and sometimes a full day seems impossible, but it helps calm the nerves.
it covers a lot of ground, too. focusing on “one day at a time” means you let go of yesterday (the past) and concern yourself with what you can control (not exactly), adapt and/or deal with – the present.

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

I have many friends that are not satisfied with “the status quo” or with “mainstream America” or with the “evangelical subculture” here in the West. I love these friends dearly. I know they most likely have great reasons for their mistrust and their criticism, but I don’t want to join their “club.”

I remember being in a room with two friends. One of them announced with great enthusiasm that they were going to an upcoming Promise Keeper’s convention. The other friend looked at him, scoffed and expressed how he couldn’t believe that he was going to such and such an event. This person had real problems with this organization, apparently, and now his friend had to deal with his other friend’s disapproval. I can’t remember too clearly, but I think my friend ended up not going to that. I could be wrong.

Another friend was chatting with me and made some critical remarks about the Courageous movie and how it was a movie made for Christians. It was inferred that the movie Blue Like Jazz was so superior, because it was a movie about faith made for non-Christians. While much of this criticism might be very valid, I don’t like the club that concludes that belittling this other movie is the right thing to do.

I think of an illustration I came up with a few years ago about the Jesus Doll. Someone sent us a talking doll that was a Jesus doll. If you squeezed its hand, you heard encouraging things and Scripture come out. Me and my college-age friends (generically referred to hereafter as “the young generation,” even though I’m probably too cold to count in its numbers) would have a real field day with this thing. How ridiculous. How offensive to my faith, too. Taking Someone I hold so dear and reducing Him to a toy.

You know what that sentiment is missing? It’s missing the behind-the-scenes story of an elderly couple in Ohio, who handcraft these dolls, laying hands on each one, praying: “Precious Lord, please let Your Holy Spirit go with this doll and use it to train a child up in the way it should go. Please use this for Your glory. Amen.”

It breaks my heart to know that me and my friends in Austin are mocking this doll that an elderly couple made in genuine faith.

Now, I made up the elderly couple just to illustrate a point. If we mock or pit ourselves against fellow members of the body of Christ we don’t like, we don’t understand or we can’t stand being around – we are somehow pitting ourselves against ourselves, against the body of Christ, against God Himself.

I’m not saying we can’t criticize. Being a Thought Policeman is the last thing I want to propose. I’m just saying I don’t want to be a part of that club. There’s life to be found in simple things. There’s life-changing power in a film like Courageous. If you don’t understand, don’t like or despise movies, art and circles like that, stay away. Pray for them. Ask God to give you a link to fellowship with them. Then go again and be a part of the body of Christ. Or not.

I don’t know. This isn’t about you. This is about me. I don’t want to be a part of that club.

Cynicism, being jaded and over critical are not fruit of the Spirit. Are they? I don’t have to like cute things or girly songs or Barry Manilow music with Scripture lyrics, but it doesn’t mean I have to put it down.

To my friends (who will hopefully NOT read this blog):

Do I still want to be your friend? Absolutely. I love you. I appreciate our differences. I appreciate your analysis of things. I appreciate how our differences can sharpen and affirm each other. I just don’t want to be a member of this club.

Can watching a Christian movie and crying and “being inspired” and all be an exercise in shallow faith? Certainly, but I don’t dismiss the work of God in my heart – be it ever so subtle. When I draw closer to Him, I am changed for the better. Should I rest on my “laurels” and the fact that I cried when watching Courageous or Fireproof? Certainly not. There’s more to life than a brief emotional high, but to put that kind of art/message/whatever down and dismiss it altogether? Not me.

When I first got the press release about a world-premiere screening of a new Mel Gibson movie called Get the Gringo, I wondered for a second if this was going to be about Eric Volz (the son of former 77s drummer, Jan Volz). His book is called Gringo Nightmare. I’ve blogged about his plight in prison South of the US border.

By reading the plot synopsis, I quickly learned that this was not that story. This one was originally titled How I Spent My Summer Vacation, which is as funny as the final title. This was an event sponsored by Ain’t It Cool’s Harry Knowles, who did a marvelous job as emcee as it were and Q&A moderator. I like what he said about the film before it started. He mentioned how much he loved the film and how excited he was about hosting this premiere. “There are seven places in the film that I’m dying to the see crowd reaction to,” he explained.

When I was watching the movie, I would hold up a finger to my wife sitting next to me to keep a count of the scenes I guessed were on Harry’s list of seven. I think I held up my first finger after the prison shoot-out or the fingers being cut off scene. I can’t remember. The seven piled up and were pretty obvious, I think. The footage was graphic and comedic.

Overall, it was a loveable movie that shows Mel as a career criminal caught in Mexico after a bank robbery. He’s being chased in a car he’s driving with a clown mask on. He sees a dirt hill by the wall that would serve as a good launching ramp and he does a high-speed turn-around so as to approach it. This opening sequence is pretty exciting, as they’re pushing 100+ mph on a dirt surface. His car takes the jump and flies through the wall, but it’s a gnarly crash and he is captured and taken to a crazy, fascinating and other-wordly Mexican prison.

There were/are prisons like this, where the criminals would set up little cities, with family members living in apartments with them. The crazy, corrupt system has its own government and you see Mel bond with a young kid that’s being held close for a future organ transplant/forced donor situation with the local leader of the prison gang. The guy’s a great, evil villain that’s easy to hate.

Mel’s confidence and slight-of-hand expertise is fun to watch. As with most of his films, Gibson’s character is a flawed hero.

