THE FRESNAN

Tonight Belgium Is Big In FRESNO

Awesome stuff tonight at Audie's Olympic, like Fresnans/East Bay-ers Trumpet Solo, Fresno's Uncle Scam and all the way from zaah Belgium: Wallace Vanborn. More after you stare at this:

If you zspeaka zzaa Belgium, check C' Vanburn's blog here - do something picture worthy with them and maybe you'll get on there. Follow them on Twitter here and check their rocking selves below:

*For more on Fresnan favorites, Trumpet Solo, have a listen to the interview with them embeded in Dorktown Podcast #76.

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.

Wanderings: Fresh Fresno Sushi, Arena Football, Missing Murals and Arching Blogs

 

>>>James Collier broke the news a ways back: Wassabi is opening a location (off the hook pic above) in Fig Garden Village in the old Pangea (a couple attempts at finding out if they're keeping the Herndon spot open have been uninformative). Should be pretty cool, as that Pangea spot is a nice one and then couple that with Wassabi's good sushi and we got some awesome happening. One wonders if they're going to have the sushi bar close enough to the entrance to still do their traditional "Whaaatsuuheyyywwaaaa!" greetings.

>>>What happened to the mural on the Palm side of the Bullard High Theater? Fresno's blogoshpere is still waiting for answers.

>>>A Fresno sports franchise is finally on a non-minor-league level as the Central Valley Coyotes join the newly formed Arena Football 1 League. Thus becoming the first pro sports team in Fresno (pretty sure, anyway) that is at the top level of the sport. Even if it's arena football it's still very cool to us, one day we'll get around to going to a game. The season starts in 2010 and the league includes cities like Chicago, Phoenix and other big-timey sounding places.

>>>The end has finally come for Zapps Park. Whether the owner finds another location or not remains to be seen but Friday is it for the little Blackstone bar (that is if Tuesday wasn't already). We'll miss ya Zapps (even for that time there were corn stalks against the wall... inside).

>>>Quickly becoming a blog of importance for Fresno is Archop.org and now it's new and improved and looks slick. It's not just for Arch' nerds anymore... if it ever was.

Indie Tuesday: Free Shows and Paper Maches

Audie's Olympic hosts the west coast touring, Miss Derringer. The show looks to be free and starting after 9. To give you an idea of the band:

Starline is hosting some touring acts as well with Pacific Northwest bands Paper Mache (Spokane) and Noah Gundersen (Seattle), with Vive With Vice and Fresno's Ballad: The Memory. Check the details:

Focused On Fresno: Why FYI Airport Is The Best

Hey, we gladly plunk down an extra 100 bucks or so to fly out of Fresno rather than drive two, three hours to Sac Town, LA or SJ. Besides, you get to walk right up to the ticket counter. FYI rules.

re:FUSE Fest '09: The Hype 'Spiral' Begins

Yes. You saw the 'Spiral Garage' as one of the venues. Awesommme. More info on how important the Spiral Garage has become to this year's festival, click here.

BMOTW: Tower District Planning, Trash, Dogs and Beer

Plenty of bloggy going on in the Tower District this week:

MEETINGS AND SUCH
Many Fresnans got together to talk Tower. What should happen to that and this? Do we need more of this? No, we need more of that.

Also, there were people cleaning up after your lazy trash throwin' ass. Good for them.

TOWER DOGS
Hells yeah, it's finally open and the Twitter reviews are good and tasty and plentiful. Still waiting for a real blog review though. Taste Fresno needs to get all over this.

BEER IS GOD
Screw the heat, we need to drink. Like Ed Stewart and Donald Munro pointed out: Sunday is/was "Oktoberfest" in the Tower D. The pint loving jury is still out on whether this is better than Sudz In The City. We expect Ed Stew to let us know.

[Photo stolen from SonicFoundation's Twitter stream.]

Fresgeek Weekend: Goodbye to Metal Mansion

Alright, you may notice that Fresgeek isn't all that full and is formated differently. Hey, sorry, we suck sometimes. We'll be back next week with a fuller, FUSE-y filled post. But for this week, here is a brief look-see:

FRIDAY
At Starline, check out Synerza along with Mercury Bullet, Dislodic and Medium. >>> Audie's Olympic has rockabilly with the Henchmen and more. >>>Also, one last metal houseparty:

SATURDAY

WHATCHA GOT?
Please help this weak post out and add something to it by leaving a comment. Have a great Fresno filled weekend!

re:FUSE Fest: Flowing With Famous - Punk Podcasting

In our continuing effort to geek-out before next weekend's re:FUSE Fest, we've got some podcasting awesomeness with Famous Whitewater, Dale Stewart and Joselyn (Capital Punishment and The Dustups) and Blake Jones of Blake Jones Trike Shop.

