I had a weekend full of moose! On Saturday, I did a show at the Albion Moose Lodge with the Future Stars of Comedy Tour. And on Sunday, I headed up to the upper peninsula of Michigan. While I didn't see any actual moose, I do believe they frequent the area.
Before the show, there was a street music festival in Albion. All of the town's musicians were invited out to play live. I don't know who planned the event, but placing a 70 year-old, yodeling accordion player in between two rock bands might not be the best idea. This band was my favorite. Their lead singer looked like a combination of James Brown and Gene Simmons. I found out later that his name is "Smut." I liked him ever more once I learned that.
Another band:
Here's comic and Future Stars Tour booker, John Face. As you can see, he's also an excellent spotlight-hanger-upper. And yes, that is an actual title.
The Albion Moose Riders sign. I found it funny. Obviously, they are a group of Moose members that ride motorcycles. However, from the looks of the sign, it looks like they are a group from Albion that likes to ride moose. I wonder where one goes if s/he likes to do both?
Robbie G. amusing himself on stage:
This is Russell Aaron Rabb (another comic on the show) displaying the lovely (and BIG) Moose bar cups:
On Sunday, I woke up early to head up to Harris, Michigan (way up in the U.P. - in the central time zone too).
I took this as I crossed the Mackinac Bridge (and talked on my cell phone, of course):
Entering:
People are serious about their U.P. pride:
I have arrived! It was gray and raining, but inside, the Island Resort and Casino was hopping! I worked with Sal Demilio (and got to hang out with his fiancee, Char, as well). We had pretty good attendance, and the show was fun. After the show, we enjoyed our $10.00 discount at the buffet and played some slots. At one point, I was up $2.55 (don't hate), but then quickly lost it. Next time, I'm cleaning up on those penny slots like something fierce!
I think about you in the summer time...
Category: Music
To the two readers who actually care, NKOTB's "Summertime" video has been released. Of course, I had to provide some commentary. My thoughts:
-I about died during the close-up of Joe's mouth saying "soaking wet."
-All of the guys are in beach attire, but Jordan's wearing a leather coat. What gives? Um, I don't know how to put this delicately, but TAKE IT OFF and show some skin already.
-The girls they are dancing with could very well be their illegitimate children.
-New Kids + white clothing + water + 1990-dance moves = hotness.
-What up with the shadow posing? It looks like some sort of lame-o super hero crap.
-I had no idea Donnie could drive a helicopter. Color me impressed.
-Perhaps it's time for Jon to officially retire and check himself into a home. His very apparent anxiety makes me want to breathe into a paper bag.
-I have a sudden urge to dance to pop music in a wicker hut.
I worked at the Easy Street Cafe in Bowling Green, Ohio on Tuesday night. My friends, James and Ashley, were kind enough to accompany me to Ohio and fork over the three dollar cover charge to see the show. James and Ashley had to put up with the most out-of-balance tires ever on the way down. We all had stutters by the end of the trip. So thanks for being troopers!
I worked with Brian Aldridge, which was fun. I hadn't seen him since our date at Chaplin's in Michigan a few years ago. Well, not our date, but you know what I mean. He's a very funny guy, and it was nice to see him headline for the first time.
Here's us and our jazz-hands after the show (along with fellow comic Bob):
This is Brian's headshot that we were imitating:
After the show, Brian, James, Ashley, Shane (Easy Street Cafe Hall of Foamer), Steve Sabo (comic, booker, MMA fan and offensive blog comment poster), Jen (Steve's girlfriend and good pep talker giver) and I (bad music fan and obsessive compulsive procrastinator) headed to a bar down the street, watched the Celtics beat the crap out of the Lakers, discussed why the team name is pronounced incorrectly and had some $2 Miller Lights. That's right – nothing but the finest beer for me. One day I'll get some taste in alcohol, I swear.
Bowling Green continues to be one of my favorite towns.
Just like the white winged dove...
Category: Music
I took my daddy-o to see Stevie Nicks for Father's Day. Sometimes hanging out with my dad can be a bit strange. Not because of anything he does, but because of the way we are perceived...especially if we go to a concert or a movie. Women around his age honestly look at us like we're on a date. Or that he's my sugar daddy. Not that I'm opposed to sugar daddies, it's just that I prefer that they don't share my DNA. So stop with the dirty looks, mid-fifties ladies – he's my dad!
I thought Stevie was fantastic! She did all of the songs I wanted her to ("Stand Back," "Dreams," "Gold Dust Woman" and "Edge of Seventeen") and even did a pretty decent rendition of Dave Matthews Band's "Crash Into Me."
