Sunday, May 27, 2007

Jazz Jubilee & Willemina's with the Tip Top Trio!

Yesterday was day two of Sacramento's annual Jazz Jubilee. I normally detest the entire function on the basis of serveral things. One is it completely clogs up all of downtown/oldtown. It makes driving and parking in these areas near to impossible. Next I am not all that fond of the whole traditional jazz thing. And I associate the event with loads and loads of white haired people with fanny packs and overpriced mardi-gras beads. Not the image I would like to associate with my fondness for other types of jazz, you know?

The jazz jubilee gods, whomever they may be have I think tried over the last couple of years to make things better. They have spread the event to other areas of Sacramento which has helped to alieviate some of the congestion. Also they have designated certain areas for different types of jazz so it is easier to find and hear what you like. Last year I went to the jazz jubilee and spent my entire time at the Swing Emporium which they set up in the convention center. I loved it. Away from the heat, dust and noise of Old Town.


Well, I did'nt visit the Swing Emporium this year, because I have to say that I got a better offer! I had the opportunity to vend at Sacramento's best and only hot rod club, Willemina's! Jason and Syndi were kind enough to include me and Yoli (sacred snatch) in their jazz jubilee festivities.

Yoli came and picked me (and my huge rolling suitcase) up at my house at 11 something. The things were supposed to get rolling at 12...so we would be leisurely. Considering the traffic, we thought we should try and get their early-ish. So when we got their we decided to forgo the overpriced and crowded parking garages..we thought we would be real slick and park near the river and the railroad tracks where lots of other participants were parking. It was a bit of a walk to get to the club, but we thought worth the savings.

We rolled our way to Willemina's to find we were the first ones there! Old town was filling up with the white hairs, fanny packs and mardi gras beads, but the weather was beautiful and it wasnt horribly crowded, yet.

We went around to the back entrance where the band typically load in and found the gate and back door open.

We went in and got to work setting up our display. As we were finishing, Jason (club owner) came to us and asked "you guys wanna make some money today?"
Well, YES!
Jason suggested we set our stuff out in front of the club outside! Now, I don't know what other vendors had to pay for permits or space, but we felt pretty damn special that jason let us use his little bit of outside real estate to set up our wares!


Big, strong Jason helped up with the tables and chairs and Yoli and I went to work making everything pretty.



We had brought a very small version of what we normally sell, but I think it was a nice display of what we do. I went heavy on the hair flowers, because that is something I know sells almost anywhere, especially in the summer.



Our friend Dara Devil (sacred city roller derby) showed and helped to and then kindly took a photo of us in our Old Town Sacramento glory!



We joked that we don't have many pictures of us together because I always take her picture and she always takes mine. But here it is! :)




Vending outside was very nice and somewhat profitable indeed. It was not too hot and there was a very good mix of people milling by. I think we were really on a roll when jazz disaster struck!




A roving jazz marching band came along and parked themselves right in front of Willemina's. We thought it was amusing at first. They started their set with a fun horn filled version of Madness's "Our House". I got some video-you can check it out in my myspace videos. Then they kept playing. And playing. And playyyyyyyyyyyying. ugh. Jazz zombies from all corners of the jubilee came and with video cameras and glazed eyes and mouth breathing and stopped right in front of our table. The sidewalk jammed. The area clogged. Fanny packs and well fed booties knocked and shook our table. Hair flowers went flying. Sales died.




At some point I went for a potty (and drink!) break inside with Dara. Then we got stuck ourselves because Sacramento's own Tip Top Trio well well in swing! So I watched in the cool, dark space of Willemina's as those boys were tearin' it up.




I went back upstairs and was happy to see the marching band has ceased and moved on. The bad news was, so did every body else. With Dara's prompting, Yoli and I decided to call it a day and we went back down stairs to enjoy the rest of Tip Top Trio's set.

We ordered up some beers, chicken wings and fries and made ourselves real comfortable right in the very front of the club! It was just great.





I freaking LOVE this band. We chatted here and there during their breaks. I learned they played on Thursday night, they played their 5 hour show that day at Willemina's, they had a party they were playing that night and they have another 5 hour gig at Willemina's today (sunday.)


I joked with them they were in the midst of a "Rockabilly Triathalon"! They are some crazy dedicated musicians, and real swell guys, too.


When the show was "over" Dara and I went out to the back patio of Willemina's for some rockabilly improv sing along silliness courtesy of Tip Top Trio and members of the Maniac Cadillacs. I laughed so hard I screwed up my eyeliner and made my face hurt. Good stuff.


Yoli had ducked out to tend to her "day job". And as Willemina's was being set up for a private party, Dara and I made our exit.


Dara was driving me home when I got a phone call from Yoli saying that she was done working and our friend Marcella was "on a mission" and that I should meet them at Benny's. Well, Dara turned the car around but as we pulled up to Benny's we realized that at barely 8pm the place was not even open yet. I called Yoli back and we settled on Sacramento's "Depot" a local gay bar. I had never been there, and was a little wary about hanging out by myself there waiting for my girls. I tried to beg Dara to come with me, but she had hungry doggies waiting for her at home.


So looking like a rockabilly drag queen with what I started refering to as my "satelite dish" on my head,(I made a giant arrangement of my favorite stargazer lillies especially for the jazz jubilee.) I went into the depot for a beer.


Soon enough the girls came and Marcella bought a pitcher. Good conversation and I enjoyed the breeze coming through the open Depot windows and how empty midtown was with everyone down at the jubilee or gone for the weekend.

We then decided on going on to Benny's, now that it was later. Yoli busted out her fun light up hooka with some tasty mango tabacco. We smoked and had beers till it was just too chilly to stay out side. ( I was also getting annoyed with some drunktarded sorority type chicks loudly singing some crappy top forty song.)

Our next plan was to see the White Barons play at the Distellery. En route, I decided to text Amy to make sure I had not missed her play. He answered back via voicemail that their van broke down and the show had been cancelled. Bummer!

We ended our evening at Hot Rod's for a bite to eat and really crappy music videos. (fun to make fun of!)

2 comments:

RedDiabla said...

I always loved the Jazz Jubilee...walking around Old Town and K St. Mall hearing the clash of all the different jazz bands. Sounds like they've expanded it and made it better, though.

You're having too much fun!

amy is the party said...

Nice! You should blog this on the SCM blog!

I can't wait for the Get Made show!