Image courtesy 42 below

This site makes me happy! Though you must be 21 & over to enter (folks must submit their birth date on the splash page).

The most useful aspect of the site is the self service, I'm-too-lazy-to-go-to-the-store, recipe guide for mixed drinks. Get there by rolling over 'all shook up' and click on 'what can I make with what is in my cupboard'. Make sure to give your-self plenty of time to explore as the names of the beverages can be just as attractive as the thought of drinking them.

Bert Jansch 1974 Courtesy of bertjansch.com
Play just received a press release announcing the cancellation of Bert Jansch’s tour of North America. An unexpected illness that may require surgical attention is the cause of the cancellation.

Jansch was scheduled to play at UAA July 6 and for those of you who bought tickets - they are refundable. Cash refunds are available at the Student Life and Leadership office at the UAA Student Union between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday thru Friday.

There is some hopeful news: According to the press release Jansch hopes to tour North America in 2010.

Phyliss' Café & Salmon Bake open mikes, which were largely poetry-centered, are no more and most likely will not be starting again in the near future. Wednesday and Friday used to be the open-mike nights and currently there are no plans for replacement events.

Phyliss’ Café & Salmon Bake is at 436 D Street.
Photo by Gretchen Weiss

This recent NY Times story on Zach Galifianakis is a good read.

Go watch the "Hangover," it's hillarious. Here's a trailer and Alaska showtimes.

Also, I had never heard about these Absolut ads before. They're pretty wild.

Photo by Rob Sheridan
Trent Reznor may have given up on social online sites. In a post on the nin forum Reznor lamented the existence of hateful folk online and rejoiced in his new love and need to spend more time in the real world.

Reznor himself had previously been twittering frequently and honestly at @trent_reznor, not leaving the forum to public relations employees. Will he be able to keep away from the digital social web?

You can read Reznor’s post in the forum here.

Photo credit (L) Busdriver by Justin Cornwall (R) The Field by Lisa & Niklas Courtesy of Anti Blog

Anti-records (think Tom Waits, Neko Case, Nick Cave and Bettye LaVette) president Andy Kaulkin is now podcasting. Busdriver & Field, the latest to release albums by Anti, are the main course for the inaugural cast, which is available via the Anti blog.

Tiger Rag, a 1930s recording by the Mills Brothers, opens the cast, and the historical approach grabbed my attention. Once Kaulkin’s easygoing I’m-talking-to-a-friend voice began, I was hooked and settled in the chair eager to see where the audio journey would go.

Photo courtesy AND1

A crew of AND 1 street ballers including Hotsauce, Highrizer, Spyda, Circus, 50, AO, Elevator, Golden Child and Showstoppa is coming to town for an event at West High School, Saturday, June 20.

Photo courtesy Timmy O'Neill

We just got a press release from the Bear Tooth announcing the cancellation of the Timmy O'Neill event scheduled for this week.

Bummer.

"Due to the unfortunate deaths of members of the Sender Films climbing team, the organizers wish to postpone the Timmy O'Neill climbing event scheduled at the Bear Tooth on Thursday, June 11.

There is more information at Sender Films.com

Ticket refunds will be available immediately at the Bear Tooth box office.

The show will be rescheduled at a later date which will be announced sometime in the near future.

The Bear Tooth will replace the show with its regular programming of "Monsters vs Aliens" starting at 7:45 PM."

- Spencer Shroyer

Photo by David Reamer / Courtesy Pine State Biscuits

One of my favorite breakfast spots in Portland, Pine State Biscuits, is getting some shine on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives tonight.

Normally I can barely stand to watch the show. It's partly because Fieri drives me nuts but it's mostly because I'll never get to sample the incredible food he showcases.

This episode is different though. I can personally vouch for the delicious Reggie deluxe (pictured above), a biscuit made with fried chicken, bacon, egg and gravy. I've even got Play Designer Kevin Powell planning his next trip to the Rose City around a visit to the restaurant.

