Day Off? & Sozo - State College, PA + Recap!

Well, well, well... The egg is on our face for almost taking off to be in State College a day early for our day off. We ended up being put up in a free hotel, given all access to an indoor water park, fed amazing food, provided booze, and, oh yeah, we played the shit out of a bowling alley show with our bestest friends in the entire world; Patent Pending. It was hands down a very serious contender for the best show and best time had by both bands on the entire tour. It was full of free bowling and something that had become an on-stage ritual during the end of Patent Pending's set:

pull the pin and patent pending



After being given incredible treatment by the owners of Sweet Kneads of Sandusky, OH, we hit the road for State College on a full stomach. If you live in Ohio, it is imperative that you go there and buy everything in the store. It is delicious!! We showed up to Rob and my Alma mater a little late but ended up rocking the hell out of the Sozo. They were great to us and it was the perfect finale to this sick tour! We got our picture and some Canyon Pizza. Then my 611 boys, Ghig and Serniak, grabbed some pints at the best bar in the world-- Zeno's! Myself and Patent Pending stayed on Ghig's floor after some ridiculous storytelling and giggling. Oh yeah, there was also some insanely disturbing viral videos. There was so much blood, glass, and poop!!


All in all, my first tour will be a hard one to top and I can't think about doing it without Patent Pending. They truly do double as one of my favorite bands and best friends ever. It will be a long February-- good thing its the shortest month of them all-- but I can't wait to get the crew back together for some more face melting!

Signing off, Brad!

Crosfoot Cafe - Pontiac, MI

Holy hell! Great crowd, awesome sound, and very cool town. We had a ton of fun and played our faces off. Unfortunately, I was way too tired to really put much time into an entry last night. I was also a little sick. Moreover, I was distracted by the goons in Patent Pending who I think are really starting to understand how to put on a show. At the beginning of the tour, I was kind of worried about how the crowd would treat them when they failed night after night. Thankfully, the crowd was nice enough to fake some applause and even buy some of their shirts until they worked out all of their kinks.
As I write this, the tour has a day off and we are hanging out at Patent Pending's good friend Sean's house. He fed us amazing blueberry pancakes and sausage. His dog is a wookie and he and his wife, Linda, are stand-up people.
Anyways, Patent Pending is playing a show at an indoor water park in Sandusky, OH and we are tagging along for fun.

Tomorrow is, my Alma mater, Penn State!

Reggie's - Chicago, IL

I'm honestly starting to have trouble remembering everything that happens during a single day on this ridiculous tour. We are having the most fun that a human is scientifically able to have. We drove from La Crosse, WI to Chicago, IL and then played to a crowd of 6.... then, once we were done, the crowd arrived. We, then, found out that this was due to the venue attempting to put on a second show during the night... that way, they started the show at ridiculously early time and played during a time more appropriate for an old folks's home super than a rock show.
The time spent with some of the people who dug our set and our friends in the other band was more than worth the truck to the windy city.
Also, Miranda Nicholas (Rob's friend) put us up in her sick apartment with an awesome view of Chicago. So, right now, we're listening to some Alkaline Trio and drinking ludicrous amounts of alcohol with some good people.

See you tomorrow, Pontiac, MI!

The Warehouse - La Crosse, WI

The P-Unit acting our ages in a hotel pool. Go!

The Mixtape Cafe - Grand Rapids, MI

The crew missing Patent Pending so much that we look ecstatic!


Just when I thought this tour couldn't get any cooler... it goes and does something like this.
AND TOTALLY REDEEMS ITSELF! We played the most welcoming venue to some of the coolest fuckers in the world in Grand Rapids, MI. But first, we got a couple rounds at Founder's Brewing Company. Breakfast Stout and some Double Trouble aged in Bourbon Barrels.
The show itself was great and everybody there showed us such a great time. The other bands were amazing as always; except Patent Pending. They really phoned it in. (sarcasm)
After we played, we made our way back to Founders for a couple more BEEEEEEEEERS! There was more than enough random percussion and awesome samples. Then we headed toward out destination for the night: which was mere seconds away. After going to acquire an adequate amount of booze we were lucky enough to be eye witnesses to a brutal gang beating in which a ton of manly brahs beat up on some ghetto ass hoe flunky. After realizing that our party-- which included the awesome duo of Tanya and Taylor [its almost like they planned that alliteration]-- had the accommodations of pepper spray we gathered enough courage to compose a brief jog across the parking lot and into the apartment. Now we are enjoying some "hmmmmmm" delicious Founder's Breakfast Stout, Sparks, Bud Light, and Vokdy watching some really fucking trippy bullpoo without the necessary hallucinatory medicines but I can in no way complain. God bless Michigan! Grand Rapids rocks cock!

