Let’s get outta here - Fall 2018 - Philadelphia, PA
We made it though another crazy week, so here is this weeks installment of the indie-rock-alternative 6-Pack. This week we have some new singles from Holy Pinto, Layover, The Avett Brothers, and more! Check it out now!
-YourFriendMatt
This was taken after I had a massive nose bleed - 32 - January 31,2019 - Santa Monica, CA
This week’s list gets our February started on the right foot. We have some Beach Slang, Daisyhead, Pup and more! Check it out now!
Music saves
-YourFriendMatt
Marfa, TX - Shot on iPhone 7 Plus
What an exciting week! The new Somos is stuck in my head, Good Thoughts is chilling me out and Hold Close is getting pumped for the weekend! We also have some great new tracks from Balancing the Different, The Moms and Hang Tight!
There are even 70+ new emojis that were released this week.
Life is good.
Music saves.
-YourFriendMatt
L.A Jackson - Nashville, TN
Friday is here and it's time for some new weekend jams. Check out this super poppy collection, including Locals Only, Philadelphia's The Sixties and even a new track from Bleachers!
Music saves.
-YourFriendMatt
This week's playlist get the feet tapping and heart racing. Enjoy some poppy-alternative jams from Coins, Borns, Bad Suns, Grouplove and more. This list will help you dance the weekend away!
This is for anyone looking to have a very chill Friday night in the backyard.
With hits from the Grateful Dead, Dylan and Van Morrison this super chill, influential rock playlist will set the mood for some drinking around the fire. Enjoy!
King City, CA
"Where in the hell are we and who owns all these cows?"
This weekend Jamie and I took the scenic route up to San Francisco to visit with some friends. We love road trips and we ecstatic that we had extra time to take the long way up the coast. We cruised up the PCH for hours past countless forgotten beach towns and cattel farms. It's amazing how many cows there are wondering the golden hills of California. Honestly, who the hell do they belong too?
When we finally ran out of gas, which always seems to happen happens when you are about 80 miles from the nearest gas station, we found King City. We didn't getting to spend much time there but we were able to find this actual general store and meandered the dusty aisles for souvenirs. This was a true truck stop but we had the sense this was the kind of town that the Disney/Pixar movie Cars was based on. The owner was elated that we were there, showed us around, petted our dog and even threw in a free frisbee with our purchases.
What was your last road trip?
"Dude, this could be her last ride. It's only right we take her." I said to Chris convincing him to take the dilapitated band van to our most recent show.
Throughout the years music has taken me across the nation and back. I consider these some of the most formative years of my life. When you are 1,400 miles from home, have no money, everything you own is broken or smelly you learn a thing or two. Since my friends and I started playing music we have destroyed every one of my mom's cars, most of my friend's parents cars, every one of our own cars, vans bought strictly for the band (old or new) and now we have a hand-me-down 2005 Ford FreeStar.
The band van is a beautiful thing. It's your safe house. Office. Board Room. Mobile home. Sales force..makeshift acoustic performance stage...salvation and worst nightmare. I've learned more about auto repair on the side of the highway...at night...in a state I've never been too...with 18-wheelers whizzing by...underage...in the snow...than I ever will in a driveway. All in all seeing new things from a bench seat in a busted van was one of my favorite parts of the journey.
Up until this point of my life preforming has been something I have always done. I have had a chance to play with some great musicians in Los Angeles since my move but haven't hit a stage in a few months. When my old band got a call from the biggest rock radio stations in Philadelphia to preform live we all went for it. I landed in Philadelphia the day before the show and we ran through our normal setlist, caught up and went home to get a good night sleep.
We gathered on the day of the show at Chris' house to get a plan together. We needed to figure out how we were going to get our equipment to the show. Take separate cars? No, that is lame. Then it dawned on us (well at least me) that the old band van was still sitting out front.
Side-note: A quick back story on this van: It was Chris' families van for years. It has carted him and his siblings to countless karate and basketball tournaments. As the years progressed the air conditioning eventually gave up resulting in too many summer adventures with both sliding doors open...including a trip all the way to Outer Banks, NC from Swedesboro, NJ with the doors open. I know the van has been in at least one accident on the highway and after that they gave it to Chris...who never fixed the headlight. Why bother? Something is also wrong with the battery connection so we had to carry around a little wrench to undo the positive connection to the battery everywhere we went. We would show up to work, pop the hood and unhook the battery...besides all that...this van is a gem and we wouldn't have it any other way. One more thing, it looks like this on the inside...
"Dude! Let's take the van!" I screech cracking an ice cold Pabst. "I don't know man, I haven't started her in months." Chris says turning to me. "Dude, this could be her last ride. It's only right we take her. Who knows when we will do this again!" Sipping and spitting beer everywhere. Chris shrugs with a half-assed sigh and we make our way outside to check out the van.
She sits on the street waiting for us to come check her out. She hasn’t been moved in months and there is a layer of yellow and brown dust pollen covering her exterior. One of the tires is just about flat but we know we can make it to the gas station to fill it back up. As we peer in the back tinted windows we see our previous filth from the last ride…and its disgusting…just the way we like it. “Let’s pop the hood and connect the battery!” Chris yells getting more energized remembering all the good times we have had in this beauty.
There was a zap of blue electric that shocked us as we reattached the positive connection to the battery. “Yes!” We belted with a second wind of excitement. This was a good sign and we both knew it. Chris ripped open the driver side door ready with his keys and turned the ignition. She turned over with a sputter, pop - and finally roared like a dying old bird…our dying old bird. “Well boys I guess we know how we're are getting to the show! Let’s start packing!”
