(no subject)
But anyway, keeping up on the concert chronicles - even though I missed doing TAI..., oops - here's the epic journey of my cross-state trip to see Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God and Devildriver.
After more presentations, I basically ran out of class after my prof took my anonymous evaluations so she could sort them out into piles. So basically, everyone will see what people gave them if they just watch them put the paper on their pile. Anyway, I was out of there on time for once, ran into Chris and Jenny, got back to the apartment to grab my crap and was on the road just a minute after my goal time of 2:25. Nice.
Since I had more time to get home, I didn't have to quite reach warp speed, but I realized I had to get gas, so I kept doing the math and figuring out what time I would have to be at what exit in order to make it home in time. This is exceedingly nerdy but it keeps me at least quasi-entertained. Plus I had my pre-concert mix going so I was getting ready.
Got home, with gas, by five till, and by the time I got the brother, he got his money from the ATM and we were actually on 96, it was quarter after. We were supposed to get there at 5:30 so we hurried, parked in $12 parking and then ran to the Filmore's ticket window to see if we had a special line. There were a shitton of people already waiting in the real line, so luckily we were on the other side of the building in a much shorter line. Checked in with the scary big bouncer dude and got confused, telling him I was there for Lamb of God and then not seeing my name on the list - but since I was really there under Killswitch it was ok. And then we waited forever in the cold until they finally let us in. Thank goodness we were running late or else my fingers would have died.
So I had my camera and extra batteries hidden so that somehow I'd be able to take pictures if there was a chance to meet the guys, but the pat down people definitely didn't even check. There were so many more guys than girls that it took Jim about three times as long to get through the line than I did, so by the time he was in and ready to get merch they were about ready to let the normal entry in. So I went down to the floor and saved us a spot on the rail while he bought a Killswitch 'Beards R Us' shirt. Surprise. And then we waited, and the annoying guys to our left talked to the annoying security guard like they were all so hardcore because they'd been at Ozzfest. I mean, come on.
Soilwork finally came on and they were ok. Kind of a harder version of In Flames, due to awesome dark keyboard and screaming, but then he sang too, and everything was decent but not thrilling. They didn't have a lot of room to move around though, because everyone else's gear was already onstage, so who knows if that would have changed things. We were right in front of the bassist, who had on american flag chucks and did all sorts of crazy robotic leg movements, and at one point was beating his chest like King Kong along with the drumming. Clearly, the best part. No one did anything until the last song, during which three people crowdsurfed. I could even breath.
Then Devildriver came out, and they were fantastic. Jim told me that of everyone on this tour, Dez is the scariest, and he is pretty intense. But he definitely was screaming at us at parts which was awesome. I gave myself a headache headbanging along, possibly scaring the annoying couple next to me. Seriously, I kept getting trapped between really obnoxious people. The guy would not shut up about boobs and then would randomly meow. Which is ok, but not when you're so surrounded by people there's no such thing as personal space. Anyway, Devildriver was fantastic, and they had the coolest drum set of the night - two bass drums, each with Jack Nicholson's face on it from The Shining, and 'DDrum'. But basically I love Devildriver, even though they didn't play my favorite stuff off their self titled they had an awesome set, only one song I didn't know. They played Meet the Wretched, Clouds over California, The Ax Shall Fall, I Could Care Less, and Not All Who Wander Are Lost, among others.
Sometime during this/after this/right before Killswitch this guys ended up next to me, and he turned out to have really long, gross dreadlocks. This was became very apparent when Killswitch came out, and he started headbanging, and they hit me in the face and got stuck on my neck. SO. GROSS. And itchy and nasty. Ugh. So I kept having to move them off me and like, hold my hand over that side of my face so he wouldn't get me. He also felt the need to do like, epic hand movements, so he'd raise both hands out to the side, fantastically blocking my view. Arrrrg. Anyway, Killswitch came out to the beginning of a Slayer song, so everyone started chanting, and then it turned into something else and they had these blinding lights flash along with the drum so I had to cover my eyes.
Finally they actually came out, and it was pretty cool cause they had this catwalk-type set up going on, so everyone was running around and being crazy. It was great to see Adam D, and his cape was quite impressive with shiny gold edges. And his pants were very interesting, as well. And he kept making Howard laugh - like, seriously, fall down, dying because he thought Adam was so funny. And they all ran around poking each other and doing bunny ears and trying to mess each other up. They're a lot of fun to watch.
