(no subject)
This is my attempt at recalling the shows I've been to so when I get old and mean and hate music, I'll remember how awesome I was when I was young. It's too late to finish the list, so I got halfway through 2007.
Relient K/Simple Plan/Good Charlotte
May 2005
This concert came about after we no longer listened to Simple Plan, which always makes me laugh. Sydney and I went accompanied by her father. It was our first real concert (seeing someone do covers at the Pineapple Festival does not count) and was before we understood that touching people that you don't know at shows is entirely normal. We kept to ourselves and jumped up and down to the poppy music. Simple Plan and Good Charlotte were good because they were comfortable and nostalgic. It was my first exposure to Relient K, who I quickly discovered were awesome.
Warped Tour 2005
Summer 2005
I did everything wrong at this Warped Tour. I wore a black shirt. I wore jeans. If you add in that I live in Florida, dehydration was begging to plague me. I have nothing against large groups at Warped Tour, but, if at all possible, I prefer to be with two or three people at the most. I went with five and a parent. The group I went with were, for a lack of a better suiting cliche, Debbie Downers. They were hungry. They were tired. They were hot. They were just not having fun.
My most regrettable mistake of the day wasn't almost passing out (twice) or being with a big group or almost getting lost a few times, it was not planning who we were seeing. If I learned anything from that day, it's to evaluate who's playing before the day and plan my day accordingly after. Something Corporate played that Warped Tour and I missed it because I didn't look at times.
My Chemical Romance/Alkaline Trio/Reggie and the Full Effect
October 2005
I am not afraid to admit that My Chemical Romance will always be on my list of favorite bands. The same was true back in 2005. I went with Sydney and we met up with Megan and Samantha there. From my addiction to FUSE, I'd quickly learned that Reggie and the Full Effect was strange and good. I am the only one of my friends to listen to Alkaline Trio and I fully enjoyed their set despite my limited knowledge of their material. The main attraction of the night was My Chemical Romance, pre-Parade, pre-getting clean. Sydney and I tried our best to hang onto one another, but we were separated more than a few times, which was really fine because letting the crowd take over is easier than fighting it. The only songs that stand out in my mind are Thank You For The Venom and Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough For The Two Of Us. I remember Gerard introducing Headfirst for Halos and I remember dancing to it, but I don't remember the actual song. Between Warped Tour that year and this show, I bought the most merch than probably at all other shows combined.
Armor For Sleep/Matchbook Romance/Gatsby's American Dream/Lovedrug
November 2005
The venue we were at was probably more impressive than the show at the time. Freebird Live in Jacksonville Beach was the first small venue we'd been at up until then. My memory of Lovedrug's performance is what has turned me off of them to the present date. I remember being bored out of my mind while they were playing. Gatsby's American Dream are the type of band that can get a crowd moving after such a dull set and they certainly did. I honestly couldn't tell you if Armor For Sleep played before or after Matchbook Romance because Sydney and I didn't really know either aside from the one hit from each. I remember Ben from Armor For Sleep climbing up the wall and onto the second level. I remember being awed at the group singing of Tiger Lily by Matchbook Romance. I remember being in line waiting to get in and being behind two lesbians.
Buzz Bakesale
December 2005
The local radio station, Buzz 103.1, puts on Buzz Bakesale every year on the first Saturday of December. Gates open at ten in the morning and close at eleven in the evening. After being thoroughly disappointed about not being able to attend the previous year (The Used, New Found Glory, Taking Back Sunday, The Explosion), 2005 was supposed to hold promise. 30 Seconds to Mars was good. They're the only set I remember watching when it was light out still. We managed the last half of Story of the Year's set before My Chemical Romance was due on stage. Myself and my three best friends of the time (best meaning we seriously did everything together and actually had nicknames) were in the crowd for MCR. Halfway through the second song (which I believe was Hang em' High), Tori "passes out". I type this with great anger and resentment. Obviously there's not way of knowing she faked it, but we know she did. She miraculously recalled every detail of being carried out of the pit whilst being "unconscious" and was notorious for lying (which lead to the demise of our friendship with her). We watched the rest of their set from the sidelines with immense contempt.
I purchased a Hot Hot Heat shirt for a friend who couldn't attend and accidentally dropped it on the ground. Something got on it which was never able to be removed. I think it was some kind of sauce, but my group insisted it had been jizz. We watched Hot Hot Heat in a comfortable cool. The rest of the night was filled with getting a second hand high (because it's called Bakesale for a reason), getting lost, stealing a t-shirt, and having Megan's mom drive us to a gas station for munchies.
