Punxmas 2011

Winter break is finally here, and what a better way to start it off than with Houston's 7th annual Punxmas Fest. I know it may not seem as such, but Norman and punk music have quite the history with one another. Way back when in my band geek days, I went through a fairly heavy ska-punk-psychobilly phase, which has consequently had a major effect upon the types of music that I listen to today. While I may not fancy listening to The Casualties or GBH as much as I used to, I still can't seem to escape from the thrills of a good show, reminding me of all those things I've been missing while I've been away at school.


The show kicked off around five or so featuring around eleven bands in total, but the ones in particular that more or less so caught my attention played much later on the set list, so on time was definitely not mandatory. Now I don't know if I've ever really mention them by name before, but Kelin and Garret, aka my white friends, aka white boy mob, were the two dudes that I went with, and just for future reference, if you ever hear me speaking about a show, these two guys are more than likely the individuals that I rode with. But they weren't the only ones who came with me, oh no, there were more. Not only did I get to see a few old band mates from high school, Rachelle and Raveen took a few hours out of their "busy" schedule to come chill with your boy, and for that they deserve both the blue link and the mention (V TEVM SVLUTE).

As usual with these types of functions, I had a trill ass time, despite the fact that Devin and I decided to part ways a few weeks back (slipped that in there real classy like didn't I?). I know it seems like we just got together, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be, so maybe it's best that we just leave it at that for today. On a lighter note, my afro and my mustache is lookin' mad thick these days, and I've even caught the attention of one of the baddest black hipster girls on campus, so hey, I'm doing all right. *proceeds to pop multiple collars*

||Bands seen here: Roots of Exile, Rats in the Attic, Fuska, Blackmarket Syndicate, The Ghost Storys, Molotov Compromise||

To catch the rest of the 80 or so photos, CLICK RIGHT HERE.

Oh, and I hope you enjoy the changes I've made to the site, things were getting a little too crowded for me, I needed to get my zen together and this was the outcome. If you have any suggestions or comments pertaining to the site, the photos, the post, anything, don't be afraid to shoot me a comment or an email. We're all in this together you know.

WAIT! Don't leave just yet, one more thing. .

- JSTNRMN

Tommy Ton Street Style: Fall 2011

I know, I know, it's been like a month since my last post, and I have a feeling that this might just end up being my own personal world record. If it's any consolation I've been really busy as of late, so the only thing I can really hope for is that the Dream(tape) I created was dope enough to solidify your belief in me (so basically you're not going anywhere). 

By now I'm sure that most of you know that I live and die for a Tommy Ton seasonal blog post, and this occasion is no different. It didn't take long for me to realize that I had neither the time nor the desire to keep up with every model, designer, and lookbook that cat-walked across my web browser, so as you can guess, street style started to become my main concern. There's just something about seeing how others wear their own clothes in real life that interest me. One can purchase every label and designer accessory in the world, but if you don't know how to wake up in the morning and put it all together without any help from your onslaught of stylist and fashion hipsters then what's your point in life? Naturality is key here, and I think that's why I've become slightly fascinated with it all. 

You might not exactly be able to tell considering as to how I rarely update my FLICKR page, but one of my favorite things to do is take pictures. I like to capture the moment, the intimacy, that smile when no one's looking, that glare as if you haven't got a care in the world... I love that. Posed photography is cool and all, but candid is where it's at. ALL DAY. ERR DAY.

If you're still interested, peep the rest right HERE and right HERE.

Swag.

-JSTNRMN

Trip Downtown: Museum of Fine Arts

Work won't start for hopefully another few days and I've been out for summer break for about a week and a half, so as you can guess, I've got loads of free time on my hands. Legally, I'm not quite old enough to partake in Thirsty Thursdays, however, I'm more than happy to participate in free admission to The Museum of Fine Arts (Houston of course). I don't think I've set foot into a state funded gallery since I was a child, and since I love to make myself seem way more intellectual than I actually am, I figured this'd be a good a time as any to actually turn myself into that cultured young soul that I strive to be (aN pLu$, d@ gUrLz luV 1+). 

Honestly, I wish you were there to see some of these paintings, because I don't think any camera is capable of doing any of these depictions justice. To be able to see the brushstrokes and the color of the paint as it ages due to time is just mind boggling, and to see the size, and how massive some of the works ended up being in real life is just...intense. There were a few times that I actually ended up getting "reprimanded," and I even snagged a few shot of some works that I wasn't supposed to (PRIVATE COLLECTIONS), but it's all in the name of art right? Ironic enough, the final time I get caught doing something I'm not supposed to be doing, just so happens to be the one time a picture is taken with me in the frame and I have no clue what the title of the painting is, it's my favorite. If anyone has any idea, feel free to let me know, I'm dying over here.
   

Fernand Leger - Man with a Cane

Pablo Picasso - Two Women in Front of a Window

Emile Schuffenecker - Portrait of Emile Bernard

Charles Angrand - The Harvesters

Paul Signac - The Bonaventure Pine

Felix Vallotton - Woman Writing in an Interior

Roger de La Fresnaye - The Fourteenth of July

Henri Rousseau - The Eiffel Tower

Gustave Caillebotte - The Orange Trees

Jan van Huysam - Still Life of Flowers and Fruit

Cristoforo Munari - Still Life with Musical Instruments

Alessandro Magnasco/Antonio Francesco Peruzzini - Workshippers at a Shrine in a Mountainous Landscape

Claudio Coello - Saint Michael the Archangel

Ernst Matthai - Venus

Anton Raphael Mengs - Truth

Canaletto - The Square of Saint Mark's, Venice

Simon Vouet - Saint Sebastian 

Since there are a number of museums who serve the general public with free Thursday admission, I figured it'd be nice to visit a gallery once a week, or at least twice a month. No harm in that now is it. Swag.