going nowhere. yet

I hate how all electronic devices have an unofficial expiration date which makes you buy shit over and over. Cell phones breaking down, laptop barely functioning and now my Ipod's doesn't play stereo sound anymore...

I love how the weather here has changed so abrubtly from sub-zero temperatures to sun filled days and temperatures upto 18 degrees
Spring and summer have officially arrived and I'm loving every bit of it, I've been riding out as much as possible. loving life
next week it's easter holiday and we'll be in for the chill

Summer also means cool shows and fests.
Break Even will be playing a show in Belgium on may 14 at the seaside, siked to see these guys play. They'll be releasing their full lenght, 'The Bright Side' on vinyl on Anchors Aweigh Records in april. get into it

something else you should check is Hopeless their new song called 'Warehouse' of their new 7". I think it's really good, definetly worth checking out


and last but not least
We have released another 13 names for the Ieperfestival on august 13-15, here goes:
BARN BURNER (CAN), CITY OF SHIPS (USA), 50 LIONS (AUS), FORENSICS (USA), GRAVEMAKER (CAN), KNUT (CH), LEWD ACTS (USA), MAXIMUM PENALTY (USA), NEXT STEP UP (USA) and UFOMAMMUT (I)

so siked to see KNUT play!
next time we'll be dropping names, the line-up will be complete and I can ashure you this will probably be the best edition we had so far.

more info on everything concerning the festival you can find here: Ieperfest 2010


peace.

just remember we're thousands strong.

I'll never look at winter the same again since I've spent it in the shithouse I'm in now. It's been about a year since I've moved here and last years winter wasn't that cold and long like this years. First thing you need to know about me, I fucking hate snow, it's wet and cold and besides the ability to throw it in somebody's face there's nothing 'cool' about it.
I'm lucky I haven't chrashed my face and knees into the city streets because of the ice, thats my second, I hate ice
I'd rather be trapped under ice than above, when you're under you are at least ovrwhelmed by cold making you numb to everything else. Slight downside is that you'll probably suffer from hypothermia and freeze to a sudden death, ace plan.

Over the winter something in our roof must've broken due to minus 0 temparatures, cause by now all snow and ice is melting down and is seeping it's way through the roof in the kitchen and bathroom, seriously fuck this house and fuck my cheap ass landlord.


So I've been here for about a year, moving in with Micha and Jean.
Since then a lot has changed for me and I feel a different person. I never took to much for granted in the past, or at least so I taught. When I left home last year I was 20, being a college dropout without a relevant education or anything that makes me stand out to be picked over someone else for functions I figured I could apply for. After struggling for a few months, thinking over and retracing my steps I rised above all of it, got me a part time job in a vegetarian restaurant and going back to college in order to persue my original goal from nearly 3 years ago, graduate a English - History highschool teacher. I passed 5 of my finals and failed 2. which is for being me quite an achievement.

2 years ago I had a life figured out for me, I just had to study and care about nothing else, still I failed all of my finals. This time it's all on my shoulders and I'm working/studying and I'm actually getting good grades...

Life's giving me a peek on how the bright side looks like cause I'm getting my scholarship after all, so lots of sleepness nights and working overtime have paid off.


right now I am yet again at the point of reading what I wrote and deleting every word I've written, cause really who cares... I care and it felt good to get this off my chest
my goal for 2010 is trying to do a band, and get things off my chest in another more musically, lyrical way and stop littering the internetz with crap like this

Besides all this stuff going down, I'm just living life, taking it in and try to make the most of it. I do have some things bugging me but I've learned to deal with them or getting them out of my way. Life is cold but good. Ieperfest winteredition went quite well although I really didn't wanna show up, it was a good night without too much bullshit, looking forward to the summeredition halfway august.

Seeing Floorpunch tonight, Kewl.
Summer here I come, destined for anything.


listen to life long tragedy and the beatles, for fuck's sake

Dear World

sincerely yours, Ieperfest

Ya Heard

shithouse.

FrostbiteInTheToilet

hahaha



giving the use of "freezing my ass off" a whole new dimension

End of a year

a little later than I intented to but here are my top 10 releases and top 10 live gigs of 2009

records are in random order because they're all to close to each other to pick just one

Hopeless - Dear World

-This has been one of my favorite Australian releases of this year, really like how this turned out. Fan ,both music and lyricwise.


