Oz and his stars

So Tony is always telling me, I need to update our blog. So after years of hounding, I would like to dedicate this entry to my adoring and supportive husband. Anyways, here it goes:

First, I will give a little back story. Oz has proven to be a strong willed, dramatic, energetic, intelligent, and may times unreasonable child. Need less to say, this has made disciplining quite the challenge. I have read countless parenting book (ugh!) and we have tried time outs, praise, taken all toys away, etc. Basically everything except chinese water torture...although the day is still young. Well one day Tony started putting stars on a dry erase board. We give stars and we taketh away. Oz has been quite intrigued with this star process. So much so, that he has asked us to take away stars from anyone whom he has perceived as wronging him or anyone he thinks should lose one. It has been quite humorous fodder around the house.

So driving home from school yesterday, Oz says " Jesus can't eat anything." We of course inquire as to why and he states, " He drank too many Pepsi's and lost his teeth." This of course being funny for may reasons, but also making the hygienist in me quite proud. I say, "yes Oz, pepsi's aren't good for you!" He then says, "Mommy, when we get home will you take a star away from Jesus." Seriously, too funny!

Now a side note. While writing this blog, I have been asked 22 questions, have been asked to go upstairs 1o times, have heard the word MOMMY 30 times, and been asked to look at something 15 times*. This may contribute to my lack of blogging. Later--Jen

* approximate times, may be a dramatization, but not likely!

Butch Walker and the Black Widows

Jen and I got to go see one of our favorite artists, Butch Walker, and his new band, the Black Widows. Jane and Ryan got to go with us as well. The little guy, Oz, stayed with grandma and grandpa.

Not everyone knows Butch. He is a rock star and producer. He has been around since the 90s, with a glam rock band, I know..., the Marvelous Three later in the decade and then independent from then on out. Recently he has released an album with his band, the Black Widows. The album is amazing!
We have seen Butch live one other time, in Norfolk, Virginia, with Correy and Laura. At that time he was touring with the Let's Go Out Tonights. We got to meet him that time, we cornered him in a H&M and got our picture taken with him. We then met him again after the show and he was a very cool guy who was a blast to hang out with.

Butch Walker and the Black Widows

So, new band, new album, great show. The location was in Columbus Ohio at the Basement. A pretty small venue, similar to the Patio in Indy when it was around. The ceilings are low, and you are close to the band, very close. I think we were about 10 feet away the entire time. Well, not the entire time. At one point Butch got down in to the crowd and we were about a foot away. Instead of a couple of opening bands, Butch decided to have the individual members of the group get up and play a few songs. It was pretty cool to hear how good all of the other members of the group were as you don't normally get to hear from them until a band breaks up and everyone tries to go solo. You never know what to expect from a Sunday night show. But f@&*ing awesome show! Loud! I forgot how much my ears rang after shows, but being that close and such a small venue, we were blasted. Oh yeah, did I mention, Jen is about 20 weeks along at this point. There was no way I could keep her away from the show though, baby or no baby. She loves Butch. Besides, Laura was pregnant with Eli the last time we all saw him in Norfolk. Plus, it was a little anniversary present as Jen and I celebrated 5 years on the 13th.
I took a ton of video at the show. Some with a little canon camera and a few with my Evo 3D. I think the sound was actually better on my Evo. It has been a long time since I went to a standing show. My legs and body were dead tired afterward and I can't recall what kept me standing for 5 hours in the old days. It could have been the alcohol but I don't think we drank that much at the shows. Younger legs last longer standing I guess. Anyway, I only had one beer at this show because it was practically impossible to get back to your spot went you went to the bar. I must have lost some of my edge in battling my way back up front. Plus, our spot was perfect. Dead center stage, on a couple steps so that Jen and I were basically eye level with Butch and the band.
Butch started his show with a few acoustic versions of some Marvelous 3 songs. Then the rest of the band joined him and they started with a great version of Summer of '89. The rest of the show was the same high energy, rock music that makes you forget that your knees are sore and that you are exhausted on a Sunday night standing in a crowded, humid room that smelled like death because someone was stink bombing the place in front of you. Butch and the band finished off a fifth of Jameson for the final song, a 17 minute long version of Suckerpunch. Granted most of the 17 minutes is not the song, there is an intro of the band, then some time when Butch is on the floor hanging with the crowd and in the end, a guitar battle between Butch and Fran that seemed be without end as they had a day off the next day and were ready to burn themselves out for the night. I recorded the entire end bit with my Evo and it was around 355Meg. A bit too big for this venue. So, instead, I put it up on YouTube and hope that you can enjoy the embed below.