I can’t remember as much as Dave did, I can’t put words to it like Shalagh did, I can’t capture the details like Geeky and I forgot, even after staring at the playlist for TWO DAYS, the song order, unlike Kris. But I will do what I can.
We speed in from Austin at close to 1:00 p.m. We have to stop to buy a t-shirt for me (I left the green dustmite shirt I made back in the hotel in Austin) so I can make another shirt, and we drop off the photos for developing. You might know about the terrible altercation in the Walgreens. These two (Shal and Robin) CANNOT pass up the little clothes rack set up near the door. The PJs with Twinkie Man must have called to them like a siren; no matter how firmly I say “NO!” they cannot hear me. My phrase for the day is “I am gonna die.”
Shalagh starts her review almost as soon as we arrive. Robin catches the friends from our parenting forum up on our doings. Meanwhile I furiously try to make another Dustmite shirt. Nothing like success (“You’re Miss Fish?”) to make someone try again. I pick up the pictures and we open them together. Poor Queen Jewel. She gets back a whopping 3 pictures due to camera technical difficulties. (Serves you right for taking Steve pics without coming to get me! Okay, it doesn’t; I am truly heartbroken for you.) You’ve seen some of mine.
~~~I now want to follow Steve around on tour just to photograph him. It is fun, and he is a marvelous camera mugger when he wants to be.~~~
When Shalagh pries herself out of the computer chair to get ready, it is nearly 5:00 p.m. People, appreciate the dedication. We leave my house in West Houston at 6:00 and arrive at Stuka a bit before 7:00. The original 2 dustmites decorating my car are now joined by the slogan “Austin Wocked” and “Thanks Steve” on the back window. There are a couple of people in line to get in, but we do not join them. Shalagh is taking notes on the trunk of the car while I go across the street to take a picture of the club. It isn’t hot, but it is muggy. I know I am going to wilt.
I rejoin the ladies as Steve pops out of the back door of the club, which opens right across the parking lot from the car. He sees us, and his first words to us are: “So how long are you guys gonna do this?” and then “You guys are way early.” He comes over to chat a minute, and that’s when they give him the Twinkie PJs. I tell him repeatedly I had nothing to do with it. I will let Shalagh tell that part of the story. I just can’t make myself do it. After he left us, though, his Light Guy came out and took pictures of my car for Steve. I am thankful I had that carwash the other day.
We make our way to the front of the club, and instantly start to survey the people in line. “Who are you here to see?” There are a lot of college age people. There are some older-than-that people too. We quiz people. How did you hear about the show? The Stuka website. Have you heard the album Songs for Dustmites yet? Yes! Troposphere Rocks! Or: I’ve only heard a few songs but I like them! Isn’t he that Blue’s Clues guy? Several people tell me they love my shirt, and wonder if that is what the shirts for sale will look like. This brings up and interesting side note: I am walking past the line and get the “neat shirt” comment, and before you know it I have found an Ftrain fan!! Shalagh will tell you all about that too, but suffice it to say we were all fast friends. Of course we were!
I went back across the street to take pictures of the line forming. People waved and smiled and enjoyed that. I hope that picture comes out. We waited a good amount of time beyond the scheduled door time, but the club folk came out and told us there were technical things they were taking care of. People weren’t minding the wait too much anyway, and we visited with everyone we could. More than 100 people were in line when the club was opened.
Stuka has several areas to it. I was wrong, it IS bigger than my house. Waaaayyyy bigger. We enter and turn right, facing the stage area. The stage is set into the corner, and about 8 inches off the floor. A huge square of matting sits in front of it. We soak it in a few minutes. It takes about an hour or a little more for the opening band Modulator to be ready. I talk to the singer, Julie, and she says she is really looking forward to it. She is amazed the Mints have graciously allowed them to use their instruments. However, her husband Randy is a little nervous about playing Jason’s drumset. I ask her if she has seen Jason play. When she replies she hadn’t had an opportunity, I tell her not to worry about Randy. Randy can NOT hurt those drums. (Love ya, Jason!)
We go to the merchandise booth thinking we had better get stuff while we are able. Turns out to be a good move. And besides the wisdom in that, the sweet lady at the table remembers us! Note to Steve: take this woman with you wherever you go perform. She is a doll and a honey!
