Killers Show Number 6: In Which the Most Epic of Events Occurs
So for those of you who know what it's like to be a Killers fan, there's lots of waiting involved - and I mean lots. My girls (shout out to Red Rover!) got in line at 10:30 am! I got there at around noon and brought my Killers Survival Pack filled with goodies needed for the long wait ahead. Included in the pack: Twinkies and Coca Cola in the old fashioned bottles (in honor of Brandon) various lollipops, Red Bull, Kit Kats, and Teeny Booper Magazines. Some fun ensued while we were in line. There was a fold out poster of the Jonas brothers in the magazine so when people walked by I waved the poster around and told them we were waiting to see the brothers Jonai when they asked.
Once we got inside I ended up being in second row right behind 2 girls I had met at 2 previous shows - so it was nice to be around people I actually knew.
Now for the show:
One memorable thing for me was when they were about to start "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" (a very bass driven song) Mark walked to the end of the stage with his head down and held his bass in the air as if to say "All hail Mark Stoermer, lord of the bass." He ended up doing this a few times throughout the night and it just looked badass.
Brandon added a special little segment to the show in which he introduced each of the band members (middle names included.) Once he got to himself, rather than saying his own name, he opted for the more creative and orgasm inducing "I am the romance and this is a kiss" before immediately starting Read My Mind admist an eruption of screams.
Honestly, the whole show sort of blurs together in a mesh of color, leopard print, cheap lights and excitement. One thing I do remember, though, is that Brandon has gotten quite saucy in his old age. I mean, he's not one to whip it out on stage or anything (he's a bit more subtle) but he'll do just enough hip-shakes, amp-lean-overs, and you-talkin-to-me looks to make the crowd go completely insane. Aside from that he just seems a lot happier on stage. I can't even count how many times he'd smile while singing or look out into the crowd while a smile on his face. During the acoustic version of Sam's Town, he'll drop out and let the crowd take over for a while - I'm pretty sure I caught a few more smiles when he heard those few thousand people fill the room with their voices and pick up the song where he left off.
The funny thing about him, or I guess a lot of performers, is that whatever he isn't as himself, that's what he's like on stage. I mean he seems like a guy who is extremely mild mannered (that's putting it lightly). You probably wouldn't recognize him on the street unless you didn't already know who he was but on stage he's got a completely different personality. Sure, he's still not very good at talking but he's in complete control over everyone in the room and he knows it. He can be sexy, playful, powerful and even aggressive - willing the audience to give more of themselves to the songs and to him throughout the show. Cut to outside the venue - skinny dude in a jean jacket speaking barely above whisper. WHO IS THIS PERSON?!
And now to the good stuff:
So my lovely ladies and I had a plan to try and meet the boys. We figured there had to be a special entrance/exit because we hadn't seen them go in during out 7+ hour wait. We walked around the block to the back of the building and JACKPOT - stage door y'all. Ronnie in is this tunnel of sorts chatting it up with some people being the charmer he is - but he's not coming out and we're forces behind a barricade. No dice. We're all fangirling over him because, as I suspect, he has about twice as much testosterone as the normal man and even though he's balding we kept saying things like "OMG LOOK AT HIS ARM!" or "LOOK AT HIS SIDEBURNS!" ok that last one was me but seriously they're amazing. Anyway, he retreats inside and we are denied access. While nothing is going on we make a plan to use ONE camera if we get the opportunity to take pictures because we want to annoy them as little as possible. We spot Brandon walking around inside the "tunnel" and wave at him - he waves back and again retreats. This whole "retreating" thing happens a few times.
FINALLY someone comes out. It's Dave. He walks along the barricade slowly as if to say "Anyone want a picture? Autograph? Anyone care that I'm here?" Nobody did. Eventually he gave up, gave us a salute and was on his way. We said hi to him! So...
Brandon came out second and of course everyone went apeshit. Now, usually I'm too much of a chicken to ask for pictures but I think having my girls with my gave me confidence because I grew some balls out of nowhere and just blurt out "CANWETAKEAPICTUREWITHYOU?!" We all got our pictures and it was glorious. I think I might have manhandled him a little but because when I put my arm around him I was just thinking WE HAVE CONTACT! I don't necessarily remember being rough but he does weigh about the same as a 7 year old boy and I may have miscalculated the appropriate force to use because I was, of course, expecting to be touching a full grown man. That aside, he was very sweet and very gracious - agreeing to re-take a picture with my friend (even though the first one is amazing!!!)
Mark came out next and again we all asked CANWETAKEAPICTURE?!? His response was a very enthusiastic "yeah.... sure...." He was cool, though. And very tall. And he had a nice coat on.
Then the fucking epicness ensued. See, the whole night I had a mission. I had gotten Ronnie a very special shirt as a gift and God Almighty he was going to receive it! Ronnie came out and once he got near me I said RONNIEIGOTYOUAPRESENT! He put his bag down in front of me and said "Yeah? What's this?" and I explained what it was and why I had gotten it for him. He then very excitedly said something along the lines of "this is really cool" looks me square in the eye and says "I'm gonna fuckin' wear this. And when you see me wear it you're gonna be like 'I fuckin' made that!'" Now just to clarify... I didn't make it but.. there's alcohol backstage so... that could explain the confusion. Anyway, he then reaches over to squeeze my shoulder and says "Thank you so much" and then I died. My friend actually caught him drumstick (i know right?!?) and he signed it for her and they chatted it up like WHOA. I don't remember what he was saying because I was too dead from our little interaction. We all got pictures with him and I told him he was a legend - though I don't think he actually heard me.
