Seeing Rasputina for the 7th & 8th times this weekend was just as fab as usual. I regret that I do not have any good photos to show for it. My Nikon Coolpix 5600 is getting a bit old and finicky, so it does not take pictures quite like it once did. I have two visuals to share (two of the bad-but-not-as-bad-as-the-rest photos), as well as a video clip of of "Saline the Salt Lake Queen" (most of it--minus the first few seconds) at the Southgate House on Sunday night (if I can figure out how in the fuck to post it).
I took my mummy to see the Saturday night show at the The Dame in Lexington. Worst. Venue. Ever. It was nearly impossible to find (Hole. In. The. Wall.), was TINY, with a poor P.A. system, and NO AIR CONDITIONING. That day, we experienced highs in the mid-nineties, with a heat index of Satan's Armpit. I have never sweat so profusely in my life. My forearms were sweating. My shins were sweating. What the fuck? It was unbearable. I enjoyed their performance, but the atmosphere was less than congenial. I even had to alter my Rasputina-recital-going-rituals as a result. For one, I always stand for the entirety of Rasputina shows. I usually stand right at the stage the moment that I get there and continue standing through the opening act(s), set change, and all of Rasputina's set--usually anywhere from 3-5 hours. That night, however, I couldn't bare to. The doors were "supposed" to open at 8pm, the show at 9. What I learned from those around me, The Dame usually starts their shows anywhere from 1-2 hours too late. The opening act, My Brightest Diamond (she was solo, but sometimes performs as a band or other incarnations, and was AMAZING--like a kind of simplistic cabaret PJ Harvey with an operatic twist--what a voice!), went on after 10pm--two hours after I arrived. Rasputina came on some time after 11. I made it through approximately 4 songs before I had to find my mother, who was sitting near the front of he venue, because I was afraid that I was going to pass. the. fuck. out. Even Melora commented on how horrible and oppressive the temperature was (during their set and the NEXT night in Newport, too). They played only one very short encore..and I do not blame them. It was hot as fuck.
Despite the climatic unpleasantries, it was worth it to finally hear more of the new material played live. The last two times that I saw them in 2005 (again at the Southgate House, as well as in Columbus), they played the medley featuring"Old Yellowcake" & "A Retinue of Moons / The Infidel Is Me" (which is a combination of two songs in itself on the album). I was very excited to hear "Cage In a Cave" , "Choose Me For Champion" and "1816, The Year Without a Summer" live--all of which are some of the best tracks on the new album. Hearing them live gave them new dimensionality and personality.
I have to say (as Holly requested it of me!) that the new album didn't really stick to me as previous ones have at the first listen. It took a bit of attention, appreciation, and concentration to mentally work out the cohesiveness on what could be described as possibly their least accessible work to date. It is definitely something for long-time fans, steeped as it is in conceptuality, history, current events, personal baggage, emotionally harsh cellos, Melora's sometimes purposefully off-key vocal notes and the addition of the dulcimer (which I had been introduced to before, when listening to Melora's solo EP, "Perplexions"--which I have to say is quite a strong little release for not being a full studio album. I've kept it in my car every single day since Shelly had it sent to me--THANK YOU AGAIN, SHELLY!). There is
certainly a progression that you can hear throughout the previous albums that have led her to the latest work. Oh Perilous World, however, (as the name would imply) seems more personal, darker, and less frivolous. For instance, It is void of any cover songs--an aspect of Rasputina albums that had become a staple. The subject matter isn't pretty (war, global warming...etc) and, of course, the songs have more than one narrative theme running throughout them. Our local newspaper had an interview with her where she said," ...always with my songs there's a couple layers. There's the story I'm telling, historical or from the news, and then my own emotional stuff is in there too." Though the basic narrative of the story is absurdly comical--involving Mary Todd Lincoln as the Queen of Florida, who sends balloon airships to attack Fletcher and Thursday October Christian (of Mutiny on the Bounty/lets have some sexeses with Tahitian women fame) in their home on Pitcairn Island, which she hopes to colonize, as well as a flood that destroys the underground city of Yellowcake on the island, etc etc. There are lots of people in cages, starving livestock, unbountiful crops, floods.... It's bleak....but there is an underlying hopefulness. The songs still have their strange construction, there are still rockoncellobreakdowns, and other composition complexities that I have been able to expect of the band. Melora just keeps doing things differently. Every album is different from their other..but they make sense..the music is good, the variation impressive and interesting...and RASPUTINA IS THE BEST BAND EVERRR. Do I really need to say anything else?
