this providence, 10.05.2009

LINE-UP: A bunch of local bands, This Providence @ The Depot

Even though the show was in Greeley and on Mother's Day, we convince our mom to take us up there and take Caleigh with us. The venue is not really a venue at all, it's a tiny warehouse with two separate sections: one a lighted gathering area with games and a food place, the other through a door that's dark where the stage is set up. It even has a wall that opens when the bands need to set-up! It's so cute! We get up there after the first band is finished playing their set, and we walk straight into the stage area. We watch the first band, who are actually quite decent (The Analog Reason, maybe they were called). The singer reminded me of Brendon Urie at times; it was amusing.

We head back out to the gathering area (it's a Jesus place) and sit around while Regret Night plays because we can't stand them - no offense-, leaving my mom behind in the other room. Finally, finally I spot David Blaise in the opposite corner of the room on his laptop. We sit around, order a delicious Ice Chai beverage for under two dollars and a pretzel (XD), and watch David Blaise make weird motions at his laptop. It's kind of cute, actually, and I'm quite entranced.

"Is he watching something?" I ask Caleigh. She answers, "He might be talking to someone. Probably Cass," she adds jokingly, as in Cassadee Pope from Hey Monday. (It pretty much destroyed me when I found out they were dating... not really.) I decide to take the ballsy move and "discreetly" walk by to see what he's doing. Right there, on his laptop screen IS CASSADEE! I was going to keep walking by on down to my mother, but I totally freak out and bolt backwards back to my sister and Caleigh. "I thought you were just kidding!" I tell Caleigh as I explain to them that David Blaise is, in fact, talking to Cassadee. That pretty much tears my heart in two (She's my girlfriend!) and I totally freak out, hence why I couldn't keep going forward. It was too much.

I go to get my mom so she doesn't have to sit by herself anymore, and I explain to her what happened because she was wondering why I had run away like I did. I'm totally freaking out because I really didn't think Caleigh could have been right. The image of her on the screen is forever burned into my mind. Ha ha ha ha. It really is, though.

Even then we continue to watch David Blaise as he finishes his virtual chat with Cassadee, gawk at Andy Horst when we see him (my mom loves him), and make fun of Dan Young and his silly accent. One of the guys from Regret Night - the least obnoxious one - comes over to talk to us, God only knows why. He asks us if we like Saving Verona, the band currently playing, and we all just shrug. He tells us that he actually really likes them and misses seeing them play. "So why don't you go watch them?" Nora says. "Oh I didn't mean it like that," she adds when he shamefully leaves us alone, realizing we don't actually want to talk to him. Poor kid.

Towards the end of Saving Verona's set, we go back into the stage area to watch the last few songs. We pass Andy on the way in, and my mom totally freaks out. Internally, that is. Saving Verona is actually really good, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to listen them. Dan Young is sitting on one of the couches, so my mom goes to sit next to him while Caleigh is pushing me to stand closer to where David Blaise is standing. Dan young eventually leave, though, but I find it really funny. Finally, it's This Providence's turn, so we get closer to the stage.

Dan Young is really interesting to watch on stage: he kind of squirms and twists like he has to go to the bathroom, but that's just my observation. Caleigh liked it, but I don't know what's wrong with her. They don't perform for very long at all, but pretty much divide their set with half of the songs from the new album and the other half from the one before. And overall, it was a really good time.

Afterward, we actually decide to brave it and meet Dan Young. He tells me he likes the coordination I have with my gold vest and the gold print on my "This ProviDANCE" shirt, and I politely tell him thanks you and that I was glad he noticed. We get pictures (Caleigh gets two because she didn't like the first one. Lame-o.), and my mom says something about having gone to sit next to him. He says something along the lines of how he liked that she was confident enough to do so. Strange. Very strange. He does tell her Happy Mother's Day, though, which is nice.

We meet David Blaise next after hesitating to approach him and take some pics. I "blink" in the first one, so I get another one. (I really didn't blink; I don't know what Nora's talking about.) "It's your birthday in 8 days, isn't it?" I say to him to start a conversation. "Yeah," he answers, "The big 21, but I still look really young." "My sister has the same problem," I tell him. "People always say she looks like she's 14, but she's really 20." Don't you hate that? he asks her, she agrees, and they go off on a quick conversation about their ages. There's another girl butting into our conversation (which is okay, because I actually like her, and I think she's nice), Kay, I think her name is, who also look like she's 12 because she's super short. She becomes part of the conversation, too.

