La Era Romantica

"ok, we are giving away 15 spots for our secret acoustic show this thursday in los angeles at the chateau marmont... please leave a message now and our favorite/creative ones will get the tickets by end of day!! love, d"

This is the Facebook update of Diego Garcia, ex-Elefant. Thus far, 21 folks are trying to get in and I haven't the foggiest of ideas to write anything. And when I use foggiest of ideas know that I'm typing that phrase for the first time. Mostly, me da pena. I really acted a fool when I saw him play at the Echo. I had put the kids to sleep, put Maria Elena's fancy clip on earrings on and text Beda "I'm on my way". But I knew she was coming in from far so I caught some more movie with Papabear wishing it was us two going on a date instead of just us going out separately. I get to the Echo in exactly 10 minutes and order a Cadillac margarita, my hands still smelling like Palmolive from doing dishes. The girls hadn't arrived yet so I was the lonely girl standing in the back hugging her drink. I never feel alone at the Echo since I see visions of 2002 and present dance in my head. The infamous Gravy Train shows and the memorable Death From Above 1979 show where we partied and drove to Rite-Aid to get some pregnancy tests changing life forever. We even got to see Elefant there, we rolled like 15 deep to see them.

In 2003 Elefant's Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid album was on constant. Perfect soundtrack to a Santa Barbara summer of love. Driving up the 101, sand in hair, the Pacific Ocean. I think, as a couple it's the first band we both discovered and fell in love with. We got a flyer to see Elefant in San Luis Obispo, in a chicken pot pie restaurant. Diego gave a show as if he were in front of hundreds. It was like 30 of us, sitting in large wicker chairs, standing around...swooning. We followed them when they played in LA and Carlos told Diego, see you in Coachella. At Coachella Diego goes up to Carlos like a homie. I got jealous, these men.

I remember that tent was a sweat lodge. Diego pops up on stage with a white shirt, a '10' sharpied to the back. Carlos giving him props for that, me dumbfounded. Of course it takes a soccer fan to know one. The 10 for Maradona, of course. When Morrissey discovered Diego I knew he would break hearts along the tour. Sergio met him in the bay, I got jealous again. These men.

When Beda and Jesenia finally showed up at the Echo they refilled my drink. I thought I was done thinking all these thoughts- ready to dance and sing and throw kisses to a romantic crooner. Then... Julio Iglesias was pumped on the speakers. Months earlier I took Maria Elena to the Indian casino on a hot desert night it was beautiful to watch him perform. Me and my mama sitting together clapping along, "hey..." Knowing that my father would always take out his girl to all the romantic shows made me miss him so much. Seeing how young she looked as she sang along, I loved that moment and I almost lost it at the sticky floored Echo flashbacking on it all. I just kept sipping my drink and trying to focus on the crowd. Brown girl fans he picked up on his Morrissey tour next to skinny white boys. Then my two loud locas and me, the girl throwing kisses wearing her mama's shiny earrings.