Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Wax on, wax off.

The brilliant Chelsea inspired me to post. Now, I am a bit short on time, considering how school starts in a week and a day (it's a Pennsylvania thing... starting before Labor Day...), and I am sludging through the hell that is Jane Eyre. Why do the Honors kids get all the sucky books? B-track gets all the good stuff. WEll, I take that back, I really enjoyed Animal Farm.

So what this is all LEADING too is that I am just copying and pasting a blog entry I made on myspace. Don't hit me, I feel bad. But a post is better than no post at all, right? Or do I just have such a big ego that I think people enjoy my posts? I need to shut up. Here, read:

Oh right. A few things: I changed my friends' names to just the first initial, just because I don't think they'd want their names plastered all over my blog, which they don't even.... know... about. And i snatched pretty pictures of Warped Tour from other people, just because I didn't take any and reading is always better with pictures.

Ok, now. HERE, READ:

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Shot at 2007-08-21

This is going to be really sporadic and just whatever tidbit pops into my head.

Let me just say that it was SO. MUCH. FUN. I can't WAIT to go back next year. NOT going back is not an option.

Ok, first Mr. F picked me up at K-Mart. Then we got K, and it was off to Philly. There was a lot of traffic close to Philly, and we started looking around into the other cars, and we started guessing, "Oh yeah, THEY'RE going to warped tour!" Signs including a car stuffed full of teenagers, boys with emo hair, and parents looking sullen with kids in sunglasses in the back seat. So K made a sign that said, "Honk for Warped '07." We got 4 honks. It was pretty awesome.

We got into Camden which is, keep in mind, is one of the most crime ridden cities in the country. But we just followed the signs to the waterfront and found a parking lot. As soon as we got out, we could hear music on the wind, and all these people were walking toward the Tweeter Center, and I just got this weird feeling of unity. Like, "We're all here for the music, for one purpose, for one beautiful thing." By the time we got there, it was around 12. The first band we wanted to see, Cute Is What We Aim For, went on at 12:30. Not a problem, except that M had to pick her ticket up at the box office….so we had to wait 40-ish minutes…and ended up missing CIWWAF. We could hear a bit of them, though. But it was really fun watching the people in the line. Some of the girls were dressed ridiculously…jeans, ripped leggings, black, whatever. It was SO HOT AND HUMID OUT. This one group of people walked by: the girls were wearing flip flops, denim miniskirts, and t-shirts, while the guys were wearing Hollister polos with popped collars…. L and I were just like, "Wtf? This isn't the mall….." But some girls looked freakin' cool! Hippie dresses, messy blonde buns with bright folded bandanas as headbands, sunglasses, and kickass sneakers. I wish I had a stellar dress like that……

We finally got in, and I could FINALLY open my water. I was SO THIRSTY, and I'd barely been outside. We walked around really quick, just seeing where everything was, and we saw that we had indeed missed CIWWAF. I was bummed, but whatever. We just walked around, saw what was going on before Circa Survive went out. There were really cute stands with really cheap stuff... for example: a stand that sold these stellar tote bags with cute appliqués, amazing bandanas in an array of bright colors, 2 for 5 bucks, and merch booth upon merch booth. I got a peace button for a dollar at a vegan/vegetarian stand, and a TWLOHA shirt with "Love Is the Movement" on it for $15. It's so incredible.

Circa Survive were good, I'd never listened to them, but they were good. The lead singer was a little crazy, but it fit. Nothing super spectacular to report about that show. Oh yeah. I got semi-pushed into a mini mosh pit, but I freaked out and scrambled out. As soon as people started leaving, we pushed up to the front and we second row, but then we decided we really needed water and stuff. So we got water, and by that time, L asked if we just wanted to walk around. I was kind of passive about seeing The Starting Line, but now I wish I had spoken up and said that I wanted to see them, but whatever. I REALLY wanted to hear "Best Of Me" live, so when we headed back to the stage (Coheed and Cambria was up next) towards the end of TSL's set, I walked fast, praying that they would be playing "Best Of Me." And they DID! I got there like 30 seconds in, I was so excited, I was singing along, I recorded it on my phone. It was truly beautiful. Kenny Vasoli's voice never ceases to amaze me. He can actually SING. Novel idea.

