reversing on the highway
Ummmm so this one time I saw Cobra Starship four times in three days and it was epic fabulousness and I had the best weekend EVER! Here's how it worked, chronologically speaking:
Friday
Got on a train immediately after work, got to the venue ten minutes before doors, dropped my bag in loveyouallwrong's car after braving the rude and angry (but bribeable!) parking attendants, saw ♥COBRAS♥ (and some other bands), drove to Connecticut with Lea and riadsala. Around midnight, we thought we were lost, so we called my dad and woke him up to give us directions... just as we found a sign for the highway we needed.
Me: "Hey, Dad, I'm so sorry to wake you up, I just wanted to tell you that we... don't... need directions..."
Him: "What?"
Me: *explains*
Him: (groggily) "Well, you know you can call me anytime, honey."
Awwwww. So then we arrived at Lea's house, and stayed up talking until 4:30 AM about ridiculous and amazing things. Fangirl meetups: made of 100% pure win. Trufax.
Also, Alex Suarez watched all of the Cab's set. Setup for the perfect foursome y/mfy? And then during the Cobra set Gabe led him around by his tie. Oh, Alex Suarez, always the bitch.
Saturday
Lea's mom made us chocolate chip pancakes, and then we drove out to the "venue". OH, THE "VENUE". The Trackside Teen Center must be seen to be believed. It is a HOUSE, you guys. It is SOME DUDE'S HOUSE. With balloons out front. And they have Seventh and Eighth Grade Girls' Movie Night on Thursday. We had a lovely line party with far too many people for me to remember, and snuggled for warmth (fayemeadows: EXCELLENT cuddler) while various Alexes wandered around. Meanwhile, I still didn't have a ticket. So I just kind of, um. Went in anyway! Very quickly! :D :D giddygeek has a more detailed recap of the glory of the Wilton Trackside Teen Center, as does Lea over here. Let us just say that if you have never eaten Freeze Pops and Capri Sun at the "bar" of the Trackside Teen Center on a Saturday night, you have never truly lived.
Other things from Saturday:
Ugh, this post isn't going to have a coherent structure, is it. Maybe I should say some stuff about bands now!
Some general notes about the three opening bands
Here is what I think of The Cab: Mostly a series of hearts. canadiankracka, you were absolutely right, they are precious and their songs are awesome and I vote YES.
Here is what I think of We The Kings:
Here is what I think of Cobra Starship: ONE THOUSAND KEYMASHES FOR YOU MY FRIENDS. I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW HEARTS AROUND YOU FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. THAT WOULD BE LOVELY.
They were fucking magical, I'm not even kidding. They sound FANTASTIC live, they put on an amazing show, Gabe is fabulousness in a bottle. Everything on the CDs, especially While the City Sleeps, sounds pale and lame in comparison. I've never been to a show that was that much pure fun for the audience and the band. It's a dance party and YOU'RE INVITED.
People probably have mentioned (GUESS HOW BEHIND ON MY FLIST I AM) that Cobra is playing Pop Punk and Being from Jersey acoustic for their encore before finishing with Guilty Pleasure! Pop Punk was fine, but the real surprise highlight for me was Being From Jersey. The recording on the CD is so bitter and off-key and weird, and I've never liked it, but live it sounds awesome and Gabe plays guitar and I give it at least an A- (points deducted for severe lack of Vicky-T).
Sunday, aka Vicky-T's Birthday Bonanza
As we pulled out of Lea's driveway in Connecticut, I realized I had to pee incredibly badly. By the time we got to Cambridge, I had resorted to threats. "I AM GOING TO PEE ON EVERYONE. LEA STOP MAKING FUN OF ME I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL DROP MY PANTS AND PEE ON YOU RIGHT HERE AND NOW." When we finally got to the venue, I peed in a McDonalds and it was glooooorious and then I came and found everyone in line and told them that, pretty much verbatim. They were all like, "Good story, Hannah! We're so glad you told us! Maybe you should write it down and put it in a book!" GTFO IT WAS A GREAT STORY.
