#28 Food for Thought

On my deathbed, if I was given the choice between a last meal or a last song, I'd really grapple with that decision.

I've had the good fortune recently to dine at a few of the Twin Cities' most recommended restaurants and it's got me thinking- how might a band be able to make what they're offering more like a memorable meal? I would return over and over for the warm, spicy pork rinds at "Tongue In Cheek" or an Old Fashioned at "Whiskey Inferno" but once people have come to a Hot Pink Hangover concert and bought our CDs, what more do we have to offer? We need to make our musical contributions something that folks will crave and want to return to enjoy again and again. We need them to experience Hot Pink Hangover hunger pangs!

One of the most exciting things about dining out is who's sitting across from you- adding to your experience. Danny Rampage and I celebrated 5 years of wedded bliss at "W.A. Frost" the other night, thanks to our traveling adventurer friends who left a gift card on our kitchen table the last time they were in town. We dined on their renowned patio while mushroom pasta and tarragon cream sauce danced in my mouth. We talked about travel and art... and drank too many glasses of Prosecco. Our biggest hope as a band is that people will feel a similar sense of satisfaction after a gig with us! So come with a friend or two... dance to the music, maybe do some belly shots, cut loose, and make it an event that will create lasting memories for you and yours. "The Hotties" will be there to embrace you and show you a good time!

We dined with family at "The Bachelor Farmer" earlier this week and I was awestruck by the amount of care and consideration our waiter offered as he tended to our every whim. Not only was he accommodating, but he had an immense amount of knowledge around the items on the plates he was serving. I had never seen milkweed pods on a menu before so I asked him to elaborate. He went on to describe the young, supple pods as well as the various foragers who bring in much of their locally-sourced, wild food. Next time I'm working our merch booth, I'm going to strive to connect with my friends and fans the way our waiter did that night. I can't boast that our tee shirts are made from locally sourced organic cotton or that our shot glasses are hand blown by a groovy artist on the West Bank... but our very own Danny Rampage created all of the visual appeal to every item on our merch table and I'm proud of that!

If anyone has a brilliant and strategic way for musicians to create an offering that will yield joy and satisfaction similar to a good nosh, I'm all ears. Maybe music needs to be more disposable. Either that, or we need to start manufacturing moonshine in sexy little leg lamp bottles and sell those in addition to our CDs...

So, if you were on your deathbed and had to choose, a last meal or a last song, which would it be?