Why not?
The Southgate House show was considerably better, and possibly one of my most favourite Rasputina shows ever (barring the last one at the Southgate House, wherein Melora pointed her bow directly at me from onstage and said into her mic, "I remember you!" I could have died from happy). The temperature was agreeable, the crowd was pleasant, the band seemed far more relaxed.
Melora was far more talkative and casual than any time before. She recited her usual banter between songs, but also addressed the audience and spoke directly to us. Before playing "Watch TV" (which only recently became part of their live repertoire because the original is played mostly with piano and took some time to work out on cello), Melora asked us if we would rather hear "Secret Message" or "Watch TV" without the high notes because they had been on tour for over a month, and she couldn't hit them anymore (which was quite true--she had basically whispered them the night
before). The audience insisted upon "Watch TV", and Melora made us sing the high notes, mouthing the words during those parts of the song. Oh, it was funny. At the end she said, "See? It isn't easy to hit those notes, is it? I didn't hear too many of them!" Haa. During the middle of the set, she said to us, "You guys are really talkative, even more than the audience at the show that we recorded, and they talked a lot..so let's just chat for a bit." I was kind of surprised by that.... Melora had never opened the floor for questions and comments at any of the seven other recitals that I had attended.. in fact, she usually blew off questions (they're always stupid shit, like "Will you marry me??" or "Melora, do you like zombies??!!" or "PLAY [insert random song here]!!!") with Willy Wonka tactics, (ie: "Oh, you'll have to speak up a bit louder the next time, I'm a trifle deaf in this ear"). Someone asked her what her favourite animal was..her reply was, "Well, I always tell my daughter that my favourite animal is a giraffe, but that isn't true [laughs], I don't know why I told her that, but I guess it is probably a [she either said groundhog or hedgehog--I can't remember, I was too busy laughing]." When she came back for their encore, she said, "We've been here a few times before, but I don't remember you guys being so funny." Awww. Melora <3's us. Someone else asked her some random question about Lindsey Lohan, to which she replied, "Lindsey Lohan? I don't know anything about her--I kicked my Perez habit three days ago!" Bwhahaha.
Plus, I got to see Marie--whom I had not seen since the last time that Rasputina played at the Southgate House in 2005. We actually met because we were both at the show that they played there in 2002. We had our noses pierced together. She's rad. It was good to see her.
& Finallly, regarding the lack of Zoe: I miss seeing her on stage. She was lovely to watch--always playing with her eyes closed. Sarah did a great job though--nothing seemed to be lacking from the 2nd chair. I hope she sticks around!
Oh mannn I am a dork. :x
Classes begin August 20th. I did not make an appointment with my advisor to piece together my schedule until Monday of this week, two months after everyone else on campus signed up for classes. I'm not punctual (unless I'm being paid, as with work. I'm never late). Whatever. My classes are as follows:
Tuesday:
9:25am-10:40am
HIS-414: The Holocaust
(That's a great class to begin the day with, huh?)
10:50am-12:05pm
GEO-301 :Urban Geography
(As of Monday Geography is my minor, now that I am no longer interested in teaching).
12:05pm-1:40pm
[Break]
1:40pm-2:55pm
MAT-115: Mathematics for Liberal Arts Majors
(I still have not completed a math course..I always drop them. This is my 4th attempt)
2:55pm-6:15
[Big ass break]
6:15pm-9:00pm
HIS-385: Art and Method of History
(This class is mandatory for all History majors. It's just a class where you write a fucking huge research paper. Ugh.)
