Laura’s place

Well last night Peein’ in the Dark played our third open mic, but our first in weeks. It was a strange open mic process. The performers had to put their name in a hat and the MC would draw the names from the hat (all at once so you’d know your time) so the cafe was constantly full of musicians waiting for their turn. We got there at 6:30 and we performed at 9:30. It wasn’t too bad. Half the time we were playing Scrabbled and eating. Forty-five minutes before the show the band went outside in the back room (which is actually outdoors) to tune. That’s the only place in the whole cafe quiet enough to tune. Unfortunately, it is also the smoke room so it was very stinky. Smoke would drift in through the open door and the cafe would be kind of smokey too.

For half an hour before we went on, Kai and I were constantly saying, “rock and roll!” In husky manly-man voices. Sometimes people who came outside for a smoke would join in. “Rock and roll! Rock and roll!” One guy outside - dressed all in black, including a black hat - asked us what sort of music we played. Kai replied, “A mixture of folk, bluegrass, country, heavy metal, and rock and roll!” and the guy said, “F***ing sweet! Can’t wait to hear you!” We replied, “Rock and roll! Rock and roll!”

We came soon after the featured act. The performers before us were very sentimental with meaningful songs about reflection and the meaning of life. By the time we came on everybody was on the verge of either crying or falling asleep, or both. I asked for another round of applause for the previous act, then I opened the way I usually do.

“I’m Laura, he’s Kai, and we’re Peein’ in the Dark.”

Then we started playing. The introduction to the song “Peein’ in the Dark” is very orchestrated. I play a long Em every measure and the words are about the main character waking up in the night and having to go to the bathroom. “I really had to go.” For the first half of the intro the audience was just starting to wake up and were looking at each other like, “What?? What’s this? A song not about reflection and the meaning of life?” Then they started to get it - the performers were a couple of teenage kids singing about pee - and started to laugh. They clapped along to the unexpected upbeat tempo and some were really getting into it. They shouted, “Woohoo!” and clapped and stomped loudly. They really cracked up at the verses. At the end when we do the repetitive “Peein’ in the dark…AAAHH!! Peein’ in the dark…PSSS!! Peein’ in the dark…aaahhh…” some people sang along. Pretty impressive for the first time hearing the song.

I thought my vocals were pretty good. I tried to put ALL my heart into it, because we promised some people outside we would rock the house down. I put most of my heart into it, but I think there was still some bottled up that could have been let out. Kai’s solos were pretty awesome. He used his three pedals, since this cafe allows electric instruments. It was great! Next we played “Waiting for the Band” another upbeat, but not quite as funny, original song of ours. It was really fun. I hope it looked that way too. The audience looked like they were having fun. Then we finished with a strum of E from Kai’s guitar and the audience erupted into applause. I felt proud of myself and the band for delivering such a wonderful performance. I think it was better than both Bazaar Cafe performances put together. Kai’s friends came as well and they said it was so good the two hour long wait was worth it (Kai, Paul, and Kai’s friends arrived at 7:30).

When we packed up and went back to our table people gave us high fives and congratulated us. The guy in black said to us outside, “You guys were f***ing awesome! How old are you?” Kai said, “Fourteen.” I said, “Thirteen.” The guy in black said, “You guys were f***ing amazing!” As we were returning to our table a group of women said, “You were great!” A guy on the couch gave us high-fives and said, “You were the best show tonight!”

That’s my tale of the open mic. We want to do it again next week, but next time we’ll play “Peaceful Ways” and “Candy.”

And now the surprising twist. I was looking around on the web and I stumbled across something extremely surprising. You all know Vanessa Hudgens? She’s the girl who stars in the stupid, talentless, stereotypical “High School Musical.” Well, she’s going to be in another high school-themed musical called “Bandslam.” Here’s the surprising part. Guess who’s also in it. David Bowie! Yes, THE David Bowie. The multi-color eyed, super singer and musician, Life on Mars?, Space Oddity, goblin king, Ziggy Stardust David Bowie. I can’t even imagine David Bowie acting alongside such a air-headed ditz as Vanessa Hudgens. If it’s anything like “High School Musical” I think the only way David would agree to be in it would be if he were completely out of his mind. So it should be at least decent. I suppose it’s a good way to get a huge audience and make millions from this movie. If David Bowie is in it, people with a decent taste in music will see it as well as the people with absolutely no taste in music. I mean, I plan to see it JUST BECAUSE Bowie is in it. Otherwise I wouldn’t even bother.