Ok! Well, quite a week last week.
I saw the SG Live show last Tuesday at the Ottobar, which was a lot of fun. The venue wasn't exactly prompt--the show started at about 10:30 despite doors opening at 9--but it was pretty good. Smallish stage room, which meant that everyone got a good view. I managed to get about five rows or so back ("rows" being more of an approximate unit of distance that anything else, since it was all standing).
The opening act, Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re was a surprise. I'm still not sure what they're doing opening a burlesque show, but they're great as an opening. They have that infectious little Asian girl enthusiasm. In spades. Basically, they are the most average-looking Japanese girls you could imagine. Take 3 randomly selected females in their 20s off the streets of Tokyo, hand them instruments, and if by miraculous coincidence they were good at playing them, that would be Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re. They spoke a little English, just enough to announce who they were, and say which of them was which (Yayoi the bassist, Mizue the drummer and Mari the lead guitar/singer), and repeatedly say "thank you very much" in stereotypical Japanese fashion. Also, Mari managed something like explanations for some of their songs. Of course, with subjects like cake made from brains, explanations are a losing proposition even with fluency, but they jumped around and enjoyed the hell out of performing whether anyone besides them knew what the fuck was going on or not. The crowd got into it, so I'll call it a win for them.
The SG Live show itself was great. I was really surprised at how, for lack of a better word, adorable the Suicide Girls are as live performers. Nixon looks all imposing, but she has kind of a Midwestern accent, which just so saccharine cute that I wasn't really sure what to make of her. Reagan, of course, is adorable, just as she presents herself as being on the site. As I mentioned in the short summary entry before this, I never thought much of her in her sets, but in person she's quite hot. I also thought Razzi was sexy. The sort of cutesy-with-an-attitude that I love. And props to her for the full commitment, regarding her tattos: I can't imagine having one's scalp inked. (I keep changing her name to Razzia in my head, though, since that's already a word.) Except for Xiolita, who is almost as tall as I am, the other girls sort of blurred together for me, since I hadn't seen their sets and they weren't introduced until the end.
Nixon was kind enough to reply to my request for a set list by pointing my to this post that she made a while ago. It's not in order, so I'm still having a little trouble placing the songs I didn't know, but at least now I have a list to take to iTunes if it comes to that.
Noteable acts include (in a semblance of order):
-Reagan vs. Napoleon Dynamite, which you may have noticed in the "Check it!" snippets up top. There's a video for that one, so why waste my breath describing it?
-The flight attendant troupe. Probably my favorite as far as pure sex appeal. All of the girls except one came out, dressed in stewardess uniforms, carrying a suitcase in tow. About a minute into the dance, the last one pops out of the suitcase, and joins in. There was also throwing of peanuts, spraying of various soft drinks on the crowd, and some rather suggestive positioning of those runway signal lights. All the clothes stayed on, but still incredibly hot. I'd like to fly their airline, if you know what I mean. (That I would patronize an airline having them as employees, of course.)
-Xiolita's hula hoop act. She's without question the most talented of the Live group. They turned the lights down, and she danced in and out of her lit-up hoop. The lights in the dark room made it even more impressive, emphasizing the graceful arcs and spirals she sent the hoop up and down her gyrating body. I think she has her own videos of similar acts up at the web site in her profile headline, so check that out.
-Razzi did something similar to Xiolita, only with some kind of glowing ball on a string. "Rave balls," maybe? I don't know what the hell they are. I sent her a message to ask, but she hasn't replied. She's pretty handy with the things, though. The paths they traced out in the darkness could just as easily been the ends of a staff in a martial arts kata. I was impressed that she kept them in sych so perfectly the whole time, nevermind doing tricks with them.
-Joanne did a dance to the Dresden Dolls' Miss Me. It's a perfect song for the show, really: a girlish entreaty for her lover to come back to her that gradually waxes obsessive until Amanda Palmer is screaming "SAY YOU'LL MISS ME!" into the mic. Joanne did it justice, slowly sharpening her movements and getting ever more forceful in pulling the volunteer boy from the audience (a fortunate pre-selected SG member, I gather) around the stage until two nude girls in nurse hats appear on stage and drag her down into a straightjacket, then off the stage, still wild-eyed.
-Nixon and Razzi did a sketch to "Stuck in the Middle" that you might have seen (with different stars) in the preview video for '04's SG Live tour (you know, Jay-Z's "Encore"?). Razzi in a chair, bound up with duck tape* as Nixon prances around her, brandishing a handgun and occasionally tearing away pieces of Razzi's clothing as if to suggest the what she has in store for her. Eventually, as Nixon pours the contents of a jerry can in a ring around Razzi's chair and gleefully waves a match at her, Razzi wriggles her way out, graps the gun, and gives her captor a good pistol-whipping.
