When I got home from work yesterday I immediately curled up in bed (and the cats joined me...their purring is so sweet and soothing, esp. when I'm falling asleep) and took a nap for an hour or two. Then Jay came over shortly before 8 and we went to The Elysian and had something to eat. Then we hopped on the #10 bus to downtown and got to The Showbox at about 9:15 or so. Got a PBR (yuck..why did I drink something so nasty as that?), smoked a few cigarettes and then the first opening band came on. The Thermals are from Portland and about all I an say about them is that I was bored to tears by them. Then my bookclub pal, M. showed up and I chatted with her for a few moments (she was the one that got in for free) and commenced to watch people mingle with each other. Then the nightmare began. The nightmare was in the form of the 2nd opening band: Billy Talent. They are from Toronto and I absolutely DESPISED them as soon as they launched into their first song. Can you say destined for Mtv2? They are like one of those bands like Linkin Park that the youngsters dig these days that I despise..I can't even really compare them to other stuff cuz I don't follow up on these new "punk/metal" bands because I hate what I've heard. God, I would have rather had somebody put a cigarette out on my arm..I'm serious! Somebody even offered to do that for me..ha ha. Billy Talent. Billy Talent-LESS...Jesus. Go back to Toronto and stay there (no offense to my Canadian pals like ringo starr!) I kept yelling at them between songs "GO HOME!" and "YOU Suck!" I could tell the crowd in general wasn't really into them. They didn't fit with the Buzzcocks whatsoever...whoever booked that show is a fucking idiot! Finally Billy Fuckhead finished and we all waited for what seemed like a half hour (I swear to god this one guitar tech was tuning somebody's (Steve Diggle, I think) guitar for like 25 minutes..WTF? It's not prog rock..it's just Punk/pop at it's most beautiful. FINALLY, one of my all-time fave bands in the world took the stage. These guys just make you smile. They always look happy...They sound like a rawer version of themselves from 25 years ago and they rock like there is no tommorrow though they are pushing way past 50, I believe. Pete Shelley is so short and cute and I just want to give him a big squeeze. They played mostly old favorites..crowd sing-a-longs (my voice is sort of hoarse) and some newer songs I wasn't familiar with (but those were pretty good too)...I danced and sang my little ass off. Everybody seemed so happy and sweaty. I could have done without the people that kept stepping on my feet and the the little stupid crowd of slam-dancers (when with this shit die? I hated it in the 80's, I still hate it...it only REALLY belongs at a very fast hardcore show like GBH or something..but even then...just give it up and dance) THough it's fun at first being knocked into, it get's real old real quick. So, by the time I left I probably had bruised toes and ankles from being kicked and stepped on but I was tired and happy. Jay and I sat a busstop for about 30 minutes waiting for a bus and finally I made it home and into my cozy bed.
Only a couple more days until I'm on the train again to Eugene. I miss Larry. *sigh*
