Links to My Stories

Linked below are my stories that have been published on Yahoo!, Mountain Weekly News, and Associated Content. Please link your friends who might be interested. The more traffic they get, the more I will eventually get paid. There are more stories available at My Associated Content Profile. And there are always more to come, so please keep checking back. Thank you so much for your support.

FOCOMX - An Experience Not to be Missed
Turning Green (Fiction)
Lessons Learned from Valentine's Past
Charlie Sheen - Now What?
U.K. 'Skins' Versus U.S. 'Skins': British Not Necessarily Better
"Skins": The Best Guilty Pleasure Show on MTV
Top 5 Reasons to Watch How I Met Your Mother
Best Martini Bars in Fort Collins
What Should Never Change on Glee
Lyric Cinema Cafe: Fort Collins' Only Independent Movie Theater
Most Hilarious Quotes from "30 Rock's" Live Show
The Amazing Tina Fey
Memorable Moments on "Deadliest Catch"
Robert Randolph - Mountain Weekly News
"Don't Stop Believin'": A Song's Journey Back to the Top
Ace of Base: Where Are They Now?

Musketeer Gripweed CD Review: "Dyin' Day"

Please check out my review of Musketeer Gripweed's latest CD, "Dyin' Day" here: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6132020/musketeer_gripweed_dyin_day_cd_review.html?cat=33

Flobots Tear Up the Aggie in Fort Collins

Check out my review of the Flobots show at the Aggie from 12.10.10. here.

And more video here.

(Here's a version of my story with links to videos and websites embedded):

With a sound that crosses several genres – rock, hip-hop, alternative, hardcore, classical – one may inaccurately assume the Flobots aren’t cohesive or that they don’t have their own style. This is not the case, as anyone attending a Flobots show can attest. The group melds together like the perfect cake recipe and flows in and out of different musical varieties like the Poudre in the summer.

As a 5-year-old band, Flobots continue to change and grow, but they stay true to their message: one of love, connection, and the truth. 

Friday, December 10, brought Flobots to the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins, CO, just up the road from where Brer Rabbit went to school at Colorado State University. The Denver-based hip-hop alternative group has recently made it a tradition to stick close to home around the holidays, and the fans in Fort Collins benefitted greatly. 

The crowd at the Aggie was more than just a college scene, and had tons of energy for the Denver openers, Air Dubai, and the legendary Digable Planets, who set the tone with their funky mellow vibe. 

Flobots began their show with “One Love,” a favorite from their EP “Flobots Present… Platypus,” after Brer Rabbit hyped the crowd to the level he remembered from his college days in Fort Collins. “Same Thing” from “Fight With Tools” was performed with fantastic energy before they dove into another “Platypus” favorite, “Jetpack,” which featured Brer Rabbit’s gravity-defying pop and locking moves.

“Stand Up” from “Fight With Tools” was next, moving everyone in the venue to put their hands in the air. Mackenzie Gault performed a beautiful viola solo/interlude before the whole band joined her for “Defend Atlantis,” off their most recent release, “Survival Story.”

Jonny5's expressive face and staccato rhyming blends perfectly with Mackenzie’s smooth viola, Andy Rok’s wailing guitar, Jesse Walker’s thumping bass, Kenny O.’s phenomenal drumming and Brer Rabbit’s infectious smile, stage presence, and deep, soulful melodies. The childhood friendship is obvious between the two MC’s of the group as they complement each other often and share many bro-worthy moments onstage.

“The Moon” from “Platypus” had a very jazzy feel, and Doodlebug of Digable Planets joined in with a sweet freestyle. “The Rhythm Method (Move!)” encouraged everyone to “move like an ampersand,” and spell F-l-o-b-o-t-s in sign language along with Jonny 5. 

Next was an extra special “Colorado Flo-down” (not on any album) complete with Brer Rabbit and Jonny 5 jumping into the crowd and dancing doe-see-doe style with the audience. Flobots called Jon Shockness from Air Dubai up to sing on “Infatuation,” which is performed by another Denverite, Matt Morris, on “Survival Story.” Dancers from the crowd were pulled onstage convincing Brer Rabbit once again that Fort Collins is live!

