The View Looks Good From Here, Fresno

Episode 59

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:05:00 +0000

Yes, we know that we haven't recorded in a while. Yes, we're sorry. To make up for the time off, we hooked up with a newer, local band. That's right, we sat down with Chris Harrelson from Back in the Valley and recorded Episode 59.
Adam and Ed talk to Chris about: how the band came about their sound their album, The Lady the album artwork their Tioga Sequoia sponsorship shows around town upcoming charity work and of course, Shark vs Bear Give it a listen, and leave us a comment here or on iTunes. As always, language can get a bit salty, so if you're easily offended, be warned.

Episode 58

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 21:31:00 +0000

Yes, yes y'all, it don't stop. We got together with our friends from the Married Gamers and Dorktown and recorded a megapodcast. We're all releasing it, but for TVLGFHF it's Episode 58.

It's a long episode that goes all over the place. It's long, it's dirty, it's what you want. Get after it. Enjoy, but be warned, there is a lot of salty language.

Episode 57 tvlgfhf

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 18:42:00 +0000

Inspired by Dorktown, we're back with Episode 57.
Adam and Ed meander about and talk on a possible Fresno culture lag that is in reality them getting old. We discuss the recent election, comedy in Fresno, local eats, and repelling off the Security Pacific tower. Also, we steal some bits from Dorktown. Yep, that's how we roll. Enjoy, but be warned that you shouldn't play this loudly during church. People might be offended.

episode 56

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 04:43:00 +0000

It's Rogue festival time in Fresno, and we're here with an episode featuring Rogue performers Gayle and the Bowties.

In this episode we talk about who they are, how they got into the Rogue, the music they're playing and their overall Rogue experience. It's a good time. During the episode you can hear live audio from their most recent show - You Send Me, and Having A Party. We hope you enjoy.

BTW, you can see Gayle & the Bowties this Friday & Saturday @ the Rogue Festival for $4. You don't want to miss it.

episode 55

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 03:09:00 +0000

We return from our hiatus with some good friends, Chris & Kelly Brown of the Married Gamers. On this episode we discuss: What it's like to do a married podcast Why you don't realize you're really a gamer How much traffic they get The staff on their site Gaming conventions Favorite upcoming games Extra Life fundraising Whitney Houston and of course, Shark vs. Bear. Check out their podcast on itunes, and hit up the married gamers.net.

episode 54

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 03:23:00 +0000

A podcast about Fresno, California. Tonight's episode features Jared Jurcak. He's a local photographer and musiciain. We talk about:
Who Jared is
Jared's photography
The Fresno photo scene
Viper City Brass
A FUSE fest controversy?
Movember
Tattoos
Shark vs. Bear

episode 53 of tvlgfhf

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 19:34:00 +0000

We return to the podcast world with an interview with our old friend, Malcolm Sosa of Rademacher. We chat about:
- the new Babyhawk album
- the state of the Fresno Bee
- the closing of Iron Bird cafe
- some other stuff

We finish it all off with some random insults or compliments. You decide.

Episode 52

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 04:29:00 +0000

A podcast from Fresno, Ca. This episode features the Quiet Americans on the verge of the first ep release, on digital download and cassette. You better break out a walkman or a ghetto blaster because you're going to want hear this in its analog beauty.

We also talk about:
Arcade Fire
The Medicine EP
Tape
The Recording Process
The current Line Up
Koala bear vs Electric Eel

episode 51 tvlgfhf

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 23:28:00 +0000

Yessir, we're back with another episode of goodness. Today, we talked to Benji McEntee from the Rhoda Penmarks about their upcoming Rogue show.

In this episode we talk about:
what the Rhoda Penmarks do with movies
how to score a show
what makes a good band name
the Rogue in general
best Radiohead album

and a whole lot of other randomness. This episode runs about 90 minutes, so we hope you enjoy.