2006
As I glance over my wall adorning my tickets, I am sad to report that I only have three from 2006. 2006 was my first year with a job and, therefore, my first year I had to pay for stuff. Gas, car insurance, and food have a steep price when you're an irresponsible, teenage spender with a debit card. Most of the shows I attended were local shows and usually featured Fake Problems. Our boys in FP are getting big and I haven't seen them for quite some time, but 2006 was all about Fake Problems. I don't think a month passed without seeing them. They played in my best friend's living room on her birthday.
Brand New
June 2006
Ask me who else played that night and I would blank out completely. June was one month before I could actually start driving myself to shows, so Sydney's mom drove us. This show was before Devil/God came out, but they played Sowing Season and Luca. I remember feeling epic and complete and so illimitably happy when they played Soco Amaretto Lime. The entire experience was overwhelming because (mainly) I was in the same room as Brand New, a band that I hold higher than any other band I've ever listened to. (My MySpace name since 2005 has been I Appreciate Brand New.) I fell asleep on the ride home and don't remember ever feeling so ridiculously complacent.
Warped Tour 2006
Summer 2006
After the previous year's disaster, Megan and I set off to 2006 summer camp with a mission. We had water and memorized the line-up (or maybe we wrote it down on our arms). We had a meeting place in case we got separated. We went for Against Me! and Anti-Flag and rocked our faces off to both. I remember those being the only two crowds we went in, aside from Paramore (in which we were front-fucking-row). I watched UnderOATH from backstage because I won passes. Aaron is one of my favorite people. I remember Motion City Soundtrack playing and myself making fun of them because I didn't like them in 2006 except for Capital H.
Dashboard Confessional/Brand New
November 2006
I'm comfortable enough with myself to say that I bought a ticket for a Dashboard Confessional show and left before they played. I like exactly two songs by Dashboard Confessional and I don't particularly care if I ever see them played live. I went with Megan, Samantha, and Sam and we went to Starbucks before and after. We stood far away from the stage, but I was still entirely blown away by Brand New, but put anyone in a live show by their favorite band and I guarantee you no one will walk away criticizing. I've been yelled at three times for this show because I did not stay for Dashboard Confessional. The next time I see a decent shot of ANYONE else in the band besides Mr. Confessional (yes, yes, I know his name is Chris Carababdfjsd) then I might consider them a real band and not just a man. I might consider them okay. But, right now I'm not.
Buzz Bakesale 2006
December 2006
I remember this Bakesale ions more than the last. I took my childhood friend (and by childhood, I mean since diapers) to her first show. We watched Kill Hannah from a distance because I knew Lips Like Morphine and that was my full knowledge of them. We got into the crowd for Red Jumpsuit Apparatus despite only knowing Face Down because it was incredibly fun. We stuck around for Cartel's set which was poppy and energetic. I really hate that I passed on seeing Hawthorne Heights because the last time I saw them had been the previous year at Warped Tour and now it's not the same without Casey Calvert. (We miss you.) We sat in our paid for seats for Flyleaf, One, Buckcherry, and Sugarcult.
I would like to know of one teenage kid when I was growing up who didn't know either Just Like You or I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace. Mind you, I know a little more than that by them, but when they came on, it was actually epic. Papa Roach was on next and they got my vote for best performance of the night, despite the fact that My Chemical Romance played later.
I have a sore spot around Taking Back Sunday. A Taking Back Sunday sans John Nolan and Shaun Cooper isn't a Taking Back Sunday I'm okay with, but Amber likes them and I can sing along, so I stuck it out. I was upset when they played Cute Without the E and John Nolan wasn't singing, but I digress.
I believe this was my first time seeing My Chem after the Black Parade was released and it was really good (even though the song Mama creeped me out a little). I remember getting really upset that these two douche bags in front of us were talking loudly over Helena.
AFI
February 2007
Samantha was originally going to AFI with her mother because her and her mom do stuff like that together, but her mom couldn't go. I took the extra ticket and my mom gave me permission to go approximately two hours before we left. I missed a Fake Problems show that night and I kind of regret that because I feel like I can't take Davey Havok seriously. I'm not an AFI fan outside of Sing The Sorrow.