Another “old school” jam, “No W,” from “Platypus” led to a remix of “Mama Said Knock You Out.” Jesse Walker's bass thumped out a hard beat to start “Combat,” and Kenny O. ended it with a ravenous drum solo. “Mayday!!!” another rocking jam from “Fight With Tools” showed how cohesive the band is and the immense amount of energy that they feed off of each other and the crowd.  

Kenny O. started a pulsating drum and bass style remix of “Handlebars,” and Mackenzie’s viola solo replaced the recorded trumpet from the album beautifully.  “Rise” got everybody jumping and chanting along with Brer Rabbit. The crowd kept their hands waving to “The Effect” before they were instructed by Jonny 5 to “do the Helen Keller and confront male arrogance.” Brer Rabbit and Jonny 5 stood back to back for a sweet rhyme swap and they left the stage.

During the short break, the crowd started chanting “Flobots!” until they came back onstage with Mackenzie slicing her viola intro into “Airplane Mode.” Andy made some crazy electro spaceship noise on his guitar before switching over to instructing the crowd on “White Flag Warrior” lyrics. White flags waved and Tim McIlrath of Rise Against suddenly ran out onstage to sing the chorus. Jonny 5 and Brer Rabbit’s encore verses mixed in with Europe’s “Final Countdown” with Tim belting out that chorus as well. Two confetti cannons shot off and the crowd left with a fresh perspective and very happy.

Lessons Learned from NBC's "30 Rock"

Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy Contribute Their Wisdom

Submitted to Yahoo! Date: 11/12/2010

Learning from television is a reality, especially if you watch Emmy Award-winning "30 Rock" on NBC. Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey's characters, Jack Donaghy and Liz Lemon, respectively, constantly create tidbits of knowledge during their rapid-fire repertoire as mentor and mentee. When they talk with other characters on the show, the intelligence just keeps on coming. And Jenna Maroney, played by the gorgeous Jane Krakowski, always has a witty line up her sleeve to teach something new.
Here are some lessons from "30 Rock."

Acronyms always work
When Jack's explaining to his fiancé, Avery, in the season five episode, "Gentleman's Intermission," the acronym that he uses when picking someone to mentor, he teaches that it doesn't matter what the acronym spells. Drive, intelligence, humility, and chaos make up Jack's acronym DIHC, which has an unfortunate homophone making for a great innuendo. "I'm looking for DIHC, Avery, and I'm going to take it wherever I can find it."

Presidential words make you sound powerful
On another season five episode, "Reaganing," Jack explained to Liz the definition of the episode's title; "Making it through a full 24 hours without a single misstep is called Reaganing. The only other people who have ever done it; Lee Iacocca, Jack Welch, and—no judgment—Saddam Hussein." Later, Jack made a Greek mythology reference when he said, "I am the Sisyphus of Reaganing." Each time the word was used, the whole room stopped to pay attention. Add this one to your vocabulary.

Individuality is key
Also in "Reaganing," Jack mentioned how he was going to "swing by MSNBC. I have to talk to Rachel Maddow - only one of us can have this haircut." Never let someone steal your style.

Priorities sometimes trump morals
Liz once said to Jack, "If I could push a button and five people in the world would die, but I could get free cable for life, I would do it." Clearly, Lemon's thought this one out.

Pageants are important
Kenneth Parcell, the hilarious Jack McBrayer, reluctantly accepted Jenna's help in the episode "Let's Stay Together," after he told her that the page interviews had become "just a pageant." Jenna couldn't believe that Kenneth hadn't learned how important pageants really are and said, "Just a pageant?! That's like saying a guy is cool because he has just a speedboat."

Diversity can be difficult
Jack's reason for not telling Queen Latifah's Congresswoman Bookman how he really feels about diversity and how it's the core of our nation, also in "Let's Stay Together," is classic: "I was too busy trying to remember the name of the black kid on 'Community.'"

