Today we are (kinda) hip to the internet trends. A muxtape for you with some bands we’ve talked about over the past year. Except for the Hard Place and Mon Cousin Belge songs, both of which come from albums out on our label World Famous in San Francisco, these songs were all totally available for free on the WWW so don’t get mad at me for stealing, ok?

1. Girls – Lust For Life
2. The Passionistas – Don’t Hit Snooze (Live)
3. Hard Place – Mondays Are For Working
4. Mon Cousin Belge – Tweaker Bitch
5. Factrix – Splice Of Life
6. Bridez – Steal Drums
7. Sic Alps – Semi Streets
8. Fuckwolf – Mardi Gras
9. Jealousy – I Would Do That For Him
10. The Passionistas – Little Dark Room (Live)
11. Nothing People – Falling
12. Connie Fucking Francis – Where The Boys Are (Live)

This was my first time at Club Feral. I don’t really know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t the mix of 50’s man lesbians, PNW indie grandma clothes (and underwear!!) and clippered head punk scene that was going on. It was cool though, those kids are all really nice and I had fun even if I don’t quite get the fashion sense.

It was kind of a weird evening. The Passionistas felt somewhat out of place on the line up with Didimao and Connie Fucking Francis. Actually, I like lineups that don’t sit quite right. But also Aaron, one of their principal song writers and guitarists, was home sick sick sick and they were playing with Elton Tom on drums because Tina was out of town. They’re such troopers.

Because this was a benefit for cutter photozine, there were celebrities in the audience. Its really too bad Aaron was sick, because most notably Gwen Stefani showed up. She said she came because she loves their album, specifically Aaron’s songs and voice, and she wanted to ask him to be on a single she was recording that night. She was totally bummed he couldn’t be there and said it was too bad it didn’t work out. She couldn’t stay long but we did get some photos with her:

Look at her, she’s amazing! Its like a spotlight follows her everywhere she goes. She’s almost larger than life! And she had three costume changes with her. This lady is totally prepared and put together.

Admittedly we were in a daze for the rest of the show, so I’m going to rely on Gwen’s reactions. Didimao reminded her (and me) of being in college, specifically the student union at some punk show. It was totally that nineties unwound kind of sound.

Gwen thought The Passionistas played a lovably disastrous set. They included some of Aaron’s songs, just for Gwen. She thought they did a great job, especially since half of the band couldn’t be there!

Finally Connie Fucking Francis played. Gwen loved the idea of this — bratty punk rock covers of Connie Francis songs. She loved the way it sounded when these kids tore it up. But, I have to admit, after having seen them a few times I love the idea more than sitting through a whole set. I think I’m alone in this sentiment because Thee Parkside was packed solid and everybody was dancing as Connie’s songs were dragged kicking and screaming into the guttter.

see the rest here!

So, one last hurrah before I get on a plane and sit in airports for days on end becuase I refused to pay more to go to Tennessee than I would to go to Europe so my flight is insanely crappy with a million connections that I’ll never make visit my family for a few days, Tonight:

At first I was all, bands I don’t know anything about and haven’t had time to check out their myspace pages, maybe I won’t go. But then I realized I’m not that old yet and also the addition of Connie Fucking Francis makes me swoon. They are a punk rock dream. You should come too!