This Is How We Do
So, last Friday night (sing Katy Perry at me. I DARE you.) I went to the Spring Fever tour at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachusetts. And I have things to say and stories to tell, so buckle in if you're slightly interested.
You know a show is gonna be amazing when the opener band is a headliner in their own right. You Me At Six was the opener. I was actually shocked. I didn't really know who was gonna be there other than All Time Low and Pierce The Veil (I know I should've looked into it but I was just so excited!) and I was happily surprised. You Me At Six were great! I don't really listen to a lot of their stuff, or I hadn't, but they've made a fan out of me. All the bands that played made a fan out of me. Except All Time Low, I need no convincing for them.
Mayday Parade played second, they were also wonderful. They played their cover of Somebody That I Used to Know and Vic came out, and everyone in the pit went bonkers. So amazing. Mayday was great though, I was mad jealous of the lead singer and his luscious locks. Forgive me, I don't know his name or the names of anyone in YMAS, I just remember all the dudes had amazing hair.
So Pierce the Veil played third, and holy fuck. Holy fucking fuck. I think most of the people at the venue were there for Pierce the Veil, and I can't blame them. I've only listened to a few of their songs, but all of them I love. (Sidenote - if anyone can give me a good, long list of Pierce the Veil songs that are their favourite, I would be eternally in their debt). So they went on stage, and they had fucking confetti canons. Hi. CONFETTI CANONS. And they had this amazing set, it was by far the most elaborate of anyone who played. And by set I mean how they set up the stage. There were these moving cogs like a big machine, and this spinning wheel with some sort of frog creature. I can't really explain it, but everything moved and was glow in the dark. But. Confetti canons. Filled with purple and green confetti. They shot like, 3 different times. Mad rad! They did an amazing job, I have a new found respect for everyone in that band. Their music was great, their set list was great. There was a couple there who skipped prom to go to the concert, and during I'm Low on Gas and You Need a Jacket everyone sat down on the floor so that they could have their slow dance. I moshed during the set, super fun, haven't moshed in awhile! I didn't get injured either!
After them, of course, was All Time Low. Holy shit. They had their old Get Low black curtain thing, which I remember them having at fucking Bamboozle a couple years ago, and I was elated they still used it! I hadn't been to an All Time Low show in a big enough venue for them to use the curtain (hello, Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom. Anyone remember that show? It was probably my favourite one I've ever been to! But that's another story entirely) so it was a super nice thing to see. I don't know why, perhaps related to the nostalgia? Or maybe it's nice because it feels like a conformation that they'll always, in some way, still be the same. Don't Panic is no Put Up or Shut Up but it's not a bad thing. It's just nice to still remember the past. And Jack Barakat in Get Low booty shorts. I had a sign myself that said "My Parents Don't Know I'm here!" and at one point while ATL was on stage, Alex quickly said "I hope your parents find you". I'm sure I don't need to elaborate on how rad their set was, but I will say that their opening was fantastic. Vinny came out like a wrestling arena and announced each one of them to the stage, and Vinny is so fucking hilarious he should get an award. Their set was wonderful, no surprises. I think Jack and Alex had helium or something, their voices sounded so weird a couple of times when they were talking. Especially Jack's. He sounded like he was 10. They were also sucking down Rockstar drinks, which were being offered for free outside. Seriously. Give a bunch of water-deprived teenagers some super salty energy drinks, but sponsors will be sponsors. And I have a suspicion they had beer in those cans on stage, because it's them.
Now, because Lowell is a suburb of Boston, all the guys in the bands were wearing Boston Strong shirts, which was super awesome! It was very nice of them. And they had all gone and met Sydney earlier that day, and told us stories of how awesome she is! She sounds like a wonderful girl, I hope nothing but the best for her c: Also, at one point, someone threw about 100 paper hearts that said "Boston Strong" on them into the air and they fell on everyone. Oh! And Alex dedicated Therapy to Sydney and everyone in Boston. After it, everyone started chanting "Boston strong", and all the bands kept saying how amazing it was to play here because Boston was 6000 strong in that venue that night! I guess it was Pierce the Veil's biggest concert they'd ever played. It felt amazing, after such a tragedy at the marathon, to be there. I can't put it into words, it was just beautiful.
Thanks if you've stuck by my retelling! Here's my big moment of the evening.
This was my first concert without an adult, it was just me and my bestfriend. I told her, this time we were gonna fucking wait and I was going to meet All Time Low, even if it killed me. I have seen them seven goddamn times and never gotten to talk to them before! I almost did in Hampton, but everyone was taller than me and swarmed Jack before I could get a peep out. So this time, I waited. And waited. Quietly. Normally at concerts I go out of my way to make friends and party, but it felt really nice to just kinda... be. Jack eventually came outside, some genius (no sarcasm, seriously, whoever did this is the fucking shit!) gave him a pink cowboy hat. So he finally comes over to where I am, and I'd managed to squirm up to almost right at the barrier, and I handed him my sign to sign (har har) and I said, "Jack, can I say something?"
