Friday, January 30, 2009

The Drive Crew

Steve JaxonMike DeWaldFred Wayne
Dan WeirGary the Chief Drive Mechanic

Breaking: Septic Meeting Rescheduled

Straight from Bill Rukeyser at the State Water Board, the Santa Rosa meeting regarding new septic system regulations has been rescheduled:

Session 1 of the Santa Rosa Workshop will be held
on February 9, 2009, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Session 2 of the Santa Rosa workshop will be held
on February 9, 2009, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

(The sessions will be identical in format.
Participants may attend one or both.)

AT:
Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
Ruth Finley Person Theater
50 Mark West Springs Road
Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Steve's Photos from the Whale Watch Inn

Here are the photos from Steve's recent stay at the Whale Watch Inn.  Click here to enter to win a two-night stay! 

(Click to enlarge)






KSRO's Super Bowl Picks

Super Bowl picks for this Sunday's game between the Pittburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals -

Steve Jaxon - Pittsburgh 0 Arizona 0
David Wesley Page - Arizona 24 Pittsburgh 21
Curtiss Kim - Arizona 28 Pittsburgh 24
Brent Alan - Pittsburgh 24 Arizona 17
Fred Wayne - "Don't bother me with this"
Larry Olsen - Arizona 35 Pittsburgh 34
Joe Pasquini - Arizona 35 Pittsburgh 31
Steve Rueter - Arizona 34 Pittsburgh 24
Mike DeWald - Pittsburgh 24 Arizona 13
Dan Weir - Pittsburg 27 Arizona 23

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Tonight!!

Join the entire Drive crew tonight at Cinnabar Theater for the opening night of Rick Reynolds - "Only the Truth is Funny - 2009". It will be a great night of comedy! For tickets call 763-8920.

One Last Farewell

(look closely at their hands)

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Peak Oil Website

For those looking for the website that KSRO newsman Fred Wayne referenced www.peakoil.org. Stay tuned to The Drive to hear the details on Matt's appearance on the show!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Special Drive Guest - Willie Nelson!


The Drive crew with Willie Nelson after his recent appearance in Santa Rosa! (From left to right: Mike, Lee, Jaxon, Willie, Fred, and Dan)

Steve's Fitness Update


It's been one week since Steve started his work out at Park Point Health Club in Santa Rosa with trainer Lana Pacheko and he has already seen incredible results!

Before:










After!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Ask and you shall receive!

Just as Blair suggested!  Thanks to friend of The Drive Scott Longston!

Monday, January 19, 2009

The Drive Presents...Show #2 - Rick Reynolds!

The Drive presents Rick Reynolds - Only the Truth is Funny, LIVE at Cinnabar Theater in Petaluma January 28th - February 13th.  Listen to The Drive for interviews with Rick as well as your chance to win your way into the show.  For tickets, call Cinnabar at 763-8920!

Comedian Rick Reynolds, described by the Los Angeles Times as "The funniest man in America," has made numerous appearances on The Tonight Show, as well as Late Night With David Letterman. He also created and starred in the CBS sit-com "Life And Stuff," which was inspired by his hit one-man-show "All Grown Up And No Place To Go." But he is perhaps best known for his ground-breaking and critically acclaimed one-man-show "Only The Truth Is Funny," which he is work-shopping at The Cinnabar Theater, before taking it to other major venues across the country. This new show, "Only The Truth Is Funny - 2009," includes plenty of new material, catching us up on what Rick has been up to these past 17 years. It's both hysterical and heart breaking, and is not to be missed.

This Week's Reviews from Chris Bollini

My Bloody Valentine 3D

Like “
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, “The Fog”, and even “Friday the 13th” (in theaters next month), “My Bloody Valentine 3D” is a remake of a horror classic. I will admit that I am a horror film fan; I have looked forward to all these remakes, even if I didn’t think a remake was in order. Honestly, most of them were disappointing. They may have looked and sounded better, but nothing really made them stand out. This movie is different.

“Valentine” takes place in Harmony, a quiet mining town haunted by a dark past. Tom Hanniger accidentally causes a cave-in at the mine, leaving several miners dead and one survivor, Harry Warden, in a coma. One Valentine’s Day, Harry Warden awakens and goes on a brutal
killing spree; his rampage ends with his supposed death. Now, ten years later, Hanniger returns to town looking for closure; he also hopes to make amends with his ex-girlfriend, Sarah; she is now married to his best friend, Axel. And there’s just one more thing; the murders have stated again. The film stars Jamie King, Jensen Ackles, and Kerr Smith.

Now, you have to realize that a film like this doesn’t look to redefine cinema or reinvent a genre that's been around for quite some time. If you aren't a horror film fan or a movie-goer that enjoys a little scare, I wouldn’t recommend this film. For those that enjoy this particular flavor, you won’t be disappointed. “Valentine” pays homage to the original by recreating some of the very memorable scenes, but the film also takes the original story, about a love triangle and a murderer on the loose, to new levels. It expands those storylines, fleshes them out and even beefs up some character’s back stories. These new details make the story fuller. They add a little something extra. And even better, ‘Valentine” still has the feel of an 80’s classic: nudity, gore and good suspense all make the film fun.

