California!
I've been back from California for a few days, I'm exhausted, and a little bit sick. Since i've been back i've been trying to find the time to write about my trip, but i've been having troubles find the words to explain my trip. I could write a boring, cold blog stating what i did. But i can't find the words to explain certain moments, or the feeling i got while i was in San Francisco.
The Bay Area means alot to me, so it was nice to finally get time to hang out there again (the last few times i was there on tour. I saw a club, some roads, and then we left town). Back when i was a young punk Bay Area punk was this magical mythical thing that i would read about in zines like Maximum Rock n Roll, Cometbus, Absolutely Zippo, Lookout Magazine, etc. My trip there back in 1993 was a real eye opening experience. This trip to SF/Berkley was also really good.
Some highlights of the trip;
--wandering around the North Beach area, checking out all the old Beat haunts i found myself in front of the old On Broadway / Mabuhay Gardens. I never knew they were in same building. These venues were ground zero for west coast punk in the late 70's/early 80's. Look at classic flyers and chances are you'll see these club names. I was shocked to look up and see the old On Broadway sign still out front.
--walking around the Mission district. As soon as i checked into my hostel i walked to the Mission, singing J Church songs the whole way ("as the rain falls hard it fills the cracks on Mission Street"). I stopped in for a burriot at Pancho Vila (amazing!) and then over to my favorite coffee shop on Valencia, Muddy Waters. This neighborhood has been gentrified a little, there's more "shops" and more people with money living in the neighborhood. But there's still alot of burrito joints, local people who aren't white, punx & indie rockers, and a certain charm that can't be explained. There's also a new punk record store there called Thrillhouse that had some good shit.
--Beyond the bay area; on Sunday i drove out to Sacramento with my friend Devon to see This is Hell and Comeback Kid. Before we hit the highway we stopped for krispy kreme donuts and pizza! We walked around "Old Town" in Sacto, which apparently means tourist shops and candy stores galore (and yes i was stoked on the candy shops!). After trying to find Kevin from 7 Seconds coffee shop we went to the show, which was in a suburb called Orangeville. The club was shitty, but it was good to see some of my friends in CBK & TIH.
--After the Sacramento show i stayed at Devon's place in the east bay so when i woke up i went and hung out in Berkley . I wandered around, stopping in record and book stores, drinking coffee. But at one point decided to walk around the college campus there and found myself in this beautiful wooded area, next to a stream, and far away from people. It was so calming, so i sat down and drank my coffee and chilled out for a while, thinking about all the other times i've been in the Bay Area.
--show in petaluma; I saw an amazing show, Look Back and Laugh, Iron Age, Rise and Fall, Life Long Tragedy. The kinda show that gives you PMA. After the show i caught a ride back to the city with my new friend Kim and her friends. Oh, and seeing Todd from southern California in Petaluma was a nice surprise.
I guess there's more i can say about my trip, but this will turn into a book if i'm not careful. To sum it all up; my trip was good and i still like the Bay Area. Pictures to come soon.
The Bay Area means alot to me, so it was nice to finally get time to hang out there again (the last few times i was there on tour. I saw a club, some roads, and then we left town). Back when i was a young punk Bay Area punk was this magical mythical thing that i would read about in zines like Maximum Rock n Roll, Cometbus, Absolutely Zippo, Lookout Magazine, etc. My trip there back in 1993 was a real eye opening experience. This trip to SF/Berkley was also really good.
Some highlights of the trip;
--wandering around the North Beach area, checking out all the old Beat haunts i found myself in front of the old On Broadway / Mabuhay Gardens. I never knew they were in same building. These venues were ground zero for west coast punk in the late 70's/early 80's. Look at classic flyers and chances are you'll see these club names. I was shocked to look up and see the old On Broadway sign still out front.
--walking around the Mission district. As soon as i checked into my hostel i walked to the Mission, singing J Church songs the whole way ("as the rain falls hard it fills the cracks on Mission Street"). I stopped in for a burriot at Pancho Vila (amazing!) and then over to my favorite coffee shop on Valencia, Muddy Waters. This neighborhood has been gentrified a little, there's more "shops" and more people with money living in the neighborhood. But there's still alot of burrito joints, local people who aren't white, punx & indie rockers, and a certain charm that can't be explained. There's also a new punk record store there called Thrillhouse that had some good shit.
--Beyond the bay area; on Sunday i drove out to Sacramento with my friend Devon to see This is Hell and Comeback Kid. Before we hit the highway we stopped for krispy kreme donuts and pizza! We walked around "Old Town" in Sacto, which apparently means tourist shops and candy stores galore (and yes i was stoked on the candy shops!). After trying to find Kevin from 7 Seconds coffee shop we went to the show, which was in a suburb called Orangeville. The club was shitty, but it was good to see some of my friends in CBK & TIH.
--After the Sacramento show i stayed at Devon's place in the east bay so when i woke up i went and hung out in Berkley . I wandered around, stopping in record and book stores, drinking coffee. But at one point decided to walk around the college campus there and found myself in this beautiful wooded area, next to a stream, and far away from people. It was so calming, so i sat down and drank my coffee and chilled out for a while, thinking about all the other times i've been in the Bay Area.
--show in petaluma; I saw an amazing show, Look Back and Laugh, Iron Age, Rise and Fall, Life Long Tragedy. The kinda show that gives you PMA. After the show i caught a ride back to the city with my new friend Kim and her friends. Oh, and seeing Todd from southern California in Petaluma was a nice surprise.
I guess there's more i can say about my trip, but this will turn into a book if i'm not careful. To sum it all up; my trip was good and i still like the Bay Area. Pictures to come soon.
posted by shaun citrus at 12:05 PM
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