Taste of Chaos 2007
March 2007
The only reason why we bought tickets to Taste of Chaos was because of The Used. They remain one of the few bands that I love (I'm most definitely not including anything past In Love and Death) that I haven't seen live. The kid that drove, Sam, the one who accompanied and drove us to see Brand New sans Dashboard Confessional, HAD TO GO HOME HALFWAY THROUGH 30 SECONDS TO MARS' SET. We did not see The Used and we basically stopped talking to Sam.
My Chemical Romance
April 2007
Muse was the band playing before My Chemical Romance and I have received equal, if not more, flack about not watching Muse's set than not watching Dashboard's. Samantha and I walked around the lobby of the Bank Atlantic Center during their set, singing obnoxiously along to the one Muse song we knew. My Chem was epic. They played the Black Parade through, from start to finish, leaving Blood as the intermission between new and old. Trying to explain how awesome this show was leaves me feeling nostalgic and giddy.
Honda Civic Tour
April 2007
HCT was awesome for many reasons. One being Gabe Saporta. I bought Cobra Starship's first album once Gabe released it after Midtown was no longer. It was more poppy and electronic than what I was used to from him, but it was nonetheless good. Then the Snakes on a Plane craze started and my friends who didn't know why I was listening to Cobra finally got it and borrowed my CD. When they played Snakes on a Plane, William Becket of The Academy Is and Paul Wall (taking the place of Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes) joined. The Academy Is played a good show and Sisky's hair was awesome before he cut it. We skipped over Paul Wall and made it back for +44 because if I can't see Blink-182, then the offshoots will have to do. They played Rock Show which basically made my year. Fall Out Boy was Fall Out Boy. They were larger than life and capable of turning the crowd into a mass of screaming scenesters. In their defense, though, they were little scenie-babies. I'm not going to say that I didn't enjoy Fall Out Boy because I enjoy most things that Fueled by Ramen/Decaydance produce.
Mastadon/Against Me!
May 2007
Against Me! is my slice of Florida. We bought the tickets fully thinking that Against Me! would be opening for Mastadon, which proved false. We sat in a corner through Mastadon because there's only so much metal one can listen to when expecting Gainsville folk punk. They played a lot of New Wave which isn't my favorite thing in the world, but we got over it.
Relient K/Simple Plan/Good Charlotte
May 2005
This concert came about after we no longer listened to Simple Plan, which always makes me laugh. Sydney and I went accompanied by her father. It was our first real concert (seeing someone do covers at the Pineapple Festival does not count) and was before we understood that touching people that you don't know at shows is entirely normal. We kept to ourselves and jumped up and down to the poppy music. Simple Plan and Good Charlotte were good because they were comfortable and nostalgic. It was my first exposure to Relient K, who I quickly discovered were awesome.
Warped Tour 2005
Summer 2005
I did everything wrong at this Warped Tour. I wore a black shirt. I wore jeans. If you add in that I live in Florida, dehydration was begging to plague me. I have nothing against large groups at Warped Tour, but, if at all possible, I prefer to be with two or three people at the most. I went with five and a parent. The group I went with were, for a lack of a better suiting cliche, Debbie Downers. They were hungry. They were tired. They were hot. They were just not having fun.
My most regrettable mistake of the day wasn't almost passing out (twice) or being with a big group or almost getting lost a few times, it was not planning who we were seeing. If I learned anything from that day, it's to evaluate who's playing before the day and plan my day accordingly after. Something Corporate played that Warped Tour and I missed it because I didn't look at times.
My Chemical Romance/Alkaline Trio/Reggie and the Full Effect
October 2005
I am not afraid to admit that My Chemical Romance will always be on my list of favorite bands. The same was true back in 2005. I went with Sydney and we met up with Megan and Samantha there. From my addiction to FUSE, I'd quickly learned that Reggie and the Full Effect was strange and good. I am the only one of my friends to listen to Alkaline Trio and I fully enjoyed their set despite my limited knowledge of their material. The main attraction of the night was My Chemical Romance, pre-Parade, pre-getting clean. Sydney and I tried our best to hang onto one another, but we were separated more than a few times, which was really fine because letting the crowd take over is easier than fighting it. The only songs that stand out in my mind are Thank You For The Venom and Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough For The Two Of Us. I remember Gerard introducing Headfirst for Halos and I remember dancing to it, but I don't remember the actual song. Between Warped Tour that year and this show, I bought the most merch than probably at all other shows combined.