We packed, drank the last of our beers and decided it was time to head to Philadelphia. Half of our band had to drive separate due to obligations after the show and work the next morning. This was no big deal - Chris and I found it poetic. We had started a lot of bands together and worked on more music than either of us could remember. We had no idea when we would get the chance to drive to preform together again so it made sense to us that the rock gods aligned the stars this way. It was like we were 17 again.
To be continued...
YourFriendMatt
"Man. Fuck this bitch." I said to myself getting cut off in line at the super market.
It's Friday and I am on my bike ride home from work. After a weeks worth of dealing with the American Public it's only right that I stop at the super market to grab some nice beer. An hour from now I will be sitting in the backyard staring at the raise garden I assembled basking in the sun as it turns to dusk. Perfect way to launch into the weekend if you ask me.
(SIDE-NOTE: I don't know if I will ever get use to being able to walk into any supermarket in California and be able to purchase beer, wine, or booze. It's like Christmas ever time I walk into a store. Like I forget and am surprised...again. This makes food shopping, preparing a dinner party, or entertaining so much easier without having to go to multiple locations or the "state store" to get alcohol. That's right my friends...in Pennsylvania we have to go to multiple locations to get booze, 6-packs, and cases...I know, I know...it's insanity.)
Perusing the beer garden at my local super market I see a ton of great deals and want to choose carefully. This is a big decision. As I am standing looking at the variety in front of me I hear a "Uhhhhh." Followed by a deep sarcastic valley girl sigh "Like, excuse me!" Followed by another scoff. A woman pushes me out of the way and grabs her bottle of wine. I couldn't believe how rude she was but I brush it off, pick up a 12 pack variety of local craft beer and make my way to the register. The line is out the door, which isn't a total surprise. "Who cares that the market decided to have one line open to ring out the entire city of Los Angeles?" I think to myself "Just relax, in a little bit you'll be home."
I feel a tap on my shoulder and it's Curtis. (What? You don't know your market employees by name?) "Hey man, good to see you, head to 3 I'm about to open it up." He whispers and scampers off. Man, I love this guy. I turn and make a run for his line as he hits the switch to the light up the 3 indicating he is open. This is great, one item, he'll ring me out in two seconds and I am on my way home. As I turn to greet Curtis ZOOM! A blonde haired, mid 40's, LA snob-devil-she-bitch cuts me off in sporty hiking gear...with a full cart. The same woman who pushed me earlier. Her stupid blonde ponytail poking out the back of her Nike golf hat she obviously took from her pitch-n-putt husband...he is probably a "producer." Ew. What makes it worst is that she knew, she knew what she was doing, she knew she cut me off. We locked eyes and the world froze as our surroundings dimmed black and for a second it was just her and I. She shot me the "FUCK YOU! I CUT YOU OFF AND YOU SUCK! BY THE WAY FUCK YOUR BEER!" look. We all know this look right? This isn't over yet.
The devil-monster places her gluten-free, California locally grown, organic-soy based, animal cruelty free or whatever the hell hippie products on the counter. The last thing she puts down is a fresh Italian loaf of bread from the store's bakery. I haven't said anything yet and although this has been a tragic turn of events I know I'll get her somehow. Curtis shot me a look of concern. I nod in approval. One final shrug as he silently mouths "Sorry, bro!" and starts to ring up this devils order. As I see her cart full of items jolting towards Curtis on the conveyer belt every market has I take a glance at the fresh italian loaf a bread. Maybe she is making a pasta tonight? Maybe it'll be nice for her devil family...so cute. Welp. Too Bad. Does anyone remember what I am holding...oh yes, a 12 pack of beer. Then it hits me "Man. Fuck this bitches bread." As her last few items were being rung up I make my move. She didn't see it coming. I drop my case of brew on top of this fresh bakery bread flattening it to a fresh bakery pancake. What is she going to do now?
"Hey, my bread!" she yells. Curtis shoots me a look and shakes his head with a smirk. I pretend not to notice she is yelling in my general direction and grab one of the trash magazines the market strategically places in all the lines. "Wow. Curtis did you see Kim and Kanye's wedding photos?" I nonchalantly mention to Curtis paying no mind to the devil-monster yelling and flailing her arms in front of me. Did I mention I am also still wearing my bike helmet during all of this? "Lady! Your holding everyone up!" Someone screeches from the line that quickly formed behind me. "Ma'am would you like to get another one?" Curtis trails off. "I already rung it up and we do have a line." He finishes as I add "Yeah! We do have a line!" I could see the devil fire growing in her eyes and the sweat forming on her brow as she stood fist clenched. I add "Well?" In the most sarcastic-dickhead voice I could muster. "Lady! Move!" Someone else yells from behind me. Frozen for a second and fuming she reaches into her bag pulling out a credit card, swipes to pay and starts to bag her items.
Curtis rings up my only item, I peel the bread off my beer and squeeze my way past her while she is still bagging. "Night Curtis! Thanks man!" I say and exit.
Riding home with a 12 pack in your beach cruiser basket knowing you have nothing but brews and gardening in front of you makes forgetting about that devil-monster-she-bitch all the easier. When out in public...please use your manners. And remember if you are going to be awful...someone might drop a 12 pack on your bread.
I hope you all have a fantastically relaxing weekend!
YourFriendMatt