As always, this episode contains some salty language, so don't play it on your stereo around your grandmother. And, if we have any Mormon listeners, we're sorry in advance.

episode 50

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 05:29:00 +0000

A podcast about Fresno, Ca. In this episode Adam & Ed talk to their significant others, Carrie & Heather. The four discuss:
Walmart & Fighting Hunger in Fresno (fightinghungerfresno.org to give!)
El Olio Wolof's last show ever
The Global Village Idiots podcast
the return of Pub Quiz - featuring a hint
New Year's Eve recap & hopes for this year
and a little Shark vs Bear

We hope you enjoy. Remember, our mouths should probably be washed out with soap. That means there is salty language.

one final note, we screwed up and called this episode 49 during the episode, but it was actually episode 50.

permalink?

tvlgfhf update

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 22:58:00 +0000

we've been on hiatus for a month, mainly because my computer was broken. but, we're back in the game and you can expect new episodes to pop up in january.

in other news, all of our back episodes are available - we've finally got them all uploaded to our current server @ libsyn. yay!

episode 49

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 05:03:00 +0000

we return to the view looks good from here, fresno studio and are joined this time by roque and bryan from dumbdrum.com

on the episode we discuss:
the dumb drum website
cross streets web series
swede fest

check it out, enjoy, and we hope to see you all out at swede fest 6 on nov. 6

episode 48

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 02:58:00 +0000

We're back to expose Fresno, California as it. This episode features the hot new Fresno band, Fierce Creatures. Nathaniel & Mike jump right in and we discuss:
-how the band started and how many are in the band
-world domination, slave suits & songwriting
-touring, shows
-good charlotte loves fierce creatures
-south by southwest - we get bands on!
-more yapping about shows
-21 & over vs all age shows
-breaking fuse fest 2010 news
-where do they want to play?
-fresno ambassadors?
-malcolm sosa has a question for the band
-peter gabriel as god's representation & upcoming stuff
-bear vs shark
-brute & the beast

enjoy, and remember that there are "swear words."

august undercurrent article

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 01:13:00 +0000

Adam - Immigration, the act of entering, versus emigration, the act of exiting, is an interesting topic for me. Being white, male, and born in the USA, I’ll admit that it’s not a topic that I explore often due to my privilege. But, being a central California resident, I’m most certainly aware of it as a policy (most recently with Arizona’s new legislation as a tool of oppression) and as a struggle for those who actually attempt to engage in it both illegally and legally. We most often hear about immigration via politics, because it’s much easier to pander and fear-monger with an issue that is tied to something like racism, xenophobia, and/or nationalism. It’s interesting to me, that in a country known as the “melting pot” or “salad bowl”, filled with diverse cultures, foods, and of course, people, the way people refer to immigration is through the use of pejorative, hateful rhetoric. Immigration is what makes the world go round. Where would humanity be today if we weren’t explorers, constantly pushing the bounds, meeting new people and trying new things? That, in my mind is the absolute essence of immigration: blazing a new trail. People have different motivations for blazing that trail whether it is escaping oppression, following love, looking for better opportunities, or simply wanting to be somewhere different, but they all do it because they want something different and new. The intense backlash we are seeing towards immigration baffles me. When I think about all the things I like when it comes to music, to food, to film, to whatever, almost all of it can be traced back to another culture, another country, another place. Why would I want to oppose the forces that bring and integrate such awesomeness into the country I’m a citizen of?

Ed: Upon first blush, I’m for a more relaxed immigration policy, perhaps even a near open border if we could. But, I recognize the overly idealistic nature of these thoughts. So, I think we need a reasonable plan for immigration. I don’t know what that plan is, and I won’t pretend to be intelligent enough to form a comprehensive policy. Whatever we come up with we must always keep in mind that people want to come here for legitimate reasons like jobs and opportunity, why not accommodate as many as we can? But, therein lies the rub. We live in an alleged land of opportunity, but still many of our citizens are denied opportunity. We live in a land of plenty, but there are many that go without. Sadly, it is not these with the most need, these being left behind in our American society that are generally clamoring against those that wish to be here. It is those with the power, it is those at the top of society, it is those who fear a changing populous. This isn’t me just saying the rich people are evil or full of hate or xenophobic. This is me acknowledging that those in power are always seeking to maintain power, to maintain the status quo. And, if we allow more people in, especially if we allow them to become a part of this great land through citizenship then the grasp on power may be loosed. Were the Irish welcomed with open arms? Were the Italians welcomed with open arms? Were Catholics welcomed with open arms? Was anyone that was different than the dominant, controlling culture ever accepted with open arms? Sadly, that answer is no, despite the statements engraved at the Statue of Liberty, “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” So do we do then, how do we handle a country that no longer believes in immigration? Simply, we voice our opposition to these policies. We vote out those politicians that support such discrimination. Locally, we do the same, but we also need to find tangible ways to support those people that are here. Immigration is not some faceless policy issue. We can support agencies like Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministry (firminc.org), Fresno Metro Ministry (fresnometmin.org) and every other agency that we can identify that is actively working to aid those who are coming here to pursue the American dream. Fresno and the San Joaquin valley are an area of opportunity. We are a destination for immigrants, whether or not the powers that be want them here. With that in mind, I encourage every resident to find some way to help out their fellow human.

