THE FRESNAN

The End Of One Long Fres-Nerdy Era

2012-09-18T00:52:38-07:00

Hi Fresnans. Welcome to the last official post on The Fresnan.

We... alright, it's time to drop the "we" bullshit... I will no longer write new posts on The Fresnan. A little local blog journey (that never felt like it got out of "beta mode") has come to an end.

I feel douchey doing a closing post but I always hate it when things I like (blogs, TV and radio shows, whatever) just end without a goodbye or a series finale. So this is for that little group of readers that happen to have liked this blog through the years.

WHY IS IT ENDING?
There are several reasons I feel it's time to stop The Fresnan. The biggest reason is I've blogged myself into a corner, so to speak.

The main content for the blog has evolved, over time, into posts about the music scene. Mostly posts about what show is happening that particular night. This requires me to be writing on a near nightly basis (Friday and Saturday usually being an exception). That kind of blogging schedule is not sustainable for me. With work and family, the only time I have to write is late at night. I simply can't keep up with it any more.

Now maybe changing the format back to the way The Fresnan was in the begining (more posts about general Fresno culture and media) would free up some nights here and there. Problem solved, right? Not really. I seemed to have lost the ability, or energy, or drive, to write about that stuff. Just lost it.

Facebook and Twitter have robbed a lot of that spark blogging once had as well. And that's a factor. But really that's a cop-out excuse. Good blog content can still trump social media, I just can't come up with enough good content to be relevant anymore.

Which remides me, I've always wanted to write more things like profiles of Fresno bands and bands that were coming to town. More journalistic style local content of stories that don't ever reach the media. But lack of skill and time always prevented me from that.

STATS
To those that don't know, asking a blogger about their stats is kind of frowned upon. It's a un-written rule amongst bloggers to not push other bloggers into revealing how many readers they have (no matter how much you want to know or think you know). But since we're done, I'll tell you that there are currently 152 subscribers to The Fresnan and the blog averages 156 unique views a day.

I've never actually turned a profit doing this. There have been a couple years when links or banner ads have paid for the site, but I have never earned a dollar in my pocket.

The biggest post ever on the Fresnan was when I (in a tounge-in-cheek way) said that we should open up River Park to traffic. It was a attempt to make the argument for opening up the Fulton Mall to traffic look silly. It got about 750 hits in 12 hours. One of the few things that went locally viral on this blog.

BLOGGER RESPECT
Over the years many blogs have come and gone. I'm not proud to admit it but I always enjoy it when new blogs come out strong then fade out just as quickly.

I know what it's like, you get that early little bit of success and recognition, think you're hot shit, then realize it takes a lot of grinding, day after day, to keep a blog relevant. Then you give up. I guess that's what I'm doing now, I just grinded it out a lot longer than most.

Much respect should be given to local bloggers Mike Oz, Joshua Tehee and Heather McLane. Through the years they (and some others) have motivated me to be a better blogger (not so sure it's worked but they motivated me). They've been doing it for as long as me and GET what blogging is. It's not a article, it's not a column, it is its own thing. Glad to know they are still out there fighting the good fight.

Bryan Harley needs to be recognised too. He did The Fresnan logo for free and was also part of the Dumb Drum blog that was a motivator as well. Old timer bloggers like Ed Stewart also pushed me. Incredible people and commentors, Blake Jones and Dale Stewart, I really have to stop and say thanks to as well.

In the early years, the biggest motivator and influence for local blogging, for me and for most everybody else, was Jarah Euston and Fresno Famous. This was the beginning of blogging for Fresno and I can still remember her writing a "how to blog" post that I used to teach myself how to actually do this.

BANDGEEK
If there will be a gap left by The Fresnan not posting anymore it's the end of the Friday "Bandgeek" posts. This one I feel the most guilty about abandoning. It was personally rewarding but took two to four hours to write every Thursday night. It was tough. I remember some times too when I would lose the post (delete it accidentally or have it freeze up and go away) after writing for two or three hours straight then have to do it all over again.

If you want sources to find out what's happening in music on the weekends, make sure to check:

Mike Oz's posts and Post No Bills.
Joshua Tehee's reviews and posts
Audie's Olympic Facebook page.
Fulton 55's website.
Kuppajoe's Facebook.
CYC's Facebook.
Love The Captive.
Art Silva.
Laura Splotch.
Pink Teeth.
Religious Appeal.

There's more but that will get you started. By the way: SUPPORT FRESNO'S MUSIC SCENE! There is a lot of talent around here, especially for a small city, get out there and see it.

