Toys, Tunes and Beer

Happy freaking Monday. It was a busy weekend, but here we are again. I hit the Saratoga Toy Show yesterday and picked up a couple of things, including this @Star Wars Enfys Nest with Swoop set, for $20! Spoiler I love this thing. I also love the Solo movie. It isn’t as serious as Rogue One, but it’s a fun story, and a great cast. The Enfys Nest figure has no business being this good for being 7 years old. Stunning sculpting. Smooth articulation. My only gripe is the fur on her (spoiler sorry) shoulders. The swoop is a beast. Again, fantastic sculpting, moveable parts and you can even take the “hood” off. Enfys sits on it easily, and the stand gives you a couple of nice angles to work with. While in Saratoga I hit @Treehousebrewco to restock, so get ready for that. I almost skipped Milky JJJuliusss, but after reading the description I was in. It’s a super hopped version of JJJuliusss, which is a great beer. A little bitter at the end, but tons of citrus everywhere else. With “milky” in the name I was expecting a lot more haze, but it works really well. These two 7”s couldn’t be more different. Under the Knife by @Hatebreedofficicial brings their brutal lyrics and music to these first few songs they recorded. Their debut album is still in rotation for me. Open Roads and Broken Dreams from Reach the Sky also has a special place for me. Their lyrics hit close and always make me reminisce. Two bands on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to hardcore, but still tops on my list.

Overall ratings. Figure 5:5. Beer 4.5:5. Albums 5:5. #starwars #actionfigures #treehouse #hatebreed #reachthesky
https://imgur.com/a/x0fUwUr
 
You all get first dibs on the new episode.

It’s finally Friday. Woo-freaking-hoo. Here’s some Toys, Tunes and Beer to help with that. I’m going for a Spooky Season Vibe with this one. I’ve been waiting for this Punisher figure since they announced Daredevil was coming back. I’m not disappointed. Sure, the hair is a little big, but it still works with the figure. I would have liked maybe a rifle with him, but, I have plenty of Joe guns laying around. The sculpting is beautiful, as is the paint on his vest. The head sculpt is pretty spot on for Jon Bernthal. I’m am dang happy with him, and he will be paired up with “Red” soon. Alter Ego from Treehouse is one of their regular beers I don’t get too often. It’s based around Julius but with some different hops (hence the name Alter Ego). The citrus comes through in every part of the beer. The color seems a little darker than Julius, but that’s probably the point. It’s an easy drinking beer, that I’ll probably pick up a little more often now. Sticking with the Spooky Season, we have AFI’s All Hallow’s EP. A classic banger of a record from the band that is always reinventing itself. I believe this was during their “horror punk” phase. The four songs go by quick, but all of them hit. I had to listen to both sides twice to get the, and I found myself singing along pretty loudly with most of them. I’ll admit, I’m not a huge AFI fan, but I do appreciate what they’ve accomplished over their 30 plus years of being a band.


Overall Ratings. Figure 5:5. Beer 4:5. Album 5:5


https://imgur.com/a/K2BFzSI
 
Awesome. Yeah, I kinda like his hair better than the Netflix version. The coat was cool, but I also prefer this body to that, so for me it's an improvement. Especially given what the Netflix figure goes for on ebay, compared to getting $5 off this guy at Target thanks to their sale and actually having the figures in stock on the website.
 
Ah, man. I used to listen to AFI's Sing the Sorrow on my CD player every day on the bus to school. That CD was my introduction to the band. Unfortunately, I didn't click with their megahit follow-up, DECEMBERUNDERGROUND. I should really go back and check out their earlier stuff because I'm more likely to click with that.
 
Answer That and Stay Fashionable seems like so long ago compared to the band now. That was the era I really enjoyed. The Art of Drowning was the last album I had of theirs. That being said, The Leaving Song Pt II is something I will go totally fucking nuts to. It's such a hard song for being so soft in parts.
 
Toys, Tunes and Beer number 20. Wow. I can’t believe I’ve gotten this far. Thanks to everyone who has liked, and followed along. On to the show. This is my first foray in to the @hasbro Marvel Legends Maximum line, and may be the only. Deadpool is a character I’ll buy almost any figure of. I have all the most recent versions, and the Figuarts movie figure (chefs kiss). This figure is nice, and comes with so much stuff…but in the end he’s just another Deadpool. The numerous hands are nice, but some alternate eyes would have been great. I’m glad he came with some more real world guns for a change too, even though I used almost non of them. The articulation is great, and I will defend an ab crunch to the end. The toe joints done add much for me. I wish he could have gotten some new swords though. Black Fern from @treehousebrewco has New Zealand hops. I like New Zealand hops. Garston hops. I’ve never heard of them. This is a really nice beer though. It has a solid stone fruit taste, with a little bitter at the end. The color is right in line with what I enjoy. Another beer I’m glad I picked up. Dookie by @greenday is THE album that solidified my love of punk music. I was in high school when it came out (a sophomore if you want to know how old I am) and it blew my mind. That opening bass to Longview is seared in to my mind forever. Basket Case is a song that even my mom loves. Green Day was the gateway to other bands like @rancid, Operation Ivy, and even @dropkickmurphys. I will listen to this album front to back and still marvel at how much it rocks, and how every song flows from one to the next. This particular record is part of the 30th anniversary box set that came out in 2023 (a little early). It includes a live set in Barcelona, outtakes (including a completely different version of Basket Case) and the entire set from Woodstock 1994.

Overall ratings. Figure 4.25:5. Beer 4:5. Album 5:5.

https://imgur.com/a/JXDdx4O
 
I’ve been slightly out of sorts as of late but last night I was able to get another Toys, Tunes and Beer together for you all. So enjoy. I’ve wanted Dash Rendar since the start of TBS. After we got Xizor I knew I’d be all in on these. Yeah the likeness is more Jaime Lannister than the Dash we got in toy form in 1996, but it’s still pretty nice. I would have LOVED the backpack gun he originally had. Ah well. No waist or hip swivel. There is a bit of play in the actual hip joints though so that helps some. He may be the discount Han Solo, but Shadows of the Empire is THE thing that got me back in to figure collecting. Theory of Tides is a collab between @eqbrewery and @vitaminseabrewing brewing. A nice double IPA, with Nelson (NZ!), Riwaka and Citra hops. Some light citrus, mango flavors, with a little bitterness at the end. I can remember watching (and recording on VHS) Nirvana Unplugged on @mtv eight months after Kurt Cobain’s death. It was bittersweet. We got new music, but it was also the last new music we’d ever get. The entire set is beautiful. Not wanting to perform the hit, they played so many one offs from their major albums along with a bunch of covers. The Man Who Sold the World has taken on a life of its own after this. For me, the best song is the closer “Where did you Sleep Last Night”. Kurt’s voice is so beautiful, but haunting at the same time. It chokes me up every time I hear it. Kurt was the first “big” celebrity death for me. I wasn’t a huge Nirvana fan, but did appreciate what the band did for alternative music in those years.

Overall ratings. Figure 4.25:5. Beer 4:5. Album 5:5.

https://imgur.com/a/lxQNsQL
 
I admit I got soured on them probably by the time the In Bloom video happened, but I was a sneering teen. I still like several of their songs but cannot listen to Polly.

Also my mom LOVED Nirvana. They were the first band she was really into since Steppenwolf.
 
I was born in '83. Nirvana was seminal to my musical journey. I literally still remember where I was when I heard Kurt was dead. So I'll never pretend I can be objective about Nirvana's importance or even how good they were. But I love them. Unplugged is one of my favorite musical performances ever.
 
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