Who is killing the people in this peaceful community? Harry Warden? Is it someone else? “Valentine” isn’t just a
slasher film, it’s a whodunit. Guessing who is behind the murders makes this movie even more enjoyable. And by the way, as the title reveals, this films is in 3D which adds a nice layer to the experience. It gives mine shafts a little more depth. It gets you more involved in the action. According to star, Jamie King, it’s not “like your old school 3D with your red and blue glasses where it’s just random things flying at you. Literally, the whole film is bigger than. Larger than life so you’re really in the film and with the characters”. Sound like fun? Now, throw in a little camp and a cliché or two and you’ve got a really good time.






Hotel for Dogs


“Hotel for Dogs” is the
new family film from Paramount Studios and Nickelodeon films. Emma Roberts and Jake T. Austin star as Andi and Bruce, two foster children, a brother and sister, trying to find a real family. Currently, they live with Lois and Carl Scudder (Lisa Kudrow and Kevin Dillion); two goofy, not so loving wannabe musicians. The only true companionship the children share is with each other and their trusty dog, Friday. In their quest to find a real family, they start building one of their own, by turning an abandoned hotel into a home for all the city's stray dogs.

I’ll admit I wasn’t necessarily excited to see the film, I thought it would be entertaining, but probably predictable, cheesy and sappy. And it was predictable, cheesy, and sappy. And you know what? That’s not a bad thing. In fact, I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The cast is solid: Roberts and Austin and co-stars like
Kevin Dillon, Lisa Kudrow and Don Cheadle are fun to watch. They all seem to be having a good time which translates into a good time for the audience. Cheadle is great as always; he grounds the film. But I can‘t forget to mention all the canine co-stars. The producers cast such lively dogs; all of them have unique and charming personalities. Sure, the film is fun, but it also has a heart. The story is about family and staying together no matter what. If you’re looking for a movie that is utterly fresh and innovative, this isn’t it. But if you want to enjoy an afternoon with the entire family, this is the
perfect movie.






Definace

“Defiance” is the new drama from acclaimed director, Edward Zwick; you may remember some of his other films like “Glory”, “Last Samurai”, and “
Blood Diamond”. Defiance is based on the true WWII story of the Bielskis, three Jewish brothers, who organize a refuge in a remote Russian forest; they plan to project Jews trying to escape persecution. They build a community and form a resistance, but most importantly, they strive to live the best life possible in their situation. The film follows the brothers and how they grow apart and come together dealing with personal decisions they must face.
The film stars
Liev Schreiber and Daniel Craig.

This story actually didn’t come to light until the late 80’s, when two of the brothers started sharing their past experiences. Before the story was presented to Zwick, he never thought he’d explore such a topic. Zwick says, “initially, my own reluctance had you told me that I was going to do something on the
Holocaust would have been: what more could one add on this subject that these great historians and philosophers had contributed everything. And yet, here there was something to talk about because it flew in the face of that conventional wisdom and added complexity to the portrait”. This true story is fascinating. Zwick lets it unfold in a straight forward way, but he keeps the audience always engaged. He does a great job of painting a vivid portrait of the conditions that had to be endured: cold, harsh winters, the struggle to find food. He really draws the audience is. The film is well acted, well directed. It’s definitely worth
seeing.






Notorius

“Notorious” chronicles the life of Christopher “Biggie” Wallace, better known as "
Notorious B.I.G.", the popular rap artist whose music still resonates with fans, even after his untimely death over a decade ago. The story starts with Wallace as a boy and follows him as he grows into man whose determination and talent make him one of the greatest rappers of all time. Along the way, he fosters relationships with other music personalities like Sean “Puffy” Combs, Tupac Shakur , Faith Evans, and Lil Kim. The film has strong performances from Angela Bassett, Derek Luke, Naturi Naughton, Jamal Woolard, and Antonique Smith.

The film is straightforward, but the story itself is very interesting. For some people, what they learned about the life of this rapper came only from headlines and news reports. As Jamal Woolard, the actor who plays Wallace, says, “there’s a lot I didn’t know…a lot I didn’t know about Christopher. You know what I’m saying. As far as "Biggie" and "Notorious", I mean, the media gave us a whole story about him so…but knowing the man. Wow. I didn’t know that. I didn’t know that. You know, just looking at it, you relate to him. You relate to him. He's just like me. We’re all trying to get there to the top. We’ve all got dreams.”
You don’t have to be a fan of rap to enjoy this move, because it’s not about just music, it about one man’s journey.


Saturday, January 17, 2009

Obama-Haha Show review and recap!

Thanks to all The Drive listeners that came out Friday night to the Last Day Saloon in Santa Rosa for the first Inaugural Obama-Haha! The show was a great success and we thank everyone for coming out and supporting comedy in Sonoma County. Here is a recap of all the action (click on the photos to enlarge):

Steve Jaxon kicked off the show by welcoming Sonoma County to the Last Day Saloon for a great night of comedy and introduced the Drive crew.







