After Joe Brainard

by Melany Tapia 

I remember the smell of beer spilled by a guy whose head bopped to the beat of the drums.

I remember bumming cigarettes off pierced, vibrant strangers.

I remember smoking outside between sets.

I remember hopping the L train at 1 a.m. after a gig because most pigs are asleep at that time.

I remember the girls who were loose with no drink and ready for fun after three.

I remember the moshers stomping so proudly, pushing love from one to another as the bass increased its speed loudly.

I remember the melodies created by fingers who seemed to have a mind of their own.

I remember the smokey haze of a room that left my ears ringing.

I remember the broken down bathroom and how a friend had to stand by the door for it to close.

I remember the metalheads leaving white powder on the sink.

I remember graffiti filled art on rotten walls that held in the sound.

I remember dropping my phone in the middle of a set and a stampede of Doc Martin’s cracked my screen.

I remember the crowd surfers that would ride us like the waves in Hawaii.

I remember the beer runs to bodegas when we knew we already had enough.

I remember the energy and smiles and the willingness of everyone to share their poisons.

I remember jumping off stage just to be caught in a net of arms still dancing as they lifted.

I remember the long waits and transfers to trains that stopped running once you got there.

I remember knocking out cold for fourteen stops just to wake up exactly at mine.

I remember the wretched burps after having a little too many.

I remember not remembering how I got home, but making it anyway.

I remember crashing hard into bed just to wake up two hours later to rush to the toilet.

I remember waking up with a headache.

I remember the morning after where I would look through videos of the night before.

I remember living with no rules and no one to cage me.

I remember punk shows daily.

Melany Tapia is an English and Literature major in Creative Writing. She is part of LaGuardia’s graduating class of 2020. Her plans are to continue her education at Brooklyn College and receive her BA in Secondary Education. As an aspiring writer, her main goal is to one day get published and recognized for her work. Five years from now, she sees herself pursuing her Ph.D. in English and helping young writers find their path.