Then we pushed toward the front again for Coheed and Cambria. That was all fine and dandy, until me and M started looking around, and all we could see was really tall, big, scary, hairy, MEN. Not boys, but these 30 year old MEN. And we looked at each other and I said, "This is going to get ROUGH. I have to get out of here." So M was a champ and followed me out. We got some water. Then, on their second song, we were watching from the very back, and out of the crowd stumbles K. It was a weird coincidence that we were the FIRST people she saw after coming out of the crowd. She was wheezing and kind of gasping for breath, and looked a bit roughed up. So, me and M helped her over to the Monster drink truck thing, and sat her down in the shade and gave her something to drink. (We should be nurses. Or hydration facilitators!) So we watched the show from the side, and at the end, out comes L, totally happy and smiling. It made me go, "Oh, L!"

By this time, I remembered, "Oh no! I forgot to check when All Time Low was playing!" So I checked the huge schedule, and I. HAD. MISSED. THEM. I WAS SOOOOOOOOOOOOO PISSED. Ask any of the three who were with me. I wouldn't stop griping for an hour.

Then I think we got some water and walked around (are you seeing a pattern here?).

THEN IT WAS TIME FOR PARAMORE. I was being really spastic and was freaking out that we wouldn't get to the stage in time. But we did, and I'm not going to lie, I was really, really excited, especially to hear Hayley live, because I hear she is incredible. And she IS! They opened with "Misery Business," everyone in the audience screamed every word. That's what I noticed with Paramore, the fans aren't casual, they know every word to every song. A crowd surfer fell on M. I had to throw them off. But next was "Emergency," then, one of my favorites, "For A Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic." Someone threw a tampon at Hayley, and she caught it and threw it back saying, "Here, sir, I'll think you'll need this later today." Ha. It was funny, I guess. Next came "Born For This", and I was really into the song but then M tapped my shoulder and pointed at people behind us, and I saw this guy handing this girl this glittering ring, and I didn't really understand what was going on, but then I turned around and saw them hugging and people were cheering and clapping. I then realized that they had just gotten engaged, so I started cheering too, and it was so incredible, combined with the music and atmosphere that I almost started crying. All of this while pushing crowd surfers over my head. Next was "Crushcrushcrush," and then finishing was "Pressure." A half hour was way too short. I wanted more! My favorite concert of the day.



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I was so filthy at this point, but I didn't care. It was just part of the experience. You're smashed up next to sweaty people, so you're not sure if the sweat on you is theirs or yours, and it's just…. I don't know. It's fun in a kind of sick way. Now it sounds totally disgusting, but like I said, it was just part of the experience.

Chiodos was up next. During Paramore, L and K inched forward, so me and M lost them, and then after the show, they ran up to the railing. Beforehand K said something along the lines of, "Chiodos is going to be crazy." So I sneaked backed a little, dragging M with me, because I think she was kind of scared, too. But then she wanted to go in farther to find L and K and I really, really didn't, and then Craig came out, and to that crowd, CRAIG IS GOD, and they started going apeshit, and I freaked out (again) and just ran out. I felt so bad for leaving M, but I just freaked out. So I went to the shade behind the AT&T tent where I knew Mr. F (Mr. F is L's dad) was and just sat there to watch Chiodos. Let me just say that Mr. F is pretty freakin' cool. He was moving his head to the music, it was very un-dad-like. The only two songs I heard Craig announce were "There's No Penguins In Alaska" and "Teeth The Size Of Piano Keys." I didn't really like them, to be honest. Just not my type of music.



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Shot at 2007-08-21

By that time it was 6:00, and Hawthorne Heights didn't start until 7:00, so we got water, and went to the booths. I got a Paramore shirt, M got a Boys Like Girls Shirt, L got the Boys Like Girls album, and K got a BLG patch. Here was the conversation:

K: "How much are the patches?"

Guy: "You get one if you buy the album."

K: "I already have the album."

Guy: Sighs. Tosses K patch.

It was funnier there, alright?