But then we found beingothrwrldly and kissingchaos9 and the whole world became a better place. They had NAMETAGS for everyone. ♥
Anyway, it was hella cold but we got in eventually, whereupon everyone over 21 proceeded to cruelly abandon me, Lea, gigantic, and the other infants, so that they could go stand in the bar where there was a better view. I tried waving frantically to quettaser for sympathy and she made sarcastic sad tears with her fingers. My life, SO hard.
We went upstairs during the Metro Station set to eat a little lunch at the restaurant above the venue. Unfortunately, there were no tables anywhere that weren't right next to a horde of Alexes being kindly fed by canadiankracka. All I could envision was me getting excited and telling Lea, "But I really feel like Pete would be so WONDERFUL at raising his assbabies!" (This had already pretty much happened at Denny's, so, you know, a fear not unfounded.) I silently stared at my phone for a while and tried to think of anything to say that didn't involve cock. shoemaster, upon texting, suggested "lesbians."
And then there were COBRAS and cold cold air and fangirls in a restaurant and more coldness and huddling for warmth like penguins and retreats back to the restaurant and finally doors and a warm basement.
Again, we didn't feel like watching We The Kings and Metro Station, so we went upstairs for a little light refreshment and fangirl chatter as soon as the Cab finished playing. I can't remember everyone who was there, but there were about fifteen of us, and we were LOUD. Oh, I love fangirls more than most things. However, we had to tone down our discussion (or rather, class it up) when Alex Suarez and Tony (TAI's manager) decided to come upstairs too. Seriously, band boys, don't you have a tour rider?! Oh my God, and then it's the Cab AGAIN. WHY WILL YOU NOT LET ME EAT IN PEACE THE CAB. WHY DID YOU GIVE ME AND EVERY OTHER FANGIRL IN THE WORLD YOUR DEATH DISEASE. WHY DID YOU KICK POOR GIDDY IN THE ASS. WHYYYYYY.
Okay, so they're sitting like four feet from me, right in my line of sight, and this drunken ridiculous girl with them is being VERY LOUD and VERY DRUNK, and Alex Marshall (oh my God, I KNOW ALL THEIR NAMES) would NOT STOP making eye contact with me every time I glanced over and mouthing very exaggerated "I am so so sorry" faces. I was like, no, no, it's fine, reassuring handwave! But what I really meant was SOMEDAY I WILL READ PORN ABOUT YOU PLEASE STOP LOOKING AT MY FACE. giddygeek said in a conversational tone that she wanted to stab her with a fork and Alex mimed doing it.
Whatever, the Cab, you are adorable and I love you and I am unexpectedly thrilled by your existence and your upcoming album but I need you to be less underfoot all the time. Geez.
That whole dinner was made of win. The only thing better than Gabe Saporta is fangirls. misspamela almost (in our dreams) got her baby blessed by the Cobra, which would probably have created an AWESOMENESS HYBRID whose power would have been nigh-unstoppable, so it's probably a good thing she didn't.
Sunday night was a show of Cobra hilarity, and I can't possibly remember everything that happened, but here are some things that definitely did!
I'm lumping this in with Monday because it mostly happened after midnight! So, um. What you need to understand is that Lea is kind of an incompetent fail machine, and that I am WORSE. And... we were supposed to get to the Mass Pike from the venue and then go to Giddy's house. The Mass Pike was about two miles away.
It took us an hour and a half to get there.
You guys, my stomach hurt from laughing so much, and it was AWFUL and HILARIOUS and Cambridge is a HELL PIT OF DOOM and there is this one rotunda that I will one day see again if I die having lived a wicked and sinful life. Oh my GOD. I will draw a veil over this portion of the evening and note only that we made somewhere between six and four thousand illegal u-turns, and by we I mean Lea (who was trying to change the music on the iPod around the time we hit Arlington for the eighth time. THE MUSIC IS THE LEAST OF OUR PROBLEMS, YOU CRACKHEAD), and if riadsala hadn't been in the car we might still be in Harvard Square. At long last we got to Giddy's and I went to sleep on her couch with a glowstick in my hair.
