A7X A7X A7X A7X A7X
Ok so since it’s 5:30 am and I can’t sleep right now and I have no class to worry about tomorrow I figured I’d do a review of somesort of Avenged Sevenfold's: nightmare after xmas tour! (with new medicine, hollywood undead, and stone sour)
THIS IS FOR YOU GINNY
OK so mac and I got to the venue around 2 and hopped in the line. it was perfect timing cause than everyone started to line up and we were like not the front but probably like the first 20 people. we made some friends, froze to death and got fucked over at the door by 1 of the asshole workers (basically I had my bag which was a drawstring sling on your back little bag and it was checked by a girl and i asked her if it was ok and she’s like yea its totally fine! and than right when my ticket was gonna get scanned the douche called me out and said “no bags like that allowed in my pit!” and there was a chick who got in with a HUGE ASS PURSE. So I went “But I got it checked and I got cleared.” douche says “I don’t care! take it to your car or throw it out!” so mac and I had to both pull over and sling over sweatshirts and shit (there was alot of stuff believe me) to our bodies (I ended up with some stuff down my pants ok? I looked like a tool hahaha) and we had to throw out the bags. So than I was beyond pissed cause we were SO CLOSE TO THE BARRIER and couldve gotten it if it wasn’t for the asshole.
But i guess we cheered up when we got compliments on our homemade tees (a7x skulls on the front, jimmy tributes on the sleeves and mac had SULLIVAN with a 0 like his back tattoo while I had VENGEANCE with a 7 like his back tattoo. yea. we are badass!)
OK! so we end up on the left/center side. cool! I ended up behind mac at first and than somehow ninjaed my way next to her pushing away this VERY TALL FAT MAN I COULDN’T SEE FOR SHIT WHILE STANDING BEHIND MAC. Like I could only see what was in front of me and that’s it. and I didn’t care until before stone sour came on cause I was like “dude I paid for this I want to be able to see A7X!” so I ninjaed my way up more and he eventually vanished. idk! but the girl infront of me who was on the barrier was a complete bitch cause I was talking to a girl who it was her first concert in a pit and I was like “i’m sorry if i push up against you and totally violate you’re personal space it’ll be the people pushing behind me attempting to get to the front.” and she’s like “ahh that really happens?” i was like “yea especially for the main band.” and the bitch girl turns around and goes “well DUHHH we are in a pit!” (Way to be rude!) she said a ot of other dumb shit the whole night as well. Needless to say that btich was my leaning post when A7X came on.
/end rant.
now I will get onto the music. because MUSIC IS AWESOME OKAY!
So first was a band called New Medicine. Which usually for a first opening band I have very low expectations. but they were great! they had energy, stage presence...and a cute lefty bassist ;D But I really did liked their songs they were different! like there was a song about Rich Kids and how they always get what they want but the cooler kids are the ones who work their way through life. idk! oh here the part of the song that i loved the most “but i don’t give a damn about no higher degree, cause you know we’re rock and roll, I got a PhD, bitch!” hahaha. Lyrics. they are fun! But yes I very much liked this band and I’m totally gonna get their album
Next was hollywood undead. For those who don’t know they are a rap/rock group who wear masks and use a electronic drumset and a normal drumset at the same time! halfway through they removed their masks and someone was like “what you can’t do that removing masks what take a pic!” (so i guess that don’t happen often...or at all?!) and I mean I knew certain parts of their songs cause mac got me the album but I found myself getting bored. I don’t know why, but my mind was drifting. maybe it’s because most of their songs sounded the same to me, I’m not sure!
Next up was stone sour. and they were very good as well! I knew a few of their songs but for the songs I didn’t know I just bobbed my head around a lot and the guitarist seemed to notice (maybe). but now, I will give great details for...
AVENGED SEVENFOLD! (WARNING: Lots of flailing about Zacky. I don't mean to come off as a fan girl but he is pretty!)
ok so they threw this huge ass black curtain down so u couldn’t see them setting up the set or anything. but when the curtain dropped you looked up and LOOK THERE IS A DUDE ON THE PLATFORM HIGH UP IN THE SKY! and than some random music comes on and uh oh he is complating suicide. so (with bungees attached) he fake hangs himself! and than that’s when the nightmare intro started to play. well let’s just say I was VERY EXCITED! and when Zacky came out I nearly died. we were RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS MIC AND MY DAY HAD JUST BEEN MADE!
