March 31, 2004

Stellastarr* at Irving Plaza

First off, I'm writing this on November 11 from San Francisco. I've been crazy busy with my new job and haven't had the time to even think about this website for weeks. Looking back at these photos almost seems like someone else's life - but I guess photo albums always sort of make you feel that way.

Anyway, enough of that. Let's get into to the past-present tense. Ready then? Here we go. So on Wednesday night I went to Irving Plaza to see Mandy's band play with Ambulance LTD.

I watched a little bit of Ambulance LTD play from the balcony, but after a song or two I ran into Mandy an

...she snuck me into the room above the stage where all the bands and cool kids get to hang out. (In TV this is called the green room, but I don't know if bands also call it that...whatever.) Anyway, back here I met Mandy's friend from high school and we talked about how we were both embarrassed by that fact that we were both so excited to be "backstage." Hahaha. Dorks.

We tried to play it off like were really excited about the free booze and food - but really it was the eigth grader in me that was like "whoa, I'm backstage at the rockshow." GIZZAY!

mandy — A few free drinks later, Stellastarr went on and I went downstairs to the floor to watch them. (The balcony may make you feel like a "coolkid" but the show just doesn't sound the same from far away).

Me and Karen on the floor.

karen marsala, natasha — I also ran into Natasha Royt and Karen Marsala!

Mandy in her cute lil' shirt.

michael — Mike and Shawn (who spells his name the girly way).

Mandy again.

Obligatory crowd shot (complete with a multi-ringed man rocking out.)

And one more of Shawn. (Holy shit, I'm boring myself with all these band photos...so how about I wrap this part up?)

So then I went back up to the balcony and watched their last song from up there.

I mean, why rub elbows with Double Gleam the Ringboy when you can watch the rock on a tv? Ok, I actually just went back up there to get another free drink.

Mission accomplished I went back downstairs. Rather than show you more band photos, I'm instead going to tell you a story I forget to tell earlier about why I'm a jackass:

So when I was up in the balcony before the Stellastarr started playing, Mandy introduced me to her parents. A few minutes later when the band was playing, I was making my way across the balcony to head downstairs and I noticed that Mandy's parents were standing towards the back of the balcony . I felt bad that they were standing so when I noticed a table of kids near the front of the balcony that seemed to be talking amongst themselves and not really watching the show - I asked if they'd mind giving up their table for a Mandy's parents who'd driven in from the EnJay to watch their daughter bring the fucking rock. They said they wouldn't mind and I proudly went over to Mandy's folks and was like "Hey, why don't you guys sit at this table." It was only days later when I was talking to Mandy did I find out that her parents said they'd really enjoyed the show except for the fact that "some jackass friend of hers" had sat them at a table too close towards the front of the balcony where their view of the stage was obscured by a huge column. Doh.

audrey, jenny penny, me — Me, Jenny and Audrey. You may remember that Jenny was on my shit list for a while for bringing her coked-up friend into my bedroom at Sarah's birthday part and letting him steal my fucking sunglasses (DIE!). But she made up for it be giving me her VIP sticker so I could go back and forth from the balcony to the floor without getting hassled by the security dudes.

No more band pics. I swear.

After the show we all went over to Filter14 for the afterparty.

sarah — Sarah was there to DJ - or "play CDs" as she now says (as she's tired of defending herself to morons who take time out of their incredibly important days to write her lengthy, venomous (and of course anonymous) notes explaining why she's not a "real" DJ).

karen marsala, me — I ran into the lovely K.Marsala yet again. I explained to her that the open bar coming to an end wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It was just simply a matter of...

...planning ahead. Before you go calling me a drunk, I'll have you know that I only stockpile drinks so I can...

julia li, me — Give them away to the lovely ladies after the open bar closes. Awwww, yeah. I was like the Robin Hood of Good Times when I delivered these two freebies to Julia and her friend. Fuck you, bar!

amber, me — I ran into Amber who sang into a rose for the last of Sarah's wonderful set.

sarah — And speaking of Sarah's wonderful set...BA-DUM-CHA!

sarah — And after the boobiliciousness, we got treated to some pink panty peek action.

sarah — Sarah and that guy from the Killers. (You know, the tall one.

amber, julia li — Amber, Julia and Julia's friend (who I'm pretty sure lives in San Francisco now too. Hey, if you ever read this, email me. I'll steal you a beer sometime).