To the creepy guy who passed the bus stop three times asking if I wanted a ride home: If I wanted a "ride home" from a stranger at 1:30 a.m., I would be standing on an entirely different street corner.
To the cab drivers who slowed down / honked / yelled out their windows: If I wanted to take a cab, I wouldn't be standing at a bus stop.
And finally, to WMATA: F*ck you. Seriously. We've had issues in the past, you and I, but last night was just unbelievable. I understand that when the bus is supposed to be running every 20 minutes, this means every 40 minutes. Living in D.C. for three years, I've gotten used to that. But last night, I waited longer than 40 minutes. Significantly longer. I was in a well-lit, well-trafficked area, and I'm stubborn, so after I hit the 45-minute mark, I just wanted to know how long it would take before the bus came. But it never came, and my feet were killing me (damn you, sexy shoes) and I finally gave up. I just hate taking cabs, I really do. And I don't feel like it's that much to ask for to be able to catch a bus every 40 minutes. But I finally caught a cab, and lucked out on the nicest cab driver I've ever had in D.C., who was playing the oldies and charged me less than I've ever paid to get home.
Anyway... I wasn't supposed to be out last night. I worked out, took care of some neglected paperwork, watched The O.C., and told everyone I was feeling too anti-social and tired to go out. And then I ended up at Felix anyway, upstairs at Crash with Ms. gl*mrocker and Jeff, dancing. Yeah, we were the only ones dancing while the people at the bar and couches shot us weird looks. I'm not sure how it is that people don't dance when there's a dance floor and a great DJ (PGee, who's the guest DJ at the next Bliss). I just don't get it. Having fun is totally in right now, didn't they get the memo?
Sounds sort of like The Libertines, if The Libertines decided to go alt-country for some of their songs. Download "Heard About Your Band" from Insound. That's one of the less country-like songs, though. I think I like "NY Pie" the best so far. For fans of The Pipettes, they appear on the track "Sometimes Always."
stellastarr*, "Born In a Fleamarket" Placebo, "The Bitter End" Garbage, "Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go)" Le Sport, "I Comes Before U"
There was dancing and girls making out and other things that don't usually happen at iPod Jukebox. I participated in the former but not the latter. Oh well. The sexiest thing I did last night was hold Mr. Prod & Ponder's iPod nano. I'm not much of a gadget nerd, but damn, the nano is hot.
P.S. If you want to be friends with bluestate on MySpace, go here.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005 :::
Morning commute music: BodyRockers, BodyRockers.
I only got through the first five songs, since there was no traffic today. "I Like the Way," the group's big European hit, is definitely the best so far, but the rest of the songs were enjoyable too. Far more interesting than I expected after reading the word "Ibiza" in the press release. It's also more rock 'n' roll than I expected, and none of that repetitive electronica sound I associate with mainstream European dance music. Plus, there's an always-welcome sleazy edge. Looking forward to hearing the rest of it on the way home.
From the BodyRockers site: An uproarious collision of styles Bodyrockers call "rock 'n' roll with electronic soul", it took four hours to make, caused mayhem throughout Ibiza despite only three copies being in existence and netted BodyRockers a five album deal. Erick Morillo, who was the first person to play it the same night it was finished, offered BodyRocker Kaz James his wallet if he'd let him keep his master copy, while Pete Tong immediately made it his essential new tune.
Monday, September 12, 2005 :::
The photos from Saturday night are now posted. Everyone looks fabulous and happy. The highlights are here, and the post links to the rest of them.
Sunday, September 11, 2005 :::
Last night's bluestate was B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Although we had a few sound problems, everything fell into place: the crowd, the music, the dancing (plus my outfit and hot, tall shoes). Nope, I didn't play the Gwen Stephani song I just referenced, but I did play No Doubt's "Just a Girl" and people went crazy and danced their sweaty little hearts out, which I wasn't sure they would when I took a chance on that song. Also, I played Hilary Duff's "Wake Up," "Like a Prayer" and "Since U Been Gone" all in a row and people went super-crazy and danced non-stop to all three. I was told by one of the guys in attendance that it takes balls to play Hilary Duff. I wasn't sure how it would go over with the D.C. crowd, but it totally went over, and everyone danced, not just Ms. gl*mrocker, who had convinced me to play it. But the song that made everyone dance the hardest out of everything I played was "You Shook Me All Night Long," which I've wanted to play for a while now but finally broke out. Here's the full set:
Fischerspooner, "Just Let Go" (Thin White Duke Remix Radio Edit) Rinocerose, "Bitch" (Steve Dub Remix) AC/DC, "You Shook Me All Night Long" James, "Laid" Hilary Duff, "Wake Up" Madonna, "Like a Prayer" Kelly Clarkson, "Since U Been Gone" Scissor Sisters, "Comfortably Numb" Ciara, "1, 2 Step" (which I played by accident, after having queued up another song) No Doubt, "Just a Girl" Franz Ferdinand, "Do You Want To?" Kylie Minogue, "Can't Get You Out of My Head" Bloc Party, "Little Thoughts" stellastarr*, "Sweet Troubled Soul"
I'm pretty sure that was the order of things. I might be a bit off at the end there. After I played "Sweet Troubled Soul," Fritz came up and took over the rest of my set with some Hard-Fi and We Are Scientists, and then Kyle closed out the night. He ended with The Supremes, which was awesome.
Oh, and I did a set earlier in the evening too, but that was before most people got there so there wasn't as much dancing. My first set:
OK Go, "A Million Ways" Diamond Nights, "Destination Diamonds" stellastarr*, "Love and Longing" Maximo Park, "I Want You To Leave" Modern English, "I Melt With You" Blondie, "Heart of Glass" Helen Love, "Debbie Loves Joey" The Ramones, "I Wanna Be Sedated" Billy Idol, "Rebel Yell" Gang of Four, "To Hell With Poverty" (2005) Kaiser Chiefs, "I Predict a Riot" New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle"
So yeah, I played less of the new music I like to play, but I was having so much fun playing the hits, that I just kept throwing them on. Everyone's setlists are now posted here. I got tons of great pictures that I can't wait to post tomorrow. Kyle's are up already. He got a great shot of a very tattooed guy rocking out to "Since U Been Gone."
I ended up not going to Sigur Ros tonight due to a label issue. If I wasn't so tired, I definitely would have gone to see Drums vs. Jules at the Velvet Lounge. Karen from Fivefour sings and plays guitar in Drums vs. Jules. But I'll have to catch them at DC 9 in November instead...
01/05: Taint and Bliss present INFAMY, 9:30 Club
01/10: Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton, 9:30 Club
01/19: Benjy Ferree, Meredith Bragg and the Terminals, Greenland, Black Cat 01/24: Hej Hej, Cafe Saint-Ex
