One of the Better Times of My Life

As I'd mentioned, Tom M, Matt and I made the trek to London by train last Thursday, March 26th, to see Portland, Oregon's Agalloch at the Camden Underworld. I first discovered the band from recommendations and praises from friends back home. In the fall of freshman year, I picked up their then-newest release, 2006's Ashes Against The Grain, and was blown away by the cold atmospheres, brilliant melodies, tasteful composition and the mixture of various genres I enjoyed. This band's sound harnesses the power of the natural environments of the Pacific Northwest. I can listen to them anywhere and teleport my mind home.

I discovered a few months ago that my buddy Aesop-- who I know from the music download blogosophere for his amazing, varied blog Cosmic Hearse (WARNING: NOT NECESSARILY SAFE FOR WORK) has been drumming for the band for over year and is a permanent member at present. He was down to hang out and talk music, and I was stoked because the guy seriously has an encyclopedic knowledge of most genres I enjoy, be it death metal or obscure '70s rock. Add to this that Fen, whose new album The Malediction Fields is already in my top albums of the year, were opening, and the show quickly became the most excited I'd been since seeing Carcass' first US reunion tour last September.

Tom unfortunately forgot his ticket for the show at the guys' flat, so he had to catch the train after Matt and I. Once we arrived at Camden Town after tubing their from Liverpool Street, Matt and I dropped our stuff off at a hostel he'd booked, only a few blocks from the venue. After that? FALAFEL! There's a really good falafel place situated right next to the Camden Underworld, and I indulged for my first of three times in less than 24 hours.

I converted Matt, too.

Happy boy.

Eventually, we met up with Tom and got in line a little late for my liking...and as a result we-- and many other people-- missed a hefty chunk of Fen's set. I met up with Aesop and had just begun to converse when I realized Fen were playing and apologized for having to cut things short. "Go, go!" he chuckled. "We'll talk, man."

The last two songs I caught of Fen's were fantastic. The stage at the Underworld is pretty small and the venue, while not too cramped, is plenty intimate. Good sound for all bands throughout the night, and Fen were playing tightly.

Fen's The Watcher.

Next up were the German Dornenreich ("realm of thorns"), who sounded remarkably full for only being a trio of guitar/vocals, violin and drums. The drummer did some great off-time/folky stuff too.

Dornenreich: German for "muscular posing with awkard facial expressions."

Then, the moment Matt, Tom, myself and several hundred others were waiting for. Agalloch, being not only humble but also on a shoestring budget and touring minimally to acommodate guitarist Don Anderson's collegiate teaching job, had no roadies and set up the entirety of their gear before performing. Oh man. I was cautiously optimistic, especially after reading the reviews on the TrueMetalSeattle forums and the band members themselves openly admitting they don't have much time to rehearse (presently, they all live in different states!). So I remained positive, but wasn't holding my breath.

Then Jason Walton hit the fog machine, John Haughm (vocals/guitars) looped guitar drones and lit incense at the front of the stage, and the band ripped into a chronological set beginning with "Hallways of Enchanted Ebony," from their debut record Pale Folklore. And then "As Embers Dress the Sky." They didn't miss a beat. Aesop slammed. Jason pedaled bass notes steadily kept it all steady and together. Don was incredibly energetic and nailed his leads. And despite internet rabble about his live vocal struggles, Haughm's singing was one-hundred-percent SPOT ON, clean and growled alike. So you can imagine the excitement when he announced the next song in the set was "In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion," from their second record, The Mantle, which is some of the band's best and most epic songwriting. They went straight into "I Am the Wooden Doors," from there, then once again looped guitar drones and quickly switched axes to play the drop-tuned Ashes Against the Grain stuff-- "Not Unlike the Waves," "Limbs," and "Bloodbirds," then returning to The Mantle for an encore of "The Lodge."

This shot pretty adequately represents the crowd response throughout the night.

But the fun didn't stop there. Long after the audience had filed out, I got falafel again and met up with Aesop and Jason outside. When the band went to go to a pub with a few other friends and The Watcher from Fen, Aesop beckoned us to come with him. After much wondering, the group of us settled on a rock bar. I had some great conversations and laughs with Don, Jason and Aesop.

Aesop and myself: blog buddies!

A stoked Don, a satisfied Asa, and an uncharacteristically
gruff-looking Jason.