On the way to Hawthorne Heights, we stopped at the TRUTH tent, and they were giving away the last t-shirt they had, to whoever could name a Bruce Springsteen song. Obviously, the guy handing out the shirts knew that many of the emo music-snob types there wouldn't be able to name one. Immediately, I started screaming, "BORN TO RUN!!!" at the top of my lungs. K and L were screaming and pointing at me, but the guy TOTALLY didn't hear/see me. He asked one girl, and she answered wrong, and he was like, "AGHHHH! Can NO ONE name a Springsteen song???" All the while I am SCREAMING. Finally, some girl answers, "Born In the USA," and got the shirt. I was pretty pissed.

We got to Hawthorne Heights, and by that time we were all really tired, so we sat the hill. Especially K, she was a bit beat up from Chiodos. They opened with "Saying Sorry," which is the only song I know, and to be honest, they really weren't that great live. Then they played some song about "I'm outside your window." I don't know. We were going to leave at 7:15 so we could get back across the place for the RJA, but at 7:10 we all looked at each other and we like, "Do you want to just go?" So we did.

As we walked back, I realized that most of the booths were either down or being taken down. So I was like, "Oh, crap, I should get M [my other friend M, who wasn't there and had asked me to get her a shirt] that shirt." So I went back to the BLG booth, and they didn't have the shirt that I had asked for earlier and they had told me to come back for. So I had to pick out a different shirt, but I knew M would love it, probably more than the one I had almost gotten her.

Right before the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus came on, the wind was blowing the backdrop a bit, and I could see this guy backstage with long hair. I was totally giddy from the whole day, so I just started screaming, "It's Ronnie! It's Ronnie!" over and over. Then they came out. I can't remember all the songs they played, but I remember:

[False Pretense]

[Damn Regret]

[Atrophy]

During all the concerts people had thrown water bottles and condom balloons and stuff. But during the RJA, I was ducking flip-flops and SNEAKERS. Seriously. Don't you NEED those later….? But I caught a water bottle and looked around and asked, "Should I throw it?" to L, K, and M. L was like, "Be rebellious, Anna!!!" So I bend my arm back to throw and I feel my hand whack someone in the face. Hard. I turn around and this guy has is glasses off and was rubbing the size of his nose, laughing. I FELT SOOOOOO BAD/ STUPID. But I just started laughing and apologizing, because it was so goddamn funny.

And then they played, "Face Down," which was really incredible. They got to play for 10 more minutes, because they won the Energizer thing. So Ronnie picked up a guitar for "Your Guardian Angel." Hands and lighters in the air, everyone! He said it was about a girl name Laura Somethingahubber. "She's out there somewhere," he added sadly. I bet she dumped him flat on his ass. Then some idiots started yelling, "'Free Bird!' 'Free Bird!'" As you can imagine, they did NOT, in fact, play "Free Bird." They chose "The Grim Goodbye" instead. K was giddy.

Then it was time to go home. I was sad to leave, the day had been absolutely incredible. On the way out, we passed Amber Pacific playing. We were too tired to watch them. We also passed tons of buses. It was kind of cool wondering which bands were in them.

By this time, we had cooled off a little, and we started to get kind of hungry, so we stopped at McDonald's outside Philly. Me and K were in the bathroom and saw ourselves in the mirror and noticed that we were really sunburned. It sucked. But we were talking about that and all the sudden this lady in there starting telling us about this new product that was bug spray AND sunscreen. We were just like, "Uhhh… thanks!!" Then we got milkshakes. My vanilla tasted like strawberry and K's strawberry tasted like L and M's chocolate. We figured that someone had been too lazy to clean out the machine in between milkshakes. It was funny at the time. That's how a lot of things are though.

The car ride home was fun. I got home late. That's about it.

Amazing, amazing, amazing day. Honestly, one of the best of my life.



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Shot at 2007-08-21
How fabulous is this beret? And I never use the word fabulous, so you know it must be pretty incredible. The sequins just make the fabulousness over the moon. I desperately want a beret for fall, I think this one is a bit more my speed:

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Shot at 2007-08-21
It looks so soft, and I wannnnnt it.

Urban Outfitters has the best hair stuff.

Listen: "You're Not Alone"- Sasoin

a.

3 comments:

Emma said...

Lord, this sounds awesome. I wish I was you!

Snookums said...

