Utils in Bat Country

Mmmm, lemony

When I first got to Bmore, Tass asked if I wanted to go see the Lemonheads with her. Now, I was passingly familiar with the Lemonheads thanks to their cover of Mrs. Robinson but it was really thanks to Holly's effusive odes to Evan Dando that I really had any sort of knowledge regarding their music.

The show was last night and oh my, was the people watching hilarious. The median age of the crowd had to have been 35+ and aside from Tass and her guy, it was past all of our bedtimes.  Oh, the yawning. Including me, I freely admit. The first band went on a little after 9 and according to Tass, they were awful (I thought they were perfectly fine.  Ah, when utils collide.) Then there were a couple of other acts, one guy who was excellent and one girl and her band. The girl did a couple of songs solo before joining the group and oh, the emo. They would have been right at home in an episode of Buffy, where she's making moon eyes over Angel while at the Bronze.  Of course this only added to the yawning. 

Random, sort of economics sidebar.  I don't understand why the main act goes on at the end of the night. You pay for your ticket, opening acts included but by the time the main act goes on, people are tired, my backs hurt, shoes are starting to be painful (I totally wore flats with socks and did not care at all), level of drunkeness is rising and attention is waning. I'd think the acts would want to get people when the energy and excitement is at its peak. And I imagine some get excited with the anticipation and being in the crowd but...not me.

Anyway, Buffy girl (who was wearing lace leggings as pants) goes off and at 11:30, the Lemonheads came onstage.  2 hours past my bedtime! But unlike the woman I saw at one of the upper level tables with her eyes closed sleeping, I stifled the yawns and got into the show.  And they did a great job. Really good sound, fun set, two thumbs up. Although. Mr. Dando does not seem to be into the audience interaction part of performing. In fact, there were several eye rolls. Not that the crowd cared. (Though people were pissed when they didn't sing Mrs. Robinson)

But the show was fun, the night was enjoyable, and thanks to the time change, we ended up eating french fries at 3am.

Take that 5am weekday wakeup, you will not rule my life!

Is completely besides the point that I'm typing this in bed now, at 3:30, gearing up for dinner tonight with my aunt.  (I have to drive places! Aaaaagh.)

Lollapalooza, 2010, Redux

I am home from Lolla. And various other wanderings.

To wit: On the 29th of July, I drove to Michigan, dogs in tow. I went to karaoke at the not-Elbow Room (oh, Elbow Room, how I miss thee). I hung out with my dad on Friday and was offered a pittance for my engagement ring. Thus, instead of selling it, my dad and I went to Knight's Steakhouse and drank vodka. The 31st was the Z Family Summer Gathering, and gather we did. Replete with full family photo and everything.

Things start to get fuzzy in my head then, about when I left Michigan, but I think it was the following Wednesday. Last Thursday I left for Chicago, arriving (much to my surprise) after C did, and then walking several blocks in the wrong direction before turning around and figuring myself out. We went out for dinner, found 'our' bar in Chicago, and were in bed early for the show the next day.

Friday: It was looking like prototypical Lolla for C&T. Show, heat, food. After the show, we made a half-hearted attempt to go to a bar, wouldn't wait, and so got Subway and ate in our room watching a Tomb Raider movie. Oh, how I wish I was kidding.

This came, of course, on the tail of seeing Lady Gaga perform. Now, I'm sure that some of our 10 readers are not Gaga fans, and I wouldn't blame you. It's dance-pop, and not something I am usually drawn to either. But. DEAR GOD. HER STAGE SHOW. Was so good that I STILL cannot talk about it. The woman breathed into a microphone, and the crowd (estimates are around 80,000 people) went nuts, myself included. So perhaps we can be excused our lame evening.

Saturday: Dear 14-year-old Tassie. Get up earlier and get those tickets to that Green Day show. In doing so, you will save your slightly older self the pain and suffering that is hearing Green Day in 2010. MAKE. IT. STOP.

On the way out of the show, someone was handing out fliers for a Necromantix show. So we went. After I changed into a Britney Spears tshirt. (Duh.) Then back to our bar for drinks, where we waited in line with some equipment crew from Lolla. Who offered to double up on a table with us, to be seated faster, and then paid for our drinks, in a not at all creepy way. Good. And beer.

