Ok.  Here’s the thing.  I was home-schooled.  For 10 years.  Many things that other kids found to be funny just stressed me out.  Like pranks.  I never pranked my friends.  And they never pranked me.  It was a blissful, innocent existence.  But that is all over now.

APPARENTLY, bands that go on extended tours together start playing pranks on each other half-way through the run.  I was warned, but that didn’t stop the home-schooler anxiety that ensued when Mr. Brandon Rosas of Sleeperstar led off with a prank on GRO.  The GRO boys have been covering “All The Single Ladies” by Beyoncé during their set.  Dear Brandon thought it would be funny to sneak onstage in a black leotard during the cover, mimicking the ATSL dance.  He actually learned some of the more risqué moves.  And though the mask he wore in an effort to disguise his identity only made him look like a single ninja, everyone got the idea.  Sleeperstar: 1 ; GRO: 0

Not to be outdone, GRO made sure that we received 6am wake-up calls the next morning in our hotel rooms.  It was a good effort, if not a little cliche.  Unfortunately for us, that wasn’t the half of it.

They sold-out the next show.  And midway through the set, we began hearing commentary on our performance through the monitors.  We looked to the back of the room, and Geoff Ice, who had apparently threatened our sound-man with violence, was waving from the sound booth, smile on his face.  Sleeperstar: 1 ; GRO: 1

I thought that surely this was the only prank of the set.  But just as we began our cover of “New York” by Jay-Z, Jamey Ice appeared onstage, dressed as a giant banana wielding an electric guitar.  He began dancing on Chris Pearson.  It was hilarious.  But Chris was quick on his feet, and forced Jamey (who professes to be tone-deaf) to sing the chorus.  Amazing turnaround.  Sleeperstar: 2 ; GRO: 1

I can’t call the game yet, because the tour isn’t over.  Currently, I feel that we are ahead…  Then again, acute fatigue may be impairing my judgement.  I received another 6am wake-up call this morning.

Sleeperstar: 2 ; GRO: 2

May the most diabolical band win.