I briefly conversed with Haughm as we all walked back toward the Underworld for the band's bus curfew. He proved to be just as down to earth as the other members and told me about a zine he'd done the design work for. It turned out Aesop had a spare copy with him and he gave it to me. Awesome. Haughm's work with earthy tones never fails, whether in zine form or in Agalloch's record art.

All in all, one of the best music-related experiences I've ever had. Thanks to the Agalloch dudes for not only being fantastic musicans, but also kind people.

Hurdles.

Only a few things stand in the way of my month-long spring break:

• 2,500-word Film History paper (I'm about halfway through)
• 1000-word Journalism assignment where I show and discuss the writing style, mechanics, etc etc of three different news clippings (will finish this weekend)
• Revised final draft of my 2000-word short story for Creative Writing, plus a 500-word critical self-examination (starting on it tonight)
• Annotations of the last round of three classmates' stories for Creative Writing (doing that this weekend)
• Reading 30-some pages for Film History (also doing that this weekend)
  

My spring break starts a week from Friday, when I'll take a train to London, meet up with Raf, and fly to Berlin with him, Sarah and Kellene to meet up with Kevin and check out the country for a week. Can't wait!

This Thursday I'm also headed to London-- Camden, specifically-- with Matt and Tom M to see Agalloch, a metal band from Portland, Oregon that only tours sporadically. I'm looking forward not only to the show, but also to hanging out with the band as I keep in touch with their drummer Aesop via his awesome music blog. One of the opening bands, Fen, also rules-- their recently-released Malediction Fields record is already one of my favorites of the year. It'll be a great night and I'm looking forward to spending a bunch on special tour merch.

This weekend and next week is mostly work, but oh well. Once it's over, the only looming obstacle is my Film History final on May 5th, the day after break is over. After that, it's back to the Northwest, where I have confirmed summer work with Avalara again-- a blessing in the current economy.

Jamming, Part II

Just returned from the rehearsal space, and it was a blast! Vicky (singer) couldn't make it this time, so that left Jon (drums), Tony (guitar/vocals), Ben (guitar) and myself (bass). We jammed a bit, and hadn't really had any cover songs prepared so I asked if it was cool if I taught the guys "Fix Me," one of my favorite songs by the Doughboys. We played through it numerous times-- with me on lead vocals as well as the usual bass duties! I felt my confidence steadily rise-- somehow it was easier to sing over a full group than just myself practicing to the original recording.

Then Tony joined in on backing vocals and the harmonies worked out really well! The only thing we really need to tighten up is John's knowledge of the structure (he improvised it just fine) and Ben tightening up his rhythm. Seriously though, SO much fun! On the ride home Tony-- a longtime veteran of singing and playing from years of church music, band practices and big band ensembles-- told me my vocals perfectly suited the song, and that I kept rhythm on the bass just fine while singing!

Here's the music video of the song. We won't ever sound this good, but the point is that it's a killer, catchy tune.

Further Successes

Got back my last two Journalism assignments today. The one worth 25% of my overall grade was a 65, and the one worth 10 was a 66. That's two A-'s on the British grading scale! Woo woo!!!

In other good news, it looks like I still have work at Avalara this summer when I get home-- a true blessing in this current economy.

This weekend: jamming Saturday during the day, then huge party at night, then lots of work to be done on Film History paper.

Anyway

I'd like to apologize somewhat for the two overdramatic previous post; it's times like those that are one of the reasons why I'll never have a personal blog aside from this one. And even then, this blog will cease to be updated upon my return to the States (duh, right?).

A few good things this week. First, I was updated regarding the UEA-to-Goucher grade conversion scale, and it turns out a 65 and above is an A-. Thus, I got an B+ and an A- on my first and second Journalism assignments, not a B and B+ as thought before. Not too shabby.

Earlier in the week, I banged out my second and final story for Creative Writing. Initially I had this plan to do a serial killer thing, but I couldn't get inspired to write anything but the ending. As I was going to sleep I had this idea about getting in a fistfight with an old gradeschool rival, wondering who would win. And from there I got up the next day and worked the plot out backwards-- some twentysomething guy gets a bizarre invite to an elementary school reunion, has an awkward time, and ends his trip to his old stopming grounds by fighting a former playground nemesis. I don't think it's anything groundbreaking, but it was a lot of fun to write.

Finally, I got to work on the 2,500 word paper for Film History due April 3rd. I already have 800 words from that one night! I'm both amazed and happy. It's on marketing of film noirs and how despite being seen as men's films retrospectively, they were marketed plenty to women as well.