We are a group of very special girls.
The next morning we got up and were deliciously mean with Giddy and misspamela and Faye and then I got on a train and found Rachel and got on another train and read a book that made me incredibly angry (Money is the only form of communication we have? We never make true connections with other human beings, and are weighed down by our pasts, while constantly trying to move faster to escape our present? You shall know our velocity? DIE, HIPSTER SCUM.) And then I got on ANOTHER train and now I am home.
In conclusion! I have now washed my entire self head to toe with spice cookie scented bodywash/shampoo, I no longer smell like ass, I do not have to pee, I am not cold, and Cobra Starship owns my soul.
And this is totally unrelated, but Barack Obama, I am voting for you so fucking hard.
Friday
Got on a train immediately after work, got to the venue ten minutes before doors, dropped my bag in loveyouallwrong's car after braving the rude and angry (but bribeable!) parking attendants, saw ♥COBRAS♥ (and some other bands), drove to Connecticut with Lea and riadsala. Around midnight, we thought we were lost, so we called my dad and woke him up to give us directions... just as we found a sign for the highway we needed.
Me: "Hey, Dad, I'm so sorry to wake you up, I just wanted to tell you that we... don't... need directions..."
Him: "What?"
Me: *explains*
Him: (groggily) "Well, you know you can call me anytime, honey."
Awwwww. So then we arrived at Lea's house, and stayed up talking until 4:30 AM about ridiculous and amazing things. Fangirl meetups: made of 100% pure win. Trufax.
Also, Alex Suarez watched all of the Cab's set. Setup for the perfect foursome y/mfy? And then during the Cobra set Gabe led him around by his tie. Oh, Alex Suarez, always the bitch.
Saturday
Lea's mom made us chocolate chip pancakes, and then we drove out to the "venue". OH, THE "VENUE". The Trackside Teen Center must be seen to be believed. It is a HOUSE, you guys. It is SOME DUDE'S HOUSE. With balloons out front. And they have Seventh and Eighth Grade Girls' Movie Night on Thursday. We had a lovely line party with far too many people for me to remember, and snuggled for warmth (fayemeadows: EXCELLENT cuddler) while various Alexes wandered around. Meanwhile, I still didn't have a ticket. So I just kind of, um. Went in anyway! Very quickly! :D :D giddygeek has a more detailed recap of the glory of the Wilton Trackside Teen Center, as does Lea over here. Let us just say that if you have never eaten Freeze Pops and Capri Sun at the "bar" of the Trackside Teen Center on a Saturday night, you have never truly lived.
Other things from Saturday:
- Gabe started to play a Midtown song when some dudes started shouting for it and then stopped and said "PSYCH," giggled a little, and then stepped back to the mic and finished the song. When it was over, he pointed to a dude in front and said, "I only played that for you, because you gave me the finger when I stopped. Don't be mad at me!"
- Ryland did his Gabe impression, at Gabe's insistence. "Ohhh, look at meee, I'm Gabe Saporta! Give me your money!"
- Some girl jumped up on the six inch stage near the end and danced up on Ryland. I admired her for it.
- Rex Mudd performed the rap in SOAP.
Ugh, this post isn't going to have a coherent structure, is it. Maybe I should say some stuff about bands now!
Some general notes about the three opening bands
Here is what I think of The Cab: Mostly a series of hearts. canadiankracka, you were absolutely right, they are precious and their songs are awesome and I vote YES.
Here is what I think of We The Kings:
- IS THAT GUY WEARING A CAT ON HIS HEAD?
- Is every single band member wearing a cat on his head?
- Their music really isn't bad, except
- EVERY SONG IS ABOUT UNDERAGE SEX.
Here is what I think of Cobra Starship: ONE THOUSAND KEYMASHES FOR YOU MY FRIENDS. I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW HEARTS AROUND YOU FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. THAT WOULD BE LOVELY.
