Octofest 'O5

[HeuristicsInc]

Heuristics Inc. comes late to the festival, realizes he's missed getting on the bill, and sets up an impromptu performance in the parking lot, with bullhorn, trumpet, and drum machine. He does an (early) industrial cover of "Metal Klepto." Those who are nearby aren't quite sure what they just witnessed.
-bill

PS Sorry this is late. It's been busy Took me 2 hours and 10 minutes.

[Niveous]

Niv's Review Paragraph

I'm at Octofest! Yeah! Big crowds! Wild times! I'm heading straight to the Electronic stage. Electroclashpoint is on first. That's the kinda tune we need to get the show going. Gets your body moving. Nice li'l song. Redcar is up next and the feel is totally different. It's starting very Pink Floyd and there are some confused concert goers wondering why it's on the electronica stage. But no one can deny that somebody's channelling Santana's woodstock performance. Now there's some weird vox and the electronica is beginning to come forth. Soundscapes. Soundscapes. Someone pass the brown acid. This is getting interesting. Wow, it's also long. I hope I don't miss the H and the H show at the acoustic stage. hell, i've got time. THis is quite a song. Good stuff. Hey, I'm on next (x-tokyo-river-god). But i'm in the audience and on stage with Nataly and she's not even real. Curiouser and curiouser. Oh well, at least I can enjoy my tune. It's an eerie tune full of backward guitar bits and lyrics about calling for vigilantes to get the people who robbed Octothorpe. It's the ballad of the electronic stage. I like the dramatic pause after "someone needs to pay". Last, festival headliners- The Big Smokes come out to close the electronic stage. This is a little electronic. It's more funky. Big Smokes has quite a bassist. The crowd is digging it, that's what matters. Wait, what's this. Mad Dog is coming out to do a DJ set spinning Octo-remixes. Dammit, I wanna rave with everyone else but I don't wanna miss the acoustic stage. Hey, what's this. HInc! Hey what's he doing out. He came late and he set up his equipment by the info booth. He's rocking Metal Klepto for the wandering fans. That's right. My boy HInc is keeping it real on the streetz. This is pretty good, one of the best HInc songs I've ever heard. Dammit, I'm gonna be late for the acoustic stage. Made it in time and how did the Big Smokes get here so fast? Rocking the bells. This is a festival song if I ever heard one. Keep on rocking, Andy. Hey I didn't know Deshead was doing the show. Is this a ballad version of "On my Block"? It sounds like he said "On my blog". lol. That was good. He didn't come off like the poor man's Josh Woodward. Go Des! Yes, I've been waiting all day for the H & the H performance. Now that's straight up Octo. Where's a bootlegger when you need one? Oh, there's one- big chubby guy with beret on and a cassette recorder under his trenchcoat. I remember him from the Doobie Brothers show. Gotta check with him later. That song's a keeper. The crowd is getting a bit restless. Me$$iah took a while to set-up. Oh I see why, he's rocking out the acoustic stage with electricity. The coffeehouse kids are trembling but everyone else is getting into it. It may not be acoustic but it's full of Octopostive energy. And he brought the solo. At the festival show, you gotta bring the sweet solo. Me$$iah is the Cheap Trick of Octofest. Hey, look. Niveous is closing. How am I there and here? Hmmm. Turn it up!!! A Bangles cover. I dig playing that one. And the lighters are out. The big note rocks the crowd and I'm off to check out the Quiet Zone before a stop at the big stage. A pic of the rock is very sad. Thank goodness the rock defended himself and fought back against the thieves. I thought we lost him. Bjam is here reading poetry. Good going. Now to rest and relax for a bit and read the Octocomic before the big rock show. Wish there was more of the comic. I guess that'll premiere during the SF art-festival or something. I should go find a bathroom. Portapotties, the bane of any festival goer. And they don't work. What a surprise. I'll hold it. It's time for the big show at the rock stage. 15-16 is on stage. Yeah, 15-16 has been bringing the rock lately, ever since that AAD. Everytime I hear him, he's laying down these pristine rock classics. He just did another. Good stuff. The Half Racks are up next and Glenn Case is a born entertainer. This is the crowd that gets the crowd moving and whoa did he just rock "My Favorite Things"! The crowd goes insane! The new Half Racks guitarist rocks. J$ and FS are up next. My favorite blonde's voice is strong as ever and J$ found the way to mix his style with the way of the Octo. This stage has been awesome so far. Yeah, King Arthur! He is the king of covers. I wish he would cover one of my songs one day. He finds the core of what makes the song beautiful and makes it better. Hey FS is back. Oh, it's her & Bolio aka No Cash Value. She's channelling Octo and L7. This is great. The hardcore Octofans, the ones with # painted on their bodies, they are loving the craziness. This can't be Primitive Screwheads. This has to be Octothorpe under masks. This is too well done, too perfect. Next up, the Sweetleaves. Skyline! Skyline is Octo's Stairway to Heaven! Sweetleaves did it slow and jamming. You can tell this is built out of pure love of the band. This is a damn good show. I'm glad I came. Who can follow "Skyline"? Ah, Big Smokes are back. Sarah Beanz is singing and all is right with the world. It is the best of the Big Smokes songs I've heard. But wait, they're doing one more. "Octothorpe Park" is an awesome title. This is like the UK version of Loyalty Day. Beanz, Balham, Windsor & Cashpoint are a great band. I hope they stay together after the festival is done. They would be like the Band. How can there be anything else? Wow, the Suzies are back in black! Old school SF and pure Octo. What a show closer! What a show! We should do this every year minus the whole robbery thing. Octothorpe rules!!!!

