KIRBY KRACKLE is back from Calgary Expo and thus ends a full month of convention travel before we start back up again at the end of May. Like usual when I travel to the Great white north, I'm reminded how much more polite and pleasant the random Canadian stranger is compared to my fellow Americans. We're kinda asses sometimes...just sayin. I didn't play, but promised the disappointed attending fans (I know, I'm sorry!) that we'd be back this summer. Word is bond.
If I can be honest, and even though we had a blast, I'm kinda worn out and crispy from the month and looking forward to detoxing/revitalizing during the month of May. Hey, I know the plethora of exotic and delicious Canadian candies didn't make me eat them, but when in Rome... KK as featured on CBR (Comic Book Resources) last week!
Besides the usual mix of fellow creators/artists, Calgary Expo had a lot of horror props and life-like monstrous creations. I've never been a big horror movie/gore guy, but I do love me some zombies. Though not undead, these (which I'm assuming are) inbred folks were awesome. Keep it in the gene pool, man.
My good friends Laurie and Kandrix (who run Calgary Expo) just had their new baby, "Noah". After showing all the necessary permits and drowning myself in hand sanitizer I held him and whispered in his ear to fight the power when he's a teenager. If you subliminally imprint at during the 2-3 month age, it statistically holds 23% more successful. I read. A lot.
As usual, the gaggle of girls with the "look at me, but don't look at me" complex made their way around the convention hall with these two being the most unique in the form of a badass detailed "Avatar" and "Zombie Slave Leia". Forever burned in my head will be the image of the Canadian Star Wars nerd she handed the chain around her neck to who held it snorting, giggling and red-faced while she threw herself at his feet for a photo-op. C'mon, own your moment Jabba! THAT NOT GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN. Really, I promise you...it's not gonna. Still, I smile outwardly whenever I remember what he muttered under his breath while chuckling like Beavis...
"This is awesome"
Finally, there was no way I could've traveled so much this month without by Super-Awesome Covert-Krew (S.A.C.K) of dog watchers. So with that said, big ups to Lita, Kristin, and Reuben for making sure Logi was fed, walked, pooped, Evian watered, holistically massaged, and pilatized with love while I was away. Just today I made sure I cut off enough of his hair to have enough DNA for all of us to have a clone when President Nick Jonas makes it legal in 2041. You guys are the best.
The weeks are blurring. The space time continuum is bending and shifting around me. Well, not really that dramatic, but I do feel I just got home as I now pack today to head out of Calgary for the 3rd and final convention this month on the Kirby Krackle convention train. We were in the Windy City over the weekend, flying in on Thursday with the band arriving on Friday for our Saturday night show at the official Chicago C2E2 convention after party. Here's a few highlights from the trip...
I've posted photos of our booth at the cons before, but you've never seen it with the devil picks on top have you?! No, I didn't think so and though we can't take credit for it, I appreciate the booth behind us for adding to our much needed street cred in the "evil rock" department. Thanks guys!
Being that it was my first time in Chicago, I was curious to see what little I could to the fullest being that I was trapped inside a convention hall all day. What I did see though was an older town that very much reminded me of NYC, without the hustle and bustle or artsy vibe. Every one seemed to be very much in their own space going about their business in a sort of "muted" way. It just felt different than any place I had been before; stark, gray, and not in the weather way of things like the NW. I was informed that "The Dark Knight" was filmed there and immediately that made sense to me. Felt like you'd think Gotham would feel like. Maybe I only think of those things though. I do read a lot of comics...
The costumes were AMAZING per usual and Chicago nerds really know how to put together some classy ensembles. As in many cities though, there are those outfits where you see a little too much more than you'd like but those are few and far between. And by that, I mean who doesn't love a skinny white guy dressed up like Slave Leia?
As I said earlier, the KK live band (Scott Andrew, Patrick Porter, Nelson Estes and Bryce Francis) arrived Friday night minus Bryce our keyboardist (he's in Japan). We met up with them in an old school diner (fully equipped with 70 year olds manning the door who looked like they could kick your ass) downtown where they ate covering their faces in the best steak grease chi-town had to offer. As drummer Nellie eloquently put, "I bet Al Capone kicked someone down those stairs". I'd believe it cause this place was old school with photos from the past 5 decades adorning the walls of stars complimenting the owner on his establishment. After their dinner we walked around downtown before calling it a night for the big day and concert on Saturday...