A few non music details I’d like to point out before going on
1. THEY ARE ALL SO SO SO GORGEOUS IN PERSON GAHHH!
2. Zacky V Is way more beautiful in person. like way more!
3. Matt seemed shorter than I expected him to be
4. Matt is also Italian because he basically moves his hands so much when he’s singing.
5. Johnny get’s picked on a lot and it’s hilarious and cute!
6. Brian makes silly faces like it’s his job!
7. The new drummer for now is Arin Ilejay. and he actually seemed like he didn’t miss a beat. his inspiration for playing was jimmy so they went from having one of jimmy’s idols behind the set to someone who idolized him. very cool!
Now onto the set list!
Nightmare
Gah this song is so amazing live! The guitar’s just blow your mind. a great intro song too!
- Critical Acclaim
so after nightmare I was somewhat blocked by security guards (they’d stand up and block everyone’s view whenever they thought they saw crowd surfers which was....alot!) but I could see that matt wondered over to a organ. and guess what he was playing the opening to Critical acclaim! GAH GAH GAH! <3 Screaming, fist pumping and jimmy’s vocals from the speakers were al included. and fire! but that happened in like every song. -
Welcome To The Family
I believe matt rambled here. and introduced Arin who kicked into a little drum solo which than entered into the actual song. - Danger Line
More matt rambling about how they played for the troops in Iraq and said they never played this live. and than they did! sweet! towards the end at the piano part zacky kinda just walked back and hid while matt put his heart and soul into the lyrics. I felt like he mightve maybe wanted to cry but I’m not sure! - Buried Alive
Brian starts out with the guitar. IT SOUNDED EXCATLY LIKE THE ALBUM! I seriously don’t think he missed a note. Than of course if you know this song you know it shifts back and forth between slow and heavy. and that’s excatly what happened
So Far Away
the stage is dark. I see Zacky wonder off to grab an acoustic guitar. my heart sinks as I turn to Mac and say “is it crying time now?” and I turned back to only watch the previous banner fall to reveal the famous jimmy banner. and they all turned and stared at it for a few seconds, I just cried. I seriously not just a tear but like bawling! and than matt turns and was like “you know who this crazy motherfucker is!” and we all started a “Jimmy” chant. and he smiled. than I remember him saying “well I hope that when you get to heaven you all get a chance to sit down and have a chat with him.” and I had chills run down my spine. only because a few weeks ago i had a dream that jimmy and i were chatting away in a random diner and that it was the most real dream i’ve ever had. so this caused more waterworks... when they were playing i could see zacky holding back tears. way more waterworks. than matt had everyone hold up lighters and cell phones for that “crazy motherfucker in the sky” -
Afterlife
I was sooo excited about afterlife. Mainly for the guitar soloing and the matt/jimmy duet. which again was played through the speakers. but still it was beautiful! and brian yet again shredded my face off. nailed it! perfect. Oh how i wish I could whip out solos like he does!
God Hates Us
while zacky’s playing the pretty intro, Matt goes “so I hear reading is a religous place” and everyone in the audience laughs “oh, was that laughter I heard?!?!” and of course this entered into “GOD HATES US ALLLLLLL!” with lots of screaming. and pyro! yay! Bat Country
they basically went right into this. and this was such a fun song to hear live! Because of how changes from verse to chorus to verse to solo. The mood of the music is just constantly changing. therefore, awesome! got cock blocked by the security guards a lot though so not much else to report sadly!
Unholy Confessions
they than went non stop into unholy confessions where zacky got to play some lead. halfway through matt somewhat stops everyone and was like “I want to see pushing front to back, side to side biggest circle pit ever! If you’re afraid I suggest you leave the pit nowww!” well there was a lot of pushing. but idk I think all the crazy mosh circle pit/crowd surfing was in the center, not off the side. not that I cared. keep the crowd surfing away from me! (and somehow I managed to avoid it all night. while mac got hit twice = / )
Encore:
as the lights were pitch black and we seriously waited for 10+ minutes for them to come back out I went over the possibilities of encore songs. Seize the day? that was one of my guesses. Fiction? that was the one I assumed they would NEVER EVER PLAY LIVE. and my heart longed for a little piece of heaven but haven’t played it since jimmy passed. so I guessed Seize the Day and maybe Almost Easy? well my guess WASN’T EVEN CLOSE.