Armor For Sleep/Matchbook Romance/Gatsby's American Dream/Lovedrug
November 2005
The venue we were at was probably more impressive than the show at the time. Freebird Live in Jacksonville Beach was the first small venue we'd been at up until then. My memory of Lovedrug's performance is what has turned me off of them to the present date. I remember being bored out of my mind while they were playing. Gatsby's American Dream are the type of band that can get a crowd moving after such a dull set and they certainly did. I honestly couldn't tell you if Armor For Sleep played before or after Matchbook Romance because Sydney and I didn't really know either aside from the one hit from each. I remember Ben from Armor For Sleep climbing up the wall and onto the second level. I remember being awed at the group singing of Tiger Lily by Matchbook Romance. I remember being in line waiting to get in and being behind two lesbians.
Buzz Bakesale
December 2005
The local radio station, Buzz 103.1, puts on Buzz Bakesale every year on the first Saturday of December. Gates open at ten in the morning and close at eleven in the evening. After being thoroughly disappointed about not being able to attend the previous year (The Used, New Found Glory, Taking Back Sunday, The Explosion), 2005 was supposed to hold promise. 30 Seconds to Mars was good. They're the only set I remember watching when it was light out still. We managed the last half of Story of the Year's set before My Chemical Romance was due on stage. Myself and my three best friends of the time (best meaning we seriously did everything together and actually had nicknames) were in the crowd for MCR. Halfway through the second song (which I believe was Hang em' High), Tori "passes out". I type this with great anger and resentment. Obviously there's not way of knowing she faked it, but we know she did. She miraculously recalled every detail of being carried out of the pit whilst being "unconscious" and was notorious for lying (which lead to the demise of our friendship with her). We watched the rest of their set from the sidelines with immense contempt.
I purchased a Hot Hot Heat shirt for a friend who couldn't attend and accidentally dropped it on the ground. Something got on it which was never able to be removed. I think it was some kind of sauce, but my group insisted it had been jizz. We watched Hot Hot Heat in a comfortable cool. The rest of the night was filled with getting a second hand high (because it's called Bakesale for a reason), getting lost, stealing a t-shirt, and having Megan's mom drive us to a gas station for munchies.
2006
As I glance over my wall adorning my tickets, I am sad to report that I only have three from 2006. 2006 was my first year with a job and, therefore, my first year I had to pay for stuff. Gas, car insurance, and food have a steep price when you're an irresponsible, teenage spender with a debit card. Most of the shows I attended were local shows and usually featured Fake Problems. Our boys in FP are getting big and I haven't seen them for quite some time, but 2006 was all about Fake Problems. I don't think a month passed without seeing them. They played in my best friend's living room on her birthday.
Brand New
June 2006
Ask me who else played that night and I would blank out completely. June was one month before I could actually start driving myself to shows, so Sydney's mom drove us. This show was before Devil/God came out, but they played Sowing Season and Luca. I remember feeling epic and complete and so illimitably happy when they played Soco Amaretto Lime. The entire experience was overwhelming because (mainly) I was in the same room as Brand New, a band that I hold higher than any other band I've ever listened to. (My MySpace name since 2005 has been I Appreciate Brand New.) I fell asleep on the ride home and don't remember ever feeling so ridiculously complacent.
Warped Tour 2006
Summer 2006
After the previous year's disaster, Megan and I set off to 2006 summer camp with a mission. We had water and memorized the line-up (or maybe we wrote it down on our arms). We had a meeting place in case we got separated. We went for Against Me! and Anti-Flag and rocked our faces off to both. I remember those being the only two crowds we went in, aside from Paramore (in which we were front-fucking-row). I watched UnderOATH from backstage because I won passes. Aaron is one of my favorite people. I remember Motion City Soundtrack playing and myself making fun of them because I didn't like them in 2006 except for Capital H.
Dashboard Confessional/Brand New
November 2006
I'm comfortable enough with myself to say that I bought a ticket for a Dashboard Confessional show and left before they played. I like exactly two songs by Dashboard Confessional and I don't particularly care if I ever see them played live. I went with Megan, Samantha, and Sam and we went to Starbucks before and after. We stood far away from the stage, but I was still entirely blown away by Brand New, but put anyone in a live show by their favorite band and I guarantee you no one will walk away criticizing. I've been yelled at three times for this show because I did not stay for Dashboard Confessional. The next time I see a decent shot of ANYONE else in the band besides Mr. Confessional (yes, yes, I know his name is Chris Carababdfjsd) then I might consider them a real band and not just a man. I might consider them okay. But, right now I'm not.
