Just Another Night in Tucson

The whole mess started last Wednesday.

It was the night of our Tucson Area Music Awards. Thanks to a fantastic music lineup (Ernie Menehune is my new hero!) and some tasty free food from a variety of (mostly) downtown restaurants–participants in the first-ever Taste of the TAMMIES–the Rialto Theatre was packed full of folks having a great time.

The TAMMIES wrapped a little after 10 p.m. Normally, this would have been the time when I would have–and should have–said my goodbyes and headed home. After all, it was a work night during a busy time of year (all I’ll say is thank GOD we’re nearing completion of the freaking Best of Tucson^TM), and I am not as young as I used to be.

But, no. Instead, with a couple of adventurous colleagues–advertising all-star Monica Akyol and corporate Web dude Sean Fitzpatrick–I headed over to Club Congress for the TAMMIES afterparty to hear the Readers’ Choice Band of the Year, the Wyatts. Before the band took the stage, I ordered a martini–after I’d been drinking wine at the Rialto.

Following the Wyatts’ fun set, I was ready to call my significant other to get a ride home, but Sean insisted I had to stay and listen to Tom Walbank. So I stayed, enjoyed a dance with Weekly music writer extraordinaire Linda Ray and–in what would prove to be a big mistake–had another martini.

After Tom Walbank’s set, Monica decided she was hungry, so we wandered up to Grill for some nourishment. By the time I finally arrived home, it was 1:45 a.m.

I felt like crap the next day. But it was one of those only-in-Tucson nights. In other words, it was totally worth it.

This article appears in Aug 23-29, 2007.