If you hang around until the end, you'll hear all kinds of good re:FUSE Fest info, but before that we talk about punk rock, Fresno's music scene and venues from the '80s, some politics and more.

Try clicking here to listen.

Or play:

Fres-mooch: Win Free Tickets To 'Rockstir'

UPDATE: We have a winner (see, it pays to be reading blogs late at night).

So you may have seen this ticket giveaway floating around the blogs today. We got jealous and demanded to be let in on the giving; even if it involves the Northeast Fresno area (which we aren't the biggest fans of). But it involves drinking and music, so we're willing to give this event a shot:

 

What the hell is this Rockstir all about, anyway?

There will be live bands (Midori & Audiocliqueand Dazed & Confused). Plus a Fashion Show, Full Bar, Fresno’s Finest Restaurants Sampling their best in food, Local Vendor Booths, VIP Pre-party, Live DJ... it goes on (21+ only). 
 
Your ticket includes entrance to the event plus 2 (full-size) drink tickets and access to all the food tasting and booths. Additional drink tickets will be for sale on-site. A portion of proceeds to benefit The Shakers non-profit organization.

But hey, you like to mooch (win tickets) so here is how:

• Be 21 or older.
• Have the ability to enter your email where asked while leaving a comment to this post.
• A fondness for drinking outdoors and saying snarky things while people watching.
• Willing and able to go pick up the tickets at Astone in Downtown Fresno on Friday (by 4).

So, first one to comment on this post and is okay with everything above, gets two tickets. Everyone that comments after that can call us sellouts and douches.
 

re:FUSE Fest 2009: Artist Profile - The Escorts

At this year's re:FUSE Fest, there is a band represnting nearly every generation of Fresno musicians. The Escorts would be a part of the newest generation. But, that doesnt mean they don't already have some respect from those who know:

“…Let me tell you: these kids are going places. This young band has a lot of talent and some catchy tunes. I really hope they stick with it, because I'm excited to see where they go from here. Why not head out and show some support?”
- Conlan Spangler

"...Fun, catchy and young, three important traits for an up-and-coming rock band."
- Mike Osegueda

We haven't been able to see The Escorts yet which puts them on our must see list for next Saturday.

re:FUSE FEST UPDATES
A full list of the times and places the bands are playing with be released soon, along with a new Flowing With Famous that has a large re:FUSE Fest descussion. Also, two new bands are replacing two bands that are unable to play and those names will be released shortly.

The Sun Is Being A Total Dick To Fresnans

 

You know what, Sun? It's fall, stop it with the overheating. You had your fun in Fresno all summer long, ya yellow bastard. Time to pull it back a bit.

And we are seasoned Fresnans that prefer an August day to a January one of high fog and no sun. We can handle the heat. But, this is ridiculous. Our body clock is not prepared for this late September heatwave and we're at the breaking point.

Kopi says (he's got the exclusive deal with the sun to do 10 forecasts, dontcha know) we can expect this until next week. I don't know if we can make it.

Somebody open Wild Water the hell back up or something.

Focused On Fresno: Audie's Unofficial Bike Rack

It's a little hard to make out but those are some bikes parked inside Audie's Olympic - a common site. See, Tower District commitee people? Get on those bike racks already.

Indie Tuesday: Greensburough, Portland and Fresno

STARLINE
Indie Tuesday at Starline hosts some Fresnans and a touring band from North Carolina: The Bronzed Chorus - don't get many of those 'round these parts. The Fresno talent is Manuel A and Mane Horse.
[Doors: 9 Cost: 5]

AUDIE'S OLYMPIC
A van filled with LA and Portland bands will be sitting in front of Audie's tonight, those being: Spindrift, The Morning After Girls (we think) and 1776.

Spindrift has been through before and The Morning After Girls (guys, buy the way) were just here last week. One band's schedule is saying TMAG will be there, but nothing else does. Guess we'll find out tonight.
[Time: 9 Cost: 5]

The Bronzed Chorus: Hiding In The Woods from Matt Williams on Vimeo.

Fres-Video: Colburn Is Tougher Than Your Dad

Fresno State QB, Ryan Colburn, may be throwing too many picks, but at least he can throw some "Ohhhhhhh!" hits at Boise State defenseman: