It's amazing how feeling less impending doom about the future can help clear up the creative juices a little! So here this is, over five months later than I planned. Hahahaha, plans. Anyway, back in late May I did some research and made a spreadsheet of all the concerts I attended during my life. I used old concert tickets, pictures and very useful information on the internet to assemble a pretty comprehensive list. I know there are shows that I don't have on here from older days, but the ones that mattered I got. I really wanted to write about them. Maybe this will interest people. But mostly it will be nice to reminisce and get a nice record of some fun memories.
Date: June 10, 2000
Artist(s): Stone Temple Pilots, with Papa Roach and maybe someone else I forget
Location: Toyota Amphitheater (It was Sleep Train Amphitheater for awhile, but since I cannot remember or care when is switched over, I'm just going to call it by its current name)
I went to my first concert with my parents, there friends and their friends' daughter who was my age. The four parents were supposed to go on their own. My dad received four free tickets for selling the amphitheater all of the barrels used for their trash cans. And then my parents' friends received two additional lawn tickets, so us two girls ended up going too. At the time I was mostly into boy bands, so I didn't have much interest in the music, which is funny because this would be more up my alley years later. This was not the last time I saw Papa Roach either, which I wish wasn't true. This was also the first time I ever encountered marijuana. I was a very goodie two-shoes, quiet teen so I went because I sort of had to go. But I had a good time anyway. The amphitheater was brand new, so that experience alone was fun.
Date: July 25, 2000
Artist(s): No Doubt, Lit, Black Eyed Peas
Location: Toyota Amphitheater
My second concert was way more up my alley! At my first concert, the other girl and I entered separate from our parents because we had different tickets, and when we entered we were given free Nine Inch Nails tickets. That was definitely NOT our thing, so her parents bought us tickets to this show instead. I never really like No Doubt's music after Tragic Kingdom, but I loved that album SO MUCH! I remember being introduced to it when my older brother came to visit one summer and was unhappy he refused to just give it to me. Ooh the days before music files on computers! I was also really into Lit at the time, so I was most excited about that. This was also BEPs before Fergie, in case people didn't know that was a thing. Hahaha.
Date: August 27, 2000
Artist(s): Third Eye Blind, Vertical Horizons, Nine Days
Location: Toyota Amphitheater
I went to a lot of concerts at this venue as a teen because it was like five minutes from my house. Plus the occasional free tickets. I believe my mom got these tickets for free because she helped out the venue order enough change and cash for when Oz Fest came to town. During that time Third Eye Blind sang my favorite song (I Want You from their self-titled album), so I really enjoyed getting to hear that song live. There is something so magical about hearing your favorite song live, which I've done several times since this with my current favorite song. I also really liked Nine Days. I don't know if they ever made more than one album, but I still really enjoy it to this day.
Date: August 15, 2001
Artist(s): Barenaked Ladies, The Proclaimers
Location: Toyota Amphitheater
I went to this concert with my mom. She was really into BNL and I enjoyed them as well. They put on an amazing show; I had a blast! I remember them joking that in our area we didn't put people in prison. Instead we took them out into the surrounding area and made criminals walk until they reached another building. I thought this was pretty funny, even though we're not THAT far from Sacramento. It was also really fun to hear The Proclaimers sing their 500 Miles song live - that's the only song of theirs I know.
***At some point sometime around here or in the following few years I saw Rod Stewart with my mom at Arco Arena because I'm a nice daughter. I cannot remember when or find info to narrow it down. I remember the show being very enjoyable - Rod does a good job. And all the middle aged moms had a great time! I remember teasing my mom about the show by telling her about the episode of South Park where Rod Stewart is there and poops his pants because he's so old. Hahaha, it was very not true but still very funny to me***
Date: October 11, 2002
Artist(s): New Found Glory, plus other bands I don't quite remember (I think maybe Finch and Something Corporate)
Location: SF Concourse Exhibition Center
I met Danielle freshman year really early because we had like 3 classes together. She lived with her childhood friend and the three of us with others sometimes went to different local small shows to see bands Danielle liked. I can remember at least 5 different shows. At one point she said we should go see a band that I liked, so I did some research and a group of us went to San Francisco to see this show. This was my first experience with a show where you stand as close to the stage as you can push, and my first experience seeing people mosh. The rest of the group wanted to get close, while I found a nice perch in the back to hold the bags. I learned pretty early I enjoy finding a good vantage point in a less crowded place so I can just enjoy the music. I remember during one of the breaks the radio played Everlong by Foo Fighters and everyone in the crowd sang along. I found that moment so profound - a large group of people all giving all their heart into singing a great song. I love moments like that.