Substantial meals are necessary
Matt Damon had a great scene as Liz's boyfriend Carol with Liz on the phone during "Live Show."
Carol: "No non-essential chatter, Liz. I'm having the worst flight of my career. We got wind shear, lightning... the in-flight meal was a frittata!?"
Liz: "Oh my god; at night?!"
Liz knows the importance of a hearty meal when flying at dinnertime.

FOX shows are important too
In the same conversation, Carol reminds that other networks have shows worth watching sometimes. "Lizzie, if something were to happen, I want you to know that I ... I need you to ... TiVo 'Bones' for me in case I survive."

Made up words are fun
From "Blurg" to "lizzing" to "Blamm-o" Liz Lemon continues to introduce fun words into the American vocabulary. So much so that there's a dictionary of words and sayings at NBC.com. Sentences like "I want to go to there," also make the cut of hilarious new Lemon-isms.

How to spot a dealbreaker right away
In season three, Liz's catch-phrase, "That's a dealbreaker, ladies!" took on a life of it's own. She even got her book, Dealbreakers: A Girl's Guide to Shutting It Down, published (on the episode "Into the Crevasse"). Here is one tidbit to remember from the book: "If your man is still legally married in Mexico.... ...that's a dealbreaker, ladies!"

Catch more life lessons from Jack, Liz, and the rest of the cast of "30 Rock" on Thursday nights at 8:30 pm ET.

More from Associated Content:
http://tv.yahoo.com/news/article/ustv.associatedcontent.com/ustv.associatedcontent.com-tina-fey-great-actress-and-an-amazing-writer
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5849924/tina_fey_honored_with_mark_twain_prize.html?cat=49
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5928158/does_30_rock_deserve_their_time_slot.html?cat=2

Sources:
http://www.nbc.com/30-rock/

The Grippe LP Review

The Grippe LP Review

The opening of first song, “Foolosophy,” has a crackle sound, like an old record, before finger snaps and a guitar riff crescendo into a full funk featuring a classic organ sound. Be-bopping singing matches the guitar note for note for a while before light soul claps turn into full on applause at the end of the song.

The Fort Collins, Colorado trio’s debut album is clearly worthy of this fanfare, named and performed by “The Grippe.” According to their official bio, “‘The Grippe’ is an old British slang meaning sickness, and this illness’ symptoms are making people boogie.”

The Grippe’s live show always keeps people dancing long into the night, and this album catches that vibe, while throwing in a few slow jams and a simple, smooth classical piano solo as well.

The Grippe offers several styles of music that all seem to come together seamlessly; from electronica-esque sounds, like in the segue, “Meaty,” to the talented guitar, organ, and drum solos on “Meioux.” “The Grippe LP” came out in November 2010 and was engineered by Grammy award winning producer, David Glasser (String Cheese Incident, Dave Matthews Band).

The reason The Grippe sounds so different, yet so well organized is due to the fact that the trio is made up of three very diverse musicians. Charlie Humphreys (guitar) formerly played with blues rock band “Holy Moses and the High Rollers,” Stu Crair (drums) toured nationally with the progressive-rock band “Orooni,” and newcomer Walter Hannah (Hammond organ, keyboards, bass keys) came to the band via Portland where he recorded with “The Parallel Trio.”

These three unique musicians create a brand new sound that is catchy and well-represented on their debut album. The Grippe’s sound is much bigger than one would expect from a band with only three instrumentalists.

“Mad Rye” would be perfect for an action scene or montage in an Austin Powers flick, and it contains a break in the middle reminiscent of Peter Frampton. “Just Add Water” is a slow, sultry, smooth jam with distorted guitar taking the lead. “Hucklebuck” is upbeat and staccato, featuring the keyboard almost exclusively at first before incorporating bass, guitar and drums.

“Lucid” has an awesome saxophone feature by Dominic Lalli (The Motet, Big Gigantic) that flows between the bass grooves and keyboard melodies like water. “Darker Water” is reminiscent of a Pink Floyd ballad; down tempo, some high-pitched twangy guitar, and an ethereal quality.

