three years later

Three years ago today was a major turning point in my life.
On May 7^th, 2005, I saw Lifehouse live for the first time.

What? A concert? Big deal, you’re thinking.
Actually, it’s a huge deal. Beyond huge.
If that concert, and the events that followed, had not happened…
I cannot begin to fathom how different things would be.

Allow me to explain.
Some know the whole story.
Most don’t.
Here’s [the short novel of] how Lifehouse changed my life.

I can still remember the first few times I heard “Hanging by a Moment” on the radio in my freshman year of high school. I had no idea who sang it, but I knew I loved it. Finally I caught the music video on VH1 one day, and discovered that the name of the band was Lifehouse. I got their album No Name Face and quickly fell in love with it. Over time, it became my favorite CD, and some of the songs had a huge impact on me in high school. I can clearly recall sitting slumped against the wall of the dining room where the stereo was, crying, on a night home alone, as I truly heard and understood the lyrics to “Simon” for the first time. Some of my friends hurt me so much in those days, and everything I felt, every insult and twist of my words and stab in the back from the people around me, and all the pain it caused me, was summed up in one amazing song. I listened to it repeatedly that night, amazed at how he managed to be pulling the words right out of my head. As high school went on, things got better for me and I didn’t have nights like that very often. I recall buying the second album, Stanely Climbfall, shortly after it came out, but I think I always favored the first album then. I really enjoyed listening to music, and it was a major pastime, but the thought of seeing my favorite bands live never really crossed my mind. I didn’t even ponder the concept of keeping up with bands online. When asked about my favorite albums in the next several years, No Name Face always topped the list, but “Lifehouse” existed as a sort of vague entity in my head. If only I knew how much that would change.

Fast forward to the end of my freshman year of college. I still listened to Lifehouse, but hadn’t given a lot of thought to what they’d been up to. One day I noticed they had a new album out, so I went out and got it. Then I started doing a little online research, and realized there was a new bass player, and that the band’s future had been questionable for awhile. All of this was a surprise to me, because like I said, I never really kept track of bands in those days. One night, my friend Whitney and I were sitting in my dorm room, listening to the new album, when we decided it would be really awesome to see the band play live. We checked tour dates and settled on a show in Cleveland a few days after our last final, and decided to make a little celebratory roadtrip out of it. The show was at the House of Blues, and was only the second concert I’d ever gone to (Guster was the first). From the moment the curtain opened and they began to play Breathing, they had me hook, line, and sinker. I was in awe the entire show. Jason was sick and I didn’t even notice, the music was simply amazing and I couldn’t believe I had never taken the time to go to a show before. They blew me away and blew my mind and completely cemented their place as my favorite band.

When I got home the next day, I was looking around online for fan communities, and came across a message board at lifehousefans.com. The people there were talking about the Cleveland show, and I was a little intimidated because everyone seemed to know each other. I tentatively joined and began to post, and began to absorb as much information about the band as I possibly could. I started developing an online friendship with several of the people in the community, and before long, I was talking to some of them on AIM on a nightly basis. I started to realize just how much in common I had with these people, and all the while my love for the band and the music was growing. Some of us planned a big trip for Labor Day weekend, and I could not wait.

Over the summer and as I returned to Purdue in the fall, my undying love for this band baffled my family and friends. When I talked about how two girls I’d never met in person were coming to pick me up for a 3-show roadtrip with even more fans I’d never met in person, my friends all but threatened to disown me. As it turns out, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I met the band for the first time after the first show of that trip, and was amazed by how friendly and down-to-earth they were. The next night, September 3^rd, the show was in Madison, Wisconsin. That show still stands out to many of us as one of the greatest of all the shows we’ve seen. It was my first time in the front row, I was surrounded by new friends and devoted fans, and we were treated to a shining reminder of how much the band loves their fans. Since so many fans were meeting from all over for this show, Jason had previously agreed to play the song Simon, which at the time they had not played in years (and wouldn’t play again until nearly two years later), since it meant to much to all the fans. As they played that song, there was not a dry eye in the front rows. We undoubtedly looked like complete fools, but it simply meant so much that they would do that for us. If I wasn’t hooked before, I was hooked then. Their music and shows sustained me from then on out through a very difficult school year. I recognize now that at times I devoted too much energy into keeping track of them, posting on message boards, and the like. But at the time, it kept me sane, and I am grateful to them for that.