Date: June 8, 2003
Artist(s): Matchbox 20, Sugar Ray
Location: Arco Arena (now Sleep Train Arena)
This concert was not as enjoyable as the first time I saw MB20, but it was still fun. I went with my friends Karissa and Julia (and if I am forgetting someone, my bad!). We had to buy nose bleed tickets because there weren't any others available. I am deathly afraid of heights, so this was tricky. It was this concert that I tried to get tickets for by calling into the radio station, and ended up naked with a cop at my front door. I won't regale anyone with that story here - that's an in person telling kind of story.
Date: July 13, 2006
Artist(s): Vans Warped Tour 2006
Location: Toyota Amphitheater
Believe it or not, I went to Warped Tour with three of my sorority sisters. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from my first three Warped Tour adventures and I am too lazy to dig through my tub of papers and stickers from so many life adventures, so I am going to have to use my memory to try to sparse out what memories belong to what year. Hahaha. I remember going with my ladies to get beer because we had wristbands for being over 21, not a common thing for the actual music enthusiasts. This was the year the Joan Jett played. When she performed all of the chaperone dads in their khaki pants came out of the woodwork. It was quite hilarious to me. This was also the first year I saw Motion City Soundtrack at Warped Tour and had them sign my I Am the Movie cd booklet. I still have that booklet and that cd, while most of my cds and booklets went in the trash when I went digital.
Date: August 23, 2007
Artist(s): Vans Warped Tour 2007
Location: Toyota Amphitheater
This is the year I went with just my sorority sister Amy. We were supposed to go with another sister, but a couple days before we were in San Diego visiting her to drive her back north with us, and I ended up in a shouting match with the girl outside my hotel room and we stopped being friends. Amy and I then got in the car that night and left town early. This was the year Coheed and Cambria played. They are amazing. I made the mistake of drinking a free Monster right before, my first ever energy drink, and I felt like I was going to have a heart attack during the Coheed set. My heart pounded like crazy as they played and it felt like my heart would stop when the music stopped. If I had died it would have been a fun, epic moment in which to go at least.
Date: August 16, 2008
Artist(s): Vans Warped Tour 2008
Location: Toyota Amphitheater
This year I took my little brother with me. (I still call him my little brother to this day despite the fact he's taller than me and more solid. If I try to punch his arm it hurts my hand more than his ham hock of an arm - not muscular, just solid, hahaha.). Motion City Soundtrack played again this year. From First to Last also played and I enjoyed it, but it wasn't as good without Sonny (who left the band before that to one day become Skrillex, ugg).
Date: September 11, 2010
Artist(s): 100 Monkeys
Location: Ace of Spades
I went to this show with my sorority sister Katina because the lead guy is the dude who played Jasper in Twilight, and she was (still is?) a huge Twilight fan. Even though I was unfamiliar with them I still had a good time. We then hovered outside the back of the club in the hopes of seeing him but I don't remember if we did because I don't care.
Date: April 25, 2012
Artist(s): Machine Gun Kelly
Location: Ace of Spades
This is the only show I've been to that I can say I disliked. A friend from high school came to town just to see Machine Gun Kelly and asked me to go with her. I hated it so much. I did not like his music or him as a person. I think he's a pig and bad for women.
Date: October 23, 2012
Artist(s): Motion City Soundtrack (w/ Jukebox the Ghost, Now Now)
Location: Ace of Spades
This marks a ramp up in my life of seeing concerts. There's something so magical about living in a larger city with a concert venue and having an adult job so I can go to concerts whenever. :^) I've seen Motion City Soundtrack the most of any band and that makes me so happy. They put on a great show and have so many amazing songs that are very enjoyable! Plus they sing my favorite song, a fan favorite, so I've seen them play it 6 times! I took my cousin with me because she graciously used the 2nd ticket I bought so I wouldn't go alone. And she had a great time, so that made me happy!
