Panmankey

The biggest news I've gotten in awhile is that I will probably possibly be speaking in New York City (or thereabouts) in January. ?Details are still being worked out, but it's looking good. ?I'll be at my friend Bernadette's bookstore, Brid's Closet (www.bridscloset.com), probably doing Horned God workshops and such. ?Of course I will update this blog when it happens, and then all of you who live on the East Coast can hang out with me for a bit and buy me a beer or something after I'm done speaking. ?

In other travel news, I should be back on the West Coast in February for Pantheacon, and then in Detroit for Convocation. ?Convocation is a lock right now, my picture is even up their website, Pantheacon is a 99% sure. ?Love going out west though, I'll be very upset if it doesn't happen.

After only going to a handful of concerts this summer (Dio Black Sabbath was essentially it), I went to four in September. ?It was exhausting as most of them were on weeknights and I'm too stupid to take a morning off from work, but well worth it. ?I'm a huge music nut, and the busy September made up for the laidbackness of the summer. ?

First up last month was Nightwish. ?Now Nightwish isn't everyone's cup of tea, but for those of us who love gothic/female-fronted/orchestral/Scandinavian?/over-the-top Heavy Metal Bands, Nightwish is the perfect band. ?I've especially been digging their latest album "Dark Passion Play" with new singer Annette Ican'tspellorrememberherlastname. ?The band changed lead singers just a few years ago and there's a big divide among fans whether or not it was for the better. ?Personally I prefer the new lead singer over the old one (Tarja) because her voice is less operatic and more rock'n'roll, but that's just me.

The show was especially fun because I went with a bunch of people, some of whom just wanted to see what Nightwish was like. ?With a couple of exceptions, metal shows are always my favorites, so it was a real treat to see Norway's eight largest export in Detroit.

Annette from Nightwish

Just a week after Nightwish I was off to see Gaelic Storm, again in Detroit, though this time I was at the very intimate Magic Bag. ?Ari wasn't sure if she wanted to go, but after some prodding we took off and had a ball. ?There's nothing like two hours of Celtic-tinged drinking songs on a friday night. ?The band played two sets, the first of which was a little flat, but they recovered nicely during the second part of the night. ?

Publicity shot of Gaelic Storm

There's something about the Magic Bag, I don't know who their booker is, but that guy (or gal) and I share very similar tastes in music, because they hosted Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers just a week and a half after Gaelic Storm. ?Hands down this was one of the best Roger shows I've seen in a couple of years. ?You can actually download the whole show at?http://www.archive.org/details/rcpm2008-09-23.flac16, ?don't miss your chance to hear Roger attempt REO Speedwagon's "Take It on the Run." ? More great drinking songs, this time with a rock'n'roll edge.

Here's to Life. ? Jason loves him some Roger Clyne

The concert madness ended with Weezer at the Palace of Auburn Hills, which was kind of a letdown after the intimacy of The Magic Bag and Harpo's. ?There's something about smaller shows that appeals to me in my older age, still I couldn't pass up a chance to see Weezer. ?I'm not a huge Weezer fan, but over the last few years, they've turned into a band I really like, and they crank out consistently good records. ?I can also relate to the overall nerdiness of lead singer Rivers Cuomo, he just seems like a good guy, stardom be damned.

Weezer was a lot of fun though, at one point during the show they brought up about 20 people from the audience to play with the band. ?I can't say it was the best version of "Island in the Sun" I've ever heard, but it was the most fun version, especially the tuba solo. ?Good times, and extra thanks to my friend Devon who went to all four of these concerts with me. ?The man is a god, and he almost has hair as good as mine.

Rivers. ?

I also hosted a Mabon Ritual and Party last month which was a lot of fun. ?I wasn't sure what ritual I was going to use and ended up just tweaking the one on this website. ?(It's nice to have a ritual backlog to work with if you don't feel like writing a new one.) ?In two weeks we host our annual Halloween extravaganza, which is just the best party in Michigan year in and year out. ?If you live around here drop me a msg and I'll give you directions. ?I love the Halloween Party. ?There's something really rewarding about ritual in the fall, it just speaks to me more than summer and spring ones. ?Maybe it's the energy in the air, or just how visible the change of the seasons is up here. ?(Right now there are some gorgeous trees outside my window-all reds and oranges and yellow. ?At least I think they are those colors, it's tough being colorblind.)

Work on the book has?proceeded?in starts and stops over the last month. ?I'm writing a workshop on Satan and that has occupied a lot of my time. ?I'm also a big political junkie, and I've found myself captivated by the election. ?I don't think I've ever wanted a politician elected as badly as I want Obama to be our next President. ?I live and die with every new poll, and sit on the edge of my seat during the debates hoping for another McCain gaff and a strong performance by Obama.

Just last week the McCain camp pulled out of Michigan, essentially giving up on our state, which is a huge sigh of relief for me. ?I don't want the state I live in to be responsible for another Republican victory. ?

That's it, talk to you later or see ya soon.

-jason