Ours Review - Atlanta - The Masquerade
So I finally decided it was high time to get off my ass and write my review from the Atlanta show. Two shows in two days was absolutely worth the lack of sleep that I got. Because I had a BLAST.
I hope you enjoy!
We left Nashville around noon and headed back to Atlanta, with the initial plan to get back late afternoon - needless to say, between Erin leaving her phone by accident at the hotel in Nashville, the rain going through the mountains, and us hitting horrible traffic in Chattanooga, we didn’t get back to Atlanta until 6:10. The doors at The Masquerade opened at 7, and we were at least 40 minutes away. Erin ran around to get ready, while I just changed and did my makeup enough so I didn’t look like death warmed over. We had a very fast dinner of leftover Chinese food, and headed out at about 7 to pick up the tickets and get to the venue. We got to the Ticketmaster outlet and the tickets aren’t there. The woman at the customer service desk called Ticketmaster and we were told the tickets were being held at the venue for us, even though Erin had not chosen that option. We get back in the car and haul ass downtown, finally arriving at the venue a little after 8. By the time we got into the room where the show was being held, James Hall was in the middle of his set, which was fine. I hit the bar and stood a few people back from the front while he finished his set. While he was breaking down and Plain Jane Automobile was setting up, I saw Leslie who I had met in Nashville the night before standing up front, so I said hi and wormed my way up next to her for PJA’s set. I also saw Kaithlyn on my way back from the bar and said hello to her as well.
Plain Jane Automobile took the stage, and I have to say, the red lighting was NOT conducive to taking pictures. I was trying to not use my flash as I was up close, but I did end up with a fair amount of pictures anyway. Jimmy came up during Starving Streets and sang with them, and while I like PJA a LOT, I wish the sound techs would get the sound right - having the three guitarists is great, but sometimes its too much and Duke gets drowned out. I think he was still a bit hungover from the night before - he and Leslie had some sort of a “bet” going on that he would not drink that night. Every time he caught her eye, she would make a face at him, and at one point during Ours’s set, Duke knew he was busted because Leslie looked over at him and he just pointed to his drink and shrugged. We all had a good laugh after the show over it.
The crowd had really filled in during PJA’s set and all of a sudden, security came out and asked us all to back up three steps and they put up caution tape. Also at this point, an obnoxious drunk girl came up and tried to weasel her way up front. I thought it was Robin’s daughter Brittany, so I had stepped aside. But oh no, it was a chick who had obviously had too much to drink and thought we were going to have a mosh pit. Leslie and I are exchanging looks at this point, drunk girl was trying to touch me and I told her to stop. She gave me a look and moved thankfully - but once Ours started, she was falling all over herself, and playing with the caution tape. Erin had been pushed back behind me so when I turned around, I didn’t see her. I had a moment of panic and then saw her off to the side of the stage taking pictures and then talking to security. Finally, while Jimmy was singing Black, drunk girl was escorted away to applause.
I have to say, I’ve been spoiled being able to be right up front during the Boston and Nashville shows - having to be back a bit for half of the set was just - almost a sense of disconnect. It was worth it thought, during Autumn there were dancers from the Atlanta Ballet who did a really cool dance. I was standing right up front next to the caution tape and I kept stepping back because I was afraid that I would get kicked. But they did an amazing job - as soon as they were done, security told us that we could move back up to the stage, and from then on out it was the same connection that I had felt the night before and at my first Ours show. It’s hard to explain really. April and James Hall came up to play during Murder, and I really loved the element that James Hall’s trumpet added to it. Murder is one song that really grabbed me from the get go and to hear it live is just so…intense. And it’s one of my favorites to hear live.
Duke came up and sang during Meet Me in the Tower, and the two of them have obviously become very good friends while on tour. They make me laugh and it’s so much fun watching them interact. Get Up got stretched out for at least 10-15 minutes, and both bands came up and played - and they jammed. Jimmy gave us a little bit of tease of Devil Inside, and all of a sudden he heard singing coming from behind him and spun around. The look on his face when he was trying to figure out where the noise was coming from was classic - and once he realized it was Duke being a dork, he laughed and kept singing - straight into Worst Things Beautiful. WTB got stretched out for about 10 minutes as well, ending the show. Jimmy was a bit emotional as there was only one show on the tour left, two nights later. He got a little choked up and it was sweet to see. Jimmy was absolutely smiley and in a great mood too - making a lot of eye contact. I caught his eye during Fallen Souls and got a smile, which was cool. The girl next to me got her hand held by Jimmy during Get Up (I think) and I really thought she was going to melt into the floor. The look on her face was priceless.
