Oh man, horrible dreams last night. Bizarre organic ones coming from out of the black and into my head. Mostly just images. Looking in the mirror and realizing that there was a mole on my neck, which swiftly had grown into a conical mound of flesh which I tried to scratch off… catching my reflection in a pane of glass at a supermarket it was practically a tentacle, dangling, which I tried to twist out of my skin… I tried to cover it with my hands and later with scarves, trying to act normal around my Russian friends but their staring eyes noted the squirming braid of flesh… and then late in the shower, sticking my finger in my bellybutton and coming away bloody – blood covering my hands, gushing down my stomach and into the drain, chunks of me under my nails.
I frequently have very violent dreams, I’ve always been able to feel pain in them, but these left a nasty taste in my mouth, like a particularly effectively gory image from Fringe while you’re eating Italian food – which leaves you never quite enjoying ground meat the same way.
Ugh. It’s been a long time since I’ve been so glad to get such little sleep.
Perhaps it’s all to make up for how good the show was?
Chris and Libby of the Weathered Road got into town Thursday afternoon, just in time to help me set up for my open mic. Despite a rather disappointing turnout for the night, we all had a great time and then went back to Heather’s place to hang out and watch Top Gear and just generally get to know one another better. They continue to be some of my favourite people and I’m glad that a little added proximity hasn’t abraded that at all.
Friday we went out and grabbed some breakfast (exposing me to my new favourite hashbrowns) before heading out with Heather’s brother to catch Wolverine. I must admit that I’d been expecting it to be AWFUL and so I must admit to having been pleasantly surprised by my entertaining movie experience. Still, somehow the trailers were worth the price of admission. I should try to find one of the more dazzling photographs of Libby and another of Heather and TRY to explain that even though I was sandwiched between too such spectacular women, what really made my juices gush was the new trailer of Transformers 2.
You should definitely judge me for that – because it wasn’t Megan Fox, either… it was (I believe)… Devastator.
Friday night we picked up a last-minute unknown of a show through Thynkvocally and hauled our (by now FIVE) asses out to Bel Air, MD. Steve, Chris’ little brother and the lead guitarist for the Weathered Road had finally joined up… I LOVE the feeling of accumulated convoy, of the specialist team assembling. It’s back to the movies – I like watching people “getting the call” and lining up on the road to do their thing – and so Thursday night being the two duos – Friday night adding a bit to it all – and then last night… well… I’m not there yet….
Friday found us rolling into a venue called the Main Street Tower in Bel Air and playing in a tiny corner of a crowded room. No problem, we know exactly what to do with that – we sold some CDs, made some friends and generally rediscovered a new little patch of Maryland that we haven’t tried to exploit since the Cup shut down a couple of years ago. The Weathered Road was truly amazing – and new just what to do with the room too. It was really great to watch Steve play guitar again – I admire him a lot.
Saturday was exhausting. I didn’t stay too late at the Tower, but I was about an hour away from home and had to get up the next morning to work at the House of Musical Traditions – it was busy, it was crazy, I sold a lot of stuff – but then I had to run over to the Old Bowie Town Grill and set up sound around a rather enthusiastic birthday party. I must admit, one of my pet-peeves is venues that book other events on top of their music so that their musicians (who are generally being paid to play, but are definitely not paid enough for setting up and running their sound AND for dismantling the disaster left there by the PREVIOUS musicians…). All was forgiven over the course of the show though. The Weathered Road was in amazing form and I got their sound nailed a LOT better than I’d heard it in other places. For ourselves, we were truly inspired and we had dancers and frolicsome noise. People threw a table out of the way so they could dance HARDER and we got Ash’s brother up on stage to drum with us and Libby sang with us on In the Water and… and… AND!!!
And it was a great night. Possibly my favourite show in a long time, definitely my favourite that I can immediately remember.
And then it took forever to fall asleep… and then I had nightmares… and then a long grey day at the shop… I’m going to sleep the HELL out of my bed. (sort of a somno-excorcism).