Sunday: SOUNDGARDEN. I WAS TWO FEET AWAY FROM CHRIS CORNELL. And then some whore slammed up against me to get closer to him as he walked through the barrier area during Outshine. Which wouldn't normally be a problem, except I was up against the very-heavy barrier fence. And I have the bruises to prove it. When he walked away again, I had to throw a Bill Lambeer-style elbow at this bitch's face to make her GET THE FUCK OFF ME.

We went back to the bar after the show. And then the night got Epic. EP-IC. And that's all the tantalizing information I shall give you.

But it was so good that I had to slam TWO bloody marys at the airport bar the next day to function. In retrospect, I should have had them at the hotel bar before we left, and I would have been much better off. (And seriously, people, I can drink. I am no lightweight. I am a partier. So if I REQUIRE booze to function the next day? It's been a Night To Remember.)

Fast forward, slightly. Got home Monday night. Tuesday afternoon I drove BACK to Michigan to retrieve my dogs, thinking I would go home Wednesday morning. Except I started feeling lousy, and realized I had a cold/flu/ZOMGI'MDYING. I laid on my parent's couch all day Wednesday, feeling like ass. Started to feel better, went to C's to get some stuff she took home for me, and realized no, I did not feel much better at all. Yesterday, I drove home, finally.

This morning, I took a bus to New York City. I am an unstoppable force of nature, people. UNFUCKINGSTOPPABLE. I had one of my tattoos photographed for use in a cookbook coming out this winter. Seriously. My lemon and I will be featured in a cookbook. How fucking badass is that?

I am back home now. In Baltimore. And I swear I'm not leaving my house for at least 48 hours straight. I seriously just need to meditate on the meaning of life. And the dishes.

what on earth did we do before gchat?

Tassie: i'm here, what are you thinking about buying?

Tassie: i like the sweater

think you should buy it

duchessbelle: ok

Tassie: they have cute stuff

duchessbelle: i. know.

is going to be a problem

Tassie: well, not all of it

some of it is awful

but that sweater is cute

if i had $98 to spend...i would think about getting one

duchessbelle: 15% off coupon and free shipping has i

Tassie: nice

duchessbelle: hey do you have your moms chicken and noodles recipe

Tassie: i can get it

duchessbelle: yay

Tassie: hang on, it might be really easy

Tassie: mom says you can have the recipe

i'll give her your email addy

AND

mom says thanks for calling and that you told her she could call if she needed anything, but you didn't leave a number...goofy

and she really appreciates you calling

(the goofy was me)

duchessbelle: it's her cell phone so i knew my number would show up on the screen. so there.

Tassie: no it wasn't

she doesn't have a cell phone

you called her home number

goofy

and she doesn't have caller id

so there.

duchessbelle: well you're there and you have my number. i knew it'd be easy for her to get it if she wanted it ;PP

Tassie: lol

duchessbelle: oh fyi you was not here and i impulsed purchased yellow suede and gray patent jcrew heels off of ebay last night

Tassie: that sounds OK

duchessbelle: why must all crockpot recipes use powdered soup mix and velveeta spread

Tassie: they don't, but they're better with it

duchessbelle: blech. cream of mushroom soup tastes like old aluminum. i'm sure somewhere they just just tell me to add mushrooms and cream and butter or whatever the actual ingredients are

Tassie: well, you already KNOW what the ingrediants are. just add them

and

velveeta

duchessbelle: i would expect that if i were looking at a box of velveeta but if i click over to a beef shortribs with mushrooms and wine recipe i don't want to second ingredient after the meat but before the mushrooms and wine to be powdered onion soup

come. on.

Tassie: lol

duchessbelle: did you see this http://www.mamapop.com/mamapop/2009/08/my-pants-are-so-totally-into-you-right-now.html

happy birthday!

