My Plague
Thanks all for your feedback! I'm going to keep brainstorming. Right now, I kinda like "Red Grim Rune" but we'll see.
Saw Slipknot on Wednesday in Sacramento. One of the best shows I've ever been to
Full story of this rather eventful concert and more pics under cut. Its a little long, but a LOT happened.
(Pics at bottom)
Me and my wheelchair-bound friend to the March 11 '09 show in Sacramento and it was fucking [SIC]!!
Now, my friend, Jackson is a hardcore metalhead, and an even more hardcore Slipknot fan, and he refuses to let his disability to stop him from having the most brutal concert experiences. So we forced our way to the almost the front of the general admission floor, but we got to a point where people either couldn't move out of our way, or wouldn't. Slipknot hadn't even come on stage yet, and the crowd's tide was already pretty strong. I managed to get about 7 beefy bros to make kind of a perimeter around Jackson to stop him from getting knocked over or having people fall on him. We still tried to get up to the bar, but no one could/would move. Even 3 rows in, Jackson couldnt see anything. One of the bros tried to get one of the guys at the bar to move, "C'mon, he's in a fucking wheelchair" said the bro. But the douche-bag at the bar just shrugged and went back to hugging the bar. The bro tried a few more times, even grabbing the douche's shirt to get him to move so that Jackson could see the show, but he didnt budge. I even said to him "C'mon man, the guys in a damned wheelchair. He's only got 2 weeks left to live! Let him see Slipknot before he dies!" This was a total lie of course, but I wanted him to get up front to see the damn show. But not even my lie got him to move. I told him he's going to Metal Hell, where all they play is Yanni and Abba. We even tried to get the security people to get Jackson in front of the bar, at the sidestage, but they couldnt for "security reasons". Bullshit. Jackson's chair was more a danger in the pen than at the sidestage.
Once Slipknot opens up with [SIC] the crowd goes fucking nuts, and it gets even harder to protect Jackson from falling. On top of this, I had a woman next to me that told me she had a metal plate in her head that if it gets knocked the right way, she could die. I asked her what the fuck was she doing this close to the stage with all the psychos then? Then I saw the Slipknot tattoo on her back and I said no more. Her fucking funeral.
Now, Jackson's wheelchair is being pushed against my kneecaps really damned hard. I'm trying to get a decent foot hold on the floor so I can make a decent stand against the crowd, but there was no room. The only way I had any stability was when I locked my knees, but with the chair's bar pushing against them, I knew that if that chair got knocked really damned hard, it could bend my knee backwards. Just as this thought dawned on me, I felt myself getting sucked back by the crowd. Gravity, a huge pit and crazy people pushed me back, away from Jackson. I got to the side bar and took a breather.
This just happened to be providence because Shawn #6 jumped down off the sage and came to give high-5's to the people in the stands, but not in the pen (where I was). I managed to give him a good pat on the shoulder though. Man...that clown was fucking sweaty...but still.
After my 2 minute break, the boys started playing "Get this or Die" and I had to fucking mosh. I found me a decent pit, and made some friends. All was right with the world.
Whilst in the pit someone handed me a water bottle. I took a swig and, still a little worried about my disabled friend, decided to find him and give him the rest of the water (he mentioned he was getting dehydrated very early in the set). So I pit-hopped my way to him. When I finally found Jackson, he was being supported by two very large bros by his arms so he could actually see the show. He later told me that the water helped a lot. I went back to the pit, feeling better about finding my abandoned metalhead wingman. When Corey said that "People = Shit" was going to be their last song, Jackson had people lift him up and crowd surf him. Then they surfed his chair to him. I moshed the shit out of that song, and when the lights were out while the Nine prepared for the encore, I tried to find Jackson again, but couldnt find him in the crowd. He later told me that he powered his way back to the front in his chair. The band re-opened with Pyschosocial and I had to mosh some more.
During "Spit it Out" all the fans got down on their knees, but I refused to. I love Slipknot, but I dont get on my knees for anyone. Its a warrior's pride. I cant help it. People kept trying to tear my down, grabbing my shirt and shit. But I stood tall, and I am 90% sure the band acknowledged my existence. I kept trying to get Mick's (#7) attention because he's my fucking musical inspiration, but the mountain man was stoic as usual. Whatever. You can actually see me standing in the video someone at the show shot for "Spit it Out" on YouTube (The one where you finally get to see Shawn's daughter w/ the camera).
