Dr. Lung, a.k.a. Travis, and I went to see Gogol Bordello at the Ventura Theater last Wednesday May 20th. Just the thought of crazy carnival gypsy punks warmed my little heart. It was the first show of their summer tour and my first Gogol Bordello show. I was so unprepared for the characters and get-ups that presented themselves without warning or reservation. Part of the fun was just watching people at the show, but I had to make sure I wasn't staring. We got there early enough to have dinner in town and then head over to the theater.
As soon as we walked in we could hear the thumping of the dub step mash ups that the DJ was spinning. Travis and I walked straight up to the merch booth where we were greeted by a friendly smile and a English accent! Travis, more than anyone, knows just how fond I am of the UK and English accents in particular. So I honed in and started chatting up the attractive merch guy. After a few minutes, Travis took her cue and wondered off...leaving me to flirt shamelessly. After about 20 minutes we exchanged numbers and I had been invited to the next 3 shows (1 in Pomona & 2 in Santa Cruz). I went to meet up with Trav and we had a field day making up stories for the array of freaks parading around the Ventura Theater. About 30 minutes passed by and I got a text asking if I would "fancy a drink" after the show. I replied and said I would love to!
My feet instantly started to shuffle as the band began to play as if I couldn't help but shake my ass and dance. I felt like one of those little girls you see in the old video's of the Beatles playing on TV where they were just screaming and dancing uncontrollably. I was jumping around and flailing with reckless abandon for 2 hours straight. Screaming at the top of my lungs to sing along with the parts of songs that I knew. By the end of the show I was a deaf, sweaty, scratchy throated, hot mess! We went back to the car so I could pull myself together. After a comb, a few bobby pins, and a text message was sent...I was good to go. I waited about 15 minutes and having not heard back from my new friend I took off and headed back to the valley at about 11pm. Shortly after I got on the highway I got a text message saying "Sorry, I got bum rushed. Wish I could have seen you again. You coming to Pomona tomorrow?". Without hesitation I replied "yes, I will be there for sure!".
The next day I took off for Pomona straight from work and I had not planed on going to the Pomona show at all. I got down there early and sat down to have dinner by myself at the Vietnamese restaurant across from the Fox Theater. I was watching the laker game and happened to spot someone I knew from Hollywood walking back from the lou. There were a couple of fellas I knew that were also having dinner before the show at the Vietnamese place. We all walked over to the show and I was on the guest list with after show pass and all! The opening band that night was amazing and it just so happens that a former client's and close friend of mine was in the opening band. I hadn't seen her in about 2 years and I was able to give her a hug and exchange numbers with her...as if this is what I was meant to be there for. Most of the night was spent going back and forth between watching the show and visiting my English mate at the merch table. I stuck around after the show to spend some time with my new mate and wound up meeting most of the band...completely unintentionally. He walked me to my car and gave me a sweet kiss goodnight and in his English accent...told me to "Fuck off now then" with a kind sideways smile and soft sleepy eyes.
An invitation to hang out in Santa Cruz Friday & Saturday was extended my way once again. With little planing and a few cancellations, I decided to run away for a couple of days. It didn't work out and I decided not to go, which was for the best. Instead, I was able to do some PI service this weekend and prepare for the regional youth committee on Sunday. Picked up my parents and a close friend who came to visit from LAX that same night. I've been a little bit bummed all weekend that I didn't run away to Santa Cruz, but it was a smart choice...I'm much more rested for not going....aaahhhh...whatever...I really wanted to go. I'm sure there will be another opportunity for me to run away to Santa Cruz. That's all I got for now. It's been an amazing week.
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