THE FRESNAN

FresGeek Weekend: Green Eggs, Fetishes, Costumes and Zebras Killing Lions

Before we get to the music, there are a couple key sports goings on this weekend as the dominate Fresno Monsters will be at Selland Arena (perfect hockey barn) Friday and Saturday. And of course, Saturday Pat Hill's Catch Ryan Mathews While Ya Can Tour hits Bulldog Stadium.

But bandwise, what the hell is going on? This:

FRIDAY

FRESNO MET: Yes, as you see from the flier, the Fresno Metropolitan Museum is having one of their special nights, this one with a Dr. Seuss theme. Plenty of great Fresno music with Uni & Her Ukelele, El Olio Wolof, Wheels Of Fortune and Yesterday's Chonies. You can find out more about this event by listening to the latest View Looks Good From Here, Fresno podcast. [Start: 8pm Cost: $10]

AUDIE'S OLYMPIC: There will be a Halloween Fetish Fashion Show (nope, not a awesome band name, there will really be a fetish fashion show), plus DJs Azzie & Gariett and Death Alley Motor Cult. [Begins: 9 Cost: $5]

CYC: We already went over some Chinatown pit etiquette, now put your new pit knowledge to the test with bands The Velisha, Pyro, The Dead Beats, Stoned Witch Hunt, Manic Relapse and Gut Your God. [Doors: 6:30 Cost: ?]

CLUB RETRO:Yep, Halloween Costume Party with Sacramento's Bidwell, along with Sleepwell Darling and Hello Astronaut. [Doors: 7 Cost: $8 with costume, $10 without]

KUPPAJOES: More Halloween Party themes with Elmo Marconi, Notunes, Mane Horse, Soul Junk, Half Handed Cloud. [Doors: 7 Cost: $5]

DINUBA: House party with our buddies Tokyo Death March, plus Zebra Kills Lion and The Escorts. All the info can be found here:

 

SATURDAY

>>>Rock with the Generator at the Lucky 13.>>>Trey Tosh is at the Tower Sequoia Brew.>>>Dread Zeppelin is at Audie's Olympic.>>>And at Babylon it's Six Ounce Gloves, Medium, More Than Without and Grooveyard.

SUNDAY

That would be the stuff we found interesting going on musically this weekend. If you've got something we missed (music wise or not), please leave a comment and do some kick ass microblogging. 

Enjoy Fresno this weekend!

Happening Now: An Amazing Fresno Sunset

Fresno Tonight: Inflight Nymphs' CD Release Party

 

Fresno's Queens of Indie Folk, the Inflight Nymphs, are having a CD release party tonight at Audie's Olympic with Sanger band Cosmic Hayride. Looks like a good chance to have a couple drinks, get to know one of Fresno's few female bands and maybe add another local band CD to your collection. [Cost: $5 Time: After 9]

FresVideo: CYC Pits Are Not All That Scary

In case you have ever wondered what the Chinatown Youth Center was like when there is a punk/metal/hardcore band playing... wonder no more:

That pit looks kinda scary at first glance, right? But if you're weird like us and really break down what's going on in that pit, it's not all that scary. One thing, everyone that throws punches wait till that have the room. Nobody is getting pissed at one another, just letting out some steam.

Take White T-shirt Guy at the beginning of the video. He's throwin' his fists around, running around all aggressive like, then by the 1:30 mark, he's as calm as a mountain pond - he got his issues out already. And look at the :48 mark, he almost gets punched by Red Hat Guy and is cool with it.

While the CYC may still not be for you, at least it may not be as unsettling now. If ya want to see more CYC videos check out Livexxfree's channel and here is what's going on there Friday night.

Focused On Fresno: Downtown's Fresh & Easy Market Edition - UPDATED

UPDATE:
You may have read the news in the Bee: Fresh & Easy is coming to Fresno for realsies this time. The downtown location (pictured above) is supposed to be the first one in Fresno to open, since it's already built and all. 

We think it's the perfect one to open first because it's downtown. The first real grocery store to open in the Downtown Triangle, like, ever. Very much awesome.

But, it make us think (a rare event): Which market will the people living in the downtown lofts like Ironbird and Vagabond, shop? Will it be the new Fresh & Easy (located at Tulare and R), or the Tower Market (Olive and Van Ness)? They are both similar distances from the lofts even though the Tower Market is in a different area. Hummm.

Cool problem for downtown folks to have.

**If you're thinking of working at Fresh & Easy, check this out and this.

ORIGINAL POST:
Fresno's first grocery store within the Downtown triangle, Fresh & Easy, looks done on the outside (except for signage). But, it doesn't look like much is going on inside yet. Things seem to be on hold, in fact. Bako had their opening already, where is ours,  ya bastards?

Looking forward to seeing how well this does Downtown.

ENDED: Win A Pass To An Early Screening Of: THE FOURTH KIND

IN THEATERS NOVEMBER 6 

UPDATE: The time has expired to enter to win movie passes to THE FOURTH KIND. All winners have been emailed. Thanks to everyone who commented and we'll hopefully have a different movie to win passes from in the future.