It’s got a lot of action and a dramatic tale that’s fun to watch unravel. It’s interesting that this film is going straight to … DirecTV. Very interesting. Hopefully, it’ll get watched by millions and be considered a success. I liked it. Mel’s best? Not really, but certainly not one that requires a leap of affection or so bizarre that it fades into the chronicles of “best movie” lists, like Apocalypto. (I don’t know…does anyone think that was a great film? I liked that one, but I file it under weird.) I think Get the Gringo, with its Tarantino-esque style, brutal comedy and Mel’s vengeance killing make this one I wouldn’t mind seeing a few more times.

The Q&A was funny and informative, where they talked about “maggot bags” and “nerf guts” being used to simulate brains being blown apart by bullets, explosions, etc. Mel also talked a bit about the movie he just finished a third re-write on the screenplay for a new movie about vikings. That should be awesome.

I want to share something really goofy with you – really goofy.
So, I’m sitting in a movie theater, watching the last trailer before the movie starts …. and it happened. I heard the intro to my movie’s trailer. Then the scene illuminates in my imagination and I’m seeing the trailer for my novel’s movie – Desert High.

It starts off with the voice of one Michael Moye – a sophomore player on our varsity football team at Desert High School:

(Moye): “I say Desert – you say Scorpions”
Desert – “
(The rest of the team): “SCORPIONS!”

A shot of the Desert High football team on the sidelines, getting fired up before the kickoff.

I am hearing all of this loud and clear in my head
And I’m seeing the edits, too.

This sudden “vision” of sorts brings me an immediate emotional rush.
I choke up.

Shots of football action takes center stage.
It’s the end of the Desert vs. Mammoth 1980 CIF playoff game.
The Mammoth Huskie team, with their dark maroon jerseys and golden/orange helmets are rushing to the line of scrimmage near the goal line.

The Desert Scorpions defense is lining up in their all-white uniforms and helmets.
The camera is moving fast and jumbling a bit – emphasizing the action.

The camera pans over to the Desert sidelines.
The Desert coaches are shouting at the refs, a couple are rotating their arms, trying to signal the referees that they should be running the clock instead of keeping it stopped.

“The last play was a running play,” they’re shouting, “roll the clock!”
They’re faces are exploding with animation, disbelief and anger.

The running play is stuffed. The Mammoth quarterback, Marty Zwartz, tosses the ball into the end zone with both hands – like an inbound basketball pass. Their offensive tackle jumps on it. The officials raise their hands.

TOUCHDOWN!

The camera shakes, showing pandemonium, the Desert players are waving their arms, signifying incomplete pass. The Mammoth players are jumping and raising their hands, celebrating.

Another scene shows three officials in various semi-formal clothes standing around in an office with a placque on the wall reading “California Interscholastic Federation Athletic Officials Regional Office.” They’re shaking their heads, holding both hands up in a shrug, admitting to the Desert coach, “We have no excuses, Coach. We blew these calls. We should have run the clock. We’re sorry.”

Another quick edit shows a few Desert High players hanging out in a driveway, sharing beverages and memories. They’re in their mid-30s, talking about this game:

“I saw the ball coming right at me,” one says, “I batted it down. Incomplete pass. Game over.” The rest of his friends shake their heads, and quickly express how messed up the situation was.

Another scene shows tailback Kelly Love explaining, “Coach Matthews apologized to me later,” he says, as the screen shows black and white archive footage of him running around the end for a touchdown, “He told me that it was this game where he finally learned that giving me the ball 25, 30 times in a game can take over and wear the other team out.”

The next edit shows me typing in my windows password to open the operating system in my editor’s office. The camera shows my fingers on the keyboard and the individual letters that pop up and then turn into asterisks. M – a – m – m – o – t – h – S – u – c – k –s is seen and my lips are moving and saying the phrase under my breath.

The phone rings, the camera shows me picking it up.
“Doug! How’s my favorite brother-in-law?”

The camera splits the screen, showing Major Martin “Tex” Myers on the other end.

“You won’t believe this, Doug, but we’ve built a time machine out here at Edwards.”
A close up of my eyes flashes.
“Remember that Mammoth playoff game your senior year? We’re looking for a guinea pig to go back…”

The camera flashes back to action from the game.

It shows me walking down the gateway, about to board a plane, with my thoughts narrated, “Here I am, participating in a secret mission with a security clearance from the United States Air Force and how do they transport me from Austin to Edwards? Southwest Airlines,” my character shakes his head.

I see other parts of the “movie” in my head. The playoff game at Trona, the players hanging out on a Saturday night, deciding to do “monkey rolls” drills on the grass in someone’s front yard. The flightline at Edwards A.F.B. with all sorts of jets on it.

It kinda makes me weepy and I can’t shake the feeling for the next two hours while I’m watching a pretty good flick in The Hunger Games. I’m engaged in this story, but I’m practically gripping my seat with the adrenaline and feel-good emotion of imagining my dream of seeing my Desert High novel becoming a big-time movie.

It’s so goofy and I’m lame to admit this, but I’m just flooded with these emotions. Afterward I sense that tension in my stomach – like I could run a marathon or box Rocky Balboa in the ring for 15 rounds. I’m just pumped up and choked up at the same time.

Wow.

I so want to see this happen.

Call it a pipe dream, call it far-fetched, call it Walter Mitty daydreaming his life away, but I like that feeling.

Who knows if anything’ll happen with this. All I know is that my imagination caught a glimpse of it tonight (it was vivid) and it fired me up in a big way.