The band then played their closer "Surfacing", which I knew is one of Jackson's favorite Slipknot songs. Sure enough, I looked forward, and there was Jackson crowd surfing again, but this time he was IN his chair. He managed to stay up there for a while. It was one of the most metal things I have ever seen. Once he got down behind the bar, the Blue Shirts started to give him shit, "You should have stayed in the bleachers!", "That's dangerous", "You could have and hurt someone!". But all Jackson said was "FUCK IT ALL!! FUCK THIS WORLD!! FUCK EVERYTHING THAT YOU STAND FOR!!! DONT BELONG!! DONT ACCEPT!! DONT GIVE A SHIT!! DONT EVER JUDGE ME!!!!!!" Corey and James actually heard him.
Shortly after that, while he was still in front of the bar, next to the stage, someone without a mask wearing a slipknot jumpsuit jumped down and gave him a hug. Jackson couldnt remember his face, but he was he had a badly tied knot of hair in the back of his head. I said it might have been Sid or Shawn, but we will probably never know for sure.
On our way up the stairs after the show was over, Jackson was able to climb them while I carried his chair (He can walk, just not very well and for very short distances). People were saying "Dude! your the guy who surfed in the chair! Badass!!" and I started yelling "SLIPKNOT HAS HEALED HIS LEGS!! HAIL SLIPKNOT!!!" It was good times.
He got a similar reception on our way back to the car. People shaking his hand, high-fives, etc. He was a regular fucking celebrity.
Jackson crowd surfing
On a related note, I was walking through campus as I was late for my midterm, and I was listening to my iPod and the Slipknot song came on "My Plague" which is the single they used for the Resident Evil movie soundtrack. Just as I rounded the corner, there were seriously about 12 Zombies walking through campus. My hand intinctly went for the knife I keep in my pocket, but then I realized a split-second later that they were students dressed up for "Zombie Day" or some crap. I walked right through the hoard silently daring one of them to fuck with me (my knife was NOT drawn mind you). It was a fun coincidence.
Midterms suck.
Saw Slipknot on Wednesday in Sacramento. One of the best shows I've ever been to
Full story of this rather eventful concert and more pics under cut. Its a little long, but a LOT happened.
(Pics at bottom)
Me and my wheelchair-bound friend to the March 11 '09 show in Sacramento and it was fucking [SIC]!!
Now, my friend, Jackson is a hardcore metalhead, and an even more hardcore Slipknot fan, and he refuses to let his disability to stop him from having the most brutal concert experiences. So we forced our way to the almost the front of the general admission floor, but we got to a point where people either couldn't move out of our way, or wouldn't. Slipknot hadn't even come on stage yet, and the crowd's tide was already pretty strong. I managed to get about 7 beefy bros to make kind of a perimeter around Jackson to stop him from getting knocked over or having people fall on him. We still tried to get up to the bar, but no one could/would move. Even 3 rows in, Jackson couldnt see anything. One of the bros tried to get one of the guys at the bar to move, "C'mon, he's in a fucking wheelchair" said the bro. But the douche-bag at the bar just shrugged and went back to hugging the bar. The bro tried a few more times, even grabbing the douche's shirt to get him to move so that Jackson could see the show, but he didnt budge. I even said to him "C'mon man, the guys in a damned wheelchair. He's only got 2 weeks left to live! Let him see Slipknot before he dies!" This was a total lie of course, but I wanted him to get up front to see the damn show. But not even my lie got him to move. I told him he's going to Metal Hell, where all they play is Yanni and Abba. We even tried to get the security people to get Jackson in front of the bar, at the sidestage, but they couldnt for "security reasons". Bullshit. Jackson's chair was more a danger in the pen than at the sidestage.
Once Slipknot opens up with [SIC] the crowd goes fucking nuts, and it gets even harder to protect Jackson from falling. On top of this, I had a woman next to me that told me she had a metal plate in her head that if it gets knocked the right way, she could die. I asked her what the fuck was she doing this close to the stage with all the psychos then? Then I saw the Slipknot tattoo on her back and I said no more. Her fucking funeral.
