Starting a little after 4:00 p.m. yesterday at Hidmo Eritrean Cuisine in the Central District, THEESatisfaction performed two songs over and over for three hours to about 50 people and a film crew.

By 7:00, the production team was dancing along with the audience to homemade R&B jaunt "Sexy Girlfriend," openly singing the lyrics: "I've got such a sexy girlfriend / Wish you had one, too / But you don't / And I do." If director Lynn Shelton was trying to create a vibe, she succeeded. Afterward, people walked outside and began freestyle rapping.

It was all for MTV's "$5 Cover" TV show, which I keep blogging about, currently being filmed at various Seattle locations during August. While the action at Hidmo was occurring, all I could think were two things: "Wow, it's so cool Cat's (THEESatisfaction member with no glasses) parents are here, supporting her, whatever they think about her music and its content," and also, "If this turns out half as good as 'Humpday,' I'll be happy."

The film crew said Shelton picked the bands, that it was her idea to have THEESatisfaction on "$5 Cover." Other people said Shelton picked some musicians, and some of those musicians picked others. However THEESatisfaction's getting on MTV, it's clearly happening, and seems to be on the group's own terms: Hidmo is its performing/eating/hanging out stomping grounds (you can even buy recent release "Snow Motion" there, which I recently reviewed) and the crowd was mostly friends.

Shelton, directing

THEESatisfaction's Stasia Irons, through hair

Cat's folks (behind me)

Outside

These guys stood next to me during filming -- I believe they go by Kung Fu Grip -- and started freestyling right after Shelton & Co. wrapped.