Chuck Ragan & Kevin Seconds @ BoTH

Caught a few waves in the morning with E and came back to the hood to check out opening day at the Del Sol Skate Park that just opened up a few blocks from my house. I'm stoked cuz there is an steep, advanced bowl for the real skaters and a beginner intermediate area for kooks like me. The SF kids were absolutely loving it. Didn't see any incredible shredders (or pros that I recognized), but a few of the kids really ripped. I noticed that the little underground theater across the street (Xenodrome) had a sign that read Point Break Live! I asked my friend Jon that I met over at the park about it. It turns out, it is the classic cheesy 80s surf movie Point Break as a live performance. I'm so going to see that! Looks like it move from Xenodrome to Fat City on 11st. Later that night met up with Panman and Matt and a few others for Chuck Ragan and Kevin Seconds @ Bottom of the Hill. This was a punk goes folk show with both playing solo accoustic sets. We got there early but hung out outside until Kevin Seconds went on. If it wasn't for Second's distinctive voice, I wouldn't have know it was him. He was not looking so good. I wonder if maybe he got involved with drugs? Being so influential in the straight edge punk movement in the 80s, it would really surprise me though. His folk stuff wasn't too bad. I'll probably check it out a little more. He also played a couple of old 7 Seconds songs (Trust, Walk Together, Rock Together and another one I didn't remember off of Soul Force Revolution). I guess he does a radio show in Sacramento now. Chuck Ragan kicked some serious ass though. That guy has such a presence and writes some incredible music. He played pretty much the same set that he played last time we saw him, except instead of opening up with Open Up and Wail he played a new song that was really powerful. Hope he comes out with a new album soon.

M.D.C. and Le Plebe @ BoTH

Met up with Matt and Panman in the hood to have dinner and a few drinks before the show. First stop was El Metate for dinner. This is a place a couple blocks from my house that has amazing fish tacos. I go there at least twice a week. Next on the list was Bender's bar and then on to Inner Mission Tavern (a nice little belgian beer bar). Made it to Bottom of the Hill as one of the opening bands was finishing up; just in time to see Le Plebe. Le Plebe is a latino ska punk band from the Mission in SF. This show was a kick off for a tour through Europe. The local followers were going crazy. Matt was on the edge of the pit, and had some injuries to prove it the next day. M.D.C. took the stage with a 5 or so song accoustic set and then brought out the electric. Apparently, they now have the former drummer of D.R.I. in the band. In the middle of the set, they took a break and No Red Flags, which one of our friends (Guil Halstead) was formally a member of, played a few tunes. Guil is now playing for a band called My New Vice.

Jello Five-O @ GAMH

What a show last night! Two nights of amazing bands converging at the Great American Music Hall to celebrate punk icon Jello Biafra's 50th birthday. The evening started out at 8pm sharp with the Melvins playing the '83 Mangled Demos with the original members. Next up was AT scream core band Akimbo. First time seeing them and I dug it. Triclops! ripped it up, but seeing them at Thee Parkside a few months ago was much better. Sorry Matt. But the highlight of the evening was Jello going crazy. His new band, The Axis of Evil Doers, played a 7 or 8 song set which included a couple of songs that I recognized from the No WTO Combo. He got a few of his political jabs in between songs. I have to say Jello was really entertaining, but the band didn't seem that into it. But when the Melvins came out with guest guitarist Adam Jones from Tool, the show got much more interesting. Jello was running all over the place, stage diving, throwing water all over the place. It was great! They played a bunch of stuff from the Biafra Melvin's collaboration albums which was awesome, but the real treat was Fork Boy (yes, Dale played the drums faster than the album) :O, and 2 Dead Kennedy's songs (Holiday in Cambodia and Moon Over Marin). It's expensive to live in SF, but it's stuff like this that make it soooo worth it!

Firewater @ BoTH

Caught the beginning of Firewater at Bottom of the Hill on Friday. After a full day of work and having my 1rst beer at 5:30, I couldn't muster the energy to stick around for the whole show. I'm really disappointed, since the new album (The Golden Hour) sounds really interesting.

http://www.myspace.com/realfirewater

Prop A Passes in S.F. and Congratulation Barack!

The voters of SF and the Bay Area in general have shown that they value education. A parcel tax for property owners in the City ($198 a year) will be used to give teachers and staff badly needed raises. It's almost insulting that in one of the most expensive cities in the world that teachers are paid so poorly. Starting pay for teachers in SF is lower than most educational districts in the Nation. As a result, it is difficult to recruit talented teachers and retain them when they can't even pay the bills with their measly salaries. The boost is not enough, IMHO, but at least it will help. Thank you San Francisco!

Also, congratulations Barak Obama for clinching the nomination! I believe and hope that he can turn this country around.