Familiar face?

Javier Mendoza on Channel 5

Red Pill Studio Celebration of Song

We went to The Sheldon Concert Hall tonight to attend Red Pill Studio's Celebration of Song event. Four songwriters performed: Javier Mendoza, R. Scott Brian, Amy Petty, and Levin Bilchik. It was like a songwriters in the round performance. Really cool!

Javier Mendoza @ LaGra

Tonight we headed to LaGra to grab dinner and catch Javier's first show of the year! Javier has been in Spain for a month so we were ready for a show!

Javi Show @ Brandt's

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Originally uploaded by dehmystic

LacubriousToo and I took his Dad and Sherry to the Javi show at Brandt's Cafe. It was amazing! Check out the Javier True Fans site.

Javier Show @ Brandt's

My crappy cell phone photo! Check out the flick site for better pics!

Javi time!

Hermann - After Show @ Tin Mill Brewing Company

Mmmmmm....beer.

JM's set list saved from the show! Really, its more of a guideline than a set list....Oh Reaaaallly?!?!?

So at the Tin Mill Brewing Company we tried the Pilsner (meh), the Hefeweizen (good), and the Dopplebock (good). Not much in the way of food, but the beer was cold and Mr. Lacubrious got to use their garage door (at the back) to get inside...a la...the handicapped accessible entrance!

Mother's Day Weekend

Pics to follow, but it basically went like this....
New Haven Care Center - Tea with Grandma & Mom
Drive to Columbia
Meet the Webers for dinner
Javier show @ Cherry Street Artisan
Sleep...Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Up Early for breakfast with the Webers at Main Sqeeze
Coffee @ Kaldi's
Head to LacubriousToo's Mom's
Lunch & Visit
Drive home
Finish FINAL Final
WHEW!!!!!

Cinco De Mayo in STL

Jmb@cherokee st.

Galesburg, Illinois

So...LacubriousToo and I headed to Galesburg (brrr-ass-cold), Illinois for a Javi show and a chance to get outta dodge!

The drive was only 4 hours, which is just about my limit these days for travel by car.

We "blew" into town around 3pm, checked into Comfort Inn where we found our room to be a sweltering 98 degrees! The 120 degree temp difference between the minus 30 wind chill and that was a bit much.

We chilled for an hour or so, then headed our to find some dinner. We went to the Packinghouse, but ended up with appetizers and salad bar because we were pressed for time to get to the venue.

The Orpheum Theatre

We got to the venue at 6:30 (Thanks TomTom!) amid a brisk winter wind that practically blew us across the street. (Did I mention it was COLD!)

Javi had arranged for tickets so we hit the box office and were efficiently escorted to the correct seats...which happened to be in the middle of the theatre. We were lucky enough to get seated behind Jaime and Sue. Darrin overhead them discussing Javi and the band so he interupted to ask them if they would mind if he shot photos of the show between them and that if he got too annoying them should just let him know.

As fate would have it, Jaime worked at the Orpheum Theatre and he offered to go ask the manager is we could move down front for a better vantage point. While he was gone Sue mentioned that Jaime was her theatre student (she teaches at Carl Sandburg College) and had gotten to go backstage and meet the band.

Theatre Manager, Kate Francis, came by and said it would be no problem to move up to the handicapped seating area.

Check out that architecture!

The show started out with Kate introducing Javier and the band. This time the "band" was Carl Glad, Dave Aholt, Joe Pastor, and Eric Grossman.

The set was:

1. Blood in the Water


2. Part of History


3. Acorralado


4. Once in a Lifetime


5. Letter to You


6. Dime Luna


7. When You're Not Around


8. Waiting


9. Night in Cusco


10. Julianne


11. Rococo


12. Cordoba


13. Always There


14. Look Around


15. La Professional (encore)


16. We Wasted Our Time (encore)

You can read a bit more about the show highlights on my post to JavierTrueFans.com.

It was a fantastic show, check out more of L-Too's photos below...

After the show, we hit a local bar. (Did I mention the smoking ban in Illinois?) Can you say "breathing easy"? I can!

Anyhow, it turns out the theatre manager, Kate was once (20 years ago) a member of Mr.Wizard, a cover band from St. Louis! We also learned a bit more about the history of the Orpheum Theater, built in 1916.

We finally wrapped it up and headed out into the bitter cold, and agreed to meet Javi and the gang for breakfast at the Cafe & Creperie. Yum!

L-Too and I drove around Galesburg a bit the next day to check out the college, and some of the older buildings...then we headed back home.

Thanks again to my Bro' on Pup Patrol!

Los Cabos and Planning the Weekend

Tonight we met up with another set of friends. I haven't worked up a "blog pseudonym" for them yet. They may have to make some suggestions.

