Why is a new Red Robin so damn exciting?

I don't know why, it just is. Maybe it's because West Shaw has been quiet ever since River Park came into power and this is a sign of a West Shaw comeback. Maybe it's the decent bar. Maybe it's because it gives you a place to hangout while you wait for a movie at Broadway Fair. Hell, MAYBE it's the TV in the floor - yeah...there's a TV...in the floor - the insanity never stops at Red Robin...and neither does the birthday singing.



And, across the parking lot, there will soon be a eighties sushi place. Will there be rolls that were hip in the eighties or will there be eighties paraphernalia on the walls? Something like David Lee Roth's assless chaps would get me in there.

life
fresno

Midnight tonight, Fresno says "Woo hoo!"

The Simpsons movie begins its Fresno run at midnight tonight, playing in Clovis and West Shaw. But, there's no Edwards midnight showing; borrowing from Nelson, I'd like to say "Ha Ha!" to NE Fresno.

Are you going? Maybe you could ask Ivanka to go with you.



If you want to review The Simpsons for Dorktown, send us an email: mike@dorktown.net or go to our Forum and post a review, or just make a comment to this post.

Ivanka does Fresno

This is your big chance Fresno horndogs: Ivanka is in town. She's gonna need someone something to DO at night while she's here. Why can't you be that something?


[picture is © Theo Wargo, WireImage.com]

Super Lucky Catz open new Fresno music venue?

No, not exactly. This new venue isn't really new or open...but it's a venue. The venue in question, The Pavilion, hosted a live show from the Fresno band Super Lucky Catz that was recorded for the Dorktown Podcast.

I say not open because it's just the patio where Dorktown records our shows (when the weather is good). Last night, the weather was good and so was Super Lucky Catz, even if it was acoustic and with half their band. Check out how good they sounded by listening to Dorktown Episode 48.

PLUS, download this bonus song [Superhuman.mp3] that was performed after the podcast. Rob The Voice just goes OFF towards the end and vamps about everything from Fresno, Trump and the Visalia music festival.

Below is a video clip of SLC on the Dorktown Podcast. There's more if you listen to the podcast - and it sounds better too.

Number one in Fresno many years running

The most famous Fresnan's of all...and maderan's...and Selman's...and...

AIC in the F-R-E-S-N-O

The new singer for Alice in Chains will never replace Layne Staley. But dammit, this new dude, William Duvall, comes as close as it gets. He, and the rest of AIC, are coming to Fresno, September 12th; Best band to come out of the nineties. Dorktown will be there.

Another underrated group, Sparta, will be opening. They sounded great the last time they were in The NO. And there's also a hybrid group - Velvet Revolver - opening up. But ever since they completely fucked up Van Halen's intro into the Hall of Fame (and Halen doesn't need help fucking things up), I can't stand these mother scratchers.

Will you be in line at Selland Saturday, doing it classic-ticket-buying-style, or are you going the online ticket route? Just promise me when you go that you'll flip off Scott Weiland with me.

Deftones post Fresno video

The Deftones YouTube channel just posted a video from their recent show in Fresno. It's very quick clips of the show but it's still a fun watch. A couple of nice shots of the Rainbow Ballroom crowd; Check it here.

PIZZALAND CLOSES....AGAIN

It's hell trying to keep an all-ages venue alive; Fresno's Pizzaland has closed again and this time it may be for good. (I hope the blog I posted yesterday didn't jinx it.)

The closing of Pizzaland wasn't actually due to nerds blogging, it was financial - as always with all-ages venues. The time I was in there, the teens in attendance weren't buying jack from Pizzaland and were actually buying water at Dan's liquor and coming in with it - the same shit Pizzaland was selling. When you have cheap/broke kids as eighty percent of your customers, it's hard to stay open.

Even with all this Joe, the owner, still plans to look for another venue for hosting bands...good luck ya crazy bastard. Thursday night's Capistrano show at Pizzaland got moved to the Brown Building. Don't ask me what the hell it is, I just know its by Pelco and where planes fly around a lot.