They were fucking magical, I'm not even kidding. They sound FANTASTIC live, they put on an amazing show, Gabe is fabulousness in a bottle. Everything on the CDs, especially While the City Sleeps, sounds pale and lame in comparison. I've never been to a show that was that much pure fun for the audience and the band. It's a dance party and YOU'RE INVITED.
People probably have mentioned (GUESS HOW BEHIND ON MY FLIST I AM) that Cobra is playing Pop Punk and Being from Jersey acoustic for their encore before finishing with Guilty Pleasure! Pop Punk was fine, but the real surprise highlight for me was Being From Jersey. The recording on the CD is so bitter and off-key and weird, and I've never liked it, but live it sounds awesome and Gabe plays guitar and I give it at least an A- (points deducted for severe lack of Vicky-T).
Sunday, aka Vicky-T's Birthday Bonanza
As we pulled out of Lea's driveway in Connecticut, I realized I had to pee incredibly badly. By the time we got to Cambridge, I had resorted to threats. "I AM GOING TO PEE ON EVERYONE. LEA STOP MAKING FUN OF ME I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL DROP MY PANTS AND PEE ON YOU RIGHT HERE AND NOW." When we finally got to the venue, I peed in a McDonalds and it was glooooorious and then I came and found everyone in line and told them that, pretty much verbatim. They were all like, "Good story, Hannah! We're so glad you told us! Maybe you should write it down and put it in a book!" GTFO IT WAS A GREAT STORY.
But then we found beingothrwrldly and kissingchaos9 and the whole world became a better place. They had NAMETAGS for everyone. ♥
Anyway, it was hella cold but we got in eventually, whereupon everyone over 21 proceeded to cruelly abandon me, Lea, gigantic, and the other infants, so that they could go stand in the bar where there was a better view. I tried waving frantically to quettaser for sympathy and she made sarcastic sad tears with her fingers. My life, SO hard.
We went upstairs during the Metro Station set to eat a little lunch at the restaurant above the venue. Unfortunately, there were no tables anywhere that weren't right next to a horde of Alexes being kindly fed by canadiankracka. All I could envision was me getting excited and telling Lea, "But I really feel like Pete would be so WONDERFUL at raising his assbabies!" (This had already pretty much happened at Denny's, so, you know, a fear not unfounded.) I silently stared at my phone for a while and tried to think of anything to say that didn't involve cock. shoemaster, upon texting, suggested "lesbians."
And then there were COBRAS and cold cold air and fangirls in a restaurant and more coldness and huddling for warmth like penguins and retreats back to the restaurant and finally doors and a warm basement.
Again, we didn't feel like watching We The Kings and Metro Station, so we went upstairs for a little light refreshment and fangirl chatter as soon as the Cab finished playing. I can't remember everyone who was there, but there were about fifteen of us, and we were LOUD. Oh, I love fangirls more than most things. However, we had to tone down our discussion (or rather, class it up) when Alex Suarez and Tony (TAI's manager) decided to come upstairs too. Seriously, band boys, don't you have a tour rider?! Oh my God, and then it's the Cab AGAIN. WHY WILL YOU NOT LET ME EAT IN PEACE THE CAB. WHY DID YOU GIVE ME AND EVERY OTHER FANGIRL IN THE WORLD YOUR DEATH DISEASE. WHY DID YOU KICK POOR GIDDY IN THE ASS. WHYYYYYY.
Okay, so they're sitting like four feet from me, right in my line of sight, and this drunken ridiculous girl with them is being VERY LOUD and VERY DRUNK, and Alex Marshall (oh my God, I KNOW ALL THEIR NAMES) would NOT STOP making eye contact with me every time I glanced over and mouthing very exaggerated "I am so so sorry" faces. I was like, no, no, it's fine, reassuring handwave! But what I really meant was SOMEDAY I WILL READ PORN ABOUT YOU PLEASE STOP LOOKING AT MY FACE. giddygeek said in a conversational tone that she wanted to stab her with a fork and Alex mimed doing it.
Whatever, the Cab, you are adorable and I love you and I am unexpectedly thrilled by your existence and your upcoming album but I need you to be less underfoot all the time. Geez.