Yes, it’s true. I’m a total idiot. I’m even dumber for sharing these thoughts, but I don’t really care if everyone knows how much of a goober I am. I don’t care.

Watch, tomorrow I’ll regret having posted this. Ha ha.

So, I get this press release about a movie that is about a former high school football player that gets injured in the playoffs (the state championship game, no less) and magically gets a chance to re-live the moment. My radar starts going wacko and my heart rate increases and I hit “reply” to that email and RSVP to that advance screening as fast as I can.

In case you don’t know, I spent five years writing my first novel. It is a story about high school football, flight testing, time travel and redemption. It’s called Desert High and I think if you have any interest in those areas (or like the movies Friday Night Lights, The Right Stuff, Back to the Future), then you will eat this story up.

Here’s the deal: when I was a senior in high school (”What was the name of that school,” you ask? Desert High.), our football team went to the playoffs. I played inside linebacker and I loved it. In this first round of the playoffs, we get ripped off by some super bad officiating right at the very end (last play) of the game. Now, I know, I know… A lot of competitors will say stuff like that. But how often do the officials meet with your coach the following Tuesday in Lancaster, CA, admit their blown calls and apologize? Well, that’s what happened to us.

Fast-forward 32 years and I’m an old heavy metal magazine editor that sees his old high school buddies every once in awhile. What do we talk about? That playoff game against Mammoth. So, in my novel, I am shocked out of my workday at HM Magazine by a phone call from my brother-in-law, who really did work for the Air Force at Edwards AFB (where Desert High is located) and he tells me they have a time machine, they’re looking for a guinea pig to make the first manned flight and alter a seemingly insignificant event in the past – like a high school football game. So I accept this top secret mission, go back to November of 1980 and try to right the “wrong” of the end of that game. All sorts of things could happen. My 40-something year-old self is in the same location as my 17-year-old self (uh-oh – if we collide, that could end the universe!). But if I do end up successfully altering the outcome of that game and preserve our deserved win, well, that means we go to the next round. And what could happen there in the sand pit of Trona, CA?

I published this book (Desert High) last fall. My dream is that it would become a best-selling sports book and then, hopefully, be made into a blockbuster movie. I mean, the storyline kinda begs for a visual presentation like a movie. People have asked me (even friends whose characters appear in the book), “If it does get made into a movie, can I play myself?” My immediate reaction is: “I hope not.” What I mean by that is I want the movie to be huge – big budget, big-time actors. No offense to my friends, but they’re amateur actors at best (possibly horrible actors at worst). So, that’s my dream. The question, however, has made me imagine: “Who would I get to play the 40-something-year-old me? And who would play the 17-year-old me?”

Of course, I’d pick a handsome actor for both. Who wouldn’t? I’d go with Zac Efron for the younger Doug Van Pelt (why not?) and Kurt Russell as the older Doug Van Pelt (he has aged well and looks like he was probably a good looking young man way back when, which is true, and could possibly pass as an older Zac Efron). Laugh if you want to, but that’s my dream and those are my ideas. That would be SO cool to see happen.

Now, while I was writing this novel, which spanned 5 years (from 2004 to 2009), I was always very aware of other sci-fi and time travel books and football movies. The Best of Times has some uncanny parallels – Kurt Russell is the star QB and he has “the best arm in Kern County.” Kern County is the county that Edwards AFB and Desert High (and the town of Bakersfield, where that movie is based) are located. Too funny. Other movies, like The Butterfly Effect, always got my radar going while I was still in the creative process. I did not want to see ANYONE steal my idea (as if it were floating out there in the air, waiting to be snatched by another creative mind) and steal my thunder. So, when I first heard about Touchback, my first thought was, “Whew! I’m glad Desert High has already been published!” I just hoped it wasn’t too similar, or otherwise the court of public opinion and/or people’s memories would always remember the big movie first and if my book ever got made into a movie, it would always be seen as coming after.

So, imagine my surprise when I find out that Kurt Russell plays a star role in this one! Ha ha ha. Wow. It made me wonder if there’d be any other similarities… Russell does a good job of playing the high school football coach that leads the young main character to football glory.

Here’s a synopsis from the movie:

Touchback tells the story of Scott Murphy (Brian Presley), a former high school football star who sustained an injury that ended his promising career and eventually relegated him to the life of a struggling farmer and family man. Faced with a series of severe setbacks, Murphy has begun to rethink his life. But as he reaches a point of deep despair, he’s mystically transported back to his glory days. Given a second shot at destiny, he seeks counsel from Coach Hand (Kurt Russell) and a classmate named Macy (Melanie Lynskey), whom he had never noticed before. In the end, Murphy comes once again to a critical choice – a crossroads where he will have to choose what ultimately matters most in life.

Scott Murphy is a stud QB. He is named “Mister Football” in Ohio. His team is poised to upset the huge powerhouse school they’re playing (kinda like a Hoosiers in the sense of a smalltown, smaller school playing a larger one in the playoff tournament). With only a couple seconds on the clock, he drops back in the pocket, decides not to throw it, tucks the ball and runs. It’s an awesome John-Elway-in-Super-Bowl-XXXII moment, where the scrambling QB launches his body with no time on the clock and two defensive backs hit him simultaneously with such force that he spins around on his way to the ground. He’s over the goal line. It’s a touchdown that wins the State Championship game. He’s the hero, but his leg is bent back in an ungodly angle. The dude’s knee is wasted from then on. By the way, in case you’re wondering if I just spoiled your movie, this all takes place in the first couple of minutes.

