I have begun to post a few clips -- but it turns out that my new phone has audio issues. Shot clips of the Engimas, Art Bergmann (solo acoustic), Daddy Issues, and I, Braineater, but the audio and video don't synch perfectly, and get further apart the longer a clip is, which means that the 11 minute long Enigmas vid I shot is not all that watchable, sadly. Annoying...! Will have to look at them again, some clips may be ruined... I may also add comments to this post from friends as I see them. It was a great night, in any case... Tried to sneak out early because I am tired, sick, sore... then someone reminded me that I'd forgotten something and I went back in, ended up backstage for a bit...
Amusing moment: Danny Shmanny almost won a guitar that had been stolen from Ron, then given back, then gifted as a prize, but his ticket didn't match (117 vs. 118), which Dave characterized as someone trying to steal the guitar again! It was fun to see Danny called to the stage. I was talking briefly to Boom Boom Benson of the Spores -- Danny's previous band, much missed by me -- and it turns out he wasn't annoyed or offended at all (as I feared) by my raving about the absence of a Spores song from the show Stiff Middle Finger did with Aging Youth Gang. He had had the same thought: "Why didn't we do a Spores song?"
Maybe someday a Spores reunion will happen? If you don't have this CD, and you're a local punk, you're missing out.
As for other raffle prizes, ARGH!! donated DOA colouring books, Jim donated shirts, and Bev donated a photo of Ron with Black Flag. It generally took a very long time to get people to check their tickets! Some winners went prize-less, and Lisa Lloyd almost had her swag given to someone else -- she only got to the stage at the last minute!
As for the music, it made sense last night, hearing I, Braineater, that Jim had done stuff with Tony (RIP) of Deja Voodoo. The new lineup of the band has a very strong garage element. I arrived late, as they were doing a new song, "Bunny" (or something like that), which is really fun! "Sacred Cow" in the hands of this unit sure sounds a lot like "I Wanna Be Your Dog," but that is not in any way a complaint.
Betty, strapping on a dildo for, I think, "Bad Touch," said her usual "this song is about your father's cock," and then, gesturing at her new cock, said something like, "Do you recognize it, or do you need me to move it closer to your face?" Ouch! Her hair tonight brought the phrase "Peg Bundy from hell" to mind. She remains the most intensely watchable performer in Vancouver, but I have a point of etiquette, expressed as a question: when the singer is 95% butt-naked and wearing a fake vagina over her real vagina, is it gauche to then zoom in on that vagina? Is the vagina a legit part of the performance? What about if Betty -- erm, Holly Holy -- waggles her ass as part of her performance? Can one zoom in on that?
Because I did, somewhere in there, but I also zoomed in on Richard Katynski's frontal bulge a couple of times, mind you. Got some shots of the "cocaine" betty threw over him (looks like sugar to me?). It seemed maybe healthier for Betty to pack a baggie than for her to be smoking sugar in a meth pipe (she did not do that this time). I was worried for her lungs.
Interestingly, Orchard Pinkish managed to keep more of his clothes on than usual tonight...
People who have missed Daddy Issues should consider this Halloween-themed New Years event, also with the Campfire Shitkickers and the Fomites. I will not be there, alas. A venue I do not know!
Art, up next, played as quiet as I've heard him, because, as he said, all these years of punk rock and nothing has changed. It was very moving -- even for Art; one song off ShadowWalk had him burst into tears, but he sang through them and even smiled to be crying. My favourite of the songs he did was "Children of Kali," which he connected to Luigi Mangione, who he called "the guy who assassinated the medical stockbroker," envisioning a movement in which said children "pick up bows and arrows and start assassinating the cunts that rule over us." Then he chuckled at himself.
I like Art. And sure, people should have listened more attentively, but it was a heavily social event -- there was a lot for people to talk about last night -- so maybe we can forgive some of the audience this time? Another chance to see Art looms large this spring at the re-release show for What Fresh Hell is This? I wonder if this will also be solo acoustic?
But that was a full meal for me, so even though the Enigmas had not taken the stage -- and I do *like* the Enigmas -- I was actually walking out the door when a guy who I was supposed to have connected with was walking in and reminded me of the thing we had to do, so though I'd said goodbye to people, I ended up following said guy backstage and getting a package off him. I am making this seem mysterious but no, it wasn't drugs, but a Christmas gift (and no, not Christmas drugs). Shhhh.
Anyhow, I ended up seeing the Enigmas do a couple of songs, after all, so I'm glad. Singer Paul McKenzie, looking dapper, explained that if they didn't begin with a certain song, bad things happen -- a genuine Enigmas superstition! That song turned out to be "You're Gonna Miss Me," and holy cow; I wish my video of it were more watchable. Weirdly, there was a bit of a Tom Jones thing that was happening, but in the best of all possible ways. Maybe I'll add the clip later? My sync issue is annoying.
Great night, in any case. My article about Ronfest here, links to the Gofundme here (still $10,000 from the goal). Our best to Ron and Dianne (and thanks to Dave Bowes for putting the show together).
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