Saturday, September 16, 2006

Valentine

The wife is off in Ohio riding in a 24 hour mountain bike race (she has got to be hurting right about now), so I spent a quiet day at home being dad. It was nice. The kids like each other this week. We went to the ol' Johnny Appleseed Festival and I got to talk clawhammer banjo with a guy and buy apples and walk a lot.

The folks came over tonight so's I could head to the FWMoA for the latest Art Attack event, John's latest movie Valentine. I love these things. People come out. We see Fort Wayne in a movie, places we hang out at, people we see around town and in the audience. And, since John is the one making the movie, we can also count on being disturbed and having a guilty dark laugh or two. Valentine fits that bill. It felt more confident and patient than his last one, or something. One interesting thing about this piece is that it features a young gal that I got to teach a few years ago. That's Michelle's shoulder in the photo above. It's kind of an edgy role, and when I spoke to her after the show, I think she was a little, I don't know, unnerved at the idea of me seeing it. Not that she cares what I think or anything, just--I don't even know what I'm trying to say. Point is, she looked great up there on the big screen and it was cool to see.

13 comments:

zzzzz said...

Really? Which showing were you at? I was at the 8'o'clock.

Mr. Hill said...

I got there too late for the 8:00, so I got tickets for the 9 and went to watch Telemundo and eat a burrito at Coahuila. I'm surprised I didn't see you come out of the theater.

One difference in the vibe between this show and the last one is that, because this movie was longer, between the showings the museum was pretty much dead. Last time, you had people hanging out all the way through.

mbh said...

(mason hunter)

mr hill i still have my blogger! i was browsing blogger and found one called "Mole Killer" and thought it sounded familiar and i was right. your class was awesome.

Mr. Hill said...

Hey, Mason. I had been wondering why I hadn't run into you so far this year, but then I saw you carring a guitar down the hall last week some time.

Let me know if your band is playing in public any time soon.

mbh said...

haha yeah i saw you i think that time..but actually my band broke up last april..i only sang for that band but ive been playing a lot of guitar lately and im thinking of starting a band just to stay fresh i guess.

probably like the shins or sufjan. i'm really into the album "The Avalanche" right now.

Mindstroller said...

Mr. Hill, you should totally bring in your banjo and play it for us sometime. probably a day where we arent supposed to do anything anyway.

Mr. Hill said...

There are no days like that, Mind.

Actually, a student in my World Lit class who plays guitar and I are talking about working out Duelin' Banjos, even though it's kind of cliche.

And I haven't been able to get into Avalanche yet, Mason. I'm trying, but it's just a lot of material. I'm still preferring his last proper album. Have you ever figured out how to play Casimir Pulaski Day? I know the chords, but can't quite get the strum right.

mbh said...

yes i know how to play it..i remember when you played that song last year in class..the song is actually in a higher key so you need one of those capos, but ive got it basically...and with the strumming you have to do hammer-ons for the chords. its sort of hard..

Mr. Hill said...

I've got it all capo'd out, but hadn't thought about the hammer ons. That's a good idea.

At the web site for KCRW's show Morning Becomes Eclectic, they have an archived in-studio video of a Sufjan appearance. I think that's the first song he plays and it sounds nice.

mbh said...

thats pretty cool. i always try looking for sufjan videos on youtube but the videos are all of just spectators in crowds so you cant see very well. i found a video on how to play casimir and its really helpful with the hammer ons. check it out.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=k68PyIW_uPQ

Mr. Hill said...

That's exactly what I needed--that "walk down" on the Am is what I couldn't figure out. Thanks a lot for the link.

I'd like to think I can sing it better than that dude, though, but maybe I'm fooling myself.

mbh said...

oh man, i know. its pretty funny. i watched that video on KCRW and it's definitely the best sufjan video i've seen. it being 38 minutes long was another plus. do you know the name of the last song he played?

Mr. Hill said...

I can't remember the song, but if you look up the playlist for that show, it says it's called "Jacksonville."