David goes one to say how sometimes people take his youth ridiculously far. "Are you 10?" he quotes, and I make a comment about how yes, he's 10, he's tall, and he has a tattoo. "Yeah, my mom let me get this." He goes along with my joke, "I got it out of the 25 cent dispenser," which is the most hilarious part. He asks for our names, and we introduce ourselves. It's totally sweet, and I love him even more. He tells us to have a good night, and I go to hug him. He gives very sweet hugs. =)

We stop by to meet Gavin, and head outside to find Andy. He's talking to a few people and smoking (FAIL), so we wait around in a little group beside theirs, awkwardly, I might add. He looks over a few times, wondering what we want, but it isn't until he parts ways with them that we rush over to get pictures. One with my mom, of course because she loves him so much! She even gets a hug out of him! (That lucky bitch! XD) Dan Young ends up with us, too, and while we take turns getting a picture with Andy, Caleigh starts talking to him. About what, not even she knows, but she likes it. He tells Mom Happy Mother's Day again, and that's when it clicks in Andy's head, and he wishes her a happy day as well.

We leave soon after that and head home. Overall, it was a pretty successful night, and I know even my mom was glad that she made the effort to drive all the way down there. ;)

fall out boy, 15.04.2009

LINE-UP: Hey Monday, Cobra Starship, Metro Station, All Time Low, Fall Out Boy @ the Fillmore

Once inside the venue, Nora and I do our best to shimmy our way as close to the front as we can, and eventually, we make it to about second/third row, theoretically, which is really impressive for only having to wait fifteen or so minutes for the show to start. Hey Monday, as usual, does an amazing performance. The day before they had performed Candles like they always do, but because they were playing the same city twice in a row, they decide to switch that song out for 6 Months! I start freaking out because I never expected to ever hear that song live because it's so soft and slow, but it doesn't even change the mood of the performance and Cassadee sings so beautifully! That song right there was worth going into the show a second time. Pete Wentz comes out on stage again during Homecoming, and Nora snaps some really sick shots of Cassadee throughout their set.

As the next band is setting up, Nora and I become all confused. The mother-fuckers changed the line-up on us! Instead of All Time Low playing second, like we had hoped so we could get out of the pit, Cobra Starship is playing next. I don't mind that part at all because Cobra is a whole ton of fun to see live, and I was actually forced to pay attention. During Snakes on a Plane, Cassadee comes out - a tad too late, but she makes it works even though Gabe's glare at Victoria during the first chorus pretty much screamed, 'Where the fuck is she?' - to sing with them. Cobra Starship, despite my initial protest and hate, is badass.

The worst part of the line-up change is the fact that in order to stay up front for All Time Low, we have to sit through Metro Station up close! Noooooooo! I don't know how we do it, but somehow, Nora and I manage to survive, even though this is the point where we almost made it to the second row. I try to distract myself as much as I can, avoiding Trace Cyrus as he takes his shirt of yet again, and before I'm driven to the brink of suicide, their set is over. THANK GOD.

All Time Low comes out and plays next. It's pretty much a repeat of the day before, but I still enjoy it. Nora and I decide that it's not going to be worth it to stay up front for Fall Out Boy and get pummeled by idiotic fans, so we leave after All Time Low and venture the back of the venue for awhile. Nora sees Cassadee with a security guard, but we don't stop because I hadn't even seen her come down the stairs, and we were afraid one or the other would have gotten yelled at. We should have just gone for it, though. Eventually we just go stand where we stood the day before to watch Fall Out Boy, who again, do amazing! After What A Catch, Donnie, Nora and I bolt it behind the stage and find Alex, but he's occupied with a few other fans. Security, surprisingly, is not kicking us out, but Alex ignores and eventually lingers toward the bar area where we're not allowed. We decide it's okay to not talk to him right then and there and head back to where we were standing originally. From there, we can see Alex, Jack, and Vicky T on the other side, drinking and watching Fall Out Boy. That keeps me occupied for a good while.

Right as Fall Out Boy's set comes to a close, Nora and I leave to the merch area, scan it for a few seconds, and head outside to the back where the buses are again after finding no one. Our mom is here to pick us up at this point, so she gets off the car to come meet All Time Low with us, who is already out by the wire. Just Rian, Zack, and Jack, though. We manage to find a crack in the crowd at the very end, which enables us to get a picture with Zack and Rian. Yay!

I don't know what comes over me, but I decide that we should get pictures with Jack just for the hell of it. A spot opens up perfectly for us, so we got for it and wait a little bit while he takes picture with other people until his attention is directed toward us. Nora asks if we could get a picture with him. He says yes, takes the camera from Nora's hands, (WTF?!?!? Nora and I totally freak out because that camera is everything to her XD.) and decides to take the picture for us. "It's more professional that way," Jack says. Again, WTF?! I step out of the picture because I want my own, but I ask for one afterward, so he takes Nora's camera again, and I don't know how he does, but he angles the picture perfectly and it turns out to be one of the most adorable pictures I have ever taken in my life. No joke. Really, WHAT THE FUCK?!

