35 Denton: A Free For All

Well, I've done it again. I managed to finagle my way into another music festival... for free! And it's about damn time too.

Who's ready for an anecdote? I was at Rubber Gloves, avoiding clouds of smoke and the ensnaring glance of the musician fellow I used to have a mega-huge, John Hughe's heroine style crush on. So while frantically attempting to look casual and relaxed, I overheard the guy next to me talking about Angry Boys, the new Chris Lilley show on HBO. My roommate and I, being fans of Summer Heights High, and feeling slightly uncomfortable in an uncrowded bar, were all over this conversation, needlessly butting in and expressing our endless love for the sassy, Aussie cross-dressing comedian.  So, one thing led to another, and then we were discussing this guy's tattoos, and Brutal Juice.

Yeah. I thought that too.

Try this though:

Not prying into too much detail, this dude, his name is Craig, made a request that I see his band play this weekend, and I joked back asking if I'd need a wristband (which I will be lovingly referring to as my "wristy"). He, no joke, offered me one for free, and then, like the seasoned gentlesir he is, offered an EXTRA one for my friend.

Now, see what awkward banter with strangers will get you?? A $160 value, for freeeeeeee!

All that Craig requested is that I see his band, and another called NEEKS. Umm.. yes Craig. I can do this for sure.  Seeing as I wasn't keen on paying to hop and bop from one Denton club to another all weekend, I think this is a mighty workable solution. Suck it GroupOn.

This makes me particularly happy due to the fact that last year, I was the only sucker I knew who actually paid for a wristy to the then named 35 Conferette (which my spell check is now informing me is not even a real word). If you are not a real word, then you must not be a real thing, and therefore, how is one expected to shell out $80 for said mythical event?? Next year they will rename it The Great Unicorn Blunderbuss Festival of Denton, and I will still go, in spite of my skepticism regarding the presence of said Unicorn, and a undoubtedly unexciting line up. Nevertheless, I dished out the clams last year... because the line up was FANTASTIC. I won't go into details, because I can't remember them, but $80 to be front row for Local Natives: Worth. It.

This year I'm not super pumped about the line up. Also, many of my local musician friends were shunned from the fest shows, leading me to believe a focus would be on more popular bands, imported in from exotic locales, or stopping in on their way to SXSW. Well... my disappoint bone was pulled when the major main stage headliners were named. Some great bands, like Jesus & Mary Chain, Dum Dum Girls, and hot button musicians Best Coast, as well as the legendary Built to Spill. Now, lets go back and count here: 4.  Four main stage bands... that I have heard of and may be worth seeing. There's a handful of hotly blogged over bands, and bands who I've heard singles blasting throughout many an Urban Outfitter, and the rest of the gaps filled in by... you guessed it: local bands.

I CAN SEE LOCAL BANDS ANYTIME I FUCKING WANT TO. I LIVE IN GODDAMN DENTON.

So why the need to be picky and choosy about which local artists to feature?? Why piss off and alienate your local musicians who frequent Dan's, Rubber Gloves, the Labb, Hailey's and the like (not only to play music but to patronize and give you their hard earned scrillions from their day jobs)? Now where do all the broken hearts go?

....too soon??

And thusly the house show was born! And thusly the slew of unofficial free shows was born! And thusly something called 35 des Refuses was born!
And most of these shows are free as well.
What kind of monster is being created here?! ......

Interning at The Texas Theatre Has Valuable Perks

Never underestimate the power of working for free. Unpaid internships can be gold mines for networking and gaining industry experience which you might not get without making that compromise to be an indentured servant, of sorts. I've been "working" at the Texas Theatre since August (let's be honest, I've been chilling and listening to T. Rex vinyl more than anything). Meeting a lot of very cool people who know a lot more about the film industry in this town than I do. Hopefully that will pan out into something more lucrative, not only for me, but for the guys who decided to bring me on.  But aspirations aren't what this blog is about! It's about getting shit for free! I like to look at it as receiving "benefits" or "job related perks." So far, I've gotten free admission to  The Deer Hunter.... where Robert De Niro is a mega bad ass, and you discover where Ryan Gosling has been channeling his acting from all along.