When the lights finally turned back on, all you saw was a microphone, the drum set and a piano on the other side of the stage. I thought “no way, fiction? no no no” but guess what it was...
Fiction
Matt, Arin and the empty piano. the lights would focus in on matt when he sang and the piano light would focus on whenever jimmy sang from the heavens. needless to say I cried again! I can’t believe they did this! seriously...the 1 song I thought they’d never touch they did! And I mean it was only matt, arin and a empty piano, but still! fucking shivers everywhere! everyone around me was in shock that they did that. “did that really just happen?” is what I heard a lot of. It was a complete shocker.
so than the lights when dim again and there was more waiting. and than when the lights came back on everyone was back on stage (zacky had unbuttoned his shirt a bit... ;D ) and matt went “well ok we’ll play you one more song...and this one is funner than the last one, I promise!”
A Little Piece Of Heaven
needless to say when the orchestra played through the speakers I FREAKED THE FUCK OUT. never ever ever did i think they’d pick up a little piece of heaven again but they did! and GAH GAH IT WAS JUST AMAZING! To the silly faces to the vocal madness and the hand motions. it was just a great way to end the concert
and during zacky’s “priest part” he kind of glances at matt when he does it and when he goes “do you take this women to be yours for the rest of your unnatural life?” Matt SMILES WIDE AND GOES “why yes of course!” and taps his shoulder. SUCH A CUTE MOMENT, I DIED!!!!!
What a great way to end a show! seriously! and than even when they were done playing they all stayed out on the stage for a extra 5 minutes handing out picks, set lists, drum sticks, water bottles etc. I tried very hard the whole night for a zacky pick as did mac tried for me but the bitches in front of us were hard to get past =[ but that’s okay. just the fact that instead of rushing off stage they stayed to make sure every little thing of theirs got to the audience is just pure dedication! Oh and I forgot to mention Zacky kicked over his mic stand. and I laughed at him for doing so. just cause!
after concert highlights included walking outside to see police cars, ambulances and firetrucks blocking off the streets & making the guy in wawa very jealous.
Avenged sevenfold are officially on my “see whenever you can” list. They really know how to put on a show, and sound as good as (probably even better) than there studio albums. I already wish I could relive this night again and again, even though i’m sore as hell and sweaty to no end!!!
Well now to go enjoy my concert hangover, not sleeping and no class to worry about. woot!
THIS IS FOR YOU GINNY
OK so mac and I got to the venue around 2 and hopped in the line. it was perfect timing cause than everyone started to line up and we were like not the front but probably like the first 20 people. we made some friends, froze to death and got fucked over at the door by 1 of the asshole workers (basically I had my bag which was a drawstring sling on your back little bag and it was checked by a girl and i asked her if it was ok and she’s like yea its totally fine! and than right when my ticket was gonna get scanned the douche called me out and said “no bags like that allowed in my pit!” and there was a chick who got in with a HUGE ASS PURSE. So I went “But I got it checked and I got cleared.” douche says “I don’t care! take it to your car or throw it out!” so mac and I had to both pull over and sling over sweatshirts and shit (there was alot of stuff believe me) to our bodies (I ended up with some stuff down my pants ok? I looked like a tool hahaha) and we had to throw out the bags. So than I was beyond pissed cause we were SO CLOSE TO THE BARRIER and couldve gotten it if it wasn’t for the asshole.
But i guess we cheered up when we got compliments on our homemade tees (a7x skulls on the front, jimmy tributes on the sleeves and mac had SULLIVAN with a 0 like his back tattoo while I had VENGEANCE with a 7 like his back tattoo. yea. we are badass!)
OK! so we end up on the left/center side. cool! I ended up behind mac at first and than somehow ninjaed my way next to her pushing away this VERY TALL FAT MAN I COULDN’T SEE FOR SHIT WHILE STANDING BEHIND MAC. Like I could only see what was in front of me and that’s it. and I didn’t care until before stone sour came on cause I was like “dude I paid for this I want to be able to see A7X!” so I ninjaed my way up more and he eventually vanished. idk! but the girl infront of me who was on the barrier was a complete bitch cause I was talking to a girl who it was her first concert in a pit and I was like “i’m sorry if i push up against you and totally violate you’re personal space it’ll be the people pushing behind me attempting to get to the front.” and she’s like “ahh that really happens?” i was like “yea especially for the main band.” and the bitch girl turns around and goes “well DUHHH we are in a pit!” (Way to be rude!) she said a ot of other dumb shit the whole night as well. Needless to say that btich was my leaning post when A7X came on.