BLKOUT - Total Depravity
-About halfway through the year this record was definetly ranking number one. Haven't always been a fan of this style of hardcore, so I'm not gonna write anything down of I don't know what I'm talking about. Great artwork, great tunes, I moshed


Amenra - Afterlife EP
-Whole new angel from Amenra, an EP with 3 new accoustic songs (and those same 3 played backwards, not on the vinyl tho?). Next to their usual repertoire of heavy dark sludge, some of their best stuff to date.(Listening to this however won't totally get you down if you're already having a rough day like their usual stuff does to me)


Rise & Fall - Our Circle Is Vicious
-Howetown shredders, later more on this
not such a fan of the artwork.


Bon Iver - Blood Bank
-Probably the best thing I've encounterd since a long time, this band... hear it to understand it, big fan of Vernon's work


Volcano Choir - Unmap
-Impulsive buy on 12-31-09, I do this every year on the last day of the year, go out and buy a record. This time I found this with a sticker added "Featering Bon Iver's Justin Vernon". sneaked into my top 10 last last minute!


Dead Man's Bones - s/t
-Call me a wuss if you like, I watched The Notebook in 2009 and absolutely loved it, great book as well. The dude with the beard known as Noah Calhoun in the movie and in daily life Ryan Gosling has a band, this is it. If you're into Bon Iver, Nick Cave, then something something, this all mixed with a childrens choir, you're in for a treat!


Blacklisted - No One Deserve To Be Here More Than Me
-Without doubt one of the best hc albums of 2009, bands deciding to turn it all around and throw in something whole knew and do a good job are hard to find, in this case, look no further. Lyricwise, I don't think I know any better writer than George who can pull things off like this, touching to read and trying to comprehend all of it.


Mindset - Real Power 7"
-This band is gnarly. high fives
Going on tour soon with True Colors in the states!


ON - Control
-My foot starts tapping and my head starts shaking whenever I hear this band, rockin' out!



SHOWS

Have Heart - Cassiopeia Berlin

- Best show of my life, and that's pretty much all I can say


Trash Talk - Livingroom show Ghent

-Pure Fucking Evil


Bon Iver - Pukkelpop

-I got to know his band through Kimberly, Bon Iver was playing on pukkelpop so we went together, the shiver down my spine and the almost tear in my eye, probably best non hardcore gig


Betrayed - Pressurefest Essen

-This made the trip worth it, great hanging out again, thankful for this, after all talking to Aram got me to start thinking of going back to college. which I did in the end.


Amenra - Kortijk

-I think the picture says about enough


Bat For Lashes - Accienne Belgique Brussels

-SupriseSuprise, loved Jolien her face when I old her after a 2 month secrecy I was taking her to Bat For Lashes, awesome gig, catching up with some friends, Olivier has the best stories.


The Effort - Ieperfest

-These dudes are probably some of the nicest guys I got to know last year. They stayed over at my place in July, although I had heard of their band,I never took the time to check them out, until I heard them playing at Ieper, blew my mind, fierce band with strong morals and lovely people in it, best gig of Ieper.


Trash Talk - Ieperfest

-"We've got a surprise for you guys" they told us while we helped loading out. Trash Talk was about to setup on the floor instead of the stage, mayham all around, I punched some asshole in the face and I don't even regret it, this band turns people into evil creatures with supernatural powers. hard as nails


BLKOUT/Miles Away - Cassiopeia Berlin (+Ghent)


-The show in Ghent was probably the most insane night of 2009. I have no idea how to describe it, the show was a total dud, 20 attendees, of which 3 other Australians (wtf) and still it was a blast. what happened after the show was just pure madness, mix Australians, Swiss dudes with some (shitloads) alcohol and other drunk people who just finished their summer finals and you get to see some wild shit

They set the still standing record of amount of people sleeping in the house, which is around 20-23 people. we went out for bugers and fries for breakfast and I got to ride along to the next show, I had a great time and it was awesome getting to know some of these guys a little better






Carpathian - Sunrock Heist

-Wrong fest, wrong stage, wrong crowd, best setlist plus Joy Division's Shadowplay
nice day by the beach

still.

Happy Newyear!

I've spent New Years eve at Kwinten's house together with Olivier, Ebert and Emmy
we did some cooking, some meat/vegan fondue and had too much to eat in the end.

We watched some fireworks, Ebert showed his red haired arse for the first time in 2010 to an old lady.
We went out after it, and it didn't really turn out how I expected, nevermind that, foodparty was awesome.









still,
loneliest night of the year.