My life’s these yellow lines….. August 20, 2008

This last weekend I went on a “fake” tour.  I travelled with two friends up to see Lannen Fall play shows in Vermont and New York.  For one reason or another I had never even been to Vermont except for the time that Christina and I had to rescue them from their broken down van after their first long tour in 2007.  I was definitely excited to see the scene up there and I had heard it was going to be a good show.

 

On the way up we were stuck in a ridiculous amount of traffic on the Mass Pike compounded with a crazy amount of rain it took us almost 5 hours to get up to Vermont.  We rolled into the venue and I was able to catch the end of Go Crash Audio’s set.  Of course Matt was being a drummer nerd and watching their drummer play, and of course I sat down to be a nerd right along with him.  It’s wild to see such a big dude play the drums!  After their set I headed next door as I heard a rumor that Horse was over there enjoying some beverages, and we all know how much I like those.  I enjoyed some drinks, heard some crazy news from Matt and then back to the show to watch Lannen Fall play.  I was a jerk and didn’t pay attention at all as I was absorbed with texting/IM’ing buddies on my new sidekick.  

 

All in all it was an awesome start to the weekend.  I got to see and old friend and catch up on his life.  He’s had a kid since the last time I’ve seen him and he’s only a few weeks older than me, its crazy!!  The bar right next door was pretty cheap and of course I found it necessary to buy myself and everyone else one too many drinks after the show.  Somehow we ended up in a hotel room at the end of the night where I got to sleep off my drunken stupor.  Woke up in the morning and went to breakfast and then it was off to the next show in New York.  

 

Jay had decided to stay with us that night so he ended up driving to New York for us.  We got there wayyyy ahead of Lannen Fall (nothing new there).  When we pulled up to the venue we saw a van pull in with Arizona plates, and of course I got a little excited about that, and then Jay tells me they have a chick drummer on top of it!!!  It was definitely going to be an interesting night.  We hung out with some of the bands, ate delicious sandwiches and helped a bit with load in.  I watched almost all of the other bands on the tour that night in New York.  It was the third show of this particular tour that I had been too and I hadn’t yet really watched the other bands play so I wanted to check them out.

 

I was most excited to watch The Summer Set, the band with the chick drummer.    Decent women in music are rare to find as it is, but the rarest of all is the infamous girl drummer.  I hated to admit it but when I first saw her walking around the venue I figured she must be selling merch or something for one of the bands.  She was just too cute and little to be a drummer!!  I was happy to discover that she is also a really good at what she does!! Honestly, nothing gets me more excited than to see women actually playing instruments in bands and playing them well (sorry girl vocalists/keyboard players don’t get a lot of points with me).  And to see a drummer no less!  Those of you who know me know I usually have a thing for drummers as it is, and the fact that she was a girl was no exception.  Amanda and I watched her whole set, and by the end we were in love.  Best thing of all is they are also the band from Arizona so I will absolutely be seeing them again soon for sure!!

 

After their set Amanda and I again set out on the task to not be sober by the end of the night.  Something we are getting almost too good at these days.  Between the bar in the venue and then drinking 40s with some of the dudes in Go Crash Audio, we were almost too successful at our goal.  One thing that will prove to be Amanda and I’s downfall in the future is the lack of foresight we have in who the hell is gonna drive us once we’re belligerent……

 

One of the most surprising things about this weekend was that I spent hardly anytime with Lannen Fall, the buddies I was going to see in the first place!  I didn’t even watch them play in New York.  I know I’ll be forgiven for that at least.  I’ve probably seen them play more than anyone.  I just couldn’t help going out and making new buddies.  It’s what I do best!!  Plus it was interesting to hear what other people and bands have to say about Lannen Fall/music/touring etc.  I’m so close to all of them I don’t realize that other people might think differently about them and their music.  It was also awesome to make some new buddies and get exposed to some new bands from places outside of New England.  I ended up staying with The Hint and Go Crash Audio that night.  I slept in their van and was woken up by their drummer, Sean, pulling out weights and shit from the van.  Yeah, he works out on the road, talk about extreme!!  Guess that explains all the muscles though……..

 

Later we all met up and headed out on the road back home.  A quick stop at Friendly’s for some chicken strips baskets and then hours of driving.  I was not happy to be getting back onto the Mass Pike.  I had zero desire to be back in MA, let alone the fact we still all had horrible memories of traffic on the way up.  The weekend had just been too good!!  I hadn’t yet processed all of the things that had happened over the course of the weekend but I had a feeling that the effect it would have on my life was going to be huge………..

 

but more on that later………

 

Thanks to everyone for making it such an awesome weekend!!

 

Also check out some awesome bands!!

Go Crash Audio

The Hint

Mercy Mercedes

The Summer Set

I was Bamboozled again (for a second day) May 6, 2008

Day two of bamboozle proved to be a much more eventful day for me.  I was able to see a few bands that I’ve been listening to lately, but hadn’t seen perform live, mainly Envy on the Coast and Four Year Strong.  It was also the day of one of The Receiving End of Sirens last performances, so that alone automatically made it the highlight of the weekend.  

Anti-Flag was one of the first bands that I saw perform that day.  A band I had listened to before but, hadn’t really “listened” to them before.  During one of the last songs the lead singer made a political statement about how music unifies people and how we are sick of the war, etc.  It made me realize that it has been a long time since I have heard well thought out and meaningful political statements at a rock show.  It was nice to hear, mostly because the politically nerdy side of me can identify with statements like that.