The youngest of the group, Joe Klocek, was up first.








The host of the event and Drive regular, Dan St. Paul joined Dick Bright and his inaugural band in song before going into his set.




Johnny Steele was up next, bringing down the house and even included some of the jokes that he put together as he co-hosted The Drive earlier in the afternoon!









The crowd welcomes the great Will Durst to the stage!




Will Durst brought his unique wit and wisdom and delivered political satire like only he can.








A standing ovation for all the comics from the standing room only crowd!





The Drive crew hanging out after the show. (From Left - Lee Pierce, Steve Jaxon, Johnny Steele, Blair Hardman, Joe Klocek, Mike DeWald)

Backstage hijinks with Blair, Johnny, and Joe!
















Steve, Lee, and Mike hanging with Will Durst













Steve with Drive fill-in host Mo McElroy




Johnny doing his bit that he came up with on The Drive!



It was a great night, thanks again to all The Drive listeners that came out to the show. We hope you will join us for our future comedy nights! Listen to The Drive for details on where we'll be next.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Tonight!!

Tonight is the night! The First Inaugural Obama-Haha at the Last Day Saloon in Santa Rosa. Come out and support some of the best comics in the Bay Area and meet the entire Drive crew! Show starts at 8:30 and features Will Durst, Johnny Steele, Dan St. Paul, and Joe Klocek - plus music from Dick Bright and hist Inauguration band! Listen to The Drive this afternoon starting at 3:00 as all of the comics will stop by the show and you'll have the chance to win your way into the show!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Meet Clark Wolf


Meet Drive "Restaurant Guy" Clark Wolf at these upcoming events:

January 16th -

6:00-7:30 - The Pasta Shop Berkeley
(510) 528-1786
1786 4th St
Berkeley, CA

January 17th at Book Passage

1 Ferry Building #42
San Francisco, CA 94111
415 835 1020

http://www.bookpassage.com/calendarview_sf_thismonth.php?monthno=01&year=2008&submit=Go

Brad Sherwood Live on the Drive

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

UPDATE: The Official Drive Water Buffalo!

Click Here to donate to Heifer International and contribute to the Drive water buffalo, Fred!

We've reached our goal of $250, thanks Drive Listeners!!!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

The Drive Youtube Update

Steve Jaxon returns to The Drive on Tuesday.  Until then, check out some of the video updates at The Drive Youtube Channel.  Also, don't forget Friday is the ObamaHaha at the Last Day Saloon in Santa Rosa featuring Will Durst, Johnny Steele, Dan St. Paul, and Joe Klocek.  Tickets available now at ticketweb.com or listen to The Drive for your chance to win!

Friday, January 2, 2009

The Drive's Top 10 Movies of the Year + UPDATE: This week's reviews

From The Drive "movie guy" Chris Bollini:

10) Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2
9) Tropic Thunder
8) The Express
7) Definitely Maybe
6) Role Models
5) Seven Pounds
4) Iron Man
3 (tie)) Slumdog Millionaire
3 (tie)) Milk
2 (tie)) Frost/Nixon
2 (tie)) The Dark Night
1 (tie)) The Wrestler
1 (tie)) Gran Torino

Here are this weeks reviews of The Wrestler and Grand Torino:

The Wrestler

Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei star in Darren Aronofsky's new film, "The Wrestler".
Rourke plays Randy "The Ram" Robinson, one of the most popular professional wrestlers of his time. He's got his own action figure; he appears in a video game. The film starts twenty years after the pinnacle of his success. He's an older, broken down version of his former self, but he's still hungry for glory; in fact, he continues to wrestle in small, less than spectacular promotions. As the movie unfolds, circumstances face him with new challenges in life. He must reevaluate the decisions he has made and ultimately, identify what is most important to him. Aronofsky creates a very gritty world and pulls his audience right into it. Professional wrestling fan or not, anyone will connect with the story and the characters. The performances by Tomei and specifically, Rourke are fantastic. Rourke's acting is very worthy of all the current praise. The film is a great character driven story that lets you meet a man who's not in the best place in his life, and
then follow him as he makes amends, makes mistakes, and makes a us care.






Gran Torino

Clint Eastwood produces, directs and acts in the new film, Gran Torino.
Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a Korean War veteran who has no problem voicing his opinion. He tells it the way he sees it; he doesn't change that for anyone. As a widower, he lives alone. He isn't exactly the warmest person. One night, Thao, the boy next door, tries to steal Walt's prize possession, his 1972 Gran Torino. The story changes gears as the two forge an unique relationship that changes them both. Considering his past films, it's no surprise that Eastwood can make a good movie, and even more importantly, tell a good story. He does both here again. He takes his time introducing us to his characters; he lets us really connect with them. At that point, he mixes things up, and the story takes you places you might not expect. The film is touching and engaging. Eastwood turns in a great performance.

Special Guest!!



Suprise guest Guy Fieri dropping by to say hello