Lou Pickney's Online Commentary
Who Invited You?
Thursday
August 7, 2003
"I doubt very highly that one elixir could boast so many fantastic properties."
-Professor John Frink
My friend James called me up yesterday afternoon seeing if I wanted to go see
The Donnas in concert over at Twilight in Ybor City. And, as things worked out, I did feel like taking in a concert. So I agreed to meet up with him for it.
The Donnas are an all-girl punk rock band, and I'd heard of them, though I wasn't entirely familiar with their work. Their biggest song is called "Take It Off", and it's received some decent airplay on the modern rock circuit. They have some interesting song titles, like "Who Invited You" and "5 O'Clock In The Morning". They're all younger than me, which is the reality of most new rock bands that will hit the scene from now on. Time passes quickly.
James came by around 8:30, and I showed him the addictive fun that is
NCAA Football 2004. While we got our drink on, I set up a computer simulation of Ohio State at Tennessee, complete with snowy, windy conditions at Knoxville's Neiland Stadium. He was impressed, and hell even I was impressed -- and I've had the game now for several weeks. We found ourselves cheering for UT, getting mad at OSU for scoring on fourth down, etc. And it was a freaking video game. Of course the Jägermeister and brandy and whisky might've had something to do with that, too. But like I've rambled about on here before, the game just draws you in, even as a spectator.
|  | | The Donnas are chicks who know how to rock. |
The show itself was a great time. My ears are still ringing from it, but it was well worth the time, energy and effort. James used the power of the badge to get him and I in for free. We missed the opening act,
The Mooney Suzuki (who I heard put on a great show) and spent much of the early time during the
Burning Brides' set and the break before The Donnas came on hanging out upstairs.
Once back downstairs, somehow James, me, and these two girls we met in the crowd slid our way up to the front. I'm sure this didn't sit well with some of the shorter people who had a newly obstructed view behind James (6'6") and me (6'2"), but as Robert Downey Sr. said in Boogie Nights: "That's not an MP, that's a YP, your problem!" Not that we were callous to our fellow concert-goers, but that's the breaks at rock shows. Though that made cutting back out to get another round of drinks impossible (I could've escaped, but pushing back through the crowd would've been most difficult).
The Donnas put on a great performance. Punk isn't necessarily my top choice normally, but their act was musically strong, lyrically intelligent and quite intense. The drummer chick (Torry) in particular was hot, with this amazing energy up there. She kinda reminded me of Velvet a little bit in her looks.
The funniest part of the show might've been this shady looking Asian guy with thick glasses and a "don't trust me" aura around him. He looked like someone you'd see at the World Series of Poker, or at a low-end hotel lounge bar, complete with cigarettes and shady demeanor. He pushed his way up to the stage and then tried to give a $5 bill to the band. I shouted that this was a rock show, not a strip club, and that the Mons Venus was "that way" (pointing in the general direction of South Tampa). That got the short guy with the mullet in front of me laughing.
|  | | When in doubt, place the blame on Jägermeister. |
As for the girls that James and I met... well women never cease to amaze/befuddle me. Explain to me how a girl can be kissing you one minute and the next (when you ask to exchange numbers) tell you that she has a boyfriend. Oh well, her loss. I think her name was Brandy; I know that my "I'm not a beaver... I'm an otter" shirt got over well with her. She also asked me why I was so happy; I told her it might have something to do with the Jägermeister I'd had (I think you can blame just about anything on Jäger). But whatever, all in a fun night. I ended up with two guitar picks, which was a nice touch. Brandy hooked me up with one of them; she also managed to snag the set list (which she stuffed down her shirt in a funny moment).
After the show, James and I went out back to see what was up. James sometimes likes to mark out and go try to meet bands. Whereas for me, working in the radio biz, it's cool to meet people in groups and what not, but short of hanging out with Adam Duritz or a resurrected Jim Morrison I'm not necessarily going to go out of my way for it. But I was along for the ride. James spotted the lead singer of The Donnas (Brett), flanked by a security guard, and got her to sign his shirt. James, in typical James fashion, then introduced her to me. I wasn't going to let her sign my "I'm not a beaver..." shirt, but I shook her hand and told her that they put on a good show. Which they did.
Overall, it was a strong evening. It's hard to beat a great rock show, especially on the freebie tip. Good times, for sure...
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