A Faux Pas Or How I Met Japandroids

Fire-spitting Vancouver party-punk duo Japandroids played the Biltmore, this past Saturday night. After weeks of waffling, which included me selling my ticket to a friend and then debating until nearly showtime whether or not I wanted to try lining up for a ticket at the door to the otherwise sold out show, I ultimately decided not to go. I passed for many reasons, most of all because other shows came up, and I figured the hometown boys would have been back soon enough.

My night, in lieu of Japandroids, ended with me and my friend Peter at the Rumpus Room, a hipster bar/restaurant with, admittedly, the best music I've heard in that kind of joint. Near the tail-end of our time there, as Peter spoke, my attention kept wandering over to someone who looked incredibly familiar. It turned out I was correct to have been curious - that the person I was eyeing was anyone of even slight significance: it was David Prowse, Japandroids' drummer.

I pointed out Dave to Peter, and while I calculated the precise right moment to catch Dave's attention, Peter, more impulsively, blurted out, "How was the show?" So, the three of us chatted a bit, and not only did it totally not occur to me to bring up my one even slightly noteworthy bit of conversation (me essentially having missed them three years ago because their Halifax show was cut short), but I told Dave I didn't go to their show that night which was only one block away; in fact, I told him, I sold their ticket because other shows came up. Whoops. But hey ... anyone who's real should appreciate not getting his or her ass kissed ... Anyway, I eventually approached guitarist/lead vocalist Brian King, and I remembered to run my Halifax story by him, a gig he called "a shit-show." I agreed and promised I'd catch them next time they were in town which, Dave told me, could possibly be in December after their current tour; I told him I'd be here.

Overall, I didn't talk to either Brian or Dave very long, but they were both super-chill, approachable guys. And even as Dave was busy talking on his phone, he still smiled and waved to me as I passed him on my way out. Maybe next time, I'll remember to remind them that we ran into each other at the Rumpus Room.