Alex comes out of the bus not too long afterward and stops for a few minutes to talk to a girl he knows loading her car. After that, he comes over to the crowd and yells something. He starts not too far from where we are and makes his way over to us in no time. He smiles, asks us how we are while complaining about how cold he is. Again, I am absolutely horrible at this, and I forget half of what was said. I do remember that some guy comes up behind us and hands a phone to Alex, telling him his biggest fan, Molly, is on the phone because she couldn't make it tonight because she was at another show. Biggest fan, my ass. After totally shit-talking him like she always does, Nora tells Alex that she's a writer, and when she writes a sentence, she always asks herself, "Could Alex Gaskarth have written this better?" "That's cool!" he laughs. "Whenever I write a lyric, I always ask myself, 'Could Jesus have written this better'? And the answer is 'no'." Meanwhile, I am completely ignored and practically shoved to the side, yay me. ='(

Alex tells Nora to email some of her stories to him and he'll grade them - red pen teacher marks! Okay, really? I think, I was a writer first. Thanks Nora, not everything is about you. My whole jealously rage gets worse: "Oh by the way," Nora says after we both get pictures, "I'm Nora." Alex shakes her hand, laughing, "I'm Alex." And of course, I'm offered no introduction, so on my own I decide to introduce myself, too. I get to shake his hand and all, but I can tell he doesn't care. His face was just, like, "Ohhhkay." Nora tells him we're going to be heading off - what I hadn't realized until now was that he completely shut out all the other fans to talk to us, err, Nora and no one else - so I say, "Could we pull off doing a hug?" STUPID ME. "I don't know if we can pull it off, but we'll do it," he says, hugging me, then Nora and my mom.

I don't mean to take things to heart so much or get so overly sensitive about stupid things, but I couldn't help but feel so ignored the entire time, even by my own sister. It was like she didn't even care that I'm pretty much in love with the asshole and didn't pay any mind to the fact that I was standing right there. I really never was involved any of the times we've met him. Story of my life.

all time low in-store, 15.04.2009

I'm pretty sure God loves us, ha ha, because out of all the states All Time Low could have done an in-store at, they miraculously are able to do one in Colorado at the Apple Store in the Park Meadows Mall. An exciting idea, but nonetheless intimidating.

We get to the Apple Store about two, three hours before the in-store is supposed to begin, but there was only three people waiting outside. It's weird. So my little brother and I venture off into the mall to go "exploring" while Mom and Nora wait behind. We come back, and Nora and I take off to the Forever 21 there. While we're there, Daniel informs us that All Time Low is physically inside the store, but there still aren't many people, so we're still safe. We head to the Hot Topic across the ways next, and as I'm trying on a shoe - one. single. shoe. - my little brother sends us another text telling us that all four members of All Time Low left right through the entrance of the Apple Store in front of all the people and are heading in the direction we are. We bolt it out of the Hot Topic as fast as we can. It's quite a hilarious sight, I imagine, to see me throw the shoe I was trying on off and struggle to put my boot back on. This is all done while trying to book it out of the store, mind you.

Nora suggests we head up to the food court; where else would they be, right? Yeah, bingo. We head to the left side and spot them on the right at Chik-Fil-A, Alex in his beanie and sunglasses, everyone else in plain view. Great disguise, huh? We're unsure of what to do at this point. We feel like being stupid and going over there to buy an ice cream, but realize that's too obvious. After a few minutes of deliberation, we decide to leave them and go to Urban Outfitters while we wait for them to finish eating. Yeah, yeah, it totally sounds creepy, I know, but we were all freaking out at the same time because we just thought it was soooo funny. Don't ask us why.

We spend adequate time at Urban, and as we head back upstairs to the food court, I spy Jack, Rian, and Zack in the Sunglass Hut, but no Alex. They couldn't have left him alone, so we head back to the food court, and he's still there with Matt Flyzik. We decide to take the idiotic plunge and buy an ice cream at Chik-Fil-A (stupid, stupid!) Just as we're walking up there, so does Alex to get a refill (I don't know how I actually remember all of this), and I can't keep the cheesy grin off my face, so I imagine we looked absolutely stupid! We really weren't trying that hard... that just sort of happens. We stand awkwardly in line, and we know that Alex sees Nora, but he can't say anything, of course, and he heads off right after. A girl says, "I love you, Alex!" and I feel really bad for himself. Really, I feel bad for myself for being such a moron.

We actually DO get the ice cream and run back down to get back to the Apple Store. Conveniently as we're running down and obnoxiously out of the way set of stairs we make it to the first floor just as Alex is passing by. We end up walking behind him and the same girls who said they loved him before, laughing and feeling awkward yet again. The girls are telling Alex to tell the people they got there first, so he does, absent-mindedly, and I get pissed. The three kids from the beginning had been there since 9 in the morning! Outside, there are a ton of people now, so we squeeze in with my mom and brother. No worker has told them to form a line, which is absolutely dumb because we're all crowded around awkwardly. Eventually they push us along the side of the door, but it's still so ridiculously unorganized. The three kids from the beginning DO end up getting in first, thankfully, and we bolt in right behind them despite the mob of girls in front of us. We get to the front little barricade thing beside them on "Alex's side of the stage", in theory. We're so incredibly thankful we were actually able to make it in correctly. Whew!

