Tequila Circus
poster by strange//attraktor:
I went to bed with a bit of a sore throat and woke up with my sinuses and head completely stuffed like a pimento loaf. My m’s were b’s and I sounded sort of like a miserable cat when I tried to talk or sing.
Since I’m allergic to pretty much every animal on the planet and have recently developed fall allergies, I thought ‘Great, now I’m getting spring allergies too.’ With the show coming up that evening, I figured I should get this sinus thing under control. I had some Allegra out in the van, so I grabbed them and swallowed one. Shortly after, I started to feel just terrible. I realized that you’re not supposed to let this medication get too hot or cold and mine had been sitting in the glove compartment of the van for probably a year. That’s a lot of weather. I started to feel a little panicky because I was worried that I had just ingested poison and that was why I felt so crummy. I went to the pharmacy and told the pharmacist my story. He didn’t know if the old ones would hurt me, but he suggested I get new ones. I bought another box of Allegra and took a pill….which made me feel even worse! Why isn’t this stuff working? Usually it’s a quick and efficient fix that I RARELY make use of.
Later on, after stopping at Timmy’s for some peppermint tea, we’re at the Circus Room in Kitchener for the show. I feel like total crap by this time, but am still clutching to a shred of hope that I will suddenly, miraculously be cured. I decide that some tequila and beer will help with that.
After some gear repair, set-up and sound checking, Mary 5e takes the stage and completely owns it. She begins with some solo originals and plays us a couple new tunes and finishes with an amazing rendition of Janis Joplin’s ‘Piece of My Heart’. That girl can sing.
We get on the stage. After tuning our instruments, we begin with ‘Spin’ and boy oh boy, my head’s a spinning. ‘Walk Away’ is next and I wish I could stand straight, let alone walk. I can’t hear pitch properly because my head is so congested, and what’s usually no problem to sing is now feeling like claws scraping at the inside of my throat.
I made it through the set...to nobody’s benefit, really. And oh good, my mom, my little sister and her friend bore witness to the entire thing. In fact, they took all these pictures!
Long story short, kids…do not mix Allegra and tequila and beer. Especially when it turns out it’s not allergies at all, but a bad, baaad head cold.
T