Saturday brought the longest selling/booth manning day of the convention per usual, and subsequently I cut out early to rest my voice before heading to soundcheck at 5:00 for our concert at REGGIE'S rock club (think a mix between the Showbox and Highdive in Seattle). The band sounded like they spent the whole day drinking beer and riding the brown train all around the city and Wrigleyville so it was nice to live vicariously through them and their stories. I always say this, but I may seriously need to start spending an extra day after the show to walk around and see some touristy stuff! Like I said, we sped over to sound check and THE FUGLEES (band that was headlining the night) were more than kind to let us use their gear they had driven over that afternoon from Indiana. They were great guys and we had an awesome time playing that night. As opposed to San Francisco, I became really excited during the few days prior to the show being about to say YES when folks asked if we were playing during the convention weekend. Again like at the Seattle convention in March, I could see people singing along (even when I hiccuped and sang the wrong words) and enjoyed every freaking minute of it. THAT (the folks singing along) is a new thing for me to experience and validation that KK is moving in the right direction of connecting with our fans in the right way I'd like to...it's such a cool feeling. Once again we were also joined by MARVEL Comics Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada which was very cool for us and especially the fans. This music-meets-comics thing is starting to get recognized by the powers that be that run the events and that feels good. Art and music go together of course and there's always room for something new. I'm really looking forward to the day when there's 4 bands like us and we can all play together full circle style! That RED HULK guitar pick? MARVEL made them up for us as another promo for the company like the one they did in Seattle and simultaneously fulfilled a pre-teen fantasy for me once again...
I know I say this often, but one of the coolest things about going to these conventions is meeting fans of KK and putting faces to emails we've received or folks who stop by to say hi after having written articles about us online or in print. It's not a needing to hear praise thing, it's more about hearing how somebody has enjoyed a certain song because of comic they really like or how it made them want to get into a series because a song had made them curious. I love meeting young fans most of all because kids hold an unfiltered joy, and when they like something, they really like it. I can relate to kids in this way more than adults many times cause I'm the same way. This young Kracklehead left and impression and I was thankful to meet him. The classy gentleman in the middle of Jim and I? That's Malik Yusef, an artist on Kanye West's GOOD MUSIC label. Nice guy and we talked about some possible collaborative efforts. Um yes, that would be fun...
Finally, one of the coolest things I saw at C2E2 was this traveling auction of set pieces from the fist IRON MAN movie. Everything from crushed armor to burnt suits was up for auction and I was surprised they let me get that close to take pictures of it all. Enjoy!
Cool we made it to Issue #150! I'm working on something cool for the 3 year anniversary of this blog on Issue #156 so stay tuned.
As always, THANK YOU for reading and see you next week when I return from the Great White North! Not Everett...
Last week I picked up the iPad, APPLE's new flagship product that fans of the company have been waiting for for a while now. Meant to be the love-child of an iPhone and a laptop, I've found it to be just that. Still I ask myself the question every other day since then...
What the hell am I going to use it for?
This is the question I've been asking myself since opening it up, and find myself answering that question more in the vein of what I HOPE I can use it for. Let me tell you what I love about it first. As always, the packaging when you first open it up is unbelievably gorgeous and screams quality even if they thing actually turned out to be a piece of junk. Presentation is something that Apple has always done extremely well and can be beat by no one at. That thing about looking like a giant iPhone? Yep, it does. The screen behaves the same with everything from the dock to the jiggling apps to the incredible touch response. The HD brilliance is very rich and creamy even to these tired eyes. Yep, once again Apple has brought the sexy like no one else. Even haters have to admit that...
Apps when made for iPad look amazing with the iPhone native apps still working but only at the size of the phone screen on which they were designed to run. Internet looks just like you thought it would with the senior convenient font size growth with just an outward pinch of the fingers, and the ability to open multiple windows just like you would expect on a normal browsing experience. Like I said, if you can do it on your iPhone and just want it bigger (everything from Mail, Contacts, Calendar, and Maps) you'll know what to expect.