episode 47

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 07:27:00 +0000

we're joined in episode 47 by scott carter, senior vice president of marketing for the fresno grizzlies. actually, we join scott at the ballpark and talk to him about:
-his status as supreme coordinator of good times
-the grizzlies and social media
-coming up with new promotions
-parker, indie music, and the first pitch
-scoreboard talk
-the great fresno tweetup 2 (#tgft)
-shark vs bear - parker?

it was a great time @ the park, even if the grizz couldn't pull out a win. enjoy, and we hope to see you @ #tgft 2 on thursday.

july undercurrent article

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:04:00 +0000

and here it is, our latest article from the undercurrent. if you haven't already, pick up a copy around fresno.

Ed: I admitted in a recent column that since Fresh & Easy opened in Fresno, I’d been doing most of my shopping there. That’s still true, although I miss shopping in the gigantic warehouse that is Foodmaxx. But before you think I’ll get all nostalgic and head back, I’ve actually been thinking a lot lately about buying food from other sources, particularly fruits and vegetables. We live in an agricultural horn of plenty, and there are tons of market options available to your average Fresnan. First, there are little (and big) farmer’s markets. I’m not the biggest fan of these. Generally, a lot of them seem like stuff that I either don’t use, don’t use that much of (who needs 1 lb. of jalepenos?) or stuff that isn’t the highest quality. That last claim isn’t true of all the farmers market for sure, and the organic market on the Fulton Mall has some awesome stuff. What’s really peaked my interest is some of the local farming groups that are around. Many people have heard of T.D. Willey farms out of Madera, who delivers fresh, organic vegetables to a couple of points around Fresno. But there are other, similar operations that people may not have heard about. RipeNow (ripenowonline.com) is a recent addition to the scene, delivering local fruit at it’s freshest to your home. When I saw an ad for this service on tastefresno.com it really got my brain spinning. I also learned of another service on a friend’s blog. Farmer and the Dale delivers both fruit and vegetables to Fresno and Visalia, with the majority of the produce coming from Reedley. I don’t know, it doesn’t get much better than fresh, quality fruit delivered to your house. And I really like the idea of supporting local growers.

Adam: It’s interesting to see local producers’ delivery options becoming more and more common. It’s a great way to address the market when it comes to fresh produce because big box stores have really spoiled most consumers with the ability to be a one stop shopping locale. Most people don’t care if their vegetables are in season or come from another state, or even some place like Chile. We talk about how much it must suck for people that don’t live here and how they have to make due with boxed peaches that were picked when they weren’t ripe or asparagus that shipped across the country and is floppy and wilted. Yet, we don’t care or notice that the nectarine we just picked up at Savemart came from the southern hemisphere, was picked early, and “ripened” in the box on the way here. To be honest, we’re lazy. We’re spoiled and we take it all for granted. What these small farms who deliver are doing is catering to our desire for fresh, delicious, in season produce while at the same time, making it incredibly easy to acquire. And it’s really interesting how this movement has the potential to draw a community together. I know several people that get boxes from T.D. Willey that share the contents with their friends and family. What a great way to come together.

Ed: That coming together and sharing food is a great way to enjoy what the local market produces in community. I also appreciate that these local distributors are completely local. That means our neighbors in the valley growing this food. Jobs are being created and sustained by participating in these farming endeavors. This also means that the cost of transporting the food has been lessened. And, hopefully, the environmental impact of the purchase has also been reduced. Finally, in a way it’s resetting the culture of convenience. Sure, it’s convenient to have the fruit and veggies delivered to me, but it’s also a bit of retraining my diet. I admit I’m guilty of eating things out of season just because I want it. This way, if it’s not in season, it’s not on our plates. And so my family is embarking on this experiment of fresh delivered fruits and vegetables. We’re starting out small, with a one time purchase that we hope will blossom into a weekly or biweekly purchase. Whatever happens, we’re glad to take part in the local market.

june undercurrent article

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 17:02:00 +0000

as we continue to post undercurrent articles, this is a special one. you see, it was for the june issue, but due to a printing error, it didn't actually show up. so, here's an exclusive for you:

Adam: Hey, I'm gonna start it off with with reference to the University of Minnesota study on American attitudes towards atheists that came up with some intriguing numbers a few years back. I doubt they've changed much. One of the questions (with responses) was:

I would disapprove if my child wanted to marry a member of this group....