/end rant.
now I will get onto the music. because MUSIC IS AWESOME OKAY!
So first was a band called New Medicine. Which usually for a first opening band I have very low expectations. but they were great! they had energy, stage presence...and a cute lefty bassist ;D But I really did liked their songs they were different! like there was a song about Rich Kids and how they always get what they want but the cooler kids are the ones who work their way through life. idk! oh here the part of the song that i loved the most “but i don’t give a damn about no higher degree, cause you know we’re rock and roll, I got a PhD, bitch!” hahaha. Lyrics. they are fun! But yes I very much liked this band and I’m totally gonna get their album
Next was hollywood undead. For those who don’t know they are a rap/rock group who wear masks and use a electronic drumset and a normal drumset at the same time! halfway through they removed their masks and someone was like “what you can’t do that removing masks what take a pic!” (so i guess that don’t happen often...or at all?!) and I mean I knew certain parts of their songs cause mac got me the album but I found myself getting bored. I don’t know why, but my mind was drifting. maybe it’s because most of their songs sounded the same to me, I’m not sure!
Next up was stone sour. and they were very good as well! I knew a few of their songs but for the songs I didn’t know I just bobbed my head around a lot and the guitarist seemed to notice (maybe). but now, I will give great details for...
AVENGED SEVENFOLD! (WARNING: Lots of flailing about Zacky. I don't mean to come off as a fan girl but he is pretty!)
ok so they threw this huge ass black curtain down so u couldn’t see them setting up the set or anything. but when the curtain dropped you looked up and LOOK THERE IS A DUDE ON THE PLATFORM HIGH UP IN THE SKY! and than some random music comes on and uh oh he is complating suicide. so (with bungees attached) he fake hangs himself! and than that’s when the nightmare intro started to play. well let’s just say I was VERY EXCITED! and when Zacky came out I nearly died. we were RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS MIC AND MY DAY HAD JUST BEEN MADE!
A few non music details I’d like to point out before going on
1. THEY ARE ALL SO SO SO GORGEOUS IN PERSON GAHHH!
2. Zacky V Is way more beautiful in person. like way more!
3. Matt seemed shorter than I expected him to be
4. Matt is also Italian because he basically moves his hands so much when he’s singing.
5. Johnny get’s picked on a lot and it’s hilarious and cute!
6. Brian makes silly faces like it’s his job!
7. The new drummer for now is Arin Ilejay. and he actually seemed like he didn’t miss a beat. his inspiration for playing was jimmy so they went from having one of jimmy’s idols behind the set to someone who idolized him. very cool!
Now onto the set list!
Nightmare
Gah this song is so amazing live! The guitar’s just blow your mind. a great intro song too!
- Critical Acclaim
so after nightmare I was somewhat blocked by security guards (they’d stand up and block everyone’s view whenever they thought they saw crowd surfers which was....alot!) but I could see that matt wondered over to a organ. and guess what he was playing the opening to Critical acclaim! GAH GAH GAH! <3 Screaming, fist pumping and jimmy’s vocals from the speakers were al included. and fire! but that happened in like every song. -
Welcome To The Family
I believe matt rambled here. and introduced Arin who kicked into a little drum solo which than entered into the actual song. - Danger Line
More matt rambling about how they played for the troops in Iraq and said they never played this live. and than they did! sweet! towards the end at the piano part zacky kinda just walked back and hid while matt put his heart and soul into the lyrics. I felt like he mightve maybe wanted to cry but I’m not sure! - Buried Alive
Brian starts out with the guitar. IT SOUNDED EXCATLY LIKE THE ALBUM! I seriously don’t think he missed a note. Than of course if you know this song you know it shifts back and forth between slow and heavy. and that’s excatly what happened
So Far Away
the stage is dark. I see Zacky wonder off to grab an acoustic guitar. my heart sinks as I turn to Mac and say “is it crying time now?” and I turned back to only watch the previous banner fall to reveal the famous jimmy banner. and they all turned and stared at it for a few seconds, I just cried. I seriously not just a tear but like bawling! and than matt turns and was like “you know who this crazy motherfucker is!” and we all started a “Jimmy” chant. and he smiled. than I remember him saying “well I hope that when you get to heaven you all get a chance to sit down and have a chat with him.” and I had chills run down my spine. only because a few weeks ago i had a dream that jimmy and i were chatting away in a random diner and that it was the most real dream i’ve ever had. so this caused more waterworks... when they were playing i could see zacky holding back tears. way more waterworks. than matt had everyone hold up lighters and cell phones for that “crazy motherfucker in the sky” -
Afterlife
I was sooo excited about afterlife. Mainly for the guitar soloing and the matt/jimmy duet. which again was played through the speakers. but still it was beautiful! and brian yet again shredded my face off. nailed it! perfect. Oh how i wish I could whip out solos like he does!
