Origins, Pt. 16

Lollapalooza 94 at the Charlestown Raceway. The act on the main stage, Nick Cave, had driven three fourths of the audience away to wander around looking for places to get pierced or pay six bucks for 20 ounces of water (I wish the Bureau of Reclamation charged western agribusiness concerns prices proportionately equivalent for acre feet of water). With most of the crowd gone, Pete, Kevin Sullivan, and myself were able to push up near the front. As Nick crooned it almost seemed like he was glaring at us, but then that’s how I always feel at shows when I’m near the stage. As a song ended, a girl, for reasons known only to her, chucked her car keys up onto the stage. Nick leaned down, picked them up, and with an erudite Aussie accent of bewilderment queried, “You’re giving me the keys to your f***king car?”