Atheist: 47.6%
Muslim: 33.5%
African-American 27.2%
Asian-Americans: 18.5%
Hispanics: 18.5%
Jews: 11.8%
Conservative Christians: 6.9%
Whites: 2.3%

And so now I get to ask Ed a loaded question. Do you think these numbers stem from a campaign by those who would define themselves as staunch opponents of atheism, the idea that atheists truly are just bad people, a corresponding percentage of in-groups who just don't approve of intermingling with out-groups, straight up bigotry, or something entirely different?

Ed: No, I don't think there is an organized campaign against atheism, straight up bigotry, or staunch opponents. I think there may be a lot about in groups/out groups that factors in. I mean, if you look at the United States, the majority of people have some sort of religious belief. With that in mind, I'm not too surprised that people distrust, or wouldn't want their child to marry, someone outside of their group, whatever the group is. Because really, if you shifted that question to another belief group besides athiest I'm pretty sure it would still skew the same. For example, we have had only one Catholic president and none that have claimed to be anything other than Christian. People like what they know, and are hesitant and fearful of what they don't. Why are you surprised by this?

Adam: But the question wasn’t leading with atheists. It just asked which group the participants disapprove of. I’m not sure how you could shift the question. And yes, I am surprised. To put it in a larger context, I’m surprised that atheists topped the list considering how steeped in anti-Islam our nation has seemed to be. I wouldn’t have even thought to have it register on the radar, let alone be number one. Then again, the number of people who conflate the theory of evolution with some sort of atheist movement is a factor that I’m sure plays into this as well, especially considering the recent push to teach creationism in science courses as a direct alternative. I think the larger issue at hand is the idea of organization. I’d be willing to bet that there is a large percentage of the religious world that conceptualizes atheism within their own framing; as an organized religion essentially.

Ed: Well, one thing that we don't know is how the questions were asked, along with how the answers were presented. In looking at the answers, half seem to be about types of belief, and the other half are about cultures. That alone may influence where people come out. What we also don't know about that particular study is how big of a study it was, where it was conducted, and if it really was a representative sample size for us to make applications to our society at large. I mean, since it was done by U of Minnesota, maybe they encountered a large group of people that are more accepting of Muslims due to the large Muslim population in that area. And as for people conceptualizing atheism in their own framing, sure. But, again, people do that for every group. People have an idea of who they think Mormons are, Muslims are, Buddhists are, and yes, atheists. Are atheists some unified or organized group? Well, no, not really. But then again, many religions also aren't as cohesive as their opponents portray them. We also have to think of the historical context of atheist in American society. I mean, for many Americans atheism goes hand in hand with communism, something every red blood American despises. And, mix in some vocal, somewhat controversial atheist figures like Madalyn Murray O’Hair and you there you go, a distrust for a group of people.

Adam: It was a random sample of 2000 people. Take that how you will reader because we’re out of column inches. And as far as outliers, we should be a better educated society when it comes to differentiating. Glenn Beck is a douchebag (can I say that here? ‘Cause I’m gonna) but that doesn’t make me think that all journalists are douchebags. Technically, this column makes me a journalist, and if I took the generalization to it’s logical conclusion, then I’d be a douchebag. I don’t want that! Anyway, I just wanted to see if I could get that word into the column three times. We’ve skimmed over a lot of serious things here. Now dear reader, it’s your turn to switch on the brain and consider these things rationally, humanly, and of course, skeptically.

may undercurrent

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:57:00 +0000

another old undercurrent column:

