(no subject)
I decided to have an lj again just cause I want to keep a record of memorable stuff. Yeah word. So...the last couple days...were pure insanity.
Friday night was the show I've been waiting for ever since tickets went on sale...Municipal Waste and Converge. Red Chord and Darkest Hour were ok, but the real magic was in the waste's and verge's sets. I was expecting lots of fashion kids and the kids to not move at all to MW cause they dont have "killer breakdowns". 5 or 6 kids were circle pitting, but people that were kind of just idly standing there me and some other kid proceeded to stage dive ontop of them. Good times. Municipal Waste tore it up. Converge was so raw and rediculously awesome. They played in no specific order "First Light", "Concubine", "You Fail Me", "When Forever Comes Crashing", "Fault and Fracture", "Last Light", and "The Saddest Day". A couple others too, I am forgetting. Jake B. made this epic speech about how "I've realized something a long time ago, and that is that I was brought into this world alone and I will die in this world alone. No family. No friends. No music. No love. Nothing. This next song is about just that very thing and its called the saddest day." I butchered that, but when he said that it gave me chills.
Right after the insane Ottobar show was over, I went back to Towson and Louis picked me up at 1:15 or so. We then traveled 4 and half hours to Poughkeepsie, NY (upstate). We got to Vasser College at about 5:45 am.
Re-met Jocelyn who I havent seen in forever, then crashed on her cold wooden floor in her dorm room. Woke up only 3 or 4 hours later. Went to breakfast, and they had an amazing vegan cooking place within the dining hall. I made myself some sweet tofu/string bean/rice/pasta carbtacular teriyaki jalapeno stirfry. Ate like a pig and filled up for the big night ahead.
Fast forward to the Rhythmden fest at the Chance. I was waiting in line...with only a tshirt and shorts on...in 40 degree weather. Finally got in...it was PACKED, but it was a fest so I wasn't terribly shocked. Waited around while Fight Paris played. That band is horrendous. Horrible, horrible band. Waited around some more, nothing really caught my ear...that is, until The Distance went on. They were fantastic. Definitley enjoyed them. Fast melodic hardcore/punk. It was g00d. Watched Subzero's set...they were eh ok. Tough guy stuff. Then finally With Honor went on. WOW. This was nuts. They played a bunch of stuff off of "Heart Means Everything" and a lot of new stuff...I crowd swam during More Than Heroes. Got some time with the mic. Stage dove off an amp. Rediculous pile-ons. Right after With Honor was done...one of my favorite bands...Municpal Waste, went on. I know I saw these guys like 8 times and just the night before, but I went nuts. No one seemed to get into them...there were ZERO stage dives. There was a douchebag who kept knocking the shit out of people and crowd killing during the waste. Retarded. This kid I met, Travis got knocked out real hard from this same douchebag. I was two-stepping and circle pitting and just having a good all around time though. Next was Darkest Hour, who I've seen plenty of times before but they were still fun I guess. Kinda felt bad for them cause they were like "You guys should stage dive...we played Baltimore (fuck yeah) last night and kids were going nuts." As soon as they gave a shout out to Baltimore, I yelled out "Fuck yeah" and like a ton of people asked me if I was really from Bmore and travelled all this way. I knew I had to represent. During one of their newer songs I just dove into 6 kids...broke some dudes glasses...I felt bad. He seemed not to care though. Red Chord were next...what else to say besides technical death/grind metal...for what they do, they were good. I was just watching the guitarists the whole time. As soon as Red Chords set was over...you could feel this huge influx of energy just waiting for Shai Hulud. After 20 minutes of setting up, the guy, Juan who set the entire fest up, went on and made a speech about how he is doing all this "for the kids" and never "selling us short". It was nice. He gave a shout out to All Out War and 25 Ta Life. I thought that was funny and cool. hehehehe. Anyway...before you knew it Shai Hulud was up. I still cant believe I got to see them. I owe you Louis for driving my ass up there. They played so much good stuff. When "My heart bleeds the darkest blood" was being performed, I seriously lost all my shit...and so did a ton of other people apparently...I saw so many people get emotional, I almost busted out crying tears of joy, happiness, and sadness at the same time. I was being forced into the guard rail next to the speakers...not only was I going to lose my hearing, but I was also going to have my spine crushed in two. So i grabbed the closest persons shoulders (sorry dude), and hurled myself over him...I kicked him a few times to get away (sorry random dude). I got on stage at the last 30 seconds of "My heart..." and dove like a missile bomber. hahah. Right after this, I figured they couldn't top it. They fucking covered "LINOLEUM" by NOFX. My mood changed from emotional and powerful into pure joy and laughter...kids were going nuts, sing-a-longs, pileons...I got some sweet time with the mic and the crowd. buahaha. Man, what a sweet cover.