In addition to free admission to kick ass movies I also get to advertise the Theatre for free by wearing one of their infamous T-Shirts. Mine is a Zapruder print... cuz I like old cameras and pretending to know how to use them. However, I am granted permission to have one of each print, so my friends get to sport the controversial Lee Harvey & Howard Hughes prints in my stead. Hey... we're all a bunch of walking billboards... it's a tit-for-tat type of thing we got goin on here. And it's fuckin great!

<- Not my friend.



So I get into the place free of charge cuz I help keep the Oak Cliff riff raff out during the afternoons. This week my coattail riding into the Theatre was to a contest for local filmmakers to showcase their short films, competing for some sweet, free swag. I get enough stuff for free and have yet to shoot my groundbreaking short film, so I thought I'd give my friends a good sporting chance at this. Two of my pals, Wes "Wesdog" Robinson and Evelyn Popp, entered their shorts amongst some stiff competition from UTA "film" students (pffft!). We all know UT Austin and UNT Denton are the only places to get a real film education and that Arlington is just the butthole of the metroplex. Whatever. Keep dreamin kids. OK.. OK! To their credit, not some bad stuff. However, there was some bad stuff, but that's what short films are all about... amateur filmmakers making mistakes and showing them on the big screen for open public mockery. You know when something is supposed to be serious, and you can't help but laugh, cuz it's ridiculous.... but then you feel  guilty because the person who created this schlock is sitting in the room with you.... and then you feel like an asshole for laughing... but that guy should feel like an asshole because he just wasted everyone's time in the room... but then you also realize this person is actually doing more than you are because at least they have a short film... even if it sucks.... and then you feel like a double asshole. Then you realize double assholes don't exist, and if they DID they'd be this cool thing on Youtube... and then you feel a little better because you're an anomaly and people want to see you on Youtube. Wait, what? Tangent.....

The good news is that both of my friends won prizes for their shorts! And without any tampering with the votes from me.... truth be told, I didn't vote for any of the shorts..... so hooray! I am not friends with talentless hacks! Guilty by association I hope..... Weston won 3rd place and a FREE game of Ms. Pacman... the elusive hussy of arcadia.  His "short" (29 mins), Ombar, which if you're keeping track is sorta like Rambo spelled backward, follows Ombar, a mysterious, Deer Hunter-esque badass (yeah, I'm just going to compare everything to The Deer Hunter from now on) as he tries to defeat The King of the King of the Assholes and his Asshole henchmen. (wait! real life double asshole?) NC-17 based on language alone. Bonus points for the use of frivolous fart noises and mastering the art of the voice dub-over for the lead female, who was played by one girl, two guys, and one dummy (yeah, a real dummy with a wig... not just referring to the dudes who played her even though it fits). Gratuitous use of fake blood and cadavers coupled with an original score by Weston's band, The Royboys, brought the audience to tears.... of laughter. Yes; we all laughed so hard we cried. If that doesn't earn you at least 3rd place and a game of Ms. Pacman, then I don't know what does.

Evelyn Popp, recently shot her short film Popular, based on a true story about an autistic girl with limited social skills who becomes somewhat of an online celebrity for her video blogs about her day to day life. Her character, Marna, discovers hundreds of friend requests awaiting her one day, and finally understands what it means to be "popular." Although humorous, Marna's fashion sense and manners leave something to be desired, but her quirkiness endears her to strangers around the world, and thusly reciprocates her love for them.  Popp's short is hilarious and mesmerizing, drawing the audience into this girl's unconventional world, leaving them wondering how her life will unfold, given full length screen time. Her efforts won her 1st place, and a free yearlong membership to the Texas Theatre, which also means free admission to the next short film contest... and free bragging rights as well.


Ombar and Popular also mark my very first, double big screen debuts! Two shorts, one night, one star..... ME! Yeah, I had bit parts in both shorts. It's unnerving seeing yourself on camera... much less on a 20 ft screen...wait, let me fact check that in real time.. cuz that's what responsible bloggers do.... ok wow... 40 ft adjustable screen... that's doubly mortifying! I like to think my friends' winnings are solely based on my presence in their shorts. It probably has something to do with them being talented and understanding when to follow your good instincts or something. I surround myself with good company. Next winner will be me.... even if I've already swilled everything I can get for free from the Theatre. Maybe Vodka? One celebratory, cinematic cocktail, coming right up!

