I mean, everyone else is doing it, so why wouldn’t Sunny Day Real Estate, quite possibly the founders of emo (in b4 Rites of Spring) get back together and play some shows and stack cheddar like a supermarket stockboy?

Last night Ear Candy caught wind of a strong rumor that Sunny Day Real Estate, one of the most influential and underappreciated post-grunge groups to come out of Seattle, has reunited with its original members and plan on touring this year.

There has been no official word on when the band will tour, but according to my source, current KEXP and former 107.7 The End jock Marco Collins, the original lineup is rehearsing and planning on touring.

One of my many shitty bands is venturing North this weekend to play some shows in Portland and Seattle with our good friends Ruth, and a band who I had never heard of called Derby, who are from Portland and were kind enough to get us on a bill at the newly refurbished (and apparently super badass) Mississippi Studios. And even better, they don’t suck, not even a little bit. Their songs vasciallate between a Strokes-esque jangle and a dreamy pop sound a la fellow Portlandites The Shins, with decidely memorable melodic hooks throughout. I imagine that they probably have a shitload of fans in their hometown and beyond, which is badass because we definitely don’t. And even if they don’t, I’m still stoked just to kick it with them for a couple of days. Check out their shit on Myspace, or if you’re a Northwesterner, get your ass out to the goddamn shows this weekend and buy me some beers.

I’ve always thought of rum as more of a pirate drink, and not so much an oonch-oonch-oonch DJ experience. Perhaps that’s why Bacardi B-Live is setting across the US to provide both rum and music sampling.

(Or maybe it’s just a good excuse to become That Guy aggressively dancing every short skirt on the dancefloor.)

BACARDI B-LIVE will feature some of the hottest musical acts and DJs of today – including MSTRKRFT, A-Trak, Q-Tip and many more. It will be traveling to multiple cities throughout the U.S. beginning May 20, providing the perfect summer music experience.

BACARDI B-LIVE mixes the hottest music with the very best BACARDI cocktails for the ultimate taste experience. These events are exclusive ticketed events for adults aged 21 and over only. For more information, please visit www.bacardi.com.

BACARDI B-LIVE events will hit the following cities this summer (dates and locations are subject to change. Artists and venues will be announced at a later date):

* Wednesday, May 20 Seattle, WA
* Friday, May 22 San Francisco, CA
* Thursday, May 28 San Diego, CA
* Friday, May 29 Los Angeles, CA
* Saturday, May 30 Phoenix, AZ
* Wednesday, June 3 Denver, CO
* Saturday, June 6 Kansas City, MO
* Thursday, June 11 Milwaukee, WI
* Friday, June 12 Chicago, IL
* Saturday, June 13 St. Louis, MO
* Wednesday, June 17 New York, NY
* Thursday, June 18 Boston, MA
* Friday, June 19 Philadelphia, PA
* Thursday, June 25 Louisville, KY
* Friday, June 26 Cleveland, OH
* Saturday, June 27 Columbus, OH
* Thursday, July 2 Charlotte, NC
* Friday, July 3 Atlanta, GA
* Saturday, July 4 Orlando, FL
* Wednesday, July 8 New Orleans, LA
* Friday, July 10 Austin, TX
* Saturday, July 11 Dallas, TX

Usually, the only two hings that happen at the Synthesis office on a Monday before noon are Jack and Shit, and Jack’s only on the good days. But today I’m feeling motivated. Maybe because I drank myself into an complete stupor this weekend in San Francisco, in the process spending my entire life’s saving, and am now looking for anything to take my mind off my impending physical and financial meltdown. But maybe now. Regardless, I present you with two fresh interviews for perusal on the Synthesis homepage, one with Seattle riff-humpers Helms Alee, and the other with poltical latin hip hop rock fusion/everything band Ozomatli. Check it out, then send me money and liver enzymes. KTHNX

Besides being home to the best bands probably of all time, Surrogate and Number One Gun, Seattle record label Tooth and Nail also has some pretty quality folks staffing the homebase. Check out their Halloween video, which features the label staff battling a lycanthropic intern. Then go buy the new Ruth record (which came out yesterday) and stack them enough loot so they can afford some better special effects next time around.

Sirbrina Guerrero, a contestant on Tila Tequila’s “A Shot At Love” MTV reality show, was told by an usher at a Seattle Mariners game to stop smooching. Guerrero was at Safeco Park with her date when an usher approached them and told them to stop showing affection because it was making another fan feel uncomfortable. This incident has created quite a debate over PDA in Seattle, a generally gay-friendly city.

The Mariners were playing the Red Sox when the couple received the complaint during the third inning. A parent nearby explained to the usher that she didn’t want to have to explain the situation to her children. The woman felt that there were too many kids in the crowd to have to explain why two women were kissing.

Guerrero feels angered by the situation because heterosexual couples a few rows below them were making out during the game and she just wanted to be able to show some affection. Mariners spokespeople say the complaints were of groping, which is not tolerated if making others uncomfortable. This is measured by what a “reasonable” person would find inappropriate. Guerrero and her date said they were only sharing food and brief kisses.

This may start a “kiss-in” to protest against the Mariners, suggested by sex columnist Dan Savage. This is a move towards eliminating homophobia in sports and activists want to put a stop to the double standard.