we will never be the same...same old songs on a brand new stereo...
this is a post from the 5th of november to the 12th of november...this is a little intro so you are up to speed on the story...
FUNERAL for a FRIEND is a rock band from Wales (same spot as my friends in thelostprophets -- yes i seem to have a good connection with those welsh boys) FfaF is made up of Matt Davies -- Vocals, Gareth Davies -- Bass, Kris Roberts -- Guitar, Darren Smith -- Guitar, and Ryan Richards -- Drums. I first saw them last november when they opened for From Autumn To Ashes, Everytime I Die, and Cave In. They were on the Project Revolution tour (Linkin Park, Korn, The Used...) this past summer, where I saw them in Columbus and Cleveland. I talked to Matt and some of the guys for a while at the Columbus show and even got to hang out on their bus for a couple mins while I got my cd signed. Matt remembered me when I saw him at the Cleveland show, and we talked for a while. He drew the devil horns on my stomach cause i took my shirt off for them to sign. All the guys thought it was funny as hell, it rocked...i kept it on as long as I could...other notes...my favorite FfaF song is Moments Forever Faded which they never play live...and matt never lets the crowd have the mic to sing...
now flash forward to November 5th, 2004...
i got to the show in columbus and was just walkin around the venue waiting for the show to start. I saw Matt was doing merch so I went over to say hi and he just looked up...pointed at me...and said it's you...we talked for a while...he told me they haven't played Moments Forever Faded in like a year and a half, and told me there was really no chance the guys would all want to play it...darren's guitar messed up during the set, so while they were trying to fix it matt and kris did the only 1 guitar song, Revolution Is A Joke...It was really good...it was really rare to hear...after the show talked by the buses and then i left to rush (well as much as possible as it is about 2 hrs away) home and get some sleep for the cleveland show...
arrived to cleveland early and went over to see what was going on. matt was outside talking to Doug (FfaF's Tour Manager) and some other guy. Doug was going to look for some poster for me to put up in the venue and me and matt were talking with this random guy. well it turned out that random older gentleman was...TERRY fuckin DATE...Mr. Date is a producer who is doing the new FUNERAL cd and has done like all the Deftones cds, the Handsome cd, Pantera, and the list goes on...it was so amazing to shake that mans hand...went into the show and threw the few posters i had up...doug told the guys at the tour that i was his promo guy so if i needed to go in and out that I was allowed laminate or not...so that was rockin...thanks to my Kittie laminate i was able to hang out in the VIP area during FfaF and had a great view (the security guy just saw the all access at the bottom and that it was glittery like real laminates are supposed to be and just let me hang out)...the crowd was much more active at the show, which made me happy...the guys did a hell of a job and sounded much better then the previous night...after their set i met Craig (who is their manager over in the UK)...very cool guy, talked music bussiness for a little while...after i was done doing all my promo work as the show let out i came back in and just sat around waiting for everyone to get merch packed up and go hang out on the bus...went over to the gas station and bought some beer, once i got back i had a smoke with Gareth and we talked a bit and then we went back on the bus and drank away...it was pretty sweet...i got a good buzz, not really smashed....it was really amazing to party on a bus with rockstars..lol...i know that sounds so fuckin groupie...but fuck you...you're just jealous...
detroit was a shite drive...ended up staying at an ex's place and left for the show after getting some much needed food in my tummy...got to the show and went over to the bus...matt opened up and let me on...it was mostly matt, gareth and myself just bullshiting and then kris was about...and then the guys from instruction stopped by since they were in town and actually on an offday with their tour with Helmet. It was cool times...rocked out...left after the show so i could get home at a resonable time (3am) and get some much needed sleep in my nice comfortable bed...
monday...blah...tuesday...sick...drove to pitts to see Moments in Grace...missed them...sucked...weds...still sick...went to cleveland and got to see Moments in Grace...talked with them for a bit...left...slept...Thursday....
