I've had a mixed couple days here. This morning's commute took an hour fifteen. Twenty minutes on the bike had I ridden. I can't really complain because while picking up some high-value BART tickets today I drew the "BART favor in your error. Collect $15" monopoly card. I handed over my two commuter checks for $45 and $60, and was given two bart tickets, I turned to walk away and checked the value on the tickets to make sure I'd gotten the right one's only to find two $64 dollar BART tickets. I figured I'd just handed over different commuter checks than I'd thought I had but after catching my train when I looked at the stubs they were indeed $45 and $60. Anyhow, brightened my morning despite the delay

This, however, is not the real news (or related to the photo above). The real news is that next week Tuesday Feb 2, your humble Concrete Skyline will be engineering the live performance of none other than The Album Leaf, live on KALX. That's right, I will be working with Jimmy LaValle and the band on Tuesday. For those playing the home game, The Album Leaf is one of my favorite bands. I'll also be at their show at the great american on the 12th. So tune in Tuesday at 1pm or listen online.

So while visiting my friend Allen in Amsterdam last summer, I got to attend one of his bands early performances. They hadn't settled on a name and had a gig that Monday night (April 17th 2006). Kris, Allen and I were throwing around band names, proposing different things for them to use that night (to tide them over till they got a real band name). As most people who know me are aware, I love coming up with band names, and do so in many idle moments. Needless to say, this was no band-name-genesis amateur endeavor. So, for better or worse, I suggested Caspian Hat Dance. There was a general interest in the name, and the band decided to go use it that night.

I'm going to visit Allen again next month and I just went to check google, remembering that Kris had said that, to Allen's chagrin, the band had decided to keep the name. Holy shit! I mean I guess this shouldn't surprise me, they're a really great band, and they're still together performing now a year later, but still to see all of this material out there on the web with a name that I came up with. Well I guess this is what actually creative people must feel like all the time (when Jack hears me humming a song he wrote, or when Kris sees someone reading her article in the paper). I'll settle with seeing webpages of Allen's band with their band name.

Here are some videos of the band.

Here are some interesting finds from last nights show.

• Lifesavas - Gutterfly
• The Twilight Sad - Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters
• Tracy Thorn - Out of the Woods
• Sybarite - Cut Out Shape
• Ror-Shak - Deep
• Skinny Puppy - Mythmaker
• Music For Animals - Self Titled
• Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra - Voices and Choices