Birding is So Metal, Part II: Scene Etiquette and the Painted Bunting

Editor’s Note — This is the second in a series on a hobby that’s pretty freakin’ metal: birding.  (That’s “bird-watching” for all you noobs who don’t even have a Slayer patch on your battle vest.)  Read “Birding is So Metal, Part I: Finding the Scene” here. Just over a year into my birding career I… Continue reading Birding is So Metal, Part II: Scene Etiquette and the Painted Bunting

Birding is So Metal, Part I: Finding the Scene

Pileated Woodpecker at Bartlett Arboretum

On a beautiful sunny day near the end of October I walked into the woods behind Cove Island Park with my binoculars and camera, ready to take pictures of birds and other wildlife. This is my thing. It has been for almost four years. When out and about with my camera I am in my… Continue reading Birding is So Metal, Part I: Finding the Scene

Lock City Brewing Opens in Stamford

Lock City Brewing, which opened last month on Research Drive in Stamford, is founded by co-brewers Mike Bushnell and Patrick Casciolo who both share a passion for great beer. It should come as no surprise that Stamford’s newest brewery is no stranger to Alternative Control. We’ve been eagerly anticipating their opening since we first met at Beer… Continue reading Lock City Brewing Opens in Stamford

Thrift Store Shopping Tips and Tricks, Goodwill Edition

My finds: two nice summer dresses, one casual summer dress, one fall dress, one short sleeved shirt, one pair of shorts, sticky notes, a picture frame, a unopened Pack n Play sheet for my friend, and a "leaf tablecloth."

Second-hand shopping has been a hobby of mine since I was a teenager back in ol “Mecca of the Universe” Branford, Connecticut.  My stepmother Gina and I made regular pilgrimages to the Homemaker Thrift Shop to see what treasures we could uncover, chasing the thrill of finding a great pair of jeans for $5 or… Continue reading Thrift Store Shopping Tips and Tricks, Goodwill Edition

#whyImarch

Women across the United States will march on January 21st, 2017 to show that a diverse yet unified populace is prepared to defend human rights against an administration that seeks to erase decades of progress.  Here’s why I’ll be among them that day: First, the Republican-controlled Congress is going after women’s health like an unmanned… Continue reading #whyImarch

The Pluckening to Descend on Stamford, 12/9/2016

For the past several years, Alternative Control has celebrated the birth of our favorite webmaster, beer expert, bass player, and beard model Johnny Pluckman with an epic metal show dubbed The Pluckening.  This Friday December 9th, the ceremonial nativity rite will be held at Seaside Tavern in Stamford and feature a lineup of Connecticut and… Continue reading The Pluckening to Descend on Stamford, 12/9/2016

GIFT CERTIFICATE GIVEAWAY: Seaside Tavern, Your Favorite Neighborhood Bar and Heavy Metal Holdout

In the decade that I’ve been on the fool’s errand of playing metal in Fairfield County, I’ve seen the handful of consistently metal-friendly venues dwindle to one: Stamford’s Seaside Tavern.  It’s no secret to Alternative Control readers that my band Jimmy Junk Bird and the Stiffs plays there often; we’ve also been able to host… Continue reading GIFT CERTIFICATE GIVEAWAY: Seaside Tavern, Your Favorite Neighborhood Bar and Heavy Metal Holdout