I can't believe I forgot my camera. I can't BELIEVE I forgot my camera. I CANNOT BELIEVE I FORGOT MY CAMERA!
That's all I could think about when we arrived at One World Theater Saturday evening for the Linton Mancilla CD Release Party/Concert. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot of the Tuscany-Meets-Texas-style villa perched on a hillside in Austin, I thought, oh, how gorgeous... I want to get a picture... and that's when I knew... I just knew without even looking in my purse: I had forgotten my camera.
I probably started twitching, and as soon as we entered the room, I glanced around in a desperate hope that someone had an extra camera they would let me borrow... oh, yeah, what are the odds? I even started asking around. People were probably elbowing each other, pointing at me, noting the crazy look in my eyes.
I'm sure I felt the same ache a smoker feels when she taps her pack and only stray flakes of tobacco fall out, teasing her. Got an extra cigarette, mister? How about a spare camera?
Persistence pays off, though. Turned out, Lunchbox the the bass player had a camera (his name is Larry but they call him Lunchbox and I have no idea why) but he would be on stage and couldn't use it. So not only did I score a camera, but I would be doing someone a favor by taking lots and lots of pictures!
I have no idea how the photos turned out. Probably not very good - the theater was dark except for spotlights on some members of the band and there was a no-flash rule, and I was using an unfamiliar camera. But I blissfully shot away, making sure I snapped several of Lunchbox. I love digital.
Even though the concert photos are probably nothing more than blurry shadows and light, I did get some good ones of me and Liane, and a few of Alan "Bones" Davis, another friend of ours, who played the pre-concert show in a better-lit room downstairs of the theater.
I hate to complain, but the camera I snagged was a pretty simple point and shoot. Soon after the concert started, I spotted a hefty Nikon right on the front row. When it was over, I slipped the photographer my email and blog addresses, begging for some of his photos to post here. (Tom didn't even get my contact information until our 2nd meeting! But then, I don't think he showed me his camera right away.)
Oh, I guess I should mention how wonderful the concert itself was! Jim and Eric are the framework of Linton Mancilla, but on any given Friday Night Hootenanny at Jim and Liane's house, there are half a dozen other gifted musicians, and many of them played with the band Saturday night, coming and going on and off the stage. Saxophone, penny whistle, mandolin, violin... even Bones on the harmonica, blending with guitars, keyboard, drums into an eclectic collection of songs... jazz, rock, latina, folk.
Afterward, we climbed the backstage stairs up to a walled terrace that was caught in the beam of a full moon to soak up the view of Austin and hang out a bit with the band members and other friends. What a glorious night!
Alas... no photos from the concert have popped up in my email from Lunchbox or David (Mr. Nikon) but I do have this one of Jim serenading us at a Cub Scout campout at Inks Lake years ago...
Needless to say, when I left my house the next day, heading back into Austin to Hyde Park Theater for a reading of my friend Amory's play, I made sure my camera was snug in my purse.
I had never been to Hyde Park Theater or to a play reading - two new experiences at one time... very exciting! And I hadn't seen Amory since our screenwriting class ended over a year ago. But I know from her updates on Facebook that she's been busy writing... at least two screenplays and this play, plus a short film and I can't remember what else. So much talent and drive! Did I mention she's also an actress?And so cute to boot!
I'm not sure what I expected, but I admit the theater surprised me. It's much smaller than its website implies! It didn't look like much from the outside, except for this one fantastic typical-Austin-painted wall, but when I stepped inside, I knew it was all about "theater"... as perfect for plays as One World Theater was perfect for musical performances... small, intimate seating, focused on the stage.
It was déjà vu, the play reading... just like sitting in class with some of us reading the parts and then commenting/critiquing afterward. Except here, the readers/actors sat in chairs in a row on the stage, and stood up when their characters were "on stage".
The play was great. The actors were great. And it was all free! Mostly, I feel so fortunate to have been there, to be able to be a part of the process of Amory's play. I can't wait to see it produced... because I have no doubt someone will pick it up and produce it. It's that good. And I'll be able to say, I knew her when...
