We're on our third week now of the Dark Tour, flippin' hair and glitter all over the southwest. Today we leave Austin and its madness behind, after turning the Red Fez into a riot, and ending the week being serenaded by my personal idol, Yoko Ono.
Check out a vicarious stop by stop run-through of our trip so far..
Waitin' for a cab in Portland, photo by Endresen Evans
Our first stop was in Portland where we had trannies tearing up the floor at the Ella Street Social Club..
Next up was spending some time in San Francisco, where I spun it out for some grizzlies at Bearracuda, and discogays at Viennetta Discotheque. In the mean time, Lisa had some run-ins with the cops while wheat-pasting herself all around the bay; if you're on the cover of magazines carry them with you, apparently it gets you out of anything (and into everything), much of the pasting and cop run-ins are chronicled on Lisa's Tumblr.
Can't rip us down..
In between promoting for our shows coming up later this month in SF and doing phone interviews with L.A. radio-stream Moheak, we took some time to let our Seattle skin soak up some sun and excercise, and try to scare some children of course.
Before we skipped town I got to see my favorite King and Queen, Joshua J, and momma Juanita More, do it up birthday style for Bootycall at Qbar, and snapped some locals. Road tripping has been crazy so I haven't had a chance to get those photos out yet but very soon!
Then it was time to hit the road to Los Angeles for our gig at Bardot in Hollywood. We arrived the night before and passed out, only to wake up and realize we were staying right on the beach which couldn't have been any better.
Tsunami free in L.A.
The tsunami had everyone in a panic but couldn't let that stop us from touching some sand and sleeping on the shore for a bit, and of course doing another paste.
Then we did our thing at Bardot the next night, it was an interesting change of crowd for us but they really got into it by the end and we had a blast.
Apparently Deadmau5, which we didn't realize until after our show, was playing through the door right behind us, it was a pretty surreal thing to walk in on (you can see a tiny little video Here on the book of my face.)
Afterwards, we slept for two hours, got up and started our insane non-stop 25 hour trek to Austin, Texas from L.A... something I never want to do again, although I'm writing this on the road from Austin to L.A., we at least have some time to stop and rest on this swing. Before leaving L.A., Lisa got this little beauty up on the beach at Playa Del Ray.
We charmed our way through border patrol but unfortunately not out of a speeding ticket, 66 in a 55? really? Our first taste of Texas patrol... the car also nearly melted two miles outside of Austin but we did, in fact, make it.
Ramona the Road Dog
We had just enough time to slap on some face and head straight into downtown Austin and smash up the Red Fez with the Secret Shoppers, check it out (more videos to come).
We spent the rest of the week in Austin putting around, confused by the madness of SXSW, slapping wheat pastes up all around the town and venues, and catching some sunburns, as well as delving into the Austin gay scene and realizing it needs a LOT of help, massive queer SXSW Nark party next year? I think so.
Babydank paste reppin' the typos
Did I mention we spent the whole week camped out at the St. Edwards Catholic University fresman dorms? Although it was probably the most accommodating spot, it was also certainly the most hilarious... nothin' like a couple o' old dudes lurking around campus, watching 18 year olds play sports. Luckily it was spring break so it wasn't too bad, but we were too weird for all those uppity kids, luckily Lisa Dank's brother, who we were staying with, kept up with our antics.
Dorm fridges, BARF
I miss my mommy..
SXSW in a nutshell- total shit show. Everything was crazy with so, so, so, so, so many people around, and way too much stuff to do, and overpriced taco trucks. Austin was pretty great but by the main weekend of 'South-by' (a term I never want to hear again) it was a little overwhelming, of course that was ALL redeemed when we got the chance to see Yoko Ono... if you know anything about me you know Yoko is my Lordess Jesus'ess sister savior, I've missed a few opportunities to see her in a person and now it finally came to fruition, and in a small, intimate venue where I got to be just a few feet away, it was a truly inspiring moment for me (check out a super crappy cell-phone video Here.
Lisa did some more pastes... in fact... I think she may have lost it a bit when she started whacking at her mane with a pair of scissors and wheat-pasting her hair in random places around Austin. Gross? Kinda. Amazing? Definitely. We definitely left our mark...
Non-synthetic Dankstache
Now back to the awful drive, on the plus side we get to hit up the Grand Canyon on the way back, desert photoshoot? I'm thinking so.
Downward dog
Come check out Lisa and I's most ridiculous and final shows in San Francisco THIS WEEKEND! Starting off with an explosive, drag-queen go-go'd monster-mess at a BIG TOP, where we'll be doing our thing alongside Rupaul's Drag Race's own Raja, and legendary San Fran queen Heklina, Saturday March 26th at Club 8. Then get your last taste the next night at Rebel for Cocktailgate, Sunday March 27th! I'm so excited for these shows, and we've got some Seattle-ites, Portlanders and even some Sacramento..ians(?) coming in just to see us. I'll be easing out the rest of the week with another dj set at Viennetta Discotheque on Monday at SF Underground, and catching some new photos at Bootycall Wednesdays, and then that's it for the road! That is until we get back for our return show in Seattle, tentatively the 'Dankfest', you won't want to miss what we've been cooking up for that... (4/20 at Nuemos).
Until then... xxxo