That whole dinner was made of win. The only thing better than Gabe Saporta is fangirls. misspamela almost (in our dreams) got her baby blessed by the Cobra, which would probably have created an AWESOMENESS HYBRID whose power would have been nigh-unstoppable, so it's probably a good thing she didn't.
Sunday night was a show of Cobra hilarity, and I can't possibly remember everything that happened, but here are some things that definitely did!
- Ryland: "Seriously, guys. S-R-S-L-Y." OH RY_BLACK_ATTACK. PLEASE DON'T FRIEND MY LJ.
- Gabe started singing "I believe I can fly" and Ryland said, "He really does!" I mean, he also believes a mystical cobra gave him a sacred mission to make emo kids stop being pussies, no shit, Ryland.
- VickyT compared Ryland pouring water in the mouths of the poor crushed barrier kids to a mama bird feeding her young.
- VickyT talked on stage more than she has in the entire history of the band! It was both her birthday and her one year anniversary as a band member, so I think it was high time. She asked us all to take a step back and let the people in front breathe as a birthday present to her. Girl!Gerard, is that you?
- Gabe talked about how he has no idea why people love his band, but thanked us about twelve times. Ohhhh, no one fangirls fans like Gabe Saporta, and I love it like buuuurning. He was beaming like a thousand watt bulb. "I've spent such a long time being hated, it is really nice to be loved." We doooo love you, Gabe, we do!
- He started singing El Scorcho, and he got pretty far into it, and then he offered the mic to Ryland, and Ryland sang, in tune, "Why - don't we - play one - of our - songs now?" Gabe countered, also in tune, that "this - is where - Weezer STARTED - motherfucker!" and kept going through most if not all of the song.
- He sat down at Nate's drum set and banged on it ridiculously for three seconds before bouncing up and saying "There are no words for how much Nate wants to kill me right now! :D :D :D"
- Gabe got HANDSY with Ryland. He kind of quasi made out with Ryland's cheek and at one point had his arms wrapped around Ryland's shoulders from behind like a giant gay limpet. I love his FACE. He also made out with the lifesize Derek Zoolander cutout a fan brought. Whatttttt.
- He got unreasonably excited about a pink fannypack with gold chains on that a girl tossed up on stage. It was the highlight of his evening, I'm pretty sure.
I'm lumping this in with Monday because it mostly happened after midnight! So, um. What you need to understand is that Lea is kind of an incompetent fail machine, and that I am WORSE. And... we were supposed to get to the Mass Pike from the venue and then go to Giddy's house. The Mass Pike was about two miles away.
It took us an hour and a half to get there.
You guys, my stomach hurt from laughing so much, and it was AWFUL and HILARIOUS and Cambridge is a HELL PIT OF DOOM and there is this one rotunda that I will one day see again if I die having lived a wicked and sinful life. Oh my GOD. I will draw a veil over this portion of the evening and note only that we made somewhere between six and four thousand illegal u-turns, and by we I mean Lea (who was trying to change the music on the iPod around the time we hit Arlington for the eighth time. THE MUSIC IS THE LEAST OF OUR PROBLEMS, YOU CRACKHEAD), and if riadsala hadn't been in the car we might still be in Harvard Square. At long last we got to Giddy's and I went to sleep on her couch with a glowstick in my hair.
We are a group of very special girls.
The next morning we got up and were deliciously mean with Giddy and misspamela and Faye and then I got on a train and found Rachel and got on another train and read a book that made me incredibly angry (Money is the only form of communication we have? We never make true connections with other human beings, and are weighed down by our pasts, while constantly trying to move faster to escape our present? You shall know our velocity? DIE, HIPSTER SCUM.) And then I got on ANOTHER train and now I am home.
In conclusion! I have now washed my entire self head to toe with spice cookie scented bodywash/shampoo, I no longer smell like ass, I do not have to pee, I am not cold, and Cobra Starship owns my soul.
And this is totally unrelated, but Barack Obama, I am voting for you so fucking hard.