I think people are always looking to perform innovative activities / games while they drunk / are intoxicated. This is why stuff like gambling, cards, Monopoly, darts, shuffle board, video games, frisbee golf, and Farmville were invented. Apparently some progressive alts in San Fransisco started a meaningful community event / facility / space / scene called Craft Bar, where people get together, have some brewskies, and throw down some high level arts and craft projects.
What is Craft Bar?
Craft Bar, two of my favorite words combined into one awesome event. The Craft Bar is the definitely the most creative-activity-driven party I’ve ever heard of happening at a museum. Hosted regularly at the San Francisico Museum of Craft and Folk Art, the Craft Bar is a way to connect with one of the most inspiring community of crafters in the country. Each event includes a spotlighted artist, a crafty project, and a free-for-all stitch n’ bitch. Oh, and there’s a DJ and drinks- bonus!
What kind of people go to craft bar? Would I fit in even if I am not creative/good at arts and crafts?
The crowd for Craft Bar has been predictably young, hip, and ready to make something, darn it. So far, knock on wood, we haven’t had anyone get rowdy (besides the staff, but that’s because we start drinking the Trumer Pils pretty early in the day). The beer tends to fuel some pretty amazing craft projects – at the April event, which was Katy Kristin’s recycled-sweater bear workshop, an entire group of people went rogue and designed their own plushies – a squid, an aardvark, and an evil peanut!
Just wanna get buzzed and get my create on.
Is Craft Bar an authentic ‘hipster dive bar’?
Since we began Craft Bar in October 2009, we’ve had over 1,000 people attend (I can prove it! I have admissions numbers!).
April 2010’s event was especially inspiring – we had 290 people attend, and literally everyone made something. At one point I could actually feel the crafty energy in the gallery. I was afraid the roof would blow off, there was so much creativity going on.
Have u ever attended an event that had so much creativity going on that u thought the roof would blow off / a worm hole would form in the facility? (AnCo at the Guggenheim?) Do u want to chill at a bar where ’something positive / creative’ is going on, or do you just like loud, smoky places where people are trying to ‘get their fuck on’? Are ‘plushies’ a legitimate art, or are they bullshit? Are plushies for uncreative people? Have u ever gotten hammered / danked out and made something beautiful? What’s ur favourite thing to do while ur at a bar?
MGMT sold just over 18000 copies of their new album Congratulations in week 2, down 74% from their week 1 total of 66,000 albums. They ‘free fall’-ed to #18 on the Billboard charts, losing to many mainstream acts like Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, The Black Eyed Peas, and the Soundtracks to Glee and Iron Man 2. Does n e 1 who is a music industry insider know if this type of free fall is natural for indie bands, or is this ‘a huge disgrace’?
Wonder if ‘heads are gonna roll.’ Maybe MGMT will be dropped from their label, and they will rebrand themselves as ‘authentic independent artists making music 4 the right reasons.’
Is a huge decrease in album sales to be expected for indie bands? Are you pardoned from a free fall in sales if your album charts at #1? Is MGMT ‘the biggest flop’ of 2k10 since they got a lukewarm Pitchfork score, didn’t go mainstream, and were chauffeured through a series of hollow profile pieces about ‘the challenges of a sophomore album’, etc? Did MGMT ‘blow their opportunity’ to become the next Coldplay / the Killers? What are your predictions for MGMT album 3? How many albums is the Arcade Fire / LCD Soundsystem / Crystal Castles going 2 sell?
The popular alternative lifestyle brand and clothing retailer American Apparel has started selling the popular 1950s toy called ‘The Slinky.’ I think this appeals to the American Apparel brand because these toys are ‘vintage’, ‘ironic’, and ‘made in the USA.’ It seems like the Am Appy aesthetic might be perfect 4 this product. Maybe there will be a ‘huge resurgence’ of slinky fans, sort of like people who do competitive yo-yo-ing.
I wonder if slinkies were kinda like the iPad / iPhone back before computers existed. An intuitive product that changed an entire generation of kids. It seems more architecturally sound than the hula hoop, but maybe minimalists are into the hula hoop.
Wonder if slinkies are going to turn into the new fixed gear bikes, like you can ride them around town. Maybe if you buy 100 of them, you can build a d.i.y. vespa or something.
Can u identify with the Slinky Brand? What is the unit cost of a slinky? Should I buy an Am Appy slinky, and convert it in2 a sexie onesie / leotard? Can the American Apparel Slinky also be marketed as a ‘metallic cock sock’ for alternative bros?
Does ‘every one love a slinky’?
Would u rather grow up in the video game era, or would u rather have tons of post-post-ironic simple toys? Did kids in the 1940s have better imaginations than kids in the post 1990s? Are kids more violent because of video games? Are you going to buy a slinky and use it as a necklace /bracelet? Are the user reviews of the Am Appy slinky super helpful? How can I integrate a slinky into my personal brand?
Do u use the popular mp3 aggregator called ‘The Hype Machine’? Apparently, it works just like Napster, except the mp3s are hosted on miscellaneous mp3 blogs. You can search for tons of songs and keep your finger on the pulse of ‘what the blogosphere is buzzing about.’ Can’t believe this is what the Hype Machine looked like in 2005. Seems like that was over 200 blog years ago.
Do you prefer the new brand / functionality of the Hype Machine? Sorta weird how websites have to evolve to build a better community / functional tools for users, all just to get more hits, to get more indie alt internet dollars. Sometime I wonder if alternative websites are ‘in it 4 the right reasons’ or if we are all just trying to make ‘mad bank’ from internet advertising dollars.
What is hype machine responsible for? Has it hurt or helped ‘the indie scene’? Has it hurt or helped individual mp3 blogs? Did mp3 blogs only become useful after the Hype Machine gave them a context/ecosystem? Did mp3 blogs degenerate into ’shit holes’ because they are just trying to get hits, and no longer have an independent voice? Is the Hype Machine more influential than Pitchfork? Did the Hype Machine ruin music journalism? Did the Hype Machine make the ‘indie scene’ a better place because instead of having to ’scout’ local bands, you can just monitor data + downloads + reaction on the internet? Is the Hype Machine the second most important mp3-related invention behind the iPod? Will the Hype Machine ever be shut down and how would the world react? Do yall miss Napster? What is the most authentic music recommendation site? last.fm ? pandora? spotify? iTunes? lala? cdnow.com?
Interpol apparently has a new album coming out soon, so they are beginning the album cycle process. Many Interpol fans believe that they will never be able to ‘recapture the magic’ of their hit indie album Turn on the Bright Lights. Apparently, they have had about 3 albums, but a few of them were loaded with poo poo songs, so they sort of lost relevancy for the past 5+ years. Wonder if they have a chance to ‘come back’ and ascend to the top of the indiesphere.
Do u like their new logo? Should all bands have a ‘bad ass’ branded identity? Do you feel like you are about to consume a whole new Interpol?
Stream “Lights” from this youtube embed.
Do u like their new MP3? Does their music still sound 1 dimensional in a good/bad way? Did The National replace Interpol? Did Interpol replace Joy Division? Do u feel like Interpol has devolved into an ‘alt rock’ band with a hollow identity?
Do people still listen to Interpol? Will Interpol ever ‘recapture the magic’?
Here is some artsy widget where you enter your email address + date of birth in order to receive the ‘free download.’ Wonder who their brand is supposed to appeal 2.
Wonder if the record company will keep my information 4ever. Is Interpol’s upcoming album going to be culturally relevant, or will it just be an overmarketed, over-covered release that isn’t even that good? What does Interpol mean 2 u? What is your fave Interpol song of all time? Do u miss the golden days of indie?
