goth_baby

It's not easy being Goth...

Alright this is my first post, I’m stateside and can’t wait can’t wait. My name is Clay and I live in Atlanta, GA. Jason Jenkins (aka Jinki) is one of my oldest and dearest friends and we experienced some monumental shows together back in the day including the first Lollapalooza, B Boys “Check Your Head” with Henry Rollins, D’Angelo’s “Voodoo”, Soundgarden’s “Badmotorfinger” and that unforgettable Digable Planets show in Athens. Unfortunately, there are many more that I don’t remember…oh well. (Maybe Fishbone, Bad Brains, Pavement, Meat Puppets, Pharcyde…kinda foggy)

Anyway, I’ve been subjected to his incessant ravings about FRF over the years, and I, like all of his stateside friends, have been quietly envious. He’s always offered a tatami at his place but as you all know a Japan adventure is a fairly rich mission. Well I’m through with envy and decided to cash in my chips this year. The lineup didn’t hurt either.

I am really pumped about Massive Attack. I saw them in a small venue for Mezzanine and was floored. They put on a brilliant show hands down. I am about to see Broken Bells at a tiny venue here so I’ll have to report, love the material. Saw Broken Social Scene last year and the singer for Some Are Lakes joined them, and with all of the movement within their lineup you never know who you are going to get and it was special. Air, LCD Sound System, Hot Chip, great shows. Looking forward to Them Crooked Vultures, since I missed the show last year. I’ve seen Muse a bunch and they kill it, I just hope one of these days Matthew Bellamy will switch between guitar and keys mid-song like he used to…Obviously Atoms for Peace is at the top of my must see list, I’ve seen every tour Radiohead has sent stateside and Yorke is a straight-up genius….

Been following the Die Antwoord buzz and I’ve seen reference to Ninja claiming a Japanese show in the works. I’ve spent some time in South Africa and I totally get where they are coming from and how they ride that brilliant side of the edge between satire and spoof. And, since they followed Z-Trip at Coachella this year I think there is a strong chance that they will crash land at FRF at the last minute. And we’ll be there.

Here are some shows that I’ve shot along the way

Word up.

[goth-baby pic by D Sharon Pruitt]