Date: June 17, 2013
Artist(s): Road to Warped Tour Show w/ We Came As Romans, Upon A Burning Body, Ice Nine Kills, Set It Off, Crown the Empire, Like Moths to Flames
Location: Ace of Spades
I went to this concert because I really wanted to see Crown the Empire. I really enjoy the post-apocalyptic themes of their music and theatrically to the loud metalcore. It still makes me sad how they really changed up their sound in 2016 and became crappy along with it. Oh well, there were some good years and a couple great albums in there. I remember talking to a random girl at this show saying how she felt old coming to concerts at 25. I laughed to myself, being older than that. The funny thing with this show is at the time CtE was the only band I knew. And I left at the 4th band, Upon a Burning Body, because they were stupid and I couldn't handle any more. But now I listen to Ice Nine Kills, Set It Off and We Came As Romans. I remember enjoying INK and Set It Off, and am a little bummed that I skipped out before We Came As Romans - I may have discovered them that night instead of later.
Date: June 26, 2014
Artist(s): Warped Tour 2014
Location: Toyota Amphitheater
It was so nice going back to Warped Tour after so many years. I remember being in line waiting to get into the venue and this mom asked me if we were in the line to get donate cans for quicker entrance. I politely said yes and she just lit up and said I was the first nice person she came across. That's me - the nicest person at the Warped Tour! Haha. I was nervous about going to Warped Tour at 30 because I was closer in age to the parents than most of the music lovers. But as soon as I entered I heard the first band playing saying this song was for the old school fans, and then they played the song that at the time was literally the most played song in my music collection (Safe to Say by Vanna). I took that as a sign I was in the right place.
Note: It's amazing how much more I can remember when I have pictures to refer to!! Hahaha, yes!!
I saw Crown the Empire again. They played their new song Mnstr, and that was the first and one of the rare times I actually enjoyed hearing a new song. Usually I just like hearing songs I know, but that song is so great.
I got to see The Story So Far. I am pretty sure Parker Cannon is a huge introvert. It was interesting hearing him talk versus his performance of songs. I bought a t-shirt of theirs in Oakland As colors (they are from Walnut Creek) and I am still super bummed I ruined that shirt the time I washed a load of laundry with a bottle of nail polish.
I saw this band called Air Dubai (I think they don't make music anymore, didn't keep track) that was from Colorado. I still listen to some of their songs. They made me laugh because the band looks like Travis McCoy and Tyrese started a band with the geeks from Freaks and Geeks. I also watched Mayday Parade, who I didn't keep up with after Jason Lancaster left, but still enjoyed. This was also the first time I saw Falling In Reverse. I remembered seeing Escape the Fate during my 2000s batch of Warped Tours back when Ronnie Radke was on lots of drugs, before he went to prison, and it was crazy how much energy and stage presence he had now instead of when he was too out of it to even remember all the lyrics.
This was the first time I saw Issues. For people unfamiliar with Issues, it's basically a metalcore band thought "hmmm, this could use more 90s R&B". There first EP and album are so fucking good. Unfortunately in my opinion, they just weren't really that great to watch live (none of the times I saw them). The only exception is the bassist, Skylar Accord, who is very energetic and fun to watch play!
I randomly watched Chunk! No Captain Chunk, and really enjoyed it, and therefore got into that band. They are from France and that explains the odd pronunciations at times. Apparently rock music isn't really big in France, so they do all their music in English. I really never imagined French people being into the Goonies either, but it takes all kinds I guess.
I guess this was the first time for a lot of bands I saw more times after this. I am really glad I went, old age be damned!! Hahaha. Yellowcard was the last show of the night, and what a way to end it!! It doesn't hurt that they closed every show with Ocean Avenue. 💕
Oh, it was after this Warped Tour I started printing pictures from the concerts I go to with lyrics WordArted over the back of heads and then put them on my cubical wall at work. I have so many now! I wonder what state they are in since I haven't been to the office since March.
Date: July 24, 2014
Artist(s): All Time Low
Location: Comic Con
So in 2013 All Time Low came to Ace of Spades and I really wanted to go, but I didn't buy tickets right away because I was new to my job and did the dumb millennial thing where I worked too many hours and didn't want to have to work late and miss the show. By the time I knew I could go, tickets were sold out. I have learned this lesson. Luckily, I was over the moon to find out that that All Time Low was randomly playing Comic Con the year that I went. Plus, there were not as many people there as a normal concert so I got to be really close to the stage!!