[Spud]

Glad you enjoyed the show Niv. Click on the comic to get to the next page, dude. All 32 pages are there. Whaddya thing that pointy fingered cursor is for?

[j$]

Bill- great cover. I love it! I'm putting up the link on the website along with SF's 'Do the Math' right now ..)

j$

[HeuristicsInc]

Thanks Niv!

Also, J$, I figured if anybody liked it, it would be you
Seems kinda Throbbing Gristle to me.
-bill

PS Spud, just read the rest of the comic. Some really funny moments in there. Keep it up!

[j$]

Also, J$, I figured if anybody liked it, it would be you
Seems kinda Throbbing Gristle to me.
-bill

Actually I hear Einstyurzende Neubauten covering Nag Nag Nag ... but yes, you were on a winner

j$

[j$]

PS all you octofans - we just turned 500 unique IP hits on Octofest so it's turning into a quiet little sleeper hit. I just thought you might like to know ...

[Henrietta]

I must say, this fest is friggin awesome. Next stop the electronic stage....

[Freudian Slip]

Rock Stage Reviews from the front line by Johnny 'No Lester Bangs, he' Cashpoint

Johnny Cashpoint - I like this a lot. I wanted to crunk up the original but it came out somewhere else thanks to a fantastic vocal performance by FS. The crowds aren't sure about the male vocalist, but they can't help getting caught in the groove, I hope. Oh God, am I the Einar of Octofest?

No Cash Value - Ha! the Dolly and Kenny of Songfight bring the nutpop to the rock stage very nicely! Creepy kids music for freaking out the adults. Nice job! If Barney was a member of #, this would be his signature tune

Now to trudge through the mud to the other stages ...

AWESOME JOB, JOHNNY $, So glad to have been able to lend a *bit* of assistance. BTW-- LOVE the MALE lead on OMB... call it bias, but I LOVE the timbre of your singing voice. Great arrangement and I also LOVED what you did with the last bit at the end. Kicked JLo smack in the middle of that hard shell plastic nether region, yo.

Actually, on the NCV-- I was having such a great time playing about with lines and delivery while doing that cover, that I HAD sent you a version 2-- *twice*, actually-- but your mailboxes kept barfing it up one (Don't get any ON ya!...Maybe there was somethin' in the puddin' ? --Personally-- Think I'd stick with the jello...) Anyway, sorry about the mixup-- glad you liked version 3
STILL trying to get Bolio to put one of my fav "full" backing comments into a special mix version 4, for me-- for fun and re-edification.

By the overview I've gotten, looks to me like you got a sound success under your belt-- Glad to have been a part of it. Been sorta tied up in whole bunch of brick and mortar existance, so I prolly won't be commonly available for a while yet. Though, I have to admit-- doing the NCV cover reminded me of all the "whack voices and strange gigglements" I often toss around-- impromptu...er..."style", for lack of a better word.
Had a great time, as ever and always, working with you J$, looking forward to doing so again. Whee! Our first duet! Oh and BTW *BUMP*

EDIT-- Read earlier in the thread about using the song submitted towards other "whatever else and whatnot projects"-- No worries from me-- Feel free to do whatever you like with either track I was involved with. I got involved with the benefit because I wanted to show support for one of our major players and benefactors... and because J$ asked me to. Glad a few of you (esp #, for whose cover song I took VAST liberties with, as AKA NCV-- and BTW-- Always LOVED the song "They're Coming to Take Me Away". Funny songs and ribald humor have always been a major component of my music library) especially Spud, for whom this entire benefit was created, enjoyed my small contribution.

[j$]

Only one more day or so before Octofest (in its original form) closes its doors ... last chance to go listen to great songs, grab any favourites and generally bask in the warm glow of octo'positivity!!!

http://www.johnnycashpoint.com/octofest.html

I will be taking down the links at 8 pm CST (ish) on Saturday.

j$

[king_arthur]

King Arthur! I wish he would cover one of my songs one day.

That's the cool thing about Octofest. Wishes have been known to come true!

Charles (Art is my middle name!)

[j$]

That's great, charles! There's a Springsteen feel to it (in a good way!) Shows what a great tunesmith Niv is, too

j$

[Spud]

As OctoFest draws to a close, Octothorpe would like to thank you all once again for coming, and especially to the cashman for bringing you all together. If you missed any of the action, or just want to relive the good times, you can always check it out here:

http://www.mightyoctothorpe.com/octofest.html

I have set up an ftp account to recieve source materials for a CD, and will be contacting the bands individually. Remember, no smoking in the parking lot.

[Niveous]

OMG! That was incredible, King Arthur. I feel so honored to get a King Arthur cover. Thank you.

[j$]

As OctoFest draws to a close, Octothorpe would like to thank you all once again for coming, and especially to the cashman for bringing you all together. If you missed any of the action, or just want to relive the good times, you can always check it out here:

http://www.mightyoctothorpe.com/octofest.html

Spud, that's great! I love those 'site' pics

j$

[Bolio]

I will be taking down the links at 8 pm CST (ish) on Saturday

Just as well. The grounds are covered with cigarette butts & the stale stench of Mini Donuts & rotting Bratwurst is filling the air. Even the hardcore Octothorpe fans have become complacent. I personally haven't been hit in the head with a Beer Can for a long time, guess it's time for us to pack it in. [/No Cash Value has left the building]