When it's time to party we will always party hard indeed. I just got my ass kicked at the Andrew W. K. show.

Certainly we all know who Mr. W. K. is by now--long hair, tight white jeans, songs about partying and puking paired with a whole lotta head-banging. But did you also know that he has one of the best live shows EVER? It's true!

I didn't mind the sweaty, large boys squishing into me, I didn't mind the scrawny kids using my shoulders as a stepstool to get on stage... it was just too fun to care!

Prior to the show I had only heard the frat-boy-embraced party anthems "Party Hard" and "Party Til You Puke," but from those I could easily conclude that the sold-out show was going to be nothing short of an absolute riot. Preparing for a night of anarchy, I braced myself as I walked through the door.

Graceland's showroom was blazing hot. The air was a thick, humid mix of sweat and smoke constantly fogging up my glasses and camera lens. Even a T-shirt and jeans felt like too much clothing. Kids were climbing on top of one another; Graceland's security staff sprayed bottles of water on the massive, sticky pile of people. It was one of the craziest crowds I've ever been a part of (as far as I can remember, anyway, because there was that show at RKCNDY that resulted in a minor concussion, but that night is kind of a blur), and it was a blast.

If you weren't one of the 500+ at the sold-out show, all I can say is bummer for you. But this entire space isn't reserved for my bratty chants of "I got to go and you didn't" (not completely, anyway). Because while I'm on the subject of totally amazing shows, I'd like to draw some attention to a show happening in the near future, another show that you can't afford to miss. Pretty Girls Make Graves are playing at the Vera Project on Sunday, the 24th. Given Vera's amazing sound system and show space (and the fact that lead singer Andrea Zollo absolutely kicks ass), there's no way their performance is going to be a disappointment. Unless of course you completely miss it, but that's not going to happen, right?

So you missed Andrew W. K., and that sucks, but try to redeem yourself and show up for Pretty Girls. If you miss that, there's no helping ya. MEGAN SELING

megan@thestranger.com