(it's another Tuesday version this week because I have stuff to do tomorrow)

I had the pleasure this weekend of attending a few shows at Music Fest NW, which is basically Portland's (smaller) version of Austin's SXSW. A bunch of venues, a bunch of bands, and a lot of it is awesome. I, however, am now that guy that, when I was in my early 20's, would point at and mockingly say "hey, look, somebody's dad's here!". Which always makes me laugh when I'm at a show and remember that, because I know full well that someone at a show is now doing that to me and I just don't give a damn.

Even in my show-going prime, when I would go to 3-4 shows a week (I had the distinct advantage of being in my early 20's in Seattle in the 1990's...I'm not a "you had to be there you don't know what you missed" kind of person normally, but man, that was a great time to live in Seattle), I wasn't ever a costumed show-goer; I didn't wear band t-shirts (even ironically), and my standard go-to-a-show outfit was plain t-shirt and jeans, or shorts in the summer.

So I have always had a healthy dislike for people who dress for a scene - I've always found it sorta pointless and show-ponyish. I don't go out to impress people, I go out to enjoy music.

When we were waiting in line for one show Saturday afternoon, there was a gaggle of hipster kids about four or five people behind us. The venue for the show shares a parking lot with a kinda trendy hotel, and there was a wedding taking place at the hotel, out in the courtyard. There was a pretty constant stream of cars pulling up and dropping people off for the wedding, and it looked like a pretty swanky wedding - lots of suits and ties and really nice dresses.

At one point, one of the hipster kids very loudly said "MAN, IF I MAKE IT TO 40 I'LL NEED TO SHOOT MYSELF. BEING 40 MUST REALLY SUCK" and then they went off on a tangent about how being old pretty much equals being dead.

I couldn't even get irritated at them - it was adorable. I wanted to go buy them all beer and say "let's meet in this same spot in 10 years and see how we're all feeling about getting old at that point, shall we?" It was either that or give them a copy of My Generation and tell them to STFU.

I'm not sure there's a question to be asked there, I just thought it was a really funny story; I guess I'll throw this week's NSSF open to pretty much anything. Seen any good bands lately? Excited for fall? What else is on your mind?