[phx pop-up show] Stereo Telescope @ St. Elizabeth's Medical Center #savemichael
I recently read somewhere that "sometimes it's easier to ask for forgiveness, than to ask for permission." So during Day 3 of my unexpected confinement to St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton -- after landing in the ER with pulmonary hypertension, acute bronchitis and pneumonia around 3am Wednesday morning -- I said fuck it, it's time to make up for all the shows I'm missing this week by bringing a show to me. The plan: a STEREO TELESCOPE pop-up show, straight from the Medeiros Pavilion's 6th floor, room 6620.
I wasn't sure how it'd go over, and I only casually hinted to the resident nurses that I might do something like this. The staff here are top-shelf, ultra friendly, affable, and brilliant at what they do (Massachusetts hospitals are pretty incredible) but at the same time it's a fucking medical center and I'm bringing an electro-pop band in to play some musics for me. The compromise was to perform acoustic, and keep it limited to two songs, "Geography" and the unreleased "Fires." Then GTFO. Them, at least.
Nikki and Kurt rolled up around noon, a quick pit stop on their way to Brooklyn to play a party tonight at Michael Potvin's new loft space (with Andre Obin, the Fagettes, DJ Volvox, and others in one hell of a Boston-themed Dirty Apple shindig). But their day began here, with me and my invalid ass, and they even framed a "Save Michael" flyer that was hanging around Great Scott for Wednesday's Bearstronaut show (Real talk: I got pretty emo when I saw one hanging off Paul Lamontagne's synths during his Bearstronaut set).
Watch the video, applaud me for not coughing for the first three minutes, and forgive me for my shakes during the second song (I'm pretty wasted on antibiotics, and walking 20 yards to the vending machine requires a 15-minute chill break afterwards.
After Stereo Telly wrapped up their two-song set, the head nurse knocked on the door and said it sounded great. The other patients were curiously asking where the music was coming from. Had we known this was going to be so well-received by the ready-to-rage 6th floor, we'd have plugged into the visitors lounge and dropped some beats.
Maybe we'll roll that next week, if I'm still here. No timetable for my release just yet, but this weekend looks promising.
I miss life, even though today I'm super grateful a slice of it came to me.