Sometime in the spring of 2006, they started calling me by my nickname. I can’t describe how crazy it was the first time I was greeted by a “Hey Meesh!” after a show without any prompting. As time went on, I realized that by giving them respect and acting normal, we got respect in return. The more shows I went to, the more this respect grew. Throughout the years, their talent has grown as well. The shows have been major points of happiness for me in the past three years, and all the roadtrips are some of my fondest memories. The 14 hour drive to Virginia, baking in the heat all day in North Carolina, accidentally making Bryce freak out onstage in Missouri, hearing Broken live for the first time in Ohio the night before a final exam, winning a $20 bet with Bryce in Michigan, almost getting hit in the face by Jason’s guitar in Indiana, almost beating up a woman in Georgia, playing Uno for six hours in line in Kentucky, making faces at Ben in every city… the memories just go on and on. With 22 shows in 11 states now under my belt, I’m one of the people that they treat a little differently. They ask about our lives, they ask our opinions on song changes, light shows, and setlist order. This means the world to me, more than I can describe. Yes, they are ultimately just regular guys, only human. But they are also well-respected, famous, multi-platinum musicians, and when they ask me what I think about a new song, or walk past a group of waiting people to give me a hug… I’m allowed to enjoy that.

However, it isn’t just about the band and the music. The friends I have made as a result of all of this are beyond incredible, and mean more to me than any band member ever will. There is a closeness with some of these people that I never felt with anyone else. I think we were all drawn to the music for similar reasons, and that allowed us to connect. I simply don’t know what I would do without these girls (and boy) in my life the past few years. They are like family, we depend on each other, we support each other, and we love each other. Most of all, we understand each other when no one else does. It boggles my mind to think of all the amazing people who would be missing from my life if Lifehouse had not become a part of it. I truly owe them for some of my very best friends.

In addition, my appreciation for their live shows encouraged me to attend other live shows as well. My love for music and concerts grew as I branched out, and became an absolutely huge portion of my life and my happiness. I don’t believe I ever would have developed my love of concerts, new music, and music promotion, if it wasn’t for Lifehouse. They were the catalyst for what is now my biggest passion. I feel I am defined by this passion in the minds of many people, and it really is who I have become. Pharmacy will be my profession, but music will likely always be the love that sustains me. That is not who I was before. It is, without a doubt, who I am now.

Of course, things change a little over time. I’m no longer a main presence on the message boards. The Lifehousefans.com board went down last summer and never came back, and I never got used to posting as much on our replacement board. Over time, some older fans drifted away and newer ones drifted in to take their places. I used to be one of the first to know the new news, but I just don’t have the time to devote to it anymore. I still love them as much as ever, but the outward manifestations of that aren’t as obvious these days. I haven’t seen a show in our usual style since October (and a show in Los Angeles in March from the back of the room, but that’s not the same at all). The tour dates just didn’t fall in places or times where I could go.

Things have been a little different from the band standpoint as well. Jason got really sick earlier this spring, and everything has been just a little bit off since then. The setlists, which had already become pretty short by comparative standards, got even shorter. I’ve been told they rarely if ever come out to talk. Some supposed nonsense with an idiot fan girl spreading rumors and causing drama at a show a few weeks ago apparently either ticked off or freaked out Jason enough that he won’t even think of coming out to talk right now. Needless to say, all this is a little disconcerting. We’ve always been afraid that someday, some of the things that make them so special would start to disappear. I can’t say for sure that it’s happening, and I’d hate to accuse them of not caring, so that’s not what I’m trying to do. I think they’re all just a little thrown off right now, and we’re hoping the couple weeks of rest they have coming up will set everything back on track. Only time will tell.

Last night it was after midnight, and I couldn’t sleep. I went to look at my phone to see what time it was, and noticed the date of 5/7. In an instant, so many memories came flooding back, as well as all my concerns about the changes lately. I was suddenly hit by this intense longing to see them, the way that made me fall in love with them, with the line-waiting and the front row and the long setlist and the special after-show moments. Those feelings don’t happen to me very often, where I want something so bad that it almost hurts, but at that moment, it completely overtook me. I suppose I haven’t given them as much thought recently as I used to—the energy I’ve had left to devote to music has been wrapped up in the independent bands I support. When I actually took a second to think, I realized just how much I miss them and their music and all those experiences. I don’t know if they’ve changed for good, but ultimately I have no control over it and I will still love them regardless. Their shows still make me happier than I can properly describe. I can’t let the concerns of the present cloud everything wonderful that has happened. My life is infinitely more amazing because of them. Their music helped me through terrible times in high school, before I ever even saw them. Once I started to see them live, those shows helped me through terrible times in college. They led me to meet the people I count among my very best friends. They sparked something in me, something that has grown and flourished, this passion for music that has become the core of my happiness.

