Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Jason says Farewell to the Hypnodrome, then rocks out with a few 80's Power Ballads

Happy Valentine's Day (a few days week later) loyal readers!

Of course, I spent it with my loves. First and most important, my girlfriend.

Second, the Hypnodrome and the Thrillpeddlers. I was there when they opened 13 years ago with Welcome to the Hypnodrome (even before, when they were doing their Shocktoberfest show out of the old Odeon Bar,) and eventually the party had to end. I hate to use the "G" word, but I'm afraid they're being gentrified out of the city. But not until one last hurrah, with an immediacy and intimacy that made it a truly special show. This wasn't an audience coming to watch a show, this was a family celebrating an era while mourning it's end, with all the laughter, tears, singing, and drinking that entails. And it ended with a promise that their currently-in-rehearsal show Amazon Apocalypse will go on...somewhere, somehow. Here's hoping that's not the end.

And then third, I made my way back to the Roxie for Indiefest's traditional Power Ballads Sing-A-Long. More drinking, more singing, more 80s outfits and outrageous hair. But I didn't need a wig, and I got enough head-banging in for it to hurt the next day (Shot Through the Heart always does that to me.) Another beautiful tradition.

Running Time: 60 minutes (approximately how long I stayed for the Power Ballads)
My Total Minutes: 419,067

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