[252] Fear Not Your Mortality
Hey guys, guess who went to the final concert of the 2009 Mastodon/Dethklok tour last night? If you guessed 'Theresa and her dad', you are very right. (You're right if you just guessed 'Theresa', by the way.)
God, I don't even know where to begin at this point. The concert was amazing, and as beautiful as I had dreamed it to be. In my opinion, it was totally worth the hour drive to the San Jose Event Center, and the hour and fifteen minute wait in line outside. My dad may contest that, though. I'm underage and can't drive, so the poor dude had to come with me. I think he lightened up a little while we stood in line and I called everyone who went past us 'hipsters'. Making fun of people who aren't us seems to be a constant source of amusement to him.
When we finally got inside the Event Center, I was going to die of excitement. Last night was the first real concert I've attended, and I had no idea what to expect! Actually, I expected bruises and ruined hearing, but that's beside the point. My dad and I got there early enough to catch the opening acts, which I could've taken or left. High on Fire was okay. I didn't like their lead singer, really; his vocals were not really my style. Their music was alright, though, so I managed. Next up was Converge. I had only heard bad things about them, so I expected to really hate them. In actuality, though, I thought they were kinda cute! The lyrics were kinda awkward, but I liked how the band jumped around a lot. I thought their drummer and guitarists were good, and it was real sweet how the lead singer kept thanking the crowd for coming out. Personally, I don't think they deserve all the hate they got.
Mastodon was up next. The band was amazing, but I had some real problems with their effects. The videos they showed behind the band hurt my eyes with its CONSTANT BRIGHT COLORS ALL THE TIME. I wish they toned down their lights, too. (please do not shine the lights RIGHT INTO OUR EYES THANK YOU) I spent most of their set trying to figure out the videos (why do they like space so much), and just watching the band play. I think I would've liked them a lot more if there was no screwy visuals.
Before Dethklok came on, I ventured out of the seat I had sat in for the first three bands. Damnit, I was not going to sit down while my favorite band played! I found myself a good spot on the floor, and struck up a conversation with a two twenty-something dudes. I thought they were obsessed for seeing five shows in the tour; they thought I was crazy for crying when Charles came back. They liked my 'Explode Me' tank top, once I pointed it out to them. The first guy saw it, gave me a high five, and said 'I would've said something, but I was looking at your eyes.' The second guy commented that I made a reasonable assumption that they would have seen it. Oh, people who aren't teenagers. I do love hanging out with you.
And after the longer-than-average wait, the house lights went down. The screams and yells started. Horns were thrown. Dethklok, ladies and gents, had stormed the stage! Everyone started hooting and screaming, but all that ended when the video screen started playing the opening video. We then all stood in awed silence (mostly) as the screen behind the band showed a cartoon clip of the Tribunal's plan to turn us all into brainless mutants. Honestly, if the plan had been carried through in real life, I doubt many would care. We were going to see Dethklok live, so guitar-riff the consequences.
Jeezy, hearing Brendon and company play live was phenomenal. In all seriousness, the 'real Dethklok' is comprised of talented men who can play better than many in the genre they're parodying. Even the songs I didn't care for on the new album (Bloodlines and Burn the Earth) were played so well that I couldn't help but throw the horns and scream along. I guess that's the same reaction everyone else had, too. During Black Fire Upon Us, everyone would chant the last one or two words of a line. (Ex: So we say goodBYE, goodBYE, goodBYE, goodBYE... because tonight we DIE, we DIE, we DIE, we DIE, we DIE...) It was such an experience being among the crowd, and just knowing that everyone else there feels the same way you do: rocked out of their little skull.
Right before the show was going to end, something clicked in me. Dethklok's 2009 road tour was going to end in one song. I needed to express my love of the band and the whole night in a fitting way. And so, against my dad's wishes, I got myself into the mosh pit during the final song (Fansong, fittingly.) There's something great about slamming yourself into strangers in time to a song that's all about hating everyone. I got knocked to the ground at one point though (curse my small size!), but four guys helped me to my feet and slammed people who were going to step on me. A large guy even let me grab onto his arm as I broke into a coughing fit, and he helped move me out of the pit. Chivalry isn't dead, guys, it's just relocated itself to the metal scene.
To make a long story short, I had a stellar time last night. My parents were great about the whole thing. My mom's main concern was that taking my hoodie on and off a lot would ruin my demi-corpse paint, and my dad was badical enough to take seven hours out of his day to do this for me. It'll sound corny, but it truly was a night I'll never forget.
