(My friend Mario was in charge of the lights and let me take this great pic from the center!)
The first stop of the night was the Blender, where I saw Duff McKagan's Loaded play their very first NYC show. Anyone who knows me well KNOWS that I need the occasional Guns N' Roses fix and in 2009, THIS was it =)
(me and a few beers with the stage in the back)
No amount of wishful thinking (and hoping) would have brought out Axl and Slash (and Izzy) but Duff DID put on an AWESOME punk show, throwing in GNR classics like Dust N' Bones... I did however leave early to head to Irving for Joey Ramone's birthday bash and hear Fishbone for the first time, missing It's So Easy and Bumblefoot (NO COMMENT) so missing one of my all-time favorite GNR songs was slightly regrettable...
(Duff is SO damn cool!)
(A vintage looking shot of Duff on stage in B & W)
(me right by the stage with Duff RIGHT THERE!)
Once I got to Irving (with a LOVELY buzz - thanks Royce & Tracy!) I went up to the VIP balcony (thanks Jerome!) to continue celebrating my birthday (if you have yet to figure it out, YES I celebrate ALL MONTH LONG!) with a few beers and stories.. Fishbone was fantastic and even threw a girl off the stage for her very first stagedive with the crowd cheering them on!
(me from the VIP balcony during Fishbone's set)
(Fishbone from the VIP Balcony at Irving Plaza)
The coolest part of the night was hanging out backstage with the band's base player, John in the dressing room... I totally stole their Hershey's Kisses and a couple of grapes off the fruit plate (my buzz was in HIGH gear) and yet he was still kind enough (and/or drunk/high enough) to indulge me with a picture!
(me with Fishbone's base player John, in the dressing room)
I then had a chance to hang out with the Punk Pipers, who have annually closed out the Birthday Bash every year with a killer rendition of Happy Birthday on bagpipes! They were a LOT of fun and we had a blast taking pictures before joining them on the staircase and sidestage to watch their set!
(me and the Punk Pipers - AWESOME guys and great fun!)
(me at the bottom of the staircase on the stage before the Punk Pipers BDay tribute)
After the show, I went out with Joey, Angelo and John Steward to 119 (right downstairs of Irving) for a drink before journeying home on the AWFUL MTA past-midnight trains, not getting to bed until 5am...
(me with Angelo and John Steward at 119 after the Bash)
A memorable birthday for MANY A REASON... and a great night had by ALL =)
(Thanks to Joey C. for snapping the great pics)
