08.26.05--Pagemaker Woes, Two Aug Festivals, Manila Bonfires

BACK IN THE BATCAVE! Few hours--coming from Beanstreets open mic... hah! I read five poems--two short poems from friend Ann Dunn's book, "Olde Women," in memory of my late Mom's courage as Mother and Wife. Then--three of my not-so-new stuff: a sappy poem ("A Sort of Love Poem"), a dazed-and-confused poem ("Velvet Rainbow Down"), and a sermonizing poem ("An American Poem"). Marta The Nicer Osbourne, Matt Mulder and Rena Wright-Daugherty were there, too. Matt read new poems, intriguing, interesting ones--I need to read them later, to be able to "read" it clearer. Oh, Matt and his weblog 1000 Black Lines was featured in an article about Asheville blogs at the Mtn Xpress! Cool stuff!

So I'm back at The Indie Crib. Pagemaker (program) woes are still here... but, thanks, to friends Stephanie Morgan for lending me her page7.0 installation disc (although I havent had success loading it in yet), and building-mate Rachelle Arrowood for volunteering to fix my Vaio laptop, in time for the Sept issue deadline (Monday, the 29th). She also promised to loan me her pagemaker 7.0 disc in case Steph's continues to fail... Things will work out, I know. Matt is layouting the final proof of at least one of the remaining three or four pages, and I hope I get paid for a recent PR writing job that I just finished--so I can easily run to Kinko's and get all these done...

Dont forget--we are tabling/keeping a booth/tent in two Asheville community festivals in a few weeks. First, the Sept 4 Lexington Avenue Arts Festival (LAAF), then the Organicfest on Sept 10. So if you got stuff to sell or give out to people, just come over and help us out, make The Bonfires/The Indie booths/tent rock... Some of Matt's paintings will be displayed, and of course, our Bonfires merchs (t-shirts, Bonfires CD compiles, books). LAAF happens at Lex Av, 11am to 10pm. We were told or asked if The Bonfires is interested in doing a poetry open mic in our tent, who's interested, let me know... I relayed that to Matt--let's see. Organicfest happens at Pack Square, 10am-6pm. And, dont forget, "HAIR" by Katie Kasben will be letting the sunshine in, Sept 9 and 10.

A side-ramble before I list down my usual Update--check out "Kung Fu Hustle" by Stephen Chow! Man, this is zany, eccentric, amazing, bizarre, goofy, surreal--I was laughing at 3 in the morning!? Then, I watched Robert Rodriguez's "Sin City" ... uhh, it's a visual marvel, the dark/gothic way, but do you like it, I dont even know if I like it--although I definitely dug the girls (Jessica Alba, Carla Gugino, Jaime King, Devon Aoki... Oh my, this girl Devon Aoki kicks ass! Mickey Rourke's creepingly cerebral acting was something, pay close attention to that...)

[ ]A major Bonfires project/concentration starting October (till end of the year)--is the three-pronged "Bonfires for Peace" events/concerts in Manila. This assumed a profound emotional impact on me following my Mom's passing... All three events also serve as launch of the Georgiana R. Pascua Memorial Foundation (http://bonfiresideprojects.blogspot.com/)--as well as the Manila edition/chapter of Third World Asheville.The first event happens on mid-Oct at 70s Bistro, located in Quezon City, a major suburban metropolitan Manila urban enclave. My band Duane's Poetry was a regular here many years ago... besides I have a deep spiritual connection with the club, I kind of met/created lots of my longtime poet/artist/musician friends here, I hosted some benefit concerts, organized Bonfires gigs (then known as Playwrights Mobile). The owners-managers down to the wait staff know me... Demi Patricia Pascua is line producing this, with help from 70s B co-owner Helen Reyes and Bonfires-volunteer staff Jaja Campos and Duane Lucas Pascua (as graphic/poster artist etc).

The second event will most likely be scheduled early Nov or late Oct--at Mayric's, right in the heart of Manila's university belt (comparable to downtown Manhattan, maybe). Imagine NYC's CBGB--that's Mayric's in Manila... While the 70s Bistro is basically a singer-songwriter/poetry reading show, the Mayric's gig is a rock concert, featuring two popular rock acts (will announce them later after contract signing), plus maybe 4 more up-and-coming bands. Jaja Campos is line producing this... The third one is a quadrangle/field/outdoor concert that's pretty much like our "Bonfires for Peace at Pritchard Park." I am looking at 15 bands. More details upcoming...

[ ]In regards The Bonfires two-event engagements at the Grey Eagle here in Asheville... Local crowd favorite Laura Blackley, blues-rocker and journalist, has already, officially said yes to the Dec 3 concert, she's not asking any fee whatsoever. She also assured me that she'll write a feature article about The Traveling Bonfires and Third World Asheville for Citizen Times' Take 5 magazine. I met up with her at Bearly Edible last Wed, over PBR... Milwaukee-based funk-blues-rock band Mississippi Cactus, Boston-based Patty Keough, and locals Vanessa Boyd and Phuncle Sam complete the lineup.

