Updatiness
The last few days have been an absolutely glorious precursor to spring. Sunny skies, temperatures in the 70's and lovely breezes. Even at night, it's been warm enough to go without a coat.
Thursday night was the first show of The Pogues current U.S. tour in D.C. at the 9:30 club. I never saw the original band together. By the time I was of an age to go to concerts without parental approval and aware of their music, Shane McGowan had left the group. I'd heard songs by them, often covered by other artists, over the years and really liked them, though. So I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see the band with most of its original members when sfw_dc told me they were touring again. And it was SO worth it. sfw_dc, Spouse, and I got to the 9:30 club at about 9:30pm (hee!) and found a sizeable line already. We didn't get a barstool on the top level railing, but we managed to get a standing spot on the railing middle level of the club, just to the side of the stage. So we could see everything and we were sort of in a corner that didn't get too awfully crowded. Shane stayed vertical the whole evening, and remembered the words to everything, and seemed remarkably together, all things considered. Highlights of the evening:
Friday I took the day off work, because I knew there was no way I could go to a concert with a 10:00pm door and get up for work the next day. So I stayed over at sfw_dc's place, and on Friday we went antique/junk store scrounging in Virginia. I didn't find the armoire or dining room chairs I was looking for, but I did find purple glass. A set of 6 teacups and saucers, two small wine glasses, and lovely bowl. All for under $60.
After that, we went to play pool and have dinner and then to hear Patsy and Brian play at Nanny's. They did a couple of really good sets, and toward the end of the evening, the cutest pair of gay boys were leaning against the bar next to sfw_dc. It was a little annoying at first that they pushed in, but they were too cute to be annoyed with for long. One of them struck up conversation with me while sfw_dc was in the restroom, offering to hold her barstool for her. I told him that was fine because we were both bigger than he was anyway, so I wasn't worried about him trying to keep it when she came back. He just laughed and said, "Yeah, you could kick my ass."
I came home last night after pool/dinner/pub and crashed. And today sfw_dc & Spouse were going to an antique mall in Westminster, MD in a borrowed truck to pick up an armoire they'd bought last week. After waffling a lot this morning, I decided that as long as I was almost done with laundry by the time they left their place that I'd drive up and meet them to do a little more browsing for chairs or an armoire. As it turns out, I got there before they did, and was wandering around looking at stuff while waiting for them, and I found a set of chairs and *three* different armoires that I really liked. Since they had the truck, I figured it was fate, and so I came home with an armoire and four dining room chairs for under $300, and this makes me VERY happy.
I've had a marvellous weekend.
So how are you guys doing?
Thursday night was the first show of The Pogues current U.S. tour in D.C. at the 9:30 club. I never saw the original band together. By the time I was of an age to go to concerts without parental approval and aware of their music, Shane McGowan had left the group. I'd heard songs by them, often covered by other artists, over the years and really liked them, though. So I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see the band with most of its original members when sfw_dc told me they were touring again. And it was SO worth it. sfw_dc, Spouse, and I got to the 9:30 club at about 9:30pm (hee!) and found a sizeable line already. We didn't get a barstool on the top level railing, but we managed to get a standing spot on the railing middle level of the club, just to the side of the stage. So we could see everything and we were sort of in a corner that didn't get too awfully crowded. Shane stayed vertical the whole evening, and remembered the words to everything, and seemed remarkably together, all things considered. Highlights of the evening:
- Watching Shane and a girl who we think is Jem Finer's daughter dance around the stage during the long instrumental bit at the end of Fairytale of New York in a flurry of fake snow. There were moments when I wasn't sure if he was trying to dip her and she was resisting, or if she was just holding him up, but it was a great moment. It was good to hear that song done as it was meant to be: as a duet.
- The accordian player. How anyone manages to leap around stage like that with a huge-ass accordian hanging off his chest is beyond me. It did sort of lead me to wonder what he'd be like in bed, though... I mean, between tours all that energy would have to go somewhere, right?
- Y'know those traffic crashing sounds from Fiesta? Those are the result of Spider Stacy banging the hell out of his head with a tin beer tray. They ended the show with that number, and it was absolutely perfect.
- Star of the County Down, where they all switched instruments and the drummer sang lead. I still think I like Brian and Patsy's blues/jazz version better, but this one was lots of fun too.
- The big guy at the front of the mosh pit who'd clearly been dragged there by his girlfriend and who obviously had NO clue how a mosh pit works, given his utter confusion and disgust at having people slamming into him.
Friday I took the day off work, because I knew there was no way I could go to a concert with a 10:00pm door and get up for work the next day. So I stayed over at sfw_dc's place, and on Friday we went antique/junk store scrounging in Virginia. I didn't find the armoire or dining room chairs I was looking for, but I did find purple glass. A set of 6 teacups and saucers, two small wine glasses, and lovely bowl. All for under $60.
After that, we went to play pool and have dinner and then to hear Patsy and Brian play at Nanny's. They did a couple of really good sets, and toward the end of the evening, the cutest pair of gay boys were leaning against the bar next to sfw_dc. It was a little annoying at first that they pushed in, but they were too cute to be annoyed with for long. One of them struck up conversation with me while sfw_dc was in the restroom, offering to hold her barstool for her. I told him that was fine because we were both bigger than he was anyway, so I wasn't worried about him trying to keep it when she came back. He just laughed and said, "Yeah, you could kick my ass."
I came home last night after pool/dinner/pub and crashed. And today sfw_dc & Spouse were going to an antique mall in Westminster, MD in a borrowed truck to pick up an armoire they'd bought last week. After waffling a lot this morning, I decided that as long as I was almost done with laundry by the time they left their place that I'd drive up and meet them to do a little more browsing for chairs or an armoire. As it turns out, I got there before they did, and was wandering around looking at stuff while waiting for them, and I found a set of chairs and *three* different armoires that I really liked. Since they had the truck, I figured it was fate, and so I came home with an armoire and four dining room chairs for under $300, and this makes me VERY happy.
I've had a marvellous weekend.
So how are you guys doing?