Long Haired Freaky People (Will Be...)

I used to do Saturday Playlists. 

Tonight I drove from a Little Fox Creek in the land of the Hatfield's and the McCoy's and my kinfolk.

To Staunton.

Crackled mountain radio started it. An 'ugh' immediately rewarded with the rooftop performance of The Beatles' "Get Back." Winded the four-lane through some classic rock and bluegrass and random bursts of NPR and country preachers. Zeppelin, Janet Jackson, Pearl Jam, TI, Stones, Cake, Marley (4 songs from Exodus!),  Stars, Jovi, Cat Power...WNRN is the absolute best station in Virginia. 

I'm going to miss Virginia, as I always do. Glad she's a forever friend. 

Last time I was here was buzzing. 

Time before that I went to a 100-year old juke joint with a room of stand-up basses in the back for their bi-weekly open jams. 

Heather's living rooms have always inspired blog posts.

December 2009 (2nd generation iphone, no editing at all)

February 2011 (Canon Rebel, rudimentary editing)

(above) December 14, 2012---aka: brand new day (Samsung Galaxy, Pixlr-Omatic)

Third year, third living room, third device. Nonetheless always happy to be here.

(pic: New Orleans Home & Neighborhoods)

Tonight we talked New Orleans (see you in March!).

We agree The Sopranos is the best tv show ever.

Mind alteration was discussed. 

Off to Norfolk tomorrow. Will miss Colonial Place & hope she's a lifelong friend too.

Auntie Em!

This pic was taken near my hometown yesterday. Thought it was fitting to share as I inform you I most likely won't have a blog post up for the next few days. I'm going on an Appalachian Trail section hike (yes!) and it's currently not calling for a twister (probably yes!) Happy Memorial Day everyone!

Colds

Tire Sleigh

I shot some photos over the holiday. Really trying to stay focused on learning more about photography this year.

Echoes.

Cold Feet.

Friends.

On a Hillside.

Punchdrunklove.

Fuck sweaters.

Dangle.

Cabooses are Red.

Spazztastica

The Black Keys: Generations

Scenes

Went to Emmypalooza in Berwick, PA this weekend. Need lessons in how to have a local music scene?  This is a tiny town in the Poconos and they do it right.

PS: All pics by jESiO. Give me cred, yo.

Brooke & Kevin Show

Panic Switch

Clove

Panic Switch

Lifer

Clove

Lifer

The Red Line

Lifer

Clove

Panic Switch

Break You

Found this pic when cleaning out the attic. It's from Breaks Interstate Park in Grundy, VA (ie: where I grew up). I think I took it with my old Canon Elph (before digital cameras existed) but not sure.

Amy and Appalachia

Junebug was released in 2005 and I saw it back then. All I really remembered of it yesterday at the video store was 1: it was the most realistic portrait (accent and family dynamic, for instance) of the part of the South I come from I'd seen in a non-documentary...and 2: the church basement scene couldn't have been more real unless they could somehow make me smell ham biscuits through the DVD player vents.

pic by Bryant Altizer---aka my uncle

It'd been a day of nostalgia anyway. Snow, for one. Something from my youth I rarely encounter--especially in my daily life. I went to writer Mike D'Orso's house (coincidentally, he lives in my neighborhood--which I didn't know when first emailing with him). He's featured in altdaily right now and mentioned Grundy--my Appalachian hometown, so I went to his house and we talked writing, winding roads, jukeboxes, the future of music...he gave me a copy of the article he wrote in 1983 for Commonwealth magazine...

pic: coalcampusa.com

He said one of the strongest images he recollected was how there's a railroad on one side of a mountain, a narrow road on the other, with some form of river or creek in between. I found this pic of Grundy online. It's what I saw in my head when he was talking.

the old Grundy--before it was torn down to build a Walmart...

Anyway, Junebug  rocks. It's my favorite Amy Adams performance. She's usually too saccharine for me. The way she clicks her mouth when she smiles too wide...the overanimated pitch in her voice...But her character in Junebug, Ashley, the pregnant sister-in-law from BFE, NC who's impressed with her "city" sister-in-law the way tween girls are impressed with Rihanna or Miley Cyrus or something--it's an actual vulnerable performance where Adams's quirks make the character believable and sweet.

And THE CHURCH BASEMENT. I saw a youtube comment that said, "This is a whole scene from my childhood I thought would never show up in any movie. It's very moving," and I concur. I shy away from a lot of the fervor in the particular brand of Baptist towns like these offer, but when the traditional hymns are brought out, I feel like I'm melting. I knew every word and every nuance of where a bass or high note would happen.