Grand Duchy, San Diego, 5.9.09

I’d noticed that Frank Black’s (the Pixies, Black Francis) new band, Grand Duchy was going to be playing the Casbah on Saturday night. Having been scheduled to work at both my jobs that day and since I didn’t have much personal history with his previous bands; I pretty much thought I’d be doing something else or sleeping soundly early that night. Besides, I was more focused on riot grrrl music when they were really popular (after they “disbanded”) but definitely understand what the Pixies did (and inspired) for music in general. So when Rosey from sddialedin.com mentioned on her facebook that there were still some tickets left for the show around 10:30 p.m., I was an unlikely candidate for the Casbah red carpet. (Did I really just say that? I’m new to blogging and trying to make it colorful, I guess. Cut me some slack.) But something inside me was stirring. I wasn’t *really* ready for bed, it just had seemed like I would be! I checked the band out on myspace and heard passion and female vocals. Female musicians pique my interest. Being female is no shoe-in, but being a musician myself, I perk my ears up a little more. I decided to go! Alone!
So I headed down Florida Canyon to the 5 and breezed down the highway. The curved street behind the Casbah was full, (love that spot!) but I managed to find parking close-by, even though it was 10:45 by then. After the door guy checked my I.D., commented on my birthday (New Year’s Day), and exchanged some strange, but playful energy with me, I proceeded through the door to get my Bay Breeze.
After finding a place to the left of the stage, I realized that I don’t mind going to shows alone... I just mind the standing there and doing nothing part... (Trying to engage my brain with personal silence.) I noticed a man who works at a local, popular taco shop just up ahead! He is the same man I noticed while walking my dog before the show near my home. I had seem him in the neighborhood before, but never really ran into him. So, after spending 5 minutes of awkward silence between myself and the other (seemingly accompanied) Casbah-goers, seeing a familiar face was a welcome situation. I walked over and tapped his shoulder, introduced myself and we got to chatting. (He had noticed me walking my dog, too.) Turns out he is/was a huge fan of riot grrrl music and listed more bands than I could even think of at the time. He’d even seen Heavens to Betsy back in the day! Chatting with him really helped the half hour go by before the band played.
Anyhow... the band took stage and there was Frank, his wife, Violet, the drummer Jason, and a beautiful keyboardist whom I mistakenly thought Frank announced as a “Silversun Pickup” (anyone catch her name? I want to check out her other bands.) Though initially the band didn’t really excite me and something didn’t seem to coalesce for me, I began to watch the bands’ dynamics and appreciate their performance. The songs in which Violet sang or Frank and she sang together (which is probably almost all of them) were most engaging/interesting. If she was ever off-pitch or off-key, her confidence and personality made up for it. I could see her leading a riot-grrrl band. She is all spunk and decisiveness. The keyboard player had such a grounding presence but I really wish I could have heard her vocals more. I could tell she was slightly annoyed that they weren’t that audible, but she kept her grace (or place?) and just kept on going. I really thought they sounded best when she was harmonizing with Violet. Seriously. I can’t believe I thought she played in the Silversun Pickups. She clearly doesn’t. (Upon some serious internet research, I made this conclusion.) Honestly though, I feel like the history of Frank Black’s career, Violet’s confidence and passion, and the keyboardists’ “groundedness” were what made the performance. I didn’t find any of the parts to be that complex or that dynamic. There seemed to be some pre-programmed synth or keyboard samples that added to the depth, as well. It was an experiment for me and it was still inspiring.
Violet announced that the last song was to be the “encore,” after stating she didn’t “want to go!” Once the last song ended and they exited to the outdoors, the cheers and claps quickly subsided. I felt like maybe they would have done an encore if “lazy San Diego” didn’t give up and throw in the towel. Seriously, though. You know what I mean. They hardly dance and (I guess I should say we) would rather save face then be the first to yell for an encore! (Though I definitely do all the above if I am moved to do so. Usually dance, and if am super into a band, will clap and holler for an encore.)
When I went outside the band was hanging around, ladies sitting on the wall, guys standing... Frank posing for pictures... It’s hard for me after shows I don’t have much connection to. I want to hang around and absorb more artistic energy, but I also don’t know how to do it without thinking the whole time and having a slight anxious feeling. (This is why people drink. One or two drinks doesn’t have the same anxiety-relieving effect!) I knew I would feel regretful if I didn’t tell the keyboardist something. I loved her energy so I decided to tap her knee and tell her she had “great energy.” I’m not sure if she was used to that, she seemed slightly surprised but appreciative. Who knows, all I know is... it’s inspiring to see bands I know little of. Little expectations, always something to gain!

So I'm working my second job at a children's boutique hanging out behind the counter and I hear... "Fuckin' asshole! Come on, (insert asshole's name here...)" Then I see the woman speaking turn around and watch the man fall. I watched, too. He was some kind of inibriated. I usually feel like helping people in need but felt this situation was different and that I should just let them pan it out. So he's half lying in the bushes and half lying on the street. After a half-minute struggle she helps him up and they walk off. Street corner happenings. This is what I get to watch as the day goes by...

tables make you tailored!

today i bought a table off of craigslist. my boyfriend and i moved into this apartment at the end of august 08'. we have been tableless since. we had decided to give away our little vintage red half table with two chairs because it was irritating and was a half table that we propped against the wall. we vowed to get a new table asap and ignored my mother's advice to keep it until we found a new one. i thought it would be more motivating without one. i was wrong. yes, wrong. after a few failed craigslist ventures (one day we looked at one in rancho bernardo. i was on a three day liquid cleanse and after looking and leaving the scene, i texted the forty-ish bride-to-be saying we were not interested but that she was adorable!! what the hell. apparently i lost all boundaries that day.) so yeah. tonight i hopped on over to mission valley and looked at another newly engaged couples' extra table. i bought it. they even dissassembled it for me so i didn't have to persuade my boyfriends' bandmate to truck it to our place for us. it was midnight by the time i assembled it; but goshdarnit i wanted to use my new pride and joy! not wanting to eat food that late (but really, an hour prior i downed some in-n-out fries), i made tea. here is a picture of the first tea i had at my table.

oh yeah. my life feels so much more tailored now. thank you lovely bride-to-be in mission valley! (apparently a lot of newly engaged couples decide to move in with one another and get rid of the guy's furniture. yes, it was the guys, but i wanted to keep this story congruent with the prior experience i shared.)

today i finally made my way back to the Y for a little cardio workout. i'd been rockin' the yoga a lot these last few months so i decided to get my vegan heart pumping a little more on the elliptical. as soon as i entered the 80's style locker rooms i settled on the second row of benches to change. a mother and her fourish son and sixish daughter were getting ready to go swimming. the mother seemed to be talking to herself as the children were not speaking back to her. the little boy began to crawl under the benches. he wasn't right next to me, but somehow this all began to irritate me. little man crawling on the dirty carpets like a little monkey. eck. she decided to ask him to stop and for this i was grateful, but feeling slightly agitated at all the stimulus around me. i noticed she was trying to stuff her daughter's massive curly hair into a bright green diver's cap, as she murmered something about needing to throw a bunch of rubber bands in their gym bag so they always have them. it just so happens that when i pulled my earphones out of my purse a hairtie came with it. "would you like this?" i asked her. she made a pleaful face, "can i?" of course you can! i gave it to her and then i became calm and at ease. interacting with them brought me peace. it also paid forward the time i asked unsuspecting gym goers in the locker room for a hair tie, and got one.