This week: bang out more on paper, secure work, buy tickets for a Memorial Day trip to Maryland for Maryland Deathfest (the annual death metal festival with the most amazing lineup to date). Oh, and get back to the gym.

A small bit of silver lining, and more about why I'm done here

Today I discovered why the mail service here sucks so much. Apparently students are to check the mail room at least once a week on their own time; if your mail is left there for two weeks, it gets forwarded to your cubby in your school's office. So I'd just been getting my mail, a month late, from said cubby in the American Studies office. The mail here still sucks, it just doesn't take as long while doing so.

It turns out I not only had a package from my folks (thanks Mom and Dad), but also from beloved friend Alex. He wrote me a poem, a letter, and made several small custom stickers with his own multilingual phrases and funny characters. It all just fuels my drive to be back in the Northwest.

I began work on my sole Film History paper today by looking through several years' worth of Variety magazaine on microfilm for three hours. My paper concerns the marketing for two prominent noir films, 1944's Double Indemnity and 1947's Out of the Past, and save for a short review on each there was nothing else about either. It's the hardest thing to get myself to work. Whereas at Goucher, once I get started in Julia Rogers library, I'm in there for hours at night, biting my nails and wondering about the quality but working hard nonetheless.

Aside from this paper, it's just an editing of my recently-finished second creative writing story and 500 word accompaniment explaining the revisions, then a few more journalism assignments. Then, break (I still don't know where I'm traveling). Then a huge exam for Film History on May 5th. Then, home.

Here, have a song.

I've been trying to write you a letter
But I just can't help but feel
That the words that are me talking
Don't say anything that's real
I've been going 'round in circles
And it seems it's been a while
Since I've known the real reason
Why I've gone so many miles

I will not begin to tell you
About all the things I've seen
All the people, all the places
All the highways inbetween..
Even these words I'm using
Prove the effort was in vain
All I wanted was to know that
Things would always be the same

Now and then, I might remember
Mostly I try to forget
And right now I'm in the middle
Wondering if it's over yet
And I know it doesn't matter
'Cause the road will never end
So I won't write you a letter
I know I'll be home again.

Okay, time's up.

Just let me go home already. I can't find the motivation/focus to do my work in a timely fashion, I'm not meeting too many folks I like, and it seems I can't even fly thousands of fucking miles without Goucher drama's black tendrils still grabbing ahold of me. Oh yeah, and I'd sell a little finger to be able to play my bass again.

If I could, I'd be working full-time on Bainbridge right now and not have too think to hard about much aside from getting the job done.

Finally, Grades

Today I received the first two Journalsim assignments back. The first was a 250-word article on this Erasmus study/work abroad UK program, and the second was a 400-word "update" of a continuing story from a few years ago where a senior citizen's tour boat capsized. I got a 64 on the first one and a 66 on the second one. Before your jaw drops in dismay, realize that a 70 or above is considered an A in this country. Yeah, it's ridiculous. So basically, I got in the B/B+ range. With that said, more effort could've been put into these, so let's hope the 1000-word ethics opinion piece I turned in today-- worth 25% of my grade-- comes out better. As long as I'm taking only three classes, I'd like to be getting A-'s and A's.

In more straightforwardly good news, I have turned the tide in my battle against chronic tendonitis and repetitive stress injury. For the past month, I've been doing this fantastic lil' exercise program for stretching my wrists, doing hot/cold baths, and squeezing a tennis ball every day (3 sets of 40 per hand) to increase strength. Yesterday I exercised and felt NO wrist pain for the first time since I can remember. I'm very pleased, to say the least.

London Excursion

After my film seminar let out late Friday afternoon, I bussed to the Norwich Rail Station and rode roughly two hours to Liverpool Street station in London, where I met up with Goucher pals Debra (studying at London School of Economics) and Brendan (studying at Westminster). We got pizza, then dropped by Deb's flat in South Kensington. After some deliberation, we decided to take the Tube (subway) to Picadilly Circus, where there was a sweet three-story bar called O'Neill's.

Self in front of horse fountain-- Picadilly.

O'Neill's was a quality establishment and boy was it PACKED. The first floor was a pub, the second floor was more dance-oriented (if I recall correctly) and the top floor featured live music. When we went up there, there was a cover band doing '90s rock songs. The three of us had some fun goofing around to their renditions of tunes by Nirvana, Blink-182 and others. Then they broke out Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name Of" and I sang along to every word. That part was awesome.