Alex comes out with his Chik-Fil-A cup and Zack with an acoustic guitar. Rian and Jack aren't performing with them, but instead sit behind them on two stools, which is nice that they had everyone show up to do the signing. At one point, Alex spills his drink, and it's quite funny. Don't know how that was relevant at all. Anyhow... Alex is such an amazing singer! Each time I hear him sing, he gets better and better and every time I am more and more impressed. They perform Six Feet Under the Stars, Jasey Rae (go figure), Weightless (which everyone screwed up, except for me, fuckers), and Dear, Maria. We snap some pretty decent shots, and I feel strange when Alex watches Nora sing along. Heh.

Afterward, they form us into a line so we can "meet" them, and we even get a free poster to get signed, yay! Nora goes first, then Daniel; me, and lastly my mother. Zack is first at the little counter-type thing. Nora tells him she likes his sweater vest-type thing, which is exactly what I was going to tell him! "She stole my line!" I say to my mom, but she doesn't really understand why I just said that. (She's pretty absent-minded, but I love her.) Then it's Alex, and he starts talking to Nora, asking her how she is. She tells him that she really doesn't hate him, at least not all of the time anyway. "I've come to terms with it," Alex tells her, WTF?! I scurry on by to get my poster signed by him, too, but he really doesn't pay much mind to me. Yeah, okay.

Here comes the embarrassing part (for me anyways): Because I am feeling oh so kind today, I decide to tell Jack - even though I hate him - that I like the plaid that he is wearing, God only knows why. He doesn't hear me, so he leans in closer to me to have me repeat it. Then he goes, "Oh, is that a Camp Rock necklace?" "Yes," I answer. "I have a um..." He fumbles for a second. "Camp Rock bed sheet." I can feel my face heating up already, but some God forsaken reason I blurt out, "Me, too!" But I take my poster (Rian had already signed it, and I felt bad for not being able to pay attention to him) and take off toward my sister. I almost got my Camp Rock coin purse signed by them if they didn't have poster, but thank God I didn't! My face is beet red, and I am legit crying because I have never been so embarrassed in my life. Something weird had happened between me and Jack the last time All Time Low played (it really wasn't that weird, but I'm kind of traumatized), and I had pretty much walked into something I was always trying to avoid; therefore I now think Jack thinks that I have a crush on him. Great.

My mom gets finished about a second later, and she asks what's going on with me and what I had said to Jack because while I was talking to him, she told me that my face was turning completely red. EVEN BETTER. I am so ashamed of myself.

My mom later tells us that Alex asked her if we were going to the show again that night, and she told him that Nora and I were, implying that he wanted us there. Nora, I should say, but whatever.

We wait around in the Apple Store for everyone else to get through the signing, but All Time Low doesn't have time to take pictures with everyone like they thought they would, so they take off, and we do too shortly thereafter and head back down to the Fillmore for yet another late night adventure. Weeee!

fall out boy, 14.04.2008

LINE-UP: Hey Monday, All Time Low, Cobra Starship, Metro Station, Fall Out Boy
VENUE: Fillmore Auditorium

I hated how we had to choose between this show and the Devil Wears Prada. TDWP are SO incredible to see live; neither my sister nor I wanted to give up the opportunity to go see them, but alas, Fall Out Boy is one of Nora's ultimate favorite bands and we chose to see them instead, which was absolutely fine with me, despite the show being at my least favorite venue. At least it wasn't in an arena, so we seized the opportunity.

Like crazy-ass fanatics, but not the maximum extreme, we get down to the venue at about 7 in the morning, whip out our sleeping materials and lie down on the pavement behind only five or so people (which DO multiply by the end) to sleep and wait and wait and wait. Way later into the day, as I'm laying on the pavement, I glance up to see a guy on a scooter with a Glamour Kills shirt. I find this funny and decide to check him out, then I see a girl behind him. IT'S HEY MONDAY. (FYI, I love Cassadee, and she's my theoretical girlfriend... but I don't swing that way.) I freak out a little bit on the inside as I watch them ride away on scooters. How darling.

The ten hours of waiting actually go by pretty fast. Despite all the early-entry assholes and line-cutters, Nora and I make it about second row, in theory inside the venue. I start to feel really, REALLY sick and don't know if I can make it through the hour wait. I want to so badly, but I feel so ridiculously ill that ten minutes before Hey Monday comes out, I have to bolt to the bathroom and forfeit my spot. I am so, SO sad about this but feel a whole lot better afterward and venture back into the crowd. I make it about "fifth row" and I can see really, really well. Cassadee can't see me, but that's okay. They open with Run, Don't Walk (badass, I tell you, badass!) and only play a few songs, but my girlfriend looks damn good and sings SO well! Pete Wentz even comes on stage to sing with them and people go crazy! I even go crazy!