The Internet was buzzing with reports from Jazzy Jeff about an incident in Kansas City. Jeff claims he was asked to stop playing hip hop or leave. The promoters say he was playing too loud. Critics are accusing them of racism.

Read more here.

Photo by Bob Hallinen / Anchorage Daily News

Gluttons rejoice! The Sunshine Express, home of last year’s astonishing three pound hamburger, is back — and this summer it’s offering more meat than ever!

When we last saw Linda Merren, head chef and owner, she was fixing to close her little silver mobile fast food bus for the winter. She promised to return with a “four-pound hamburger.”

We thought she was joking.

But the Sunshine Express, again open for business, is outdoing all expectations with FIVE pounds of ground round. The indisputable biggest burger in Alaska. A hamburger as big as your head. A super-slider so hunky it could only be called — as it is on the menu — Burgerzilla.

Check out this scene from a special episode of Man Vs. Wild starring Will Ferrell. The show re-airs in Alaska tomorrow at 8 and 11 p.m. on channel 56.

NBC anchorman Brian Williams recently launched a new site to discuss his love of music and bands he's into. I skeptically thought it would be Radiohead, U2 and other duh-inducing picks, but he actually pulls out some gems. His rattles off some singles from bands such as Camera Obscura, Interpol and The Doves

Check out his BriTunes site Here.

If you watched the hillarious documentary King of Kong, then you know about Steve Wiebe and his battle for the highest Donkey Kong score. Spoiler alert: He lost to old school gaming legend Billy Mitchell.

Now he is working to reclaim his title and you can watch it live from the E3 Video Game convention.

Watch the stream and read more about it here.

Former Play editor Josh Niva had a column called "Download This" he used to list songs he was feeling that week. I always thought it was a great idea and decided to ape it.

Here are my jams for this Friday: I didn't plan it this way, but it ended up being a collection of tracks from female singers.

Ken Browar image / courtesy of Amerie.

Bartlett High School alum Amerie [Rodgers] is back with another Rich Harrison penned banger (remember One Thing?)

"Tell Me U Love Me" also has Harrison’s D.C. horn-heavy go-go swagger and if there’s any justice in the land of FM radio, this will be blasting out of car speakers soon.

Preview it or download it for free over on The Fader blog.

Photo: John Ivanoff

Time Out Lounge (4600 Old Seward Highway) is making a come back under new management. A spruced up interior and outdoor patio coupled with live local tunes on the weekends make this a promising new midtown watering hole.

Hours are: 10 a.m.-2:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m.-3 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Catch the Coastal Native Boogie Boys playing this weekend.

-Rachael Fisher

(AP Photo/Mitchell Zachs)

A concert-goer at a Pitbull show in Colorado thought it was a good idea to rain the performer with money while he was performing. Not amused, Pitbull pulled the guy on stage and then punched him in the head and kicked him off the stage. All without missing a verse.

Pitbull detailed his actions in an MTV interview.

"I'm bringing him onstage with no intention of doing nothing to him," he explained. "I'm bringing him onstage to say, 'Look, this the clown that's gonna f--- up your show. I'm getting rid of him. I'm letting y'all know right now. Don't nobody else make it rain.' When I bring the mutha----a up on the stage, he throws a wad of money in my face. When he did that, that's when natural reaction ... natural instinct kicked in."

Photo Courtesy Red Bull

The New York Post is reporting six German states have banned Red Bull Cola after trace amounts of cocaine were found in the soda. Check it out here.

Photo: Fran Durner / Anchorage Daily News

Yuppie salad eaters are paying $9 per pound of dandelion greens according to the Wall Street Journal. The trendy greens raked in $2 million in sales over a one year period. Really? Seriously? Just think of what a cash cow your yard can be -- kick back with a cold one and let the weeds run rampant. Read all about it here.

Photo: Bob Hallinen / Anchorage Daily News

A few highlights of the Alaska State Fair's concert series are: Ken Peltier with former members of the Waylon Jennings band, Seether, Bill Engvall, Rodney Atkins and Creedence Clearwater Revisited.

Check out the full line up here.

Tell us, who are you excited to see?