Proof Positive

It's been a while since I've attended a 90 Proof show. When I received an email about a show this past Saturday, I skipped about giddily until I learned that my regular 90 Proof-going-friends RJ and Allison were both on the east coast -- boring! Though I've hyped these concerts to other friends in the past, they've never opted to go; I still listen to Ace of Base, so I don't really blame them for questioning my musical taste. Fortunately, this time several first-timers Katy, Kat, Jessica, and Michael Michael said they were finally down to enjoy the 90 covers music, so we joined our friend Laura at the bar for the show.

The regular drummer was not able to make this show. Instead, a female vocalist joined the band for the evening, a pleasant addition to the usual set, since it allowed for songs that the band doesn't typically play by females who rocked in the 90s like Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Lisa Loeb, Fiona Apple, and the Cranberries. It was indeed amazing. Thankfully, all the first-time attendees loved it, too. I never really doubted that they would like it, but it's nice to receive validation, even if its in the form of a drunken slur.

It was the rowdiest non-Pitzer show I've seen the band play, thanks in good part to our contingent loudly screaming along, dancing, hollering, and interacting with the townies. Yes, we even befriended some townies, and by "we," I really mean the rest of my friends since I'm not as friendly with strangers as they are, or quite as drunk as them for that matter.

In this bar, each small bathroom (one for men, one for women - how passe) had an uncommon feature: two adjacent toilets, but no stalls. This layout inspired Jessica and Katy to engage in a simultaneous urination session, which brought them much elation. Kat wanted to follow suit with Laura, who was initially hesitant. I've never seen a more peculiar form of peer pressure as watching one person persuade another to pee in unison. After offering Laura her first pick of the toilets, Kat succeeded. Alas, it must not have been as fulfilling for Laura, because when Kat asked for a round two about an hour later, Laura declined. Instead, Kat found the female restroom occupied and entered the men's restroom. (Who does such a thing?) Within a moment, however, a man entered the men's room and found Kat seated on a toilet. Following an awkward exchange, they found themselves peeing simultaneously, too.

After the show, we made our usual post-show chatter with the band, then headed for the cars. Somehow, Michael Michael ended up in the trunk of Katy's car and insisted that it would be safer if he rode in there. We had sober drivers, so it's not as if that was an issue, but it took a bit of coaxing to get him out of the trunk. In the meantime, I had to pee, but didn't want to go back in and use one of those two-toilet, no-protection facilities. I'm not about to put on a show in public. So, you know, I peed in the parking lot instead.