Carly Simon taught me not to be so vain, and not to assume this song -- or three-day festival of local and international DIY indie/punk acts -- was about me. However, I'm going to go ahead and assume that the "Cizmarch Madness" festival at YOBS has something to do with me given the two-year old video posted on the AZpunk page announcing the show, which was produced when I worked at The East Valley Tribune by my late friend Chris Page.
I'm honored.
I'm honored not just because San Diego's Blessure Grave is actually pretty good, as are Vancouver's Twin Crystals.
No, I'm mostly honored because the festival's organizers thoughtfully decided to validate every point I made in the comment section of the "house shows" post that has all these DIY kids up in arms. True to form, they're scheduling Cizmarch Madness up against The Trunk Space's two-day Rampage Fest.
Yes, Trunk Space (an all all-ages gallery/venue which needs money, by the way) is booking a bunch of excellent bands, like Abe Vigoda and No Bunny, that weekend. But fuck that shit, yo, you can't drink there!
So, please, go to Cizmarch Madness. Don't go because of me and don't go because of the bands... Go because you hate The Trunk Space and want it to close so every small show in metro Phoenix happens in some dude's backyard.
As for me, well, I'm not going unless VW Trainwreck and Melted Cassettes are added to the bill.
Also, let me assure everyone that the "Downtown is Ovah" t-shirt is the only thing worth wearing to this particular soiree. Maybe they can set up a merch booth and sell them.