april 21st 2005
so.... last thursday was the final Olsen show ever.
thursday-
I worked from 645-9am... came home, showered, and then took off to cleveland. i scooped up rob at his house and took off driving to sell tickets. gotta love driving allllll over cleveland to meet up with people for 5 seconds. but hey, its all part of the job, eh?
then after a few hours i met up at the pirates cove with Joe, Kim, Kevin, the lady he brought, Anthony, Jeff and his girlfriend.... we loaded in and i was running around with my head cut off trying to take care of my getting my camera set up, getting the money for the tickets straight, running outside to sell more tickets, and trying to smile. i was stressed to say the least. fortunatly i sold more tickets than stray bullet so they went on first which gave me a little more time to get organized.
there was definatly a little saddness in the fact that Brian and Tim choose not to join us. it would have been nice to end everything together.. as the whole olsen family... but *shrug* hey they did what they felt was right for them.... so i have to support whatever they feel.
luckily, we hit the jackpot with Jeff helping us out. He's an amazing guitarist and not only picked up our set in only 2 practices... but played it better than any of us every have.
so. we are all up on stage... sound check... they dim the lights and the sound guy says "ok it is 740... you have until 805" and anthony hands his guitar to kevin and runs offstage.. we were all like uhhh WTF!!! where is anthony going? hahahha. he ran off to give his mp3 player to the sound guy. it was quite funny looking back on it.
kevin introduces us... "we are olsen from detroit michigan"..... lots of applause.... "and this is our last show.... ever"
weird weird feeling. and in the back of all 5 of our heads i think there was a tiny worry of these kids are not going to like us......
we rip right into Propositioning a Freight Train. i'm full of more energy and cockiness than ever. i scan the faces in the crowd, which i never do.... inside i have the biggest smile ever knowing that in the first 10 seconds of our set we have already demanded the audiences attention and we have all 100+ people in the pirates cove watching us at this moment. damn it feels good to be a gansta.... errrr something like that.
the song ends..... and we get a great fucking responce. hootin, hollerin, whistlin..... i was grinning ear to ear as i had my back turned to the crowd to tune. we play August next. and all i could think the whole song was about how i've played this song on stage for over 2 years now.... and this was the last time. and thats when i began to get a bit emotion in my head. i looked upstairs to the balcony where my oldest brother craig was standing, guarding my camera and tripod... it was one of those frozen moments in time where i was just looking up and i dont remember anyone else being in the room.... craig threw me the metal horns, with this proud smile on his face... and i smiled... kind of misty eyed at that point and nodded.
Pretty Girls and Gasoline was our third song... and as the two songs before it sounded absolutly incredible. i couldnt stop smiling.... i felt so proud. i found my brother doug in the crowd and gave him a nodd.... and he nodded back almost as an approval thing.... and i couldnt help but just be over filled with happiness, saddness, and overall awe...... there were so many people watching us.... many of which were people that mean a great deal to me....
Kevin says we have two more songs.... and cheap cheap merch. i just couldnt stop looking around the room. The Thin Brown Line is our 4th song.... we get right into it.... i love that song. i think it was my favorite olsen song we ever played. i remembering looking out to rob during the middle of it and knowing he was thinking "you cant give up music, court"..... and i remember looking at michelle W, and doug, and craig, and michelle S, and these girls i didnt know standing on the stairs, and these old fellas in the back by the doors, and all these faces from detroit of kids i had seen at shows or had met before.... i'd say 15+ michigan kids... and looking at jenni, and seeing guns and tim.... and just thinking "this is what i love more than anything in the world... this moment right here". and i dont think ive been prouder in my life.
and so it came time.... for We Call This The End..... the last olsen song..... ever. i was definatly overcome with an extreme sadness. its hard to say goodbye to something you put so much time, effort and money into. olsen was my life for the past year and two months. but then there was the feeling of relief knowing the drama would be done with.. and that we would all be so much happier doing what we wanted to do and finding people that shared our like-mindedness musically and personally.
