Lolla 2010: The List

I'm back and recovering from both Lolla and starting a new job. This is the first night I am not working, crammed into the middle of thousands of screaming and sweating people, or sitting in a small car with two others and enough luggage to collectively last us a month. I am sprawled appropriately.

Instead of telling every detail of the trip (I don't feel like writing it right now and you probably don't ever feel like reading it), I'm going to do a post in mostly lists and summaries. Enjoy!

WHO I SAW/HEARD
The Walkmen
Jukebox the Ghost
Mavis Staples (+ Jeff Tweedy)
American Bang
Ana Sia
The Big Pink
The New Pornographers
The Black Keys
Wild Beasts
Stars
The XX
Dawes
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Cut Copy
Phoenix
Dodos (+Neko Case!)
Mumford and Sons
Mutemath
MGMT
The National ( +Richard of Arcade Fire)
Arcade Fire

WHO I LOVED
New Pornographers (just a solid set)
Black Keys (always, always good)
Stars (I've waited three years to see them live!)
Cut Copy (biggest dance party)
Mumford and Sons (happiest; awesome performance)
The National (Matt walked through the crowd, was close enough to touch)
Arcade Fire (it's Arcade Fire, c'mon)

BEST CROWD/WORST CROWD
Mumford and Sons or Cut Copy/Edwarde Sharpe or MGMT

WEIRDEST CROWDS
Lady Gaga and Gogol Bordello (wow)

FESTIVAL SIGHTS
Drunk girls vomiting at the exit
A Viking
A full Indian head dress
A guy in a quilted, corduroy, floor-length skirt
Girls in just bras
A pink man
The green guy from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
More hipsters than I ever want to see in my life ever

WHERE WE ATE
Eleven Diner (love!)
Lula's Cafe (awesome vibe and food)
Jamba Juice (food poisoning)
Giordano's (oh man)
Argo Tea (great little morning stop)
Ina's (love!)

DETOURS IN CHICAGO
Suck

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN CHICAGO
Is awesome

MILES WALKED
One million

HOURS IN MY CAR
It felt like eight days

TIMES YELLED AT BY OLD MEN IN THEIR UNDERWEAR
One

TIMES I FELT LIKE STABBING SOMEONE
No comment

VISIBLE BATTLE WOUNDS
8

FINAL VERDICT FOR LOLLAPALOOZA 2010
Awesome

Calm before and after: Storms

A great day followed by a great night. Storms are rolling in (the sky is staying lit up by all the lightning at this point) and I am safe and comfortable in my apartment, settling in to watch it all. I was able to meet up with everyone from my now previous job as well some friends that I have known for the past few years. There's a real sense of closure to it all.

I start my new job on Tuesday morning, but between now and then I will have a roadtrip, Chicago, and Lollapalooza in all its loud, sweaty, crowded glory. I can't wait. What was concert season last year has turned into vacation season this year, and this weekend kicks it all off. All of my trips are already paid for and have been approved at the new gig, so some major traveling and relaxing are in my very near future.

Until then, what looks like a wild storm is about to close one chapter and get me ready for the next...

Lolla

In other and brighter news, let me just point out that I am leaving for Chicago and Lollapalooza and all the beauty that they both possess in a mere four days. That's right. I will finally see Stars, live. And Arcade Fire. And....yeah. Updates will absolutely be provided!

No More Kool-Aid

Since my last post, a few people have contacted me wanting to know more about what's going on. There are a lot of ways I could respond. The past nine months have been challenging and frustrating. A lot has happened that shouldn't have, and I'm walking away much wiser than when I started.

If you treat people well they will stay, and if you don't, they will leave. That is what a lot of my decision comes down to. I can put up with a lot, and take a lot, but at some point I have to question if it's worth it. After nine months of canceled plans, late nights, rough days, broken promises, and some blatantly bad situations, I have decided to walk away from what I initially thought was a good thing. To say that I will be happy when this chapter is over is an understatement.

When you have a handful of people in one room, and one of them stops drinking the Kool-Aid, you have a problem. As the non-drinker in the room, it has been interesting to see puzzle pieces fall into place and to see the ripple effect of my decision. I know a lot, I'm unhappy, I know a lot of people, and therefore, I am a threat. Silence is golden, and this whole ordeal has really opened my eyes to this: I'm basically being paid to be quiet right now. A whole campaign is set to be announced at the same time that I leave. It's all very bizarre to watch.

I have three days left, then I am heading out of town for a much needed break from everything. I'll listen to concerts for days and ride trains and laugh so very much. I can't think of a better way to start a new chapter.

Great Escape

And just like that, I'm looking at job postings again. Getting my life back. Wondering what took me this long.

I Know

I know.
What do you know?
I know everything. I know everything.

This is the dialogue from a scene in Happily Ever After, a French movie I stumbled upon a little while ago. The delivery of these lines, specifically the last one, is dead on.

And tonight, I'm there. I've been enlightened. Almost three hours of conversation has left me almost nauseous with the reality of what I know and what I am dealing with. It also makes me slightly excited. You can do a lot with knowledge - especially when no one knows you have it. Game on.

Road trippin', round 1

I just got back from a much needed mini-vacation and road trip. I had an awesome friend, weather, music, hotel, food, spa, and experience. Instead of telling all kinds of vacation stories, I'm just going to share a few photos to sum up the trip. Hope everyone is having an awesome 4th weekend!