Date: November 2, 2014
Artist(s): New Found Glory, We Are the in Crowd
Location: Ace of Spades
I was a little sad it took me 12 years to see New Found Glory again, especially as they became my favorite band not long after the first time I saw them. This time I paid extra to do a preshow meet and greet. Actually, I bought two normal tickets (this was during the time I naively bought 2 tickets to every show in the hopes that I would get someone to go). Then when they announced the special meet and greet tickets, I bought a third ticket to meet the band. We got a 5 song set and the band signed some stuff when we met them. Truth be told, I didn't know what to say and felt hella awkward in the moment. Having the picture w/ the band and the lanyard that says I met the band are so much more enjoyable to me than the actual moment.
Plus, with having the VIP ticket I got to enter the venue before everyone else and get a great spot for the show! Before going in I actually walked down the line of people waiting to enter the show looking for two people that needed tickets because I had those two extras and didn't want them to go to waste. I know what it's like to be young and concert tickets a luxury, so it's nice to do something nice and unexpected for strangers once in awhile. Ooh, and I also started listening to We Are the in Crowd after that. They put on a good show, and evidently were a draw for a lot of the youngsters in the crowd!
Date: November 25, 2014
Artist(s): Issues (I don't remember if anyone else played with them)
Location: Ace of Spades
This concert was a little disappointing actually. I still enjoyed myself, but as I mentioned earlier, they aren't that great to watch live. Plus they played like all the songs that I like least.
Date: January 28th, 2015
Artist(s): Silverstein
Location: Ace of Spades
This was the first time I saw Silverstein live. One of my top 5 bands and also one of the best bands to watch live. They put on a great show! Oh, and adding this - this was where they played through Discovering the Waterfront front start to finish.
Date: February 14, 2015
Artist(s): Motion City Soundtrack (and other bands I don't have record of)
Location: Ace of Spades
Literally my best Valentines Day (oh the joys of always, always being single!). One of the opening bands had this kid that played the trumpet, and they had him come back out to play with MCS. The pop-punk trumpet warms my heart! This was the time though that I almost punched a drunk fairy! Since I love MCS so much, I got to the show at door opening and stood my spot through the opening bands. And then when MCS came on this hella drunk girl (she was beyond gone) pushes her skinny way right up to the barrier I had been leaning on for hours. She then proceeds to throw her arms out in front of her, and me, so many times, and is screaming and singing in a super high pitched voice. It really make it hard to enjoy the show. Thankfully she left before the quite large encore so I had some time to enjoy some songs without her. Oh and I say she was a fairy because I swear she had pointed prosthetic ears on and was dressed up to look elven or fairylike. Idk what she got up to earlier in the night - I guess whatever the fairyfolk do to get drunk. Oh, and this show was the start to finish play through of Commit This to Memory for the 10th anniversary, which probably explains why the dumb lady left after the album and missed a whole bunch more songs.
Date: August 5, 2015
Artist(s): Fall Out Boy, Wiz Kalifa
Location: Toyota Amphitheater
I really lucked out with this show. I was really stressed out from work and I thought I should see if there were any shows to see as a way to make myself feel better. And it turned out it was only like a couple weeks before this show. I was able to find a single seat in a good section and went! I mostly walked around when Wiz Kalifa played because that's not my jam and I didn't want to muffle up my hearing too much before the boys came on. I tried to see FOB like ten-ish years before this and the show got cancelled. It's nice to be an adult with money because FOB shows are not cheap like most of the other bands I see. But is was so worth it. Fall Out Boy put on an amazing show with great playing, fun visuals and an all around rocking good time! Plus Patrick Stump has one of the most amazing voices I've heard.
Date: November 17, 2015
Artist(s): New Found Glory & Yellowcard
Location: Ace of Spades
This is my favorite concert!! The bands co-headlined the tour so I got two full sets from both bands. NFG played first. (Side note: I have NO FUTURE as a photographer. I have so many blurry band photos and maybe 3 good ones after how many years?) Confetti fell from the ceiling after NFG's set and it was a magical end to such a great set! Both bands played all of the fan favorites so the show was packed full of amazing songs. It was nostalgia overload with music and bands that feel like childhood friends.