Another highlight of the day took place while the  Bouncing Souls were playing.  I looked over to the back stage area and there was Big John just walking around!  For those of you who do not watch crap reality TV, Big John is Bret Michaels bodyguard, and one of the “stars” on Rock of Love.  Bret Michaels was playing after the Bouncing Souls and therefore explains Big John’s presence there.  Of course I walked over and had to get a picture with him, as well as have a little chat and make sure I get my slot on Rock of Love 3.  Not that I’m really interested in being with Bret, but I want to be one of the chicks that gets wasted and causes trouble, you know the way I seem to do in my everyday life……

Unfortunately, I had to miss Bret’s performance.  Turns out that one of the bands had dropped off the show on the stage TREOS was set to play so they were pushed up to play right after Envy on the Coast.  I had to see TREOS play and I wanted to see Envy as well so Bret got knocked off my list, later on I wasn’t to mad about making that decision.  Envy and TREOS played on stages side by side one another, so Envy finished up with The Gift of Paralysis and then TREOS immediately started off with Planning a Prison Break on the neighboring stage.  Hands down one of the best musical transitions I’ve ever experienced.

During TREOS I was pretty much right up front pressed up against sweaty people that I didn’t know, shouting words to songs that all of us love.  I was fully enjoying my experience until this stupid little girl in front of me tried to elbow me in the stomach.  She screamed at me to “stop pushing me”.  I kindly informed her that if she attempted that again she would find my fist in her face and that if she didn’t want to be pushed maybe she should get the hell out of middle of a crowd during an amazing band’s last official performance.  After a few songs Casey came out and played with them!  You could tell the older fans from the newer ones from our gasps of excitement.

After they were done I stumbled out of the crowd and found myself overcome with emotion.  It could have been the euphoria caused by dehydration and overheating from crowded rocking out bodies but after seeing TREOS play their “last” show, and re-united with Casey no less, I remembered deep down in my heart and soul and every other piece of my existence, why I love music.

Following my “religious” music experience, the rest of the evening just didn’t feel as intense.  I watched Every Time I Die which is always entertaining.  During their set I watched an asian chick punch this huge dude in the face after he pushed her for no good reason.  His nose immediately started gushing blood, it was awesome.  I caught some of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and then headed over to watch Gym Class Heroes.  I first saw them at Warped Tour 2 years ago, and haven’t seen them since I became such a big fan of theirs so it was nice to see them again.  I bailed early from the show and missed Coheed and Panic! at the Disco, mostly because I couldn’t care less to see them play live.

All in all it was an amazing and exhausting weekend.  It made me remember why I love music so much and why I let it consume such a large part of my life.  There is nothing that makes me feel more alive than seeing a good band that I love to listen to play their shit live, and play it well.

I was Bamboozled May 5, 2008

I decided to venture down to New Jersey this weekend for the Bamboozle festival, two days of over priced food and water, ridiculously large crowds consisting of people under the influence and annoying teenagers, and oh yeah, a crazy amount of bands spanning several musical genres.  From Anti-Flag to Snoop Dogg, and Jimmy Eat World to Every Time I Die, I literally saw it all.

I found myself quite literally in the land of the enemy.  As if the masses of Yankees paraphernalia wasn’t enough to bring out my fighting spirit, the festival was held in the parking lot of Giants stadium, and I had to walk past a huge banner declaring that the Giants were the 2007 world champions.   I can certainly be said to be a huge Red Sox fan, so the land of the Yankees is not a happy place to be.  I have a hard time watching football, but you’re god damn right I care that we lost the super bowl to those fuckers.  Yes, I am one of those people that gets emotional about sports.  You can say its lame but whatever, we all have things that move us.  Luckily, I was able to put aside my sporting rivalries and prepare to enjoy a ridiculous amount of music.

The started off with some Story of the Year, marking my billionth time seeing them live.  I then went on to My American Heart, which I was very disappointed in as every song they played was from their newest record, of which I am not the biggest fan.  Less than Jake was up next whom I have never seen live.  They put on an amazing show of course and were even nice enough to throw several boxes of doughnuts into the crowd so that we didn’t have to spend eight dollars on a shitty hot dog.

Towards the end of the night was Paramore.  I had seen them at Warped Tour this last year so I figured I’d just hang in the back of the crowd and catch some of their performance.  My dreams of this were smashed however as the crowd behind me grew and began pushing everyone forward.  Eventually I ended up in the front of the crowd with a ridiculously close view of the stage.  Definitely not the band I pictured myself ever being in that position for.  I wasn’t having a bad time until a little 16 year old crowd surfing tasty decided to kick me in the face, resulting in the loss of one of my contact lenses.  I was pretty pissed about this because later on I had to watch Snoop with one eye closed, and minimal depth perception.

I caught some of Jimmy Eat World.  I had never seen them live before so I figured I would give them a try.  I admit it, I am not a JEW fan.  They just don’t do anything for me.  I like a few of their songs (mostly the ones that have been on the radio, lame I know) and overall I respect what they’re doing, but I just don’t have that big of a connection to their music.  A lot of it just sounds the same to me.  I was hoping that seeing them play live would inspire me a bit to get into them more, because everyone I know seems to love them, but I was sadly disappointed.  It happens I guess.

The night finished off with Snoop Dogg, which was amazing to see.  I am not exactly the type of person to head off to a hip-hop show, so it was nice to see him mixed in with all the other crazy music I listened to that day.  I could honestly say that my concert going experience is that much more complete.  Its always exciting seeing someone perform that you’ve been a fan of for awhile but never seen live.

I left the festival absolutely exhausted.  Between walking around, rockin’ out every once and awhile, and continually standing on my toes to see over the crowds, definitely did a number on my body.  I had no idea how I was going to be able to get through another day of it all.  I had time to eat, sleep, and eat again and then it was time for round two.