All photos by Rachel Eisley
Friday night, Hey Willpower and DJ Stereofaith opened for MEN at the Black Cat. I had about 10 heart attacks before 10pm, anticipating all permutations of awkward confrontations with the women of MEN. But, by the end of the night there was sweaty dancing with the ladies of Feministing, much screaming “this is the best night of my life!” and a whole lotta pressing myself up against people on stage.
This was my night:
Arrive to find the red room half filled with 5’1” androgynes with one pants leg rolled up and a Bowie block on the jukebox.
PBR.
Hide behind the pool table and breathe into a paper bag.
PBR.
Venture upstairs to find 4 girls in American apparel lame leggings pogo-ing to DJ Stereofaith. Retreat back downstairs.
PBR.
Go back up after a bit to catch Hey Willpower’s set. He sounded a bit like a mix of Kylie Minogue and the Scissor Sisters, aka gay as all hell and adorable, bouncing around the stage in a silver sequined bowtie and singing about chewing gum. The dance floor was about a third full at this point and we were just about to join in when I spotted JD and Johanna of MEN at the merch table toward the back of the room.
Panic.
Whisky shots.
By the time we felt sufficiently bolstered to make contact, they were gone. Then I punched myself in the face and went back downstairs.
When we came back up, MEN had already started their set. Since we missed the first couple minutes, I can’t say if they performed any of their live songs they said they were coming out with (anyone know?). The rest of the night they spun a solid set of basic poppy dance music. And it was great (coulda used more jamz, just sayin). Highlights included a Laguna Beach scream-along to ‘Since You’ve Been Gone,’ Areba’s ‘Think,’ ‘Let’s Hear if for the Boy, and a mash-up of ‘Deceptacon’ and ‘Laffy Taffy.’ By the time they put on ‘Like a Prayer,’ you could cut the estrogen in the room with a pink knife.
It was fun, but i have to say, as DJ’s, they weren’t great. There were some awkward transitions, when one song would end and there’d be a second lag or it would all smoosh together a second too soon.
On the last song, the crowd of tiny girls rushed the stage and the ladies of MEN in yellow and pink capes danced amid them. After being pushed and prodded, I finally hopped on stage and said hello to Johanna and gave her the CD I’d brought her of my friend’s old band, Polkadot Chokealot. They were two girls and a drum machine, and they used to rap about things like ‘the Future of Robotic Gender Transformation’ and fingerbanging. I figured MEN could use something else to listen to on tour. Plus, I hear they’re into like queer feminism or some ish, whatever. She was super nice.
Then we took pictures, which I’ll let speak for themselves.
Let’s hear it for the MEN.
so photography is allowed at the Black Cat again?
or just upstairs?
btw, what are the rules when it comes to the stage?
i thought dancing wasn’t allowed
then i went to Girl Talk and now i see these pictures
but i’ve never seen dancing during strictly DJ dance nights
what’s the deal?
March 10, 2008 at 10:15 amyou can take photos of the bands if the bands give you official photo passes.
which bands tend to do, if you ask nicely and have a shiny site you’re going to post them at.
and I guess if people are dancing on the stage with the band, then you can take the photos of people along with the band.
March 10, 2008 at 10:23 amyeah i know about photo passes
but i’m glad you gave the detail
so let me get this straight:
photo passes available for bands, but not for DJ dance parties
stage dancing allowed only with the band, and not DJ’s
which actually makes sense if the DJ is set up on the stage
but not if they’re set up on the floor
but i guess Girl Talk is the exception?
i would classify more as a DJ than a band
glad we got that cleared up then
no double standard
I want a Polkadot Chokealot CD.
March 10, 2008 at 9:44 am