2003-08-05 - 5:53 a.m. libertines Before heading out to see The Libertines on Sunday, I whipped up a batch of chocolate chip cookies (made with molasses brown sugar which changes the entire tate of the cookies. mmmmm), then packed up a few and headed into the Haight to meet up w/a friend for coffee. Talking with him about the uncertainty and depression he's dealing with, along with accompanying relationship issues (this just isn't a good time for him to be involved with someone, especially someone who wants all of his attention when his work and figuring out his head is what has it), reinforces for me the benefit I've had in the past year in not being seriously involved with anyone. I realize it is the first year of my life, since age 16/17 or so, that I haven't had to consider someone else's thoughts/feelings/schedule/likes/dislikes. An entire year of making decisions and going out and travelling all based exclusively on me and my wants and needs. It's pretty cool. And I am certain it's what I needed. The coffee house workers kicked us out when they closed, so we started walking towards Slim's, where the show would be held. Unlike many people I know here, he was game to stroll the streets, even up a few hills. And like me, he stopped to inspect interesting housing ornamentation, silly fliers, and piles of junk left on the sidewalk (we always have lots of the latter on the 1st weekend of the month.) As we strolled past Alamo Square, discussing a pivotal event from my past that happened in Santa Barbara, a record abandoned on top of a trash bin caught our attention: it was "In My Tribe" by 10,000 Maniacs, from the UCSB radio station's collection (as noted by its sticker.) The weirdest part is my friend had dreamt about that album that previous night... Hanging out with this boy is always like this though. He seems to be constantly finding all sorts of lovely things... We said our goodbyes, then I jumped in a cab to get to Slim's in a timely manner. I had missed the opening band, but not, alas, the indie singer songwriter guy who came on before The Libertines. He had a whole gaggle of 18 year old screaming girls with him. I suppose the reason listening to him made me feel as though my ears were going to bleed was because he didn't really sing, and I didn't like any of his rhyming, precious lyrics. Oh well. I had staked out a bar stool against the wall, next to a drink ledge. Annoing drunk people kept standing directly in front of me, blocking my view of the stage. The worst was the annoying thick necked guy there with his fiancee and one of his buddies. In addition to boring me and his friend with his wedding and relationship gushing (his girlfriend mostly sat there smiling, or smooching him, or running her hands all over him), he kept standing close enough to me that I could've given him a very satisfying kick...but I refrained. TEven when I tapped him and asked if he was planning on standing completely blocking my v iew and he said he was going to move up yet stayed in that spot for another 5 mintues. So, there was only one thing I could do: I stood/knealt on my bar stool. This put me above everyone's head, giving me a most excellent view of the onstage wailing away on the guitars. And, despite the staff's usual lack of tolerance of things such as standing on bar stools, sitting on ledges, no one asked me to knock it off. Thus, despite the thick knecked boring guy, I had the best seat in the incredibly packed house. They ripped through their set, playing for about an hour including encore, whicch is what you'd expect from a band that has only one album under their belt. They put on a really good show, and even got an enthusiastic little pit jumping around in front. At the end of the show, 5 of the screaming 18 year old girls scrambled up on stage to dance and impress their friends, and security had to herd them off stage... to their credit, the boys in the band played on, completely ignoring their shenanigans... as I left, I was pleased to keep hearing people in this normally jaded, too-cool City say "That was awesome!" It sure was. Not my typical Sunday night. any comments? (0 so far) previous - next recently on almostgoldsf... in defense of an email box I came to do battle with SPAM - 2008-05-17 hello 2006 - 2005-12-31 Happy Thanksgiving - 2005-11-14 bon voyage - 2005-11-05 October already? - 2005-10-09