we played that song like it's never been played before. and i will say that after watching the video tape of our set, kevin sang that show like ive never heard him sing before. it was incredible.
and i remember making eye contact with anthony during the last minute of the song... and we nodded to each other.... and then i looked over at kevin and joe... and i just couldnt have been prouder than i was standing up there with those boys on that night. it was truely unfortunate to not have brian in attendance but he was there in our hearts.
we hit the final note........ and with that a single tear rolled down my cheek. bittersweet at its fucking finest. emotional to say goodbye, but it was time.
and we couldnt have picked a better show or a better night to bring everything to an end. and its funny how stressed out, upset, and nervous i was the week before the show wondering if we would even play, and if we could pull shit off.... and it turned out to be our best show ever.
not to mention we opened for the Acacia Strain, Warriors, Remembering Never, and Terror..... what a high note to go out on... playing with your favorite band. although having my brothers in attendence for our final show meant even more to me than anything.
by the time terror played there was like 300+ kids there and you couldnt even get into the pirates cove.. i had to watch from the packed hallway. it was fucking wonderful though.
26 shows were played over the past year by olsen. 26 shows that no matter how stupid ( jesusland ), embarressing *cough nascar fest cough*, far away ( big daddys ), empty, or blah they were.. i wouldnt have changed a thing. we all grew as a result from each of those expiriences..... and when things were good, they were great.
and i guess heres the point where i say my thank yous to the fellas.....
first and foremost brian- i'm not quite sure what has forced this distance between us in the past 2 weeks but it truely breaks my heart... because you over everyone have become my closest friend around here over the past year. god, there were so many nights i was in terrible moods and you always fucking knew how to make me laugh... and when there was nothing left to say you offered me a hug. you were seriuosly my rock in things and i always knew i could turn to you when i needed to vent or was in search of advice. we were always on the same page and i could always count on you..... you are one of my inspirations and i thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have taught me. i wish you much success in whatever you choose to do in life... i know you have the drive to acheive anything you set your sights on.
Kevin- my oh my.... we have been to heck and back over the past 2 years. if it wasnt for you and anthony who knows if i would have ever pursued picking up my bass and trying to make things happen with it. and for that i owe you both a ton. its been quite the great journey being able to travel and play in a band with my best friend. i wont lie there were many nights that i wanted to stangle you because you didnt come to practice, but in the end none of that matters. what matters is that we made some amazing fucking music together and fuck, when everything else has been taken from you, they cant take the music out of your heart... its forever inside... AHHHHAHAHHAA. BFFs till death. i truely hope that someday soon you find what you are so desperatly searching for... kevin needs to be happy. never stop singing... you are wonderful.
Joe- i will admit it took me a little while to warm up to you.... you never talked when we first started as a band and i took that as you hating all of us. but once you started farting every two seconds i knew things were going to be fine hehe. your drumming fucking blows my mind. i love your attitude that "a shows a show" and that you would do a show anytime anywhere just because you want to play music. i admire that so much. i cherish all the amazing rides with you guys in THE DUDE. you always seemed to get me excited about things. and i appreciate the fact that youve always been 100 percent honest and true to yourself and youre not afraid to speak up.
and then theres anthony-it's no lie that we've butted our heads a million times over the past two years. but as i said to kevin, if it wasnt for you two kids, who knows if i would have ever mustered up the audacity to start playing. you have helped me out a lot over time and always listened to my millions of questions i had. and i now know that a 1999 sunfire gets 18 miles to a gallon. heh. i think you are very talented and i hope you find kids that you can mesh with musically because i think you would be happier... and then you can go ask people to pay you guys! heh
and i just want to thank each and every one of you kids out there that have supported olsen either by coming out to shows, buying merch, or offering kind words.... your encouragement meant the world and will always be etched into my heart....
ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.... a chapter ending to a new beggining, right?
i'm ready for the next step.
here is a lovely little video for you kiddos..... the first song off of Olsen's last set ever........ Propositioning a Freight Train.... @ the pirates cove, cleveland ohio... april 21st 2005.
http://www.averyband.com/videos/finalprop.wmv
thursday-
I worked from 645-9am... came home, showered, and then took off to cleveland. i scooped up rob at his house and took off driving to sell tickets. gotta love driving allllll over cleveland to meet up with people for 5 seconds. but hey, its all part of the job, eh?
then after a few hours i met up at the pirates cove with Joe, Kim, Kevin, the lady he brought, Anthony, Jeff and his girlfriend.... we loaded in and i was running around with my head cut off trying to take care of my getting my camera set up, getting the money for the tickets straight, running outside to sell more tickets, and trying to smile. i was stressed to say the least. fortunatly i sold more tickets than stray bullet so they went on first which gave me a little more time to get organized.
there was definatly a little saddness in the fact that Brian and Tim choose not to join us. it would have been nice to end everything together.. as the whole olsen family... but *shrug* hey they did what they felt was right for them.... so i have to support whatever they feel.
luckily, we hit the jackpot with Jeff helping us out. He's an amazing guitarist and not only picked up our set in only 2 practices... but played it better than any of us every have.
so. we are all up on stage... sound check... they dim the lights and the sound guy says "ok it is 740... you have until 805" and anthony hands his guitar to kevin and runs offstage.. we were all like uhhh WTF!!! where is anthony going? hahahha. he ran off to give his mp3 player to the sound guy. it was quite funny looking back on it.
kevin introduces us... "we are olsen from detroit michigan"..... lots of applause.... "and this is our last show.... ever"
weird weird feeling. and in the back of all 5 of our heads i think there was a tiny worry of these kids are not going to like us......
we rip right into Propositioning a Freight Train. i'm full of more energy and cockiness than ever. i scan the faces in the crowd, which i never do.... inside i have the biggest smile ever knowing that in the first 10 seconds of our set we have already demanded the audiences attention and we have all 100+ people in the pirates cove watching us at this moment. damn it feels good to be a gansta.... errrr something like that.
the song ends..... and we get a great fucking responce. hootin, hollerin, whistlin..... i was grinning ear to ear as i had my back turned to the crowd to tune. we play August next. and all i could think the whole song was about how i've played this song on stage for over 2 years now.... and this was the last time. and thats when i began to get a bit emotion in my head. i looked upstairs to the balcony where my oldest brother craig was standing, guarding my camera and tripod... it was one of those frozen moments in time where i was just looking up and i dont remember anyone else being in the room.... craig threw me the metal horns, with this proud smile on his face... and i smiled... kind of misty eyed at that point and nodded.
Pretty Girls and Gasoline was our third song... and as the two songs before it sounded absolutly incredible. i couldnt stop smiling.... i felt so proud. i found my brother doug in the crowd and gave him a nodd.... and he nodded back almost as an approval thing.... and i couldnt help but just be over filled with happiness, saddness, and overall awe...... there were so many people watching us.... many of which were people that mean a great deal to me....
Kevin says we have two more songs.... and cheap cheap merch. i just couldnt stop looking around the room. The Thin Brown Line is our 4th song.... we get right into it.... i love that song. i think it was my favorite olsen song we ever played. i remembering looking out to rob during the middle of it and knowing he was thinking "you cant give up music, court"..... and i remember looking at michelle W, and doug, and craig, and michelle S, and these girls i didnt know standing on the stairs, and these old fellas in the back by the doors, and all these faces from detroit of kids i had seen at shows or had met before.... i'd say 15+ michigan kids... and looking at jenni, and seeing guns and tim.... and just thinking "this is what i love more than anything in the world... this moment right here". and i dont think ive been prouder in my life.
and so it came time.... for We Call This The End..... the last olsen song..... ever. i was definatly overcome with an extreme sadness. its hard to say goodbye to something you put so much time, effort and money into. olsen was my life for the past year and two months. but then there was the feeling of relief knowing the drama would be done with.. and that we would all be so much happier doing what we wanted to do and finding people that shared our like-mindedness musically and personally.
we played that song like it's never been played before. and i will say that after watching the video tape of our set, kevin sang that show like ive never heard him sing before. it was incredible.
