"Stupid Whores" and Stuff

Doug took me to the SoCo shops on Friday before the Erasure concert. I've never been to any of them, although I've been in the area a zillion times. Awesome stuff there- from antiques to handmade jewelry to furniture, to a quartet of taxidermied squirrels playing rock band instruments... Interesting to say the least.

Lucy in Disguise was my favorite store, I think. Any costume you could ever imagine is there. Just tons and tons of outfits, shoes, wigs, masks, jewelry... anything for dressing up. They're already selling for Halloween, so get there quick to avoid the crowds.

Frankmusik opened for Erasure. He was pretty good. I'll have to look him up on iTunes. Erasure was so awesome. Their new songs are very 80s (yay!). They mostly played old tunes though. Andy Bell took off his first shirt pretty early on, and immediately replaced it with a t-shirt, but I am certain he did that whole thing only to show off the fact that he is totally RIPPED at 47. Dang impressive. I could have done without the two backup singers. By that I mean- I wished the entire concert that they weren't there at all. They were really annoying.

We were all up and dancing next to our seats. The biggest audience reaction by far was for "A Little Respect." My all-time favorite song of theirs is "Oh L'amour," which they also performed to an enthusiastic response. Totally took me back to my college dance club days, when my friends and I would scream and run to the dance floor if we weren't already there when it came on.

We had first-row mezzanine seats, which are perfection. It's a smallish place, and from that vantage point, you're really close and can see everything. Plus, a couple of major arguments broke out on the GA floor. Ridiculous. I know from being on the floor at Duran Duran at the Music Hall that you are packed in there like sardines, and unless you are 6'4, you can't see a thing. We ended up making our way to the back of the floor section at Duran Duran, and hanging out at the bar that night, where we actually had air to breathe and space to see over people's heads. So your ACL Live tip o' the day is to get Mezzanine seats.

There was an after-party at the venue, which was really cool, although I think it should have been on the lower floor, rather than the mezzanine, so mobs of people aren't trying to exit and enter at the same time through one tiny door. Gah. ACL Live is perfectly set up for that sort of thing though, with an expansive outdoor area. And of course the gorgeous W hotel is next-door, as a convenient alternative after-concert hangout.

The football game yesterday was loads of fun, except for most of the second half, where we derailed and lost it. I hate to complain, but how many freakin' times does their offense have to run the same play before our defense covers that guy??!?!?!?!!! YEESH.

Wait, one more complaint... against our opponent... Incomplete pass ruled complete, and followed by a quick snap so we couldn't ask for a review? Brilliant strategy. Wonder how that played out on TV, because it was pandemonium at the stadium.

Our season ticket neighbor, Adrian, brought his buddy John, who was wearing a very special ring... his Texas A&M SWC Cotton Bowl ring! So. Cool.

Lauren brought her very good friend, Tobi, who is a German exchange student whose house dad is an Aggie. After the game, we had dinner in Bryan. Funniest convo ever, started with him asking me how much German I know.

Me: ...actually, I took Latin in high school.
Tobi: Oh I HATE Latin. We have to take it at school.
Me: Latin is awesome!
Lauren: Why do you hate it?
Tobi: We just translate it and don't ever speak it. We translate old, boring texts like... stories about stupid wars.
Lauren (shocked): Stupid whores?
Tobi: Stupid whores? I don't know how to translate that to Latin, but I have a great app that does. (*gets out iPhone*) How do you spell it? S-T-U-E...?
Lauren: S-T-U-P-I-D...
Tobi: Then H...
Lauren: W-H-O-R-E-S
Tobi (laughing): Oh! I thought you said "stupid H-O-R-S-E!"

We were all about on the floor!