OTHER PROJECTS
Sorry but I will not be off the indie media radar totally. I still love doing the long runing podcast I'm a part of: Dorktown. I will be recording shows like always and posting Dorktown and podcasting related material on the blog.

This is easier for me to do because it can be done when time allows rather than having to make time for it on a nightly basis. Plus, I get to podcast with two of my best friends in the world (Producer Becky and "Bells") so it's easy to motivate myself to do it.

I also plan to still use my spot on Fresno Famous (I use the handle "Wiffle") to post stuff when inspired to and have re-booted Flowing With Famous podcast with Josh Tehee. Additionally I will keep the Fresnan Twitter account active (ironically) by RT-ing and linking to relevant Fresno stuff.

I will keep The Fresnan going in 'archive mode' for a while too and try to keep the links updated.

So please support that stuff and Dorktown Podcast if you're a supporter of The Fresnan. Support for Dorktown especially would mean a lot! I hope that not posting on this blog will force more creative content on Dorktown. Time will tell.

FRESNAN OUT
So thank you so much for reading this. Fresno is a good city that has potential to be amazing and that's what I love about it. Support things like Creative Fresno and anything and everything creative in Fresno.

Thank you thank you, thank you.

-Mikey "The Fresnan"

BANDGEEK!: A Rocking Vacation

2012-09-13T06:00:00-07:00

We are on a vacation. That's our excuse THIS week for having another limited Bandgeek post. Now you may ask "How DOES one take a vacation from being an unpaid blogger?" Not sure but it's happening. Anyway, Fresno music isn't taking a vacation. It's working hard:

FRIDAY

KUPPAJOE'S: Metal and hardcore from San Jose's Me The Mountain and more:

AUDIE'S OLYMPIC: Look out. Patrick Contreras playing with the Jay Smith Group. Crazy amount of talent for one stage.

BABYLON: Huge festival size lineup, headlined by Wes Borland's Black Light Burns. Plus all kinds of local talent like Violent Serenade, Euphoria and more. Tickets. Info:

THE LAMP POST: He was a hit at FUSE Fest and now see B. Rawcity for free:

THAI PALMS: Don't pay a cover and Iwanaga, Halfway There and Llama Boy:

FULTON 55: Country and bluesgrass artist Scott H. Biram plus Restavrant. Tickets and details.

SATURDAY

AUDIE'S OLYMPIC: Is that Strange Vine and Light Thieves on the same night?

THE CYC:

FULTON 55: CD release party for locals Back in the Valley. Plus, Westerns:

Well that's what we managed to find, but we admit we don't know everything. If you know of a band playing, a weekend event that's not on here, or you want to talk about what IS on here, please use the comment section of this post to its fullest!

Support Fresno's music scene!

Future flier/show submissions, email: mike@thefresnan.com

In Town Tonight: Ape Machine

2012-09-12T08:00:00-07:00

Portland brings the shit with stoner rock band Ape Machine. Plus Fresno's Style Like Revelators and the continuing return of Beastmaker whom have quickly got some good local buzz going.

In Town Tonight: A Whole Lot of 'Core-ing

2012-09-11T08:00:00-07:00

At the CYC, pretty much all your key 'core rock will be represented tonight when seven bands throw down in china town. Seattle's Mercy Ties leads the way with, Bubonic Bear (Philadelphia, PA), Heavy Medical (Philadelphia, PA), Fever Dreams (Saint George, UT), Globe and Beast (San Diego, CA) helping out. Let's not forget locals Grow and Tiger Lily.

Mercy Ties:

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=&quot;http://mercyties.bandcamp.com/album/under-the-gold-rimmed-sky&quot; _mce_href=&quot;http://mercyties.bandcamp.com/album/under-the-gold-rimmed-sky&quot;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Under The Gold-Rimmed Sky by Mercy Ties&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Bubonic Bear:

&amp;lt;a href=&quot;http://bubonicbear.bandcamp.com/album/fleshworld&quot; _mce_href=&quot;http://bubonicbear.bandcamp.com/album/fleshworld&quot;&amp;gt;fleshworld by bubonic bear&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

FUSE Fest 2012: It's The Moments That Count

2012-09-10T07:00:00-07:00

It's probably a good sign when you are tired after a music festival. Nobody is ever tired after having a boring time. Such is the case the day after FUSE Fest 2012. We're very tired.

