J.G. Thirlwell, Clint Ruin, Foetus, the Madman, the crazed industrial iron-man-god hadn't toured widely in over 5 years. That's why I was so determined, pumped full of manic anticipation, to see him when he came to SF on tour in support of his new album 'FLOW'. Even if he was playing at Slim's, one of my least favorite local venues. It's not like there are a lot of options in SF these days with all the clubs shutting their doors on account of rising rents and yuppie scum, but I digress.

I was terribly eager to get in early to this marvelous show, perhaps too eager, as I showed up about an hour early to find only a few tragically devoted fans milling around in front. A troubling sign. I mean, sure, Foetus is somewhat obscure and under-appreciated, but his live shows have always drawn fairly good sized crowds of Foetus worshippers in the past. Still, as I waited with my 3 cohorts, 30-40 people gathered out front. I started to babble with giddiness. We heard them play Butterfly Potion for a soundcheck, and I started to hop up and down like a fucking teenager. Christ. I was worried about getting my camera past the doormen, but lucky for me, nobody thought to look in my bag, though i'd taken the precaution of sprinkling a few tampons on top of the camera as a feminist statement slash diversionary tactic. When they let us in, I went straight to the merchandise and bought a copy of the all-instrumental Foetus side project Manorexia, "volvox TURBO" CD and a pretty nice black t-shirt with the FLOW artwork on it.