I later found out from someone who was at the show and messaged me on LJ that once he made it to the other side of the barricade, he very excitedly reported that "someone made me a shirt" and according to their description, he was "thrilled." As am I (even though I didn't actually make it)
Once we got inside I ended up being in second row right behind 2 girls I had met at 2 previous shows - so it was nice to be around people I actually knew.
Now for the show:
One memorable thing for me was when they were about to start "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" (a very bass driven song) Mark walked to the end of the stage with his head down and held his bass in the air as if to say "All hail Mark Stoermer, lord of the bass." He ended up doing this a few times throughout the night and it just looked badass.
Brandon added a special little segment to the show in which he introduced each of the band members (middle names included.) Once he got to himself, rather than saying his own name, he opted for the more creative and orgasm inducing "I am the romance and this is a kiss" before immediately starting Read My Mind admist an eruption of screams.
Honestly, the whole show sort of blurs together in a mesh of color, leopard print, cheap lights and excitement. One thing I do remember, though, is that Brandon has gotten quite saucy in his old age. I mean, he's not one to whip it out on stage or anything (he's a bit more subtle) but he'll do just enough hip-shakes, amp-lean-overs, and you-talkin-to-me looks to make the crowd go completely insane. Aside from that he just seems a lot happier on stage. I can't even count how many times he'd smile while singing or look out into the crowd while a smile on his face. During the acoustic version of Sam's Town, he'll drop out and let the crowd take over for a while - I'm pretty sure I caught a few more smiles when he heard those few thousand people fill the room with their voices and pick up the song where he left off.
The funny thing about him, or I guess a lot of performers, is that whatever he isn't as himself, that's what he's like on stage. I mean he seems like a guy who is extremely mild mannered (that's putting it lightly). You probably wouldn't recognize him on the street unless you didn't already know who he was but on stage he's got a completely different personality. Sure, he's still not very good at talking but he's in complete control over everyone in the room and he knows it. He can be sexy, playful, powerful and even aggressive - willing the audience to give more of themselves to the songs and to him throughout the show. Cut to outside the venue - skinny dude in a jean jacket speaking barely above whisper. WHO IS THIS PERSON?!
And now to the good stuff:
So my lovely ladies and I had a plan to try and meet the boys. We figured there had to be a special entrance/exit because we hadn't seen them go in during out 7+ hour wait. We walked around the block to the back of the building and JACKPOT - stage door y'all. Ronnie in is this tunnel of sorts chatting it up with some people being the charmer he is - but he's not coming out and we're forces behind a barricade. No dice. We're all fangirling over him because, as I suspect, he has about twice as much testosterone as the normal man and even though he's balding we kept saying things like "OMG LOOK AT HIS ARM!" or "LOOK AT HIS SIDEBURNS!" ok that last one was me but seriously they're amazing. Anyway, he retreats inside and we are denied access. While nothing is going on we make a plan to use ONE camera if we get the opportunity to take pictures because we want to annoy them as little as possible. We spot Brandon walking around inside the "tunnel" and wave at him - he waves back and again retreats. This whole "retreating" thing happens a few times.
FINALLY someone comes out. It's Dave. He walks along the barricade slowly as if to say "Anyone want a picture? Autograph? Anyone care that I'm here?" Nobody did. Eventually he gave up, gave us a salute and was on his way. We said hi to him! So...
Brandon came out second and of course everyone went apeshit. Now, usually I'm too much of a chicken to ask for pictures but I think having my girls with my gave me confidence because I grew some balls out of nowhere and just blurt out "CANWETAKEAPICTUREWITHYOU?!" We all got our pictures and it was glorious. I think I might have manhandled him a little but because when I put my arm around him I was just thinking WE HAVE CONTACT! I don't necessarily remember being rough but he does weigh about the same as a 7 year old boy and I may have miscalculated the appropriate force to use because I was, of course, expecting to be touching a full grown man. That aside, he was very sweet and very gracious - agreeing to re-take a picture with my friend (even though the first one is amazing!!!)
Mark came out next and again we all asked CANWETAKEAPICTURE?!? His response was a very enthusiastic "yeah.... sure...." He was cool, though. And very tall. And he had a nice coat on.
Then the fucking epicness ensued. See, the whole night I had a mission. I had gotten Ronnie a very special shirt as a gift and God Almighty he was going to receive it! Ronnie came out and once he got near me I said RONNIEIGOTYOUAPRESENT! He put his bag down in front of me and said "Yeah? What's this?" and I explained what it was and why I had gotten it for him. He then very excitedly said something along the lines of "this is really cool" looks me square in the eye and says "I'm gonna fuckin' wear this. And when you see me wear it you're gonna be like 'I fuckin' made that!'" Now just to clarify... I didn't make it but.. there's alcohol backstage so... that could explain the confusion. Anyway, he then reaches over to squeeze my shoulder and says "Thank you so much" and then I died. My friend actually caught him drumstick (i know right?!?) and he signed it for her and they chatted it up like WHOA. I don't remember what he was saying because I was too dead from our little interaction. We all got pictures with him and I told him he was a legend - though I don't think he actually heard me.
I later found out from someone who was at the show and messaged me on LJ that once he made it to the other side of the barricade, he very excitedly reported that "someone made me a shirt" and according to their description, he was "thrilled." As am I (even though I didn't actually make it)