This series was meant for Intraffik.com, but I'm posting this series here.
My real job has taken me to the San Francisco area on a temporary basis (I fly back and forth between LAX and SFO on the weekends). I spent my first week hanging around my hotel. That wasn’t all that interesting so during my second week I ventured out to get a taste of the San Francisco music scene. Now did I decide to check out a San Francisco band? No. Not only was the answer ‘no’, but the name of the band I saw was called NO. I decided to check out the Los Angeles-based band called NO.
They were playing a show at the Rickshaw Stop. Before heading to the Rickshaw Stop, I needed to do some pre-research on the BART system as I have no car here in the Bay area. Though I admit I would rather have a car while in the San Francisco area the BART does provide decent transportation; however, it would be nice if the system ran later into the night. I got to the Rickshaw Stop a little too early so spent some time walking around the area. Just across the street a jazz program was going on in an auditorium and many folks were dressed to impress.
I then headed back to the Rickshaw Stop and noticed a sign on the wall: Sold Out. Not cool. I stuck around the door. After a few moments, one of the employees I had briefly talked to a few minutes earlier came by and said that there were actually ten tickets left at the counter. Yes, cool.
While in line I got into a brief conversation with those who also wanted the last ten tickets. Two guys in front of me were from South Africa. A woman beside me noticed that I had a Duke jacket on and said, “I’m moving to North Carolina for school in a month.” I responded, “Are you moving to RTP?” For those of you not in the know RTP means Research Triangle Park. “No, Asheville.” I also learned that she grew up in Los Angeles. Interesting connections there: Los Angeles San Francisco North Carolina.
An interesting note: none of us at the front of the line had ever been to the Rickshaw Stop.
My question to the door guy: Do you allow cameras?
I did not bring a camera to the Rickshaw Stop. I did not know their policy and if their policy was a no camera policy I would be in a bind as my mode of transportation was the BART. One can’t exactly stash a camera back in one’s car when you have no car. The response was a positive so I plan to bring a camera the next time I go to the Rickshaw Stop.
The doors opened at 9 pm, but NO -- the first band of the night -- did not go on until 10:30 pm. This might be a cultural adjustment I need to make while in San Francisco – start time being the adjustment. I am making this assumption based on one venue on one night so we’ll see how that cultural assumption holds up.
Interesting notes about NO.
The DJ made the announcement: We’d like to now welcome NO to the stage.
A couple of the band members stuck their heads out from the backstage and took a look at the stage. I don’t know exactly what they were thinking, but I guess they assumed based on their vantage point that it wasn’t yet time for them to go on stage. They returned to the backstage. After a couple minutes passed, the DJ made his way through the packed crowd and went into the back. NO soon exited with sheepish looks on their faces.
It didn’t take long for NO to show why their under-stated stage presence is very commanding. Here is my opinion: there is so much meaning in just the simple hand movements of NO’s lead singer.
Interesting note about me.
I had a large smile during their set. I also got misty eyed as I realized how my time in SF is going to force me to miss out on much of the Los Angeles music scene – though I do have the weekends.
Interest note about technology.
I’m a credit card guy. So when I noticed they were taking credit cards I quickly put my money back in my pocket and took out my credit card. They were accepting payments via Square, my first time interacting with this technology. The door gal swiped my card. I signed with my finger. And a couple seconds later I got an unexpected text message saying that my credit card had just been charged.
And here is a non-music related observation: What is the big learning I’ve taken away traveling back and forth between Los Angeles and San Francisco? If you park in Lot C and fly out from Terminal 1 via Southwest or the other airlines using that terminal here is a “speed” suggestion if you don’t mind walking: On a Friday night you can walk to Lot C and drive to Glendale, CA in about 1 hour. This has been tested twice. If you wait for the Lot C shuttle (tested once), it can take 1 hour just to get out of the LAX airport. (The Lot C shuttle really slows down to a crawl around Terminal 3.) A caveat is how much luggage you’re hauling around with you. A backpack and a roller, not a problem. If you have more than that, you’re going to need the shuttle.
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