Party Like A Rock Star! I Mean, Like A Theater Person…

voltee ♦ February 24, 2011 ♦ 5 Comments

Item: Blouse Color/Fabric: Black, silk Designer: Rebecca Taylor Where Purchased: Next Boutique Years Owned: 4

Tonight, a treat. One of my favorites. And I’ve worn this blouse many, many times. But the best, by leaps and bounds, was in July of 2009 when we went to see Green Day play in Albany.
Green Day has been Nate’s favorite band since their very first album, and therefore, we have been to so many Green Day shows I have lost count.
They are always crazy, as concerts usually are for me, since we always choose to stand on floor in front of the stage. You know, where mosh pits happen.
Here’s a funny tid-bit of info for you: I look like a small girl to the uninitiated. Therefore, I am usually targeted as a weak spot, someone that can be pushed aside, knocked down, or beat up so that bullies can get to the spot they’d like to stand for the show.
This is a bad idea. I am stronger than I look. Also, my husband doesn’t take it kindly when drunken idiots start punching me in the kidneys. Which is what one girl tried to do at my very first Green Day show. I won’t tell you the whole story, since I can’t remember what I wore, but I will say that two people got kicked out of that show, and it wasn’t Nate or I.
For the show in Albany, we both gleefully decided we were too old for such nonsense.
“Let’s just stand in the back, by the sound board, and enjoy the show,” Nate suggested.
To cement the plan, I wore this lovely Rebecca Taylor blouse, which I would never want to ruin with someone else’s blood.
I did, though, make it more Rock ‘n Roll, with lots of chains, and black boots.
It didn’t take long to realize that this was going to be an amazing show. The opening act was The Bravery, and it was their last show with Green Day. It turned into a big, silly party, with Green Day playing all sorts of awesome pranks on the the poor boys.
As the fun and mischief escalated, we stayed firmly in our places at the very back of the floor, and I felt more than a little sad to be so far away from the action.
Then, before Green Day came on stage, something wonderful happed. A large group of charismatic hipsters came onto the floor, at the back, just feet away from us. They were dancing. They were singing. They were having tons of fun. They all had VIP passes on their clothing. And there was a camera.
“Who do you think they are?” I asked Nate.
“Some kind of band or something,” he answered.
This seemed plausible. After all, their clothes were stylish and dramatic. There was guyliner. They had to be rock stars of some sort.
We watched them for a few more minutes. Suddenly I did not feel old any more. I wanted to go and dance and have fun with these glamorous people.
When Green Day started to play, and the mysterious group lost their minds, I had no other choice. I was like a moth drawn to the flame. There was a pull that I simply could not resist.
“Let’s go!” I said to Nate, gesturing toward the party.
He paused, unsure.
“Let’s go!!” I said, more urgently.
“Ok!” he said.
And off we went.
Yeah. We crashed a party. And it was awesome!
I have never had more fun at any other concert. This group of people had more energy then seemed humanly possible. They knew every lyric to every song. They could even keep up with my crazy dance skills.
They did not seem to care that we didn’t know each other. We were fast friends. We sang our hearts out together, danced together. It was amazing to be a part of such energy. It was almost magical.
Some were quite drunk, though. One amazingly striking girl kept falling down, and Nate and I helped her onto her tottery heels multiple times.
But still we didn’t know who they were. Sometimes they would break out in gorgeous harmonies that would make me pause, but still I couldn’t figure it out. I didn’t really care. They were just such fun.
My favorite was this beautiful man who looked like a sexy vampire. He did not dance. He stood, and approved silently, sometimes nodding his head to the beat. What a mystery, that man. I figured that if they were a band, he would be the lead singer.
He spoke to me once, and it was a funny quip about one of Billy Joe’s jokes on stage. I wish I could remember what it was, but I was so thrilled that he spoke to me I lost the power of thought. We laughed together, and I almost died.
At one point, they brought out an older man, and he was carried around on someone’s shoulders. I figured that he was a producer of some sort. But he was very nice, and even danced with me a little, even though he had no idea who I was.
I never wanted it to end, but end it did.
Nate ended up with a VIP pass somehow. But we didn’t use it. We were exhausted but elated from out party crashing, and did not want to attempt a second try that might not be as successful. We decided to end the evening on a high note.
Plus, my Rebecca Taylor was drenched with sweat.
Of course, when we got home, I turned detective to try and discover what band the awesome people we had hung out with were in.
Imagine my surprise when I found out that they were not in a band at all. They were Theater People! They were the cast of American Idiot, the musical based on Green Day’s album that had yet to grace Broadway at that time.
And the nice man I had danced with was not some random producer, but Tony award winning director Michael Mayer.
Imagine that! Of course I was inexplicably drawn to them. Funny, life, sometimes…
We went on to see American Idiot on Broadway three times. Which are stories for another time. You should go see it, if you haven’t. It’s such fun, and they still have the energy I got to absorb that night at the Green Day concert. I love it.
Anyway, my fears that I had ruined my blouse with fun proved to be unfounded. There is no remaining evidence of excessive perspiration, and I still think it’s beautiful.

And by the way, should you see me at a concert one day, please do not attempt to beat me up. I would hate to have to hurt you.

**The one stays. It is my favorite black cami. Also, my Sexy Vampire turned out to be Tony Vincent, who is an amazing performer and on this season of The Voice!