LAST NIGHT'S PARTY: A DAY OFF & WILCO CONCERT

August 14, 2008

For a little R&R and to recharge the batteries I took Wednesday off from work. I also had a much blogged about here ticket to Wilco later that night. I slept in, lazied around, then headed to my favorite burger place in Park Slope: Bonnie's Grill.

Now that is a plate of delicious right there. I especially like their jalapenos touch to the burger.

Afterwards I stopped by the nifty small design store and drooled over this mirror again. Sigh. 700+ bucks. And then on my way home, I ran after the ice cream truck man. I haven't done that in awhile and he and I both had a good laugh over a grown man running like a fat kid running like the last ice cream bar in the entire world was in that truck.

Then I met up with Kzar to head early to McCarren Pool Park to wait in line to go see one of our favorite bands later that night, Wilco. Here's the industrial and worn entrance to the park.

Kzar was so amped he did a jump.

People waiting in line.

We were a little too early and the line wasn't that hectic at all. So we decided to kill a little time in Williamsburg. The streets were mainly empty as the hipsters were all still at work. I realized that maybe walking around with The Economist might not garner me any fans in Williamsburg. At a Wilco concert. I joked that I was going to wave my Economist around and talk loudly about my awesome severance pay from Morgan Stanley. "Man I love having a year's salary up front! All play every day! Am I right, or am I right? Woo! Wilco!"

I had actually finished it on the subway ride over, so I just threw it out.

Then we dropped into a restaurant for a drink and to hide from the sun.

Figuring it was time to wait in line like Star Wars geeks at a movie premier, we went back to the pool entrance. Kaizar found the spotchy grass comfortable apparently. This is what living in San Francisco does to you: You just end up not carrying if dirt and earth is stuck all over your shirt. Sad, really.

We cut the line and moved into an open space near the very front. I said to Kzar before making the move, "Don't look at anyone or make eye contact. Just move and sit down. These punks won't do anything." True. All he got was a dirty look--the first of many as we would learn later--from the girl sitting nearby. "Whatever babe, that's how we roll. Now get us a snack."

Bam! Exactly. "Thanks little darlin'."

Oooh, so artsy. Rusted fence, just like that around my heart.

Me: Yo: Are you seriously wearing wool f'n socks on a hot day like today?? Kzar: YUP!

Um, and I guess Kzar sabotaged my camera here and took a self portrait? For his Facebook?

THIS IS FOR THE SPANIARDS. LOOK AT MY CHINKY EYES. LOOK AT 'EM.

Hmm, I don't know. This shit looked pretty open to me. And not closed AT ALL.

Entering the pool area finally!

A TERRIBLE jump. Possibly one of the worst ever. I look like an Asian leprechaun doing a jig.

Kzar giving a much more respectable effort, demonstrating how he will do a reverse stage dive into the pit area later on. Note the blond girl on the right. More on her outrageousness later.

Lights, camera, music.

In the age of slim camera phones and digital pocket cams, we thought this guy was funny with his LEAST pocket friendly camera EVER. So we took a couple photos of it. I mean, dude, at that point, just pull the trigger and wear it around your neck. After Kzar snapped the second photo, the aforementioned blond girl angrily snapped her head to us and exclaimed, "Are you kidding me?" Kzar and I are totally confused and bewildered. She asked, outraged, "Are you taking a photo of my butt?" or some variation thereof. We stated that we were not only NOT taking a photo of her ass but that she wasn't anywhere in the photos AT ALL. And then we showed her the image playback as proof. Again, not only were we not taking a photo of her and she was also in none of the photos, but I didn't even notice her at all (as she fits under my "ambiguously shaped unmemorable anonymous white girl" category) until she opened her mouth. She continued to mutter to her embarrassed boyfriend (Sorry bro, you seemed like an alright cat). We tried to apologize and placate her by explaining what was amusing to us, and again showed her the camera playback. She looked. And then this, and I don't use this lightly, but because I found her so unreasonable at this point I'm going to go ahead and say-- fucking bitch, tried to escalate the situation by then tapping the camera guy, then pointed to us, and said "Those guys were taking a photo of your butt." Wow. This guy just thought it was funny and we joked about his camera. I don't even know how to conclude this story other than to say that she is the worst Wilco fan ever. And to that girl, if you ever see this: Get over yourself. You are not Amanda Cicchini, but we wouldn't try to sneak perv shots of her because she is a classy woman.

The opening act came out and she was surprisingly good. Notice the yellow shirted security guard in the front.

He was not feeling this girl, the fans, and later on Wilco at all.

Some of the guitars for Wilco. They used about 50 guitars it seemed through the entire show. I want one. And I would play the two chords I know on it over and over. And then the girls will like me. Right? Right? Hello?

Another guitar picture. Awesome.

Waiting in the front for the main act.

The waiting fans.

Some kid in crutches waving his crutch in the air.

Security guard taking a bow for initiating a "we are sick of waiting, come out" clapping round.

WILCO!!!

And the rest of the pictures are snapshots of the band throughout the night who ended up doing a double encore which was pretty neat. It was quite a treat to see them from the very front row in a venue such as McCarren. And the sound was unbelievable. Fantastic set and performance by my favorite non-hip hop group.