What does iPad do better? First off, photos look freaking incredible on the large glowing screen and you'll be ready to kick your digital frame out the window when comparing the two side-by-side. Album covers look crazy good as well when playing songs on the iPod app of course included in the software. Even though that feature is classically amazing and we're all spoiled it even exists, I won't be using it cause I don't see the sense on doubling up on two devices (if you have an iphone or an MP3 ready Blackberry/phone). Movies in HD look vivid and wonderful when rented from the iTunes store (aka The Devil), and I've yet to upload my own movies to test them out. Assuming they won't look as good of course as made for the iPad HD rentals, I can't imagine they'd be terrible. One of the coolest apps yet to come out for the device is that of the NETFLIX "Watch Instantly" feature that has been available on PC's and for Xbox live subscribers for about a year and a half now. Again, though not HD they look great and that feature in itself will be a big selling point for the movie buff in all of us. I chose to pick up the Wi-Fi only version mostly cause again, I don't want to be doubling up on devices nor want to be taking from AT&T for another $30 data plan. If I want to see who played "Blanche" on the Golden Girls, that's why I have my phone...
What do I HOPE it will have?
First you have to (if you care) understand why I got it. I do have an iPhone but have been getting by with a 500mhz laptop for sometime now and if you know how slow that is you understand why I say "getting by". That's also code for looking for a truck I could throw it under to see if that helps it move faster than my arthritic dog. I wanted something I could work on on road trips with Kirby Krackle/touring, and also something that could act as a reader/media player of some sort. Also, one of the main reasons I got it was for the way the comic book industry is changing in ways I'm excited about. As opposed to the music industry where people are freaking out still as the digital realm expands and not knowing where there next check will be coming from, I interpret the way digital comics are shifting as a fun thing that in general most people are excited about. Two great comic readers are available for the device in the form of an app called COMIXOLOGY, and the official MARVEL Comics app just recently released. Both are an incredible digital comics reading experience in which you can flip pages just like you would do on the included iBooks app, or by panel creating more of a cinematic user experience by using the iPads accelerometer (thing that lets it know when you're tipping it sideways) to make wide panels take up the whole screen horizontally. Bascically, it's BADASS. Beautiful images demand a beautiful presentation and again the HD screen does just that. So exciting and fun...
What I really hope will happen with the iPad is that companies like MARVEL, major magazine monthly publications, and the like will do is come up with some sort of subscription service in a sort of "all you can eat" way of business. What I want to do is to be able to read and watch anything I want whenever I want. Asking to much? I don't think so. With out the cost of retailers needing to mark up to make a profit (understandably) and shipping pricing (of course), creating a digital subscription service is a match made in heaven with the iPad. I don't want to keep everything I read (new purging thing going on) but instead just want to know about everything my favorite companies put out and be able to enjoy it for a fair price (maybe $60 a month?) and then give it back. See, there was this thing called a library kids...
"But wait, what about your friends who own comic shops and retailers all over getting screwed?"
Of course I wouldn't want that to happen, and I don't think it would at at all. In fact, I think it may drive more business to the stores and retailers in a way we don't anticipate as of yet. How would I know to go and buy a collected stories about a series I would otherwise know nothing about if not for being able to explore a brands archives? I wouldn't, but if I had the access to under advertised products/books/artists under the monthly subscription umbrella, everyone would have wide access to anything they wanted to read and dig on art wise. As always, there's no replacement for the touch/feel/smell of a book. That's not going away and I won't stop buying physical media other than taking fewer risks in purchasing titles I'm not sure I would spend $3.99 on without reading first. If anything, a new ease in finding more quality art/work by writers and companies would get me to see more of what I couldn't live without. Getting a little off topic here I realize, but before I fully lose anyone let me just say that it could be thought of the way RHAPSODY is monetized for the all-you-can-eat digital music experience.
Ok, let me try to wrap this up. If I could say anything to sum up the device it would be that it is a device of consumption and after consuming you usually dispose (especially after bad Indian). Do I like the iPad? Hell yes I do. Is it going to change the way I interact with my entertainment they way the iPhone did and make me want to keep it more than a few months? Hmmmmm, not sure. If any of the above mentioned ways I dream of using it happen then probably yes, but if that ever is to become a reality remains to be seen. Guaranteed, Apple once again killed the game on their marketing genius in convincing all of us (more than just me for sure) that we "need" it, but seeing how that plays out in daily life is another thing entirely. If you were to tell it would get that spider running across my floor for me then I'd say to go buy it right now. (checking iTunes store)....It DOES?!
GO GETZ IT NOW!!!
Possibly in time my precious (we wants it my prrreeeccciiiooouusss)...