After more presentations, I basically ran out of class after my prof took my anonymous evaluations so she could sort them out into piles. So basically, everyone will see what people gave them if they just watch them put the paper on their pile. Anyway, I was out of there on time for once, ran into Chris and Jenny, got back to the apartment to grab my crap and was on the road just a minute after my goal time of 2:25. Nice.
Since I had more time to get home, I didn't have to quite reach warp speed, but I realized I had to get gas, so I kept doing the math and figuring out what time I would have to be at what exit in order to make it home in time. This is exceedingly nerdy but it keeps me at least quasi-entertained. Plus I had my pre-concert mix going so I was getting ready.
Got home, with gas, by five till, and by the time I got the brother, he got his money from the ATM and we were actually on 96, it was quarter after. We were supposed to get there at 5:30 so we hurried, parked in $12 parking and then ran to the Filmore's ticket window to see if we had a special line. There were a shitton of people already waiting in the real line, so luckily we were on the other side of the building in a much shorter line. Checked in with the scary big bouncer dude and got confused, telling him I was there for Lamb of God and then not seeing my name on the list - but since I was really there under Killswitch it was ok. And then we waited forever in the cold until they finally let us in. Thank goodness we were running late or else my fingers would have died.
So I had my camera and extra batteries hidden so that somehow I'd be able to take pictures if there was a chance to meet the guys, but the pat down people definitely didn't even check. There were so many more guys than girls that it took Jim about three times as long to get through the line than I did, so by the time he was in and ready to get merch they were about ready to let the normal entry in. So I went down to the floor and saved us a spot on the rail while he bought a Killswitch 'Beards R Us' shirt. Surprise. And then we waited, and the annoying guys to our left talked to the annoying security guard like they were all so hardcore because they'd been at Ozzfest. I mean, come on.
Soilwork finally came on and they were ok. Kind of a harder version of In Flames, due to awesome dark keyboard and screaming, but then he sang too, and everything was decent but not thrilling. They didn't have a lot of room to move around though, because everyone else's gear was already onstage, so who knows if that would have changed things. We were right in front of the bassist, who had on american flag chucks and did all sorts of crazy robotic leg movements, and at one point was beating his chest like King Kong along with the drumming. Clearly, the best part. No one did anything until the last song, during which three people crowdsurfed. I could even breath.
Then Devildriver came out, and they were fantastic. Jim told me that of everyone on this tour, Dez is the scariest, and he is pretty intense. But he definitely was screaming at us at parts which was awesome. I gave myself a headache headbanging along, possibly scaring the annoying couple next to me. Seriously, I kept getting trapped between really obnoxious people. The guy would not shut up about boobs and then would randomly meow. Which is ok, but not when you're so surrounded by people there's no such thing as personal space. Anyway, Devildriver was fantastic, and they had the coolest drum set of the night - two bass drums, each with Jack Nicholson's face on it from The Shining, and 'DDrum'. But basically I love Devildriver, even though they didn't play my favorite stuff off their self titled they had an awesome set, only one song I didn't know. They played Meet the Wretched, Clouds over California, The Ax Shall Fall, I Could Care Less, and Not All Who Wander Are Lost, among others.
Sometime during this/after this/right before Killswitch this guys ended up next to me, and he turned out to have really long, gross dreadlocks. This was became very apparent when Killswitch came out, and he started headbanging, and they hit me in the face and got stuck on my neck. SO. GROSS. And itchy and nasty. Ugh. So I kept having to move them off me and like, hold my hand over that side of my face so he wouldn't get me. He also felt the need to do like, epic hand movements, so he'd raise both hands out to the side, fantastically blocking my view. Arrrrg. Anyway, Killswitch came out to the beginning of a Slayer song, so everyone started chanting, and then it turned into something else and they had these blinding lights flash along with the drum so I had to cover my eyes.
Finally they actually came out, and it was pretty cool cause they had this catwalk-type set up going on, so everyone was running around and being crazy. It was great to see Adam D, and his cape was quite impressive with shiny gold edges. And his pants were very interesting, as well. And he kept making Howard laugh - like, seriously, fall down, dying because he thought Adam was so funny. And they all ran around poking each other and doing bunny ears and trying to mess each other up. They're a lot of fun to watch.