Free-lapalooza

SPIN Magazine has done it again. They just keep on comin at ya with the free. Music that is. Here's a mix for Lollapalooza featuring:

Lykke Li
Ratatat
Black Cards
Ximena Sarinana
Phantogram
Beirut
.....and a bunch of other stuff that's kind of all over the place

Like Patrick Stump (of Fall Out Boy fame). Yeah, that one is probably worth skipping over, as I am sure it doomed to a future of heavy rotation on KISS FMs all over the country. Also not entirely sure what this Jay Electronica thing is featuring Jay-Z and someone else I've never heard of. I mean, I love Jay-Z as much as the next girl... but if I have my choice between that or Lykke Li or this funky little, ABBA sampling jam by the Black Cards, I shall take the latter and the other latter. I'd probably even take ABBA.

Either way, mash this up with all the other free music we've been downloading together and eventually you'll have the BBQ mixtape of a lifetime. Or a summer. Then you can tell Girl Talk to take his summer mix on Grooveshark and shove it up his big, gas grill!

SPIN Magazine Lollapalooza Mix
(guys, this does require you to enter your email address. don't be scared. just let it happen)

Irony

This blog was free.

MPFree

Today, I downloaded some music for freeeeee. I love music. I love when I don't have to pay for it. iTunes can be a heartless bitch sometimes. I know I get a little crazy with the cheese whiz when it comes to downloading singles... and that can add up. Sometimes it adds up to over $100 in purchases you did not make. In that case, you have to caress the dour bosom of the Lady of the iTunes until she's willing to refund you for false purchases. But that's another story for another time. In the meanwhile, get your summertime groove on with some bands you've probably heard of but never actually listened to. You  know, the ones your extra hip friends have been listening to for MONTHS now.

Imagine this: You're at the pool. You're reading the latest copy of Nylon/Spin (whatever was available at the nearest 7-11), wondering what the hell these little hipsters are talking about, whilst sweating all over your iPod, and trying to hold the magazine together because it's so feverishly hot out that the binding glue is literally melting. Then you're thinking, "Oh shit... all this music is on the ol' pod is old news. I wish I could be listening to band who is younger than I am and dresses better too." Well, you're in luck! Here is your opportunity! I'd give a track listing, but I'm lazy, and I'd hate to ruin the Duran Duran surprise you're in for. Not even kidding. Songs from Austra, Dom, Givers and The Naked and Famous are worth the whole 4 seconds it will take you to download this. Why are you still reading? Click the link, silly goose.

Nylon Summer Playlist

Yeah, I may or may not have downloaded another mix from Spin Magazine as well. Cuz let's face it, if one free album sucks, I can always listen to the other. OR create a SUPER PLAYLIST with songs from both albums... make a master mix... burn it for my friends.... and be a summer super hero!! All without feeling the guilt of bypassing copyright laws everywhere!

Spin's July Playlist

Warning: There will some overlap with Little Dragon's "Nightlight"... but it's pretty ok. Just go ahead and grab it twice. Why not? It was free.

Enjoy friends!

Entry Philosophy

A woman, who may or may not have worked for Mary Kay, don't ask, once said, "If it's free, it's for me!" Don't worry. This blog has nothing to do with make up sales or pyramid schemes (yet).  Regardless, this has become a mantra for me in my post college graduation lifestyle. My life's philosophy is that everyone should do something, or get something, for free at least once a week. Life is too short to be spending all your scrillions.  There are daily opportunities to discover new things.... and most companies are so quick to market their products at no extra cost to me, or you, so why not exploit that?  Each week I will be posting about something that I did or got for free. Perhaps there will be chances for friends to reap these benefits as well? Oh yes, yes there will. Because the next best thing to free shit, is sharing shit with your friends. So, let's have some fun and get some stuff with out busting open that cracked leather wallet.