Aw, I feel loved for the honourable mention! It's like when you're young and teachers make you write "stories", preparing you for a lifetime of essays (which I don't mind, seeing as writing is my thing); yeah, well, I was the kid who always wrote a dedication page and had a copyright at the bottom.
Regardless, I feel proud that I .... "inspired" you to write? Is "inspired" too big of a word? Because I don't think I can handle that much so soon, lol.
Regardless, thank you for posting. I love reading it.

By the way, thank you for the comments! I know you're busy, what with school and all, so I appreciate it big time.

I've never been to a musical festival, like this great Warped Tour you speak of. (Yes, I've heard of it, but the more non-chalant I sound, the cooler I feel inside. Shall I sing? "I've lossst that warm-and-fuzzy feelin'!" Okay, I'm sorry. I know you're deaf now.)

Your experience sounds fun as hell (although, Hell, it's probably no picnic, due to it's bad rep and all). It combines three of my favourite things: walking (newfound obsession ... I might be healthy, which is scaring me into a corner ... where the chocolate is), water (ah, beverage of choice ... except for Shirley Temples; I drool just thinking about it), and, last but not least, music. (Sweet music, they'll be music everywhere; there'll be swingin', swayin', and records playin', and dancin' in the street.)

Scary men are only more frightening with hairiness and height. Then they seem like monsters from the Black Lagoon. My advice? Run like you're being chased by Cujo.

As for your friend, that sounds remarkably like me, the hydration facilitator. I carry a purse (or at school, a messenger bag) and I always have at least 4 waterbottles with me. "I provide the h2o, kids; remember my name in a time of thirst."

Ah, so Paramore, redhead, Hayley ... all equals utmost respect. On a sidenote, for a pessimist, I'm pretty optimistic, too. I have to admit; never heard a single song by them, but she's a redhead, and as long as it's not Lindsay Lohooligan, I show utmost respect.

And a guy proposed. Awwww. Okay, time to digress more than usual. This one time, at the airport (it's my version of 'band camp' stories) ... there was a guy at an airport, and I fondly named him, "Rose Dude", which you'll understand in a minute. He was there at the arrivals gate, waiting for someone (presumably a girl, because he didn't look too flaming to me, but there's nothing wrong with that, even if he was ... but he wasn't, which is the point I have to make for this story.) Anyway, he was holding these keys and this beautiful bouquet of red roses (hence his nickname) and he was there before I got there and was waiting and I was confused. I was being nosy (otherwise known as impatient) and checking all the flights' arrivals time. I thought he had been ditched and I felt bad. I kept looking at his carkeys and I was all, "Whoaaaa... Did he buy her a car?"

Anyway, she came out, with friends in tow, and it was all happily ever after, but the whole time, I was probably nicknamed by Rose Dude as "Nosy Girl Who Keeps Eying Up The Car Keys".
Yeah, that sounds about right ...
I get to go to the airport in about a week, so I'll be doing that again. I hope to find "Golddigger with Extensions" and "Spinster with Too Much Luggage". It's become a scavenger hunt for me.

Anyway, back to you...


Hahaha, now that is good work for your friend "K." (Kiera, Katie, Katherine... am I close?)
"You get one if you buy the album."
"I already have the album."

That is how it's done.

The TRUTH tent is cool. Retro music is my bitch and I'd be the girl screaming out track after track as loudly as possible, only to be ignored for some twitchy girl who slurs out a song name.

Haha, and people threw flip-flops? Wow, imagine gettin' one of those in the eye. Ouch.

I bet there were thousands of "It was funny if you were there" moments. The funniest things are always that way, which suck, because then telling anyone how good it was is next to impossible.

Overall, the experience sounds quite snazzy, yes?

Thanks for another great post, and thank you again for the mention!

Keep at it!
=)

P.S.: I want a raspberry beret, to really show up the chick that Prince is singing about so proudly. Unfortunately, I don't do hats; maybe raspberry sunglasses or a raspberry purse, then?

Snookums said...

Okay, yeah, I slowly but surely converted.

I like Paramore.

"That never happened. I guess I'm dreaming again. Let's be more than ... this."

Okay, I love Paramore.

That will be all.

Keep at it!=)