Here’s the other video that Russ took of our performance this past weekend at the Mokelumne Hill Volunteer Firefighter’s Benefit Ball. There is also a link below of all the pictures taken by the party organizer.

Feel free to bask in the glory that is my 80′s hair, headband, wristbands and bandannas. Take special notice of my super hot bright orange Chuck Taylors.

I. Am. Awesome.

http://www.mokehillfire.org/album/firemans-ball-2008

Lisa’s husband took a short clip of Total Eclipse performing at the annual Mokelumne Hills Volunteer Firefighter’s Benefit Ball this past weekend. It was a fun show.

You can see me all lit up and dancing like a bloody fool. Lisa is singing lead. UMB is on the end. If you look really closely you might get a glimpse of Othurme playing the big keyboard behind me.

I’ve had about 8 hours of sleep in the last 56 hours. Today really kicked my ass with all the various extra duties I took on at this conference I’m attending.

What was supposed to be a one night gig for Total Eclipse turned into a four-day musical extravaganza. I have moved my sound system 9 times since Sunday afternoon.

I set up 8 conference rooms with projectors and screens for presentations.

I assisted technologically challenged people with such devastatingly difficult tasks as: connecting a computer to a projector, taping down power cables, and of course the confounding procedure required to turn off an iPod.

Did I mention this conference was for New Technology Executives in Silicon Valley?

Total Eclipse played for a huge room. There were a few people in the room, but they mostly stood and stared at us. We interacted as best we could. We rocked it like a hurricane, but the event was just so not designed to be a party… It was very much like inviting a balloon animal expert clown to a bris.

It just didn’t really go together.

Speaking of Total Eclipse, The Absurdist got directed to our music today and she had some very nice things to say about us.

Go check it out.

You remember Fun Lisa? Here’s a somewhat typical conversation between us during the day at work… We were discussing the new songs that Total Eclipse have started working on…

Lisa: love me some Black Cat
Jester: we are all very excited about Black Cat, too. We all agree that you need to have a really good “balls-to-the-wall rock song
Lisa: ha…cause I’m such a rocker
Jester: right
Lisa: yes, well, I can see how you’d think that
Jester: the tattoo, the boozing… the sleeping around… you know that kind of stuff
Lisa: TOTALLY
Lisa: do I get to wear a floor length leather coat and thigh high boots?
Jester: if you want to, that would be totally hot… but you have to do that smokey eyeliner/shadow look
Lisa: ha ha…um, DON’T think I could pull that off…maybe I’ll just wear that apron around.
Jester: i think you could pull it off… the apron, though HILARIOUS is probably not the most rockin’ outfit I’ve seen
Lisa: HA. hilarious. ok, well I’ll work on incorporating those pieces into my wardrobe. I do have knee high pleather boots already
Jester: HOT! you need a shawl, maybe
Lisa: a shawl?
Jester: yeah a la Stevie Nicks
Lisa: ha…yeah. My hair is in the right place for her right now
Jester: there you go… a shawl, some scarves to tie to the microphone stand
Lisa: I’m thinking of cutting it though…
Jester: a crimping iron
Lisa: ha ha
Jester: really? how short?
Lisa: yeah…I don’t know. I’ve had it really short before. Like shorter than yours. I don’t know if I’ll go that short, but I was thinking something kinda drastic.
Lisa: I’m a big talker though
Jester: hahah
Jester: i do the drastic stuff all the time
Lisa: then I’ll get in the chair and be like, just a trim please
Jester: weird colors.. long… shaved… it’s just hair.
Lisa: yeah…well you look good with lots of different styles. it’s harder for the ladies I feel.
Jester: eh.. you chicks have it so much better
Lisa: ha
Jester: you can do just about anything with your hair, makeup, and clothes… we have FAR fewer choices
Lisa: its true…we have WAY more options
Jester: let’s see… jeans or khakis today? Button down or pullover shirt?
Lisa: I do feel sorry for men. Especially with formal wear. suit…or suit.
Jester: if i shave my head people think I’m going bald
Lisa: ha
Jester: you shave *your* head, they think you’re edgy
Lisa: or crazy
Jester: or britney
Lisa: exactly
Jester: formal wear sucks
Jester: you guys get cocktail dresses, formal dresses, pantsuits blah blah
Lisa: yeah. I actually don’t like the way men look in tuxes at all.
Jester: we get umm… suit or tux.
Lisa: I like suits, but they’re so boring
Jester: of course… all those rules are changed if the guy is black
Lisa: ha…why is that?
Jester: apparently black guys can get away with wearing bright purple pinstriped nehru jackets and matching shoes
Lisa: mmm, only some guys can get away with that.
Jester: have you seen a “black man’s” clothing store?
Lisa: can’t say that I have… I didn’t know there were specific stores
Jester: they’re not called that of course… but that’s what they are
Lisa: ha
Jester: you can tell from the window, displaying suits in bright green or yellow… hats with a wide colorful band or a feather on them…
Lisa: love it! you should try it
Jester: I want to be black. If i put on a bright green suit and someone will try squeezing me and making me into wine
Lisa: actually, I would say that gay men get away with more than straight men in the fashion dept.
Lisa: gay men take more chances with clothes
Jester: that used to be the case… now all the straight guys are copying us
Lisa: ha…well, that’s true
Jester: and that only counts if you’re the cute super skinny-needs-a-sandwich gay guy
Lisa: HA
Jester: if you’re someone who ever eats, you get the same sloppy stuff to wear that all the straight guys get.
Lisa: otherwise you’re Elton John and wear feathers and pin stripes
Jester: I do it differently… I dress like a lesbian just to change it up
Lisa: HAAA you’re too funny… flannels and sandals?
Jester: i actually finally got myself away from flannel shirts
Lisa: HA
Jester: I used to wear them all the time open over a white tee shirt
Lisa: I did too when i was in my grunge stage
Jester: short hair… I seriously looked like I should be called “butch” and have a harley out back where my lipstick girlfriend was waiting for me
Lisa: HAAA!

Total Eclipse played a Leukemia Society benefit Thursday night in San Francisco. It was an 80′s theme party (hence the outfits). The crowd was surprisingly large for a Thursday night.

I managed to snap some good photos of the band members to update our website. Here you go:

This is Jerry, aka Othurme. He plays keyboards.

This is Gary. He plays the bass.

This is Chris, he’s our new lead guitarist.

This is Anna, our drummer.

Here’s Lisa, she’s a singer.

Here’s Michael, aka UMB. He sings.

Here’s me. I sing.

Here’s Kristy. She dances in the audience and drinks. We love her.

Couple of things for all the locals out there…

UMB’s new band, Happily Ever After is performing their first show on Friday night at the House of Shields:

AND!

Next week, Total Eclipse is performing at the Party 4 Life, an 80′s themed event that raises money for the prevention and treatment of blood cancers. The event will be held at The Rouge in SF on Thursday September 20, 2007 from 9-1am.

Discount tickets are available if you sign up in advance by checking out the really cool flier that is circulating.

Come see us Friday night for UMB’s show, or come support a worthy cause and get your dance on with our wicked cool, rad, and totally awesome band next week!