All Time Low comes on next, and they of course, perform they're typical-ass songs, but despite this, they perform well. They always do. They keep the inappropriate comments to a minimum (probably because Alex knew Nora was there!), which is actually quite nice. After their set, I leave, and meet up with Nora at the merch area, miraculously. We wander around for a little while, looking for someone to meet, but we find no one. Instead, we find the Summer Set standing around in the middle of the pit. A day off, we figured, and decide to venture near them when Jess is alone. She says hi to us and confirms that we were at their show the night before. We reintroduce ourselves, and she tells us that they had gotten in free, but didn't get to see Hey Monday or All Time Low, even though she wanted to because they had just arrived. Sad day. We part ways, saying we'll see her next time.

Even though Gabe Saporta can't shut his mouth, Cobra Starship is still a really fun band to see live. I like his morals and speeches; they move me, and they're good for a dance. Gabe starts talking shit about Cassadee and how she had agreed to sing Snake on a Plane with them until Fall Out Boy asked her to sing a song with them. "Fuck you, Gabe!" he quotes. He then says that they asked Alex Gaskarth the same thing. He, too, agreed, until Fall Out Boy snatched him up, too. "Fuck you, Gabe!" he says again, "But you know what? That's okay because WE DON'T GIVE A SHIT." I find this hilarious, but in the middle of Snakes on a Plane, Alex runs on stage out of nowhere to sing William Beckett's part. "I heard you talking shit about me from downstairs," Alex tells Gabe. It's all quite a sight to see.

Both Nora and I are dreading the moment Metro Station comes on stage. And I really don't give a rat's ass if you say you like them, because THEY SUCK. They're horrible. There's nothing good about them. Sometimes, yes, they have decent beats, but those needs dudes who actually know how to sing if they want to turn it into a good song. They're SO nasty. At one point, Trace Cyrus takes his shirt off "because it's so hot", girls scream, and I almost throw up on myself. I kid you not. He is the epitome of disgusting, but luckily, their set is over soon before I go through with suicide. Thank God.

We go and stand with my mom a level up on the side of the stage to watch Fall Out Boy. It may not be in the pit, but it provides a really good view. And let me tell you, I don't really go out of my way to listen to Fall Out Boy, but seeing them live is always so amazing! Plus it doesn't hurt that I can see Cassadee sitting on the side of the stage watching and waiting for her turn to come out. They start with an introduction projected on the screen and come out in business attire and wigs. A little later on, they do another segue way video and change into another set of unified outfits. In total, I believe they play about an hour and a half, almost. They perform some songs from Take This To Your Grave (definitely Saturday and Grand Theft Autumn) and my favourite song from the news record: Headfirst Slide in Cooperstown. I was so thrilled when they played it; Alex came out during Grand Theft Autumn, and after, when they perform What A Catch, Donnie (which was really awesome, especially when Gabe came out to sing and the other members who sing in the song were projected on a screen; that was pretty BA), Alex leaves the stage, and I try to hunt him down from the back, but I don't find him. Not a big deal.

I head back to my mother and sister and continue to watch Fall Out Boy. They really are amazing performers; even that silly little Pete Wentz that drives me crazy sometimes (in a negative manner). Cassadee also comes out and performs a song with them towards the end... but I don't remember what it was. I have the worst memory ever! After Fall Out Boy's spectacular performance, we head back to the merch and spot Gabe Saporta off to the side being hounded by girls who have no idea who the hell he is! Fun! I decide that I want a picture with him just for memory's sake, so after a good while of waiting we get our pics. We also see Alex Suarez from Cobra, but we don't talk to him and instead head outside to the back where all the buses are.

We find Alex Suarez again and a shitload of people against the wire barricade waiting for someone "famous" to come that they could hound. Alex has a badass necklace of a Pokeball around his next, so I decide to get a picture with him at this time (my pictures with him always turn out so cute!) and ask him, "Where do you get necklaces like that?" He tells me that a fan had just given it to him. It was such a cool necklace; I couldn't even tell you. At that same moment, Alex Gaskarth hops off his tour bus and people freak out, so we freak out, too and head against the mob of people to get our turn. We hadn't realized it until then, but Rian, Jack, and Zack had all been out there meeting people already, and we missed out opportunity. Oh well.

Instead we have to focus on getting our time with Alex. We trace him back and forth behind the line of people, trying to find an empty space against the wire too jump in and talk to him. Eventually we make our way through, and after girls hound him for a good while, he turns in our direction, comes over - ignoring everyone else, mind you - and says hey... to Nora, mostly, but I'm trying to get over that. Way to remind myself. And I'm such a douchebag because I can't remember any of the conversation! =( I do remember that he was talking to Nora for a good while (maybe I'm just trying to block it), and I just stood there, only half listening. Randomly, Alex says to Nora, "I love you," all sincerely, which takes us both aback a little bit, but of course, she replies with, "I hate you." "Why?" He basically whimpers, but laughing, he adds, "I didn't do anything."

