My Ears are Still 'Ringing in' the New Year

Scott Hardie | January 2, 2003
Last night I went to a Southern Culture on the Skids show across town with some friends. Man, those guys put on a great show! The crowd was whipped into a frenzy by the first couple of songs, all barnstormers (which is an especially appropriate term for this band I guess). They did the tossing-fried-chicken-into-the-crowd thing, they did the costumes thing (the drummer was Baby New Year in only an adult diaper and sash), they did the audience-members-joining-them-on-stage-thing. They didn't do the song I most wanted to hear, but I can hardly complain, it was an excellent show. And it was such a small show (maybe 100 of the 400 attendees were still around by the time it ended) that I got to meet them backstage and get autographs. I can finally say I've met a celebrity in person instead of just communicating with them online. :-)

The downside of the concert was its effect on my ears. I got pinned in front of the speakers by the crowd for a few seconds, and my right ear has been painfully ringing since. There was also a heavy rain for the first 90 minutes or so, and some water got in my ears, and it feels like there's an infection starting. I've tried taking Advil for the throbbing headache but it's not helping. I guess I'm hung over without having had a drink. :-) Actually I did have a shot of champagne, and it tasted just as awful as the last time I drank alcohol, about ten years ago. Not a good part of the night.

I almost didn't make it because of my piece of shit fucking car. Actually I'm mad at Firestone, not at the car, because they already should have fixed it the first time. When I got back from Orlando, I drove the car around the block, and it seemed fine, so I figured it didn't need to be serviced again; the bad shit just needed to be driven out of the system and that was that. Then on Tuesday afternoon I set out to run errands (your gift is finally in the mail, Matt), and before long it started misfiring and sputtering something terrible. I immediately headed towards Firestone, and I'm glad I did, because smoke started pouring out from under the hood when I was pulling up. They said they couldn't deal with it until Thursday, so I had no choice but to leave it there and get a cab home. This cost $15, and it was not especially far, so a cab ride from my home to the northeast side of town for the concert would have cost $60-70. Do that twice and suddenly it's cheaper to stay home from the concert and buy off my friends' tickets (they were will call in my name). It's even worse to rent a car; I checked. But my friends reminded me why I call them friends by offering to trek across town to get me, let me stay with them overnight, and drive me back in the morning, before I could even mention the cab issue. So now I'm home and I'm housebound until tomorrow night, when I can get a ride to Firestone. I don't mind except that I'd like to see a doctor about my ear. But, this gives me a excuse to stay home and do my Ten Best Films list (which I was going to do anyway).

Anybody else have a good time on New Years Eve?

Scott Hardie | January 2, 2003
I guess I should have mentioned that it was an outdoor concert. That would explain the water in my ears.

Anna Gregoline | January 2, 2003
I figured, since rain inside buildings doesn't usually happen! Sorry you're hurting, I hope it isn't an infection, ear infections can be nasty, I hear. Sounds like a great concert though!

Jackie Mason | January 2, 2003
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Jackie Mason | January 2, 2003
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Scott Hardie | January 3, 2003
Sounds like a good New Years. I haven't seen "Chicago" yet - just opened in St. Pete today, and will probably expand. I'll see it in the next week or two. I have only seen him act, not sing, but I am one of the only people who likes Richard Gere. :-)