There were a lot of cool moments this year: Being moved by the rock of Sparklejet. Discovering Alana Hill has an amazing voice. Seeing Kat Jones reconnect with her Fresno fans. People tripping out on the robot that is Collecto. Light Thieves wowing F55:

Werebear tearing it up the Lampost:

People on Iron Bird Loft balconies enjoying Blake Jones:

CMAC getting to show off their bitching studio...

...and College Kids sounding amazing inside it:

Cinco/TRKS accomplishing something rare at FUSE: bringing out teens:

Basura sparking some festival dancing. Achievement House packing Fresno Brewing Company, making it all hot and sweaty. Tokyo Garden running out of all their Japanese beer:

There's many more but, again, we're tired. Video coming this week.

Really happy to be a part of something cool for Fresno that you don't see much of in any other cities. Can't wait for what next year will have to offer.

POST TAKEOVER - FUSE FEST 2012: Bandgeek is FUSEGEEK

2012-09-07T09:13:10-07:00

Our last Fresno Urban Sound Experience 'post takeover' is the biggest. A special Bandgeek with all the info you need to enjoy the festival this weekend with links to the venues and band websites.

Come out early and stay late. It's a total geek-out for fans of live and local music. It's FUSE FEST!!:

FRIDAY

IRON BIRD LOFTS (All Ages)

7:30 So Long Williamsburg
8:30 Blake Jones & the Trike Shop
9:30 Boxcar Figaro

FULTON 55 (Main Stage) 21+

7:00 Alana Shap Hill
8:00 Actress
9:00 Light Thieves
10:00 Sparklejet
11:00 Collecto

FULTON 55 (Coffeehouse Stage – upstairs) 21+

7:30 Karen Marguth
8:30 Siren Singing
9:30 Kat Jones
10:30 Fatty Cakes

THE LAMPOST (21+)

10:30 Your Hero Is A Villain
11:30 Werebear
12:30 Dislodic

SATURDAY

CMAC (Inside Old Fresno Met building) “Studio Stage” (All Ages)

4:30 Gayle and The Bowties
5:30 Danielle Rondero
6:30 College Kids
7:30 Art By Numbers
8:30 Lezayr
9:30 American Sanchez

CMAC “Outdoor Stage” (All Ages)

5:00 I Do Not Exist
6:00 Before Perils
7:00 Distrito Torre
8:00 B-Rawcity
9:00 [surprise band]

FISHBOWL – Warnors Theatre Marque (ALL AGES)

6:30 Aesop Fables
7:30 Strawberry Jam
8:30 Cinco
9:30 It’ll Grow Back

FRANK’S PLACE (21+)

7:00 The Dirty Stomp
8:00 Back In The Valley
9:00 Basura
10:00 Patrick Contreras

FRESNO BREWING COMPANY (All Ages)

6:30 Restaurnaut
7:30 The Overdubs
8:30 Brother Luke & the Comrades
9:30 Achievement House

TOKYO GARDEN (21+)

10:00 Niilo Smeds
11:00 Sunburns
12:00 General Populus
1:00 Ornery Ones

TICKETS
Festival Pass is $20 (gets you into every venue and stage for both days).
Day Pass is $15 (gets you into every venue and stage for one day).
Venue Pass is $5 to $10 (Fulton 55), depending on venue. Good for one venue.

Tickets will be available at the Fulton 55 box office starting now. BRING CASH! They will also be available at most venues throughout the festival…did we mention to BRING CASH! You want to have some cash for band merch too!

PARKING
There is free street parking throughout the Cultural Arts District (or Mural Town!! if you prefer) and at city lots around the Fulton Mall. (Parking meter spots are free on weekends and evenings)

RANDOM
The official Twitter hashtag being used is #fusefest

Check the Facebook event page and invite some folks! There's a lot of samples from FUSE Fest artists poping up there too.

FOOD
Eating at FUSE Fest is recommended at Iron Bird Cafe, Tokyo Garden and Fresno Brewing Company. Dusty Buns will be on the Fulton Mall (in front of Fresno Brewing Company) on Saturday night.

DRINKING
On Friday: Fulton 55 and The Lamp Post. On Saturday: Frank's Place, Fresno Brewing Company and Tokyo Garden. Iron Bird Cafe both nights for excellent coffee and tea.

GET THERE EARLY! The set times aren't like normal set times that are "suggested". It STARTS at 7pm on Friday and 4:30 on Saturday (Music Gods willing).

The Central California's biggest LOCAL music festival. Come out and kick ass with everyone.