Date: March 11, 2016
Artist(s): Silverstein (Geez, I either didn't remember, could find a record, or didn't care about many of the opening bands for these shows. Ooops)
Location: Ace of Spades
I will always, always see Silverstein when given the chance (hopefully the March show that was postponed happen eventually). This was the show right after I Am Alive in Everything I Touch came out, which really revitalized their sound. The new music made the show a blast. This was also after Paul Marc joined the band (right below) and I was quite taken with how hot he is! Yummy!
Date: March 20, 2016
Artist(s): Issues and Crown the Empire
Location: Ace of Spades
Third time seeing both of these bands. Both were as enjoyable as my previous experiences (CtE being great and Issues still being mostly a disappointment).
Date: May 8, 2016
Artist(s): Silverstein (Geez, I either didn't remember, could find a record, or didn't care about many of the opening bands for these shows. Ooops)
Location: Ace of Spades
This was MCS's So Long, Farewell tour. I cried so much during this show!! I didn't want to say goodbye! I didn't want this to be the last time I saw them live forever! *sobs* It was also the first time I heard them play Her Words Destroyed My Planet live and that was very exciting to finally see but also sad because it was the farewell tour! When this was announced they were ending things and doing a last tour I literally put my head in my folded arms on the table and wept. 2016 was a very rough year for me.
Date: October 23, 2016
Artist(s): Yellowcard (and idk who else, whatever)
Location: Ace of Spades
And for a second farewell tour show, this was when Yellowcard did their last tour too! But honestly this one was less enjoyable than MCS's farewell and the other times I saw Yellowcard. They played a lot of stuff from their last 2 albums, neither of which I could get into. The one bright side is they played my fav song of theirs for the first time I had heard. And Ryan Key built it up so long about how this was a B side and how they never played it and on and on and I just wanted him to tell me it was Gifts and Curses from Spiderman 2 because that's an amazing song. And yes it was and yes my spidey sense was tingling, Ryan, just play the damn song! OMG it was so great to hear live!! Especially the instrumental part that builds and builds and then crashes into song pop punk goodness.
Date: April 14, 2017
Artist(s): Coheed and Cambria
Location: Fox Theater, Oakland
This was an all around great day! I took the day off from work to see the show, and drove down to Oakland early to make a day of it. I walked around this cute lake in downtown Oakland and played from Pokemon Go.
The show was fantastic. Coheed and Cambria put on an excellent show. Plus this venue is larger than my usual haunt so that was nice. The tour was specifically billed as a full play through of their Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV album. I love full album play through shows. (Now that I thinking about it, one of the MCS and Silverstein shows above were those - so this is the part where I scroll up and add that somewhere.) They also played tons of songs after that from other albums, so it was a fantastic and very long show.
Sidenote: Nighttime alone in downtown Oakland is scary, and I definitely did it again after this, hahaha.
**This is where I take a break to do things with people because I socialize!! Vroom, vroom, Rocket League!**
**And I am back, two days later because that's what happens living life.**
Date: July 8, 2017
Artist(s): All Time Low
Location: Fox Theater, Oakland
I think I already blogged about this in an earlier blog (and the Coheed show too). I really like this venue and All Time Low.
Date: September 8, 2017
Artist(s): Secrets (technically Slaves was the headliner but I was there for like 20 minutes total)
Location: Goldfield Trading Post
This was an interesting situation. I bought a ticket to this show and then I ended up having an improv class that night. So I had resigned myself to not being able to go, since I wanted to see Secrets and since they were the opening band, they would have been done before class was over. And I was for sure not skipping class for this - improv class was more expensive, more time doing the thing, and more fun. But, as it turned out, the show started hella late so even though I got out of class at 9pm, I way able to go to the show because I could literally park my near one location and walk to the other in a short period of time, that's how close the locations were. I cannot remember how many songs Secrets actually played. I want to say like around four because they were so behind and had to cut it short. Under normal circumstances I would have been really bummed with the super short set, but since I didn't think I could go anyway, I took what I got and was happy about it. I do really want to see them again, preferably someplace bigger than the Goldfield, so I will keep my fingers cross for that in the future. *Sigh*
Date: January 30, 2018
Artist(s): Silverstein, Tonight Alive
Location: Ace of Spades
I can always tell from the angle of the pictures for a show whether I got there early to get a spot on the side by the railing, or if I timed it to show up right before the headliner starts and I'm stuck in the back on the main floor. Clearly this time I got to Ace of Spades early, unlike the time before. I had such a great time the time before that I HAD to get a good spot.