Ed: Labor. I'm no expert in labor or the labor movement. I admit this openly, and right up front. I tend to support the labor movement, and have defended it in online arguments against people who only see the labor movement as lazy, bloated and worthless. But, I recently ran into an issue where my clear waters have become muddied: the introduction of Fresh & Easy to Fresno. You see, I mainly shopped at Food Maxx, which is an offshoot of SaveMart, which is a union shop. The prices were cheap and the variety good. The union issue never came into play. Fresh & Easy opened in town and the prices were low, the locations were good but they're not unionized. In fact, for the first few weeks of being open, customers were greeted by protesters with signs and handbills. And online, I was actually arguing with people who were pro-union. I was on the other side. Okay, not completely, because I still am for unions, and i was more trying to get the anti-Fresh & Easiers to elucidate their points on why Fresh & Easy was going to cause the downfall of humanity in Fresno by being non-unionized. This also sparked an argument with a non-online friend. Adam, you were there. And basically, I realized I've come to the point of not caring about unions. Or, perhaps the realization that I never cared. I mean, I appreciate the benefits for my friends that are in unions, but myself, I've never been in one. My current job isn't unionized. My wife's job isn't either. In fact, most of the people I know aren't in union jobs. Would I like a union protecting my job? Sure, but I'm not going to boycott a store because they aren't unionized. I see the benefits for those in union jobs, and the protections they give for many industries and workers and I appreciate it. But when it comes down to it, I don't know if i actually am willing to make any choices strictly because of the union issue. What do you think Adam, are unions important to you? Would you choose a place based on its union/non-union status?

Adam: I think I'm about where you are. Here's where I stand. I think unions are great where they can be implemented. Reading recently about the tragedy that occurred at Upper Big Branch coal mine in West Virginia and how Don Blankenship's anti-union, anti-regulatory, anti-safety methods probably played a part, I see where they are needed as an answer to bald-faced, people-killing business ethics. Especially, in this instance, after reading that union-mines have a much safer track record than non-union mines because the workers are protected from intimidation for pointing out unsafe working conditions and the like. But here's the thing. I hate, hate, hate arguments from emotion and that to me is what picketing outside of places that are non-union seeks to do. Blankenship is a greedy asshole, to be sure, and he got his riches by bullying people; by intimidating his employees. Forcing the consumer public to intimidate non-union shops by not shopping there is the same sort of bullying in my eyes, the voting with your feet kind of mentality. This is the way we make society better and ensure safer workplaces and fair wages: education. You send organizers to meet with non-union workers to explain to them the pros and cons. You educate the public with facts and information. You see things like the United Mine Workers of America sending their emergency response teams to a non-union mine to help them because union or not, they are human beings that need help. That is what turns me on to unions. Not people standing outside of Fresh & Easy with signs, essentially trying to get people to shut down a place of business that, like it or not, provides jobs for local people in a time when jobs are scarce. I'd rather have a shitty non-union job than none at all. People are desperate and the way for unions to work now is to be a voice of reason, not emotion.

Ed: Those are all going points. I definitely agree with the part about recognizing those unions that are making a positive impact, often quietly changing the lives or the members and not focusing on those who want us to react against non-union shops just because they’re non-union. Oh, and I’m sure some very smart people correcting our union positions very soon.

march undercurrent article

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:56:00 +0000

gonna post some old undercurrent articles that never got up here.

Ed: Another month rushes by, and it seems that Fresno has been named, yet again, the worst at something in a nation. We've been called dumbest, fattest, worst, most illiterate, and now we're also the drunkest. Some people are going to get super defensive and go way out of their way to disprove this survey, which, by the way, isn't very difficult to do. Others will completely ignore the survey, which is also easy to do. The difficult road is to really examine the survey and to agree with the elements that are true, point out the problems in the methodology, and still try to make Fresno a better place to live. I mean, for those that already think of Fresno as a punchline, this was just another hay maker to throw. I'm not going to change that person's mind by getting all aggravated and fighting tooth and nail to prove it wrong. They'll just come back with some other reason why they think Fresno sucks. But if I really want to change their opinion, and change the results of future surveys, I need to show them what is good about Fresno. This month, we get to see one of Fresno's best, and yet somehow Fresno's almost unnoticed gems, the Rogue Festival. Yes, some people might enjoy alcoholic beverages while attending Rogue events that are held at venues that serve booze. For those that don't know the Rogue, and it's hard to imagine someone reading the Undercurrent doesn't know the Rogue, it's a large performing arts festival held yearly in Fresno. And, one of the biggest, best parts of the Rogue is that all of the money from every show goes directly to the artists and performers. All the blood, sweat, tears and years invested by the artist are rewarded directly through your financial support. Instead of sitting on your couch, loading another bowl or slamming back another beer, get out and spend that money on a show. The shows are done by local performers, as well as performers that come from across the globe. Literally, the Rogue has drawn international acts, acts from other cities and states, alongside our home grown talent. And as the Rogue has aged (this is the ninth year) it has improved in many ways. More venues have been added, more acts, and visual arts alongside performing arts and music. This is where I give a shameless plug for myself and Adam who will both be showing work at Ashtree studio throughout the Rogue and the month of March. You can also hear each of us speak about why and how we created our artwork at the "Why Did You Do it That Way? Artist Discussion Forums" that happen during the festival. They are rather interesting little events where you can not only hear an artist's thoughts but also ask questions about their work. Adam, what are your thoughts and feelings about the Rogue festival and its impact on Fresno?