I know my mom joined in, he asked her how she was. I was standing there awkwardly, but Alex realized that I was with my sister, so he smiles, does a polite little wave, and says hi. We do all get pictures, but I really wish I remember more of what we talked about. =/ I know he gives Nora a farewell hug, then proceeds to hug my mother and I. He asks us if we're coming tomorrow, but we say that we don't know, but we'd definitely be going to the in-store at the Park Meadows Mall. He's glad we'll be going and says he doesn't know how many people are actually going to be there so they could hang out, but it'll be a good time. =) Content, we leave a little bit after, just as Trace Cyrus is walking off his bus (good timing) and head home.

That was basically the majority of the night. I didn't get to meet Cassadee, but it was okay because Alex knows who my sister is. Heh.

guys, guys, guys tour, 13.04.2009

LINE-UP: The Summer Set, Artist vs. Poet, the Morning Light, The Friday Night Boys, Sing it Loud
VENUE: Marquis Theater

This was the first show I had been to in a long time where I knew hardly any songs by any of the bands. I knew who they all were, and most of the songs by the Morning Light, but otherwise, these are bands I should probably listen to but don't. Anyhow.

My sister and I are the only ones going to the show - going without my mom is scary! - and we get there pretty much as doors open. We go to sit on the stools and wait for the show to start as we watch Nate Flynn from Sing it Loud wander in and out of the crowd to converse with the people and promote his band. It's kind of cute to watch. And it's pretty awesome that they keep passing this awesome dance music while we're waiting, almost as if it's preparing us for prom. They even threw in some Jonas Brothers's Burnin' Up. That made the day quite a bit more lovely.

The Summer Set has a badass girl drummer, and they perform really well live. I didn't particular enjoy their music on Myspace, but live, they got me really interested in their music. Artist vs. Poet is also a fantastic band to see live. Their music, sometimes, strikes me as a little generic at times, and the singer reminds me OF SINGER, but Nora thinks the guitarist (whose name I don't know) has a really amazing smile, so I hop off my stool with my camera, run off to the side of the stage, and snap some pictures of him just for my darling sister. She, too, finds this amusing.

The Morning Light, on the other hand, perform for a ridiculously short time, which bums me out because I love them a lot! It was weird seeing them without Harrison, but overall, they were really great! After their set, Nora and I venture back into the merch area to see who we can scope out and meet. We find the bassist of the Morning Light (name?) and get a picture. Nate walks up to us and introduces himself after asking our names. He tries to see his CD - we already have it - and tells Nora he likes her shirt (purple Sing it Loud). Did she get it the last time? he asks. Yes. With Forever the Sickest Kids, right at the Gothic? Yes! Excellent memory, dear child. Well, they have new bracelets, he points out, but Nora tells him she hates those bracelets (the thick rubber kind) , while I tell him I like them, so I'll keep them in mind. I tell him I like his sweater, he says thanks, and hopes that we enjoy the show before walking off.

We linger for a moment, but find no one else and decide to head back to watch the Friday Night Boys, which... I'm sorry... weren't that impressive. I bought their EP because I thought they were good, but if you want to see a band that's full of cliche hooks and lines, it's them. Maybe I'm being over judgmental, but I really didn't think they were that great. Maybe next time around, it'll be better. At least I'm hoping they will be.

Nora and I go back to the merch area and meet the singer of the Morning Light. We spot Nick, the drummer, a little while later, so we go and ask him for a picture. He tells us he remembers us from all the past shows we've been to. What a sweetie! And Nora tells him he's her favorite drummer, and humbly, he thanks her. (He's so cute!) I tell him that I was really bummed out that they only played, like, negative seven songs at which he laughs but explains that Bobby hadn't been feeling well; his vocals weren't at their best, so they weren't able to play for too long, unfortunately. It's understandable, I tell him. I think that's about it for the conversation with Nick, but he is a very thoughtful individual.

We head back to the stage as Sing it Loud takes the stage. We watch, and even though, I rarely listen to them on the record (yes, I know I should, and I've started) I enjoy watching them. The singer is kind of weird to watch because he has this sad, sad look in his eyes, but he's still a good musician. They don't perform too long, which is good because I have school the next day, so we head back out to the merch to scope out whoever we can. We meet Jess from the Summer Set, and she's super, super sweet and adorable! She asks us our names and tells us they'll be back sometimes in the summer, but she can't tell us with who. She's a freaking badass! We also meet the guitarist, John, of the Summer Set, who is equally sweet and polite. He, too, asks us our names, and I tell him I like his glasses. He was very cute. =)

My sister and I also meet two other members from Sing it Loud and the guitarist Nora finds pretty in Artist vs. Poet. He's also very nice. We get a picture with another member of AVP and with Nate. We had been trying to avoid the singer of the Friday Night Boys all night long because something inside the both of us just KNEW we wouldn't even have to go up to him to talk to him. Lo and behold, he approaches us, and asks if we enjoyed the show. Of course. Do we want to buy the EP? he asks. No, we already have it, we answer, AND HE FREAKIN' HUGS US. =/ We unintentionally relay really short answers, but he doesn't catch the hint. I feel bad and ask him for a picture just to make him feel better. Poor guy. He tells us they'll be back in June with Hey Monday, and finally, Nora and I show a little enthusiasm and excitement. We'll be there, we says, and he gives us yet another hug. Ew.