God Hates Us
while zacky’s playing the pretty intro, Matt goes “so I hear reading is a religous place” and everyone in the audience laughs “oh, was that laughter I heard?!?!” and of course this entered into “GOD HATES US ALLLLLLL!” with lots of screaming. and pyro! yay! Bat Country
they basically went right into this. and this was such a fun song to hear live! Because of how changes from verse to chorus to verse to solo. The mood of the music is just constantly changing. therefore, awesome! got cock blocked by the security guards a lot though so not much else to report sadly!
Unholy Confessions
they than went non stop into unholy confessions where zacky got to play some lead. halfway through matt somewhat stops everyone and was like “I want to see pushing front to back, side to side biggest circle pit ever! If you’re afraid I suggest you leave the pit nowww!” well there was a lot of pushing. but idk I think all the crazy mosh circle pit/crowd surfing was in the center, not off the side. not that I cared. keep the crowd surfing away from me! (and somehow I managed to avoid it all night. while mac got hit twice = / )
Encore:
as the lights were pitch black and we seriously waited for 10+ minutes for them to come back out I went over the possibilities of encore songs. Seize the day? that was one of my guesses. Fiction? that was the one I assumed they would NEVER EVER PLAY LIVE. and my heart longed for a little piece of heaven but haven’t played it since jimmy passed. so I guessed Seize the Day and maybe Almost Easy? well my guess WASN’T EVEN CLOSE.
When the lights finally turned back on, all you saw was a microphone, the drum set and a piano on the other side of the stage. I thought “no way, fiction? no no no” but guess what it was...
Fiction
Matt, Arin and the empty piano. the lights would focus in on matt when he sang and the piano light would focus on whenever jimmy sang from the heavens. needless to say I cried again! I can’t believe they did this! seriously...the 1 song I thought they’d never touch they did! And I mean it was only matt, arin and a empty piano, but still! fucking shivers everywhere! everyone around me was in shock that they did that. “did that really just happen?” is what I heard a lot of. It was a complete shocker.
so than the lights when dim again and there was more waiting. and than when the lights came back on everyone was back on stage (zacky had unbuttoned his shirt a bit... ;D ) and matt went “well ok we’ll play you one more song...and this one is funner than the last one, I promise!”
A Little Piece Of Heaven
needless to say when the orchestra played through the speakers I FREAKED THE FUCK OUT. never ever ever did i think they’d pick up a little piece of heaven again but they did! and GAH GAH IT WAS JUST AMAZING! To the silly faces to the vocal madness and the hand motions. it was just a great way to end the concert
and during zacky’s “priest part” he kind of glances at matt when he does it and when he goes “do you take this women to be yours for the rest of your unnatural life?” Matt SMILES WIDE AND GOES “why yes of course!” and taps his shoulder. SUCH A CUTE MOMENT, I DIED!!!!!
What a great way to end a show! seriously! and than even when they were done playing they all stayed out on the stage for a extra 5 minutes handing out picks, set lists, drum sticks, water bottles etc. I tried very hard the whole night for a zacky pick as did mac tried for me but the bitches in front of us were hard to get past =[ but that’s okay. just the fact that instead of rushing off stage they stayed to make sure every little thing of theirs got to the audience is just pure dedication! Oh and I forgot to mention Zacky kicked over his mic stand. and I laughed at him for doing so. just cause!
after concert highlights included walking outside to see police cars, ambulances and firetrucks blocking off the streets & making the guy in wawa very jealous.
Avenged sevenfold are officially on my “see whenever you can” list. They really know how to put on a show, and sound as good as (probably even better) than there studio albums. I already wish I could relive this night again and again, even though i’m sore as hell and sweaty to no end!!!
Well now to go enjoy my concert hangover, not sleeping and no class to worry about. woot!