10/12/09

You Think You're Invincible

Thursday night was the super duper awesome HIJINX party at the Delancey. It feels like forever ago. It was a really successful event and everyone did such great job and I had too much fun and didn't sleep, actually, at all, Thursday night. Friday was really hard. It was totally worth it. After work I went home and ordered Chinese and read a very sweet and definitely sexy letter from my close personal friend and international celebrity La JohnJoseph. I watched Spike Lee's Crooklyn and really loved it a lot and passed out. I was so bummed because the Gossip played NYC on Thursday night with MEN and I missed it. I was really disappointed with myself for being such a wuss.

Saturday I woke up exxxtra early, did all my chores, cooked and cleaned and then got ready for the show. I was going up to Pittsfield, MA to play a show with Jen Urban and the Box and NYC's Most Best Band Ever, MKNG FRNDZ. Pretty fucking exciting. I've seen them play a bunch of times at QxBxRx and know both Daniel and Tami and have always had a friendboner and bandmusickboner for those two. I was super excited to get to go on a road trip with them. They picked me up in Brooklyn and we drove up to Massachussetts, blasting Madonna and eating delicious snacks. They had been at the Gossip show the night before and I was barely able to conceal my jealousy. After a few minutes of my incessant questioning ("What did they play? How did Beth look? Did people dance? Was it amazing? I bet it was amazing.") Daniel gave Tami a knowing look and said, "Well, Max, what if we went up to Boston after our show, to see them? Would you be down? We had been thinking about it..." = AMAZING.

The drive was so gorgeous. I'd never been to Massachusetts before and wanted to make a bunch of Juliana Hatfield jokes but thought everyone would make fun of me. In reality Daniel was super into it and beat me to the "Feelin Massachusetts" reference. I forgot that it's, duh, autumn, and all the leaves were turning colors and it was really amazing to see. We got to Pittsfield where we played this cool queer benefit at an Elk's Lodge. Tim, the organizer, and everyone there was so nice and sweet and we all had a blast. I tried a new performance 'look' and it's a keeper and I'm probably gonna wear it this weekend so I won't get too into it. All the bands were amazing. MKNG FRNDZ dance their cute little butts off and got everyone else to get down on the floor. It was really inspiring.

We were all super pooped after the show and drove to a strange but beautiful hotel (after a million other hotels were all full-- we felt like Mary and Joseph yukyukyuk) where there was this really cute family. We asked if there was anywhere we could fine some food at that hour and they said no, but that they'd make us a pizza. Totally awesome! Thanks, Econolodge! We got to our room and started watching this spooky documentary about the Jonestown Massacre but then we all fell asleep.

Woke up to a gorgeous New England day and went out to eat at a charming little French bistro downtown. Our waitress had been at the show the night before and gave us free coffee and the food was amazing and it was just... awesome. We drove up to Boston, also a first for me, singing along to Sleater-Kinney. We got really great Indian food and then went to the show.

The first band was Apache Beat, and they really worked it. I was amazed that the lead singer didn't even break a sweat. They had really sweet harmonies and were psychedelic and rumbly and rhythmic and awesome. We ran into the MEN kids in the club and Ginger asked Daniel and I to hold these cardboard signs onstage during their set. I was really nervous about that, for some reason, but we got into it and danced around and got to hear MEN really well. They were SO COOL. Really inspiring and affirming and really reminded me what I like about New York. Plus they're really sexy. Then it was time for the headliners.

I talked about the Gossip's new record and how much I love them a little while ago. I hadn't seen them since like 2002. They really blew my mind. I felt like I was going to church or something. Their music is really important to me, I sort of grew up listening to them. I came out listening to them. Yesterday was national coming out day, and it felt appropriate, I guess, to be seeing their performance. They were amazing. Beth looked and sounded great. The new songs sounded fucking phenomenal and they played a smattering of old jams too, as well as a really sweet cover too special to say (you should go see them on tour). Beth got into the crowd. It was way rad.

After the show we were all elated and after stopping off for snacks, we started the drive back to NYC. Fueled by soda candy and Li'l Kim, we arrived home just after last call and I fell swiftly asleep and I am super duper tired at work, AGAIN, but once more it was TOTALLY WORTH IT. And I pretty much had the best weekend ever. Yeah.

2 comments:

Writer said...

Love The Gossip!

Sam said...

I can't believe you didn't call me. Furious.