ORIGINAL POST:

Yes! Winning movie passes has returned, for you, the once-in-a-while reader of The Fresnan. This time up, it's the thriller: THE FOURTH KIND. 

Alright, so all you have to do is make some sorta comment on this post (while leaving your proper email where asked) and you're entered. Winning commentors are chosen random-style and the pass is good for two. The screening is Tuesday, November 3rd, 9:30 PM at Regal Manchester Stadium 16. 

Wait! Even if you're not seeing the movie, don't leave your house without this ratings knowledge: THE FOURTH KIND has been rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned - Some Material May Be Inappropriate for Children Under 13) for violent and disturbing images, some terror, thematic elements and brief sexuality.

Check out the trailer at thefourthkind.net and synopsis-it-up now: 

In 1972, a scale of measurement was established for alien encounters. When a UFO is sighted, it is called an encounter of the first kind. When evidence is collected, it is known as an encounter of the second kind. When contact is made with extraterrestrials, it is the third kind. The next level, abduction, is the fourth kind. This encounter has been the most difficult to document...until now. 

Structured unlike any film before it, THE FOURTH KIND is a provocative thriller set in modern-day Nome, Alaska, where—mysteriously since the 1960s—a disproportionate number of the population has been reported missing every year. Despite multiple FBI investigations of the region, the truth has never been discovered. 

Here in this remote region, psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler (Milla Jovovich) began videotaping sessions with traumatized patients and unwittingly discovered some of the most disturbing evidence of alien abduction ever documented. 

Using never-before-seen archival footage that is integrated into the film, The Fourth Kind exposes the terrified revelations of multiple witnesses. Their accounts of being visited by alien figures all share disturbingly identical details, the validity of which is investigated throughout the film.

Indie Tuesday: Fresno's Indie Bands Get The Night Off

Hey, look at the flier. Notice anything? No Fresno bands playing Starline tonight. Normally we wouldn't like this but, actually, it's nice to see some different names. At least there are a couple of Visalia bands to bring a valley presence: X Out My Eyes and Velvet Velvet Velvet.

Phoenix band, The Constellation Branch, will round out the night. Preview them here:

The Constellation Branch from Phoenix Local Music.com on Vimeo.

Underrated: Batter Up Pancakes

 

There should never be a morning where Batter Up Pancakes isn't packed. But usually, we walk right in, order something like the drool inducing chocolate chip pancake above, and we're in a wonderful carb-coma a few minuets later.

The pancakes there are amazing and they'll make them with just about anything you want. They even put crazyass things like sauteed spinach and onions and bell peppers in them if you prefer, but we'll just stick with the chocolate chips, thank you. Check out their pancakes page to download the full menu.

Even better, you can get all this for lunch if you want - or a very late breakfast for the hangover people. And yeah, they have other breakfast-y things they'll make to order and sandwiches and salads for lunch, but why would you when you can get something like that pancake up there?!

Batter Up Pancakes is located at the corner of Brawley and the Fig Garden Loop (425 W. Fig Garden Dr.), closed Mondays but open 7am to 2pm the rest of the time.

Disclosure: No, we don't know the owners or even really live nearby the restaurant. We just like to see good, well thought out places, owned by Fresnans, succeed.

Regional Nerd Crisis: Fresno Lacking Vloggers

We've been waiting for some time to do a post on Fresno vloggers. Waiting because we were hoping some more would pop up for us to highlight. Well, either we're not looking hard enough (that's what she said) or Fresno simply sucks in the way of vloggers.

But, there are a couple we follow that seem to have a nice following and post on a semi-regular bases. One of them being raz0rsex, whom recently posted about cut classes and furlong days at Fresno State:

Also there's someone we've posted about before: Chronell. Here is a classic Chronell vlog from a couple years back that tries to get Fresnans fired up about downtown:

That's really the only Fresno vloggers we found mildly interesting, with some staying power. There has got to be more though, let us know if you know of any - we'll be waiting.

Bloggiest Moment Of The Week: The Tower Mural

It was a week that we thought the Bee's Opinion Blog would break through with a moment (normally we don't consider the opinion blog part of the blogoshpere) since it had conservative and former Fresno Mayor Jim Patterson, squabbling online against conservative and former City Councilman, Jerry Duncan.

But that was before: Art happened.

 

If you've been following your local media outlet the past few days, you've heard about the Tower Mural aka Neighborhood Thrift Shop Mural. A team of local artists were asked to paint a mural on the side of the thrift store. But before they finished, some neighbors decided they didn't like it and voiced they're opinion, convincing the owner's of the building to think twice about the mural.

