Massively late Christmas post!

You guys! Wow! So sorry yet again for the delay in posting! Life continues to be busy!

This past December, Gunpowder Gelatine reached out to me and my friend George and asked if... are you sitting down for this? They asked if we could JOIN THEM ONSTAGE FOR TWO PERFORMANCES!!1!!1111!!! December 10th was a benefit to an organization that is very near and dear to my heart - The Somerville Homeless Coalition, and the following night they'd be opening for El Vez. Before anyone gets more excited than is reasonable, George and I were only needed for two songs: Billy Squier's "Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You", and Queen's own "Thank God It's Christmas".

Neither track is what I could honestly call a favorite, but I was ready to take a couple hits for an organization that helped me get my shit together, and also sing on the stage at Johnny D's while it was still possible with a band I adore, and a friend I don't otherwise get to spend much time with more than once a week. So the good definitely outweighed the surprisingly terribly-written B-side!

Plus I don't often get to tell bouncers, "I'm with the band" to gain access!

The benefit on the 10th was really quite something! The Boston area is a vast wealth of talent and artistry, so that really shouldn't be a shock to anyone who spends more than five seconds here. I didn't even mind the marching jazz band (brass instruments in an in-person live setting give me a headache, even if the player is really good) Gunpowder Gelatine had told us to arrive by maybe 10:00 or so, and that we'd be getting on by 11:00... I can't remember at this point so you'll have to forgive me if I don't have the exact times right. Either way, I think we actually finally got on at 11:30. This was not a typical, "everyone get hammered and rock out to good tunes" kind of deal. It was more, "buy some booze, but also buy raffle tickets and stuff because being homeless sucks, especially at Christmas", so there was no particular concern about the audience response to TGIC. I was more worried about nailing the harmony on the chorus! And I was super nervous about the Billy Squier song! I don't think I did as well as I'd like on either track, but I also didn't spend a whole lot of time rehearsing them on my own, so...

The next night was Gunpowder Gelatine in "opening band" mode, so the overall crowd feel was a little more familiar to me. George spent a bit of time trying to find someone in the audience to take pictures when it would be time for the both of us to get on stage for the sake of this blog and also bragging rights, and I think he picked the right person. He had his eye on someone else, initially, but when Gunpowder Gelatine got up on stage she kept trying to get either of us to dance with her. At one point, she stuck herself between us and kept bumping each of our hips! Thank G-d I was still holding onto my crutches, because she would have knocked me over! By the time I was ready to call for an adult to rescue me and George from the non-consensual touching and hip checks, she seemed to have gotten the hint that we weren't interested (we couldn't not talk about it later, and we found out we were both on the exact same page). Thankfully, there was no serious harm done for anybody!

Onto some pictures that I'm going to credit to George all the way through because I apparently didn't get that stranger's info! (Oh, right. Gunpowder Gelatine had a very Christmas-y dress code that I, of course, didn't follow because I guess I'm not a team player)

I'd like to take this time to attribute some of my awkward posture to the fact that that stage is SMALL, and there wasn't much room to move without accidentally knocking into someone.

Oh! And then a friend of Bethany's from high school(..???) joined the band to sing Under Pressure! It was AWESOME!

George and I hung out with the band for a bit during El Vez's set, but neither of us was really feeling it, so we wound up leaving to get a late dinner. Any other time, though! I'm sure I would have had a lot of fun seeing him!

I should take this time to really thank Johnny D's for being such an awesome place. I obviously haven't been attending since its beginnings, but it will always hold a very special place in my heart!

It was a worthwhile experience!