Next Stop..???
Possibly La Crosse, WI....?? :-/

Peabody's - Cleveland, OH

Sick, sick, sick, sick time at Peabody's in Cleveland, OH. The venue and show were amazing. Best venue and staff of the tour, so far. We were given a great meal of pizza, wings, and beer and I officially began my daily workout with the Patent Pending fucks. Eight minute arms and eight minute abs everyday.
The gang stopped at Great Lakes Brewing Company and had a sampler of the amazing brews. Unfortunately, load time cut that short but it was amazing.
We are in a hotel room right now cheering ourselves with some G.I. Joe parodies and booze. Thanks to everybody for coming out tonight and thanks especially to the staff and management at Peabody's for making today's show so great.

Tomorrow's Grand Rapids, MI! FOUNDERS BREWING COMPANY!!!!

(Rob's especially "stoked" for Breakfast Stout!)

Games N'At - Pittsburgh, PA

The infamous Arctic Thunder gaming systems that were host to us goons for the better part of the day


Not the best attendance of the tour, but it will surely be hard to forget the venue and the ridiculous time all of the grown men (and woman) had with free range over an arcade. The place was half venue and half awesome arcade. When you wanted to play a game, you simply hit start and there you go. Highlight of the entire time might have been the intense tournaments of Arctic Thunder; a ridiculously mindblowing snowmobile racing game where you were able to destroy your opponent by blasting him with atomic snowballs or punching him off of his vehicle. Under obligation of my ultimate loss, I am forced to give Ponzo (Rob's character, who clearly was superior to Dirty McCurdy: my character), some dap for taking the series.
The show was certainly secondary to the games but still amazing. Also, Primanti Brothers was the best meal I've had all tour- and that includes Allentown Brew Works.

Next stop: Cleveland, OH

Crocodile Rock - Allentown, PA

Me and Jay (Patent Pending) enjoying the shit out of some 'Caine.


So far, the best show was tonight at the Crocodile Rock. We have been reunited with the fucks in Patent Pending and we're having a slumber complete with Hurricane 40's and ridiculous porno videos. We had a great night at the Allentown Brew Works with some beer samplers and sick food.

Tomorrow's Pittsburg!

Harmony Grange - Wilmington, DE

Me and Justin from Kelsey & The Chaos on a virtual rollercoaster


Second show on the tour and its still pretty close to home. So close, in fact, that I'm writing this from Rob's house in Stroudsburg. It was close enough for us to not bother trying to crash somewhere or pay for a hotel, so here we are: pounding some brew and talking Star Wars.

As much fun as the show was-- we were tight as shit and look forward to becoming even tighter into the tour-- the real fun's going to begin when we have some crew fun with the boys (and girl!) in Patent Pending and Kelsey & The Chaos.

Tomorrow marks our final near home show in Allentown at the Crocodile Rock! Should be sick, as always.

Club Energy - Plains, PA

First day of the tour and it's pretty cool but not quite far enough for the guys in our band. It's an awesome opportunity to feel things out and have some preliminary fun with with all the guys (and girl) in the bands.

The show kicked ass-- everybody's sets!

This is my last night sleeping in my bed, or possibly a bed in a general for the next 10 days. Sorry there's not too much to report for this first show but, pretty much the tour starts tomorrow for me and the guys.

Not everybody on the tour is on Project Playlist but I did my best to put some of the tour on my playlist for a little while. Note the Just Surrender and Patent Pending songs over there. By the way, Patent Pending are a bunch of fucking dickholes. No, I'm just being so serious... fuck them. :-/ Don't go and check their myspace out and add them as friends and become loyal fans of their amazing songs @ www.myspace.com/patentpending
By the way, those abs in their picture are real. I've seen them do the shit out of 8 minute abs.

Next stop: Wilmington, DE

Who Left The Fridge Open Tour

I'm going on tour on Thursday, January 15 until Sunday, January 25th.

The tour will span six states and include shows in cities like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Chicago. Until now, the farthest West that I have been is Ohio and I'm glad to say that I'll finally be able to surpass that landmark by the middle of the tour.

