"Money's all gone but you need some/Lover's on the phone but they got none" - Scissor Sisters, Music is the Victim [buy the album]
A friend is making her debut as a singer doing back-up for a very new, very up and coming alt.country outfit called Jody Jones and the August Sons. We're at the M Bar, a place that when I'm driving towards it, I feel like I've been to far too often, but once inside, I feel as though it's not often enough. Trapped in a mini-mall, it's lush velvety interior is like an oasis from the grit and grime of lower Vine.
It's a very friendly crowd. No one balks when the show starts over 90 minutes late because someone forgot an amp. The friends, who I haven't seen in a while, that I'm sitting with try to sell me on a trip to Big Bear over drinks (Ketel Gimlets for me, Wine and Mai Tai's for the lovely couple). Their newly single friend fills himself quickly with the liquid courage of Long Island Iced Teas so that he might make moves on our also newly single backup singer. We argue over the merits of the songs playing over the speakers.
Voices raise as we battle over The Postal Service, Death Cab for Cutie, and The Killers. Cheap shots are thrown -- "She doesn't like anything after 1940" "He's stuck in the eighties" -- and the liquor continues to pour. One wine glass becomes four. Two Mai Tai's turn into two Newcastles.
The lovely couple, now looking a little squalid, lean over and whisper loudly in my ear, "We drank a whole bottle of champagne before we came here." The fair lady half of this pair, then stumbles her way to the bathroom just as Jody Jones and The August Sons begin playing their first song.
Soon after, they take a powder, leaving me at a table with the drunk suitor and some other guy. Dudes? I do not roll with dudes. They immediately remind me why I don't as they raise their cell phones towards the stage and scream out our backup singer's name. They care not for the music, only for the opportunity to ogle her in her slinky black dress.
The beautiful mailing list girl makes her way to our table and collects signatures. Drunk Suitor hands her his card because he can't really write anymore. Other Guy lies and says he's already on the mailing list. As she walks away, he leans over and says, "I should have said, 'What? You want to give me a blow job?'"
Classy.
The music, however, is very good. They give Joee, formerly of Abbey Booth, the opportunity to showcase his stellar guitar skills. Our backup singer gets more comfortable as the show goes on, not only singing but performing, becoming part of the magic on stage.
And then it ends with a proposal. The percussionist interrupts Jody as he's about to do his final solo number and asks for his girlfriend to come on stage. He sits her down, goes on his knees and asks her to marry him. She cries and laughs and they kiss while Jody sings a beautiful love song.
I'm standing behind the backup singer and whisper to her, "That's an amazing way to get engaged."
Behind me, Other Guy says, "He's gonna get laid tonight."
Classy.