Flogging Molly @ The State Theatre, Detroit, MI, USA [3/6/2010]
Flogging Molly @ The State Theatre, Detroit, USA [3/6/2010]
Time for the annual write up of Flogging Molly! As always, we wait all year for this show to come around, and OMG this was the first year that we didn't have to pay to see them. This is awesome, because tickets are starting to get too pricey for Denise and I to handle!
Doors were at 7PM, meaning we arrived at 6PM to put up posters. Mark was there, Chad (who oversees us with Live Nation) was running for the band backstage), and we had a bunch of newbies there who...IDK, were insanely rude, disrespectful, and had no clue what they were doing. Denise and I were running late, so we just went in as opposed to picking up our entrance wristbands at the box office. When I felt like everything was going smoothly 20 minutes later, I went to get our bands. I set Denise's wristband in front of her on the table, told her that it was her's, and walked away. Well, one of these newbies took her wristband as opposed to walking outside and getting their own. I was really unhappy with that and was like, "Dude, not cool."
Also, I had seen that these kids had worked shows before, so I didn't think I had to tell them HOW to hang up posters. They literally slapped a piece of tape on the middle of the poster and hung it like that. I was like, "Uh. Yeah, we put tape in the corners. They stay better and they look better." One of them had the balls to say to me, "Well, it doesn't really matter. They'll get torn down five minutes after doors anyway." Well, this SOMETIMES happens, but only at the shows that are promoted to the teenage crowd. Flogging Molly is a generally older crowd (mostly 20-somethings), and they usually leave the posters alone for a good few hours before they come down. I made sure to let them know that Ben (the general manager of the venue) really appreciates it when the posters look nicely (I've actually had him come up to me and say, "Kristina, I love it when you sign up for shows here. You're one of the only people who actually make the posters look nice instead of just slapping them up").
I also had to tell them that the rest of the venue was open for us to put up posters as opposed to only the stairway. We usually hit the inner lobby pillars, as well as the bathrooms. Of course, I went to the bathroom before doors opened and noticed that the put the posters high up in the stalls. Uh, women sit down when they pee. Put it at sitting level, thank you.
Mark was not happy with these kids, either. I walked up to him and was like, "Uh, so these kids..." "Yeah. I know. They're stupid." The good think about Mark is that he's been around the block when it comes to music industry. Between myself, Mark, and another girl named Lauren (who wasn't at the show last night), we're the people who have been doing this kind of stuff professionally for years. We know how to market shows; hell, Lauren and I have been paid via Sony and Warner to do this. We know what works, we know what doesn't, and we act very professional. While yeah, putting up posters and handing out flyers at shows isn't something I would consider a professional career in, it is still what is getting you in to shows for free, and damnit, I will make that kind of shit as presentable as possible for future recommendations and networking purposes. Mark told these kids that he's been on the team for 6 years, and I didn't tell them about my time with Warner, but they seriously just need to listen to us minus the attitude.
End rant.
Anyway, because my back has been acting up the past few days, Denise and I decided to forgo the actual mosh pit. My spine couldn't take the constant movement and unnatural positions that come with pits. Well, because I was so pissed about it, I decided that fuck it, I'm grabbing the barricade front row center and I was going to take pictures. So before doors, Denise and I walked our merry asses up there and took a seat. The people who waited out in the cold were absolutely not happy about that, and got kind of nasty with us. The girl to my right had a pit newbie with her, and was telling her STUPID information in regards to crowd surfers. I mentioned to her that if you don't put your hands up, you will be crushed and you will get hurt. The girl next to me looked at me and said, "You know, I've don't this 30 times. I know what I'm talking about." I really wanted to pipe in a comment of, "Oh, 30? Bitch please, you've got nothing on me." I held back.
The girl next to Denise tried to hold spots for others on the barricade who were at the back of the line. Two girls came in a few minutes after doors and tried to get in, and the girl next to Denise got kind of nasty with them. I looked at the two and said to them, "Well, I'm all for pushing your way to the front, but you were here first and you can't save spots on the barricade. First come, first serve. If you don't stay, you're hoed." I was able to sneak them in before the music started between me and the first girl in (the one to my right). We also shoved the girl next to Denise so the other girl could get in (not going to lie, they were both bigger girls).
Somehow, right before the first band went on, I spotted my assistant manager from Hot Topic, Caitlin, in the crowd behind me. We both made eye contact, and I pulled her up to the front. The girls we had pulled on to the barricade were totally awesome and were all about getting Caitlin on, too. It was pretty crowded by then, but we knew we could get her up there later. It worked out, too, because she stood behind me for a bit, and she is a bit taller than me.
The first band that went on was a local that had been called in last minute to replace Frank Turner (who was apparently sick). They were called The Empty Orchestra, and while they were not a band that fit well with the Flogging Molly crowd, they were REALLY good. If you don't know by now, I'm REALLY picky about music and bands; I'm very hard to impress, and if I say something is "good," it means that they're kind of awesome. I was pretty impressed by them, despite the fact that they're drummer looked like he was in heaven the entire time. His face was LOL worthy!
After they ended, Caitlin decided to try to sneak a cigarette in before the crowd got any denser, and went out to the smoking section. Somehow she found her way back to us, knocking over a full beer on the way (but seriously, if you're going to drink, don't bring it down to the floor). She told us that the smoking section was too packed for her to get in, and she gave up. LOL.
After an insanely QUICK set up, The Architects came on. OMG guys. This band is seriously how EVERY punk rock band should sound. They were high energy, but could keep time with each other and not get lost. They were interesting, and seriously, absolutely amazing. I'm not going to lie: I think this was the absolute best punk rock band that I have ever seen, and you know, I've seen a lot of punk rock bands. These guys are kind of up there on Dropkick Murphys level. Yeah, I said it.