He walks with a limp and this huge knee brace when the movie fast-forwards to the present. He’s a caretaker character with a good heart towards those around him, but he’s a bitter old man. He feels like his life is wasted. His farm facing bankruptcy adds the unwanted pressure for him to feel this way. He parks his car on a nice perch that overlooks the high school football stadium – the same place his dear old mom parked to watch his defining state championship moment. The car is parked right next to some power electrical equipment (like a transformer box or relay station) and something crazy happens and he’s back in time.

It’s funny at first, as it would be, especially because he didn’t plan this and he doesn’t know exactly what’s going on. But it’s the week leading up to the state championship game and before long he’s preparing to play. He has to wrestle with the consequences of his actions. All the momentum is pushing him to do something different so as not to injure himself on the last play. One option is to sit out and not play. His recruiter from Ohio State even tells him that they wouldn’t look down on him if he sat out this game. The big boys on the other team were mostly D-1 college recruits and his little school has little chance but to be clobbered (thus the upset).

Another dilemma involves this Macy girl. Macy is the girl he ended up marrying when his injury crushed his dreams of a career in football. He stayed (stuck) in the small town and eventually settled down with Macy. They have a family. When he sees her back in high school, he does something different. He takes notice of her. Back in the day he was the popular jock with the prettiest cheerleader as his girlfriend and future trophy wife. It’s funny to see him wrestle with the trophy girlfriend and the heartstrings that his future wife pulls on him – as his memory from his 38/39-year-old self is intact.

What does he do? It’s another fun dilemma to watch him deal with. Does he press forward with this second chance and do it for his dreams? Or does he do something else? The storytellers do a good job of stretching out the suspense until the very end.

I loved this movie. I was swept up in the emotions of the story. Of course, I had other emotional connections. Check out these other coincidences of details:

Scott Murphy comes home after a tough day and greets his daughter, who crawls on his lap. Her name is Kayla.
(I have a daughter named Kaela).

Scott Murphy comes home after another tough day and greets his dog – Biscuit. “Here buddy,” he says.
(I have a dog named Biscuit Buddy McGillicutti).

The state championship game takes place in ‘91.
(My high school years ended in ‘81).

Scott Murphy’s best friend, who is probably the third or fourth main character is a tight end. His number is 81.
(My number was #81 and I played tight end, although I don’t count that, because I was 3rd string at that position).

It’s funny, but I almost got that “Someone’s been reading my mail” feeling. I don’t quite buy that, but I didn’t expect there to be any strange coincidences like that. What are the odds?

As I stated, I loved this movie. It had all the elements of a story that I devoted several years of my life to, but these are also elements I love. Second chances? Check. Love? Check. Competition? Check. Football? Oh yeah. Teenage life? Check.

It’s not a Christian movie, per se, but the press releases I have received point out the parallels of how our past helps shape who we are and how God uses our successes and failures (what happens to us) to develop our character. Time travel is a way to thwart that. If it were possible, that could have terrible consequences.

Take, for example, your typical dating experience in high school. Odds are most people reading this dated one person in high school and then, through one reason or another, saw that relationship break up and then dated someone else later. It’s probably natural – especially during the young teenage years – to wonder about, “If I wasn’t in this relationship, I might be happier in that one…” This kind of fantasy happens in marriages, too, no doubt. Then, when you bring kids into the equation, what if you erased that part of your life? You’d erase the very lives of the children you had with your spouse. These are some heavy consequences to time travel. Just the tip of the ethical iceberg.

So, bravo, Touchback. Best movie ever? Not a chance. Thrill the heck out of this football fan? Absolutely.

Here’s some resources to check out:

Check out the trailer and get a FREE Discussion Guide at www.touchback-themovie.com and watch actor Brian Presley’s testimony of faith: http://bit.ly/touchbackyoutubetestimony.

What Other People Are Saying About Touchback:

“Touchback is an excellent, rewarding sports drama, with fine acting and solid direction…a compelling and absorbing movie that holds the viewer’s attention throughout.” – MovieGuide

“Touchback is a powerful and inspirational movie with many themes and morals that relate to the work we do in FCA, and I encourage everyone to support this movie when it opens in theaters April 13, 2012.” – Chris Kaiser, Fellowship of Christian Athletes

“Touchback is two hours of high quality entertainment packed with great moral lessons without getting preachy…a mainstream film that also speaks to faith-based audiences who can read the Biblical values between the lines.” – Curtis Wallace, COO TDJ Enterprises (T.D. Jakes)

“A touching, inspirational movie. It’s about life and the choices you make….it reminds me of the classic It’s a Wonderful Life…truly engaging. Makes you appreciate what really matters in life.” – Jay Swick, Absolute Sublime

“I would highly recommend this film! It was very inspirational and motivational for athletes of all ages!” – Stacey Rossodivito, Youth Leader, St. Kateri Church, CA

Like us on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/touchbackfb

I’ll admit it. I think the band Train is talented. I think they’re good. I’ve seen them in concert twice now and I’ll go see them again. So there, my friend that gently ridiculed me for having this showcase on my schedule. “Aren’t they like that band that sounds like every Christian rock band?” My friend was giving me a hard time about seeing this commercially successful band … and friends should do that. It’s fun. But I did have to switch off his voice in my head so as to not let his words steal my joy. I was going to this show and part of the reason was my wife likes their music even more than I do and she couldn’t make it.

If you’ve never heard of Train, a quick search on YouTube will get you plenty. They’re like an easy-listening meets hard rock blend of Aerosmith, Counting Crows and even a little Guardian thrown in. They’re probably huge at college sororities and fraternities.

