It has been a long time since I went out both Friday and Saturday night in the same weekend. Especially after 11pm. Last weekend broke the drought.
On Friday I went to the debut gig of Palace This!! It was very good. The audience was lovely and of indeterminable sexual orientation. Perhaps I'm just old and don't understand the signs of the youf or perhaps I was put off by the fancy dress. I think it was just that 20 year old Wellingtonians from a certain part of society don't care much anymore. I decided I was old, but also pleased. Palace This!! were playing an odd sort of librarian r!ot grrl art punk which largely worked. Best bit was Charlotte as lead singer. Good enough to make vaguely constructed songs interesting, and with enough personality to make the most of the crowd's mood. Hooray for more gigs and intelligent silliness and swearing.
I'm been wondering where everyone I know is and whether we're all just staying at home more than we used to. On Saturday I discovered that we're all at Atomic. Well, not quite everyone, but people from at least 5 different streams of my life, and all people I was pleased to see. Coupled with the feeling that most of the other dancers were people I would quite like to know, meant I felt more comfortable and had a better time than I've ever had at a dancing night out. Also helped by the extreme nana approach taken by me and comrades. Arrived 10.15. Dancing by 10.30. Not just us dancing on the dancefloor 10.35. Saying goodbye 11.30. Home 12.03. I think the music gets better later on (there was no Blondie while I was there) but the clientèle gets more poseurish. As the dress code seemed to be 'what you feel cool in' I'm actually putting some effort into planning my outfit for next month (I may even have the braves to wear the fedora). I also had the nicest lemon and lime I've ever had in a bar.
I am now well stuffed and am off to bed.
Goodbye Andy-belle. My favourite is Antigone the ballet, in which your arms proved that they were about half a foot longer than I could ever have imagined. I though about you last night as I watched a bunch of young, smart, madly creative and passionate people play music they loved. Accountancy is valuable, but I'm glad you were a musician instead.