So thank you to Jason, Rick, Bryce, and Ben.
Thank you to Winnie, Ean, and the rest of the crew over time.
Thank you to my friends who share my passion and understand me.
All of you know exactly who you are. (Lifeho love for life.)
I don’t know where I’d be without all of you.

May 7^th, 2005, wasn’t just another day.
It changed my life.
And ultimately?
It changed me.

For that, I am eternally grateful.
For that, I will always love them.
For that, this will never, ever get old.
This is what I do.

[June 5, 2006]

I’ve seen enough
And it’s never enough
It keeps leaving me needing you
Take me away...

cramming, concerts, and carloads of crap

The school year is over. Finals left me mangled but alive. I celebrated by disappearing to Ohio to see Cavashawn twice. And about 2/3 of my material life for the past two years is sitting in the living room of my house, with the remaining 1/3 either still in the apartment, or in my aunt’s garage.

Now, to elaborate on all of that.

Obviously, I haven’t had much of a chance to write lately. This semester was complete chaos, and the last few weeks were especially heinous. Between exams, quizzes, papers, meetings, and countless BGR responsibilities, I barely had a chance to breathe. (Of course that didn’t stop me from attending some shows here and there, but that’s to be expected. It’s ME we’re talking about here…) I had five cumulative final exams, and with my motivation and energy all tapped out, I entered finals week woefully unprepared. I rapidly developed my usual reverse sleeping schedule, where I would stay awake all night to study, take a final, sleep for several hours in the afternoon or evening, and get up to study all night for the next one. I think I did reasonably well on three of them, acceptable on another, and almost embarrassingly bad (for me) on the other. Semester grades are released online tomorrow, so I suppose we’ll see for certain then. Either way, it’s all over for more than three months.

Originally, Amanda and I had planned to go to two Cavashawn shows in Ohio (May 2^nd in Columbus and May 3^rd in Cincinnati) after my finals, and right before hers. Something came up for her on the 2^nd so she couldn’t go that day after all, but my mom sounded interested and decided to go. Amanda could still go on the 3^rd, so we planned to meet at that show. As it turned out, those shows were very good decisions, because we had a blast. My last final was Thursday from 7-9, and once that was over, my friends and I went out for a bit to celebrate. “A bit” turned into 2:30 in the morning, so the 8:30 a.m. alarm Friday morning seemed far too early. I did manage to drag myself out of bed, get ready, pay summer rent, and pack for the weekend concert trip. I made it home to Peru at about noon, and my mom and I left shortly thereafter and headed for Columbus.

The show that night was in a new(ish) venue called House of Crave. I think it is partially sponsored by White Castle… and there is actually a small White Castle inside. Weird? Very. The venue is right above The Basement, which is apparently fairly common on the tour circuit of bands with mid-range popularity. We had to enter through The Basement, which is quite the dark and humid place with a small stage and a less-than-stellar setup, and was absolutely crawling with scene kids. Thankfully we found our way upstairs, where it was cooler, lighter, and cleaner. I spotted the guys and headed over to talk to them, then introduced Mom. We spent quite some time chatting with the guys that night, they were darling to Mom and I loved it. Scott was even nervous that she wouldn’t like them, but I assured him she would. (Turns out I was right.) The first band was okay, but had a little bit too much screaming for my taste. Cavashawn went on second and played a great set as always, just slightly shorter than what I’ve seen before. They played Out of My Mind, How It Goes, Madison, Say It Ain't So, Friendly Fire, Thrill, and Just Because.

There was a fairly large turnout for the headlining band so we had high hopes, but ended up disappointed. The singer was a girl whose voice I did not like at all, so we said goodbye to the guys after a couple songs from that band and headed back to the hotel.

[A little sweat never hurt anyone... right?]