The line was long outside Central Presbyterian Church, which is one of 90-plus venues in the city that hosts showcases during SXSW. A year or two ago I saw Jennifer Knapp play there and it’s usually fare to singer-songwriter acts, as the acoustics are amazing. I got a kick out of hearing a big Train fan in line behind me worrying about whether or not we would get in, whether we were in the right line, whether someone that wasn’t supposed to get in front of him (since he had a badge) would. He was about to crawl out of his skin. I’m glad for the guy, cuz the performance before ours (Andy McKee) apparently had a lot of fans that wanted to leave, so there was space. It’s an old-fashioned church with an a-frame structure, wooden floors and large, wooden pews. There was probably 30 to 50 rows of pews on either side of the center aisle of this narrow room, a loft above stage right and then one above in the back of the room. The place filled up quick and the show began.

I wondered if the band would play all electric or all acoustic. Turns out they did a little of both – with lead guitarist Jimmy Stafford sticking to his acoustic (and ukulele for the song “Hey, Soul Sister”), but the rhythm section including the electric bass guitar and drums. The band jumped right into “Save Me, San Francisco,” segued into “Meet Virginia” and then took a quick breath and introduced a new song with a question about it’s title, saying, “maybe, This Will Finally Be My Year.” It was funny to see vocalist Pat Monahan using a lyric sheet to deliver the still fresh tune.

They went from that new song to the new single, “Drive By,” which, like a lot of their songs, is filled with names and items from our shared cultural landscape, referencing his love that’s gone viral. The tune sounds good live, although there was little doubt the fast-paced pop song would translate into a live setting. These guys are total pro’s and have the talent to transcend that role of performance to moment. Monahan made light of the fact that they were playing in a church during the first song, where he invited people to sing along to the last album’s title track, then chiding them for claiming to get high while in a church. Later he took the time to do something special that he did the last time I saw them – belting out the verses to “Calling All Angels” without the aid of a microphone. It didn’t really work at La Zona Rosa back in 2009 – thanks to screaming fans that apparently couldn’t help themselves. This time the acoustics were absolutely perfect for such a move. As he started, a few squeals were emitted from the pews, but he was ready. “I can’t do this if you scream.” Then the crowd bit their lips and quietly sat for a moving vocal performance about child abuse and other tragedies that beset calling for help from special angels. He finished the song that way, too. The audience joins in for the refrains of: “I won’t give up if you don’t give up.”

Monahan took it up another notch when he paused before the next song and said, “You know, if there was ever a moment to walk down the aisle…” and the band lit into the song “Marry Me” (from Save Me, San Francisco). And, sure enough, a young lady looking to be about 22 briskly made her way out from the middle of the crowd and down the aisle. Her body language said humility, but the move was as bold as anything. Monahan and the audience took in the moment, then he smiled and said, “I can’t marry you, cuz my wife would get super pissed off, but I can give you this t-shirt.” I guess he was prepared for the moment, but it all felt impromptu and awkward in that fun way.

The band whipped out the ukulele for “Hey, Soul Sister,” which is a feel-good song. Then Monahan expressed heartfelt thanks to their fans, for coming out to see them and making their career have purpose and meaning. Then they went into “Drops of Jupiter,” squeezing every ounce of melody, soft brush drumming and vocal dancing that the song allowed and the set was over.

SXSW is an ever-expanding beast that hasn’t lost its step. Over 2,000 acts on over 90 stages, over 900 interactive conference sessions, over 125 films screened, and those are just the three main facets. Rock poster art has its own place in Flatstock, music gear is displayed in abundance at  the Music Gear Expo, the latest games get maxed out at the ScreenBurn Arcade and there’s even a trend-beating fashion segment called StyleX.
Tons of tech companies send their brightest to mingle and catch the latest advances and sometimes show off their own. I was especially intrigued by seminar sessions about branding (“Building Social Media-Proof Brands” and “Brands as Patterns”) and the “Building a Jewish Presence Through Social Media” caught my eye. “Digital vs. Print” held a personal interest, too, as do most of the Journalism & Online tracks. “Has Twitter made the Sports Reporter Obsolete?” begged an obvious question (the answer is “No,” but the reporter does now have a lot more speedy competition flashing out the news).

There’s lots of obvious overlap between the three main tracks, of course, which makes for great synergy. One interactive session was called “The Future of Music Consumption,” which previous years hinted at the cloud technology we’re all leaning on now. Another music/interactive hybrid session was “Can Printed Electronics save the Music Industry?” The Trade Show is one giant exhibit hall that fuses it all in a personal and fun way. Last year I got stoked on the ease of multiple-user video chat rooms, but this year’s mesmerizing booth for me was the DIY vinyl making machine. Vinylrecorder.com was in full-production mode every time I walked by, where they took a vinyl “blank” and cut the grooves on the spot with the spinning device. Truly awesome.

Musical highlights included a nice set of soulful tunes by Tyrone Wells in a cozy upstairs club. He told the audience that one surprise he hears a lot is that he’s white (with a name like Tyrone). He played some new songs, including “Train Wreck.” He shared that in life there are “so many things we can’t control,” but “we can love each other.”

