Cake and Grease
Last night, Geoff and I headed for the transit plaza at 5:45, and walked up to the MAX stop about forty seconds before the next bus arrived. I have never achieved more perfect transit timing, in Kansas City. Unfortunately, it was over 60 degrees outside, so there wasn't any horribly cold condition to escape with our masterful timing. I guess it's rare to align the luck we had with one of the three or four times a year when it's blistering cold in KC.

Anyway, the bus gently drifted to the Armour and Main stop, where we got off. I have been to Davey's Uptown more times than I can count, partially because I used to live such a short distance away that even I could run the whole way, but mostly because it's one of my favorite bars in town. But even though I have been there as many times as I have, I still, if I'm in the lead, walk right past its very unassuming door every time, and wind up catching myself about five steps later. After making the required corrective backtrack, we walked in, and encountered "Rebel Yell," the bourbon they're using to replace Old Crow as their well bourbon. I'm not sure why, but everybody got a free shot of it. We sipped it, and I, of course, almost threw up. I just can't do liquor.

The drink prices depended entirely on who poured them. When we got there, Geoff's draw of PBR was $2, and my pint of Sierra Nevada Pale was $3.75. Then, they had a shift change, and prices for any good beer on tap went to $3.50. We never complained. We just paid up and drank happily. Josh and Callie joined us soon after we got there, and Callie, who's underage, stuttered, telling the bartender the date on her fake ID. The bartender didn't seem to care though, as we were just in and out, and wouldn't be troubling anyone in the immediate vicinity with our boozing.

We walked the mile or so, over to the Uptown, and I was able to scalp my extra ticket with comical ease. We walked in, and headed straight for the bar, and were promptly charged nine dollars for each pour of Pale Ale. Geoff dropped $36 on his round, and we found that each of the four or five subsequent rounds that we purchased, through the rest of the night, would actually cost ten dollars a pour. I have never seen draught beer priced so ridiculously. Soon, we were all broke, but any depression that we may have experienced was quickly washed away by the comedic stylings of Eugene Mirman, and the over-the-top stage theatrics of the first opening band, Ukraine's Gogol Bordello. In all honesty, their performance eclipsed Cake's comparatively lackluster stage appearance, in my mind.

Cake came out almost three hours after the curtain went up, and played Frank Sinatra, Arco Arena, Love You Madly, Wheels, Comanche, Short Skirt Long Jacket, Comfort Eagle, Stick Shifts and Safety Belts, Guitar, Shadow Stabbing, Daria, Sheep Go To Heaven, No Phone, Ruby Sees All, Never There, and encored with Mexico and The Distance. They were on stage for perhaps an hour and twenty minutes, and quickly left, after the last song was played. I'm told they usually put on a better, longer show, so I guess I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. And, make no mistake, it was a fantastic time. I wasn't previously aware that I know the lyrics to basically all their songs, and had a great time singing along.

After the show, we said good night to Josh and Callie, and went over to the Hangout, a new(to us) bar on Broadway, across the street from the theatre, and found that there were DJs spinning rap music from the early 90s. The beat was great, and there was a dance-off going on. We'll have to go back, some time. At about two o'clock, we called Atlas Cab, and as always, they arrived in minutes, and Eddie, our driver, zoomed us over to Town Topic, for random jukebox music, pinball, and some delicious greaseball burgers. After "topic," we found that Eddie had timed his next fare perfectly to pull up just when we were planning to call him. He then proceeded to drive at over seventy miles per hour up Broadway, to drop us off in front of my place for a $3.50 fare. We got his card.

Alex interjected:
I hate you... I wish I would have gone to Cake.

1:58 PM, Jan 26, 2006

bahua brooked no delay in saying:
I would have sent out a plea for company, if the show hadn't been on a Tuesday.

6:05 PM, Jan 26, 2006

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