God, I don't even know where to begin at this point. The concert was amazing, and as beautiful as I had dreamed it to be. In my opinion, it was totally worth the hour drive to the San Jose Event Center, and the hour and fifteen minute wait in line outside. My dad may contest that, though. I'm underage and can't drive, so the poor dude had to come with me. I think he lightened up a little while we stood in line and I called everyone who went past us 'hipsters'. Making fun of people who aren't us seems to be a constant source of amusement to him.
When we finally got inside the Event Center, I was going to die of excitement. Last night was the first real concert I've attended, and I had no idea what to expect! Actually, I expected bruises and ruined hearing, but that's beside the point. My dad and I got there early enough to catch the opening acts, which I could've taken or left. High on Fire was okay. I didn't like their lead singer, really; his vocals were not really my style. Their music was alright, though, so I managed. Next up was Converge. I had only heard bad things about them, so I expected to really hate them. In actuality, though, I thought they were kinda cute! The lyrics were kinda awkward, but I liked how the band jumped around a lot. I thought their drummer and guitarists were good, and it was real sweet how the lead singer kept thanking the crowd for coming out. Personally, I don't think they deserve all the hate they got.
Mastodon was up next. The band was amazing, but I had some real problems with their effects. The videos they showed behind the band hurt my eyes with its CONSTANT BRIGHT COLORS ALL THE TIME. I wish they toned down their lights, too. (please do not shine the lights RIGHT INTO OUR EYES THANK YOU) I spent most of their set trying to figure out the videos (why do they like space so much), and just watching the band play. I think I would've liked them a lot more if there was no screwy visuals.
Before Dethklok came on, I ventured out of the seat I had sat in for the first three bands. Damnit, I was not going to sit down while my favorite band played! I found myself a good spot on the floor, and struck up a conversation with a two twenty-something dudes. I thought they were obsessed for seeing five shows in the tour; they thought I was crazy for crying when Charles came back. They liked my 'Explode Me' tank top, once I pointed it out to them. The first guy saw it, gave me a high five, and said 'I would've said something, but I was looking at your eyes.' The second guy commented that I made a reasonable assumption that they would have seen it. Oh, people who aren't teenagers. I do love hanging out with you.
And after the longer-than-average wait, the house lights went down. The screams and yells started. Horns were thrown. Dethklok, ladies and gents, had stormed the stage! Everyone started hooting and screaming, but all that ended when the video screen started playing the opening video. We then all stood in awed silence (mostly) as the screen behind the band showed a cartoon clip of the Tribunal's plan to turn us all into brainless mutants. Honestly, if the plan had been carried through in real life, I doubt many would care. We were going to see Dethklok live, so guitar-riff the consequences.
Jeezy, hearing Brendon and company play live was phenomenal. In all seriousness, the 'real Dethklok' is comprised of talented men who can play better than many in the genre they're parodying. Even the songs I didn't care for on the new album (Bloodlines and Burn the Earth) were played so well that I couldn't help but throw the horns and scream along. I guess that's the same reaction everyone else had, too. During Black Fire Upon Us, everyone would chant the last one or two words of a line. (Ex: So we say goodBYE, goodBYE, goodBYE, goodBYE... because tonight we DIE, we DIE, we DIE, we DIE, we DIE...) It was such an experience being among the crowd, and just knowing that everyone else there feels the same way you do: rocked out of their little skull.
Right before the show was going to end, something clicked in me. Dethklok's 2009 road tour was going to end in one song. I needed to express my love of the band and the whole night in a fitting way. And so, against my dad's wishes, I got myself into the mosh pit during the final song (Fansong, fittingly.) There's something great about slamming yourself into strangers in time to a song that's all about hating everyone. I got knocked to the ground at one point though (curse my small size!), but four guys helped me to my feet and slammed people who were going to step on me. A large guy even let me grab onto his arm as I broke into a coughing fit, and he helped move me out of the pit. Chivalry isn't dead, guys, it's just relocated itself to the metal scene.
To make a long story short, I had a stellar time last night. My parents were great about the whole thing. My mom's main concern was that taking my hoodie on and off a lot would ruin my demi-corpse paint, and my dad was badical enough to take seven hours out of his day to do this for me. It'll sound corny, but it truly was a night I'll never forget.