Musical Meanderings and Drag Queens

It's been a great weekend - with a great soundtrack.

My man Steven Tyler kicked off the weekend for AZ and I as we cruised over the Bay Bridge to Oakland. And Aerosmith kept us going as we got lost and had to turn around. And got lost and had to turn back around. And as we finally pulled up to The Uptown to hear our friends M.O.V.E. tear it up. They were really good - and I'm not just saying that because they're my friends, too. Even though the crowd started off small, they gave us a good show. My particular favorite of the night was "Hero Factor"...Kenny O's got some mad crazy stage presence!

The next band up after M.O.V.E. was Metrovox. They looked like aging 70s rockers, but they sounded good...like they had been playing together since the 70s, and it was just second nature to play together.

Spent a relaxed Saturday morning and early afternoon with DGS, watching crazy home-made movies from back in the day, playing games, and listening to Weird Al parodies. I'll admit that it's been years since I listened to Weird Al - Will had some of his CD's - but the man is talented. I would love to see/hear a head-to-head parody competition between Weird Al and Eminem. I don't think the world is ready for that - it might just be the cause of WWIII.

Later Saturday we went to hear Erica's violin recital. She played Brahms, Bach, Ravel, and some traditional Brazilian folk tunes. She played beautifully, and it was nice to hear her and see some folks from the SFCM that I hadn't seen in a while.

Post-recital, Dennis and I walked up to The Mint Karaoke Lounge and met up with AZ, Alan and AW for some serious karaoke fun. We arrived just in time to get our songs in before it got NUTS (lots of private parties last night). AZ and I started with some Bon Jovi (we got flames!); Alan tried out some new Queen, and DGS rocked out to REM ("Leonard Bernstein")!

As the night continued, the lounge got more and more packed - great energy from the audience. Our follow up songs ran the gamut: J. Lo, Dusty Springfield, Whitesnake, and (of course) Journey. If I do say so myself, our little group kicked some serious karoke-butt.

After the karaoke spree, our little group disbanded. DGS and I went back to my house to see one last home short before he had to make the trek back to the 9-1-6. I was a little tired, but fueled by the diet coke's from the lounge, I decided to swing by kiki's house party in the marina for a little bit, as I had not seen her nor some of my other opera-folk in a while. As I walked down Lombard and turned onto Octavia, I could hear the singing coming from her house.

The inside was packed: equal parts opera singers and Persians. I arrived in the midst of the singing - which is what inevitably happens when opera singers all get together. Around midnight, our amazing friend and pianist K begged off the bench (she'd been there quite a while), and then the Persian contingent took over. Playing drums and singing in Farsi...and, of course, there was much dancing! It was very cool. Eventually, salsa was put on the stereo, and I got a couple of dances in with Momo, before finally leaving around 1am.

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Sunday morning was spent at......Beside Baptist. Otherwise known as Our Lady of the Sheets. I needed some sleep, I think. I need to be better about my bedtime during the week...as right now, I am too dependent on my morning coffee.

I spoke to my parents today. They went to see Dame Edna last night. If you don't know, Dame Edna is really comedian Barry Humphries' drag alter ego. I've never seen a show, but I believe there is singing and dancing involved...and comedy, of course. Wellll........my parents happened to be sitting in the front row. Next to the stage stairs. Apparently, Dame Edna comes on stage, and down into the audience to get some "volunteers". Whom should she choose? None but our own Sally D.

Mom had to get up on stage with three other "volunteers" and act out a skit, for about 30 minutes. They gave her script, slapped on a hat, a chenille bathrobe and placed her in a wheelchair, and *voila* she became Dame Edna's mother. I would've given anything to see my father's face throughout this ordeal. He was probably peeing in his pants. hahhahaahhahha.