.

Here is what you need to know about the Spiral Garage for the Saturday portion of the festival: It's key. It is where you'll get your wristband that is good for all venues (the other venues will NOT be selling them [except Full Circle on Friday night]), it is where you'll probably wanna park (for free, btw). And it's where the first band kicks off Saturday (Yesterday's Chonies @ 3:00). More good spiral info can be found within this Blake Jones post at Fresno Famous.