During all that, a viral story breaks out. Here is the timeline as we saw it:

• Wednesday 11:30am: Vida en el Valle blogger, Rebbeca Plevin, hears about the bubbling mural controversy and goes down to check it out.
• Wednesday 6:30pm: A neighborhood meeting happens where people voice their opinions about the mural.
• Thursday 9:30am: Mike Oz posts about the mural hullabaloo and a massive comment thread ensues.
• Thursday 10:23am: Famous Whitewater gets in on the buzz with a breakdown of the politics of murals in public spaces.
• Friday morning: It's discovered that vandals splashed blue paint over the mural and Jim Guy takes some video:

• Friday evening: Thriftshop owners, The Well Community Church, decide the controversy isn't worth it and say they will paint over the mural.
• Friday night: Fresno's Twitterverse is awash with the news that the artist are working into the night to finish the mural before it's painted over. Here's our quick video of that:

Saturday Morning: Archop's Kiel Famellos-Schmidt emails the Well Church and they respond with their side of the story.

Saturday Afternoon: The mural is planned to be painted over at 2 but a last seconded mediation job causes the thrift shop owners to reconsidered, deciding instead to keep the mural for now until they can work on a solution to please all. 

So there ya go. And whether you liked the mural or not, it's done a great job of sparking public-art-in-Fresno discussions, surely raising our dumb-city rankings (#55) up (or is it down?) a notch or two.

If you'd like to see the mural in person (highly recommended to really judge it) it's at Olive and Wilson, east of Palm.

Fresgeek Weekend: CD Release Parties and Last Shows

Yep, that Fashawn show at the Tower Theatre is going to be huge - we're very curious on how packed that big'ol theatre will be Saturday.

But that's not the only thing going on this weekend. Music fans of Fresno, let us Fresgeeeek!:

FRIDAY

AUDIE'S OLYMPIC: Bueno bueno, it's Los Creepers headlining with Los Muertones and Rites Of Retribution not headlining. [Time: 8-ish Cost: $7]

CYC: This place always a lot of bands on one bill and most with fucked up names like: Necrowizard. And then there are others like grindcore-ers Despise You, Crom, Too Many Screaming Children and so on. [Doors: 6 Cost: $7]  

STARLINE: Rockers Stoneshiver are playing their last show ever (ehhh that's what they all say) and they are bringing Space Hooker and Dislodic along to help play them out. [Doors: 8:30 Cost: $5]

KUPPAJOES: All ages are welcome to enjoy the young indieness of Phall Of Phariss, Brand Michael Hermann, Colour and Reggie Gin. [Doors: 7:30 Cost:$6]

THE REVUE: Songstress and probable heart-breaker Abigail Nolte with be preforming with some art being show and poets doing what they do, it'll be a whole... thing, called "Across The Pond".

PALOMINOS: Love The Captive will be expecting you to dance so don't disappoint:

 

SATURDAY

Two CD Release Party Choices, first there's Fashawn at the Tower Theatre:

 

But also, there's the Super Lucky Catz at FULL CIRCLE:

 

That would be the stuff we found interesting going on musically this weekend. If you've got something we missed, please leave a comment and do some kick ass microblogging of your own. Enjoy Fresno this weekend!

Fresno Monsters Return To Selland This Weekend

So the Monsters are doin' awesome lately: 11-0 record, forward Rob Kolander just earned American Junior Hockey's Player of the Week award, and this weekend they get to test their perfect record against the defending League Champion Phoenix Polar Bears:

The Fresnan Presents: Dorktown #77 - The Fay Wrays

Much like Fresno's Fay Wrays' album release show, this podcast has been building for some time. Finally it's here for us to enjoy (audio issues and all), as Ben and Eli (from the Fay Wrays) join Bells, Mikey and Producer Becky for some dorkness.

Some things you'll be listening to: The Fays Wrays new album, uncomfortable Dorktown pauses, more drinking is needed, recording in Fresno, Fresno's like Europe, Reedly talk, what happened to The Nancies?, loudest Fresno band, Fresno's live music club status, Ben plays some live music, where the Fays Wrays get their ideas, more live Ben, Fonzy Ehhhs.

Listen by clicking this: Download dorktown77faywrays.mp3 (46411.0K)

Or use the player [FOWL LANGUAGE HEADS UP]:

KICKASS FRESNO SHOW ALERT: THE FAY WRAYS CD RELEASE PARTY @ AUDIE'S OLYMPIC

Thursday night, our favorite Fresno band, The Fay Wrays are partying. Partying because they have released their new album "Mata Hari". In honor of this, they're having said party, at Audie's Olympic with two terribly strong Fresno bands, Racelegs and Wheels Of Fortune. This will be an epic local show, one we strongly suggest you sacrifice coming into work Friday a little tired for - like you do any real work on Fridays anyway.

Side note: All three members of the Fay Wrays are scheduled to be on our Dorktown Podcast this week - it will hopefully be available for listening on Thursday morning.

Side note 2: Mike Oz obtained a new song from the Fay Wrays that you can freely download (but really you should buy a CD at the show Thursday if you want to be awesome) and he also has a related interview or two to check out. 

Also you can hear Benji and Eli interviewed on TVLGFHF and Ben interviewed on Evening Eclectic.

Folksieness Happening In Fresno Today

Something worth checking today, Uni and Her Ukulele and Meredith Axelrod will be playing at Yoshi Now [4pm] and tonight at Audie's Olympic [9pm].

Uni in action doing The Boss: