If He Starts Wearing Makeup It's Over

For the past year Rigel and two of his friends have been getting together every Sunday night from nine to midnight and renting a rehearsal space. There, along with Mitch (drums) and Mark (guitar) my art director husband slings on his bass and invokes the souls of all his rock deities. Although, seeing as I have never been to any of these 'jam sessions,' there was always the chance that not a note of music was ever played, and the three men were holed up in that room drinking Stoli and spanking hookers with amp cords.

My suspicions were unfounded, though, because last weekend they had their first gig and their hard work was put on display for all of our friends and family. It took place at BB Kings Blues Club on Universal City Walk which was pretty exciting considering they had never played together in public. They had to come up with a name quickly and decided on Nine2Midnight (get it?) after completely rejecting my suggestion of PimptasticThree. As you can tell I just couldn't let the drunk hooker thing go.

(City Walk is an area of shops and restaurants located next to Universal Studios - this thrilled Kira and Kiyomi and could have only been topped if Rigel had played in the Disneyland parade or at a Pokémon convention.)

I know I'm a little partial, but I thought their band was awesome. This was the first time Rigel had played in public since high school and also the first time I had ever seen him perform on stage. I'm not really a rock fan, my tastes run more towards funk and R&B, but by the end of the first number I was doing the 'pinky-forefinger' point and yelling things like, "You shred goddammit" and "More beer!"

All my photos came out blurry, which is good in a way. Because if there is one thing that's going to convince Rigel that we need a new camera it's the thought that all future photos of his crowning moments on stage will look this crappy:



As you can imagine, I was so proud, and started imagining my future as a rock star wife. We could move to England and re-name our daughters Apple and Fifi Trixibelle. I would dabble in Kabbalah and begin drinking heavily and try to break up the band with my boorish behavior. My fantasy came to an abrupt halt when I realized that the tugging on my arm was not Bono pulling me through a thronging crowd at the Grammys but Kiyomi begging me to order her another Shirley Temple.

Rigel had talked a friend and former co-worker, Michelle, from this band, into singing some vocals along with them. Kira and Kiyomi are hugely impressed with Michelle, not only for her singing voice, but for the fact that one of her songs was chosen for the soundtrack of "Zoe 101." Really, if only one of Rigel's tunes could make it onto a Nickelodeon show, he would have his daughters' eternal love and admiration.

Following Nine2Midnight was this band, made up of thirteen year olds! Who are very talented and have been been playing together since they were eleven, which means that by the time they are fifteen they are destined for a segment on VH1's Behind The Music. Mitch's son is the drummer in this band. Kira and her friends were fascinated by them, and when I caught a glimpse of the girls gazing, the same way I used to stare at my Peter Frampton poster, I knew the Devil's Music had gotten hold of them. When they started swaying and holding up lighters I told them to knock it off and put out those cigarettes while you're at it.

Ever since the show we have been using the words 'Rock Star' very frequently. Such as, "Please take out the recyclables, Rock Star" and "Can you stop at Starbucks and get me a tall, percent Rock Star." We're joking, but I know the seed has been planted and the three of them are planning where their next performance is going to be. I'll let you know if he quits his day job, or starts wearing lycra, or if I can score you some good tickets, cause you know, I'm with the band.

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