The Silent Comedy crushes in Aspen.

Joshua Zimmerman / The Silent ComedyThe Silent Comedy, the Rock / Folk band from San Diego crushed their first ever performance in Aspen, Colorado last night at the Belly Up Aspen.  The Silent Comedy comprised of brothers Joshua and Jeremiah Zimmerman, Justin Buchanan and Chad Lee had the crowd in a frenzy with their wild stage antics and raging strings.

Click 4 pix:

The Silent Comedy crushes Aspen 

I first became a fan of The Silent Comedy (TSC) after seeing them perform at Switchfoot's Bro-Am in 2011.  The Bro-Am is an annual surfing competition and rock and roll show on Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. (click to see our Bro-Am coverage)  In 2011,TSC blew everyone away with their rowdy beach-side set of Americana influenced tunes.   Since then the band has entertained countless fans all over the U.S.A.  Their 2010 Album Common Faults won the San Diego Music Award for best pop album and their latest self-produced EP Cruelty & Clemency is seling fast.  TSC's songs have been featured on TV in the mini series, The Hatfield's and the McCoys and The Men Who Built America.

TSC almost didn't make it to the show.  Their afternoon Gondola session to the top of Aspen Mountain was put on hold due to a potential lightning storm.  The Silent Comedy was "stuck" on top of Ajax...but luckily they made back down the mountain safely in time to blaze on stage.

The Silent Comedy rocked out in Aspen & we're glad they did. Another awesome show.  See you in San Diego, boyz...soon...very soon.

Click 4 pix: The Silent Comedy crushes Aspen

Jeremiah Zimmerman & The Silent Comedy dominated in Aspen. Click 4 pix.

The Silent Comedy from San Diego crushes Aspen. Click 4 pix.

Per Aspen Spin... The Silent Comedy is a "do not miss" show.. Click 4 pix.

Nerd Herding at Comic Con 2012.

Comic Con 2012. San Diego, Ca.Everyone has seen the episode of Entourage where Vince alienates an influential blogger only to regain his support by hooking the guy up with porn stars. 

Well, it's not far from the truth.

Comic Con 2012 is a wrap. Almost everyone survived. Unless you've attended Comic Con yourself it's difficult to conceptualize.  Aspen Spin will attempt to break it down for you. Comic Con has become the most important Pop Culture event of the year. Over 600 hours of programming takes place over 4 days...so no one can do it all, but A-Spin created 3 photo albums for your perusal. Click 'em, like 'em, tag 'em, share 'em.

*COS PLAY is the NEW BLACK 

*BAD KIDS go to HELL Movie Premier and Red Carpet.

*INSIDE the PRESS ROOM at COMIC CON

Will Ferrell and Zack Galifianakis wnet through the rickets in the press room. Click 4 Pix.

RDJ. The biggest movie star on the planet.Comic Con started originated in San Diego 1970 with 300 attendees.  Now, in 2012, attendance is capped-off at 130,000 badges (includes attendees, panelists, industry people and exhibitors).  10's of thousands more un-badged revelers descend on San Diego's Gaslamp district to take it all in.

The convention floor consists of 460,000 square feet. Every inch is packed.  That doesn't include the square footage rented in neighboring hotels, restaurants and other venues.

Parking is $40 and you can't find a space.

The economic impact of Comic Con to San Diego is estimated at $180,000,000,  $75 million of which is spent directly inside the convention center. 

Hall H is the largest meeting room at Comic con and holds 6500 souls.  Devotees wait in line for up to 3 days to secure their spots for presentations like Twilight, Game of Thrones, Iron Man 3 etc.

Cos Play (dressing up in costume) has become the "new black".  Comic geeks take their cos play very, very seriously, creating elaborate costumes and sometimes choosing completely obscure characters to imitate.

San Diego is in danger of losing the Con to Anaheim which has a larger convention center.  Very few people (outside of Anaheim) are rooting for that.

We'll let our pix do the talking.

COS PLAY   /  BAD KIDS  /  The PRESS ROOM

Comic CON invades San Diego. CLICK 4 PIX. COS PLAY is the NEW BLACK.BAD KIDS go to HELL Movie Premier at Comic Con. Yes..that's Judd Nelson. CLICK 4 PIX.

 Don Cheadle doing press for Iron Man 3 at Comic Con. Click 4 more pix.

 Ian McKellen hyping The Hobbit at Comic Con. See more from the Press Room. Click here.

