New York happenings

On Monday night, I ventured to Midtown to see "Who Took The Bomp?," the new Le Tigre tour documentary, make its New York debut at the MOMA. As I walked up to the museum, I tried to determine which door to go into to buy movie tickets. I started to pass the first one, but then turned around when I realized, oh yeah, those are the Le Tigre fans. Silkscreened t-shirts, canvas bags, vintage glasses, tightly clutched notebooks -- near everyone there looked like he or she had graduated from a Seven Sisters school. The movie was fun, and I learned a thing or two during the informal panel discussion that followed. (By informal panel discussion, I mean that they called two band members and a couple of other people who had been involved in making the film up to the front and they stood around and took a few questions. Kathleen Hannah herself, just standing around talking to people. Oh New York.)

As I told a friend in an email, the best thing I took away from it was Kathleen Hannah's take on 90s nostalgia (in the panel discussion and the film). She said that she loves that people in their 20s wish they were around for the 90s, and that the attention she gets now is gratifying, but that it was not all that great to live through. Music critics said horrible things about her, she was constantly called fat, a slut, a feminazi, other feminist bands thought they weren't feminist enough, etc. and she felt up against it all the time. In a weird way she reminded me of Hillary Clinton. I can't imagine standing up to the barrage of misogyny and insults every single day for 20+ years has been worth it for her, either, but at some point she must have decided that history was more important.

***

Yes, that's right. Young people now were too young to know about bands or see shows or what have you during the NINETIES.

*picks up cane*

*hobbles off*

On Friday, Tina Fey is going to be at a Manhattan Barnes & Noble promoting her new book. I may brave it. I also may leave my glasses at home, so as not to look like an absolute fool/superfan/nerd girl.