Thursday:
9:25am-10:40am
HIS-414: The Holocaust
10:50am-12:05pm
GEO-301 :Urban Geography
12:05pm-1:40pm
[Break]
1:40pm-2:55pm
MAT-115: Mathematics for Liberal Arts Majors
As you can see, I will be on campus from 9:25am-9pm every Tuesday. On Thursday, my schedule is the same, but.without the HIS-385 class, where I am on campus from 9:25am-2:55pm, which is far more reasonable.
I'm worried about the Math again, but if I can complete it, I will only have three hours of General Education remaining. I still need one three hour non-lab science course (which I attempted to tackle last semester, but I dropped it). I want to finish with these 100-level Gen Ed nonsense classes. They're all busy work and silliness. I feel too old to be in most of them, as they are teeming with green freshmen who are irreverent, immature, and smarmy.
Now, I just need to get my loans in order & find some way to buy my books.
My father is once again a liscenced pharmacist.
Relief.
Jeremy & his brother have been in West Virginia since Saturday for a family reunion. This has left me in the house alone (or, during rather awkward intervals, with just his mother) for the past few days. During the time that I have not been at work, I have been attempting to create some kind of crafty thingie, dealie, doohickie, thing-o, whatchamacallit, whatever, to consign in Alicia's store. I've planned on creating something to sell there since she asked me to months ago, but my lack of funds, time, and creativity has hampered my quality crafting time and skills. However, when left to my own devices (or, at least, when I'm burnt out on reading or cannot bare to sit in front of the television any longer), I've been known to make a thing...or two... or, at least, to begin a thing or two. Its the finishing part that never quite happens.
Weeks ago, I opened MS Paint and absent-mindedly began to draw random food items pixel by pixel. I zoomed in 8x and clicked out a pair of pastel coloured ice cream cones..one with a strand of pearls, the other with a bow tie. They were decidedly cute, in that kind of faux-8-bit chic way. For the next few weeks, I continued to add to the bitmap, making donuts, petite fours, sno-cones, cakes, and other currently fashionable confectionery cuteness. It finally occurred to me that I could possibly do something with my little happyfood people for the store.
My initial thought was to delve back into my iron-on transfer roots. From making numerous shirts over the years, I've become quite confident in my ironing skills (sans-drunk ironing..I'm still not confident in that...nor do I remember it). I went out, picked up a four pack of mini totes, rummaged through Jeremy's room & found a dusty pack of transfer paper, and started working. Last night, four irons, 12 failed totes, and 8 sheets of transfer paper later, I finally succeeded in making a couple of semi-decent looking pieces. The first iron that I used had brown
gunk all over it, so while the images were transferred somewhat clearly, it left horrible brown smudges all over the bag. The next iron, a tiny pink $10 "craft iron", that boasted to be specifically FOR iron on transfers and the like, would not even get hot enough to transfer the entire image. The third iron had the same problem as the first. Finally, I bought $6 piece of crap that worked much better than the first two, but the transfers still didn't seem very nice. It was not until Jeremy pointed out that the transfer paper was over 7 years old that I decided that I should probably go buy a new package. Gah.
So, last night, I finally had all of the right elements--a new package of totes, fresh transfer paper, a red hot iron, as well as buttons and embroidery floss to make them a bit more interesting. I made a huge mess out of the table, and nearly feel asleep embroidering at 3am. I still have a lot of work to do on them, but I'm happy with what I've made so far. The totes are very small..but are good if you just need a wallet, a few keys, and some lip gloss. I use one that I ruined with the first "questionable brown smudge" iron (I couldn't bare to throw the happy rainbow sno-cone away) to hold a couple of paperbacks that I
am reading in my purse. Hell, if they don't sell (I'm still not sure how much to price them for, considering that it really does take me a rather long time to make one...including the hours that I put forth designing the characters on the computer), at least I feel like I've done something productive and semi-creative with my time. Or, hell, I guess I have a stockpile of X-mas presents 7 months early. Ha.
As usual, click for the original, larger versions of the pictures.
