For months, and I mean months, I’ve had my calendar reserved for May 31st for one of my favorite bands, The Decemberists. Even on my work schedule when we usually do code move-ups on Sunday’s, I made adjustments so it wouldn’t interfere with our plans.
I should have known we were in for a treat when we hit the road and I plugged the FM transmitter in on my iPod and it crashed. It completely locked beyond a reboot. We were stuck with one CD in the car and the radio for the trip. A travesty to be stuck with top-40 but no reason to turn back.
The Decemberists have always been a heavy play on my iPod. I fell head over heals for The Crane’s Wife, continued to Picaresque, and recently added the new album The Hazards of Love. I’ve been listening non-stop since I bought our tickets.
Before the concert we were meeting up with another couple and I wanted to go out to eat to Schlafly’s Bottle Works restaurant. The last time I had been there was for my bachelor party and we had a great time. Excellent food, even better beer. I thought it would be a great way to start the night out.
The girls got the chicken pesto pasta salad and the guys got the special jerk pork tenderloin. There were so many yummms and ooooohhh’s that you would think something else was going on at the table. Dinner was excellent.
We’re at the concert and we’re all stuffed to gills. We all buy a beer in preparation of long lines once the crowd shows up. The first band, Blind Pilot, plays for about 45 minutes. Their music is more folksy and softer than the Decemberists, but I let the other couple know to hang on because they’re in for a treat. Little did we know.
Finally at a little after 9pm the band takes the stage, just about the same time Sarah starts getting a little quezy. I played it off as Sarah was overtaken by Colin Meloy’s awesomeness. Sarah leaves and comes back shortly letting me know that she’s not feeling well at all. We go outside to get some fresh air when all the sudden the chicken pesto pasta decides to make a reappearance.
After the rude appearance, the other couple comes out as Sarah is starting to put herself back together. Sarah says she’s feeling better and ready to attempt to go back into the concert. We were all started to head back in the concert when the Sarah’s girlfriend Tereasa goes “WAIT A MINUTE!” and her chicken pesto pasta starts to make a reappearance.
At that time, I knew the concert was over for all of us. Kind of like the scratch of a needle leaving a record then being smashed against a wall, repeatedly.
Tereasa’s boyfriend Milo and I start heading back to the car when we notice two security guards coming out to address the chicken pesto pasta situation. Luckily we turned around to inform them that the girls were sick and we were off to get the car. They were going to call the cops because they thought the girls were drunk. That would have been a real treat.
Lucky for Tereasa and Milo they live in St. Louis. Un-luckily for the Shoo’s we didn’t and graciously thanked our guests for the opportunity to stay over night, but we both just wanted to be at home. It was a long drive home.
I felt so bad for the girls, and they kept apologizing for getting sick, but what could you do other than head back home? It was a nasty situation. I think I am going to estabish a no eating before concerts rule before the next concert we go to.
All-in-all, we saw about 15 minutes of the Decemberists.
On the way home my iPod finally un-crashed itself. I listened to Hazards of Love all the way back.
I hate chicken pesto pasta.
