End o' Week Musings

No sleep for the rockin'....

Last Friday I went to an art salon at my friend Ngene Mwaura's home/studio. I got to preview some of his new work, which is really cool and I also met some very nice people.

Sunday I went to the Fox in Riverside to catch Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience. Wow! What a show. The band was awesome and the old home movies were fun. It was a very enjoyable evening. Now I'm all amped to see Jason when he comes through on tour with Black Country Communion, as he is one talented drummer and worth the price of admission no matter what band he's playing in. But Sunday was history and I was there...

Monday my brother Jason and I went to the Glass House in Pomona. We got in the venue in time to see Inferneon's set. The metal rockers were actually quite good, but their lead singer's rants against organized religion and other things were kinda funny. He also tried to get a response from the crowd by holding up a taxidermied ram's head. With his "property of satan" shirt, it was just too over the top to take seriously. I asked my brother which band member's dad is going to be mad when he sees his hunting trophy missing from the den. Truthfully, I would make a point to catch these guys on stage again if they open for anyone I plan to see, as musically they're pretty darn good.

Next up was The Casualities. This popular punk band is still hot. They got the audience moshing and played an energetic and explosive set. Well worth my time on the sidelines of the pit.

Finally it was time to see what we came for - Gwar. I love Gwar and have been a fan for years. When I worked on a music magazine I often covered the bands that no one else wanted, but with that I had the opportunity to discover some gems in the music scene. I had never heard of Gwar when I interviewed them and saw them for the first time, but after that amazing stage show I was hooked.

I have spent the bulk of my time with Gwar backstage, peeking out at the show and the crowd from the wings. A couple years ago I decided to be a true Gwar minion, I needed to see them from the "slave pit" in the audience. I came armed in my special white Pinky Star tank top, which has become my official Gwar shirt, and watched for a few minutes from the side before finding the right place in the pit. Then I went for it and got doused with "blood" and other fluids that spewed from the goingson on stage.

I really didn't think I got that coated, but when I got home, I realized that I had red over most of my face, hair and arms and all down the front of me. My shirt was dotted and splotched well enough to make any Gwar minion proud. It took two showers to get my normal skin tone back and it was worth every scrub! For my review and Jason's photos from this show, visit http://www.dabelly.com/ after Dec. 1.

Thursday was Thanksgiving so I did what millions of other Americans did... went shopping. I had to pick up a gift for a Toys For Tots drive next Wednesday at Maggie's in Santa Fe Springs and had some time, so it was a perfect fit. I only did the one store and came out with only a few other goodies, so I did well.

Later, my mother and I went to our friend Louise's brother's house for dinner. There were quite a few people and four rambuctious dogs, so it made for a lively evening.

I will be laying low this weekend, doing a few chores and visiting Carin and Tom. My next two weeks will be busy, as I have several dance gigs and lots of other little things to do. A bulk of my time will be spent here:

Group Show

McGinty's Gallery at the End of the World

2475 N. Lake Ave.

Altadena

626-794-8779

http://www.galleryattheendoftheworld.com/

Artists' reception 6-10 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, Free.

1st Friday Art Club 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Dec. 3, $5 - two bands and me dancing with my swords

Saturday Salon noon-6 p.m. Dec. 4, bring a potluck dish to share- barbecue and more.

Tie One On noon-6 p.m. Dec. 5, potluck dish welcomed - Sunday brunch and more.

The gallery has been a home for emerging and established artists of all media and genres and will be closing after this show. Be there for the history, stay for the culture and entertainment!

In rotation this week: Terrible Things, Taylor Swift and SETI-X.

Photos we got 'em: Me in my Gwar slave glory, a cute cow photo sent by my friend Bobby Boy and two pet pics off the Web.

Thought o' the Week: Be thankful. Keeping with the theme of the week, I know what being thankful is. I have gone through lots of things in my life and have learned to appreciate the simpliest stuff, such as having a warm and safe place to sleep and a good meal.

But being thankful should go further than that, it should include helping those less fortunate. I like it that there are many volunteer and donation opportunities during this time of the year. You can help dish out food, donate toys and other things. Still, this is only during the holiday season-- what about the rest of the year?

My friend Carin has been busy this year with a shoebox project. She has been filling small containers with a mix of useful items and tinkets and when she has a certain amount filled, the packages go to an organization which distributes them to needy children in her community.

At work, we receive a lot of books, DVDs and CDs. We use them for our stories and then donate the items to local libraries. I also take some of the books home for my mother to read and share with her friends at the senior center, which they return to me when they're done and then end up at a library.

There are many ways you can show your gratefullness by reaching out to your community with a donation of time, food, clothes and other items. Be thankful and pass it forward.

Keep on rockin'

Mickie