Also, I kept looking at the bassist like I knew him from somewhere. They kept saying they were from Kansas City, but the more I stared at him, the more familiar he looked. It wasn't until I got home when I realized what it was: he seriously looks like he is a relative of Frank Iero. Short-stance included. He also gave off the same energy, but lacked the stage antics. He was also REALLY good at his bass.
The front man was absolutely insane, though! There was one point where he lost his guitar pick, and he seriously played half a song with his fingers. IMPRESSIVE what?! And their other guitarist totally reminded me of Derek Jendza for some reason. LOL! He didn't start getting in to the show until near the end, but that was cool with me. At the end of the set, when he walked off, he lifted up his guitar so the crowd could see the back of it. Written in shiny sparkle letters were the words, "THANK YOU!" Seriously, I wish I had gotten a shot of it!
After they left the stage, we only waited about 20 minutes for Flogging Molly to start. We noticed a couple behind us who was being a complete douchebag with his girlfriend, and we all agreed that they were undeserving of the barricade.
When Flogging Molly finally came on, I wasn't surprised that the pushing started. I wasn't surprised how I was pushed side to side. I was, however, surprised with how weak the audience was behind me. I had a bunch of people try to sneak in next to me, but it was REALLY easy to fend them off. While I'm a total supporter of people waiting in line to get the barricade, I think better of the people who are able to hold their spot. You don't deserve the barricade because you waited in line; you deserve it because you can hold your ground. We got Caitlin on the bar very early in the set, and no joke, Denise, myself, and Caitlin somehow managed to stay together the whole set.
The douche behind Caitlin was able to get his girlfriend up on the bar next to her, but damn did we fend off that fucker. We also had a guy behind us in a Black Flag shirt that was all up on us. However, he was super cool, and he seemed to take the blunt of the crowd and looked out for us pretty well. I think it was because he was completely behind me, and he could see really well over my head. However, every time the crowd pushed, his forearm was on my spine. I'm 5'3", and the bar came up right about my tits, and I kept getting pushed down as it was. So every time the crowd pushed, his arm pushed into my spine, and no joke, my airpipe for my lungs got pushed between my spine and my sternum. Every time that happened, I seriously could not breathe. As in, no air. Period. I'm wasn't going to complain because that is expected and whatnot, and I knew going in that it could happen, but I did turn around and ask him to move his arm over a bit. I have no problem with people touching me in pits, and he was cool with moving his arm over an inch to help me out.
Now, for almost the entire show, I tried to get photos. Because I have an auto point-and-shoot, I have to manually trick my camera into getting better shutter speeds. The usual range that I was getting was between 1/25 and 1/60. However, every so often, I would get 1/160 and 1/250, which, if you don't know anything about cameras, that's FAST and GOOD. But every time I got it, I would point, and either Caitlin, the guy behind me, or security pushed me so I lost the shot. I was pissed, because I spent almost half the show trying to get a single shot. FML. I eventually got it, but it was honestly rough.
Denise and Caitlin were really awesome about helping me out with crowd surfers coming behind me. I was protecting my camera, and I even switched my camera hand so I could use my right to lift people up. However, two or three songs before the encore was about to start, some fat fuck decided it would be a great idea to surf. No joke, he was big, and no one could hold him very well. With help, I could hold people up with my one hand. However, this one in particular fell. On my head. I was fast enough to turn my head so that I didn't land teeth first in the bar, but I was down, and that fat fucker did not get off the back of my neck for a good five seconds.
For those five seconds, I seriously think I either blacked out or stopped breathing. When he was lifted off me, all I remember was gasping for air, and I knew I had to get out for the sake of my spine. Well, no problem. Not a big deal. Not the end of the world.
Except OMG X-Men, you have failed me.
Denise and I spent a good 30 seconds trying to get the guards attention. The guy was RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME and I was ignored. Finally, when I was able to say, "I need to get out," he looked at me, held up a single finger, and said, "Just a second."
-.-
You don't tell that to someone who you picked up a fat fucker that was on their HEAD telling you they need to get out. YOU PICK THEM UP. YOU GET THE CROWD TO HELP YOU LIFT THEM OUT. I'm seriously considering writing Ben and email about the situation, because seriously, he didn't know why I needed to get out. I could have been on the verge of passing out. I could have been seriously injured. I could have had a broken bone. I could have seriously needed a medic IMMEDIATELY. Granted, none of that was the situation, but that shit DOES happen at shows. Not cool. The X-Men's job is to protect us, and to get us the help that we need if we need it. Not ignore me.
Anyway, I got out and went to the bar in search of some ice. The right side of my jaw is super swollen right now, and my neck is stiff. However, they were awesome and gave me a cup of ice to put on it. I ran into Ben and Jake, who both kinda freaked when they saw the ice, and wanted to rush me to the medic. It wasn't a serious or life-threatening condition, so I wasn't about to waste time and see him when I had flyers to pass out after the show. I was able to pick up CDs from both openers before the show let out.
After I had finished my pile, the super scary X-woman who works the front demanded that I see the medic, even after I told her that I had told Ben it was no big deal and that Ben was aware of it. She insisted in her, "Bitch, no. Protocol says we document this. Medic. Now. I will escort." I knew where to go, and offered to walk myself, but she insisted that she go with me.
Rob, the medic, was like, "Well, you're okay. Here's some more ice. No need to document it if you can feel all your limbs and you're not in much pain. Peace out." Whoa cool.
Denise and I ended up getting Denny's on the way home. It was well earned if I do say so myself.
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