Adam: I can’t say I disagree with your framing. People who don’t like Fresno (local and out-of-towners) will always cling to whatever evidence supports their pre-conceived notions, ignoring all the rest. Rogue is just one more glimmer on the sometimes purposefully obscured gem of Fresno. It’s one more instance of unpaid volunteers who dearly love both Fresno and its creative community coming together to enliven a local neighborhood with all manner of talent from the art world. Rogue is Fresno citizens who put up with all the derision and still work their asses off to bring something good to the city. Rogue is where you can get a taste of some of the bigger performance companies or hear a local musician plying their trade or see an experimental show. Some of these acts have been performed by people who have never done such a thing before. That’s the beauty of Rogue being non-juried; it can be a place where someone gets a foot in the door and makes a start. This festival is the kind of thing that all the naysayers should come out and see. They should come in droves. Go to the ATM, pull out $20, and go see three or four or five shows. See a one-person show. See a comedic show. See the visual art. Meet some other Fresnans, meet some artists and performers, and have a good time seeing that our town and Rogue have a lot to offer.

Ed: Very good points. I’d like to challenge all of our readers, and myself as well, go see an act or group that you haven’t seen before. I know several of the performers from previous Rogue festivals, and I’m sure they will put on very good shows again. But I need to get out and see someone new, and I won’t consider my Rogue festival experience a success unless I do. And if you miss the Rogue completely, well, shame on you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t see many of the local Rogue performers doing their thing throughout the year. It may be old hat for us to promote local entertainment and events through this column but who cares. There are talented artists, musicians, performers, actors and more here in Fresno, and if we’re ever going to make this a legitimate market we need to help it along every step of the way.

episode 46

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 04:20:00 +0000

yup, we've been in hiding, but we come back with something good for you. we're joined by johnny q of love the captive and here's what we talk about:

intro
who is johnny q
dogs & tp'ing
love the captive & franks place
venue talk
johnny q ninja
dream show + bring to fresno
promoting shows properly
outro

now, i'll be honest, you've got to be patient if you're the type of person that just wants to get to the details. we have a fun time just chatting for 15 or so minutes before we really get into the fresno music scene. trust me, you'll like it.

episode 45

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 04:08:00 +0000

we're coming up on our two year anniversary and we invited dj bradley from sonic foundation to come on the podcast and talk about being a dj in our beloved fresno.

in episode 45 we talk about

bradley's musical history
vinyl vs. digital vs. laptops
more musical history
what house music is
bradley's favorite and least favorite fresno venues
fresno's current scene for dj'd music
dj'ing to get some!
bradley & social media
facebook and twitter questions from fans
promos, plugs & we're out

thanks for checking it out.

episode 44

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:13:00 +0000

we hit you hard with our latest episode featuring local media darling, perhaps even "media whore" james collier.

in this episode we talk about:
who James is
how James ended up in the F
Paprika Studios
pub quiz hints
the Frebbies
James as a Buy Local media darling
Forty under Forty
k.m.j.
bear vs. shark
final plugs & outros

episode 43 of tvlgfhf

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:02:00 +0000

holy cow! we've managed to pull ourselves together long enough to record a podcast. we're joined in episode 43 by luke and eli from the quiet americans.