Hey all! Last weekend Jim Demonakos and I were in San Francisco with KIRBY KRACKLE at WonderCon to make our first appearance since last years convention behind our self-titled debut.
This year with E FOR EVERYONE, it was a much different experience being that fans actually sought us out to pick up the new disc and chat with us about their experiences with our music and sharing it with friends. When the convention season ended last year and it was time to work on the new record, experiences like the latter were what I was looking forward to and hoping that word had spread enough in the areas we had previously visited to generate a new energy come round two with E. Basically, last year we were the new kids on the block and this year we're still new but some kids want to play with us...and not pick us last in dodge-ball (us skinny kids know what I'm talking about). Being the first return visit outside of our hometown (Seattle), it felt really good to hear enthusiasm, excitement, and critiques surrounding our second offering in a place we had only been once previously. FAIL? We didn't have a show (tear). S'okay though, we decided that we'll be departing on a week long tour of the west coast in June. More on that later...
As I've mentioned many times (bitterly), last year in SF we didn't get to experience the many tastes and culinary treasures that the city has to offer. This time was different with a very clear and concise plan to follow our foodie friends from L.A. and NYC that were also in town around and piggy back on their ideas. Foodies (and wanna-be Foodies like me) need to stick together, and stick together we did. A couple of my favorite SF food experiences...
Saturday night, Jim and I were treated extremely generously to dinner by TOP COW Comics publisher Filip Sablik and his super sweet wife Danielle at a delicious place called SAUCE. Whenever I'm in a new town I always make sure I try the local brew and made no exception this time as I enjoyed the SF microbrew of choice, Anchor Steam. I've rarely seen it locally and a shame because it's delish. We all shared a couple of apps enjoying meatloaf-sliders on of dollops of creamy mashed potatoes, shitake mushroom "fries" stacked delectably on top of one another like Lincoln Logs, and tangy fresh brouschetta. For dinner I had a nice piece of buttermilk fried (but not heavy) rockfish from Hawaii with cauliflower mashed potatoes (mmmmm...more starch) surrounding the perimeter of my plate mixed amongst brussell sprouts. I REALLY don't like those, but didn't even think twice about it they were so delicious! For dessert (it's a separate stomach you know) we shared a bowl of mini-donuts fried with fresh blueberries that you dipped in a Burboun sauce. I couldn't stop eating those and who knew that donuts and blueberries went well together? It's almost like the new grapes and refried beans. Regardless, it was great and I'd highly recommend SAUCE to anyone visiting The Bay Area. BOMB.
For my second best eating experience in SF I visited TOMMY'S JOYNT; it's basically a "meat and potatoes" place that looks like it has been operated the same (cash only) and decorated the same since 1971. That's fine though since it what they've done since then is extremely delicious and almost is the next step up from DICK'S in Seattle as a place to go after a night of drinking and to hang (open till 2 AM). I had the turkey dinner which was what you'd expect; turkey, mashers, and stuffing all drowning in a sea of gravy accompanied by a roll that could break a window (or your tooth). It's a local fixture that was suggested to me by Jim and friend in the area Keith. After a 10 hour day of standing on concrete in one place talking to folks all day...sometimes you just need some gravy.
So yay for getting out and exploring some of the best that SF food has to offer and I'm thankful for the time we had outside of being inside all day for the convention. No trips to PIXAR or ILM like last year, but it's all good and I'm getting excited to head to Chicago next week for another show called C2E2. SUPER excited to perform with the full KK band (Patrick Porter, Scott Andrew, and Nelson Estes) at the official convention party Saturday night once again being joined on stage by MARVEL Comics Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada.
Hi, my name is Kyle Stevens and I am a Seattle based musician that has been writing/performing since 1994. This is a blog documenting my experiences as an professional songwriter, as well as my adventures with in music with KYLE STEVENS BAND, COLLIDER, GIGI EDGLEY, and KIRBY KRACKLE. Thanks for reading, join my email list, and please leave a comment to let me know you stopped by!
Bringing you 98% spell-check accuracy since 2007...
KIRBY KRACKLE is back from Calgary Expo and thus ends a full month of convention travel before we start back up again at the end of May. Like usual when I travel to the Great white north, I'm reminded how much more polite and pleasant the random Canadian stranger is compared to my fellow Americans. We're kinda asses sometimes...just sayin. I didn't play, but promised the disappointed attending fans (I know, I'm sorry!) that we'd be back this summer. Word is bond.
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