Saturday morning we got up, had breakfast at the hotel, and checked out around noon. We drove the two or so hours to Cincinnati, and made some stops at Home Depot (stuff for home) and Staples (silver Sharpies for Cavashawn). We had plenty of time to kill so we asked around about a mall and eventually made our way there. The place was really crowded and I rejected a good portion of the clothes I tried on, but I finally settled on a dress and a new shirt from Macy’s. (I also completely fell in love with a black and white Tommy Hilfiger dress, and it wasn’t THAT expensive, but didn’t get it because I’m trying to save at least a little money.) Once we got back to the car, I carefully changed into a different pair of jeans in the car because I am just that classy. Once I got that all taken care of, we headed for St. Xavier High School, where the show was taking place. All the Cavashawn guys graduated from there, and they were headlining for a benefit concert for Ecuador. We met up with Amanda in the parking lot, and headed inside. There was a really good turnout of students, and of course we felt a little weird amidst a crowd of high schoolers, but it wasn’t that bad. We decided to hang back from the crowd a little, though. The two opening bands consisted of students and they mainly played covers, but both bands were fairly talented. When Cavashawn came on, we decided to suck it up and worked our way a bit further into the crowd. The show was really excellent, the guys were in rockstar mode with the lights and the big excited crowd.

It was really fun, and even though we had to dodge tall rhythmless high school boys for most of it. They played Hey Hey Hey, Out of My Mind, Stood Up, How It Goes, Say It Ain't So, Madison, Background (YAY!), Friendly Fire, Thrill, and Just Because. At the end we thought they were done, but the crowd demanded another song, so they came out and played Hostage, which we had never heard live. There was a decent size crowd waiting to talk to them afterward, so we hung out for awhile before we went to chat with them.

[Ecuador thanked us]


Amanda had pitched the idea of going out to eat to Jesse (since we’ve taken WTL out before and hadn’t had the chance to do the same for Cavashawn) and he said it would be fun, so we checked with the other three guys as they were finishing up the signing/talking to people, and all of them were for it. There was some debate between Skyline Chili and milkshakes, but milkshakes won out and it was decided that we would go to UDF. That stands for United Dairy Farmers, which we’d never heard of, but apparently it’s an Ohio thing. We hung around in the gym while the guys loaded out, then when they were ready, we followed Clifford (The Big Red Van… clever, right? I love it) to UDF. As it turns out, these places are part gas station convenience stores, part ice cream establishments. We all got our milkshakes and sat around talking for awhile, about any number of things including WTL, insane fans, other music, and their upcoming plans. We finally decided it would be good to start driving home and let the guys rest, so we snapped an adorable group pic and headed for Purdue.

Mom started the drive while I napped and she did almost all of it, but I finished out the last half hour or so. We crashed pretty quickly, Mom in my bed and me on one of the futons. Sunday, we woke up and sorted and cleaned in my room and started packing some things up. Mom did a lot more of the sorting than I did… I’m so bad at it. My aunt picked up Chinese food for lunch and took a few small tables of mine back to her garage. Mom and I packed as much as we could into my little car, but since there was still so much left, it was decided that I would bring our minivan back the next day to take more home. Avriel is also home right now and she said she’d help out, so early Monday afternoon we took the van and went to Purdue. First we took a bathroom cabinet thing and some shelves to my aunt’s, then went to Home Depot so she could get her new grill. Once all that was taken care of, my aunt took us for ice cream and we headed back to the apartment for the real work. We packed up so much stuff and loaded up the van really full, and even with that, there is still so much clutter and junk in that bedroom. I don’t even understand it… it’s out of control. I’ve still got so much work ahead of me before I am fully moved out. Today, I voted, set up my desktop computer, sat outside and read some of Atlas Shrugged, talked to some friends on the phone, hung up some clothes, and did too much sitting around. I think I’m entitled to that though, because tomorrow, I return to work. (I also work Thursday, Friday, and Saturday this week). For those who don’t know, I am a part-time pharmacy technician in a hospital about 20 minutes from home. I love my job, which is helpful. Unfortunately, I am currently unaccustomed to being active, productive, and continually on my feet from 7:30 to 4. Guess I better get used to it soon!

the tension of opposites

"Have I told you about the tension of opposites?" he says.
The tension of opposites?
"Life is a series of pulls back and forth. You want to do one thing, but you are bound to do something else. Something hurts you, yet you know it shouldn't. You take certain things for granted, even when you know you should never take anything for granted.
"A tension of opposites, like a pull on a rubber band. And most of us live somewhere in the middle."
Sounds like a wrestling match, I say.
"A wrestling match." He laughs. "Yes, you could describe life that way."
So which side wins, I ask?
"Which side wins?"
He smiles at me, the crinkled eyes, the crooked teeth.
"Love wins. Love always wins."

