Wow! Staind in concert!
About a week ago my best friend calls me saying she wants to pay me back for the time a few years ago when I took her to her first play at the opera house. She had two tickets to the Staind concerts and wanted me to go. Hell. Yes.
I love Staind. I have since I was a teenager so I jumped at the chance and boy am I glad I did. There were five bands all total.
Lo-Pro was first and for a little known band I found them quite enjoyable. I'll definitely be listening to more of their music. Their lead singer is funny, too. He's skinny and short and hops around the stage wildly. Seems to be a bit of a clutz, too, considering he stumbled several times. I found him to be completely adorable and his clumsiness to be rather endearing. He has a good stage presence, too.
Next was Halestorm. The first song they performed wasn't that great, but I think they just needed to warm up because after about the second song they were really hitting it. Their drummer is hilarious and very delicious looking. He kept twirling his sticks, tossing about his hair, head banging, and generally having a hell of a good time. He was hitting those drums so hard he broke several sticks, but while he was the first to do that he certainly wasn't the last. Around the third song he had a long solo. The others had walked off stage and left him to jam by his lonesome. Then, about halfway through the song, the others come back carrying several smaller drums and two drumsticks each. The whole band then proceeding to blow our minds by playing the most awesome drums only song I have ever heard. It was great.
Next on the batting list was Chevelle. God this band is good and some their stage outfits were really cool. I couldn't keep still the entire time they were playing, I just had to dance. I wasn't the only one, either. I can't wait to hear more of their stuff.
Shinedown, though, they were really. Fucking. Good. Their music was just amazing. I can not wait to get all of their CDs. I have to say, though, it was their stage presence and the way they play the crowd that really got me. Their lead singer is a master manipulator of crowds. He had the audience participating by yelling, singing, jumping, even had us shaking hands with the people next to us in the stands. The band took us up and had the energy flowing high. We were moving and sweating and screaming. It was so fucking exciting. Then they calmed us down and had us swaying and looking lovingly at partners. Then they brought us back up again. They practically fucking dared us to jump up and down. And the sight of an entire stadium holding up lighters and cell phones to emulate the night sky? That was really cool. Definitely a band worth seeing again.
It was nearly 10:00pm by the time Staind came on stage and D and I had been there since 5:00pm. Charlie, his girlfriend, and his brother had gotten there at 4:00pm. We were exhausted and about to die from anticipation but it was well worth the wait. They sang a bunch of their new stuff and while it wasn't as upbeat as much of their stuff, it was pretty darn good. They played a few classics, too, but my favorite part was when Aaron came off stage and down in the middle of the crowd at the tech booth to play guitar and sing to us alone. All those people singing together to songs we all truly love was amazing. I will never forget for as long as I live watching listening to one of my all time biggest music heros while standing next to my best friend, both of us singing as the top our lungs with huge smiles on our faces. Just awesome.
I came away with five CDs, tonight. One each from Lo-Pro, Shinedown, Halestorm, the new one from Staind, and a free one of various singers they gave to the first hundred or so out the door. I wanted to get Chevelle, too, but their were out when I went to buy them all during the third intermission. Ah, well, I'll get online or at Walmart or something.
Afterward, D, Shawn, Charlie, Charlie's girlfriend, his brother, and I all went to Huddle House to eat. Due to time crunch and lack of options all I'd had to eat all day was a couple stale nachos at the arena. I couldn't eat many of them due to how gross they were. That strawberry waffle I had more than made up for it, though. Yum. We had a good time telling jokes and talking about the concert.
The only question I have is how the hell I'm supposed to top this when next I treat D? I'll have to give it some serious thought, though, 'cause I'm determined to give her the best time possible.
Take care and be sure to go see this concert at the location nearest you, it's more than worth it.
I love Staind. I have since I was a teenager so I jumped at the chance and boy am I glad I did. There were five bands all total.
Lo-Pro was first and for a little known band I found them quite enjoyable. I'll definitely be listening to more of their music. Their lead singer is funny, too. He's skinny and short and hops around the stage wildly. Seems to be a bit of a clutz, too, considering he stumbled several times. I found him to be completely adorable and his clumsiness to be rather endearing. He has a good stage presence, too.
Next was Halestorm. The first song they performed wasn't that great, but I think they just needed to warm up because after about the second song they were really hitting it. Their drummer is hilarious and very delicious looking. He kept twirling his sticks, tossing about his hair, head banging, and generally having a hell of a good time. He was hitting those drums so hard he broke several sticks, but while he was the first to do that he certainly wasn't the last. Around the third song he had a long solo. The others had walked off stage and left him to jam by his lonesome. Then, about halfway through the song, the others come back carrying several smaller drums and two drumsticks each. The whole band then proceeding to blow our minds by playing the most awesome drums only song I have ever heard. It was great.
Next on the batting list was Chevelle. God this band is good and some their stage outfits were really cool. I couldn't keep still the entire time they were playing, I just had to dance. I wasn't the only one, either. I can't wait to hear more of their stuff.
Shinedown, though, they were really. Fucking. Good. Their music was just amazing. I can not wait to get all of their CDs. I have to say, though, it was their stage presence and the way they play the crowd that really got me. Their lead singer is a master manipulator of crowds. He had the audience participating by yelling, singing, jumping, even had us shaking hands with the people next to us in the stands. The band took us up and had the energy flowing high. We were moving and sweating and screaming. It was so fucking exciting. Then they calmed us down and had us swaying and looking lovingly at partners. Then they brought us back up again. They practically fucking dared us to jump up and down. And the sight of an entire stadium holding up lighters and cell phones to emulate the night sky? That was really cool. Definitely a band worth seeing again.
It was nearly 10:00pm by the time Staind came on stage and D and I had been there since 5:00pm. Charlie, his girlfriend, and his brother had gotten there at 4:00pm. We were exhausted and about to die from anticipation but it was well worth the wait. They sang a bunch of their new stuff and while it wasn't as upbeat as much of their stuff, it was pretty darn good. They played a few classics, too, but my favorite part was when Aaron came off stage and down in the middle of the crowd at the tech booth to play guitar and sing to us alone. All those people singing together to songs we all truly love was amazing. I will never forget for as long as I live watching listening to one of my all time biggest music heros while standing next to my best friend, both of us singing as the top our lungs with huge smiles on our faces. Just awesome.
I came away with five CDs, tonight. One each from Lo-Pro, Shinedown, Halestorm, the new one from Staind, and a free one of various singers they gave to the first hundred or so out the door. I wanted to get Chevelle, too, but their were out when I went to buy them all during the third intermission. Ah, well, I'll get online or at Walmart or something.
Afterward, D, Shawn, Charlie, Charlie's girlfriend, his brother, and I all went to Huddle House to eat. Due to time crunch and lack of options all I'd had to eat all day was a couple stale nachos at the arena. I couldn't eat many of them due to how gross they were. That strawberry waffle I had more than made up for it, though. Yum. We had a good time telling jokes and talking about the concert.
The only question I have is how the hell I'm supposed to top this when next I treat D? I'll have to give it some serious thought, though, 'cause I'm determined to give her the best time possible.
Take care and be sure to go see this concert at the location nearest you, it's more than worth it.