Oh Courtney

Liz and I were beyond thrilled to attend the DIG! DVD release party last night. Even though are nerves were at an all-time high waiting outside Rothko, within minutes we were inside sipping on the free Heinekens. I searched around for some of the film's stars. Obviously Anton wouldn't be there, but I hoped that perhaps I might run into my favorite BJM member Joel. But alas, it was early. The night was still young.

After our first free drink, they apparently ran out, so Liz and I shelled out the $6 for another beer and ventured our way through the crowded club up to the front for Issue 5 feature, Hopewell. Jason and the rest of the band were on fire causing Liz at one point to turn to me and drop her jaw. Yes, I told her...they are that good. The band played a couple songs off of their new (and might I add quite enjoyable) album Birds of The Appetite. And the highlight of the entire night was definitely "Calcutta," that song rocks the boots off of anyone in its way.



So after Hopewell, we headed back to find a way to smoke a cigarette. As we're making our way through the hot and sweaty (and might I add smelly) crowd, I saw him. Yes, Mr. Courtney Taylor from The Dandy's. He was coming toward us, so I turned to Liz and pointed ahead. Perhaps too many beers, perhaps it's just Liz, but she made for my favorite moment of the night.

As we passed by Mr. Dandy, Liz screams into his ear, "You're GREAT!" Mr. Dandy replied, just as loud, and rather oddly, "Whyyyy?" Don't ask. I didn't. I just touched his arm so I could say I touched Courtney Taylor. Yeah, I'm that cool.

And it was only downhill from there. Courtney and Brent DeBoer from The Dandy's played an acoustic set that was nothing short of disappointing. For the first song, people in the crowd actually had to shush everyone around them, partly because you couldn't hear or understand what Courtney was singing, and partly because no one even knew they were playing. Song after song sounded exactly the same. They even butchered two Beatles songs, slowing them down and mumbling the words. Come on Courtney, you know you are better than that. They ended with a BJM cover in which Anton would have surely started a fight over. I like acoustic sets. I like the Dandys. But that had to be the worst performance I had ever seen.




I scored a DIG! poster and matches and then needed some air. I guess Courtney himself was questioning his own greatness that night.