Date: March 2, 2018
Artist(s): A Day to Remember, Falling in Reverse, Papa Roach
Location: San Francisco Armory
This was one of my favorite concert going experiences, even if I probably spent $500 for a short weekend in the city. The show was at the San Francisco Armory on a Friday night. So I took the day off work and I booked a hotel room in Union Square. I valeted my car and spent the afternoon walking around Union Square, window shopping and playing Pokemon Go. The GPS was super bad in my hotel room, so PoGo thought I was running around all over, which was great for playing because my avatar was in all sorts of places to collect items and Pokemon while I just sat in the room.
I loved this venue very much. It's an old military armory turned into a show venue. And it's huge, so there's plenty of places to dip into a lonely spot for some introvert time before ADtR came on. Papa Roach was really pathetic to watch, it was painful. I was embarrassed for them, or by them, idk which. I see plenty of bands that have been touring and playing for a decade or two, and this was the first time I thought "geez, they really should have hung this up years ago." I did sing along to the few songs I knew, from like forever ago. Falling In Reverse was fine too. I knew some of their songs from their first couple albums. OMG Ronnie Radke got RIPPED!!! As a person, he bothers the shit out of me and I cannot stand him, but damn is he nice to look at!!! And I like some of his music.
Everything about ADtR's show was fucking fantastic! The perform great, the visuals were super cool and very engaging. They played so many of their best songs! Definitely one of my top 5 shows! I particularly enjoyed the experience when they played 2nd Sucks.
Leaving the concert was entertaining too because someone puked out the door of their Uber in front of everyone trying to leave, and it was pretty funny. The next day when I left the hotel I nearly died because I just let Google Maps tell me where to go instead of going the way I know, and I ended up going over one of those really steep streets. I almost just pulled over at the top and resigned myself to live there forever. But I made it and played more Pokemon Go at the pier.
Date: April 10, 2018
Artist(s): In This Moment
Location: Ace of Spades
This show was a little disappointing in that I had a horrible spot and it took away from the amazingness of the show. Plus my pictures are crap, and with all the effort Maria Brink puts into her costumes and the visual elements of the show, it's so sad!! Everything looked so cool and I cannot explain it or show any decent pictures. Next time someone derisively says to me "is there anything you can't do" I am just going to bust out all my concert pictures that I can't take. (And also draw something because I am terrible at that too!) During this show I was almost smacked in the face numerous times by a way too drunk older lady. This adult woman and her parents (50s, 60s) were there and the mom was sooooo drunk! Why can't drunk people keep their arms close to themselves? Like, do arms start to fly away when imbibing too much alcohol and it's all one can do to keep them attached? I literally had to put my hands in front of my face more than once to keep this lady from smacking me. Plus like, they reminded me of that part in Lady Bird where she asks if she looks like she's from Sacramento. And these people definitely looked like they were from Sacramento, but like very specifically Land Park.
The show was still a great experience. I really wanted to see In This Moment for awhile, and missed them numerous times because they usually just do Aftershock and I've never wanted to pay that much since there wasn't enough artists I liked. I do hope to see In This Moment again, preferably at a larger venue. But regardless of where, if it happens I will for sure get their early or fork over the dough so I can get a great spot!
Date: June 2, 2018
Artist(s): Maroon 5 (and that other chick that played)
Location: Golden 1 Center
I originally was going to see Maroon 5 in 2016, but then I booked my Ireland trip over the concert date and had to sell the tickets. I mean, no offense Adam Levine, but Ireland is way better than your band. Luckily they came back to town, and my mom and I went to the show. My over all take away is that I enjoyed myself, and I am glad I went. And I also don't ever need to do that again. I like Maroon 5's music and they put on a good show. I enjoyed it (my qualms about G1C's seats notwithstanding). It's just that for them the live experience didn't add anything for me that I would want to do it again. Check it off the list and be done. I did think it was funny that when they played Animals it sounds more of a rock version and I think I remember Adam Levine doing is best to rock star it up, which made me think was he jealous that Ice Nine Kills did a cover that was more fun? Hahahaha, probably not but I like to think so.
