Give Me This Charming Man over a Sharp-Dressed Man

It's not often I see the No BS Brass Band playing in a place that doesn't serve alcohol. But then, Record Day only comes once a year.

I was thrilled to see how busy Plan 9 was when I arrived under my umbrella not long before noon. The crowd around the "yard sale" used CDs was  tight, but I squeezed in so I could scope out any possibilities. I saw a number of 90s CDs I already own (Matthew Sweet, Jesus Jones, Del Amitri) and I few laugh-out-loud titles.

Garfield's "Am I Cool or What?" was just kind of pathetic and Tommy Roe's "Greatest Hits" laughable, but the one that got me thinking was an 80s hits compilation. Looking at the songs on it, they swung from  the Smiths' "This Charming Man" to ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man." No wonder it was such a messed-up decade.

No BS took the stage not long after I walked in and they were terrific accompaniment as I perused the vintage jazz records, finding a few that will make someone very happy (like Miles Davis live at the 1969 Antibes Jazz Festival). Plus there are always interesting guys flipping through jazz LPs, should when I want some conversation.

As I was paying, I was surprised to hear a couple of people asking who the band playing was. I would have thought that by now everyone knows who No BS is. Not so.

Considering the staggering frequency with which they play out,  people would almost have to be living under a rock not to at least know of them if they're music lovers (presumably the sort in Plan 9 on Record Store Day). Not to mention that the band all wear shirts that say "No BS Brass Band."

After an hour and a half of Record Store Day madness, I strolled down to Chop Suey, record purchases in hand, to see the new photography show in their gallery, "Fulton Gas Works: An Industrial Relic" by Adrianna Gallo.

The colorful photographs of the decaying and abandoned building both inside and out were a fascinating look inside a place I'll likely never see. From the abundance of graffiti all over the walls of the place, though, it was obvious that others are not so hesitant to investigate this relic of a bygone era.

As is typical when I see interesting art, I was sorely tempted to buy one of the more haunting photographs in the show. I still may if I can gather a few more rationalizations to do so, considering I have two more pieces of art in the pipeline already.

Normal girls buy clothes, jewelry or shoes, but I buy local art. Someday they're going to take my girl credentials away from me entirely for not properly utilizing my XX chromosomes.

But first they'll have to find me at whatever music show, play or art opening I'm attending. And I move around a lot.

Catch me if you can, Girl Police.