And Jack Barakat looks at me and says, "Sure!"
So I said, "I wanted to tell you thank you so much, because of your band I met the girl I've dated for four years." (You guys might know her, but I won't name names. She's just the best, and I won't get sappy or cheesy because it would be too easy).
And he grabbed my hand. Which I did not anticipate. "Well, if you guys ever wanna go on a double date or something, hit me up."
I laughed and took my hand back and said, "I've seen you guys seven times and never gotten to meet you before."
Which, for the record, made all the chattery fangirls around us shut up and stare at me like I might be a mutant, but I didn't really mind. They did the same thing when I mentioned earlier that I was from Maine, because I told my friend to go get a coffee for the hour and a half drive home. At two in the morning. Worth it!
Jack grabbed my hand again and said, "Welcome to the club! You're awesome!"
I'll be honest, I cried in the car. I got so excited and shocked, it was surreal. I've been dreaming and dreaming of the day I got to meet Jack. Hell, I asked William fucking Beckett if he had ever met Jack! Who does that?! Me, apparently. But still. I hope all you guys get to meet Jack Barakat, because he is a nice fucking guy and he cares about the fans. It's so refreshing to meet someone like that, when you hear all these horror stories about other band people who could give a shit about the fans if they aren't giving them money.
So, I'm sorry for this being so long, I just wanted to write out what happened somewhere. Even if no one reads it, just so that I'll never forget. Although, the entire event is slightly bittersweet, I wish I could talk about it with my Mams' but I know she was watching me, somehow, from somewhere. I just.. I miss her. But I don't want to end on a bad note! So here's what most of you guys care about. You only use me for my filthy brain! *Sobs for hours on end*
I have multiple oneshots in the works, and a question. If I posted something here that wasn't... done, persay. As in, it wasn't completed to the full extent I intended for it to be, but it's got enough, would you guys still be interested in reading it? Let me know! And I'm sure you know I have a tumblr which is nothing like my livejournal but it's mine. It's pictures of things I find inspiring or otherwise beautiful. But it's americanaffair.tumblr.com, and if you have fic things to say then drop me an ask! Even on anon. So thank you for reading! Or thank you for at least letting me know how you feel about the fic thing. And yeah. Just, thank you!
You know a show is gonna be amazing when the opener band is a headliner in their own right. You Me At Six was the opener. I was actually shocked. I didn't really know who was gonna be there other than All Time Low and Pierce The Veil (I know I should've looked into it but I was just so excited!) and I was happily surprised. You Me At Six were great! I don't really listen to a lot of their stuff, or I hadn't, but they've made a fan out of me. All the bands that played made a fan out of me. Except All Time Low, I need no convincing for them.
Mayday Parade played second, they were also wonderful. They played their cover of Somebody That I Used to Know and Vic came out, and everyone in the pit went bonkers. So amazing. Mayday was great though, I was mad jealous of the lead singer and his luscious locks. Forgive me, I don't know his name or the names of anyone in YMAS, I just remember all the dudes had amazing hair.
So Pierce the Veil played third, and holy fuck. Holy fucking fuck. I think most of the people at the venue were there for Pierce the Veil, and I can't blame them. I've only listened to a few of their songs, but all of them I love. (Sidenote - if anyone can give me a good, long list of Pierce the Veil songs that are their favourite, I would be eternally in their debt). So they went on stage, and they had fucking confetti canons. Hi. CONFETTI CANONS. And they had this amazing set, it was by far the most elaborate of anyone who played. And by set I mean how they set up the stage. There were these moving cogs like a big machine, and this spinning wheel with some sort of frog creature. I can't really explain it, but everything moved and was glow in the dark. But. Confetti canons. Filled with purple and green confetti. They shot like, 3 different times. Mad rad! They did an amazing job, I have a new found respect for everyone in that band. Their music was great, their set list was great. There was a couple there who skipped prom to go to the concert, and during I'm Low on Gas and You Need a Jacket everyone sat down on the floor so that they could have their slow dance. I moshed during the set, super fun, haven't moshed in awhile! I didn't get injured either!