-Tuesdays with Morrie [Mitch Albom]

realization

I find something to be both fascinating and incredibly frustrating.




Those who we love so much...
have the power to hurt us so much more.

surprise! (we the living at purdue)

“Hey, what’s up?”
“Not much...why?”
“We’re chillin’ in West Lafayette.”
“......Hah, nice. Where exactly are you?”
“Driving by the graveyard? Are you at home?”
“Graveya... oh, I know where you are. Yeah, I’m home.”
“Are you busy tonight?”
“Not anymore.”

And thus began the total destruction of my plans to spend all of Sunday evening studying, as We The Living decided to drop by Purdue that night to play an impromptu show (after another show got canceled.) When I got the phone call, they still didn’t know where they were playing, but managed to get something set up with ATO about a half hour later. Normally I’m pretty wary of fraternities, especially after our last WTL/Purdue frat experience, but I know several guys in that one and it’s definitely one of the more respectable ones. They said I should come over early, so I had Laura drop me off over there around 7:30. I was greeted by the welcome sight of all their gear in the living room of the house, my bewildered friend Matt from ATO talking to the guys, and a scream of “MEEEEESH!” from Ben. (He’s obsessed with my nickname now and enjoys hollering it across a room at random.) Several hugs later, I plunked down on a couch to start calling friends about the show while general goofiness ensued. Meanwhile, JP was out at some of the sororities to play them a song and ask them to come check out the band.

[Fun with equipment...]

As time went on and the guys started soundchecking, some of my friends began to call back and said they’d be able to come. Also, some of the guys from the house started appearing to check out the band. JP let me pick which cover (of their 4 options) they were going to play, so we decided on “Chicago” by Sufjan Stevens, since it was the only one I hadn’t heard yet. When they were done setting up, we just sat around and chatted. I claimed a spot on one of the super-comfy couches near the front, and saved a spot for my friend Katie. People started showing up at that point, and then to my happiness, they kept...showing...up. By the time the show started, the room was packed. I was absolutely thrilled. I’ve been trying for so long to get people here to realize how awesome they are, and now a ton of people were finally going to see it. My friends Chris, Ed, and Danielle also came and sat by us.

At around 9:30, they started the show. I don’t know what it was about this one, but I’m fairly positive it was one of the best WTL shows I’ve ever been to. I was comfortable on the couch, I was surrounded by friends, I was at my own school, the sound was good, and the guys just sounded absolutely amazing. I wasn’t really distracted by anything, so I could just focus on the music and really appreciate how good they are and how amazing JP’s voice really is.



The Chicago cover was fantastic, I should request it again next time I see them. Also, JP looked much more comfortable singing Half the Girl without the guitar this time. He still didn’t move away from the keyboard though, maybe he feels safe there. I still think a lesson from the Scott Salmon School of Onstage Body Movement wouldn’t hurt, but to his credit, it was much better. In the middle of the set, Matt came and got my camera and they took a picture of the crowd. It was really pretty impressive.

[Note excellent location on the awesome couch.]

From what I could tell, people really enjoyed the show. Some people were talking at the beginning, but as the show went on, they got quieter and more attentive. By the time they got to History to close the show, it was dead silent, most likely due to awe. That is a truly amazing song, and I feel it’s meant to played in a room where you could hear a pin drop. Thankfully it worked out that way this time, and I think they guys said it was the quietest it’s been for that song in awhile. When they finished the song, the room went pretty crazy, and I could not stop smiling like an idiot at the crowd’s reaction.

After the show, it seemed that just about everyone wanted to meet them, talk to them, and buy a CD. I talked to my friends for a little bit, but I noticed the guys looked kind of swamped. I headed back to the merch to see if I could help, and Matt handed me a crumpled wad of cash to put in the box. I started organizing the bills when someone behind me asked if she could buy a CD. I said “of course” as a little lightbulb went off over my head, and proceeded to become assistant merch girl for the rest of the night. I was in heaven. Selling CDs, taking the credit card slips, organizing the money, making change, digging around the tubs for the correct size of t-shirts, answering questions about the band, all while joking around with the guys... it was an absolute blast. I really felt in my element. I mean, I guess I wasn’t doing that much, but it still made me so happy. I think I was a merch girl in a past life. I need to convince them to let me do that more often, it was a good time for sure.

