Zappa Plays Zappa

So I'm sure you've all been sitting on the edge of your seats wondering how I made out Wednesday night at the Zappa Plays Zappa concert. I'm happy to report that I not only survived it but kind of had a good time.

We went out for some Chinese food first and then drove in to Raleigh, got a great parking spot and got on the line to wait for the doors to open. At that point, I was the YOUNGEST person on the line. And if I do say so myself, the hottest. I was looking pretty darn good that night. Why I put in the effort, I'm not sure. But dressing pretty made me feel better about going out.

Anyway, the place was tiny - Like an old movie theater but with no seats. There was a U-shaped balcony with some stools and that's where we went because there was no way I was going to stand the whole time. So we're sitting there with one hour to go until show time and I'm surrounded by drunk 60 year old men! It was so freakin bizarre! As the time got closer I started seeing kids walking around with their parents - I thought that was a little strange, too.

The show starts and I have to admit, they were AMAZING!! I was shocked. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was so NOT my kind of music but the band was honestly and truly amazing. And can I just say...Dweezil Zappa is just still so darn adorable! I mean, he was a hottie in the 80's and he's still a hottie now. It made the show a lot more tolerable to have some eye candy.

They played for 2 solid hours and really the last 45 minutes kind of rough for me. I had a good time, I enjoyed myself, but at that point it was just time to go. It was an early night - we were home by 11:15 but I still felt like we had a fun night out. I was a good wife, I gave my husband a great birthday present that he truly loved and I got a night out.

Life is good.

The Give & Take of Marriage

Frank and I have been together for 20 years now. He is five years older than I am. We have completely different tastes in music, movies and television shows. We have found that fine balance in life where we each get to enjoy what we like without isolating the other.

Until tonight.

If I were honest, I'd say that Frank is WAY more giving than I am. Not in all things, mind you, but in a lot of things. The TV in the living room is his domain and we do not watch ANYTHING unless he wants to. Luckily there is a TV in our bedroom that I go to when I just cannot stand another documentary or classic movie on TMC. I don't make him watch Entertainment Tonight. I've learned to enjoy Jeopardy.

Riding in the car is the hardest. We've taken very long trips in virtual silence for long periods of time because we cannot agree on a radio station or a CD. I am an 80's rock kind of gal and he is a 70's rock kind of guy. BIG difference. To him, all of the big hair bands of the 80's are awful, untalented, heinous and annoying. In other words, they suck. While to me the 70's music that he listens to like Led Zepplin, Rush, Genesis (with Peter Gabriel) are just too damn annoying for words. I hate them all.

But being that he is a giving person, he has taken me to see quite a few concerts of 80's bands (Like the Def Leppard/Poison/Cheap Trick show this summer) while I have cheerfully bought tickets for him for shows and sent him off with a friend or two to enjoy.

Until tonight.

Tonight, my friends, I am going to have to sit and endure something that I never, ever, EVER wanted to experience. I am going to a show with Frank tonight as part of his birthday present (my present to him for HIS birthday) to see...man, I don't even want to type it...Zappa Plays Zappa. Yes, for those of you who can remember the 70's, I'm talking about the music of Frank Zappa. And yes, if you are thinking "Hey, isn't Frank Zappa dead?" you would be correct. That's right...this isn't even the actual artist coming and performing, it is his SON, Dweezil, who is putting on this show.

There are NO WORDS at this point to describe my dread. And to add to the joy of it all, I have cramps and a sinus infection. I should be a barrel of laughs tonight shouldn't I?

My poor husband. My poor, poor, husband.