we all talk about:
who the quiet americans are
how many bands eli is in
our lost episode and merch
stoner rumors
why more bands aren't in the Rogue festival
condoms & hip new music
9 string guitars & french music
plugs, dolphin vs sheep

it's a fun time. check it out. subscribe to us on itunes if you haven't already

february undercurrent article

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:39:00 +0000

Ed: Fresno. Some people love it. Some people hate it. And there is a whole lot of feelings in-between. Myself, I love Fresno enough to contribute to a podcast that celebrates culture and events in Fresno. I would say there is a growing group of people in Fresno that are trying to actively change the culture here. Some of that has happened on the internet. A Facebook group was started to celebrate Fresno. Some bloggers ran more posts about Fresno people, places and things that they liked. And, a whole new blog popped up entirely to document an element of Fresno love every day (31daysoffresno.blogspot.com). With all this celebrating, it might seem like people are just ignoring the problems of the city. We have crime, we have low levels of education, we have job loss. That is all true. And in some ways, those things will always be a part of our city. But we want to do what we can to lessen their impact. It may take time, and a lot of work, but it can happen. What do I really like about Fresno? I like that there is opportunity. There are spaces available for those that are willing to risk big and start their own businesses. There are chances to be involved in a growing, vibrant arts community. The performing arts scene is growing in all sorts of directions with venues opening or being better utilized, the Rogue festival continuing, and other elements. And then there are things that happen worldwide that are coming to Fresno. Creative Fresno brought Pecha Kucha to Fresno (http://www.pecha-kucha.org/night/fresno) and has held five standing room only events over the last year. Adam, you and I have helped to bring in the idea of Pub Quiz to Fresno. Why did we do that? Well, we love trivia and we love Fresno and want fun things to do on a weeknight. We saw the opening and stepped up. Fresno offers that opportunity. And, Fresno is the where popping evolved! Who else can claim that? What are loving about Fresno right now? Wait, I'm assuming you love Fresno. Do you?

Adam: Well, of course I love Fresno! And the people that truly love and own their city are the ones who will be able to effect the most change. To take pub quiz for example, you and I both caught onto the idea from other places and thought it would be fun; that there might be a market for it in our neighborhood. But what helped us realize that idea were our connections and associations. We had made friends with the owners, managers, and service staff at the restaurant/bar long before we broached the idea of pub quiz. And we had close friends that were also tied into that network who offered their help and expertise. Becoming a participating member of the community will take you a long way (not all the way, but a good portion of the way) to success.

And that's what I see happening with those other things you mentioned. These aren't outsiders coming in and starting up successful ventures. These are members of Fresno who love Fresno and want Fresno to be awesome whether it be through Pecha Kucha or Rogue or Art Hop or whatever.

My theory for why Granite Park failed is that the community wasn't connected with enough. Those who started up that project thought that they could just plunk down and it would work. What do you think, Ed?

Ed: Ooh, Granite Park is an interesting failure. I mean, it’s an extremely complicated failure, but as far as I can tell, it was a local developer that thought he could make things happen. Maybe his heart and wallet were in the right place, but maybe the vision, the groundswell behind the project wasn’t there. Or, maybe there weren’t the “right” connections. Some developments seem to work very easily while others get bogged down. Cynical me sees the “good old boy” network of developers that helped sink the Fulton Mall, or were involved in Operation Rezone making it while others can’t get off the ground. Or maybe I’m naïve to who the power players are. And, as much as we had connections to people doing it elsewhere and willing to help or our connections to people at the venue, we also had a lot of great online connections that helped to blog, text, tweet and facebook about what we’re doing. This is another thing I do love about Fresno right now: if you can get your interesting idea into the right hands they’ll help you make it work. And I see that happening with design studios, web design businesses, and even food networks.

Let me sum up what I think we’re both saying. We enjoy Fresno. We enjoy many of the connections Fresno has to offer. We know it’s not perfect, and it hasn’t had a perfect history. But, in Fresno we see a city poised to really take off. We are creating a better Fresno, a history we will be proud of.

--if you're interested, you can read an article i (ed) wrote up about our pub quiz endeavor over here.

episode 42 of tvlgfhf

noreply@blogger.com (edward stewart & adam wall) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 04:43:00 +0000

dang, it's been a month. hugs and kisses because we're back with episode 42 and we talk about:

the holidays
pub quiz @ landmark
pecha kucha 5
beehive birthday bash
pub quiz at landmark

and some other stuff. give it a listen. enjoy. know that some swear words show up.