Catch the sickness and buy this album for a nice escape from the humdrum of radio rock. http://www.thegrippefunk.com/index.htm

Musketeer Gripweed CD Release Party and more!

Musketeer Gripweed at Hodi's Half Note in Fort Collins, CO

Jason Downing and Musketeer Gripweed - Nov. 5, 2010

Jason Downing and Stu Crair, Musketeer Gripweed

"Goldie" and the Black Swan Singers

 

"Dyin' Day"

 

Jason Downing sings with the crowd at Hodi's Half Note

Friday, November 5, 2010

Musketeer Gripweed took the stage in Fort Collins, CO, at Hodi’s Half Note for their CD release party with two soul sisters singing backup, an electric guitar or two, bass, organ, drums, and a slightly nasally lead singer who plays guitar, harmonica, tambourine, and really gets into it. Their style is true southern rock with a lot of dance-ability.

At the end of their fourth song, “Dying Day,” which is also the title of their new CD, they did an extended revival remix before lead singer, Jason Downing, took a swig from his “Monkey Paw Moonshine.” He also tends to call himself the Reverend Monkey Paw Patterson.

Downing introduced the Black Swan Singers and said, “Having them here is a real special treat for me.” Then he encouraged the crowd to sing, “Woman; with your monkey paws in the air,” and shouted, “C'mon! You got more soul than that!”

Smiling faces of all ages danced on the floor during the song “Green in Them Hills.” Musketeer Gripweed’s long jam during this song featured an improvisation by each talented musician in the band while Downing danced and stood on his chair singing, “Legalize it!”

Before breaking into a song with a funky feel, “Tiny Machine,” Downing mentioned to the crowd, “Our CDs are put together with wind power and people smoking copious amounts of grass.”

This upbeat jam led way to another, “Frog Slushy,” and Downing told everyone to “Get ready to swivel your hips.” Hodi’s Half Note felt like a hoedown, with Downing singing falsetto and then leaping into the crowd and bumping into everyone dancing.

The theme of the night was reiterated when Downing said, “It’s all good, all positive all the time!” And it’s not just about Downing, he introduced the rest of his band, consisting of Ben Hockett, Ehren Crumpler, Brian Foster, Stu Crair, and called Matt Goldberg on keys the “sexiest member.” He also included guests for the night: James Yearling, Dan Loiz, Dave Capsaddle, and Marie.

Musketeer Gripweed performed a song about an address, “420 High Street,” which got the crowd involved in a back and forth sing-along. A song about fishing with his father got Downing jumping around and the jam continued for at least ten minutes.

A strong comparison to the Black Crowes led to Musketeer Gripweed playing a “little game;” a cover of “Jealous Again,” and the first vocals by their friend, Marie. She also sang opening vocals on a Bob Dylan cover. Their show continued to an awesome three-song encore including another cover, the old-time favorite, “Dock of the Bay.”

Another love fest of the best “Americana Revival Stomp Ass Shake Holla!” band was Sunday night, November 14, at the 19^th Annual Scene Magazine Battle of the Bands. Just a short display of the absolute jam session that is Musketeer Gripweed grabbed attention from a whole new crowd.

Catch them again on: Friday, November 19 in Waterloo, Iowa at the Icehouse, and hopefully in Fort Collins again soon.

More Info:

http://www.myspace.com/jasondowningandmusketeergripweed

http://www.jasondowning.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Musketeer-Gripweed/317290984151

http://www.westword.com/2010-11-11/music/musketeer-gripweed/

Members:

Ben Hockett: Bass Fishing, Beer man,
Ehren Crumpler: Lord of Tone, Guitar
Brian Foster: Sticks, skins Groove!
Matt Goldberg (Goldie): All things known, unknown, keys
Jason Downing (AKA: Monkey Paw Patterson): screams, harp, dobro mobro, dancin' chair routine, spilling drinks...
Stu Crair: drums, beats, thangs