got off work at 5 and headed to pittsburgh...donnie gave me directions to the mall where FUNERAL was playing their instore show...got to the mall a couple hours early and realized just how small a hollister is, well in the concert venue regard. talked to doug and he said if anyone gave me or donnie and trouble about getting in to call him and he'd handle it...the show was FUCKING KILLER...so small...so loud....so great...maybe 50 kids tops...i was right by the front, behind all the hollister girls who got in first...in between the songs i yelled 'Moments Forever Faded" and Gareth looked at me and laughed, so I yelled it again...Matt says...into the mic mind you...'Shut up Josh' and laughed...and everyone in the store just looked at me...and it was awesome...then later in the set Matt leans forward and puts the mic right in my face for me to sing...he doesn't do that...he did it for me...it was even more awesome...lol...after they packed up and were out signing stuff for fans gareth just walked over to me and donnie and started talking to us...i told him i had brought Jager for us to drink and, to my dispair, found out they were just going back to the hotel and getting some much needed sleep...but he told me we'd definately drink up tomorrow after the show...
friday was full of sleep...then we went to the show...got there about 3 hrs early...hung up some posters...and once again, thanks to my Kittie laminate, got hooked up...we got free pizza and food cause we were 'with the tour' or so thought the girl who was running the event for the college it was at...i just walked in and out as i pleased...showing them my all access pass and them waving me through...the show was awesome...they changed the setlist up from the 4 prior shows...the crowd sucked...they were all just there for Taking Back Sunday...it made me sick...I won meet and greet passes from some gameshow rock'n'roll trivia thing i did...the shite catch was it was during Atreyu, which will get an entirely seperate post...so i was waiting and waiting...and asked myself why i am missing a band i like to meet a band i don't really like...so i left...and rocked out with atreyu...after the promo work was done me and donnie went back into the gym...i was talking to gareth and it turned out they had to rush off thanks to canada and all the damn grief that comes with crossing the border...he told me next time we'd drink up...and gave me his email address so we could stay in touch...said bye to him and matt as they were the only ones around...
went back to donnie's place...got pizza and that was about it...
so yea...it was a great 8 days...i am thinking about planning a trip out to Seattle where they are, ironically enough, recording the new cd...gonna talk to gareth about it...then go from there...
that was sorta long...it was a good time...and it was the shortened version...
i still think it was great how all those kids wanted to meet TBS and didn't and i was outside the dressing room listening to adam warmup and just told thier manager thanks for his time and left...i guess he was shocked i just walked away...fuck them...atreyu all the way...
FUNERAL for a FRIEND is a rock band from Wales (same spot as my friends in thelostprophets -- yes i seem to have a good connection with those welsh boys) FfaF is made up of Matt Davies -- Vocals, Gareth Davies -- Bass, Kris Roberts -- Guitar, Darren Smith -- Guitar, and Ryan Richards -- Drums. I first saw them last november when they opened for From Autumn To Ashes, Everytime I Die, and Cave In. They were on the Project Revolution tour (Linkin Park, Korn, The Used...) this past summer, where I saw them in Columbus and Cleveland. I talked to Matt and some of the guys for a while at the Columbus show and even got to hang out on their bus for a couple mins while I got my cd signed. Matt remembered me when I saw him at the Cleveland show, and we talked for a while. He drew the devil horns on my stomach cause i took my shirt off for them to sign. All the guys thought it was funny as hell, it rocked...i kept it on as long as I could...other notes...my favorite FfaF song is Moments Forever Faded which they never play live...and matt never lets the crowd have the mic to sing...
now flash forward to November 5th, 2004...
i got to the show in columbus and was just walkin around the venue waiting for the show to start. I saw Matt was doing merch so I went over to say hi and he just looked up...pointed at me...and said it's you...we talked for a while...he told me they haven't played Moments Forever Faded in like a year and a half, and told me there was really no chance the guys would all want to play it...darren's guitar messed up during the set, so while they were trying to fix it matt and kris did the only 1 guitar song, Revolution Is A Joke...It was really good...it was really rare to hear...after the show talked by the buses and then i left to rush (well as much as possible as it is about 2 hrs away) home and get some sleep for the cleveland show...