Close to show time, many of the people move to sit on the mat in front of the stage. We join them, snuggling right in among them. Doing so, we stumble across another person who was at the Austin show. While we wait we chat about that, long enough to hear how impressed she was with Steve. Modulator takes the stage. Julie laughs at everyone sitting. “You won’t be sitting for long, I guarantee it.” Up we go and I am now front and almost center, merely 8 feet from where Julie is taking the microphone. Their set has people dancing immediately, and Julie plays well to the crowd. They play my favorite “The One That Got Away” and I am snapping pictures like mad. Their set is almost over and Julie asks the People In Charge of Concert Time Management whether they may do one or two more songs. The crowd insists on two! I am so happy for them.
Steve’s set is beginning soon, and I am looking for Happy Mom, and check the front desk. They say she has picked up the ticket, and came in with a guy. Huh? I call her. She’s still trying to find the place. So I go back to Ticket Man and ask again. No, he says, he gave me the wrong name. Her ticket is there. I can do no more. It is showtime.
I elbow (very politely) my way to the front again, and it is a comment on these people around us that nobody minded that or was rude about it. Shalagh gets a few more setting-up pictures and the band departs to don their moon suits. Minutes later we’re confronted with the Devo knock-offs themselves. I don’t remember the set list without cheating, but you’ve heard that part anyway. The important thing is that I was front and center again, and Steve was (hand in front of face) RIGHT THERE. I was thinking of you all, and how many pictures I could take to share with you. Uh huh. Honest, I was!
I called Kris and tried to prepare her for the loudness, I don’t know what she heard of that, but when she said there was a bump and an uh-oh? Steve took a pull on his Rolling Rock and it fizzed right over onto the stage when he set it down. He tells the crowd that Jason, the drummer, has to go to the in-store appearances with him, and they can’t take his drum set. So Steve makes him play on a toy one like from Toys R Us. Dave brought that up first, dinnie?
By Henry Crinkle (according to the set list) I too am nearly a puddle. There is no way to say it from my little brain other than that Steve rocks out all the way on HKL. He is 8 feet in front of me and strumming all hell out of that guitar. I snap many photos. I think how happy I could have been if I had a copy of the concert version to play forever and ever. This is definitely my favorite song now. I forget to miss “Maintain.” I am really worried about Happy Mom by now, but cannot call her without losing Kris. Steve distracts me from that when he asks Shalagh to tell him who is on the phone. I shout to him “lil Kris!” He takes it right up there (MY phone) and there he goes. He is such a good sport! Kris, we just had to share the Stevelove.
Steve goes into Stick Around and this time you can see the video much better. Happy Mom comes in at the end wiggling her way into the front of the audience hollering “Shalagh! Shalagh?” Happy Mom has the sweetest voice, so maybe hollering isn’t the word I want here. I turn when I hear that, and there she is finally! I pull her up to me and she realizes she is taller than the people she just passed to get to me. This awesome, amazing woman hunches over at first, and then just knells down so she isn’t in anyone’s way. I am ashamed. That thought had not occurred to me ONCE in six songs!
Happy is just in time for MLM, and Steve goes to town on that one. By the end of the song people near us are even singing along. And then, they start Songs for Dustmites. This is where I need a great picture of Jason. He’s so faithful to the Steven Drozd masterpiece preserved in the CD, and yet he is Jason as well. Steve had introduced him as having been in a lot of bands, and I believe it. He is simply amazing. And I am (holds hands in front of face) THIS CLOSE to those drums. With every beat my rib cage vibrates. Shalagh is having her musical O and I am getting sonar deep tissue massage. As SFD is closing the book on our Steve Texas Redemption Tour, Jason actually pops a drumstick right in two on those drums. My first thought is that we need to ask for that drumstick, or what’s left of it. I get Shalagh to do it as I am a coward and a chicken. I hug Happy Mom so pleased she made it for even a part of the concert.
We talk to people in the crowd. We only have to ask “Well?” and they gush! One person said she came to see the Mints but Steve was amazingly good. Others we talk to had heard a little of Steve’s music, but hadn’t expected such a good show. Not one person I talk to is disappointed at all with the show. Over 200 people had been in that room enjoying everything they got to hear. I hope every stop is as good as this one for Steve. Minus the Twinkies.
After Steve had taken his break and organized himself, he was back at the booth to sign things. I have to admit I touched the rock godlet after all. I got to shake his hand. That’s all, I swear. I am hoping my picture comes out. I am sad that it’s over. I am happy so many people loved Steve.
It ended too soon!
