My Funny Valentine

(c) Victoria Fernandez-Gabica

Wednesday night, I made my way down to the Drake Underground for a very special wedding. Allie Hughes was getting married to her beau Chad. In fact, it was a live music performance posing as a wedding. Two rather tall drag queen took my money. If only all weddings were so cheap. The seats and bar benches have been set up like pews in a church. I sat down after grabbing a beer. Ah, drinking at a wedding ceremony. This is getting better and better.

It took longer than expected for the crowd to fill up, then comic Chris Locke stumbled on stage as Allie's drunk "uncle Ned". Ned provided a hit-and-miss rambling about love, marriage, and sex. I think he should have tried more pick-up lines on all the "hot chicks". The opening band was Henri Faberge and the Adorables, a 6 member band from a ostensibly "commune". Two of Henri's wives had rather hairy legs and chests and were booted off the stage to dance in the front row. How odd, it looks like his "wives" on drums and bass/synth are Dana Snell and Robin Hatch of Sheezer. Lucky guy! The Adorables play a variety of music, all danceable with nice harmonies.

Then Allie Hughes got ready for her ceremony, dressed all in white and veiled. She sang sweet love songs accompanied on harmony by her bridesmaids and a backing band of Cupids, Eros, and Valentinos. Chad came on to exchagne rings and do the duet Not The Stars. But by the end of the song, he left her jilted at the altar. Devastated, Allie went into full diva with her pain, rage, and regret. Here's a quick 9 min compilation shot by the wedding videographer.

The crowd loved every moment. I'm quite impressed with her. It was only about 1 year ago that I saw her a few times singing weird songs, with a band that was quite rough, to a sparse and indifferent crowd. She had a big voice but no act. Since then, she has fine-tuned her show. Her songs are a little more pop but still retain their quirkiness and the band is tighter. Most importantly, she has found a good persona to present her schizoid (in a good way) musical style. Allie might have lost her man but she could have a bright future in show business.

Even an interrupted wedding needs a reception. So the cover band Dwayne Gretzky came on. Hey, is that Chad without his blonde wig? In any case, they covered the Beatles, Billy Idol, hits old and new with a lot of enthusiasm and talent to the delight of the dance floor. The bride even came on for, what else, "I Will Survive". Like other weddings, the combination of music, booze, and loneliness got some in the crowd to check out who's available. I headed home at around 1:30 thinking, "This is the best wedding I've been to!" If only it had an open bar.