My dad, Lew (or Mr. Brindle, if you're nasty), at the beginning of the concert:
And a blurry picture of Stevie in all her flowy, mystical goodness:
After the show, I absolutely crashed. Prior to the show, I made a 12 hour trek across Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. I got home with enough time to shower and throw on some deodorant (I'm sure the fellow concert attendees were thankful for that). A second-wind came my way as the show started (actually probably during opening-act Boston's "More Than a Feeling") and I managed to stand and dance my way through Stevie. After that, however, I was shot. But, the show made it worth the sleep deprivation. You can sleep when you're dead, right?
Flooding, Mall of America and other Minnesota Adventures
Category: Life
This weekend, I performed shows with MinneHAHA in...yep, you guessed it...Minnesota! The getting there part was a royal pain in the arse, but the shows were fun and made it all worth it.
Discovering that someone had defaced my bumper sticker was how my journey started out. Yeah, not off to a good start. And no, in case you were wondering, TryVag.com is not a real website. I checked. TryVeg.com, however, is. You should go there.
Then, I hit traffic. MAJOR. MAJOR. MAJOR. Traffic. Basically, 90/94 was closed in the middle of Wisconsin due to flooding. Yeah, apparently I'm not as avid of a news reader as I like to fancy myself. I knew there was flooding in Iowa, but I had no idea it went that far north.
So I was detoured for about three hours (45 minutes in stand-still, bumper-to-bumper traffic). Interesting enough, the road we were routed onto only had one lane open due to construction. I was at a stand-still for way too long, and I feared I wouldn't make the show on time. It was at this point that I about lost my mind, punched the steering wheel and started crying. Many thanks to some special peeps for talking to me on the phone, calming me down and baring with my angst.
I got to Mankato with 20 minutes to spare. Just enough time for a shower, hair and make-up. At some point, I managed to score this cut. I mean, honestly, who cuts their foot on a perfume bottle? Yeah, that would be me, folks. I was pacing while brushing my teeth and accidentally stepped on the cap.
I arrived at the show, which was a cute little room in the basement of the Tav on the Ave. It was great to see Mike Orensteen (the booker/MC). I hadn't seen him in a few years, and the last time was when he was in Detroit. I got to meet headliner Bob Adams (and his wife Tammy) and guest-setter Charlie (I don't remember his last name, but he was really cute and funny and he reminded me of my brother). Sometimes bachelorette parties can be a bit "challenging" (to put it mildly), but the bachelorette party in the back of the room made the show! They were really fun ladies, and it turned out to be a great time!
I'm not sure about the rest of the food as I didn't have any, but the popcorn lived up to the awning's promise.
On Saturday, I headed up to Bloomington, Minnesota (AKA Home to the Mall of America). Of course, I had to stop by.
I was pretty pumped when I got there because I had heard all about it, how big it is, etc. Yeah, um, it's pretty much just another mall. The only difference from regular malls is that there are more screaming children and teenagers making out at the food court.
Oh, and they have an amusement park. Here are some pictures:
I was going to go on the rides, but it was mostly children riding them. It turns out that if you don't have a child and you're in a primarily children's area, that makes you creepy.
The mall also has stores like this. Glamour Shots for Kids? Is this really a good idea? 6 year-olds, eye-shadow, feather boas and heels...sounds like a great combination to me. Mmm-hmmm.
As you can see from the woman with luggage, the mall is a major tourist area. Either that or she just *really* likes to shop and plans to buy a ton of crap from the Buckle.
More evidence of tourism. P.S. Who is buying (and wearing) Mall of America t-shirts?
I didn't feel much like shopping, so I left after snapping a few shots and observing the Dora the Explorer Ferris wheel.
That evening, I did a show at the Steak and Ale restaurant. It might seem like an odd place for a vegan, but the salad bar rocked!
My receipt from my meal: It's official: I'm getting old and am now a "ladie." I miss the days of being a comic gal...I also miss the days when people could spell common words. That's me, MC Joe Tanner and headliner Michael Thorne.
I really enjoyed watching Joe and Michael's show. Very, very funny…and Michael has so much energy! I'm super jealous as sometimes I can barely muster the strength to take the mic out of the stand.
After the show, I headed back to my room, caught a few hours of sleep, woke up super early and hit the road again. The detour didn't seem that bad at 6 am. Thank you to my birth-state for the fun time!
I went to see the True Colors concert (featuring the B-52's, Cyndi Lauper, Rosie O'Donnell, Tegan and Sara, the Cliks, and the White Tie Affair) last night at DTE Energy Music Theatre. It was a fun show and worth the hang-over I have today.
There were plenty o' mega-fans there:
The lawn. Nothing but the best seats for us.