After the immense awesomeness that is Shai Hulud, my body was broken and sore so I finally got some water for the first time in a couple hours. I didnt want to dehydrate while Converge played, but I ended up watching them from a balcony, since I was going nuts for them the other night, didnt want to press my luck with my shitty knee, etc. They played pretty much the same set as the Ottobar show, but that didnt bother me one bit. It was still fucking breathtaking. Oh yeah and some asshole dove from the fucking 25 ft balcony RIGHT NEXT TO ME. All I could think to myself was "I hope he didnt seriously injure anyone on the way down." Next thing I know, I see some girl hit the ground and her eyes rolled in the back of her head...she looked really fucked up. Converge finished up with "Saddest Day" and I was really content. They sounded beyond great. After the show ended, I couldn't find Louis anywhere. I ended up staying outside in the 10 degree weather withering away in a tshirt and shorts for about a hour. I got a hold of Lynn from some random persons cell phone to tell him to tell Louis to get his ass over here as I was stranded without a ride, without money, without id, without phone, and without a jacket. While I was waiting some dude recognized me from the internet. scary. but we briefly chatted. I ended up getting a free poster of the fest which is nice and is hanging on my dorm wall now. Finally Louis and Jocelyn came to my rescue. I couldn't feel warmth for 20 minutes. I was so beat up and gross after the fest, it ruled. I wasn't allowed to shower just yet...I was informed that i was going to be dragged to a party...hooray...not...actually the party was pretty lame, but it was fun hanging out with Jocelyn and Louis. Finally got back, showered, ate, took a vitamin, and fell asleep on the cold wooden floor. Life is good. Seeing the guys in Shai Hulud and Converge on stage and all the positive things they said made me realize something...I will be apart of the hardcore and punk scene for a very very long time. It's why I'm alive. Everything was amazing and perfect.
The next day after we woke, we had a light lunch then headed off to Baltimore. On the way Louis and I harrassed fellow car drivers with his pa system..."Dirka Dirka Mohammed Jihad Dirka". Got back to Towson around 8:30 and then (being an idiot) drove out to Pasadena to see Age of Ruin (even though I was completely demolished from the onslaught of the past two days)...fun times were had by all and I saw about 20 people who I cared about and vice-versa so it was worth it. A few hours later, here I am typing away for almost an hour. I have an exam in a few hours on the properties of light and light as a wave and a particle that I have not studied for at all. Joy. But hey, its all in name of the 'core. I love my family, my friends and my life. Now I'm gonna shower real quick and hit the hay. Be good to oneanother. Take care friends.
Friday night was the show I've been waiting for ever since tickets went on sale...Municipal Waste and Converge. Red Chord and Darkest Hour were ok, but the real magic was in the waste's and verge's sets. I was expecting lots of fashion kids and the kids to not move at all to MW cause they dont have "killer breakdowns". 5 or 6 kids were circle pitting, but people that were kind of just idly standing there me and some other kid proceeded to stage dive ontop of them. Good times. Municipal Waste tore it up. Converge was so raw and rediculously awesome. They played in no specific order "First Light", "Concubine", "You Fail Me", "When Forever Comes Crashing", "Fault and Fracture", "Last Light", and "The Saddest Day". A couple others too, I am forgetting. Jake B. made this epic speech about how "I've realized something a long time ago, and that is that I was brought into this world alone and I will die in this world alone. No family. No friends. No music. No love. Nothing. This next song is about just that very thing and its called the saddest day." I butchered that, but when he said that it gave me chills.
Right after the insane Ottobar show was over, I went back to Towson and Louis picked me up at 1:15 or so. We then traveled 4 and half hours to Poughkeepsie, NY (upstate). We got to Vasser College at about 5:45 am.
Re-met Jocelyn who I havent seen in forever, then crashed on her cold wooden floor in her dorm room. Woke up only 3 or 4 hours later. Went to breakfast, and they had an amazing vegan cooking place within the dining hall. I made myself some sweet tofu/string bean/rice/pasta carbtacular teriyaki jalapeno stirfry. Ate like a pig and filled up for the big night ahead.
