it would mean a lot if anyone decided to read this.
Click to viewThat's Joe Iconis. And this little video that he's the star of is what's inspiring me to post after dropping off the face of the Earth (or at least of Lijo) for like, two months.
Joe Iconis is one of the most endearing people in the entire world. I haven't met even half of the people in the entire world, but trust me. I speak with confidence when I say that. If you want to make my day and take time to watch that video, you can probably immediately see that for yourself. There's something about him, right? The way he has a smile on his face the entire time. The fact that he's playing one of his own songs. The fact that he was alone in his apartment and decided to take the time to do this, for whatever reason. The fact that he sings the backup ("What's your name?! What's your name?!") for himself. The fact that his voice isn't the best thing in the world. The way he jams out through the whole video and you can see him get progressively more into it as it goes on. The fact that he looks like he's having the time of his life, just playing this song for a camera, alone in his apartment. The fact that you can hear him moving around to turn off the camera, even when it had faded to black. And that's just in this video.
My best friend, theghettoflower, recently wrote a list of twenty-five reasons she loves Joe Iconis. I don't know how many of you are friends with her, but I definitely think you should go friend her. If only to read that list. That, and she's a pretty cool chick. But seriously, it's a fantastic list. It's probably one of my favorite blog posts of all time. Not even just of hers, too. In general. I think if anyone took the time to read it, you'd immediately fall in love with Joe. Even without knowing who he is.
Last night, that aforementioned ghetto flower and all of my other best friends in the world went to see Bloodsong of Love: the Rock 'n' Roll Spaghetti Western (which is the show the song in the above video is from) for the second time. Now, okay. I've seen shows more than once before. All the shows that I've seen more than once are shows that I love (obviously) and have wanted to see again. But never, ever have I walked out of a show literally in awe more than once. There's something about this one. Just like there's something about Joe. Who, if you haven't already caught on, wrote it.
Now, this show has seen its fair share of bad reviews. For whatever reason, there are people who don't like it. Probably because they enjoy breaking my heart, but more so because I don't think they really get it. They don't really get Joe, I should say. I'm not saying everyone should walk into that show knowing every single thing about Joe Iconis and his show and his friends, but I do think people should go see it with more of an open mind. People walk into it with their minds already made up. People don't care. People don't want to care. People see the venue, a small, Off-Broadway theater. People see the stars of the show, names they've never heard of. People see a ridiculous show, a character named Banana, a kazoo playing villian. People don't see those performers working their asses off. People don't see the love on that stage. People don't see all the heart.
I love this show. Just throwing that out there. I am in love with this show. If this show were a person, I would marry it. Well, I mean. Essentially, this show is Joe himself. But I can't marry him, now can I? I would like nothing more to do that, but alas. I can't. Anyway. I think Bloodsong is absolutely phenomenal. I really don't throw around the word phenomenal all that often, as much as I do often fall in love with things. But this show. This show is is it. This show is all that is good in the world. This show makes me feel closer to my friends and my friends in this show who aren't actually my friends, but kind of are at the same time. This show makes my heart sing and my eyes tear and my soul hurt with happiness. I don't see how anyone could feel any differently about it, while it makes me want to take everyone I know and sit them down in that theater and let them love it like I do.
Bloodsong of Love is undoubtedly one of the best theater experiences I've ever had. It's absolutely hysterical. By far the most quotable thing I've ever seen. And at the same time, it's such a true, intricate, touching work of art. It has my dream cast. Seriously. They're not only the nicest people I have ever met after a show - not even kind of kidding - but they're also viciously talented. Those six people are better actors than some people that are actually employed on Broadway. Whoops. The chemistry between all of them spills off the stage, which I think is the greatest. They're all best friends in real life, which I think you can definitely tell. Chemistry like that isn't something that can be learned. The other cool thing about them? When this show's limited engagement is over in a few days, I won't have to worry about losing them or missing them. Because they're all Joe's best friends in real life. He doesn't let them fade away. I'm positive he could easily get his pick of big, Broadway names to star in his shows, but instead, he calls up his friends to do it. He writes these parts and these songs for them. It just. It's amazing. There's not a single one of them that I don't adore with everything I have in me. Maybe one day I'll write a post dedicated to my love for them, because that's honestly one in its own. I have so much love in my heart for every single one of them, and the fact that they know me isn't something I'll ever get over.
Now, more about Joe. As if I haven't talked about him enough. Joe's a perfect human being, you see. He leaves me absolutely speechless. Joe makes me feel like my life is going to go somewhere. He gives me so much hope, as lame as that sounds. He's one of those people who just gets it. Whatever it is, he completely gets it. And, friends, you know what else? He's has come to see every single performance of Bloodsong. It's like theghettoflower said for reason number eighteen on her list: "The fact that he has attended every performance of his show thus far, and will attend every performance that's left, not because he's vain, but because he's so proud of his friends and his art." Last night, Joe sat in the front row on one side of the theater while we sat in the front row of the other side of the theater. I was absolutely thrilled to see him there, to see him right there, just watching his friends, watching his show. I looked over at him more than once, and every single time I did, he had a giant, proud smile on his face. He jammed out to every single song, he laughed out loud when things were funny and he cried during this part. You can probably just hear in the song (if you take the time to listen to it) how emotional that part is, compared to "Find The Bastard". This song makes me want to snuggle with my best friends while we discuss how much we love each other. But I could literally spend an entire post talking about just that part of the show, too, so I'll stop now. What all of this is trying to say is that if I can even be half as cool and talented and humble and flawless of a person as he is, I'll feel accomplished.
Bloodsong is like medicine. After having one of the worst, toughest weeks I've had in a while, I went to see it yesterday and all of that went away for a while. Those people, that music, that theater. It brings so much pure, pure joy to my life. Through the entire first few songs, and through many songs after that, I had a huge, embarrassing smile on my face, and now, I'm not even ashamed to admit it. I can't get enough. I will never get enough. I consider myself so lucky to have seen it twice, to have made friends with all of those people. They feel like family. Anyone that gets the chance to see this show before it closes (six performances left!) go. Go now. Tickets are twenty five dollars and if you get there early enough, you can sit in the front row. Thank you, general admission. But definitely go if you can. Everyone in the world needs to see it so they can make their lives better. So you can smile for days on end, and then still not even be done smiling yet.
I don't know if this post really has much of a point. Or makes any sense. I don't think it does. I just kind of sat here rambling for a while, didn't I? I mean, it goes on forever. If anyone got through this for me, like I said, it would mean the very world. Because I was watching that video that I put at the beginning on a loop for a pretty long while today and there were suddenly a million things I need to say. This wasn't exactly a Bloodsong review, this wasn't exactly a post bashing the people who bash this show first, and this wasn't exactly a total love-on-Joe post either. I don't know quite what it is or even what I intended it to be. But. There it is anyway. Take it as you will.
Hello, LiveJournal. I'm back.