If you're bored in the east bay tonight and you like my radio show, come down to the Ruby Room here in Oakland between 10PM and 2AM and hear me spin some music. The Ruby Room has fun hangouts and booze. Seeya tonight.

We met outside a closing bar. My inertia interrupted, I remained for some time; smoked an imaginary American Spirit; nurtured an imaginary bond; wrestled an imaginary tension. Until, once upon a moment - the late-night fellowship set into motion unrestrained - the imaginary heaved a material breath. A friend born! Empathy transfigured! The imaginary spirit hurls a cream pie into the face of Disenchantment; delivers a fresh, wet rasberry [sic] onto the unspecting [sic] neck of sleeping Courage; places a trap-door along the imminent path of Judgement! He swears an oath at all, and traces the outlines of romance as the pathway for my journey homeward!

The John Francis

I just got back from seeing José González down the street at the Swedish American Hall. If you've tuned into my morning radio show in the last 2 or 3 months, you'll have heard this guy since I play music from his debut album alot. The show was fantastic if brief.

Some things I hadn't realized about him; He's a very technically adept guitarist. I hadn't realized the complexity of a lot of stuff he's doing on his album. My favorite song, "Hints", is mind boggling to see him play. The majority of the song is played not by strumming but by moving his fingers along the frets rapidly. He's also extremely shy. He didn't speak between songs at all for the first half. He's Swedish by birth and Argentinian by heritage. He sings in a flawless American english accent and then between songs when he speaks, he does so with a heavy Spanish accent. It's downright unnerving.

He finished out his set with a riveting cover of "Teardrop" by Massive Attack. He said thank you and the entire room erupted in a standing ovation in seconds. It was a moving experience. He played 3 more songs and was gone. 55 minute set. Best thing I've seen in the last 2 months. You can get his album here.