Rosie O'Donnell on the big screen.
Fellow comic, Joel Fragomeni, and me working on beer number 5. Or was it 6? 7 maybe? Um, I think I lost count.
B-52's (probably somewhere mid-"Love Shack").
As you can imagine from the line-up, the concert was rather marathon-ish. Toward the end of the night (read: as the alcohol kicked in more), doing headstands on the lawn seemed like a good idea.
My friend, Jess, went first:
She did pretty well. Me? Not so much. Here's my attempt: Joel managed to capture me in the "up position" for the .25 seconds that I was perpendicular to the ground. I quickly flipped over and fell on my arse.
The aftermath (AKA: big, klutzy fall):
More thoughts/observations from the evening:
-Tailgating at a Cyndi Lauper = muy different than tailgating at a football game. This was evidenced when the tallest SUV on the market pulled up (containing four men, none of whom weighed over 110 pounds) next to my car, asked if I minded if they played music, waited for my go-ahead, and then immediately began blaring all of Cyndi's club hits and dance mixes.
-Something about concerts makes people want to engage in substance abuse.
-I do not blame these people one bit.
-Hippie-ish dancing (read: swaying with no apparent sense of purpose) is fun to watch.
-Ginormous balloons are NOT necessary at concerts. They do not add to the music. If anything, their popping distracts from it…while simultaneously making me have a panic attack.
-Every person that Joel and I discussed, mentioned and/or gossiped about showed up at the concert. *And* ran into us.
-People get angry when you plow into them and knock over their beer (oops!).
-Bears find Joel attractive.
And now, onto my thoughts on the bands…
The White Tie Affair: I got there late and didn't see them. I think it was them that played the cover of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." If so, it sounded sweet.
The Cliks: Oh. My. God. I have a new favorite band. And I think I've found a potential husband. Not only is their lead singer way hot, he can sing his ass off. They do an awesome cover of "Cry Me a River" by Justin Timberlake. This doesn't really do it justice, but you can check it out.
Tegan and Sara: Probably my favorite artists on the bill. They were good, but they're more of a small venue act. Plus, they played nothing upbeat. They even slowed down their current fast single. How do you play sad, depressing stuff at a Cyndi Lauper concert? They still looked cute though. And really, isn't that all that matters?
Rosie O'Donnell: She was okay. I was never a huge fan of her stand up. To her credit, she managed to keep the crowd entertained at a venue that is not-at-all designed for stand up. She was a bit preachy, but she did have a few jokes that made me laugh.
B-52's: I was hoping for beehives, but I settled for Kate wearing a really awesome hot pink dress. Plus, they played "Rock Lobster" so I was happy.
Cyndi Lauper: This woman is fabulous! She has so much energy and was in complete control of the stage the entire time. Plus, she just rocks! Her voice still sounds good, and she was jumping around the stage like she was 15. I really wanted her to do "the Goonies song" (no, that's not the title, but that's what I kept calling it when I was heckling her to play it), and she did not. But, she did do a solo-version of "Time After Time" which seemed really heartfelt. It was definitely lighter-worthy, as there was a sea of fans holding them in the pavilion.
So yeah, good show. But, now I'm hung-over. Hopefully eating lots of sweet vegan goodies at the vegan dessert potluck party I'm going to will make me feel better. Probably not, but one can hope…
So if you're into music 'tweens listen to (like I am), you've probably heard the song "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry. No, this is not a remake of the mid-90's hit by Jill Sobule.
This is pure pop sugar. It's catchy and will have you singing along in no time.
Here are the lyrics:
This was never the way I planned Not my intention I got so brave, drink in hand Lost my discretion It's not what, I'm used to Just wanna try you on I'm curious for you Caught my attention
Chorus: I kissed a girl and I liked it The taste of her cherry chapstick I kissed a girl just to try it I hope my boyfriend don't mind it It felt so wrong It felt so right Don't mean I'm in love tonight I kissed a girl and I liked it I liked it
No, I don't even know your name It doesn't matter Your my experimental game Just human nature It's not what, good girls do Not how they should behave My head gets so confused Hard to obey
Chorus: I kissed a girl and I liked it The taste of her cherry chapstick I kissed a girl just to try it I hope my boyfriend don't mind it It felt so wrong It felt so right Don't mean I'm in love tonight I kissed a girl and I liked it I liked it
Us girls we are so magical Soft skin, red lips, so kissable Hard to resist so touchable Too good to deny it Ain't no big deal, it's innocent
Chorus: I kissed a girl and I liked it The taste of her cherry chapstick I kissed a girl just to try it I hope my boyfriend don't mind it It felt so wrong It felt so right Don't mean I'm in love tonight I kissed a girl and I liked it I liked it
**********************
Now, while I agree with Ms. Perry on certain parts of the song (us girls are pretty damn magical and there's nothing wrong with girl-on-girl kissing), I do have some issues.
