Last night’s VAST concert can only be adequately summed up with one single word.

Orgasmic.

Like seriously. Fucking orgasmic.

To begin with…why have I never attended one of their shows in Sacramento before? Aside from the annoying fact that people in Sacramento have serious issues with having other people standing right next to them in a crowd (trying to pack in close to the stage was a lesson in futility), it was the most wondrous experience of my whole small-venue-concertgoing life. With the exception of the obnoxious skunk-haired lady who hooted and shrieked and gyrated through most of VAST’s performance, everyone in attendance behaved beautifully. No drunken shouting matches, no vomitfests, no accidentally-on-purpose ass-gropings…just a bunch of folks who were there to see a good live show. I’m so never going back to SF for a concert ever again.

VAST themselves were just in great form. As they took the stage, Jon informed us that the set would be almost entirely accoustic since they were having equipment issues, and while they had a set list, they would be taking any requests from the audience all night. With their guitars being the only electronics on stage, the band pounded through song after incredible song, picking up suggestions here and there and giving birth to fascinating new arrangements of old VAST standards. My favorite all night had to be, of course, “Flames”…this being the first time I’ve seen them peform it with the cello present, and the bonus of a violin as well! It was tingle-inducing. Makes me wish I’d had the presence of mind to take a video camera with me.

And as someone put it so eloquently on the RealVast message board, it was nice being one of only three people in attendance who knew the words to “Frog.” Remind me to post that file for y’all when I get the time. It’s lovely and eco-conscious. w00t.

It saddens me that their fan club and their message board are so shittily run nowadays. Otherwise I’d become one of their freakish groupies and stalk them at their regular Austin gigs.

And BOOYEAH. Got me another hoodie. For thirty bucks. Beats the pants off the $85 Tool was asking for their uglyass hoodie at Marysville last year…

I think I shall wear this hoodie until it rots off my body.

BLAH.

In other news, I’ve bought tickets for the Sacramento VAST show next Monday. I’m going to be deadass tired, but at least I’ll be (relatively) close to home and I know I’ll be able to get in.

The only bummer to come from this is that Cutter won’t be able to go with Kevin and I, because the club where the show is being held is 21+…the one in SF was all-ages. Fffft. Talk about suck. But Cutter doesn’t seem to care one way or the other. Secretly I think he’s relieved. Kevin is a lot more open about checking out bands he doesn’t know. Cutter doesn’t have the patience for that and will let me know right up front how much something blows. He’s been making fun of VAST for three years now. You be the judge.

I’m going to be so fucking tired come next Tuesday evening. And the worst part is, I have a retirement dinner to go to that night. Zuh? Yeah, I know. Nuts. I will probably be the first person to excuse myself, and I will most likely not consume alcohol, if only to reduce the chances of me passing out on the steering wheel and careening wildly over an embankment.

But at least I will have a possible second chance at an intelligent exchange with Jon Crosby. I can make up for all the AWESOMENESS I launched on him last time. Goody.

Had a garage sale this past Saturday at my folks’ house.

I’d forgotten how much I hated garage sales. While I don’t have a problem with the whole second-hand aspect of it, I do hate having to see the people who are digging through my wares and subsequently judging me for it. Which is rich because, hello, you’re at a fucking garage sale, people. You have no room to be judgey.

It rained pretty good Saturday morning, but we had ourselves crammed pretty tightly into the garage, plus we erected a big canopy out front under which went all the large furniture-type pieces. And wouldn’t you know it, we still got a gaggle of hardcore yard-salers. You know the kind…the ones who will haggle ANY price with you…even the stuff in the “all items 25 cents!” box. Cheapskates. Really though, by the end of the sale (7am to 2pm! OMG) I was so happy to be rid of things, people were attempting their bargains and not being met with any resistance. I actually handed one guy a paper grocery bag and said “Whatever you can fill it with, it’s yours for two bucks…”

Cocksucker only grabbed three things. Grrrrr…

I don’t think we’ll be doing another garage sale for a good long time. Mom is so not interested and the whole concept has lots its charm for me. And if you ever hear me talking crazylike about garage sales again? Bitchslap me. Please.