Fun fun fun!

The not-so-fun: having short girls marvel at my height, then having two other girls point at and then fondle my hair as I desperately tried to wade through the crowd to the bar for a drink...and the music was so loud in both instances that I couldn't understand a damned word.

We then crashed back at Deb's flat. In the morning-- okay, mid-afternoon, we headed to Portobello Market, where Deb spoke of a fantastic falafel stand. Indeed, it was called the Healthy Vegetarian, and their product had not only delicious made falafel, but oodles of fresh herbs as well. The eating experience was as follows:

First bite...

Stoked!

Needless to say, I bought two.

Needed to be done.

Deb wanted to check out the British Museum and this proved to be a great idea. It's free, camera use is allowed, and the facility is HUGE.

We checked out huge exhibits on Egypt, South America, feudal Japan, Native Americans, and ancient Greece.

Rosetta Stone.

Well, I feel prejudiced against...

I love how the Assyrians did beards.

Philosophers.

This one was on a Wildildlife album cover...

DON'T FUCKING TOUCH SWORDS.

That night I tubed to Covent Garden and met up with Raf, Sarah and Kevin. Kellene was hanging out with her cousin elswhere for the night. The three of us got a reservation at sweet, sizeable Belgian restaurant. As we waited at the bar for a table to open up I realized they would have frambois (Belgian raspberry beer-- the only kind of beer I like) and got my hands on a tasty bottle. The Floris brand seems to be more sweet than Bacchus and whatever brand the Fat Cat (a Norwich pub) had on tap. I wasn't complaining! I also sampled two other Floris fruit beers-- mango and honey. The former was so sweet it barely tasted like alcohol; the latter had a little bit of bitterness in its aftertaste. Good stuff.

After dinner we ordered a white chocolate mousse to share. Barring Mom's ice cream pie and apple crisp and a few select others, this is the best dessert I've ever had.

Deeeee-lishus.

Sarah and Kevin.

Then we headed to a pub to close out the night. Raf and I returned to his dorm and Sarah and Kev to hers at one of Middlesex University's other campuses.

Kevin and Raf indicating how different their time abroad is from that of school.

Kev was flying back to Berlin (where he's studying for the semester) the following afternoon. Raf and I met them at one of the thousands of kebab/pizza places that exist in the UK and had a nice goodbye lunch.

Raf has just bashed Kevin. Note Kev's facial expression.

Raf and I then headed to Camden Market, which is especially populated on Sundays- market day! There were punks, cheap/bootleg merchandise, record stores, tattoo parlors, and t-shirt stands everywhere. We briefly rendezvoused with Deb, who was incredibly generous in bringing along the toiletry bag I'd left at her place the night before. I bought a Sadus "Swallowed in Black" shirt, Voivod's Nothingface on vinyl, and a shirt with a very cool Darth Vader head print on it. We also purchased some gifts for friends back home. We bought a Belgian waffle covered in strawberries and chocolate and it was tasty nugs.

The most humorous moment of the weekend was when I approached one of many generic little shops stalking wares ranging from touristy stuff to bongs, and inspected what I thought to be a Five Hour Energy Shot sorta deal. Then I noticed the big "FLAMMABLE" lettering on the side of the small bottle. The foreign dude who worked at the shop approached me. "How many you want?"

"We're just browsing," I said.
"You want popper?"

Raf and I quickly exited and laughed heartily. Our good friend from school, Peter, had been offered poppers as well when visiting Camden on a high school trip. You can read about them here, if so inclined.

It was time to eat. The solution? Falafel, of course!

Surprise: I bought two again.

I even converted Raf to the cause.

From there, we went to the End of the World pub, another classy establishment. It's gigantic and is connected to/associated with the next door Underworld venue, where I'm going to see Agalloch with Tom M and Mattin a few weeks. Kellene, Sarah, and Kellene's cousin Kelly met up with us there and good times were had.

Afterwards we hung out at Kellene's dorm for a bit, then Raf and I went back to his place, watched the awesome 1990 Night of the Living Dead remake, and crashed. We woke up, tubed to Southgate and decided to eat. The solution? Falafel! I don't have any pictorial proof this time, though.

Raf and I hugged goodbye and I made it back to school around 5:30. What a wonderful trip.

Thanks to Deb and Raf for housing me, and much love to them and everybody else. It was so exciting to see you all.