“When I want your opinion I’ll beat it out of you.” —T-shirt on a large man leaving the Meeting Street Piggly-Wiggly this morning.
Hey Kids! Do you like the Punk Rock?
Apparently a lot of local folk (and a few from New York) do, packing a secret pop-up art gallery above Vanity, next to the old Millennium Music, for a party for The World/Inferno Friendship Society punk cabaret. Entry to the club was carefully monitored and required donning one of those rubber Lance Armstrong “wrist-strong” bracelets, albeit in Spoleto black.
Caroline Nuttall, publisher of Charlie online magazine, greeted us with a potato-launcher of positive energy. “I’m so glad you’re here! Have you tried these cheesesteak springrolls!”
It’s hard not to be positive when you’re Caroline and Stella Nova hair-did you up with this awesome Valley of the Dolls mohawk a la Stella Nova salons.
They say the economic downturn could be a boon to the arts. Olivia Pool was talking to filmmaker Justin Nathanson about the WALK gallery project, which puts local artwork in empty storefront windows. And we were standing in an unrented apartment that Benjamin Hollingsworth had swung a deal for a few months to display his giant canvases, leaned up against the walls. Hollingsworth is a former Charleston Battery midfielder who played a little in Europe as well, where soccer is known as “European Kickball.”
Elin Cate of Charleston Chemist loved “Bad Ideas.” She said an older lady in soft-soled shoes in the bathroom at the Simons Center liked it too, but told her she needed earplugs. Hadn’t seen Elin since the party for Laurie Anderson last year. “I walked up to Lou Reed,” she said. “I said ‘Hi, I’m Elin,’ he said, ‘Hi, I’m Lou,’ and then I was like, Now what the f—- do I say?”
Cassidy Burns and Aileen Brown were down from New York, lounging on a queen-sized bed in the middle of the room. Cassidy gave “Bad Ideas” three thumbs up. (But the question is, out of how many thumbs?) Her dad James Burns, formerly of J.Bistro, now of JBC catering, served up some of the best, most filling stand-and-eat party food we’ve seen in lo these many years. Pickled shrimp in Chinese soup spoons, sesame noodle salad with seared tuna, meatball panini.
Senior Superlatives and other Fun facts:
*Most fashionable: Kari Kaldon in a gown by Mary Porter, made of duct tape and tarp and mesh and stuff.
*Charlie’s photographer, Matthew Morse, set up shoot-yourself photo booth in the entrance.
*Deejays: Bubble Guts Brothers (Hunter Bazaco and Tony Mele)
*Despite a bed right in the middle of the room, as of 12:30 none of the cast members of Don John had shown up to re-enact any of their boudoir moves.
*People familiar with the Bad Idea Jeans ad from SNL in the eighties: 0 out of the 11 we asked.
*Answers to the question “Do You Have Any Addictions or Bad Ideas?”
“Vicodin”
“Shopping”
“Hanging out with the Punch Brothers last night till 4 am”
“Pit Bull dogfights”
*Best Peter Lorre imitation: Me. “Riiick! Riiick!”
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