Books: Columbine

Columbine by Dave Cullen

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a thorough and well-written book that delves into the events, causes, and aftermath of the Columbine tragedy. It has been 10 years since the massacre inflicted by Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, and answers as to why they did it are still murky. There are many misconceptions about that day, and this book does an excellent job of sorting out the truth, and debunking many of the rumors. 13 students died, many were wounded, and Cullen tells their stories. He explores the nature of psychotics and suggests that any thought that this was a revenge killing are completely false. He explores the journals and videos left behind by the killers and gets to an underlying truth, one that is perhaps unsatisfying to those who need a “why?”: they were disturbed, not motivated by the same desires that motivate normal people, and it is quite possible that nothing could have stopped this (save, of course, preventing the easy access to firearms that allowed it to take shape).

It is tragedy, but there are tales of hope within. Patrick Ireland, the boy who was seen stumbling out the window, has a story that is downright inspiring. After he was shot, he was unable to walk or speak properly. It looked like he would have permanent brain damage and maybe, if he was lucky, he might be able to walk with a crutch, and the occasional support of a wheelchair. But months and months of hard work and a fierce determination led him to a remarkable recovery and today, he lives a life where his injuries do not define him. Now he walks on his own, and the wheelchair is gone.



Reading this, I found myself getting a little pissed at a lot of the people who blamed video games, violent movies, “liberals” and the like for this tragedy. I also got angry at the media for how they picked up and reported the myths, which spread and became like truth. Get past the bullshit. Read this and find out the truth.




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Nerdfest Videos are up!

Videos from my most recent performance at Nerdfest 3D are up! Please check out the show you missed! Or re-live the show you made! Note that there are some brand new songs that are not on any of my albums.

Videos courtesy of Miltonius Prime (thanks!)

http://www.myspace.com/miltoniusprime


Frustrating Conversationalist
Sandwich
Old and Cranky
Forget about Youth in Asia
Sit Down, Shut Up
I am a Champion
STDs
I Love Crack
Wash the Dish
Lotion
Man Friend

Notes on Nerdfest, Davey G.

notes from Nerdfest 3D, The Windup Space, Saturday June 6th.

Openers.

Oh, my, what can I say? Well, for starters, I opened a show for the first time in awhile--it’s what I asked for, I guess, when I said “just don’t put me on last.” Opening has its own advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are the low expectations that make it possible to rise above. How many times in your life have you been to a show where the opening band blows away the headliner? I can think of maybe two or three times that has happened over a good 20 years of going to shows. It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, it is truly a special thing.
Then there are the disadvantages of going first. Those low expectations also mean that many people may not bother to show up early, or (even worse) they don’t pay any attention to you.
But for this show, I can say that I had the right crowd, and I think I managed to score a hit. I’ve played some of my new songs at least two or three times now, they’re still not quite stuck in my brain yet (note cards, note cards). I played “Get a load of THAT guy,” “Old and Cranky,” “Sit Down, Shut Up,” and “Frustrating Conversationalist,” as well as all the old classics, and the reception was good.

The Lotion Bit.

I hadn’t done the lotion bit in awhile. The show in March was cold, the show in May was…probably not the best audience (kids). But this time, I had prepped a particularly watery and messy mix, which made for a spectacular show on the floor of the Windup Space (sorry, Russell) and by the end, I had spent another whole bottle on the longest running gimmick of the Davey G and the Keyboard show.

Oh, Crap.
Not long after this, I realized that I had misplaced my wedding ring…it occurred to me that perhaps in the messiness of the lotion bit, it might have slipped off my usually otherwise dry and fat finger. I made the obligatory PA announcement… “uh, hey, if anyone finds my ring…you know, it’s kind of important…looks like a circle…”

Whew.
It turned up just a few hours later. When I was unloading my gear, I did a careful search of everything, and then it turned up inside my keyboard box. So it did not come off during the lotion bit, after all…

Closers.
All in all, a good show, a good crowd. Thanks to everyone who showed up, helped me out, thanks to the Windup Space and Save Vs. Poison for inviting me to play. Maybe I’ll see you next year???

Thanks for reading!
--Davey G.

Ps--there is a video of this show, when I get the URL I will post it here or in another post on the blog.

Davey G at Nerdfest! Saturday, June 6!

Hi,
So busy, so busy, I never even had time to blog about the wonderful time I had playing Free Comic Book Day last month (thank you all for coming out!).
Why so busy? Well, let’s just say that the Mrs. and I have become homeowners (thank you) and our time has been consumed with things like moving and telling kids to get off my lawn. But it’s all worth it, and now we move on to the next exciting thing, namely, my next appearance at Nerdfest!


Nerdfest 3D!
Saturday, June 6
The Windup Space,
12 W. North Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland
21202
www.thewindupspace.com

What follows is the schedule of events, as they’ve been given to me. Note that I am going on early, around 7:30, so get there early!
Hope to see you there!

