mykle systems labs

Come visit our living room for a relaxed evening of stories and songs from writers who musician, hosted by Mike Daily, Portland’s maddest word-scientist.

“Itinerant accordionist Franz Nicolay (of The Hold Steady, Guignol, World/Inferno Friendship Society, and others) will read selections from his upcoming story collection COMPLICATED GARDENING TECHNIQUES. Ivories may also be tinkled.  (Excepted on his website — scroll down for it.)

In support of Franz, trashcan-drummer Mykle Hansen (of such bands as The Golden Greats and The Bad Mintons) will read selections from his in-process story collection HOORAY FOR DEATH. Strings may also be strummed.

We will also feed you hors d’ovres, beverages, and whatever else you bring to share. And we’ll get you home before bedtime.”

I am personally tickled to be asked, since I know Franz to be a powerhouse of performance.  You already know way too much about me, so here’s more about Franz.

Mr. Nicolay is the mustachioed champion known for his work in acts such as The Hold Steady, World/Inferno Friendship Society, and Guignol.  In the winter of 2010, he will share his first work of short stories and various observations.  With its old-world outlook, Complicated Gardening Techniques is a work of Twainsian vision.  3 zines will be released over 2010, leading up to a full novel of Mr. Nicolay’s work.

Note that JSP is sold out of the first ‘zine in the series, so this will be your VERY ONLY CHANCE EVER to get a copy.

Also, this may be the only time in 2010 that you’ll spot me behind a guitar.

OFFICIAL DEETS:

Date: Thursday April 8th

Location:  5536 NE 27th Ave

Time: 6-9pm

To bring: Your Own Beverage, and something to share.

I’ve found many online references to Bucky Fuller’s bamboo dome design, but no reports of anybody actually building it.  Here’s my impressions, and a few things I learned.  (But keep in mind that my dome fell over.  Caveat Surfator.)

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Even now, two weeks later, friends of mine are expressing to me their sympathy for LIGHTBAR, the way they might for a dead relative or pet.  People have asked me how I’m feeling, if I’m okay … call me dense but at first I thought they were offering to lift heavy objects for me.  I didn’t figure out until lately that people are worried about me personally.  But really, I’m fine.

The collapse of LIGHTBAR was somehow incredibly shocking and sad.  The most frequent text response I received was an N with twelve Os after it.  But sad as it was, it wasn’t so bad.  Nothing was damaged, nobody was hurt, no major financial loss was felt.  I happened to catch a bad cold right at the same time, but I feel fine now.  We missed out on three days of LIGHTBAR, but we had seven others under our collective belt.

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Dude!  Does this spaceship make me look fat?

(Pardon the mess in our clean room; the cleaner is coming tomorrow, I promise.)

As the attendees of Red Night at LIGHTBAR are aware, MSL is deeply committed to earth-mars friendship.  That’s why we’re sending jacked-up hotrods to the red planet!  JPL offers a sneak peek, here.

If this mission succeeds, we’re on-schedule to host LIGHTBAR 2020 on MARS!

Yesterday was the saddest day in LIGHTBAR history.

Today — Wednesday February 25, 2009 — we’re digging out, cleaning up, sorting and sifting.  It’s really not too huge of a job, but the more the merrier — especially when it comes to folding 40-foot tarps.  Please drop by if you can.  Pizza will be ordered.

The remaining LIGHTBAR events are well and truly cancelled, BUT we’d love to find someplace to have one last little bash on Saturday.  My band never got to play, and I know everybody has these awesome gold outfits they want to wear …

LIGHTBAR goes dark early this year …

WTF? Well, I knew there were problems.  I’ve already had to fix several broken struts, and there were one or two near the top of the dome that I couldn’t reach to fix properly.  Yesterday we had the heaviest rain and wind in a month.  Did my baggy roof tarp begin to take on water, and grow heavy?  Were the winds worse than I realized? I wonder if anybody else’s dome fell down last night.

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… was great!  For instance:

Huge thanks to my pals in CHERVONA, the greatest Russian band in all of Portland! They leave for their Maslenitsa tour of California IHOP franchises on Friday. Go see them!  Their last Portland show before the tour will be this Thursday at the Alberta Street Public House.

Huge thanks also to everybody who came, danced, partied, celebrated, tipped, and then vanished into thin air right at midnight like ninja elves!  Such professionals!  Remember:

He who rocks and sneaks away
lives to rock another day!

You got ZOOBOMB on my LIGHTBAR!
You got LIGHTBAR on my ZOOBOMB!

Last Friday night, Portland’s awesome Midnight Mystery Ride left from Portland’s awesome (if I say so myself) LIGHTBAR at midnight, thus launching a mad weekend of gladiatory excellence known as Minibike Winter VI, brought to you by Portland’s awesome cult of speed, ZOOBOMB!

Portland is just awesome. This video gives you a taste of the whole weekend, with blue-drink action courtesy of master mixologist Matthew.  Includes subtleties for the thinking impaired.