Date: June 23, 2018
Artist(s): Warped Tour 2018
Location: Shoreline Amphitheater
I love trips that also include a concert! My little brother and his wife came to visit, and we took a road trip. We did a day at the piers in San Francisco. Then we went to Santa Cruz to visit family. We stayed overnight in a hotel and then went to Warped Tour!! This is probably the only picture of me from that day because I hate having my picture taken. Hahaha. I just appreciate having a brother that listens to similar music as me so we can do fun stuff like this.
I was really excited to get to see Ice Nine Kills. I love them a lot; I listen to them a lot! It was funny though because they started and then the tour stopped all the music because the line was so long, so we had to wait a bit and then they restarted so that more people could get into the show. We did the line where if you donate money or can goods you get to get into a shorter line, and it still took us at least 30 minutes to get into the venue. So I am not surprised that happened because the lines were HUGE!! I mean, this was the last Warped Tour. *cries*
MmmmMMmMmm Spencer is so hot!! Looks wise, he has all the things that I like! 😍
I also got to see State Champs for the first time. I remember feeling the attire of the lead singer really fit the kind of persona he gives off while singing, even if it was sooooo hot and he was wearing all black. You do you I guess. I did a lot of listening to whomever was playing somewhere near where I could sit in the shade, which is actually a surprisingly good way to hear some good stuff I would have otherwise missed out on.
Date: October 8, 2018
Artist(s): The Front Bottoms (and obviously other people - I've given up caring hahaha)
Location: Ace of Spades
Super fun about this show is people I know were there, even though I bought my ticket alone, so I got to see people and share the experience! Granted, I spent part of the time alone upstairs at the bar balcony because I didn't want to be down in the pit of people, but that worked out. I had a good time and enjoyed listening to songs I love live. Not every band gets flashy. I just love the fun of live music because everything sounds so much richer, and singing along with a crowd of people.
Date: March 23, 2019
Artist(s): State Champs
Location: Ace of Spades
This was one of those shows that I arrived right before the headlining band. When this happens it's usually because I don't want to go out. I like to buy the tickets as soon as I can because I don't even want to miss a show. But then of course I get to the date and I just don't want to leave my house. This was during a particularly rough time with my anxiety so I had to force myself to go. And I had a good time. They aren't remarkable compared to other bands I've seen, but the music is fun and played well, so it's good I didn't miss out. I find I have a much better time overcoming my "I don't want to leave the house" moods when either I've paid money for something and I don't want it to be a waste, or if I would disappoint people for not doing the thing. Being responsible is so hard sometimes, hahahaha!!
Date: January 25, 2020
Artist(s): Motion City Soundtrack, Mom Jeans, Elder Brother
Location: The UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall, Berkeley
Remember above when I was so sad that Motion City Soundtrack was leaving? Well, it didn't take them that long to get back together and go on tour again!! This was supposed to be concert 1 of 4 for this year, but it turns out this was the last show I would see before the lock down. And while I am sad that any show has to have that "honor", I am glad this was the last show I saw. I had such an amazing time. This was my first time at this venue and I really liked it - easy to find parking, I felt safe walking alone to the venue, and it was very large inside with some good places in the back for a good view without being covered in other people's sweat. Also, usually when I do to a show, I don't get a lot of enjoyment from the opening bands when I don't know their music. But I actually really liked both of these opening bands, like a lot.
It was so great to hear so many old favorites live again! And to hear that the band was doing well and excited to be back. They don't know yet if they are going to make any new music, but that's ok! Being at this show was one of those moments when I really knew I needed it at the time and just really took in the moment.
I am not always a "be in the moment" person - I spend a lot of time in my head and I can get overwhelmed by too much sensory stimulus. But there's something so magical about a live show that is so easy to live in. The atmosphere and the music pull me into this wonderland of sound and emotion that the air vibrates with it. Caught in the moment I forget I am in a room packed full of people and instead I am just present there in the rush of it all. These are my favorite moments.
