The Best Day of My Life...

The best day of my life... Yes, that’s very easy to recall. It was July 9, 1999. We pulled into the parking lot of the Santa Barbara Bowl, checking to make sure we had everything. I couldn’t forget my camera, not after what was going to happen that night. My heart raced with anticipation and as I looked at Lauren, I could tell hers did too. We hitched a ride from a man on a bike cart to the entrance of the bowl, and we plowed up the steep hill to the ticket booths. We had lawn seats, man were we lucky to have lawn seats. All around us, people sang various Go-Go’s songs and Lauren and I began to feel a little uncomfortable. We were part of the handful of people who weren’t over 30. But it would still be awesome.

At the top of the very last hill sat the bowl. The bowl. The stage. The pit. The lawn. And everything else. We were on the lawn. On the stage hung a simple banner that read "Lunachicks," and on stage I could see Chip’s drums, with a cool-ugly face on it. And a fluffy pink PA system. I was finally there.

My anticipation grew as there was less and less movement on the stage. The roadies began to disappear, and everything got quiet. Then, in the background, behind the set, I saw it- Gina’s hair… and what’s this? Pink bunny ears? No! Feathers! It was Theo! And then came Squid and Chip… it was starting… finally.

The next few minutes were a daze. I snapped pictures like a madwoman. They were mostly all the same, but hey, they’re memories, right? I was still for a while and I could tell Theo was staring right at us. Then I let Lauren have her turn at the wonder-spot. It was right on the fence, in front of the pit, in between two smelly armpits. (Which was oddly empty…) Now it was my turn to go crazy. I jumped and screamed and even felt a tear… Well anyways, after the first couple songs a lady who worked at the bowl pulled me aside.

"Hey, you wanna go in the pit?"

I could barely hear her, but I caught her drift. "Hell yeah!"

I poked Lauren and told her to follow us. She was sure we were in trouble, but little did she know… Away from everyone’s view, she snapped bright orange bands on our wrists. We were a couple steps away from the pit. We ran through the guarded gate area and jumped in. We were the first two people to get so close to them that night. We jumped and screamed and sang along and we danced our weird dances. I couldn’t help but stare at the Lunachicks, and Theo was looking right at us, and I was sure this time. During a spell when she wasn’t singing, she leaned down from the stage and extended her hand. Lauren grabbed it and she was pulled up. I grabbed it and I was pulled up. Our first Lunachicks concert and we were on stage!

For the rest of their set, we were on stage, having the time of our lives. I was making a complete fool of myself, and it was great. I loved every minute of it. Lauren and I were standing near Theo and she was singing… to us.

When the set was over, and we were all in a daze, Chip handed us her drumsticks, smashed to bits. Theo gave Lauren her water bottle, and we jumped off-stage. As we were walking out of the pit, people shouted "Great show!" "You’re awesome!" And for a minute, I felt a little like a Lunachick. We returned to our place on the grass behind the rest of the crowd and I just sat there, in a daze, and all I could look at was my broken drumstick. It was probably the happiest moment in my life, right then, with my broken drumstick.

After the shock wore off, Lauren and I decided to look for the Lunachicks. We saw some of them backstage, and everyone with backstage passes went right on by, to meet the Lunachicks. But Theo wasn’t back there. Hmm… And then I looked to my right, and in the middle of a crowd stood Theo, pink bunny-feather-thingies and everything.

I screamed at Lauren, "Theo!!!" and I peeled off in that direction. I pushed through everyone and there she was, signing stuff for everyone, and we were next.

When she saw us, she said, "Hey, it’s you! You guys were great up there!"

She signed Lauren’s drumstick, and I asked her to sign the back of my shirt. (It says I (heart) Donuts, ya know, the song Mmm… Donuts?) When I went home that night, I couldn’t sleep. July 9, 1999 was the best day of my life!