Now, Jackson's wheelchair is being pushed against my kneecaps really damned hard. I'm trying to get a decent foot hold on the floor so I can make a decent stand against the crowd, but there was no room. The only way I had any stability was when I locked my knees, but with the chair's bar pushing against them, I knew that if that chair got knocked really damned hard, it could bend my knee backwards. Just as this thought dawned on me, I felt myself getting sucked back by the crowd. Gravity, a huge pit and crazy people pushed me back, away from Jackson. I got to the side bar and took a breather.
This just happened to be providence because Shawn #6 jumped down off the sage and came to give high-5's to the people in the stands, but not in the pen (where I was). I managed to give him a good pat on the shoulder though. Man...that clown was fucking sweaty...but still.
After my 2 minute break, the boys started playing "Get this or Die" and I had to fucking mosh. I found me a decent pit, and made some friends. All was right with the world.
Whilst in the pit someone handed me a water bottle. I took a swig and, still a little worried about my disabled friend, decided to find him and give him the rest of the water (he mentioned he was getting dehydrated very early in the set). So I pit-hopped my way to him. When I finally found Jackson, he was being supported by two very large bros by his arms so he could actually see the show. He later told me that the water helped a lot. I went back to the pit, feeling better about finding my abandoned metalhead wingman. When Corey said that "People = Shit" was going to be their last song, Jackson had people lift him up and crowd surf him. Then they surfed his chair to him. I moshed the shit out of that song, and when the lights were out while the Nine prepared for the encore, I tried to find Jackson again, but couldnt find him in the crowd. He later told me that he powered his way back to the front in his chair. The band re-opened with Pyschosocial and I had to mosh some more.
During "Spit it Out" all the fans got down on their knees, but I refused to. I love Slipknot, but I dont get on my knees for anyone. Its a warrior's pride. I cant help it. People kept trying to tear my down, grabbing my shirt and shit. But I stood tall, and I am 90% sure the band acknowledged my existence. I kept trying to get Mick's (#7) attention because he's my fucking musical inspiration, but the mountain man was stoic as usual. Whatever. You can actually see me standing in the video someone at the show shot for "Spit it Out" on YouTube (The one where you finally get to see Shawn's daughter w/ the camera).
The band then played their closer "Surfacing", which I knew is one of Jackson's favorite Slipknot songs. Sure enough, I looked forward, and there was Jackson crowd surfing again, but this time he was IN his chair. He managed to stay up there for a while. It was one of the most metal things I have ever seen. Once he got down behind the bar, the Blue Shirts started to give him shit, "You should have stayed in the bleachers!", "That's dangerous", "You could have and hurt someone!". But all Jackson said was "FUCK IT ALL!! FUCK THIS WORLD!! FUCK EVERYTHING THAT YOU STAND FOR!!! DONT BELONG!! DONT ACCEPT!! DONT GIVE A SHIT!! DONT EVER JUDGE ME!!!!!!" Corey and James actually heard him.
Shortly after that, while he was still in front of the bar, next to the stage, someone without a mask wearing a slipknot jumpsuit jumped down and gave him a hug. Jackson couldnt remember his face, but he was he had a badly tied knot of hair in the back of his head. I said it might have been Sid or Shawn, but we will probably never know for sure.
On our way up the stairs after the show was over, Jackson was able to climb them while I carried his chair (He can walk, just not very well and for very short distances). People were saying "Dude! your the guy who surfed in the chair! Badass!!" and I started yelling "SLIPKNOT HAS HEALED HIS LEGS!! HAIL SLIPKNOT!!!" It was good times.
He got a similar reception on our way back to the car. People shaking his hand, high-fives, etc. He was a regular fucking celebrity.
Jackson crowd surfing
On a related note, I was walking through campus as I was late for my midterm, and I was listening to my iPod and the Slipknot song came on "My Plague" which is the single they used for the Resident Evil movie soundtrack. Just as I rounded the corner, there were seriously about 12 Zombies walking through campus. My hand intinctly went for the knife I keep in my pocket, but then I realized a split-second later that they were students dressed up for "Zombie Day" or some crap. I walked right through the hoard silently daring one of them to fuck with me (my knife was NOT drawn mind you). It was a fun coincidence.
Midterms suck.