This post is a day late, as yesterday I had to render myself useless. Most people do so after a long night of drinking; I, on the other hand, have to do so after a long day and night of ass kicking, because my Fibromyalgia, among other things, like to kick my ass in return. Good thing I don’t take no for an answer.
Lions by Sarah Gray-Perez
I woke up at 6:30 on Tuesday morning, got a bunch of things done, then hopped in my car, drove across the GW, and picked up my buddy Sarah and her two-year-old son Julian so that we could go to the Bronx Zoo. I spent a good percentage of my childhood years there, marveling at the elephants. Unfortunately the elephants were not out, but we got to see all the big cats, which excites me almost as much. On one hand, the zoo makes me sad, but on the other, relieved that the animals are safe. I often wish that lions were not carnivorous or at all interested in sometimes hurting humans who get too close, because all I want to do is cuddle with one. They are magnificently gorgeous creatures, who I often compare Rusty, my orange/blonde striped Domestic Long Hair cat to – not only because of his color, but also because of his attitude, saunter, and very large paws. I also say he yawns like a lion, and received confirmation as I walked over to the Bronx Zoo lions and witnessed one yawn twice. An exact replica of what I witness on a daily basis.
Jesse Blaze Snider at Highline Ballroom © Olivia Taubner/Rockin' Roll Photography
After I dropped them home, I parked my car and took the A train downtown to 14th with my friend Sara(without an h). It was time to head over to Highline Ballroom to interview Jesse Blaze Snider – who yes, is the son of Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider, one of the best frontmen in the history of music, but more than anything a huge talent in his own right. I think we’ve talked about doing an interview for at least two years now. So at long last, we had 15 minutes to sit down backstage and talk amongst the members of seven bands beginning to change and prepare for the show. Once we finished, the doors weren’t opening for another half hour, and the show wasn’t starting for an hour after that, so Sara and I decided to go get dinner and regroup before heading back to Highline once again.
Snider headlined a showcase of local bands titled “All Things Rock” put together by Break’n Through, to benefit VH1’s Save The Music Foundation, which is one of my absolute favorite charities in existence. I spotted Paulie Z. (according to Paulie’s Twitter, his brother David Z. was there as well) from rock band ZO2, who have their own show Z Rock on IFC (Sundays @11/10c), as well as Kevin Christiana from season 4 of Bravo’s Project Runway, although I didn’t know it at the time. Sara and I knew we knew him – but not from where. He appeared to be a chick magnet, and later an excited drunk in front of the stage, with his friend constantly yelling in my ear about who he was – “He’s Kevin Christiana! Uh, Jesse just thanked him onstage! Didn’t you hear?! Do you want to take his photo?!” – while I was photographing Snider’s set. Interesting, to say the least. As we walked down west 16th after leaving the venue Sara shouted “Project Runway!” and an episode with Christiana flashed by in my memory. DUH.
After grabbing a Dunkaccino to heal my exhausted mind and my ailing back and shoulder region due to a half broken camera bag that weighs more than I do, we collapsed on the A train and then drove back home to “Dirty Jerz.”
FYI, only a selection of exits along the Turnpike are ACTUALLY dirty, but thanks for such a swell nickname.
VH1’s Save The Music Foundation: http://www.vh1savethemusic.com/
Break’n Through: http://www.breaknthrough.com
Jesse Blaze Snider: http://www.facebook.com/JesseSniderMusic
Fibromyalgia Research: http://www.nfra.net/
xoxo
Olivia
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