Damn it. You spent all that money on your tattoo. You need to let it breathe every once in a while. You need to get out and rub illustrated elbows with the ear peg set – people with the vision and commitment to pick a design and stick with it; people who know that how you look speaks louder than anything you say – so loudly, in fact, that you don’t need to say much at all…well…except for maybe “Mom” or “I Love Kaylee” or something wordy but impressive like, “Airborne Death from Above.” This is not to say that you are your tattoo. Heavens no. It’s really more that your tat is a part of you – very often the part of you that your boss doesn’t get to see until the sweaty volleyball game at the company picnic, which is probably for the best. That beautifully colored rendering of Thumper peering out the back of your shorts may simply be a cute homage to your love of Winnie the Pooh, but to some it might be construed as a sign that you like it fast and doggie style. That’s the problem with communication, isn’t it? There’s always the danger that you’re going to be misunderstood. Even that relatively generic ring of thorns around your biceps screams “sadist” to certain people and “frat boy” to others. You might be neither, but very likely your explanation to the contrary will be met with skepticism or outright ridicule. That’s why it’s nice every once in a while it’s nice to go somewhere where you can just be you…at least the you that you are when you’re not at work, church, or visiting the relatives in Abilene. That place, for a lot of people, is Emo’s. It’s comforting to know that there’s a safe haven where there are enough tattoos, piercings and body mods to make you seem relatively sane and normal. Sure, you’re going to want to flush the toilet with your foot and turn on the faucet with your beer can, but you’re not going to be in the restroom all night, are you? Besides, whatever hygienic sacrifices you make will surely be offset by some really great music. For instance, this Saturday the Moonlight Towers, an unpretentiously talented group of Austin tunesmiths will be playing Emo’s for free. That’s a huge discount because the value of a Moonlight Towers show is priceless, not to mention Saturday’s bill is rounded out by three other intriguing acts whose names, perhaps coincidentally, rhyme: the Good Times Crisis Band, Youngman Grand, and Lalaland. Perhaps the last two could have been conjoined with an ampersand? No, that would seem too planned.
This article appears in July 8 • 2005.