We don't stay excruciatingly long after the show like we normally do. There's no one really to stay behind for, but it was still a really fun night, overall, and I'm glad we ended up going. =D

the ap tour, 08.04.2009

LINE-UP: A Rocket to the Moon, Hit the Lights, the Maine, Family Force 5, 3OH!3

As it turns out, we weren't able to buy tickets to actually go inside the AP Tour because they sold out about 30 minutes after they went on sale, I kid you not. I was so bummed out at first: I had really wanted to see A Rocket to the Moon and the Maine because they are two of my favourite bands, and I love them to death. But once the day actually rolled around, I realized that I actually DIDN'T want to be inside of a venue in 3OH!3's hometown. I imagine it would have been hell, and things wouldn't have turned out as great as they did if we had gone in. I really think God was doing us a favor by having the shows sell out, now that I really think about it. We take this opportunity, however, to head down to the Fox Theatre anyway just to see if we can find John O, and I AM NOT LEAVING UNTIL I MEET NICK SANTINO.

The doors are pretty much open by the time we arrive in Boulder, so Nora, my mom, and I decide to explore the surrounding area, which wraps in a rectangular formation and we even go into the alley where the backstage exit is (awkward) and end up waiting right at the end of the alley by this weird fence. It's a little awkward and obnoxious standing there, but I am determined to meet Nick Santino one way or another. The sun is beginning to go down after about a half hour of waiting. We hear that A Rocket to the Moon has finished their set, and Hit the Lights is making their way onstage as we continue waiting. We finally see Nick Santino walking up in our direction, BUT HE'S ON HIS PHONE. We watch as he makes his way up the sidewalk and turns in our direction, but I don't want to walk up to him while he's on his phone, I think it's rude, nor do I want to miss the opportunity. However, we let him go, but he walks around behind the fence - we can see his fedora - and wanders for a little bit as we still around awkwardly.

That's when a group of five dudes all synchronized in black come walking towards us - it's the Maine! And they all look so beautiful; really, they do. So beautiful, they have all three of us gaping. John O(h my God) waves at us and says hi. I think Kennedy and Pat sort of smile at us, too, but I could totally be wrong about this. In response we just smile as politely as we can without freaking out. He keeps walking because he has to go onstage soon, but he tells us that he'll see us in there. Right.

All three of us have a miniature freak out. Did John Oh (HOW DO YOU EVEN SPELL THAT?!) really just say hi to us? Hells yeah he did! So we keep on waiting for Nick Santino, and now John Oh because we can't just walk off without talking to him after what just happened. Nora leaves to go to the bathroom in one of the surrounding restaurants, and when she comes back, she tells us that she can see the Maine performing from right in front of the venue. I hesitate to go over there because I don't want to get yelled at nor do I want to miss meeting Nick Santino, but I'm eventually persuaded to go over there, and we watch the Maine perform the rest of their set from outside. It's pretty funny how you can actually see into the venue, and completely awesome at the same time.

Afterward, we head back to our stalker positions and keep on waiting. It's pretty dark outside now, and you can barely make out the people in the darkness. But there are a group of guys huddled around the Maine's van as it loads its gear from backstage in the alley. A couple minutes later, three guys come walking up all dressed in black, and it's Kennedy, Pat, and Jared from the Maine! Hooray! Our group and theirs sort of falter when we make eye contact, unsure of what to do, but I guess we both make some sort of gesture that causes them to come toward and us and say hello and ask us if we enjoyed the show. Ha. It is all truly quite priceless. I can't help but tell them that I really liked the coordination of their clothes. I tell them I know it's kind of weird, but they all look really good. They says thanks, and Pat says, "We thought of you two when we picked it out." Okay, odd child. Jared walks off at some point, which makes me very sad, but Nora and I get pictures with Kennedy and Pat anyways. Pat makes a joke with Nora saying how he never shows up in pictures, which confuses us both, but we just nod and laugh. (Flirting, maybe?!) After a little more chit chat, they head off to their van, but it was quite a nice, unexpected experience.

What is even more priceless is when another group of three guys come walking in our direction. Even in the dark, Nora and I can tell it's Nick Santino AND John Oh walking together towards. I have a little mental freak-out as I'm unsure of what to do, but spotting us again, John Oh steps back from the group, which includes Garrett (bleh), to come say hi to us. I don't want John Oh, I think, I want Nick, so I make this weird outstretching movement with my arms towards Nick so we won't walk away. He turns to me and says, "Oh, you want a hug?" He comes over toward me and hugs me (score!), but I blurt out, "No, I just want a picture." My bad. "Oh," he answers, "Well that's okay because I'm cold." Good cover, dear Santino, and we take a very cute picture together. Nora gets a picture also, but afterward, I occupy myself with talking to Nick only, and ignoring poor John Oh while Nora's stuck in between listening to me talk to Nick and listening to John Oh talk to my mom! Ha ha ha. We also take pictures with John Oh, and as I'm taking the one of him and Nora, Nick Santino comes to stand behind me to watch me take the picture through the viewfinder, and makes fun of John Oh. He didn't do this to Nora, oh no, odd child.