Shiny Toy Guns had a nice slot on the big outdoor stage at Auditorium Shores. Their new songs sounded great. Their singer is totally flowing with the band now – a marked difference from the first couple of shows I saw when she was still new. “Le Disko” was hot and went over well with the large audience. Another new one was called “Speaking Japanese” and it was very guitar driven, though there were some big blips and bleeps from the keys. It’s always cool to see interpreters for the hearing-impaired at big public events, but with her interpretive dancing I wonder if she truly knew the STG lyrics or was just improvising. The band played its version of “Major Tom,” with its refrain of “4, 3, 2, 1, earth below us, drifting, falling…” They ended the buzzing set with the spirutal “Don’t Cry Out” and “You Are the One.”

I hadn’t seen The Cult too many times, but I don’t remember them starting off their sets with the declaration that frontman Ian Astbury said: “Father, forgive us our sins.” The band sounded great.

The HM Magazine Showcase went off well, with Dead Words and These Hearts bringing the rock hard and relentless. It was cool to find out that the folks at djtheonelive were streaming the sets in their entirety. Light Up The Darkness brought their family band to the stage while one of their babies slept in a stroller by the merch table (!) and they really jammed. Their lead guitarist (Paul Brakebill) really shreds. Rocky Loves Emily brought in a ton of girls for their set and frontman Brandon Ellis really played the audience well. Quiet Science ended the showcase with a blistering set that would’ve gone nice right up against Shiny Toy Guns.

My Heart To Fear played a small corner of a small club, which made it even more fun to watch them explode with passion, energy and spit-flying intensity.

South By Southwest (SXSW) is Austin’s biggest party and it’s thrown by a town that knows how to party. This is the reason why people love Austin. People from all over the map (both regionally and philosophically) can feel welcome in Austin. It’s a fun place. This year I ran into something that is not unusual for the typical SXSW visitor – I was shut out of a really good showcase. While I covered a lot of film, music and a little interactive action during the week, it felt like a slap in the face to miss out on Mychildren Mybride (our March cover story) and For Today, who both played in a small fenced-in area under a tent called Emo’s East. I’m not one to try to force my way through a line of people with any sort of press credentials, so I waited and waited and finally made the difficult call. The place was at capacity, so they would only let people in when other people left. It got to be frustrating when you’d see four people leave, though, and no one come in. I had a friend inside who’s a part of the media, so I leaned on him to report on what he saw. Thank God for Clutch!

On Thursday night I was stoked to catch Impending Doom at the Scoot Inn over on E. 4th. Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the 6th Street and Red River scenes, the seeming calm of East Austin was primed to be shattered by the face-ripping metal showcase which was also the kick-off show of the much anticipated Metal Alliance Tour. Late in the evening, Impending Doom took the stage ready to blister SXSW with their brutal blend of metal and message. Their set was well worth the wait as the warm spring night was again electric when Doom churned out “Murderer” from their eOne debut album, Baptized In Filth. Before the crowd could recover, Brook and the boys went right into “There Will Be Violence” and “For The Wicked.” But, the band’s biggest surprise came when they quickly said, “OK, we’ve got one more for you tonight before we go.” Even for an all-too-short-SXSW-set, this was short! I suspect that it was due to DevilDriver going long and breaking down all their equipment on stage (a band faux pax). But, my disappointment quickly turned to heavy metal joy as Impending Doom wrapped up the night with “More Than Conquerors.”

On Friday, the big white tent at 6th and Red River across from the ghost of Austin’s famous alternative venue, Emo’s, could hardly contain the crowd and energy overflowing from a full day of heavy music. The showcase included amazing sets by To Speak of Wolves, Gideon and many others including heavyweights Mychildren Mybride and For Today.

Mychildren Mybride immediately kicked everyone in the teeth by launching into their set with their new single “On The Wings Of Integrity pt. 2.” Lead singer Matthew Hastings commanded the crowd from his perch atop the stage monitors. When asked, “How many people have heard of Mychildren Mybride?” the audience went wild. They were rewarded with the fan favorite “Terra Firma” and then again as MCMB ripped into the song that will be the band’s next video, “God Of Nothing,” leading the frenzied pit in a lyrical chant of “We were bathed in blood that is not our own!” MCMB closed their set in a proper bookend fashion by whipping up the pit with “On The Wings Of Integrity Pt. 1.”

The night wore on and it seemed the crowd would have nothing left after the brutal swirling pit, stage dives and chaos brought on by a heavy set from Stick To Your Guns. But, then Mattie Montgomery’s familiar scream tore through the tent with “I WILL NEVER BE SILENT!” For Today had arrived to shake and challenge the sweaty swirling masses as hard as they’d seen all day. For Today ripped through a set that played like a hardcore greatest hits list. But, for all the energy the crowd was pushing towards the stage, Mattie was pushing back; you could see him praying over the crowd as the songs flowed over them and boldly stating, “We come to proclaim that Jesus Christ is the King above all kings!” before launching “Fearless” – the first single from their highly anticipated Razor & Tie release, Immortal. Then, a challenge was thrown down from the stage: all demons and sickness were to leave the tent and the crowd had to decide if they were indeed unafraid and unashamed to stand up and make a difference in the world for Him. As they were called to decide the spiritual battle anthem, “Seraphim” blasted Austin’s night sky. Before leaving the crowd that was crying for more, the band ended their set with the well known “Devastator.”

