Last Saturday I hopped on the southbound Amtrak and picked up my buddy Ed at the Philadelphia stop. We got to DC around 5pm, checked into our hotel, then I tried to show Eddie around the gayborhood, only it turned out that my memory of *where* the boys are is somewhat out of date.
We had a quick bite to eat, scammed a DSL patch cord from the hotel front desk, then shot out an email to the BlogJam guys, letting them know we were available to be entertained. The ever-gracious Bob Mould called us almost immediately and invited us to the Velvet Lounge, to attend the Morel concert, celebrating last week's release of the new album, "Lucky Strike."
We got to the venue around 11pm and immediately met a calvalcade of Stars Of The Blogosphere....Waremouse (Mark), Chromewaves (PJ), and GeekSlut (Stephen). I introduced myself to Rich Morel at the bar, and pulled Ed over to meet Bob (whom I'd only met myself a couple of weeks ago at the NYC Virgin Megastore queer rock showcase).
The Morel show started upstairs almost immediately, and let me tell you people...it fucking ROCKED! While I'd heard of Rich Morel over the last couple of years, it was for his amazing remixes....Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode (my two favorite bands)...and something by him I had on a Deep Dish mixed compilation. I had never picked up his spectacularly reviewed 2002 release "Queen Of The Highway", (a grotesque oversight on my part, which I have since corrected).
The five piece band fronted by Rich was tight, energetic and engaging. Rich's husky, sexy voice perfectly complemented the deep house-y grooves and almost ethereal electro-pop of the new album. The packed house shook and the floor literally bounced up and down as we danced. I shook my groove thang, got my freak on, and got on down with my bad self. I'll definitely be attending the Morel show in NYC on November 12. Stop reading this post right now, and go out and get "Lucky Strike" ...RIGHT NOW. I'll wait here.
OK, you're back? Are you jamming to the best album of 2004? Cool. I'll finish telling the story while you groove.
Sunday night, Ed and I got to the BlogJamDC venue around 730pm, to find a note on the door announcing that bloggers VividBlurry and Wonkette would not be appearing. Jim Barrett, the co-creator of the show introduced himself to me immediately (hot beard Jimbo!) While the crowd began to gather I met the rest of the BlogJam performers....Dogpoet (who somehow is the ONLY Powerhouse bartender I managed NOT to bag, back in SF...dammit), Andrew Sullivan (who is much beefier than I remembered), and the erudite Chrisafer.
While waiting for my turn on stage, I met fellow bloggers Homer and Larry, both sweet handsome guys. I tried not to be *too* nervous, but I was noted pacing and wringing my hands a little bit. To my regret, it was hard for me to focus on Dogpoet's performance, because I was up immediately after him. Everyone says he was amazing, I'm going to have to beg for a personal recreation.
When my turn came, I read a couple of older things, from my first month of blogging. I wrapped up with 'The Goodbye Song' which I'd only finished in the hotel room, a few hours earlier. I was a little worried about reading such a downer of an essay, but I think it went over well. My only real miscue was coming upon a blank page in my notes, and fumbling for a moment to regain my place in the story. After the show, some of the audience flattered me by asking me a lot of very informed questions about some of the stories and people I've written about, particularly 'Terrence'. I also got to meet Sparky, one of the organizers of WYSIWYG, the NYC show that was the genesis of BlogJamDC.
I had a fantastic time in DC, it was my first time reading my work publicly. Huge thanks to Bob, Jimbo and Rich for all their work. And thanks to everyone I met at the show. Your kindness and compliments were greatly appreciated.
Now, back to the work of JoeMyGod. I've got a backload (heh...'load') of stories to post, and I'll be wrapping up the serial stories in progress, over the next couple of weeks, with a few new ones ready to start.