Fast forward to the Rhythmden fest at the Chance. I was waiting in line...with only a tshirt and shorts on...in 40 degree weather. Finally got in...it was PACKED, but it was a fest so I wasn't terribly shocked. Waited around while Fight Paris played. That band is horrendous. Horrible, horrible band. Waited around some more, nothing really caught my ear...that is, until The Distance went on. They were fantastic. Definitley enjoyed them. Fast melodic hardcore/punk. It was g00d. Watched Subzero's set...they were eh ok. Tough guy stuff. Then finally With Honor went on. WOW. This was nuts. They played a bunch of stuff off of "Heart Means Everything" and a lot of new stuff...I crowd swam during More Than Heroes. Got some time with the mic. Stage dove off an amp. Rediculous pile-ons. Right after With Honor was done...one of my favorite bands...Municpal Waste, went on. I know I saw these guys like 8 times and just the night before, but I went nuts. No one seemed to get into them...there were ZERO stage dives. There was a douchebag who kept knocking the shit out of people and crowd killing during the waste. Retarded. This kid I met, Travis got knocked out real hard from this same douchebag. I was two-stepping and circle pitting and just having a good all around time though. Next was Darkest Hour, who I've seen plenty of times before but they were still fun I guess. Kinda felt bad for them cause they were like "You guys should stage dive...we played Baltimore (fuck yeah) last night and kids were going nuts." As soon as they gave a shout out to Baltimore, I yelled out "Fuck yeah" and like a ton of people asked me if I was really from Bmore and travelled all this way. I knew I had to represent. During one of their newer songs I just dove into 6 kids...broke some dudes glasses...I felt bad. He seemed not to care though. Red Chord were next...what else to say besides technical death/grind metal...for what they do, they were good. I was just watching the guitarists the whole time. As soon as Red Chords set was over...you could feel this huge influx of energy just waiting for Shai Hulud. After 20 minutes of setting up, the guy, Juan who set the entire fest up, went on and made a speech about how he is doing all this "for the kids" and never "selling us short". It was nice. He gave a shout out to All Out War and 25 Ta Life. I thought that was funny and cool. hehehehe. Anyway...before you knew it Shai Hulud was up. I still cant believe I got to see them. I owe you Louis for driving my ass up there. They played so much good stuff. When "My heart bleeds the darkest blood" was being performed, I seriously lost all my shit...and so did a ton of other people apparently...I saw so many people get emotional, I almost busted out crying tears of joy, happiness, and sadness at the same time. I was being forced into the guard rail next to the speakers...not only was I going to lose my hearing, but I was also going to have my spine crushed in two. So i grabbed the closest persons shoulders (sorry dude), and hurled myself over him...I kicked him a few times to get away (sorry random dude). I got on stage at the last 30 seconds of "My heart..." and dove like a missile bomber. hahah. Right after this, I figured they couldn't top it. They fucking covered "LINOLEUM" by NOFX. My mood changed from emotional and powerful into pure joy and laughter...kids were going nuts, sing-a-longs, pileons...I got some sweet time with the mic and the crowd. buahaha. Man, what a sweet cover.
After the immense awesomeness that is Shai Hulud, my body was broken and sore so I finally got some water for the first time in a couple hours. I didnt want to dehydrate while Converge played, but I ended up watching them from a balcony, since I was going nuts for them the other night, didnt want to press my luck with my shitty knee, etc. They played pretty much the same set as the Ottobar show, but that didnt bother me one bit. It was still fucking breathtaking. Oh yeah and some asshole dove from the fucking 25 ft balcony RIGHT NEXT TO ME. All I could think to myself was "I hope he didnt seriously injure anyone on the way down." Next thing I know, I see some girl hit the ground and her eyes rolled in the back of her head...she looked really fucked up. Converge finished up with "Saddest Day" and I was really content. They sounded beyond great. After the show ended, I couldn't find Louis anywhere. I ended up staying outside in the 10 degree weather withering away in a tshirt and shorts for about a hour. I got a hold of Lynn from some random persons cell phone to tell him to tell Louis to get his ass over here as I was stranded without a ride, without money, without id, without phone, and without a jacket. While I was waiting some dude recognized me from the internet. scary. but we briefly chatted. I ended up getting a free poster of the fest which is nice and is hanging on my dorm wall now. Finally Louis and Jocelyn came to my rescue. I couldn't feel warmth for 20 minutes. I was so beat up and gross after the fest, it ruled. I wasn't allowed to shower just yet...I was informed that i was going to be dragged to a party...hooray...not...actually the party was pretty lame, but it was fun hanging out with Jocelyn and Louis. Finally got back, showered, ate, took a vitamin, and fell asleep on the cold wooden floor. Life is good. Seeing the guys in Shai Hulud and Converge on stage and all the positive things they said made me realize something...I will be apart of the hardcore and punk scene for a very very long time. It's why I'm alive. Everything was amazing and perfect.
The next day after we woke, we had a light lunch then headed off to Baltimore. On the way Louis and I harrassed fellow car drivers with his pa system..."Dirka Dirka Mohammed Jihad Dirka". Got back to Towson around 8:30 and then (being an idiot) drove out to Pasadena to see Age of Ruin (even though I was completely demolished from the onslaught of the past two days)...fun times were had by all and I saw about 20 people who I cared about and vice-versa so it was worth it. A few hours later, here I am typing away for almost an hour. I have an exam in a few hours on the properties of light and light as a wave and a particle that I have not studied for at all. Joy. But hey, its all in name of the 'core. I love my family, my friends and my life. Now I'm gonna shower real quick and hit the hay. Be good to oneanother. Take care friends.