--Davey G.




4:00 - OPEN - Gaming begins
7:30 – 8:00 - DAVEY G and the KEYBOARD
8:00 – 8:20 - Science Presentation #1
8:20 – 8:50- MILTONIUS PRIME and MC DIABEATS
8:50 - 9:10 – Science Presentation #2
9:10 - 9:50 –DIRTY MARMADUKE FLUTE SQUAD
9:50 –10:10 - Science Presentation #3
10:10 – 10:50 –BENE GESSERIT WITCH
10:50 – 11:10 - Band transition
11:10 – 11:50 – ABIKU
11:50 – 12:10 - Band transition
12:10 – 12:50 - PERVERSE OSMOSIS
1:00 - CLOSE

Free Comic Book Day with Davey G and Friends!

Hello everyone,

I’m excited…excited beyond the usual level of excitement that accompanies the announcement of an upcoming show. I’m really hoping that you can come out and see me play at my second Free Comic book Day show on Saturday May 2 at the Collector's Corner in Parkville. I know last year’s was a hoot, with many costumed superheroes and lots of free stuff available. (You must bring your camera, trust me.) And the bands! Even if I wasn’t playing, I’d come out to see the Dune-inspired rock of Bene Gesserit Witch, not to mention the sheer rock power of the Mandroids. Did I mention that this show is FREE? Very excited.


FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!
Saturday May 2, 2009 / 10:00am-6:00pm
Collectors Corner 8108-A Harford Rd., Parkville, MD
www.collectorscornermd.com
FREE / ALL AGES
FINAL TIME SCHEDULE
Basically bands on the hour.
5:00 – 5:40 - Mandroids
4:00 – 4:40 - Person Parcel (Gary B)
3:00 – 3:40 - Muscle Twin
2:00 – 2:40 - Davey G and the Keyboard
1:00- 1:40 – Bene Gesserit Witch
12:00 – 12:40 – The Alameda


Thanks for reading!

--Davey G.

Books: The Wishbones by Tom Perrotta

The Wishbones by Tom Perrotta

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have been reading all the Tom Perrotta books and I think this one might be the saddest, in terms of what it reveals about the nature of dreams and in this case, not knowing when to let them go. Many of the later books involve some middle aged person undergoing a crisis (with the exception of Joe College) but this one is about a somewhat younger character and has the funny yet depressing theme of growing up and getting over your adolescence. This is the story of Dave, guitarist in the wedding group the Wishbones, who somewhat impulsively decides to ask his girlfriend of fifteen years to marry him. The fact that he has been with the same girl...on and off...for so long indicates a serious problem, an inability to get over himself and commit to something other than his music. Additionally, there is his affair with a woman in the city, which tests and challenges his upcoming marriage and makes him wonder why he is going through with it. He is hanging on to his dream of being a rock star when the dream has long since moved past him. It is heartbreaking, but you spend more time laughing out loud at the way the story unfolds.

I enjoy Tom Perrotta's books so much I almost hate that I read them so fast. I also think that he has an excellent sense for writing about relationships, often nailing the many feelings we go through when we are in one. Soooo good! Bad Haircut next!


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Books: Inventing Niagara

Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power and Lies by Ginger Strand

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
The central premise of this book is that the natural wonder we know as Niagara Falls is in fact an example of how nature is manipulated for man’s own purposes but still sold as “nature.” The author’s love of the subject is obvious--this is as much about her own voyage of discovery as it is about Niagara Falls. We follow her as she meets interesting people associated with the Falls. She describes her many visits to the region, the many people she meets, what she uncovers at the library, the local records, etc. It all comes across in a way that is interesting to read. What we learn in this book is how the power of Niagara was harnessed and then ultimately re-shaped for the benefit of tourism, making it more user-friendly rather than literally just letting it run its course. The history of industry in the area is explored; how manufacturing once thrived until it mostly left for places with cheaper power and lower taxes. The toxic history is presented, from the region’s unwitting role in the development of the atomic bomb to Love Canal and beyond. The last chapter is about the state of the American side of the falls, which has not fared as well as the Canadian side, partly due to the fact that the Canadians had casino gambling to draw people over to their side. Apparently now there is a casino on the American side, but is it really enough to save the region? And should a beautiful natural treasure like Niagara Falls ever need “saving?” The history of the American side reads like a horror story of something that has happened to a lot of once-great American cities.

Over all, this is a good read. It is more of an exploration of the author’s curiosity than it is a call to action for the environment, which is probably a good thing, cause, well, I’m pretty lazy.


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Irritated at (big surprise) City Paper.

http://www.citypaper.com/digest.asp?id=17733

Should I be irritated that this review of Awesomefest doesn't even mention me? I can't help it.