Last week, my little sister came to visit and we had big plans to see MGMT at the Fox Theater in Oakland. I had never been to the Fox or seen MGMT, and she had never taken the 1 bus. Oh what a time it was bound to be.
We were so excited to see our favorite metal mystics that we decided it would be a good idea to start ramping up for the show at 3 pm...nearly seven hours before they were actually due to go onstage. After a chilly deck session filled with a lot of Sofia Coppola Blanc de Blanc canned wine and Wyder's Ciders, these bus hoppers were more than ready to hope on the 1.
On our journey to the bus we encountered many treasures on the ground...piles of shoes, fold up beds, and old teddy bears.
Once we got on the 1, we found a lovely spot in the middle of the bus (the part that moves around like the tea cups at Disneyland). Our brains felt like we were experiencing 1979 all over again, but we hadn't even arrived at the show yet.
After a long ride we reached the Fox and were enamored by the shiny marquee and helpful patrons. However, we were a bit confused by our balcony seats and in the depths of my mind I had a feeling that our free spirits might not be welcomed in the balcony world.
The show began in the lovely Bollywood-style re-vamped venue. The opening band, Francis and the Lights, had some cool moves, though it was hard to decipher who in fact was Francis. Bbay sister and I stood up during Francis and the Lights and kept standing for MGMT.
We just so happened to be in the very front of the balcony (which is tiered, so even if you do happen to be standing, those behind you can still see). After some lovely new and old songs, we received a tap on the back from a man behind us. He wanted us to sit down because his legs hurt...in our melted taffy minds we decided to compromise. We promised to sit down for the next song but would definitely be standing for the rest of the show. Remember when we were at a concert?
After some intense dancing in our seats he apologized and said we could stand. It was then that I realized who this individual was...a former GSI from an English class. It may have seemed more surprising prior to the concert but at the time and still at this moment he seems lazy and most likely library-bound.
Baby sister and I ignored the haters who didn't know any of the songs and stomped the yard instead, singing along to the Megamountain hits.
After the fantastic show, I reached down to grab my jacket from my seat and found a surprise...a ransom note?! Someone (perhaps a member of a 1970s cult or a fellow bus hopper) had cross-stitched (I kid you not) a note telling us that we "sucked at dancing and were NOT getting on stage. So Sitcho' asses down" (with a upside-down arrow). I didn't know we were at an arts and crafts fair and though this note was random,I took it as a compliment. And god knows I love free art.
We left the Fox bewildered and a bit angry, but ready for more adventures. We finally found the bus stop for the 1 after stumbling around Telegraph and made our way onto an empty bus. We discovered a Plan B packet on the seat behind us and would have expected nothing less.
After a glazed maple donut and a long walk home we felt accomplished.
We had managed to upset a whole section of the Fox theater, but we still had a blast and as always the bus still had our back.
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