Nick starts to talk to me about my hoodie, and how he likes it. I look at John Oh, and he smiles at me because I think he remembers the last time that I wore that hoodie and the little joke I made. Well, at least I hope he does. Nick goes on and on about the hoodie. He asks me if I got it online or at a show. Online, I tell him, and he adds that a lot of the online merchandise is better because the printing is better. I agree with him. He tells me about the one they're selling inside. It's purple and the print is smaller, but he says he likes the one I have on better. "Was I in there?" he asks. I don't want to lie to him, but quickly he continues, "Have you seen it?" The hoodie, he means, and I can answer yes to this without lying, so I do. He really does not ever shut up about the hoodie. "Is it just red and yellow?" he asks, "Or does it have green in it, too." It's your hoodie, you should know, I think, but he doesn't even give me time to answer. Instead he tells me to step into the light so he can see it. (;]) "No, it's just red and yellow," I try to answer, but for some reason, I step towards the streetlight with him anyway. It was kind of weird, but we step back into the group after a few seconds.

My mom and sister are asking John Oh about how they thought the fans were, and he says that they were a lot better than they expected, but Nick adds that they tend to get worse with the neighboring states (of Colorado). "Yeah," I agree, turning to John Oh, "Like them chanting 3Oh!3 during your set." Laughing, John Oh nods. "Did you read that on my Twitter?" Nick asks me. "Noooo," I say, and turn my eyes away, which means, yes, and he knows this. A little more chitter chatter goes on, but finally they both say they need to go and find some place to eat. I mention that this area is great because there are so many good surroundings food locations. I reach out my hand toward Nick to introduce myself, "My name is Sarah-" but I have to pull my hand away quickly as he wraps his arms around me yet again. "Nick," he answers, and goes around to give half hugs. John Oh also goes around to give everyone a hug. "Thanks for following my Twitter," Nick adds, and I just nod.

They take off, and we go back to the front of the venue to watch what we can of Family Force 5. I wish we had been inside for their set at least, but if we had been, things wouldn't have worked out so perfectly, and ultimately, I'm thankful that the show sold out.

craig owens, 01.04.2009

LINE-UP: VersaEmerge, Ace Enders, the Color Fred, Craig Owens

IT'S A FUCKING BLIZZARD OUTSIDE THIS DAY, NO FREAKIN' JOKE. It's terrible outside, the roads look bad, but we pray that the bands will still brave the frontier and make it to the show. Nothing is looking up as we wait in the car for a very long time. Finally, ONE van drives by, it's fifteen minutes past door time, so we get off of the car and go inside the venue. Craig Owens and the Color Fred have arrived, but that's it. They make us wait for freaking forever before they get this guy to play a couple of his songs for everyone acoustically. He wasn't terrible, just not what I wanted to hear.

At this point, we're still waiting and I'm freakin' pissed. No one's announced what's going on and I'm getting more and more upset by the minute. Fred finally comes and stage and tells us that Ace Enders canceled on them, and VersaEmerge was stuck in a 30 car pile-up about an hour away from venue. No April's Fools Joke here. He plays well, and I enjoy his performance as he jokes about losing the windshield wiper and calling VersaEmerge wusses for not pressing onward for the show. They almost had to cancel, but they made. It made me feel a little better when he performed my favorite Taking Back Sunday song, New American Classic. But even then, I was beyond sad.

When Craig Owens and his posse come on stage, Nick from Underminded announces that they will not be using any electronics or microphones, so everyone must close in around the stage and sit if they want to hear the performance. Craig sits on the edge of the middle of the stage, Brian and Nick on either of his sides as he starts singing and talking to everyone. It's so ridiculously intimate, it's almost unbearable. He performs for a good while, moving from his spot only twice, and even sings us a song about his beautiful girlfriend, Joanna. The entire experience was absolutely incredible, SO incredible I can't even describe it to you in words. Everyone sits silent and attentive, it's wonderful. I wish more musicians were like Craig Owens and willing to pull such an experience.

I wish it could say it made up for VersaEmerge cancelling, but it didn't. The entire thing was so lovely and unexplainable, but I really had mainly gone to see VersaEmerge and I don't know why they had to cancel like that. It still hurts me to this day every time I think about it. Afterward, however, we meet Fred, who is super genuinely sweet, and I buy an "I heart Craig Owens" t-shirt, and we shoot a fast picture with Craig when we spot him. Unfortunately, I don't get to tell him what an amazing musician and person he was because he says he is super tired and wants to leave, but is still amazingly genuine about it. Still, I can honestly say I was glad I went to the show; I've never experienced something like that in my life, but I am still really upset, so I can't write about anything else in a positive matter. Dear, dear me.