Stereolab
Detroit
Friday, Oct. 19
Chris Ziegler and Alison M. Rosen—OC Weekly's two most attractive, intelligent, quick-witted and able-to-hold-their-liquor (except for Alison) writers—attended the Costa Mesa opening of Detroit, a new club in Club Mesa's old location. Chris Ziegler and Alison M. Rosen didn't feel like they were in Michigan. They felt like they were in a Volkswagen commercial. Chris felt like he was in Ikea. But more on that later. The important thing is that they were supposed to meet up before the show and go together, but instead, Chris' scummy friends ate a bunch of Valium and totaled their car on the way back from a lesbian bar, and he had to drive them to Buttonwillow, California, to await retrieval by friends from Oakland so their X-rated new wave band could play the hottest party in the Bay that night. “If only I had a nickel for every time I've heard that!” responded Alison when Chris finally rolled into the club. The other important thing is that Stereolab were playing the club opening, which is a big deal for Costa Mesa. But Chris and Alison like big deals. Read on to hear their post-show commentary:
Alison M. Rosen: So, Chris, you felt like you were at Ikea? Chris Ziegler: Well, I've never actually been in an Ikea. Alison: So you're a liar? Chris: Yeah. You know, rich kids who want to do drugs listen to Stereolab. People who are really into sitting on some nice vintage furniture, like a big vinyl couch and burnished coffee table, the lights down low . . . Alison: Maybe it's makeout music. Did you see anybody making out at the club? Chris: Just that one guy. I immediately picked him out as scum based on the fact that he was wearing a polyester yellow shirt with wide collars. Alison: He looked like a cross between Richard Carpenter and a gopher. Chris: I didn't really see his face. I was just looking at his collar and his shirt. You can tell a lot about a person by his collar. Alison: So you picked him out as a weenus, and then what happened? Chris: He was hanging on the couch with some girl, and for whatever reason, he unzips his fly and tries to get the girl to put her hand down his pants. Alison: I saw some resistance from the girl, like she didn't want to put her hand down his pants. Chris: It almost seemed like she was like, “Oh, God, not this again.” She didn't seem surprised. Just exasperated. Alison: We seemed surprised, though. Chris: Yeah, didn't expect to see that at a Stereolab show. You know who ruled? That couple who got in trouble for burning things! They were awesome! They were the total Stereolab couple. I could totally see them hanging out in their sparsely furnished apartment, listening to Stereolab and quietly resenting each other. Alison: She had very sculpted hair. Chris: Yeah, good hair. And he had a good vest. They looked good. They're like the old guard Orange County hipsters you don't see much anymore. Totally socially dysfunctional people who find each other and then revel in their dysfunction. Alison: And then burn things. Let's talk about the caliber of the opposite sex. You thought there were cute girls. Chris: The indie-hipster girl is totally a good look to go with. Alison: I, on the other hand, didn't see any cute guys at all. Chris: Because indie-rock guys tend to be total scum. Alison: I guess I like garage-rock guys. Chris: Which I find disgusting. Alison: The club itself was extremely yellow, and I've heard that yellow drives people nuts. Chris: Detroit had that whole neo-Brady Bunch vibe going on. Alison: The creep was neo-Brady. Chris: I found it hard to concentrate on Stereolab as a band. They sounded impeccable, but I couldn't even see them. Alison: Beforehand, it was such a big deal, like, “Oh, my God! Stereolab are going to be in Orange County!” Which I think is why we felt like we were in a 90210 episode. Chris: Totally! That's it exactly! Alison: But once I was there, it didn't feel like that anymore. Chris: That's why I was saying Orange County doesn't deserve shows like this because it just takes all the magic out of something good and valuable when you put it in Costa Mesa. But maybe I'm a big snob. Alison: Perhaps. It was really hot in there. Was it hot, or was I just getting overworked? Chris: By that, do you mean drunk? Alison: I mean overwrought. Emotionally overwrought.