Blue Like Jazz
I was really looking forward to finally seeing this movie. The very idea of that brilliant book being translated to the silver screen was a bit of good news way back when. Then, when the Kickstarter campaign showed promise that this thing might actually happen, the anticipation somehow ratcheted up another notch. I felt like a kid waiting to enter the theater. Thanks to one of my friends I got a very nice reserved ticket that allowed early entrance and I was standing outside the Paramount when Steve Taylor, Don Miller and various members of their entourage arrived, including the young Austin native actor that played Don in the movie – Marshall Allman. It was neat to see their obvious excitement as the moment had arrived. Now, I’m not an expert on this, but even though the movie had screened in various cities (like Nashville) in the days and weeks preceding this event, Tuesday night’s screening was the actual World Premiere. I assume this means that those other screenings were “rough cuts” or not-quite-final versions of the film. While waiting out front I discovered that another one of my Austin friends, Brian Behm, who helps run the video team at Cornerstone Festival each year, did some of the animation for this film. He was anxious to see how it turned out, as everyone in the crowd was. We were all itching to get inside and fire this puppy up.

Longtime Austinite Louis Black introduced Steve Taylor before the film and Steve was all grins as he explained that Kickstarter helped make this possible. He asked for a showing of hands for those in the crowd that supported the film. There were definitely a few in the crowd. He thanked everyone, promised a Q&A after the film and he walked off stage and the theater went dark. After one of the funny SXSW trailers (you need to watch them later … here), Blue Like Jazz the movie began.

First off, I have to say I loved the film. I laughed, I cried, I listened to the reaction of those around me and I sat there and let it come to me. I didn’t exactly know what to expect. Of course, I love the book and had read it a long time ago. The first thing that surprised me was how dark it was. It started off light, which wasn’t too much of a surprise, but it was a narrative (i.e. story) instead of a collection of stream-of-consciousness stories, and we got to “meet” Don. Right off the bat there were a few surprises and differences from the book. Right away we see a goofy, young, impressionable Don fully engaged in his typical Southern Baptist subculture. I figured the intricacies of Don’s brilliant mind would be on display right from the get-go, but instead he’s 90% awkward and, even though his father affirms that he’s bright and intelligent, you don’t quite see it showing itself yet.

A couple of details jump right out at ya while you’re watching the film and they’re hilarious. Don gets an enthusiastic send-off from his small local church as he is about to head off for the great big world of college. He’s given an “armor of God” plastic uniform – the kind an 8-year-old kid might wear – replicating the finest in first century Roman military garb. So amazingly goofy. There’s some puppet ministry going on and then Don is hanging with his friend at a factory that seals up communion juice cups for churches everywhere. Don’s buddy swabs some of his tobacco chew in one of the cups and, despite Don’s protests, it heads out over the assembly line to some unsuspecting nun somewhere in North America. Later in the movie his buddy comes to see him on Christmas Eve up in Portland and tells the story of how “the Skoal-infested blood of Jesus” ended up in Canada and his friend eventually feels bad about the whole thing and he’s going to go up to this nun’s church “and help her work with retards.” (the awkwardness of the poorly-chosen word for mentally handicapped is not lost in the scene, either).

SPOILER ALERT #1 (mild thematic information)
A few liberties are taken in making the story move along and they all pretty much support the story and take us close to the funny, quirky and courageously honest thoughts of one of our day’s more popular writers. The thing that really shocked my system, though, is how dark it got. Basically Don loses his faith up in Portland at Reed College. I wasn’t expecting that. He doesn’t come right out and renounce anything per se, but he takes some drastic actions in the form of a prank or two to let those around him know that he is rejecting his Christian sub-culture and frame of reference.

A few memorable quotes from the book turn up. Some about Jazz, one about “needing to see someone else love something to love it yourself” and we definitely get the girl-chasing wild romantic in Don coming out through his character. Anyone that’s been to college will see some funny things in the background – from the partying to the trying-to-fit-in stuff to all the awkward getting-to-know those in your new surroundings.

Don’s relationship with Penny reveals a source of hope from an unexpected source in the story (unless you’re really studied up on your book details) and it’s really gripping. Hearing Penny express herself was touching on an unreal deep level (at least for me). I was wowed by her precious faith. I was impressed how Steve Taylor directed things like the friction between faith and the non-believing world that can be harsh in some places (like Reed College). It’s nice to see an honest approach to this that doesn’t demonize the non-believer, but instead shows a context that’s a realistic portrayal in some places (like university settings in general). It is also bold to bring up faith in Jesus without flinching. I think making fun of yourself at the start (showing Don’s goofy church-guy identity) gives the character authority to later invoke the Name of this faith’s central figure in a loving way. It is said of Penny (in narration form) that “She loves Jesus.” There is almost no more powerful moment in the film.

There’s a few other heavy moments, like the confessional booth scene where the film climaxes, and Don’s narration gives us an outline (in the voice of his character, of course – not the real Don. Don does make a cameo in a bookstore scene that’s funny and ironic). The heaviness is well broken up, though, with moments of extreme brevity, like the after-school/extra-curricular activities he gets involved in. Very alternative are they. One is called “Civil Disobedience” and it involves a bunch of students heading into a giant chain bookstore (where the real Don Miller plays a famous author doing a reading that gets interrupted by this stunt spectacle). They’re dressed as robots and crazy characters who loudly proclaim the anti-community themes of disillusionment they feel by corporate businesses controlling the flow of books and information. The young Don causes a bit of trouble, dressed as he is in an astronaut’s uniform.

SPOILER ALERT #2 (technically a spoiler, but we’re talking closing credits here, so don’t worry about this as any real spoiler information):
When the movie ends the characters are listed in typical fashion in the center/left of the screen, scrolling up and telling us who play who and who did what with the film. Then a column on the right appears, which I think said “Associate Producer”  and the names start scrolling up … faster and FASTER than the column of credits slowly scrolling up on the left. These are not racing up (you can still read them), but there were SO many Kickstarter supporters who donated $100, which got them their name in the credits. It took forever just to get out of the “A” in alphabetical order. It was fun to see so many friend’s names up there. You know that all these people will stay to watch … and bring their friends. Quite a brilliant, fun and surely never-done-before moment.

