SHARING THE SHOWS
A little tidbit about November 11: China declared it to be Singles Day because of all the shopping singles do. We are a boon to our economies. This day opened things up for stores to create Singles Day sales and specials. It’s much like Valentine’s Day, but still, it’s nice to have a day that’s for us. And I won’t forget to acknowledge the veterans that serve our country. Thank you for your service. Veterans Day is also a nice day for me, because I work for the city of DC, which declared it a Federal holiday. I slept in (8:30), went for a run, and went to a focus group for extra cash. I can’t write about what went on; otherwise, the people in charge will find me and cut off my hands so I can’t type, and I need these hands to continue write and raising my fist at shows, so I’ll just say I was stoked to receive the extra cash. I hopped the Metro to the Shaw section of DC, a section I haven’t frequented that much. I got to Busboys and Poets at about 5:30, a half hour before Pete’s dinner reservation. I browsed the bookstore and was pleased to see some books featuring LGBTQ+ protagonists. I placed two business cards on the table outside and asked one of the clerks about the possibility of giving a reading of my book. Gotta keep pluggin’… Pete arrived at about 6, and we ordered our food. I’m a big eater, but I tapped out about halfway through this ginormous plate of nachos. I also tried Harira soup, which was perfect for the increasingly chilly weather we’re having here. Our conversation topics were varied and full, but when we started talking about COVID, my heart stopped and I suddenly realized I had left my vaccination card on my fridge. Pete assured me they’d take the photograph of it on my phone; I was skeptical, but was glad to be proven wrong, after the circuitous route we took to the venue. When we arrived, we sat at the bar downstairs, and the pungent odor of stale beer transported me back to the early 2000s, when I was in my early 20s and frequenting dingy dive bars with that spell. 9:30 Club is probably one of my favorite venues to see music because of its storied history, and I got some photos of a couple of their calendars from the 1980s. After a few minutes, we went up and were greeted by some peppy sounds of acoustic instruments from the opening band, Fireside Collective. I was blown away, and upon hearing me, I judged them to be better than I ever remember YMSB being. Their version of “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” was pretty kickass, and while I don’t normally buy CDs at shows, I do like to support local acts, and this band deserved it.
YMSB took the stage at about 9:10, and they were as awesome as I remember. I give my props to the 9:30 Club for being consistent with their mask enforcement. One person was removed from the venue for repeated disobedience (the security staff had talked to him multiple times), and I saw one lady get pulled aside. I left the show at 10:45 (damn lack of late-night Metro combined with morning work meetings), and Pete informed me two others were removed later on. Venues (not naming names, Union Stage SW, Pearl Street Warehouse, and Elevation 27), take notes! The band introduced Nick Piccinni, their new bass player, who did a great job. Songs I recognized included “Left Me in a Hole” and “Angel,” a trippy tune that brought me to a transcendental place when I saw them in Richmond back in 2017. At around 10:45, I bounced out. The way I figure, I saw an awesome opening band and got most of a set of the show, as well as an evening out with a good friend; I was satiated. One of the things I love about walking and Metro in DC is the opportunities for people-watching. I heard a black man say, “White people are always wasting food.” Yes, this is true. Wasting food is a pet peeve of mine, particularly when there are people throughout the world who dig through the dumpsters for scraps. Wasting food is a sad feature of white privilege, and as I write this, I realize my own hypocrisy. Normally, I get a to-go box when I have leftovers, but since the venue wouldn’t have allowed my food in, I denied the restaurant’s offer for one. I now realize I could have given it to one of the many people asking for change on the street, or even one of the bouncers at the venue (both of which I’ve done, before). Live and learn, Craig, live and learn. The ride home from the show is always a place for me to wind down from the show’s energy. It was only a 40-minute ride back. Home at 11:30, I curled up on the couch to turn on Netflix and watch that episode of Seinfeld in which George and Jerry pitch that episode about “nothing” to the NBC execs. I’m over 20 years late to that party, but I’m glad I arrived. A final note: I’ve had a superstition regarding YMSB, because at every show I’ve been to, something negative has been associated with it. I’d seen them five times before tonight. Three of those shows were with people I was dating (those relationships did not end well). When I saw them open up for String Cheese Incident in Portsmouth in 2016, I parked my car at Mark/Brodysseus’s place, and I learned it was towed due to it being in one of the “complex’s spaces.” Last year, that car was totaled coming out of B Chord Brewing Company, so I was apprehensive about coming tonight. I’m glad the venue accepted my photo card. Note to self: put it in your wallet day of show.
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April 2024
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