After the house lights came up, the crowd had started to dissipate off the floor, so I headed to the bar. I had seen Formica off to the side with her camera, and wanted to say hello, but didn’t see her when I was up near where she last was. I ran into Duke and Grooveshack at the bar - I got a huge hug from Grooveshack when I asked him if he was from Ireland - he had laughed and said thanks for not saying England! Leslie had come up as well and started giving Duke shit about drinking when he said he wasn’t going to and they laughed off their bet. Brittany - I swear, that girl has no fear. We were standing there talking to Duke and I made a comment about how Locke and Static were over breaking down and how I’d like to say hey and have a picture with them. So Brittany walks right over to where they were breaking equipment down and asks Locke to come over for a picture. He of course obliges because he’s a sweetheart - we all got pictures with him, and then Locke called to Static to come over and we all got pictures with Static too. I had seen Matt from PJA walking around, so after excusing myself from Locke and Static, I called to Matt to come over (he wasn’t too far away from where we were standing anyway) which he did. Matt came over and talked to us for a good 20 minutes - he and Brittany got into a conversation about being lefties and playing right handed - we all got pictures with him too. At this point it’s late - so we said our goodbyes to Robin and Brittany, along with Matt, Duke and the rest of the guys we could find and headed outside. Jimmy hadn’t come out so Leslie and her friend (I can’t remember her name) hung out with Erin and I outside for awhile to see if he’d come out. Luis from PJA did come out and ask us to move so he could pull the van around, and we finally gave up on a Jimmy sighting and headed back to the car.
Between Friday night in Nashville and Saturday night in Atlanta - and the amount of epicness involved with both nights combined with lack of sleep - I’m surprised I didn’t pass out as soon as we got back in the car to go home. Of course, I was still flying high off the show in Nashville, and the show in Atlanta. But it’s amazing how pure adrenaline and caffeine can keep you going through anything. Once I got home from my trip however - I wanted to sleep for days. And I think it took about a week to catch up on my sleep. But it was absolutely worth it, for 2 days of Jimmy.
Pictures are here: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v703/Princessleia04/Atlanta%20Dec%2008/
I hope you enjoy!
We left Nashville around noon and headed back to Atlanta, with the initial plan to get back late afternoon - needless to say, between Erin leaving her phone by accident at the hotel in Nashville, the rain going through the mountains, and us hitting horrible traffic in Chattanooga, we didn’t get back to Atlanta until 6:10. The doors at The Masquerade opened at 7, and we were at least 40 minutes away. Erin ran around to get ready, while I just changed and did my makeup enough so I didn’t look like death warmed over. We had a very fast dinner of leftover Chinese food, and headed out at about 7 to pick up the tickets and get to the venue. We got to the Ticketmaster outlet and the tickets aren’t there. The woman at the customer service desk called Ticketmaster and we were told the tickets were being held at the venue for us, even though Erin had not chosen that option. We get back in the car and haul ass downtown, finally arriving at the venue a little after 8. By the time we got into the room where the show was being held, James Hall was in the middle of his set, which was fine. I hit the bar and stood a few people back from the front while he finished his set. While he was breaking down and Plain Jane Automobile was setting up, I saw Leslie who I had met in Nashville the night before standing up front, so I said hi and wormed my way up next to her for PJA’s set. I also saw Kaithlyn on my way back from the bar and said hello to her as well.
Plain Jane Automobile took the stage, and I have to say, the red lighting was NOT conducive to taking pictures. I was trying to not use my flash as I was up close, but I did end up with a fair amount of pictures anyway. Jimmy came up during Starving Streets and sang with them, and while I like PJA a LOT, I wish the sound techs would get the sound right - having the three guitarists is great, but sometimes its too much and Duke gets drowned out. I think he was still a bit hungover from the night before - he and Leslie had some sort of a “bet” going on that he would not drink that night. Every time he caught her eye, she would make a face at him, and at one point during Ours’s set, Duke knew he was busted because Leslie looked over at him and he just pointed to his drink and shrugged. We all had a good laugh after the show over it.
