Cru Jones Society

As was stated on Friday the Olympics have come to an end. The closing ceremonies were as massive, spectacular, and as bright as the opening ceremonies. Now there are two years until our lives are distracted by sports that usually warrant a quick change of the channel. And two years of CJS post that don’t revolve around world-class athletes from throughout the globe. Records were broken and good times were had, but now we can return to our lives. I used this weekend to take that first step towards my normal life. Maybe it was more of a leap than a step. You decide.

Friday late afternoon rolled up and I left work excited for what the evening held. I had tickets to See Nofx, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Bouncing Souls, The Circle Jerks and The Street Dogs at Red Rocks. I arrived home, changed my clothes and poured myself a Crown on the rocks while I waited for Dagger and Lady E to pick me up.

I took a seat on the couch and scrolled the digital cable guide when I came upon none other than “The Might Ducks.” The first movie, not the cartoon about a team of humanoid duck ice hockey team/freedom fighters that fight evil between hockey games. I sat and watched the movie like I had never seen it before. Sure I still made jokes, even though there was nobody around to hear them, but I felt truly fascinated by the film.

With still no word from my ride, I poured another glass of whiskey and continued to enjoy a movie that involves kids quaking at their principal. How Pacey ever managed to bang Joey after being a Duck is a mystery I will never solve.

Once Dagger and Lady E arrived we headed towards Good Times to get some food to quell the drinking that would most likely take place at the concert. We arrived at Red Rocks, parked and began to eat our dinner, and tailgate. Which involved shot gunning a beer. Something I hadn’t done in several years. Never had 12 fluid ounces felt like so much.

At this point I was feeling the effects of two glasses of whiskey and a couple of beers. So what better time to stumble into the concert and climb down the ninety trillion steps to our seats. Obviously we had to stop and get another beer.

The Street Dogs were already playing and they were tearing it up. We had missed one other band. Some local band with a name involving a number, Blink 182 or the B52s, or something.

When The Street Dogs ended their set we we’re all prepared for the 80s punk style of The Circle Jerks. I was shocked, relieved, and excited when The Bouncing Souls took the stage. The Bouncing Souls have been a favorite band of mine since I saw them at the Warped Tour in tenth grade. They have never let me down since then, and this show was no exception.

The Souls played a song that reminds me of a friend that recently moved away. As they played it, I looked out over the horizon, at the twinkling lights of nearby Denver, and I began to think about her, and I had to do everything in my power to fight back tears, less my friends ridicule me for the next month or so. Even though I felt so sad at the moment I was so happy at the show.

After The Bouncing Souls, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones played. Leaving us to believe that The Circle Jerks were not playing this show. Which is ok with me.

I didn’t know most of the songs the Bosstones were playing, but I was having a blast. Ska music has got to be the most fun music to see live. The Bosstones even have a band member that does nothing but dance on stage. I guess he’s the equivalent of the hype man in a rap group. It seems to work though. I saw him up there dancing with no inhibitions and I thought, “Look at him go! Fuck it! Ima dance, now.”

The two best moments of the entire show came during The Bosstones set. First they did an amazing cover of the Clash song “Rudie Can’t Fail.” It was the best Clash cover I have seen live. The second was when I stopped to look around at the beauty of Red Rocks. Seeing how great Red Rocks is I knew that I loved living in Colorado. And as I listened to music that I loved in such an amazing place I knew that I loved being alive.

Then Nofx took the stage I hated everything.

Where the other bands all started playing great music right away, Fat Mike had to do what he’s best known for and annoy me with his unwitty banter. After a couple minutes with no music Dagger, Lady E and I decided we had had enough and left. As we took the 15-minute trek to the car we could still hear them and they still hadn’t played a song.

Although I left the show before it ended, seeing The Bouncing Souls and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and half the Street Dogs was well worth the 45-dollar bucks I spent on the ticket.

Now I was home, drunk, and completely happy. What a great Friday, and I knew there was another fantastic day when I awoke the next day. But you’ll have to wait until Wednesday to hear about that.

See ya in the pit . . .

lee.s.hart@crujonessociety.com