SPOILER ALERT #3 (If you didn’t guess that Don’s wrestling with faith would probably resolve by movie’s end, skip this):
After the movie there was a Q&A and one of the first questions was a girl that asked, “I noticed the character was very religious at the beginning and then very religious at the end. What’s the difference?” Wow. If this question didn’t show some perspective on how a non-believer looks at and perceives people of faith, I don’t know what does. Steve deferred to Don to answer this one, to which he basically stated that at the beginning the character was religious in a way that reflected his cultural, inherited and very typical of what most of us are familiar with down here in Texas kind of faith and then later the character has more of an authentic faith.”

It’s cool to see a movie treat faith fairly, even beat it up a little bit and also hold it in a light of appreciation. By showing some of the goofy cultural baggage that surrounds a lot of faith here in the US, it kind of magnifies the tension that someone may experience while wrestling with faith. Then the good qualities that are show carry a sense of purity with it that’s hard not to respect.

I knew Waiting For Lightning was going to be good. I knew it would feature some outrageously good skateboarding. It’s a documentary on Danny Way. If you’ve never heard of the guy, just Google him. He’s taken the radical sport of skateboarding and moved the atmosphere higher and higher. The guy is just an amazing and rare guy. He’s the Evel Knievel of skateboarding, for sure.

The story of the movie was the dude’s jump over the Great Wall of China. But to get to that point, you had to traverse some incredible moments – like the little kid’s rise to pro skateboarding stardom (the youngest pro on the circuit when he started out), setting aerial height (big air) records, then dropping into a monster high ramp from a helicopter and then, of course, the Mega Ramp. The DC Video DVD is just a must-own disc. There’s not really much choice (if you’re making a list, make sure you have the Haarp DVD by MUSE, too), you just have to have it. The up-close and panoramic footage is breathtaking and the feats being accomplished are just mind-blowing. Then he took the Mega Ramp concept to the X-Games. And there’s a whole dramatic moment there where he takes the nastiest spill on the big ramp, refuses to get himself medical attention, comes back in and nails the high air. It’s just hair-raising.

The stuff is so awesome that it just transcends the sport of skateboarding. Not everyone gets skateboarding, but the pioneering heights being broken here are just so impressive that it’s compelling – kinda like Michael Jordan with basketball.

The movie dives in to his tumultuous childhood. He and his brother were the children of a couple of hippies. His doting mom and dad get tired of the rain in Portland, so they move back to Carlsbad, California. When they go to the power company to get electricity turned on, they run into dad’s ex-girlfriend, who takes him to court and gets him sent to six months in jail for a $50 unpaid settlement (I think it was alimony, but it might’ve been child support). A few days into his sentence and he’s hung to death. A step-dad takes him in and becomes another great role model (and I’m not being sarcastic here…the context implies I’m being facetious, but I’m not. The guy really bonds with his kids and teaches them sports and whatnot.), later on he loses him to death (guy died after surfing). He’s taken under the wing of a manager for H-Street and then later the “dream team” of skaters in Plan B. This guy named Mike was another great father figure, pushing him to accomplish greater and greater things. He gets t-boned in a car accident, so all three father figures are taken from Way. It’s a gut-wrenching tale.

And then there’s the big payoff – the Great Wall of China jump. This crazy idea took shape, it was planned, it was cleared by Chinese officials and then they built the ramp. The launch ramp was built on a portion of the wall. That narrow little strip that must feel like going straight down a vertical wall from six-plus stories high is on top of a wall. That means that a little speed wobble or some weak, shaky knees will send him straight to death. Just a fierce thing to pull off.

It’s funny how the movie captures all the drama and tension of the big jump. Even though it happened way back in 2005, there’s still an element of, “Man, I hope he doesn’t kill himself doing this.”

Right before the big jump there’s some Mel Gibson-esque editing below the ramp. At least it felt that way to me. A photographic collage of his three father figures flashes on the screen. The second shot is manager Mike Ternasky, which features motion and was taken in the context of a skating event. I knew the guy wasn’t there, but the motion of Mike looking at the camera with people around him made it feel for a second like he was there at the event. It reminded me of that climactic moment in both Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ – remember when the vision of William Wallace’s (dead) wife is passing through the crowd around him as he’s lying on the guillotine? Or when that Lucifer character is circling Jesus with that deformed baby in its hands?

I actually had the audacity to ask the film crew if that was an intentional homage to Mel Gibson and was assured that it wasn’t. One of ‘em actually claimed not to be familiar with those two epic films (what?!). What was intentional, though, was to place those three men at the event. And, of course, he was very present (along with the other two) in the mind and heart of Danny Way, who stood at the top of the launch ramp. Turns out that mom delivered a special gift to Danny prior to the jump, too. She brought a small vile of her ex-husband’s ashes, so one of his father’s figures was in his pocket in a sense as he made the biggest jump of his life.

This was such a good movie that really did a good job of balancing the skateboarding with the human drama story. One doesn’t have to be a fan of the sport to appreciate it. I love what director Jacob Rosenberg said before the screening. He explained that his friend Danny Way had asked him to make this film and, “I couldn’t say no to him.” I, for one, am glad he couldn’t resist, either.

And the film crew promised that a “big announcement” was just days’ away, so I guess Danny Way has dreamed up something else (big, perhaps? may-be…) to blow our minds.