Finally Clowning at Station P

On July 3rd, I went to see the final show at Station P. I didn't actually realize that until I got there. Though I had only been to Station P a handful of times, it was always an interesting place with its own character. Station P was softer and more playful than the normal Pittsburgh house; there were no beer cans piled in the sink, rubble rooms, or studded punkers breaking the house apart. The shows there were quieter, experimental and ambient, but some bands played there too. I always liked the people there and the cool painting in the basement. Anyway, on to the show! If you are afraid of clowns, I would not read further.

I got a little mixed up going to Station P, going a different way through Shadyside and ending up on Walnut Street, surrounded by nightlife. I had to turn around, so by the time I got to Station P, I had missed Anna Azizzy's video. In the basement, something very interesting was brewing though! Guinevere and Marty were presenting an amazing elixir to the people of the world in the style of a home shopping network. Two frogs called in, and hopped on it, sitting in cauldrons near the presentation. The frogs drank the mixture, an herbal (not like that) product smelling of the finest spices. One frog collapsed and the other got up and pranced around. The whole time, Guinevere went on about complacency and satisfaction. It was a great performance, and I enjoyed the theatricality of it.

This is yr last warning! Seriously if you are afraid of clowns, you should not continue.

Alright, there you go. I actually really like clowns, though I have not had many interactions with them. I did go to the circus once when I was very little with my uncle Jack. Sneff combined absurdist humor and strange props for a bizarre and otherworldly experience. He wore puffy pants and a shaggy hat, and he spoke in a voice sort of like Pee-Wee Herman, a person I often associate with Station P actually. Sneff gave everybody some Easter eggs with small prizes inside and gave out some medieval costumes to wear. I ended up with Smarties and a green robe respectively. Then Sneff rolled out some Chatter Telephone pull toys and spoke with somebody somewhere. He got sad; he got happy. Then we all went outside and made a magic potion, watching out for the plants in the dark. "Sometimes magic stinks," Sneff chortled as he stirred the concoction like a witch in a fairy story. Magic sure does stink when it is a mixture of grass, dirt, beer, Smarties, rocks, and other junk. It was a lovely set despite the bad smells, and I await Sneff's return to Pittsburgh in the fall.

Finally, Maenads played in the basement. Maenads is a band that plays musick. There was no performance art stuff, just post-stoner space metal like Mars Red Sky or Yuri Gagarin. I love this kind of stuff - the slow lumbering drums and spacey guitars. The songs were dramatic and epic, the scope of space. This was only Maenads second show, and it was good. It's kind of a local Pittsburgh supergroup, which is cool. I do wish they had bigger amps for a fuller sound.

After the show we did some clown games with Sneff, and then that was it for Station P. There is a new Station P, which I suggested should be called New Station P. They did a show there that Saturday, but I had to miss it. The pictures I saw looked cool, and I hope to go there sometime soon. Thanks to everyone at Station P for the good stuff in the last few years and good luck with the new place.