The entry some of you have been waiting for...
I worked Tuesday night, and all I could think about was seeing Blink the next day. I got home at about 6:15am on Wednesday morning and went to sleep. I woke up about 11:15 to print directions to pick up Maggie's friend, Stephanie, and other directions to the show.
But my printer wouldn't print.
Fuck.
So I had to speed over to my grandma's and use her fancy printer/scanner/fax. After I did that, I jumped on 270 and got on 23 North...It was the most boring drive ever. Empty farmland on either side and trucks like mad. But I was going, damn it.
I ended up getting to Toledo around 3:00 and picked Stephanie up...then we got on 475 to 75 North and made our way to Detroit/Pontiac.
I forget which part of the freeway we were on but we came up behind a big baby blue bus (alliteration anyone?). Steph and I agreed it could be a tour bus, but we didn't really think very much and we passed it.
Once we got around Detroit, we passed 8 Mile Road. Oh man, it was funny. But once you pass Fourteen Mile Road, it gets old.
So we finally made it to Clutch Cargos around 4:00...It was a cool venue; it was an old church converted into a concert hall. It still had all the stained glass windows and everything. So we paide for parking and hung around the back, hoping to see Blink. They weren't there yet.
Oh, and that blue tour bus I was talking about? It pulled in a few minutes later. Travis got off first, then Mark, then Tom. We. Passed. Them. On. The. Freeway. Anyway, they went right inside so we didn't get to take pictures or get anything signed. Some guy handed out a bunch of FSAS stuff and Blink stickers, which was cool.
After that, we waited in line for a long time and it was fucking cold, colder than Columbus. So along comes 7:00, when the doors were supposed to open. They didn't. The doors didn't open until at least 7:20. And then we had to be frisked and then FINALLY we could get in.
There were separate lines for guys and girls so Steph and I met up on the stairs out front then got in the will call line. I figured there'd be tickets, but it was just a list that you had to be checked off on. So after that, we went to the balcony cause the floor was way packed. Our view was awesome though. I went back downstairs and to the merch. I bought the new zip up hoodie and a blink beanie. They're both awesome.
So I went back upstairs and the first band (The Kinison) came on. They were kind of screamo, but hell of a lot more annoying. The lead singer's ass was hanging out of his pants every time he turned around. Sick.
After that debacle, Bubba Sparxxx came on and he was alright. The funny thing was his co-rapper guy (or whatever they're called) had a shirt that said "FUCK YOU, YOU FUCKING FUCK"...Bubba kept saying Blink were "real motherfuckers in a world of fakes". He also said Travis got Mark and Tom into his music, so they asked him to tour with him. "So, they're real motherfuckers".
After he was done, I ran downstairs to the pisser. On my way back up, I passed Bubba in the stairway. I would've said something, but he was talking to some girl who kept asking him if he remembered her. I just walked on past and got back up to the balcony.
Now you all know what's next. The lights went out and everyone went insane. Mark walked to his traditional stage left spot and hit a note as Travis warmed up on his drums. Mark said, "Let's get this started!" and they launched into "Family Reunion".
Below is the setlist. It wasn't accurate at all, so I changed it. "Go" and "Stay Together For the Kids" might not be in the right spots, but they played them. The setlist said they played "Adam's Song" but they didn't; they also didn't include "Go". So I added them. (go me)....
11/12/03 Clutch Cargos - Detroit, MI
Set 1: Family Reunion, What's My Age Again, Feeling This, Dumpweed, Reckless Abandon, Down, Violence, Go, The Rock Show, Stay Together For The Kids, Obvious, All The Small Things, First Date, Easy Target, Dammit
Comment: DollaBill Tour. Other Bands: The Kinison and Bubba Sparxxx
Lineup: Mark Hoppus: Bass and Vocals, Tom DeLonge: Guitar and Vocals, Travis Barker: Drums
They did crack a few jokes, some I can't remember very well. They blistered through their set; they played for 45 minutes. Not very long, but it was a small venue show. But hey, they're more than likely going to tour for the new album.
You could tell, especially when Mark said this:
"This is our last song tonight...(scattered boos)... I know, I know! It breaks my heart too, but don't worry, Detroit. We'll be back very, very soon."
So after the show, we hung around to see if they would come out and sign shit and take pictures. It was really fucking cold (even colder than earlier). And to make matters worse, it started HAILING. To make them even worse, some guy came out saying that Blink wouldn't be coming out because they had to get right on the bus and drive to Chicago. So we split for the car and we drove back to Toledo.
The drive home was shitty. It was windy as fuck and it seemed like it was just me and the truckers on the road. I had to drink a ton of Red Bull and smoke to stay awake. I ended up getting home at 3:00 in the morning, tired but excited.
I had seen my favorite band.
Was it worth the eight-hour drive?
You may think I'm crazy, but it was.