Last week I went to visit my friend who lives out in RI for her birthday (also same friend who's getting married next month). I took a train out there and we didn't have any real plans that I knew of for when I got there other than anticipating being carried out of a couple bars that night. Her and her boyfriend... uhh, fiance I mean (still weird) picked me up from the station and we headed out to an IHOP down the street. As we're wating for our food she mentions that she wanted to go to a concert for her birthday but she said it with a kind of half smile.
"Oh God" I thought. "What show?"
I'm a metal guy so I like my music loud fast and screamy! She does too but she can be a little girly of course, so I'm terrified at this point that 8 hours from now I'm gonna be standing 45 minutes into a Goo Goo Dolls set.
"Bullet for my Valentine and Halestorm" she replied.
...
...
!!!
!!!
"You have to be fucking kidding me, that's awesome!!! How much are the tickets?" I asked.
"Well, we didn't get them yet. I think they're $30 though..."
Oh no
Any metal heads reading should know what's up about now, but for those unfamiliar with today's metal/hard rock scene, both Bullet and Halestorm sell out arenas on a regular basis just on their own. But both together at a venue that reaches capacity at about 250-300 people and you're not looking at very good odds. Whatever, gotta try and stay optimistic.
So the time finally comes when the doors open and day of show tickets go on sale. We're standing in line, a very LONG fucking line but we make it to the door and I buy my ticket for $30. I start walking to the side so I'm out of the way and I hear behind me "Sorry bro, cash only. No cards." I look behind me and it's my friend and her fiance. They didn't have any cash and I only had $10 left. I look out the door and there are now more people behind us then were in front of us before the doors opened...
Oh no
They run around the corner to find an ATM but even then, they've gotta get back on line and hope that there are still some left. I start thinking about a "plan B" in case the show does sell out and they can't get in. Obviously I'm not gonna say, "Well I'll call you when the shows over to come get me, hope you have fun somewhere else!" So if they get back to late, my only real option is to leave the show and try to sell my ticket to someone else and try to get my $50 back. I look at the ticket I'm holding for the first time, "May 15th, 2011 Social Distortion"
"What the fuck is this?!?! No one in their right mind would buy this off me to get in! Are you shitting me?"
Sigh. I look up still standing in the same place since I walked in and suddenly I notice I'm face to face with an ATM right inside the venue. Double sigh. Suddenly, I get a text.
"Hey, we're inside in front of the bar."
Oh thank god there's beer!!! Oh yeah, and my friends made it inside... yayyyyy.
So everything has worked out. We all got in and we got there early enough where we were able to stake claim to a comfortable spot. Finally, it's show time...
The first band comes on and they're a local band form the area, so obviously I've never heard of them before. They put on a good show and sounded great and after their last song the singer said that they would be hanging out at their merch table for the rest of the show.
Next band... Halestorm. I'm stoked. Can't wait. For those who don't know who Halestorm is, think modern day Joan Jett. The lights come on and they start playing. The singer, Lzzy Hale comes on and her voice fills up the venue like I have never heard before. I've been going to shows and still go to shows and have seen countless bands. I used to play in a band for years and we played countless shows. My local venue is roughly the same size of this place, so I was absolutely stunned when I heard the way her voice surrounded you. It was surreal.
Anyways, they put on an amazing show and I headed over to their merch table to pick up a CD. On the journey over, I passed the first bands table and saw the singer sitting there. He was a bigger dude with shaggy blonde hair and as I'm walking he looks over and makes eye contact. I do a quick head nod and shift direction to walk over to shake his hand.
I extend my arm and we shake hands.
"Hey dude, thanks. You guys put on a great showohmygod you're not him. You're not even a dude."
Oh no
I'm now left in the middle of the most awkard hand shake of my life with a very perplexed looking woman in her late 30's. I'm still shaking her hand. Quick, plan b. PLAN B! I need an escape route. Look around, are any of the other members here?
No.
Fuck.
Is anyone dieing?
No.
Shit.
Any drunk girls eying me from the bar?
No... oh, wait hold on. You looked kindda, nope. That's a dude. Dude checking me out. Still less awkward than where I am now, but not my best option.
"Well, tell them they put on a great show." I said and then I power walked the fuck outta there.
I made it to Halestorms table and bought a CD. Turns out all the CDs are autographed by the band, which is very cool, but not really how I like to get things signed by bands, ya know? Whatever, not complaining.
Bullet for My Valentine is next.
Very cool.
Very loud.
Very talented musicians.
Very British.
They put on the 2nd best show of the night, sounded great and had the entire place singing along to the songs. Overall the show was awesome and we had a great time. As we're walking out of the venue we notice a huge clusterfuck of people. We get closer and
!!!
It's Halestorm hanging out signing autographs! I instantly revert back to my 12 year old self and jump on line and can't wait to meet the band ohmygodwe'regonnameetthebandthisissocool. Again, I played for years. I've met alot of bands, but it never gets old.
We're waiting on line and of course you have your typical douche bags cutting through the line and whatnot, but like I said, I'm 12 years old again at this point so I don't care. I don't know phrases like "I hope you drive your car off a cliff" or "If you don't move to the back of the line like a normal person I'm gonna cut your tongue out and hang you with it." I'm innocent again. I'm such a dork...
We're finally next on line. Everyone's getting their pictures taken and CDs signed etc. when I suddenly realize "I don't have anything for them to sign!!!."
Oh no
I quickly look into my wallet to resort to the tried and true method of getting a dollar bill signed. I got some money out of the ATM at the show for beer so I should have something left.
"I DO!!!"
...
"SHIT!!!!!!!!"
I've only got a $10 left. Grrrrr.
K, now what?
Plan C.
Got it.
Am I really gonna ask them to sign this?
Holy crap we're next!
My friend starts talking to the drummer and I'm shaking hands with Lzzy Hale. "You guys put on an amazing show, Thank you!" I said.
"Thank you so much, we really appreciate that, honestly thank you." She replied. "Did you have anything you wanted signed?"
Here goes nothing...
"Actually, would you guys mind signing my train tickets?"
"Absolutely, we'd love to!"
Day. Made. Awesome.
"haha, Thanks! I took a 6 hour $280 train to come here tonight" I told her.
"Really?! That's crazy!" She said. "Where are you from?"
"NY. About 3 hours North of the city. But..." and I turn to my friend
"...I'm visiting her for her birthday today!"
"Oh happy birthday!!!"
Friend embarrassed. But she knows I have more ammo on her.
"And!" I say again to Hale "She's getting married next month!"
"Oh my God, congratulations! That's great!!!"
"AND!!!!" I say one last time "Tell her the best part!" This time to my friend.
"Oh boy." my friend says. At this point she's completely embarrassed. "He's my Man of Honor." and points to me laughing as I'm doing a little shuffle dance.
Hale looks at my friend and starts telling her "That's awesome! That's exactly what I want to do." referring to having a Man of Honor rather than a Maid of Honor. "All of my closest friends are guys so it's always just made more sense to me. I'm so happy for you, congratulations!"
I still have 3 other members to meet at this point and unfortunately the people behind us were not as interested in our banter as we were, so I moved on as my tickets got passed around. I shook hands with the rest of the band, told them thank you for the show and for signing when I noticed the bassist is left handed. He hands me back my tickets and I hold my hand out one last time. My left hand. He looked at me like I was a freak when I told him "I'm left handed too. This is how we should be shaking hands." He laughed, shook my hand and the three of us proceeded on with our night where I later got my picture taken with a cow.
(...Joe)
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