Double Flee A

I can't say anough good things about the event my wife and I attended this evening in St. Paul.

We are now huge fans of roller derby.

Minnesota RollerGirls :: All-female, skater-owned roller derby league in the Twin Cities

Tonight's event was called Hell's Belles, and it was above and beyond. These girls go all out. It's like seeing all the girls from the drunken bike tour roller skating around fighting each other. I think some of them are the same girls, actually. The whole scene is very similar. PBR is a sponsor, which I would love except for the inflated price of tall boys. They shouldn't cost more then three bucks each, guys, or it loses its punk rock appeal.

First the Atomic Bombshells played the Garda belts. That was a great contest, if you like seeing one team kick another team's ass brutally. The second match was much more even, with a final score of 49-50 between the Dagger Dolls and the Rockits.

My friend buzzkill, I mean John, wanted to leave, so we took off at intermission, before the teams played the other winner and loser.

This event felt like home. The sponsorship by the current, without question Minnesota's best radio station, was one source of comfort, but the people that came to this thing were the kind of people you like to see. Nonconformity reigned at Roy Wilkins auditorium. It was nice to see people doing their own thing all over the place. I didn't see a lot of the bleach blondes you see at the Cheesecake Factory or Chang O'Hara's in Edina. Any, actually. Yay.

Next door at the Excel energy center, one of those new arenas built so steeply that looking down induces vertigo, it was rodeo night. Never have I seen so much Marlboro clothing in one place. Rodeo attendees love being had by tobacco companies. Smoking gives them a lovely feeling of belonging. Yee haw, guys! I know the guys who'll be making your chemotherapy! They're assholes and they don't care if you die. Not that it matters.

So check out roller derby if you can. There is a refreshing vitality at work there.

posted by dale @ 11:37 PM