Commit This To Memory

    I went to a concert tonight at First Avenue in Minneapolis. Some were wearing shirts saying 'Commit this to memory', and under it was number 10 like a uniform number. The band was Motion City Soundtrack. I saw the first two acts and part of the third and then left as I had been there for two hours. I bought the ticket as a friend from the comedy circuit, the Resistable comic, spoke of knowing the band members. I did not know this band at all. Except she got booked for a comedy gig and couldn't make it. I was paying attention to the drumming at this show as I like to hear the drummers. As usual, it was packed there. It was my third show at this venue. I liked getting plenty of pictures at this venue, especially outside where all of the stars showed music acts who had played there. I had seen many of them at other venues, and just one of them there- Lucinda Williams, a year ago. In many ways it was a reminder of the music acts I had seen while living in suburban Chicago for 6 years after leaving Iowa, especially bands I had seen at the venue known as Alpine Valley in Wisconsin. I did have to contend with a panhandler during this time, and did my best to ignore him though that didn't work. When I left the venue for good I went to Bobby and Steve's and got a little Godfather's pizza. Then I got on the light rail. I was thankful I could afford to wait on finding a bathroom, as I couldn't find one for a while. A janitor was mopping the stairs at bobby and Steve's leading up to the bathrooms there. I finally did find one at a light rail station, a porta-pottie. Not my preference but I will use them if it is the only option available.