Records and Rain

Saturday was record store day here in Columbus, as it was in the rest of the US and the UK. After trawling for the list of exclusive releases for the day I decided that there wasn't really anything I was willing to stand in line waiting outside in the rain for an hour or so to have a chance of getting. Instead, even though it was raining, I decided I would head down to my closest store, Lost Weekend Records, later on in the day. I aimed for 1pm having read that Lydia Loveless was due to play a set outside. I cycled down in light rain, and was happy to see her setting up under the cover of a gazebo. While she was getting ready I went inside to peruse the racks and check out what was left of any exclusive release (not much).

The rain had pretty much eased off by the time she got to playing her set in the shadow of the gazebo. It was just her, an acoustic guitar and chap on double bass. I really enjoyed her songs and the simplicity of her guitar and belting country, but not too country, voice. She played mostly songs from her debut album (above) and also a cover of Elvis Costello's "Alison," which featured on the B side of her record store day release. I decided to pick up her album after she finished in the busy shop. While waiting in line I also found another bit of Ohio country/ garage (rock).

The Heartless Bastards were formed in Cincinnati in 2003 and their debut album (above) had been on my list since I had worked out that one of my favorite tracks on a fantastic, Joff Winterhart-compiled compilation CD was in fact them and not Sleater-Kinney. So that was record store day for another year,    doing our bit to support our local independent record store, not that I'll be waiting to go back until this time next year you understand...

St James and "Craft" Brews

Saturday brought my first trip to the St James Tavern. The bar is in the Italian Village area, not too far away from some parts of town we've been encouraged to avoid. It might be called either a "dive bar" or, more complimentarily, a neighborhood bar. From the front it looks pretty inconspicuous, but once you get inside you are greeted by wood panelling throughout. They started out well in my mind with the catchy slogan: "No crap on tap for 15 years". Not only was there no crap (ie the big three: Budweiser, Coors or Miller) on tap, but what they did have was mostly new to me and all at $3.50 a pint.

I started out with a Founders Red's Rye. Couldn't really resist the opportunity for my first rye beer and I have to say the citrusy flavor wasn't too overpowering and definitely something I would have again given the opportunity. Just when I think I've narrowed down the list of breweries that are new to me whose beers I need to experience, another one comes along. I will be getting on and trying their oatmeal stout before the Ohio summer arrives.

In another first, I turned next to 21st Amendment's Black IPA. It was decent, but the power of the malt seemed to overshadow the supposed hopiness of some sort of IPA. Pleasant enough, but not on the list for a second go. I had previously had another of their brews from a can. As the barrels were being emptied by a busying crowd, the bartender kept returning with new brews and I got the chance for a glass of Monks Blood. Served in a tulip style glass and coming in at a hefty 8.3% this dark Belgium style ale has plenty going on and dangerously does more than enough to mask the fact that it's as strong as it is!

I ended the night with what has to be my current fave: Bell's Two Hearted American IPA. Bell's brewery is in the fantastically named Kalamazoo, Michigan. It's not really on the way to or from central Ohio to Detroit, but I think we'll have to find a reason to stop there sometime soon.

Hospitality and Franchises

Last night we were at one of our local (walkable) venues to check out Brooklyn band Hospitality. I had got around to buying the album with some of my birthday money a while back and have been really enjoying its hooky indie pop tunes. The nights before and after they played Columbus they were opening up for Wild Flag on their massive US tour; seems that Carrie and her buddies fancied a day off while their touring mates were in Ohio. Shame. The excellently named Amber Papini was doing her best to fight off a cold, so was supping on some sort of herbal tea between numbers. As the crowd dwindled after earlier popular Columbus openers, they ripped through the album and even though there wasn't too much atmosphere about the place, I left pretty happy.

Only a few days after the college basketball season had concluded (Kentucky taking the national championship after Ohio State lost out to Kansas in the Final four), the baseball season started last night. Lots of people were watching the rebranded Miami Marlins in their brand new $500 million dollar stadium. The formerly Florida Marlins are notoriously unpopular in South Florida and, last season, played in the Dolphins' football stadium that has the potential to seat 75,000, which meant that their 2000 season ticket holders kind of got a bit lost in all the empty seats. One rescheduled game last season drew 347, less than a bad day at Twerton Park. The image above shows what two of the $515 million that built the new stadium went towards. When one of the Marlins scores a home run, the sculpture is put into action and marlins jump in and out of the water, music plays and there is an LED light show. Nothing like understatement.

Oh and also, there are aquariums behind the home plate, apparently tested with a few 97 mph fastballs before they put the fish in, all very stylish stuff. As well as splashing all that cash on a new ball park, the owner was still able to scrape together a few bucks for a new coach and some players, three of which come in at a total of $191 million. They lost their first home game 4-1.

This, though, is pretty small-fry compared to the contract Albert Pujols (pronounced poo holes) signed to the LA Angels from the World Series winning Cardinals for $240 million over ten years. This is just the bare bones: there are numerous milestones, including an additional $3 million if he manages 3000 hits, nice symmetry there. He is 31 now, so will still be earning millions on his 41st birthday; pretty good going for a pro athlete.

Finally, one last crazy bit of baseball money madness. The LA Dodgers were bought for $2 billion in March. Magic Johnson and a few of his buddies found the cash to buy the most expensive team in history, more than double the $700 million paid for the Chicago Cubs in 2009.