There is something bugging the f*** out of me and I don't know if it's celestial or artificial.
I love the band Built to Spill. I love Doug Martsch's voice, his energy, his style, his lyrics, his lowkey presence. He's a man obviously touched by a muse and following his work is haunting and wonderful. Also following his tours can be haunting and wonderful too since the muse is amused by him, if he's in a town she probably lingers too so there's good "reading" to be had. When he's local I catch all his shows. THis past week I attended a number of them and mapped my vacation out accordingly. It worked out since I had college friends to visit and catch up with and the towns he played were gorgeous, the venues small, the mood mellow. BTS shows are always mellow. It's usually 80% plaid-shirted, NHS-glassed dudes zenning out to the wall of sound and their bored girlfriends. I've been to over 30 BTS shows in the past 20 years, I have a good feel for the mood.
This last tour was different.
THere were dumdum girls SCREAMING and jumping up and down in front. Doug likes to watch the opening band with the crowd. THere were girls running up to him and shaking his hand. At the last show I went to, this chick JUMPED ON STAGE AND HUGGED HIM LIKE IT WAS A f***EN MORRISSEY SHOW.
Morrissey exudes idolatry and sex appeal. Doug Martsch plays his guitar in his tshirt and New Balance and jeans and calls it a day, he's not even close to inviting sex appeal to the picture, likely because HE'S A MARRIED MAN with a grown son! But WTF is up with this surge of zombie screaming fangirls? They RUIN the show. In the bathroom one of them came up to me and said manically "DID YOU KNOW DOUG IS IN THE AUDIENCE? HE'S IN THE AUDIENCE RIGHT NOW. HE's WEARING PLAID. I CAN'T BELIEVE I TOUCHED THE MAN WHO WROTE TRACES."
Calm the f*** down!
Are they real? Are they Moz stalking shills? Are they a horrible projection unknowingly cursed to poor Doug by an honest, shy fan with a f***ed up magical brain who feels HORRIBLE about it? It was never like this before. I can't stop being bothered by it. What if I ruin crowds?