he’ll need sweaters and earplugs

The average price of natural gas in Minnesota is already up 73 percent, this year versus last. I should be concerned, seeing as how I’m moving to the frigid tundras of Duluth, but I have a trick up my sleeve that will offset all heating costs this winter. My PowerMac G5 arrived yesterday, and let me tell ya, that thing really kicks out the BTUs. I doubt I’ll even have a gas bill this winter; I’m just gonna pipe the exhaust from my G5 through the house.

With our digital infrastructure firmly in place, all Brainside Out Industries needs now is a physical address upon which to affix its assumed name. With any luck I’ll be in Duluth within the next couple weeks and should be able to scout out a suitable environment. Hardwood floors, a front porch and a view of Lake Superior top the list, but I’d also be okay with the modest surroundings of Glensheen. If only there was a way to keep all the tourists from sniffing around. You’d think the murders would be enough to keep them away, but no, that stuff attracts them in swarms!

Meanwhile, there’s more than enough down here in Minneapolis to keep me occupied. Great Big Dreams played at the Hexagon last night, with The Fillmores and another band (whose name escapes me at the moment, but they were a tight indie rock group that moved here mere weeks ago, and have already played a number of gigs around town). It was a good show, though the acoustics at the Hex are rather abyssmal and the monitors were too quiet/too broken for the guys to hear what was going on.

The mellow start and intense build on Bring was excellent, Paper Cuts was nicely done, and The Dirge was absolutely creepy. That song totally needs red lights and a fog machine. The highlight of the night was definitely Doggy Paddle, where the music was so consuming I felt like I was transported to another place entirely. Nice work, guys.

I might be playing bass for The Como Avenue Jug Band tomorrow, though I may have recruited another bass player, in which case I’d play saxophone or tuba or bones or something. Mates of State are playing at the Triple Rock on Monday. There are a lot more upcoming concerts I wish to see, that are either too expensive or too sold out for me to attend. Over this I weep openly.

Oh. Coldplay’s new album X&Y is holy-freakin’ rad. I was afraid all the hype would turn out to be, well, hype, but this disc absolutely blows me away.