the vibrators AGAIN.

yeah that's right, i saw the vibrators again last night. they were supposed to play in philly but it got cancelled for some reason, so they played at some place called pennskate/pennsounds last night in allentown. some kind of indoor skate park/teen center kind of place. the flyer said the music would be from 6-9 with 2 opening bands. i had a bad feeling about the place, like no one was going to show up or something, so i decided to leave work a little early just to be safe. and i took my friend (the same one who saw blondie  and x with me) to "beef up the crowd." (i just like to say beef as a verb. try it sometime. it's fun.)

we walked in, past some very strange people (welcome to allentown), and there was eddie sitting at the merch table, all alone, looking rather morose. but that's kind of his look, i suppose. i have no idea if he remembered me from the other night, but i went over to say hi, and asked if they had played yet. he said no, there was still another band before them. which was kinda bullshit, because they ended up starting at like 8:30 because the other bands ran over. come on, dudes, it's the fucking vibrators, get your goddamn shit together and let them play on time! no one cares about you anyway. ahem. anyway, i bought some records from him (this time he had his change all ready to go, there was no embarrassing fumbling around looking for it, thank goodness) and we took them out to my car and then went back in. we watched the band play one song and then hung out in the ladies room until it was over. yes. we are those girls. and we don't care.

when that band's set was over, we ventured back out and hung out while the vibrators set up. guitar player guy (his name is darrell, so i can just call him his real name now) remembered me, but couldn't remember when he met me, so i was like "friday night, the brighton bar" and he was like "oh, yeah, yeah, right, cool. thanks for coming tonight. let me get you ladies some beers." mmhmm. we got cans of yuengling from the band's stash. pretty fucking cool. he chatted with us a bit more after he brought them out to us, but he had to set his shit up. bass player guy said a few words to us, also (his name is mike so i can just call him that from now on, too). they played until 9:30 (thank god, otherwise i would have been PISSED) and it was pretty much the same set as the other night but it somehow sounded better in that shitty little room. they KILLED IT. and aside from the guy who was either really drunk or on some crazy drugs, or possibly both, careening around like a fucktard all night and smashing into everyone, and grabbing mike's microphone away from him, it was really fun. man. fuck that guy. control yourself, you know?

after the show, my friend and i sat at a little table behind the merch table, hanging out, because we're cool, you know? and mike walks past and looks at me and says "you look really familiar." "i was at the show at the brighton bar." "THAT'S IT!" so he came over and sat with us, showed us his bloody hand (puncture wound, from a bass string, gnarly), and we talked. he was probably one of the coolest people i've ever met. just super sweet and humble and down to earth. darrell walked by and saw us so he sat with us too. but he kept getting up and coming back. he's kind of flighty. and also adorable. mike told us fun stories about the guys being on the road and stuff. he's only playing with them on this tour; apparently pete is still in the band but has trouble coming over here sometimes because of visa bullshit. nigel is gone from the band, doing solo stuff, so darrell is his replacement. and we both (me and mike) think he's a better fit. anyway, we had a nice time talking with mike and darrell, when he was actually there. and then we had to go because the people there were kicking us out. mike insisted on getting pictures with us, on his phone. which i thought was really fucking cute. so he got one of me and my friend and darrell, and then darrell took one of us with mike. and darrell wanted mike to do the same on HIS phone. and eddie walked by at one point so i said "we have to get one with eddie too!" and he was a good sport and posed for a picture with us as well. mike had me type my name into facebook so he could add me on there, and i put my number in his phone. he said we should come to the show in baltimore that's tonight, they'll put us on the list, etc.

i got a facebook message with the pictures in it (so cute! i may post them later) and he gave me his number so i can text him if we're coming.

so guess what i'm about to go do? you fucking guessed it. smell ya later, pennsylvania, i'm going to BALTIMORE.