I got an internet invitation to a fundraiser for David Segal. I vaguely remembered that he had once belonged to the Green Party. I have to say that any politician who tries to get my vote by naming his party after me gets an ‘A’ for effort. Too bad I didn’t live in his district.

But it sounded like a good excuse to check out Nick-A-Nees bar, and the What Cheer Brigade was promised to be there. I’ve wanted to see them again ever since they showed up for the massive pro-immigration rally at the statehouse two years ago.

I have to say that the party was less than a success. It was hard to find a place to stand, the bar was so crowded. And I kept being distracted by running into people I knew. This kept me from getting to the boxes of Fellini’s pizza in time to get a slice.

Going out onto the patio, to get a breath of air in the unseasonably mild, gentle dusk as the neon lights flashed up and down the street and seagulls wheeled above the electric plant, I was again bothered by encountering old friends who wanted to hug and talk. Then the What Cheer brigade started doing stuff that was distracting, because it’s hard to talk when you are laughing that hard. When they started to play, my date embarrassed us by dancing, and—I blame the band–I danced too. This made my legs tired.

We planned to get something to eat, but ended up somehow staying far longer than we had planned. It was all those people wanting to talk, and that music I guess.

So unless you want to get into a crowd of people you know in a cool bar with amazing music on the sweetest night in May so far don’t ever go to one of David Segal’s fundraisers.

(PS from Kiersten: Here’s a fun video of the What Cheer Brigade performing.)