Tassie: goddam right

duchessbelle: zomg. in the next three months i can go see phantom, legally blonde and trans siberian orchestra

the showtunes are all smashed together in my head now "the music of the omigod you guys as done on electric guitar"

Tassie: oh god

Tassie: did you get the new urban decay email?

duchessbelle: nope, not on their mailing list yet but i did see a blog post about their book of shadows vol 2 palette

i think that's the name

something like that, at any rate

Tassie: you shoudl have it now

duchessbelle: ah, yes

so why does my brain remember the name of the new palette but forgets important details for work

i do love those pocket rocket glosses

Tassie: lol

duchessbelle: hmm i think i need to decide if i'm going to buy a flipcam or some sweaters

Tassie: hmmm

i need sweaters

duchessbelle: anthropologie!!

Tassie: lol

duchessbelle: ooh pretty http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29769692&ref=sr_list_9&&ga_search_query=owl+necklace&ga_search_type=all&ga_page=9&order=date_desc&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

Tassie: yes

duchessbelle: wow. this living out of state when life is crap and it's your bday thing has benefits - emailed my mom earlier and asked if she would buy me a anthro sweater for my bday and she did

it's like back to school shopping, except better

Tassie: lol

duchessbelle: snerk. in my email i called her mommmmmyyyyy and that's how she signed the gift message she just sent me.

duchessbelle: inspired or chilly? http://www.etretouchy.com/

Tassie: the sell those for people to shoot in

duchessbelle: ah ha, so i have straight from the source information. do you give them thumbs up or thumbs down

Tassie: i think they're cute. if you have that kind of phone.

duchessbelle: what do you think http://www.katespade.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3739486&cp=2135389

in red oak

Tassie: NOT FOR $200

NO NO NO

$75 max

duchessbelle: ok

---------------------------

And fin

Chicago Uber Alles

Back in the day (as in the mid-1990s), when I was still young and innocent (ha!), the beginning of summer always marked a time of concert going madness. Or at least there was always a long list of concerts  I wanted to go to, but these were ancient, pre-internet days. To get tickets to shows you had to go to a ticketmaster outlet (we always headed to Hudsons at the local mall) and have cash in hand. A friend and I once went to get tickets to...who knows what...and realized that after the convienince charges and whatnot that we were going to be short money. And the people standing in line with us cheerfully chipped in and gave us enough to cover the tickets.

All this is prelude to saying LOLLAFUCKINGPALOOZA, bitches! Last summer, kinda on a whim, Courtney and I decided to Megabus our asses to Chi-town and see the show. All three glorious days of it. By mid-way through day one we (who had only been friends for a short period of time, and were traveling together as though we'd known each other since we were children...really, just about the perfect concert/travel partner) we had agreed that we would go back again this year, come hell, high water, or shitty lineup. The acts were great, we were comfortable enough with the show and each other that if we wanted to go see different bands, we went and saw different bands and there was no drama about it, and we know enough people in Chicago to pretty much guarantee we never have to pay for a hotel room.

Thus, a few months ago, before the schedule was released, we bought tickets. And then the schedule came out. Depeche Mode! Jane's Addicition! The Beastie Boys!* Band of Horses! Los Campesinos! MOTHERFUCKING SNOOP DOG!** The list goes on and on and on.

When we return, there will be post-Lolla pictures, and a blog for all of it. I fly back into DC ass-o'clock early on Monday and come straight to work. Then I'll need a little time to recover, because next week is ugly at work, and I'm out of town again the following weekend. But yes. I'm out until then.

*Since then, MCA of the Beastie Boys has been diagnosed with cancer, and all shows were cancelled. The BBs have been replaced with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, a band I have always liked but never seen live. Which is actually true of all three of the headliners I'm interested in seeing this year.

**Snoop plays at the same time Lou Reed is playing. And I cannot decide. Lou Reed is 9531 years old, and tickets to see him solo were almost $80 when he came through DC earlier this year. Yet. Gin and Juice. Snoop will do Gin and Juice, won't he? OH DEAR GOD, THE AGONY OF CHOICE.

Next week, there will also be an announcement about a third addition to our little blog. And sometime before the month is out, there will be a real design implemented, so as to make our blog the most amazing thing on the internet. Stay tuned!