Star Spotting

Last night I ran into pop star Andy Bell of Erasure, at Blackstones, a Portland gay bar. In the past 20 years I've run into Bell at the Warsaw Ballroom in South Beach, the Armory in Atlanta, the Hole In The Wall in San Francisco, the Cellblock in Chicago, and the DC Eagle. I don't think I've run into any of my actual real life friends as often in so many far-flung places. As usual, Andy was charming, enduring my gushing fandom with warmth and a generous hug. Erasure's latest release, Union Street, named after the Brooklyn street where it was recorded, is an unplugged-style accoustic take on some of their lesser-known tracks.