Things I Cannot Say Out Loud: to an Annoying Wedding Guest

Originally created on 7/19

Thupergroup played a wedding last night. As a show goes, it was a long affair; we were booked for 4 hours of playing time, including breaks between sets.

During the only break that we ended up taking, with the iPod dance music blaring from the speaker directly above me, I was approached by a man who asked me if I was in the band. "Yes", I responded, thinking that this could have been confirmed with a simple look at any moment over the past hour. Given that our first set was fairly soft, only livening up to the point of "Rock This Town" and "Rock and Roll All Night", it made sense when this man asked if we were going to play rock music, and I said, "Yes, we're saving it for later."

However, over the course of the second set, this same man took a number of opportunities, between songs, to shout "Roxy Music!", and look at me expectantly. Meanwhile, the look on my face should have said "What the hell is Roxy Music?"

It turns out that Roxy Music was a band, in the 70's, and probably a fairly influential one, sporting the likes of Brian Eno in their lineup. ...and "Roxy Music" is apparently what he had originally said to me, and I had heard as "rock music". Should I know this band? I don't see why I would--my parents didn't raise me on any music except for Abba and Roger Whitaker; my friends don't talk about them; my radio stations don't play them.

Regardless, when we were done, 40 songs and 3 hours later, we were tired and worn, and still needed to tear down our gear, sound system included. The Roxy Music fan was leaving, but used the occasion of passing me by(while I was wrapping cables and packing equipment) to point and me and say, "You are disappointing," with a big smile on his face. This probably was meant to be edgy and facetious, but it looked a little bit more like "drunk" and "annoying". ...and because he apparently felt a need to put more of a point on it, he added, "Roxy Music--learn it!"

...and what can I not say out loud, at that point?....

"Thanks, you disappoint me too; not for having not experienced a band, though. You disappoint me for being a failure of tact and social grace. So, the next time that you learn and perform 40 songs in one show, I will make very sure to criticize you for what you have not accomplished. Your musical obsession has nothing to do with me or my band, and your choices in asserting that obsession to me were rude and tasteless. I will listen to Roxy Music if you promise to never reproduce."

Here's to catharsis. Cheers.