Set List from 11/5/10 CD Release:
10:30-1:30 No Break
Catfish Bait
...Pig
Black Swan Intro
Bossman
*Dyin Day
*Woman
*@Green in them Hills
**@Tiny Machine
Frog Slushy
420 High Street
Parchment Farm
>parchment Gospel Jam
*%River Callin'
*%Up the MT
>Richman
>Rich Man Jam
Gradually By Degree
>Beans Don't Burn Jam
Don't Think Twice
@#Jealous Again
@Reefer Song
*@#^Poison

Encore:
Thorn in my Pride
Hard to Handle
Dock of the Bay

*Black Swans
@James Yearling
%Dan Loiz
#Marie
^Dave Capsaddle

The Lyric Cinema Cafe - the Only Independent Movie Theater in Fort Collins, Colorado

Profile: Independent Movie Theater in Fort Collins, Colorado story for Yahoo! Movies.

The Lyric Cinema Café. 300 E. Mountain Ave. Fort Collins, Colorado. (970) 493-0893. lyriccinemacafe.com

Independent feature films, delicious tapas, relaxing atmosphere, and beer and wine are all available at the Lyric Cinema Cafe.

The Lyric Cinema Café holds the title of sole independent movie theater in all of Northern Colorado, making fantastic movies available without the hour-long drive to Denver or Boulder.

Opened in the spring of 2007, the quaint two-screen movie theater was born from a renovated clothing store, among several other former business ventures, on the corner of Walnut and Mountain in downtown Fort Collins.

While you wait for the movie to start there are plenty of things to do, whether on the delightful patio or inside among the movie memorabilia. They have a giant belt massager, the “exercise machine” from the ‘50s, just like the one my grandma swears by for her aching muscles and back spasms. Using the Lyric’s massager is hilarious for anyone watching, and surprisingly relaxing for the user. They also have board games to entertain and café tables to enjoy snacks as you people watch.

Owner and self-proclaimed movie snob Ben Mozer keeps the fun vibe alive by sending out a weekly e-newsletter that is full of sarcasm and relevant information, personal strife, and funny anecdotes.

The Lyric Cinema Café serves up home-cooked tapas and bubble tea – yum! tapioca balls! – along with more typical movie theater fare like popcorn, sodas, and candy. They also serve beer, wine, and sangria that you can bring into the cozy theaters with you. Each of the two theaters is equipped with a few couches and rows of vintage movie theater flip-seat chairs.

It is tiny, and the food and drinks can take time to prepare, so don’t show up right before the movie and then be in a rush to get into the theater. It is a local, independent theater with a limited budget and staff, not a huge multiplex. The more respect and patience that patrons have inside the Lyric, the better the atmosphere is for everyone.

Couples, college students, and even mom, pop and the grandparents can enjoy themselves at The Lyric Cinema Café. Kids even have their own free matinees – at varying times and dates – and daily (except Sunday) cartoons from 10-noon with $5 all-you-can-eat cereal. A different free “Owner’s Pick” is picked each week and is shown on Wednesday nights at 9:30 pm. Each month, the Lyric hosts a book and movie club where they show the movie adaptation of the selected book on the fourth Tuesday at 6 pm for free, with discussion following.

Every movie I’ve seen at The Lyric Cinema Café was interesting, beautiful, hilarious, or captivating. From the funny “The Ten,” to the shocking “Teeth,” to the breath-taking “Into the Wild,” to the visually stunning “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” each movie has taken me on a different journey.

The ads shown before the movies are local, giving Fort Collins’ finest businesses a great opportunity to get their names out to a great mix of film-goers. They also rent out the space for parties and get-togethers. Free water and cheap beers during New West Fest, the TriMedia Film Festival, Local Filmmakers Night on November 4th; there’s always something to love going on at the Lyric. Even a simple date night at the Lyric can bring excitement, novelty and discovery to any relationship.

Check out their website http://www.lyriccinemacafe.com/ for more information about the Lyric Cinema Café, titles currently showing, ticket prices and upcoming features.