(*useless fact: did you know it was originally called "duck tape" and that "duct tape" came only later as a non-trademarked generic version?)
-Nixon's solo featured her slowly stripping away a Spanish-style dress, coyly teasing us with a fan. It's hard to describe, as conceptually it was pretty simplistic, but it was basically a well-executed strip-tease featuring Nixon in a terrific outfit. What else is there, really?
Some of the girls came out to mingle afterwards. I bought a pack of the SG playing cards, and got Nixon to sign her 2 of clubs for me. I'd hoped to get Reagan to sign her card as well, but she didn't come out. I did see Mnislahi, which was hilarious, as she is all of 5 feet tall at the most. She looks so tall in her sets, but such is the illusory power of the camera, huh? I almost bought Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re's CD, too, although the cards were pricey and I had forgotten to bring money for merchandise so I was light on cash. I was going to say something to them and practice my rusty Japanese, but I ended up not being able to think of anything good to say.
A few days later on Friday, I was treated to another excellent show! The Dresden Dolls were in town for the third time since I started listening to them (although only the second I've gotten to attend). The difference was startling since last time. With their new album, I was pretty sure that Amanda (the pianist) had gotten some traditional training. She'd previously been unable to read or write music, and while she was damn good anyway, you could tell that she lacked technical training. The latest release had a lot more standard structure to it, with traditional chord progressions and such. Sure enough, when she plays the newer songs, she's a lot less "yell and bang on the keys." Interesting to watch her sort of grow up a little in terms of her art. She still yells and bangs on the piano when she plays older songs, though.
Also, Brian (the drummer) has learned to play the guitar, and they did a couple of songs as guitar/voice duets for some variety.
The weekend was a Halloween party, which was fun, but not really noteable for the most part. I did get to see a girl I rarely talk to, though, and wow has she changed. She used to be a good little Christian girl (and she still says little nonsense soundalikes instead of taking the Lord's name in vain), but she's certainly opened up since last time. There was some surprise when she said "God damn it" upon walking outside into the cold without shoes, and yet a few hours later she's sitting on the couch next to me, guiding my hand up her thighs under a blanket with everyone else still in the room. Good Christian girl indeed.
So that was my week. You can tell I got tired of writing towards the end. Probably well after you got tired of reading.
How was yours?
I saw the SG Live show last Tuesday at the Ottobar, which was a lot of fun. The venue wasn't exactly prompt--the show started at about 10:30 despite doors opening at 9--but it was pretty good. Smallish stage room, which meant that everyone got a good view. I managed to get about five rows or so back ("rows" being more of an approximate unit of distance that anything else, since it was all standing).
The opening act, Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re was a surprise. I'm still not sure what they're doing opening a burlesque show, but they're great as an opening. They have that infectious little Asian girl enthusiasm. In spades. Basically, they are the most average-looking Japanese girls you could imagine. Take 3 randomly selected females in their 20s off the streets of Tokyo, hand them instruments, and if by miraculous coincidence they were good at playing them, that would be Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re. They spoke a little English, just enough to announce who they were, and say which of them was which (Yayoi the bassist, Mizue the drummer and Mari the lead guitar/singer), and repeatedly say "thank you very much" in stereotypical Japanese fashion. Also, Mari managed something like explanations for some of their songs. Of course, with subjects like cake made from brains, explanations are a losing proposition even with fluency, but they jumped around and enjoyed the hell out of performing whether anyone besides them knew what the fuck was going on or not. The crowd got into it, so I'll call it a win for them.
The SG Live show itself was great. I was really surprised at how, for lack of a better word, adorable the Suicide Girls are as live performers. Nixon looks all imposing, but she has kind of a Midwestern accent, which just so saccharine cute that I wasn't really sure what to make of her. Reagan, of course, is adorable, just as she presents herself as being on the site. As I mentioned in the short summary entry before this, I never thought much of her in her sets, but in person she's quite hot. I also thought Razzi was sexy. The sort of cutesy-with-an-attitude that I love. And props to her for the full commitment, regarding her tattos: I can't imagine having one's scalp inked. (I keep changing her name to Razzia in my head, though, since that's already a word.) Except for Xiolita, who is almost as tall as I am, the other girls sort of blurred together for me, since I hadn't seen their sets and they weren't introduced until the end.
Nixon was kind enough to reply to my request for a set list by pointing my to this post that she made a while ago. It's not in order, so I'm still having a little trouble placing the songs I didn't know, but at least now I have a list to take to iTunes if it comes to that.
Noteable acts include (in a semblance of order):
-Reagan vs. Napoleon Dynamite, which you may have noticed in the "Check it!" snippets up top. There's a video for that one, so why waste my breath describing it?