1. The song is played like 80 bajillion times a day. Granted, it is catchy, but enough is enough. Now, I know what you're thinking, "Kate, why don't you just change the station or listen to an ipod like every other twenty-something?" True, I could, but then I wouldn't get my fill of Lindsay Lohan/Samantha Ronson gossip. And I NEED my hourly updates about whether they are a couple or not. My ipod does not provide that.
2. I think the song's popularity speaks to our culture's fascination and acceptance of pseudo-lesbianism. Like, it's okay for her to make out with girls as long as she still has a boyfriend, as long as she's still wearing red lipstick and as long as she doesn't butch it out and start to look like Rosie O'Donnell clad in head-to-toe flannel. But, if she was a real lesbian, I don't think we would be so down for listening to her saliva-swapping adventures.
3. I also think the song points out the hypocritical differences between the ways men and women's same-sex "experimentation" is perceived in our society. For instance, if Justin Timberlake sang the following lyrics:
"I kissed a boy and I liked it The smell of his brute cologne I kissed a boy just to try it I hope my girlfriend don't mind it"
I don't think we would be quite as accepting. While Katy Perry is "experimenting" and "having fun," I'm pretty sure a lot of society would just label Justin Timberlake as a big ol' gay.
4. Come to think of it, I think I might actually want Justin Timberlake to come out with that song. I would be lying if I didn't secretly wish he and JC Chasez used to suck face in the dressing room before N Sync shows.
5. Is she wearing a lampshade in the video?
6. Why is kissing girls so bloody fascinating anyway? There have now been two hit records called "I Kissed a Girl" (one in the 90's, as previously mentioned). What's the big deal? Kiss whoever you want, and stop making songs about it! Especially when I cannot get them out of my head to save my freakin' life!
Side note: When I was googling, "I Kissed a Girl" to get the lyrics, I came across this website.
http://www.wikihow.com/Kiss-a-Girl
If you'd like a laugh, it's definitely worth the read. It features advice for how to kiss a girl for the first time like:
-If you have braces, make sure they're clean.
And this gem:
-Put your strong hand pointer finger under her chin. Tell her she's amazing, and lean in with a slight smirk.
Butterfest and Harley Chairs - with very shoddy video
Category: Life
In honor of working with my good friend and road warrior, Steve Sabo, I decided to drive 8 hours (one-way) for a one-nighter.
On Thursday, I worked at the Ringside in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I think I severely underestimated the city and didn't realize how big nor happening it was. The crowd was pretty large and full of young, hip college students. They were fun! I worked with Mark Poolos, who I hadn't seen in a couple of years. I think I creeped him out in the hotel lobby though. I was checking in, I don't think he knew we were working together, and he didn't look like he expected to be greeted by anyone at the hotel. I said hello, he looked a little confused at first, I explained that I had changed my hair color and then I think I uttered something about not being a stalker. I think he bought it.
During my trip, I did pick up on a few things though. For instance, the signs you know you're in Wisconsin: -You begin seeing advertisements for Butterfest 2008. -Radio stations have call letters/numbers like COW 97.1. -Cheese = EVERYWHERE. -Polka music is actually played on the radio.
Because I had to be back in Michigan for a meeting the next day, I had to leave at 2:30 am on Friday morning. Yikes. Needless to say, I was quite delirious by the time I arrived back in the mitten.
Some video from the road:
On Friday and Saturday, I worked at Porky's Clubhouse in Flint, Michigan with Steve. Porky's just might have the coolest staff t-shirts ever! They say "Eatin' Ain't Cheatin' Except When You're On a Diet." Hellz yeah. You know the servers aren't wearing those at Applebee's. I don't think eating/cheating shirts really count as flare.
Porky's used to primarily be a biker bar, so they still have a lot of cool motorcycle paraphernalia.
Steve and I made ourselves at home on these Harley chairs. This is us doing our best stand-offish/bad ass pose. We look like we belong, right? Right? I mean, can't you see me with a spiked helmet and pleather chaps?
Does anyone in the Metro-Detroit area have Comcast On Demand cable? I was featured on a show that was filmed at Joey's Comedy Club a while back. Unfortunately, I have rabbit ears and no cable, so I have no way of accessing the show. If somebody has it and wouldn't mind recording it, I would be much appreciative. I'll even throw in some Bed Bath and Beyond coupons for your efforts.
