Jason Traeger

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Anyone who knows me knows I've never been one to revel in the past. I'm the last one to cast a misty-eyed glance back at the "good old days". In my experience the people who take this angle are usually the ones who weren't there. Whatever mistakes, false starts and missed opportunities I've had the pleasure of having, I was wherever I was for better or worse.

This blog is not meant to romanticize any choices I made or any particular era. It's simply a place where I share stories and take stock of where I've been as a way to figure out where I might want to go next. I'll celebrate some people along the way, some of them you'll know or know of, others will be new to you. I'm glad to have known every one of them.

The posts are in no thematic or chronological order. The date at the end of the post's title refers to how the content of the post relates to me personally. I make no claim about the accuracy of my recollections I only promise that I'll be as honest and accurate as I can be. If you were there and you remember things differently than I do, or you find evidence that contradicts my memory (I wouldn't be surprised or upset) feel free to let me know.

Rather than editing the posts for historical accuracy, I'll put ( * ) next to any parts that have been challenged or updated for that reason.

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March 22, 2012

SARAH UTTER/BANGS/SEAN KELLY HOUSE SHOW OLYMPIA 2000
Sarah Utter of Bangs playing a house show in Olympia 2000. The handsome Irishman holding the mic stand is Sean Kelly (Tight Bros from Way back When) who I’ve been down with since we met at San Dieguito High School after my mom and I relocated from San Diego city proper up to Encinitas in North County.
Is that Chris Smith from KARP looking down from the top of the frame? I sold Sarah that white Gibson SG for $300.00 if I remember correctly*. She still plays it to this day.
This picture made me think about how essential house shows were to the scene in Olympia and in towns like it all over the country in the post hardcore/indy era. I’ll write more about the role the house show has played and continues to play in grass roots music in future posts.
My good friend Tae Won Yu took this picture.
* Sarah has since told me she remembers paying $500 for the SG so we decided it was actually $400 that got her that great guitar. A guitar that Ian MacKaye and Chris Smith also had eyes on buying at various times I might add.
Tae Won Yu on Flickr.

SARAH UTTER/BANGS/SEAN KELLY HOUSE SHOW OLYMPIA 2000

Sarah Utter of Bangs playing a house show in Olympia 2000. The handsome Irishman holding the mic stand is Sean Kelly (Tight Bros from Way back When) who I’ve been down with since we met at San Dieguito High School after my mom and I relocated from San Diego city proper up to Encinitas in North County.

Is that Chris Smith from KARP looking down from the top of the frame? I sold Sarah that white Gibson SG for $300.00 if I remember correctly*. She still plays it to this day.

This picture made me think about how essential house shows were to the scene in Olympia and in towns like it all over the country in the post hardcore/indy era. I’ll write more about the role the house show has played and continues to play in grass roots music in future posts.

My good friend Tae Won Yu took this picture.

* Sarah has since told me she remembers paying $500 for the SG so we decided it was actually $400 that got her that great guitar. A guitar that Ian MacKaye and Chris Smith also had eyes on buying at various times I might add.

Tae Won Yu on Flickr.