*Thanks to Love The Captive for helping with this post!

Pizzaland and Grindcore rawness

(In the past 24 hours Pizzaland has closed their doors...again - more details to follow; so the below post doesn't mean as much now...but read it anyways mmmkaa)

Coming this Thursday night to Fresno's Pizzaland Brown Building , it's the return...return of Morgan Hill's Capistrano - experimental/grindcore/metal at its finest.

Get fired up for their Thursday show at Pizzaland Brown Building by listening to Capistrano members Dylan (guitar/vocals) and JP (bass) being interviewed by Dorktown (again eh); download this file: pizzalandinterview.mp3. There's a special appearance by Turtle from Love The Captive. Also, more experimental metal is hitting (the Brown Building maybe) July 17th with Said The Gun To The Girl.

To those unaware, Pizzaland isn't your typical venue to see a show. It is definitely an ALL ages place. I know that "all ages" translates to mostly teens in a sparse venue, but it's not exclusively teens. You can even get a beer if you're of age. The place can get a bit...um...sweaty; and there really isn't a traditional stage for the band but you can stand right with the boys in the band as they play - that's its charm and part of the experience of seeing up-and-comers trying to entertain.

Pizzaland is raw. But that's what an all ages place should be. Go check out Capistrano Thursday night and feel what I mean.

EXPECT THIS THURSDAY NIGHT, BITCHES:
Capistrano -

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Brown Building

It's fuck or walk for Mick Evans

I hope you've got something up that ass of yours Mick Evans. God, for your safety in any future trips to Fresno, I hope you do.

Do you REALLY think somebody is going to pay you more money than Trump? Do you really think one of your week leads 'groups' are going to be more solid for Fresno and your Running Horse peeps?

I know you're from Manteca, so maybe you don't know, but this Westside adventure isn't going to work, in the end, without a Trump-like developer. Actually, in case you didn't notice, it has already failed once.

Mick, you've got to put Glengary Glen Ross at the top of your Netflix queue. Actually, I'll make it easy for you, just watch this scene. Imagine you are the Ed Harris character and Mr. Trump is Alec Baldwin (Trump dreams he could have Alec's hair). Always Be Closing Mick.

Man, Mick, I really hope you prove me wrong. I hope this blog makes me look like an idiot. I hope you're not in over your head. I hope your mystery group will come in with more money and a great vision. I hope you perform a miracle and convince the PGA to comeback for your mystery guys. I hope you pull off an even bigger miracle and convince the Fresnans, that could afford a place on your course, to move to the Westside.

Mr. Evans, I hope you pull something out of your ass.

Watch this Evans, please:

Transform with Fresno Nerds tonight

Special advance showings of Transformers are all over the Fresno area tonight. I usually like to hit Broadway Fair (less traffic) but Clovis' Criterion has got a grip of showings, so that's where I'm nerding out tonight. (plus I've yet to check this new Clovis theatre out)

Are you gonna be out there tonight with the 80's cartoon geeks, like me?

Fourth of Fresno

Maybe your fireworks stand doesn't need a Caltrans style road sign (like the one above on West Bullard), but it does need customers. Where's your favorite place to buy fireworks in Fresno?

Fresno gives respect to Deftones, not Tim Gardea

The video results are in, Deftones kicked ass in Fresno. Everyone seemed to love the NorCal band's performance at the Rainbow Ballroom last Friday; I did too. What I didn't love was having to wait over an hour to pick-up my tickets at will-call.

After buying tickets at timegardeapresents.com, picking up my tickets at will-call on the evening of the show was the only option given to me (and I bought them the day they went on sale). I could only pick them up a half-hour before the doors opened. Not cool.

I got there an hour before the show's start time and missed half of the opening band. Mind you, I didn't really give a shit about the first act, but that's not the point.

Warning to Fresnans going to a future Tim Gardea Presents show: don't buy your tickets at his website unless excessive line-waiting is how you like to get fired-up for a show.

At least Deftones blew it up, even if the bass sounded like blllaaaaarrr all night. Check out the Deftones going Back to School in Fresno.