Meantime, Frisco-based singer-songwriter Deborah Crooks has also finalized her participation in the Nov 18 show--she'll be flying in on Nov 17. We are also booking her here in Asheville on that night, then the 19th. For more details--http://recentbonfiresevents.blogspot.com/ (By the way, Deborah C is playing at the C Note in NYC on Sept 1--Bonfires booked.) (Mica Lee Williams, also Frisco-based, has also committed to the show.)

[ ]The resumption of the Vagrant Wind Road Journeys starts Oct 14 and ends Oct 22. My first stop, Oct 14, is Durham NC (Regulator Cafe, with Martin Smith and The Blotter), then a guest spot at a Guerrilla Poetry Insurgency event in Richmond VA on Oct 15... In the event The Insurgency event closes early, we are doing a Pinoy rock concert in either Norfolk VA or Washington DC, same day. From Oct 17 to 20--me and Gino are organizing a special acoustic/singer-songwriter gig at the C Note, most likely... by that time, I should already be in NYC, so I'll do some personal stuff. On Oct 21, it's the big Filipino act Apo Hiking Society's concert at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City (Gino's Rubberband is also opening). I wrote the publicity stuff for this concert. Oct 22 is Goma Soul's gig at The Knitting Factory (which The Bonfires is endorsing/supporting).

[ ]The next "Bonfires for Peace at Pritchard Park" is on Oct 29 -- the "BONFIRES FOR VAMPIRES: Sweet Nightmare 2." So prepare your Halloween costumes and stuff... earlier that day, we'll have a special "Kids r Indies" fun afternoon, then an after-Pritch Park costume/party happens later in the night, at a private place. Kegs of local brew c/o French Broad River Brewing, and food from, uhh--we always have lots of chow coming from downtown restaurants... We've been very successful with getting goodwill stuff and food from Asheville businesses for our Bonfires community initiatives, so mark that calendar. It's Bonfires family Saturday, Oct 29, in Asheville.

NOTE: Notice that I've been shooting footages of our shows lately (thanks, Katie, for the cam). We'd like to show these Bonfires films in other places with Bonfires events, esp. overseas (like Manila). It'll be fun...

[ ]We might be doing an Indie banner story in re upcoming mayoral race in Asheville c/o Mike Hopping. Wait up, too, for the Sept issue--we have new sections, and my long-delayed profile of Rosetta Rzany of Rosetta's Kitchen. Matt Mulder also starts a blog-like series of ramblings and stuff, and we are breaking out (Rome-based)--exclusive in The Indie--Gaither Stewart's novel, "Asheville," starting Sept. However, I know I will make a lot of people shed tears via my homage and tribute to my Mother and all the Mothers of the world... but it'll be a very cool read. Each time an issue of The Indie comes out, I feel it's always new, like the first issue--forget about my current pagemaker woes...

[ ]Thanks to lawyer Bruce Elmore for the $25 donation, and some legal advice, in re Bonfires organizational concerns... Thanks, too, to Mark (of Bearly Edible) and Phuncle Sam for the Bonfires benefit show last Aug 20. I didnt get to finish the show though... and, uhm, an interesting person (yes, she's a "different" kinda woman) came over to the venue that night, went to the bar, looking for me, and refused to pay her beer, saying she works for me?! For the record, whenever we have a show, benefit or a simple gig, I pay for my beer. Even when I'm invited by a band or bands, I pay for my beers and food (that is, in the event my homeys dont pay for them)--sometimes I even pay for my cover, as support to the bands (that invited me). But I dont go to the bar and ask for a free beer... So there's no standing rule or privilege that I accorded to anyone, in regards freebies. But Melody of BEdible knew us and the little incident is just forgotten... although things like this jar me.

[ ]Lastly, again, thanks for these warm words...

( )My sincere condolences to you regarding the passing of your mother. I thought I saw a glimpse of you downtown and wanted to say something... anything. But when I turned the corner, you were gone and so were the words I wished to share.
Matt Mulder
Asheville NC

( )It's good to hear from you. I was sorry to hear about your mother, She obviously meant so much to you. I have never had someone so close to me die, itis hard to imagine the loss...I'm certain it will be a process that will take a long time.
David Cipriani
Baltimore

So that's it, for now. The lesson for the week: If you dont have money to score a PBR, dont go to a Bonfires gig and drop Pasckie's name at the bar. I'm the wrong person... The mere fact that I'm not into Highland Ales or Guinnesses, it's because I'm perpetually broke! But the real issue is--I dont like people reasoning out "I work for The Indie or Pasckie" just to get a free beer. If I could, I'd rather donate my ramen noodles budget to the person before she/he goes to the bar... Meantime, just stay home and watch "Kung Fu Hustle"--I'll share you my Blockbuster card. Or whatever. just be happy and be cool.

--Pasckie
2:31am. Asheville NC.