We don't know how to go to shows anymore

We went to see X at the House of Blues in Chicago. I'd been looking forward to the trip all summer, but it was a little of an odd combo - we stayed at an elegant hotel, the Burnham Hotel, in the Reliance Building, the first steel clad skyscraper in Chicago, designed by architect Daniel Burnham (I worked for 3 years on a big project to catalog architectural photographs at the Chicago Historical Society, which is now in the process of changing its name to the Chicago History Museum), and then we were going to the club to see an '80s punk band.

We should have known - It was an all-ages show on a Sunday night, with 2 opening acts, and then Henry Rollins and X. Henry Rollins was the singer in Black Flag, another '80s punk band from L.A., but he mostly does spoken word now.

We got a late start, and then had to fight traffic all the way down to Chicago - it took 4 hours. They are building new "Open road" toll pavillions on interstate 90; instead of booths, cars will just cruise by and get their I-Passes read automatically, but the pavillions aren't done yet, so there's construction havoc, and not everyone has an I-Pass, so they are scrambling for the cash lane ...

Anyways, we figured X wouldn't start until at least 9:00. We got to Chicago, checked in to the hotel at 6:15, and went and had a nice dinner, arriving at House of Blues at almost 8:30 - I think X must've started at 8:00 - they only played until about 9:30.

But on the upside, there were no lines, it was standing only so we didn't miss out on primo seats, and we had a good place to stand, up a couple of steps from the main floor, right next to the sound board, so we could see over everyone's heads. I think it was just about the right amount of punk rock music for my sweetheart - even if I feel pretty stupid for missing so much of the show. And I guess it's better than last summer, when my brother came to visit and go through our dead mother's possessions - and we went to see the Knitters (X minus Billy Zoom). Going through our mom's stuff seemed like a good excuse to start drinking at 3:30, so we both missed most of that show, too.