After them, of course, was All Time Low. Holy shit. They had their old Get Low black curtain thing, which I remember them having at fucking Bamboozle a couple years ago, and I was elated they still used it! I hadn't been to an All Time Low show in a big enough venue for them to use the curtain (hello, Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom. Anyone remember that show? It was probably my favourite one I've ever been to! But that's another story entirely) so it was a super nice thing to see. I don't know why, perhaps related to the nostalgia? Or maybe it's nice because it feels like a conformation that they'll always, in some way, still be the same. Don't Panic is no Put Up or Shut Up but it's not a bad thing. It's just nice to still remember the past. And Jack Barakat in Get Low booty shorts. I had a sign myself that said "My Parents Don't Know I'm here!" and at one point while ATL was on stage, Alex quickly said "I hope your parents find you". I'm sure I don't need to elaborate on how rad their set was, but I will say that their opening was fantastic. Vinny came out like a wrestling arena and announced each one of them to the stage, and Vinny is so fucking hilarious he should get an award. Their set was wonderful, no surprises. I think Jack and Alex had helium or something, their voices sounded so weird a couple of times when they were talking. Especially Jack's. He sounded like he was 10. They were also sucking down Rockstar drinks, which were being offered for free outside. Seriously. Give a bunch of water-deprived teenagers some super salty energy drinks, but sponsors will be sponsors. And I have a suspicion they had beer in those cans on stage, because it's them.
Now, because Lowell is a suburb of Boston, all the guys in the bands were wearing Boston Strong shirts, which was super awesome! It was very nice of them. And they had all gone and met Sydney earlier that day, and told us stories of how awesome she is! She sounds like a wonderful girl, I hope nothing but the best for her c: Also, at one point, someone threw about 100 paper hearts that said "Boston Strong" on them into the air and they fell on everyone. Oh! And Alex dedicated Therapy to Sydney and everyone in Boston. After it, everyone started chanting "Boston strong", and all the bands kept saying how amazing it was to play here because Boston was 6000 strong in that venue that night! I guess it was Pierce the Veil's biggest concert they'd ever played. It felt amazing, after such a tragedy at the marathon, to be there. I can't put it into words, it was just beautiful.
Thanks if you've stuck by my retelling! Here's my big moment of the evening.
This was my first concert without an adult, it was just me and my bestfriend. I told her, this time we were gonna fucking wait and I was going to meet All Time Low, even if it killed me. I have seen them seven goddamn times and never gotten to talk to them before! I almost did in Hampton, but everyone was taller than me and swarmed Jack before I could get a peep out. So this time, I waited. And waited. Quietly. Normally at concerts I go out of my way to make friends and party, but it felt really nice to just kinda... be. Jack eventually came outside, some genius (no sarcasm, seriously, whoever did this is the fucking shit!) gave him a pink cowboy hat. So he finally comes over to where I am, and I'd managed to squirm up to almost right at the barrier, and I handed him my sign to sign (har har) and I said, "Jack, can I say something?"
And Jack Barakat looks at me and says, "Sure!"
So I said, "I wanted to tell you thank you so much, because of your band I met the girl I've dated for four years." (You guys might know her, but I won't name names. She's just the best, and I won't get sappy or cheesy because it would be too easy).
And he grabbed my hand. Which I did not anticipate. "Well, if you guys ever wanna go on a double date or something, hit me up."
I laughed and took my hand back and said, "I've seen you guys seven times and never gotten to meet you before."
Which, for the record, made all the chattery fangirls around us shut up and stare at me like I might be a mutant, but I didn't really mind. They did the same thing when I mentioned earlier that I was from Maine, because I told my friend to go get a coffee for the hour and a half drive home. At two in the morning. Worth it!
Jack grabbed my hand again and said, "Welcome to the club! You're awesome!"
I'll be honest, I cried in the car. I got so excited and shocked, it was surreal. I've been dreaming and dreaming of the day I got to meet Jack. Hell, I asked William fucking Beckett if he had ever met Jack! Who does that?! Me, apparently. But still. I hope all you guys get to meet Jack Barakat, because he is a nice fucking guy and he cares about the fans. It's so refreshing to meet someone like that, when you hear all these horror stories about other band people who could give a shit about the fans if they aren't giving them money.
So, I'm sorry for this being so long, I just wanted to write out what happened somewhere. Even if no one reads it, just so that I'll never forget. Although, the entire event is slightly bittersweet, I wish I could talk about it with my Mams' but I know she was watching me, somehow, from somewhere. I just.. I miss her. But I don't want to end on a bad note! So here's what most of you guys care about. You only use me for my filthy brain! *Sobs for hours on end*
I have multiple oneshots in the works, and a question. If I posted something here that wasn't... done, persay. As in, it wasn't completed to the full extent I intended for it to be, but it's got enough, would you guys still be interested in reading it? Let me know! And I'm sure you know I have a tumblr which is nothing like my livejournal but it's mine. It's pictures of things I find inspiring or otherwise beautiful. But it's americanaffair.tumblr.com, and if you have fic things to say then drop me an ask! Even on anon. So thank you for reading! Or thank you for at least letting me know how you feel about the fic thing. And yeah. Just, thank you!