Buzz Bakesale 2006
December 2006
I remember this Bakesale ions more than the last. I took my childhood friend (and by childhood, I mean since diapers) to her first show. We watched Kill Hannah from a distance because I knew Lips Like Morphine and that was my full knowledge of them. We got into the crowd for Red Jumpsuit Apparatus despite only knowing Face Down because it was incredibly fun. We stuck around for Cartel's set which was poppy and energetic. I really hate that I passed on seeing Hawthorne Heights because the last time I saw them had been the previous year at Warped Tour and now it's not the same without Casey Calvert. (We miss you.) We sat in our paid for seats for Flyleaf, One, Buckcherry, and Sugarcult.
I would like to know of one teenage kid when I was growing up who didn't know either Just Like You or I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace. Mind you, I know a little more than that by them, but when they came on, it was actually epic. Papa Roach was on next and they got my vote for best performance of the night, despite the fact that My Chemical Romance played later.
I have a sore spot around Taking Back Sunday. A Taking Back Sunday sans John Nolan and Shaun Cooper isn't a Taking Back Sunday I'm okay with, but Amber likes them and I can sing along, so I stuck it out. I was upset when they played Cute Without the E and John Nolan wasn't singing, but I digress.
I believe this was my first time seeing My Chem after the Black Parade was released and it was really good (even though the song Mama creeped me out a little). I remember getting really upset that these two douche bags in front of us were talking loudly over Helena.
AFI
February 2007
Samantha was originally going to AFI with her mother because her and her mom do stuff like that together, but her mom couldn't go. I took the extra ticket and my mom gave me permission to go approximately two hours before we left. I missed a Fake Problems show that night and I kind of regret that because I feel like I can't take Davey Havok seriously. I'm not an AFI fan outside of Sing The Sorrow.
Taste of Chaos 2007
March 2007
The only reason why we bought tickets to Taste of Chaos was because of The Used. They remain one of the few bands that I love (I'm most definitely not including anything past In Love and Death) that I haven't seen live. The kid that drove, Sam, the one who accompanied and drove us to see Brand New sans Dashboard Confessional, HAD TO GO HOME HALFWAY THROUGH 30 SECONDS TO MARS' SET. We did not see The Used and we basically stopped talking to Sam.
My Chemical Romance
April 2007
Muse was the band playing before My Chemical Romance and I have received equal, if not more, flack about not watching Muse's set than not watching Dashboard's. Samantha and I walked around the lobby of the Bank Atlantic Center during their set, singing obnoxiously along to the one Muse song we knew. My Chem was epic. They played the Black Parade through, from start to finish, leaving Blood as the intermission between new and old. Trying to explain how awesome this show was leaves me feeling nostalgic and giddy.
Honda Civic Tour
April 2007
HCT was awesome for many reasons. One being Gabe Saporta. I bought Cobra Starship's first album once Gabe released it after Midtown was no longer. It was more poppy and electronic than what I was used to from him, but it was nonetheless good. Then the Snakes on a Plane craze started and my friends who didn't know why I was listening to Cobra finally got it and borrowed my CD. When they played Snakes on a Plane, William Becket of The Academy Is and Paul Wall (taking the place of Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes) joined. The Academy Is played a good show and Sisky's hair was awesome before he cut it. We skipped over Paul Wall and made it back for +44 because if I can't see Blink-182, then the offshoots will have to do. They played Rock Show which basically made my year. Fall Out Boy was Fall Out Boy. They were larger than life and capable of turning the crowd into a mass of screaming scenesters. In their defense, though, they were little scenie-babies. I'm not going to say that I didn't enjoy Fall Out Boy because I enjoy most things that Fueled by Ramen/Decaydance produce.
Mastadon/Against Me!
May 2007
Against Me! is my slice of Florida. We bought the tickets fully thinking that Against Me! would be opening for Mastadon, which proved false. We sat in a corner through Mastadon because there's only so much metal one can listen to when expecting Gainsville folk punk. They played a lot of New Wave which isn't my favorite thing in the world, but we got over it.