Please Tell Me I Was Not Like That in High School: A Week in Bay Area Music

I thought maybe since it’s been a while since I’ve written on here, I thought I’d give some commentary on the two shows I went to this week. Saturday night I saw Twin Sister at the Clift Hotel and last night I saw Bright Eyes at the Fox Theatre in Oakland. 

Saturday started like any other Saturday. After a night of avoiding men wearing grills in the Richmond, I reluctantly crawled out of bed at some ungodly hour (meaning before eleven am) to get a bagel and coffee. Followed this with watching Skins until, embarrassingly enough, my friends called me to get dinner. The plan was to go to Beauty Bar, but that quickly changed when we found out that Twin Sister was playing for free at the Clift Hotel. I hadn’t heard of them, but I read they had toured with the Morning Benders, so I knew they would be good. So I went off to change my clothes and get ready for the evening. 

We had a few drinks and a “Sweet Caroline” sing along (bup, bup, bup!) at the Gold Dust. After that, we headed to the Clift Hotel to see Twin Sister. After waiting in the line for a while, getting out to go the the restroom only to discover my friends had been let in while I was gone and convincing the bouncer he had already let me in, I was in. The band was awesome, super dreamlike. I always love bands with one female member, maybe just because I’ve always wanted to be the cool chick in a band. This theory would explain my love for Jenny Lewis and Kim Gordon. Anyway, I dug Twin Sister, but I’d be lying if I said I was paying full attention to the band, as I was already a few drinks in. If it’s any consolation, even in my gin and tonic daze, when I came home at two in the morning, I downloaded Twin Sister’s Daytrotter session. Good stuff.

When we headed to the Redwood Room, I was in full Sex and the City mode. I had my ladies, I had a cocktail, I was wearing Ferragamo peep toes, I was set. I looked over and noticed a gaggle of drunk girls stumbling to get to a table in the corner. “Hmmm”, I thought to myself and for some unknown reason, I walked over there. I remembered seeing that the Broadway show Rock of Ages was playing in the city, and the guy at the table looked like Constantine Maroulis of American Idol and Broadway fame. What did I do as a drunk girl? I talked to him. Granted, I’ve never really watched American Idol, and although I’m a pretty big Broadway fan, I know who he is all thanks to Joel McHale and the Soup. He asked me about the band who was playing, I relayed some info. I introduced him to my friends. I asked if he’s here for Rock of Ages, he is. He leaves for Indianapolis tomorrow. Then:

• “What’s your name?”
• “Emily.”
• “Emily, I’m Constantine.”
• “Nice to meet you.”
• “You’re really beautiful. You’re dimples are adorable.”

Hilarious! But, thanks for the compliment. Off to bed. 

Last night was Bright Eyes! I had been looking forward to this show for a while, even though I just saw Conor in October, I had never seen Bright Eyes. Another first for me was that until last night, I had never been to Oakland. I had driven through Oakland, but never gotten out of the car. It has always just been on the way to somewhere else. I also never liked ranch dressing until yesterday, but clearly, that is irrelevant. 

My friends and I get to the theatre early to get the best standing room. Mission accomplished, right up against the partition, holla. However, I was shocked to be surrounded by fourteen year olds. Surrounded. I tried not to care, I really did, because I was that kid at shows. I would always overhear young adults saying “Why are they here?” directed at my best friend and I, mostly during out freshmen year of high school. We vowed never to be those people, but some things last night were too funny for me not to notice and mock.

One of my friends forgot to get a wristband (I seriously don’t know how), so I went off to grab a beer for her and myself. When I asked her what she wanted, I heard one of the young girls next to me assure her friend, “Don’t worry. Since I turn twenty-one four months before you, I’ll buy you all the alcohol you want. Don’t worry, anything you want until you’re twenty-one. We’ll be drunk all the time.” Precious. Not annoying, but funny. 

What was super fucking annoying were these two fifteen year olds in front me for the first half of the show. The girlfriend was my height (5’2”), so no big deal. Her boyfriend was over 6’. Not a big deal, that’s how it goes when you’re small. However, do they have to graphically make out during the entire show? Writing about in the crowd to obstruct my view? I seriously thought they were going to start fucking when Conor started playing “Poison Oak”. I’m not being insensitive. I had a serious boyfriend my freshmen through junior year, but you better believe we had the good sense to behave in public. Especially if it was the last Bright Eyes tour. Seriously kiddies, you can fuck all you want after the show, and the day after, and they day after that, how about you enjoy the music. Give the artist your respect. 

Regardless, the show was amazing. One of the top three shows I’ve been to in my life. New stuff (I was almost crushed to death during “Jejune Stars”), plus older stuff (I mentioned “Poison Oak”, but also “Hot Knives” hell yeah), an awesome political rant (“BE AS BRUTAL AS THE TEA PARTY!”) and a smashed Gibson SG from Conor (“Sorry for my fit of anger.”) And after that, Conor came down to the partition and shook hands and hugged us all. Yeah, my friends and I touched him. Great success.

Tonight my friends are going to Broken Social Scene at the Warfield, however, I am declining. I’ve had a good run the past few days.