Surf & Turf / Off-Season Steezin'

During the Winter, AspenSpin rarely ventures outside the traffic circle in Aspen.  However, experience tells us that there are lots of great places out there.   Aspen is an incredible place to spend the Summer, but for the past five years, A.Party has packed up the dog in the family truckster and headed out to California.  The past 3 years we've been in San Diego. It's a change-of-pace.  It's different.  It's a big city and it a'int bad.

So we're kickin' back, and chillin' on the beach, in Del Mar, Ca. (18 miles North of SD) for the off season. Yaaa,dude.

A few pix for your review.

Watching the sun set over the Pacific never gets old.A-Spin was this close to getting with a Kardashian. Bruce Jenner in San Diego for the Drew Brees Charity Golf Tourney.Feeling the stoke at an early age on Del Mar Beach.In n Out Burger is the #1 thing in So. Cal. Here's a double-double Izzy-style.Cruising off-leash on the empty beach at 6 a.m. is the absolute best.Summer Solstice Sunset in So. Cal.Eric Burdon and The Animals rocked the Del Mar Fair. Live music every night is part of the program.

Swimming in La Jolla Cove is my favorite work-out.Getting it done under water in La Jolla Cove.San Diego Lifeguards. Keeping it safe for everyone.Sunset in Del Mar.Carmelo and I both love long walks on the beach. 

Into the Flow

San Diego is America's Finest City, it always stays classy. Coastal California is sooooo laid back.  Aspen Spin is fighting traffic and hanging out at the mall.  This Summer we're up in Del Mar, near dog beach.  It's a little more homogenized and suburban than Windansea.  The surf crew up here is the blond frat boy / J. Crew type rather than the ink covered gangsta locals we met during 2 Summers in La Jolla, near the pump house.

School is still in session so it's pretty quiet on the beach.  The SD County Fair and Del Mar Race season are not far away.  We're prepping for a siiiiiiiiiiiick Summer session.  We snapped a few cool pix.  Click 'em

INTO the FLOW  (click 4 pix)

Vinny G. from the Jersey Shore made an appearance in La Jolla. AspenSpin was there.Surf Legend Rob Machado giving back through the Rob Machado Foundation. Click 4 pix.A. Party and Carmelo made it to the beach for another siiiiiiiick Summer in San Diego. Click 4 pix.Made in California. Click 4 pix.

Beer Fest

Beer Fest in San Diego. Click 4 pix.Beer drinking is almost certainly the most popular activity in the world.  Whether its from a can, a bottle, in a mug expertly drawn from the tap or directly from the keg when performing an upside down moon chug...drinking beer is a good time.   In fact, the next time you pick up a 12-er remind yourself you are part of the 1/2 quadrillion (500 trillion) global beer market.   Craft beer makes up about 10% of the American beer market, thats almost 12 million barrels in 2012.

Aspen Spin had the chance to attend the CRAFT BREWERS CONFERENCE and BREWEXPO AMERICA (CBC) in San Diego on May 2-5, 2012. We did a quick fly-by of the action.  Click 4 pix.

BEER FEST (click 4 pix)

WOW! is all I can say.  Almost 5000 attendees.  "Hobbyists", home brewers, brewery owners, bottlers and suppliers converged on the Town and Country Resort on Hotel Circle in Mission Valley.  Boy...can these guys (and a few Women) drink??  The Craft Brewing industry is growing at about 10% a year.  In today's American Economy a 10% growth rate equates to a bull market. 

You could tell that there were lots of guys (and a few Women) pursuing their passion by brewing beer professionally.  The BrewExpo was a mixture of siiiiiiiick swag, plentiful beer stations and people making deals.  Over 250 exhibitors attended the trade-show with a waiting list of 150 more. Booths dedicated to malts, hops, bottling, refrigeration, taps, kegs, glassware, and even The Party Pig filled the convention floor. 

AspenSpin missed the CBC's night-time beer drinking sessions, but we heard that things got pretty crazy.  We had the opportunity to taste a lot of beers. We also got a feel for a fast-growing entrepreneurial American business.  Next time you stop at the party store...try a new craft beer, there are lots to choose from.

After you've had 4 or 5..click our pix.  BEER FEST.

Breakfast of Champions. Bacon topped Maple Bars. Click 4 pixCustom Beer Gear. Huge sellers. Click for pix.Hydro Flask from Bend, Oregon. Best insulated bottles ever. Click 4 pix.Beer babes in San Diego for the Craft Brewers Conference. Click 4 pix