empires <3
Empires last night. Sean and Ryan are pretty much the sweetest people ever.
So we got to Iowa City around four. We went to the Picador first, but there was no one there yet, so we just went to a park a few blocks away and swung for a while. The Picador’s website said the show started at five, so we went back there at 4.30. They weren’t going to start taking money until five, so we just waited there for a half hour. We were sitting there and the posters on the walls were flying off because it was ridiculously windy. The posters were held down by thumbtacks, but they didn’t work very well because they would fly off and I was convinced I would be hit by one before we went upstairs, but luckily I didn’t.
They let us in at five and we went upstairs, and Empires was setting up and tuning and what not. When they were done, they all left and we were really confused because we thought the show started at five, but the band wasn’t there. We just waited up by the stage because we didn’t really know what was going on. It was almost six, and then this guy gets up on stage and says he’s a comedian. There’s maybe ten people by the stage, and he’s right in front of Kelsey and I, and he starts talking about masturbation. People were laughing quietly because some of it was kind of funny, but he brought to friends with him that were laughing ridiculously loudly at everything, and it was just awkward. He finally left and Empires came back.
Sean was spinning around on his stool because he was really anxious and it was really funny. And he was just talking to everyone because he didn’t really have anything to do while everyone was making sure everything was set. He said the comedian would be a hard act to follow.
They finally start playing and it was really good. There were only five or so people that knew the lyrics and Sean would smile so big when he saw us singing and it was adorable. Sean kept thanking us for coming nonstop.
After their set, Al set a pick on the edge of the stage for anyone to grab, and I thought one of the other girls would grab it, but they didn’t, so I got it and I was pretty happy about that. I asked Sean for a setlist and said thanks and he just kept thanking me for coming and gave me a high five for knowing the lyrics.
Mark Rose started setting up. Mark came up right next to Kelsey and threw his carpet on the stage and he said, “It didn’t go very far…I told it to fly,” and it was really funny. Mark started playing and Sean was on the side making comments. Mark said something and said, “That’s not creepy, is it?” and Sean goes, “Not from you!” and random stuff like that throughout the show. These girls behind us were swaying during a slow song and Sean went up behind them and was swaying with them and it was hilarious. Sean brought beer up for them during their set and Mark was all “We got beer!” and it was adorable. Mark kept talking about how he’s not really that boring in person and started playing circus music. He’s a funny guy.
After the show, we went and talked to Sean and I had him sign my bag. He asked if I downloaded the CD, and I said I bought it and he was really shocked and said thank you a ton more. He’s the nicest dude ever and so grateful for people that like their music. Then Ryan came out, but there were more people talking to him, so Kelsey bought a Spitalfield poster and had Mark sign it. We went up to him and we were talking and she handed him a sharpie and he was like, “Oh, do you want me to write my name on it?” Then he did and as he was writing it, he says, “That’s my first name…that’s my middle initial…that’s my last name.” Then he signed my bag on the pink part because he said it was fitting. Then we went back to talk to Ryan and he was telling the girl in front of us how that was the furthest west they’ve ever gone. I had him sign my bag and he was amazed at how many signatures I have on it. He was looking and saw Sean’s signature and said, “You met Sean Van Vleet?!?!?! What’s he like?” It was hilarious. Then he signed and was like, “I’m gonna write really clear so you can read it.” Then he was added an exclamation point at the end and wrote “fun bag!!” and “shows!” because it’s my fun bag for shows haha. They were really sweet and I really want to see them again now.
So we got to Iowa City around four. We went to the Picador first, but there was no one there yet, so we just went to a park a few blocks away and swung for a while. The Picador’s website said the show started at five, so we went back there at 4.30. They weren’t going to start taking money until five, so we just waited there for a half hour. We were sitting there and the posters on the walls were flying off because it was ridiculously windy. The posters were held down by thumbtacks, but they didn’t work very well because they would fly off and I was convinced I would be hit by one before we went upstairs, but luckily I didn’t.
They let us in at five and we went upstairs, and Empires was setting up and tuning and what not. When they were done, they all left and we were really confused because we thought the show started at five, but the band wasn’t there. We just waited up by the stage because we didn’t really know what was going on. It was almost six, and then this guy gets up on stage and says he’s a comedian. There’s maybe ten people by the stage, and he’s right in front of Kelsey and I, and he starts talking about masturbation. People were laughing quietly because some of it was kind of funny, but he brought to friends with him that were laughing ridiculously loudly at everything, and it was just awkward. He finally left and Empires came back.
Sean was spinning around on his stool because he was really anxious and it was really funny. And he was just talking to everyone because he didn’t really have anything to do while everyone was making sure everything was set. He said the comedian would be a hard act to follow.
They finally start playing and it was really good. There were only five or so people that knew the lyrics and Sean would smile so big when he saw us singing and it was adorable. Sean kept thanking us for coming nonstop.
After their set, Al set a pick on the edge of the stage for anyone to grab, and I thought one of the other girls would grab it, but they didn’t, so I got it and I was pretty happy about that. I asked Sean for a setlist and said thanks and he just kept thanking me for coming and gave me a high five for knowing the lyrics.
Mark Rose started setting up. Mark came up right next to Kelsey and threw his carpet on the stage and he said, “It didn’t go very far…I told it to fly,” and it was really funny. Mark started playing and Sean was on the side making comments. Mark said something and said, “That’s not creepy, is it?” and Sean goes, “Not from you!” and random stuff like that throughout the show. These girls behind us were swaying during a slow song and Sean went up behind them and was swaying with them and it was hilarious. Sean brought beer up for them during their set and Mark was all “We got beer!” and it was adorable. Mark kept talking about how he’s not really that boring in person and started playing circus music. He’s a funny guy.
After the show, we went and talked to Sean and I had him sign my bag. He asked if I downloaded the CD, and I said I bought it and he was really shocked and said thank you a ton more. He’s the nicest dude ever and so grateful for people that like their music. Then Ryan came out, but there were more people talking to him, so Kelsey bought a Spitalfield poster and had Mark sign it. We went up to him and we were talking and she handed him a sharpie and he was like, “Oh, do you want me to write my name on it?” Then he did and as he was writing it, he says, “That’s my first name…that’s my middle initial…that’s my last name.” Then he signed my bag on the pink part because he said it was fitting. Then we went back to talk to Ryan and he was telling the girl in front of us how that was the furthest west they’ve ever gone. I had him sign my bag and he was amazed at how many signatures I have on it. He was looking and saw Sean’s signature and said, “You met Sean Van Vleet?!?!?! What’s he like?” It was hilarious. Then he signed and was like, “I’m gonna write really clear so you can read it.” Then he was added an exclamation point at the end and wrote “fun bag!!” and “shows!” because it’s my fun bag for shows haha. They were really sweet and I really want to see them again now.