Anyhoo, we enjoyed another dinner with them, this time at Los Cabos. We caught up on the last two weeks and chatted about: Movies, Music, Vegas, "How to give flowers and mean it" ahem, and also this:

Also, I can not believe that I have found someone who has seen more John Cusack movies than I! I am truly ashamed to call myself a fan. I may have to reevaluate my level of comittment to the cause, truly.

On the plus side, I found people who A) Have heard of the movie "Better Off Dead" and 2) Will admit they like it!

Anyhow, another pleasant ending to a rather hectic week!

As far as planning the weekend. MrLacubrious has that all TCO. We're driving to Galesburg, IL. to catch a Javi show. It's a 4+ hour drive, so we're staying over. My dear, sweet, bro has agreed to dog sit, yet again. I don't know what I would do without him! The dogs are big fans too. I think they like the shake up of the caretakers every once in a while.

Choco L'Art & Bowling

The entire Lacubrious Crew plus 2 met up for dinner and bowling tonight. It was the 2nd annual Javier True Fans Dinner & Bowling Classic. You may recall the first annual event where MrsJonez kicked butt at Oasis Lanes. This year was an upset as Javier sweeped the frames and won against everyone. I think he was motivated greatly after betting against each person individually and on different terms. All in all, it was fun and I was not lowest score! Thanks Kristina!

Prior to bowling we had a primer at the Jonez' house, where BlueFrost picked us all up in the Green Machine. We headed over to Choco L'Art in Washington to check out their dinner offerings and martinis.

Everyone else tried a martini, I opted for a glass of merlot, but after trying the espresso martini wished I'd gone for that...yum!

The food was decent, everyone had something different. I really enjoyed the atmoshpere, and we were able to talk even with 7 of us at the table. A very pleasant evening and great prelude to bowling.

After bowling, javi headed home and the rest of us crashed at the Jonez's, ate cheese and crackers, and chilled a bit before heading home....around 2-ish.

Can't wait for next year's event!

JavierTrueFans.com

UPGRADE!!!

Yes! So I signed up for my account on JavierTrueFans.com and my dear friend BlueFrost, upgraded my account so I can make posts to the site!

Now we have a place to park our show reviews, Javier news, and other Javier 411.

Also, Javier himself said he would link to the site once we get some more content online.

Amazing...

Javier @ Finale Final

IMG_1207f, originally uploaded by dehmystic.

Javi's Christmas Show(s) were rockin'! He played a lot of our favorites, rarities like Selle El Recuerdo & Corre La Mente!

We had a great time, met some new people (Basilio & Christine, Javi fans transplanted from Columbia!) and got to say adios to the venue.

Yes, Finale is closing...the building is going "Senior Condo". Bummer, because the place was great for intimate concerts and has fab sound. Rumor has it that it will reopen in another location, but it could be a year before that happens!

Javi & Carl @ Cherry Street

IMG_0873f, originally uploaded by dehmystic.

The most important thing...Javi had his Christmas Album for sale so we bought two! One for us and one for Mom.

I think we'll need to pick up a few more at Brandt's this month!

We listened to it on the way home and there's a surprise track! But you'll have to pick one up, cuz I'm not tellin!

You can buy one here: http://cdbaby.com/cd/jmband9

Lafayette Park '07

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Originally uploaded by dehmystic

So the 6 of us....yep, we're growing the groupies one assimilation at a time,...headed down to Lafayette to catch the full band at the park.

We were ill prepared. BYOB? Chairs? Blankets? Damn, good thing Kurtis and Mr LJ headed out to locate provisions! But did they have to drive all the way to a Schnucks??? There was some debate over that...but the improtant thing is that we got to lay beneath the stars, drink some suds and rock out to JM!

After, we grabbed some mexican grub and went to 1111 for some drinks and to chat with JM and Dave Aholt (piano master).

Great night! A Big Huge THANKS to Kurtis for driving the Big Green Machine so we could all ride together! When is the bar getting installed?!?

Jammin' at the Zoo

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Originally uploaded by dehmystic

HOT HOT HOT...but the beer was cold!


Here we are at the Zoo, checking out JM with a mix of musicians. I have to say the piano is a great addition. We heard it at Finale previously....and we like it!

We tried a new organic beer, a hefeweizen, and some Amber Bock...all AB products.

Rockin' the animals!

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Originally uploaded by dehmystic

IMG_9074f - Dennis
Originally uploaded by dehmystic

Javier Mendoza - CD Release Show!

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Originally uploaded by dehmystic.

Good times! We got quite a few new fans to join us at Lucas School House for the concert.

The only complaint was that too many people in the crowd were talking (loudly) through the show! Hello, go downstairs if you want to gab, we're hear to see Javi!