arrived to cleveland early and went over to see what was going on. matt was outside talking to Doug (FfaF's Tour Manager) and some other guy. Doug was going to look for some poster for me to put up in the venue and me and matt were talking with this random guy. well it turned out that random older gentleman was...TERRY fuckin DATE...Mr. Date is a producer who is doing the new FUNERAL cd and has done like all the Deftones cds, the Handsome cd, Pantera, and the list goes on...it was so amazing to shake that mans hand...went into the show and threw the few posters i had up...doug told the guys at the tour that i was his promo guy so if i needed to go in and out that I was allowed laminate or not...so that was rockin...thanks to my Kittie laminate i was able to hang out in the VIP area during FfaF and had a great view (the security guy just saw the all access at the bottom and that it was glittery like real laminates are supposed to be and just let me hang out)...the crowd was much more active at the show, which made me happy...the guys did a hell of a job and sounded much better then the previous night...after their set i met Craig (who is their manager over in the UK)...very cool guy, talked music bussiness for a little while...after i was done doing all my promo work as the show let out i came back in and just sat around waiting for everyone to get merch packed up and go hang out on the bus...went over to the gas station and bought some beer, once i got back i had a smoke with Gareth and we talked a bit and then we went back on the bus and drank away...it was pretty sweet...i got a good buzz, not really smashed....it was really amazing to party on a bus with rockstars..lol...i know that sounds so fuckin groupie...but fuck you...you're just jealous...
detroit was a shite drive...ended up staying at an ex's place and left for the show after getting some much needed food in my tummy...got to the show and went over to the bus...matt opened up and let me on...it was mostly matt, gareth and myself just bullshiting and then kris was about...and then the guys from instruction stopped by since they were in town and actually on an offday with their tour with Helmet. It was cool times...rocked out...left after the show so i could get home at a resonable time (3am) and get some much needed sleep in my nice comfortable bed...
monday...blah...tuesday...sick...drove to pitts to see Moments in Grace...missed them...sucked...weds...still sick...went to cleveland and got to see Moments in Grace...talked with them for a bit...left...slept...Thursday....
got off work at 5 and headed to pittsburgh...donnie gave me directions to the mall where FUNERAL was playing their instore show...got to the mall a couple hours early and realized just how small a hollister is, well in the concert venue regard. talked to doug and he said if anyone gave me or donnie and trouble about getting in to call him and he'd handle it...the show was FUCKING KILLER...so small...so loud....so great...maybe 50 kids tops...i was right by the front, behind all the hollister girls who got in first...in between the songs i yelled 'Moments Forever Faded" and Gareth looked at me and laughed, so I yelled it again...Matt says...into the mic mind you...'Shut up Josh' and laughed...and everyone in the store just looked at me...and it was awesome...then later in the set Matt leans forward and puts the mic right in my face for me to sing...he doesn't do that...he did it for me...it was even more awesome...lol...after they packed up and were out signing stuff for fans gareth just walked over to me and donnie and started talking to us...i told him i had brought Jager for us to drink and, to my dispair, found out they were just going back to the hotel and getting some much needed sleep...but he told me we'd definately drink up tomorrow after the show...
friday was full of sleep...then we went to the show...got there about 3 hrs early...hung up some posters...and once again, thanks to my Kittie laminate, got hooked up...we got free pizza and food cause we were 'with the tour' or so thought the girl who was running the event for the college it was at...i just walked in and out as i pleased...showing them my all access pass and them waving me through...the show was awesome...they changed the setlist up from the 4 prior shows...the crowd sucked...they were all just there for Taking Back Sunday...it made me sick...I won meet and greet passes from some gameshow rock'n'roll trivia thing i did...the shite catch was it was during Atreyu, which will get an entirely seperate post...so i was waiting and waiting...and asked myself why i am missing a band i like to meet a band i don't really like...so i left...and rocked out with atreyu...after the promo work was done me and donnie went back into the gym...i was talking to gareth and it turned out they had to rush off thanks to canada and all the damn grief that comes with crossing the border...he told me next time we'd drink up...and gave me his email address so we could stay in touch...said bye to him and matt as they were the only ones around...
went back to donnie's place...got pizza and that was about it...
so yea...it was a great 8 days...i am thinking about planning a trip out to Seattle where they are, ironically enough, recording the new cd...gonna talk to gareth about it...then go from there...
that was sorta long...it was a good time...and it was the shortened version...
i still think it was great how all those kids wanted to meet TBS and didn't and i was outside the dressing room listening to adam warmup and just told thier manager thanks for his time and left...i guess he was shocked i just walked away...fuck them...atreyu all the way...