Eventually the crowd started to dissipate, so the guys began tearing down. I returned to my couch and became a temporary guitar stand until the case was found.

[Who needs a guitar stand when you have a Meesh?]

A few people were still hanging out, including a few guys from the house and the guys who opened for them when they were here for the Invisible Children show, so WTL shared the story of their business philosophy and such while they worked. Once they were packed up, we all helped carry things outside so they could load up the trailer. I’m not sure what all happened while we were outside, but there were lots of inappropriate remarks, spontaneous dancing and singing, and intense questions from Ben which are highly important to life, such as what it’s like to be a foghorn. (Note: The answer to that question, which he also answered, was “I guess you’d just be like, BBBAAAAHHHHHHHH sometimes".) After everything was packed, I hitched a ride to my apartment to get my car, and we finished the night at Steak ‘n’ Shake for about a half hour. I was almost positive we were going to get kicked out from the way they were acting, but the late-night staff seemed indifferent. I’m not even sure what set the guys off, but something reminded them of something else and they burst into hysterical laughter for about 5 minutes straight. I can’t even describe it, all the laughing sounded fake, but some of it was real for sure. I was laughing so hard at their laughs that I was basically crying and thought I was going to hurl. Laughing til you almost puke = awesome. Once they calmed down, they all got set off again when JP played the “Zombie Kid Likes Turtles” video from YouTube on his iPhone.



Things were more or less when downhill from there, between more laughter, Jasper and Matt oozing milkshake like cave creatures, and Ben dumping salt all over the table.

[Ben enjoys his strawberry shakes.]

[Jasper imitates the horrific cave creature. I stole this picture from JP.]

Once the carnage calmed down, I paid for the shakes and we hugged it out in the parking lot, and I drove home while they headed for Milwaukee.

[JP’s idea of a tip. I ran a couple bucks back to the table.]

All in all, it was a lovely surprise and a great night.
I still felt sick from laughing an hour later.
Wouldn’t change that for anything.

_____


It’s been a rough week since that night. I need to recover, and music is the drug of choice. Cavashawn in Urbana, IL on Sunday night is looking likely.

love that. (we the living and cavashawn in cincinnati)

Wow.
What a night.

Friday, I went to Cincinnati to see We The Living and Cavashawn play a show together. (It doesn’t really get any better than that.) It was a fairly painless trip and an utterly fantastic evening. I’m not going to write anything particularly detailed about it, but I’ll cover the basics and the hilarious moments, and put in lots of pictures.

After class Friday, I packed up and drove the 3-ish hours to Cincinnati. Usually, Amanda and I would meet at Purdue and drive in one car from here, but that didn’t make sense with the location, so we drove separately this time. I’m not really used to driving long distances by myself, and I hit bad traffic in Cincinnati, so I was incredibly tense the whole drive. I borrowed “Jeeves” from Erin again though, and he got me there with no trouble in directions. I met Amanda and her roommate Ashley at the hotel (which was actually right across the river in Covington, KY), and we got all checked in and went to the room to get ready and hang out for a bit.

[Hotel room view. Mmm, dirty river.]

We hit up Skyline Chili for dinner, I’d never had it before and it was really good. It’s a little different, there’s something like nutmeg or cinnamon in it, but it was tasty. At around 8, we drove over to The Poison Room and managed to snag one of the last available street parking spaces. We went in and talked to the Cavashawn guys for a bit, then decided to claim the corner of the bar nearest the stage. WTL showed up at some point in there as well, as did our friend Kili, who lives in Cincinnati. We know her from Lifehouse shows and had gotten her to like WTL, so she came to the show to see them play. We had a lot of fun before the first band (Steven Gregory Band) played, just hanging out, talking to the guys, etc.