The crowd had really filled in during PJA’s set and all of a sudden, security came out and asked us all to back up three steps and they put up caution tape. Also at this point, an obnoxious drunk girl came up and tried to weasel her way up front. I thought it was Robin’s daughter Brittany, so I had stepped aside. But oh no, it was a chick who had obviously had too much to drink and thought we were going to have a mosh pit. Leslie and I are exchanging looks at this point, drunk girl was trying to touch me and I told her to stop. She gave me a look and moved thankfully - but once Ours started, she was falling all over herself, and playing with the caution tape. Erin had been pushed back behind me so when I turned around, I didn’t see her. I had a moment of panic and then saw her off to the side of the stage taking pictures and then talking to security. Finally, while Jimmy was singing Black, drunk girl was escorted away to applause.
I have to say, I’ve been spoiled being able to be right up front during the Boston and Nashville shows - having to be back a bit for half of the set was just - almost a sense of disconnect. It was worth it thought, during Autumn there were dancers from the Atlanta Ballet who did a really cool dance. I was standing right up front next to the caution tape and I kept stepping back because I was afraid that I would get kicked. But they did an amazing job - as soon as they were done, security told us that we could move back up to the stage, and from then on out it was the same connection that I had felt the night before and at my first Ours show. It’s hard to explain really. April and James Hall came up to play during Murder, and I really loved the element that James Hall’s trumpet added to it. Murder is one song that really grabbed me from the get go and to hear it live is just so…intense. And it’s one of my favorites to hear live.
Duke came up and sang during Meet Me in the Tower, and the two of them have obviously become very good friends while on tour. They make me laugh and it’s so much fun watching them interact. Get Up got stretched out for at least 10-15 minutes, and both bands came up and played - and they jammed. Jimmy gave us a little bit of tease of Devil Inside, and all of a sudden he heard singing coming from behind him and spun around. The look on his face when he was trying to figure out where the noise was coming from was classic - and once he realized it was Duke being a dork, he laughed and kept singing - straight into Worst Things Beautiful. WTB got stretched out for about 10 minutes as well, ending the show. Jimmy was a bit emotional as there was only one show on the tour left, two nights later. He got a little choked up and it was sweet to see. Jimmy was absolutely smiley and in a great mood too - making a lot of eye contact. I caught his eye during Fallen Souls and got a smile, which was cool. The girl next to me got her hand held by Jimmy during Get Up (I think) and I really thought she was going to melt into the floor. The look on her face was priceless.
After the house lights came up, the crowd had started to dissipate off the floor, so I headed to the bar. I had seen Formica off to the side with her camera, and wanted to say hello, but didn’t see her when I was up near where she last was. I ran into Duke and Grooveshack at the bar - I got a huge hug from Grooveshack when I asked him if he was from Ireland - he had laughed and said thanks for not saying England! Leslie had come up as well and started giving Duke shit about drinking when he said he wasn’t going to and they laughed off their bet. Brittany - I swear, that girl has no fear. We were standing there talking to Duke and I made a comment about how Locke and Static were over breaking down and how I’d like to say hey and have a picture with them. So Brittany walks right over to where they were breaking equipment down and asks Locke to come over for a picture. He of course obliges because he’s a sweetheart - we all got pictures with him, and then Locke called to Static to come over and we all got pictures with Static too. I had seen Matt from PJA walking around, so after excusing myself from Locke and Static, I called to Matt to come over (he wasn’t too far away from where we were standing anyway) which he did. Matt came over and talked to us for a good 20 minutes - he and Brittany got into a conversation about being lefties and playing right handed - we all got pictures with him too. At this point it’s late - so we said our goodbyes to Robin and Brittany, along with Matt, Duke and the rest of the guys we could find and headed outside. Jimmy hadn’t come out so Leslie and her friend (I can’t remember her name) hung out with Erin and I outside for awhile to see if he’d come out. Luis from PJA did come out and ask us to move so he could pull the van around, and we finally gave up on a Jimmy sighting and headed back to the car.
Between Friday night in Nashville and Saturday night in Atlanta - and the amount of epicness involved with both nights combined with lack of sleep - I’m surprised I didn’t pass out as soon as we got back in the car to go home. Of course, I was still flying high off the show in Nashville, and the show in Atlanta. But it’s amazing how pure adrenaline and caffeine can keep you going through anything. Once I got home from my trip however - I wanted to sleep for days. And I think it took about a week to catch up on my sleep. But it was absolutely worth it, for 2 days of Jimmy.
Pictures are here: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v703/Princessleia04/Atlanta%20Dec%2008/