As everybody knows, I like me my craft beer and one of the highlights of breweries that I will be able to visit includes Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The venue we are playing is only 0.3 miles from the brewery and I can't wait to pay a visit.

Also, I'm looking at the experience as a crazy vacation with my boys Rob and Corey as well as the awesome bastards in Patent Pending and Kelsey and The Chaos. It's undoubtedly going to be a very unique trip across the Great Lakes and Midwest region of the country with some fun shows and crazy drives.

I plan on posting a blog entry for all eleven days that I'll be gone. Make sure to stop by and see pictures, video, and my thoughts about the trip.

Tour: 2,558 miles
2.5 hrs. -- 160 miles
Wilmington, DE
1.5 hrs. -- 80 miles
Allentown, PA
4.5 hrs. -- 285 miles
Pittsburgh, PA - East End!
2.5 hrs. -- 133 miles
Cleveland, OH - Great Lakes!
4.5 hrs. -- 300 miles
Grand Rapids, MI - Founders!
7.5 hrs. -- 460 miles
La Crosse, WI
5 hrs. -- 280 miles
Chicago, IL
5 hrs. -- 285 miles
Pontiac, MI
7 hrs. -- 415 miles
State College, PA

BEER 101 :: PSA Concerning Lagers and Ales

By: Brad Beneski, Penn State University

[Open on the guy who plays Chandler on Friends sitting informally upon a low-sitting stool:]



With as much misconception surrounding the two most elementary forms of beer, it would be more than worth the time for those interested and concerned to snuggle up to the warmth of their computer screen and hear about what makes an Ale and Ale and a Lager a Lager.

Many a time have I bellied up to a bar or patronized a party in the woods (or does that only happen in Pennsylvania?) and hear somebody who warranted a quick and painless correction of their understanding of beer. “Nah, that beer is too dark,” a thoroughly confused young adult proclaims. “I don’t like Lager, I usually stick to Pale Ales like this,” as the clearly inebriated individual points to their Solo O’ Swill.

There is a global misrepresentation of beer via its consumers and if it’s not Boosh’s duty to amend it— who’s is it?

Beer, the world’s oldest and most celebrated beverage has two main categories of Ale and Lager (well, three if you include Lambic, but we’ll talk about that later). But let’s back up to simply review one of the four elements of beer — yeast. You would pretty much think that all of beer’s flavors are derived from the malted barley and hops. That’s right, the water and yeast are just there to turn those components into something delicious and bongable. Wrong.

Yeast is also broken up into two different categories, top-fermenting and bottom-fermenting. The more obvious difference between the two is that one of them forms its foam at the top and one does so at the bottom of the beer during fermentation; and I’ll let you guess which one. This is simply one distinction between top- and bottom-fermenting yeasts. Another being that top-fermenting yeast strands, which have been designated to create what we call Ale, have the ability to produce a higher alcohol content and robust complexity while bottom-fermenting yeast stands, which we associate with Lager beers, are used to brew crisper and generally lighter flavored beers.


Ale: When top-fermenting yeast stands eat the sugar that has been extracted from the malted barley it generates more complex flavors that can be suggestions of sweeter, fruitier flavors. This is all combined in the perfect arrangement of the malt and hop flavors added to the beer to make up the taste of a balance, finished product. Just a few of the popular styles that are a part of the Ale family include Pale Ales, Porters, Stouts, Hefeweizens, and IPAs. For more on IPAs, read up here.

Lager: Bottom-fermenting yeast strands are added to Lager beers for their ability to suck up more of the natural sugars that are added to the production of beer to leave it smooth and crisp. Another requirement for Lager beers would be that, unlike Ales that are fermented at room temperature, they necessitate temperatures just above freezing to perform a secondary fermentation. In fact, the word Lager comes from the German “lagern”, which means, “to store”. Pale Lager beer is the most consumed type of beer in the world and a few examples for beers of this style are Budweiser, Miller Lite, Coors Light, Pabst Blue Ribbon, etc.


Additionally, there are styles of both Ale and Lager beers that transcend any attempt to pigeonhole one or the other as dark or light. German Lagers like Doppelbock, Altbier, and Märzen (A.K.A. Oktoberfest) are shining examples of such diversity just as there are opposite examples as crisp and clean as Golden Ales and Cream Ales.

[“The More You Know” races across the screen and as the music fades, you can feel your heart and brain both grow a little bit.]