and i remember making eye contact with anthony during the last minute of the song... and we nodded to each other.... and then i looked over at kevin and joe... and i just couldnt have been prouder than i was standing up there with those boys on that night. it was truely unfortunate to not have brian in attendance but he was there in our hearts.
we hit the final note........ and with that a single tear rolled down my cheek. bittersweet at its fucking finest. emotional to say goodbye, but it was time.
and we couldnt have picked a better show or a better night to bring everything to an end. and its funny how stressed out, upset, and nervous i was the week before the show wondering if we would even play, and if we could pull shit off.... and it turned out to be our best show ever.
not to mention we opened for the Acacia Strain, Warriors, Remembering Never, and Terror..... what a high note to go out on... playing with your favorite band. although having my brothers in attendence for our final show meant even more to me than anything.
by the time terror played there was like 300+ kids there and you couldnt even get into the pirates cove.. i had to watch from the packed hallway. it was fucking wonderful though.
26 shows were played over the past year by olsen. 26 shows that no matter how stupid ( jesusland ), embarressing *cough nascar fest cough*, far away ( big daddys ), empty, or blah they were.. i wouldnt have changed a thing. we all grew as a result from each of those expiriences..... and when things were good, they were great.
and i guess heres the point where i say my thank yous to the fellas.....
first and foremost brian- i'm not quite sure what has forced this distance between us in the past 2 weeks but it truely breaks my heart... because you over everyone have become my closest friend around here over the past year. god, there were so many nights i was in terrible moods and you always fucking knew how to make me laugh... and when there was nothing left to say you offered me a hug. you were seriuosly my rock in things and i always knew i could turn to you when i needed to vent or was in search of advice. we were always on the same page and i could always count on you..... you are one of my inspirations and i thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have taught me. i wish you much success in whatever you choose to do in life... i know you have the drive to acheive anything you set your sights on.
Kevin- my oh my.... we have been to heck and back over the past 2 years. if it wasnt for you and anthony who knows if i would have ever pursued picking up my bass and trying to make things happen with it. and for that i owe you both a ton. its been quite the great journey being able to travel and play in a band with my best friend. i wont lie there were many nights that i wanted to stangle you because you didnt come to practice, but in the end none of that matters. what matters is that we made some amazing fucking music together and fuck, when everything else has been taken from you, they cant take the music out of your heart... its forever inside... AHHHHAHAHHAA. BFFs till death. i truely hope that someday soon you find what you are so desperatly searching for... kevin needs to be happy. never stop singing... you are wonderful.
Joe- i will admit it took me a little while to warm up to you.... you never talked when we first started as a band and i took that as you hating all of us. but once you started farting every two seconds i knew things were going to be fine hehe. your drumming fucking blows my mind. i love your attitude that "a shows a show" and that you would do a show anytime anywhere just because you want to play music. i admire that so much. i cherish all the amazing rides with you guys in THE DUDE. you always seemed to get me excited about things. and i appreciate the fact that youve always been 100 percent honest and true to yourself and youre not afraid to speak up.
and then theres anthony-it's no lie that we've butted our heads a million times over the past two years. but as i said to kevin, if it wasnt for you two kids, who knows if i would have ever mustered up the audacity to start playing. you have helped me out a lot over time and always listened to my millions of questions i had. and i now know that a 1999 sunfire gets 18 miles to a gallon. heh. i think you are very talented and i hope you find kids that you can mesh with musically because i think you would be happier... and then you can go ask people to pay you guys! heh
and i just want to thank each and every one of you kids out there that have supported olsen either by coming out to shows, buying merch, or offering kind words.... your encouragement meant the world and will always be etched into my heart....
ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.... a chapter ending to a new beggining, right?
i'm ready for the next step.
here is a lovely little video for you kiddos..... the first song off of Olsen's last set ever........ Propositioning a Freight Train.... @ the pirates cove, cleveland ohio... april 21st 2005.
http://www.averyband.com/videos/finalprop.wmv