Show Report: Minneapolis, MN

purple reign 4.23.06

sunday at the ascot room. how appropriate for us to play in minnesota on a sunday. if only this was football season. alas, it's not and downtown minny seemed sorta like a ghost town - just a bunch of raprock kids hanging around waiting for a mentally challenged convention, i mean concert, to get started at the club below us. anyway, this would be our last show teamed up with bump. bump is a great group of guys....they're like a traveling sitcom -- clint and nadz should have their own tv show. the ascot room is a difficult place just to find once you're inside the quest complex (prince used to own the quest many cherry moons ago). if you did find the ascot room you saw a great show. just like the last time we played there the crowd was extremely positive. minnesota fans make you feel good. next time we roll through minny im going to make sure it's not on a sunday and that there's way better promotion done for the show. by the way, i love the light show bump travels with. we got to use their lights again and they totally put me in another zone for this one.

big HHH metrodome thanks to: the lovely mandy cox, swirly girl sid and elizabeth, todd gustav anderson (pictured), sean tucker, and i think it was john (who gave me a great critique of the show) for coming to to support the band. i appreciate it. you helped make a sleepy sunday show that much more of a success.

dressing room and rider wrap up: the dressing room at the ascot room is just a little room off to the side of the stage with a door that doesnt really work. it was basically a little office with a cooler in it. there was also an open area for all the bands to hang out in but you couldnt really hang out because the mood was completely spoiled by the heinous raprock shit that you could hear everywhere you went. on the flip side - the staff at the quest was very nice and helpful.

Mariqueen's Mind

The City: i remember enjoying minneapolis the last time i was there. i don't think i enjoyed it as much this time around. why? well, we had to play yet another show in a row, i was sick as a dog, my left eye had gone retarded so i spent most of the day with no contacts on - totally blind, and we over ate at a great restaurant so i felt fat. sigh.

The Venue: well... our second time at the ascot room. this was the first time our champagne request got fulfilled. a cute little bottle of veuve clicquot was sitting there and fran and i wasted no time and popped that sucker open and drank it. i can't say that it's the best venue around. i think they need to figure out how to block sound coming from the quest. some horrid rap rock monstrosity was playing downstairs. i had the displeasure of having to witness the chaos because the only bathrooms available were at the quest. just imagine a bunch of minnesota preteens with their hands in the air pretending theyre gangsters. horrible. i swear little white boys and some samoan kid started yelling things like, "northside!" and southside!" i actually felt my IQ dropping every time i had to go to the bathroom.

The Show: well... i was sick... really sick... coughing up phlegm, i was tired, i was moody, i was almost done with my period and i felt like vomit. i thought the show was my worst but rob told me at the end of the night that he was really proud of me and called me a true performer. that was nice.

What Were You Thinking While Playing: im going to die...

Interesting Things After The Show: eh, not so much... i just wanted to curl up and fall into an eternal sleep. i was really sad that amidst the chaos of loading out and my sickness, i wasn't able to properly say bye to the boys from bump. big nadz, chris, clint and yorg... it was a pleasure playing all these shows with you and getting to know you. i miss you guys and can't wait to see you again. vaporize the world!

THE JAMES REPORT

The Vikings conquered Minnesota? Or did they move there to retire? Either way West Indian Girl will dock our plundering vessel there anytime. Exploding packets of neuron energy rained upon a 2 mile radius of the venue as we pulled into town. Mandy, get your restaurant ready, we'll be coming back sooner than you think.




NATHAN'S NONSENSE

fair minneapolis, i hardly knew thee. i was admittedly a bit discombobulated for this venture into the land of purple rain, running on fumes and feeling the need for sleep. luckily i was able to steel some z's out in the van after sound check and a meal, feeling a little better afterwards, but not much. the night before i found myself supine on a moldering motel 6 bed somewhere in the sprawling midst of wisconsin, thumbing the tv remote with sound man kevin snoring away on the other bed. desperately needed food but was too knackered to move, and the only 24 hour dive was blocks away. then, by chance, i found a showing of "judgement at nuremberg," and old 1961 classic w/ spencer tracy, burt lancaster, & marlene dietrich, about an american tribunal wherein 4 nazi judges were tried for war crimes... i found myself hopelessly lost in no time... had to watch it all. it was wonderful, though as i said, i paid for it the next day. attendance that night at the show was a tad sparse, but those who were there all seemed to come away changed by the magic that is west indian girl. yeah, every once in a while it kinda hits me, how incredibly therapeutic our music is, as though it somehow possesses healing qualities for the troubled soul. all in all, not a bad night. thanks to the super cool dudes from this world fair who opened up the show. sorry i slept through your set, but well, you know… at least you’ve got molly, who was so lovely i totally choked up when she tried to talk to me. urp!

the young and the restlessraise your hand if you loathe rap-rockrob ♥ mandyQ LOVES BIG NADZladies & gentleman, once again... mr. robert james

-F10