[Ashley, Amanda, Me, Kili]

I’m trying to think of moments worth mentioning... Benjamin’s current response to just about anything you say is “love that.” (Matt seems to say it too... I think they got it from their manager.) It apparently also applies to situations one would not usually love, such as when Kili was talking about she’d recently been laid off and Ben replied with “Oh, love that.” Needless to say, we got a kick out it, and “love that” has been officially adopted into our vocabulary. Also, Matt had left his hairspray on the bar and I picked it up so it wouldn’t get lost. I tried to give it to him but he didn’t know what to do with it, so I ended up holding it in my purse for the duration of their set. (When did I become the person who keeps track of their hairspray?) I think Kili was on the verge of a heart attack, she was so excited to see them play. Matt also informed us that he was going to come to the front of the stage during Half the Girl, so we should grab his leg. (More on that song later...haha) JP also warned us that there would probably be serious buttcrack exposure due to the pants he was wearing. The kid suffers from “noassitis” (his words) and his pants will not stay up. Insert full moon joke here.

Anyway, I was pretty darn excited to see them play again, since we hadn’t seen an actual show since the Iowa excursion in January. I would type out the setlist, but I don’t really remember it... I think they played Atlantic, 75 and 17, London Rain, Best Laid Plans, Half the Girl, a new cover I forget the name of, Barometers, and History. Half the Girl was hysterical... right in the middle of the edge of the stage, there is this big pole that runs from the ceiling to the ground. JP is now singing the song without a guitar, so he just had the mic and was moving around the stage. At one point he came to the front and somehow ended up doing an awkward pole dance, possibly by accident, but he stepped on Amanda’s purse in the process. Things went weird from there... JP rubbed Matt’s head, Matt did indeed come to the front so we pretended to freak out as promised, and JP got down on his knees in front of us and belted out the end of the song. A picture of that would have been priceless, but we were laughing too hard to take one. The new cover sounded good, and I absolutely adore History, it was only the second time I’ve seen it live, and it’s simply wonderful. I thought the show sounded good, but none of the guys looked particularly happy about it. They said later that they’d been having a lot of trouble hearing anything on stage. Regardless, it was great seeing them play again.



We decided to stay where we were for Cavashawn. They finished setting up and went on shortly after WTL played. Wow, these guys are SO GOOD. I know I’ve said it before, but they are true performers and have a great sound and energy on stage. We spent half the time fearing that Scott was going to fall on us, he kept jumping up on the monitors at the front of the stage and they would tip a little ominously. I don’t remember their full set either, but they definitely played more songs than we saw in Chicago. I know they did Hey Hey Hey, Thrill, Madison, Just Because, Out of My Mind, Friendly Fire, How It Goes (love that one), and a few others. I think one was called Background and it was a really amazing song, I think an older one, and just Scott and Chris played it. I’d never heard it before, but I totally loved it. I had so much fun during their set, I haven’t danced around like that in ages. Their music is just amazing.



After they played, we spent the next few hours hanging around with the guys. Another band played, but I wasn’t really listening. Everyone was a little camera-happy, so we ended up with some great pictures.

[Matt and his wicked awesome tie.]

[Too many teeth.]

[Well isn't that darling.]

[Mayhem.]

[Jesse, the most smiley drummer ever.]

[Drummer love.]

[We ARE Living? Whoopsies.]

[That's classy.]

We finally said our goodbyes after they loaded out, and got back to the hotel around 2:45 a.m. We all went to bed after 3 and got up at 8:15, so that wasn’t too fun, but it was completely worth it.

I love them, I feel loved by them, and nothing else really needs to be said.
It still blows my mind to think about how I almost never knew them.
Nights like these make me realize that life is good.
They tend to make everything better.

Love that.


[Addendum: I saw WTL again tonight. That will be explained later.]

perez hilton = good for something, part two

Well, it looks like We The Living ended up with about 18,000 plays on their page yesterday thanks to the promotion from Perez. In addition, Best Laid Plans is currently #91 on the iTunes rock chart. Hooray!

Also, something interesting happened to me as a result of all this. Back in the fall, I choreographed a ballet dance to Best Laid Plans for my dance company. I put the video up on YouTube in November, and the number of views plodded along steadily. I happened to glance at it about two days ago, and I believe it said something in the 1,500 views range.

Today? 2,816.

What?! Apparently, people who liked the song decided to "YouTube" it, and the first thing that comes up when you search for it is the video of my dance. I'm assuming most of those 1,316 people watched a few seconds of it and then went away, but still... that is crazy. It's also been "favorited" 52 times, so apparently someone likes it.

Anyway, I just thought that was really fascinating, and worth documenting. Ripple effect for sure. If you've never seen the dance, here it is!