A few Saturday’s back, I attended the 20th annual Rockabilly Ball, put on by our local radio station here, KEXP. I’ve never attended before, but I decided to go for it and buy a ticket to one night of this three-night event.
Now, Rockabilly fans are different, notably so, and I am among the different so that’s okay. My $20 bucks could not have been spent on anything better. Did I go with a friend? A boyfriend? No. I went it alone. Alone and brave. I was a superhero that night for attending a Rockabilly concert, at a small venue, no less, ALONE.
I had my reservations. I didn’t want anyone thinking I was “looking.” That would have been bad especially since I wasn’t looking. I was there for the music, not to go home with someone. So I paid three bucks for a Bud Light and walked the place like I owned it. Brave indeed. Some may have felt sorry for me or thought it was just too bad that I had to be there alone and granted, it would have been more enjoyable had I a friend along, but I was there and I danced and enjoyed a great group of bands regardless.
It’s funny what people do when they are alone to make it look like they have it all figured out. Most of us go to the bathroom first. Then sort of get lost in the mix on our way out hoping that those who saw us come in alone, would soon forget about it. I was no exception. I went to the bathroom, got my beer and pretended I was doing something dramatic and important on my phone, (which I wasn’t) So I drank my Bud like it’s something I do all the time (because I really don’t) and planted my feet in place for the spot in the crowd. I decided to get up close and personal. Showed them that I really enjoyed the music based on the amount of appendages and other fleshy parts that I could sufficiently shake. I needed the comfort of a crowd that night. I'm no longer a 20-something that can stand for hours. I'm in my thirties and standing for hours just about killed me. However, I inserted my cushy earplugs and rocked from 9 – 2 AM in the morning like I do it all the time.
It’s interesting how bands interact with the audience. Since this was such a small place, the interaction allowed for liberties otherwise not allowed. I could have lip-locked the cute bass player if I had wanted to and no one would have stopped me…probably. Anyway, The Mezcal Brothers really rocked my socks off. The Go Getters, a Rockabilly band from Sweden were the last of the line-up of five bands. They were the “dirty” guys; Singing of things that can only be projected over a sound system after midnight…and I’ll leave it at that. Face flushed, I left feeling giddy yet wobbly because my legs were so sore from standing for so long and trying get to my car in a timely manner. Walking past bars with the die-hards just leaving and just-about brawls are really not my scene. I just wanted to get into my car and go home.
People can be very stupid when they drink. The crowd was just as entertaining as the bands and sometimes more. We do things when we are liquored up and dancing. Freedoms that one probably can’t imagine on a regular basis happen in settings like that. Dressed up girls with tattoos that covered almost every inch of their bodies and piercing I could never imagine. Girly-girls dressed up in retro 60’s dresses with the tight bodices, squeezing their way to the front and pushing me back because I’m so short. Everyone was in my way! Then there are the bad-asses that think they are so cool when really they are lame and sad, the lot of them!
The Shake the Shack DJ was drunk off his ass and it was so fun to watch as he made an utter fool of himself as he danced. I sort of envied it though; to be so uninhibited and not give a damn about what others are thinking. I’m tiring of always having a guard up and hoping that everyone I’m around thinks I’m okay and not a complete idiot. Maybe if I had a guy on my arm or a friend there dancing along with me, I wouldn’t have been so guarded. But never fear… I did some shakin’ of my own and I bet no one even cared!
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