-The flight attendant troupe. Probably my favorite as far as pure sex appeal. All of the girls except one came out, dressed in stewardess uniforms, carrying a suitcase in tow. About a minute into the dance, the last one pops out of the suitcase, and joins in. There was also throwing of peanuts, spraying of various soft drinks on the crowd, and some rather suggestive positioning of those runway signal lights. All the clothes stayed on, but still incredibly hot. I'd like to fly their airline, if you know what I mean. (That I would patronize an airline having them as employees, of course.)
-Xiolita's hula hoop act. She's without question the most talented of the Live group. They turned the lights down, and she danced in and out of her lit-up hoop. The lights in the dark room made it even more impressive, emphasizing the graceful arcs and spirals she sent the hoop up and down her gyrating body. I think she has her own videos of similar acts up at the web site in her profile headline, so check that out.
-Razzi did something similar to Xiolita, only with some kind of glowing ball on a string. "Rave balls," maybe? I don't know what the hell they are. I sent her a message to ask, but she hasn't replied. She's pretty handy with the things, though. The paths they traced out in the darkness could just as easily been the ends of a staff in a martial arts kata. I was impressed that she kept them in sych so perfectly the whole time, nevermind doing tricks with them.
-Joanne did a dance to the Dresden Dolls' Miss Me. It's a perfect song for the show, really: a girlish entreaty for her lover to come back to her that gradually waxes obsessive until Amanda Palmer is screaming "SAY YOU'LL MISS ME!" into the mic. Joanne did it justice, slowly sharpening her movements and getting ever more forceful in pulling the volunteer boy from the audience (a fortunate pre-selected SG member, I gather) around the stage until two nude girls in nurse hats appear on stage and drag her down into a straightjacket, then off the stage, still wild-eyed.
-Nixon and Razzi did a sketch to "Stuck in the Middle" that you might have seen (with different stars) in the preview video for '04's SG Live tour (you know, Jay-Z's "Encore"?). Razzi in a chair, bound up with duck tape* as Nixon prances around her, brandishing a handgun and occasionally tearing away pieces of Razzi's clothing as if to suggest the what she has in store for her. Eventually, as Nixon pours the contents of a jerry can in a ring around Razzi's chair and gleefully waves a match at her, Razzi wriggles her way out, graps the gun, and gives her captor a good pistol-whipping.
(*useless fact: did you know it was originally called "duck tape" and that "duct tape" came only later as a non-trademarked generic version?)
-Nixon's solo featured her slowly stripping away a Spanish-style dress, coyly teasing us with a fan. It's hard to describe, as conceptually it was pretty simplistic, but it was basically a well-executed strip-tease featuring Nixon in a terrific outfit. What else is there, really?
Some of the girls came out to mingle afterwards. I bought a pack of the SG playing cards, and got Nixon to sign her 2 of clubs for me. I'd hoped to get Reagan to sign her card as well, but she didn't come out. I did see Mnislahi, which was hilarious, as she is all of 5 feet tall at the most. She looks so tall in her sets, but such is the illusory power of the camera, huh? I almost bought Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re's CD, too, although the cards were pricey and I had forgotten to bring money for merchandise so I was light on cash. I was going to say something to them and practice my rusty Japanese, but I ended up not being able to think of anything good to say.
A few days later on Friday, I was treated to another excellent show! The Dresden Dolls were in town for the third time since I started listening to them (although only the second I've gotten to attend). The difference was startling since last time. With their new album, I was pretty sure that Amanda (the pianist) had gotten some traditional training. She'd previously been unable to read or write music, and while she was damn good anyway, you could tell that she lacked technical training. The latest release had a lot more standard structure to it, with traditional chord progressions and such. Sure enough, when she plays the newer songs, she's a lot less "yell and bang on the keys." Interesting to watch her sort of grow up a little in terms of her art. She still yells and bangs on the piano when she plays older songs, though.
Also, Brian (the drummer) has learned to play the guitar, and they did a couple of songs as guitar/voice duets for some variety.The weekend was a Halloween party, which was fun, but not really noteable for the most part. I did get to see a girl I rarely talk to, though, and wow has she changed. She used to be a good little Christian girl (and she still says little nonsense soundalikes instead of taking the Lord's name in vain), but she's certainly opened up since last time. There was some surprise when she said "God damn it" upon walking outside into the cold without shoes, and yet a few hours later she's sitting on the couch next to me, guiding my hand up her thighs under a blanket with everyone else still in the room. Good Christian girl indeed.
So that was my week. You can tell I got tired of writing towards the end. Probably well after you got tired of reading.
How was yours?
malloreigh:
That's a really long entry and I'm not going to read it, but yes, I think "mistress of the revolution" is my absolute favourite tag ever and in fact I've even screencapped it so I can remember it in my old age, assuming all of my possessions haven't been destroyed in a nuclear holocaust by then.