My journey starts at 3:30am on Friday en route to the airport. Amazingly, no problems or issues at the airport except getting stuck in the cattle call of the terminal at the end where they put about 6 gates in the space for 2 and schedule all the flights to take off within 40 minutes. This is known as the bus stop. Other than that and getting yelled at 15 times for bringing too many carry on bags for the overheads everything was fantastic, quick flight plus a super easy and enjoyable ride to Atlantic City.
Showtime Friday night came quickly after a very short nap. Met up with some amazing people and put faces to names. I enjoyed meeting them and each of our conversations felt like I’d known them for years. Found our seats quickly and I noticed how small the venue was even in the very last row in the back. I was right on the aisle so it was great to have a completely unobstructed view of the stage. There was definitely a palpable buzz in the air as we waited for the show to begin.
Now most everyone knows I’m equally as big of a fan of Ryan Star and David Cook so for me I was basically there to see 4 concerts, not 2. The excitement began right from the first second of the show when Ryan came out. I did my best to stand and scream and cheer but overall I felt the crowd was pretty good. Ryan of course is amazing live. He brings the audience to him and I always feel his songs right in my gut. There has always been something about Ryan’s music that just hits me in a way that I feel from the inside out. I always loved Brand New Day but that song is definitely something special live. Psycho Suicidal Girls is a crowd favorite and it is always fun to hear it. Breathe was another stand out song, the heart Ryan puts into the song is moving to say the least. Back of Your Car was the perfect ending and Ryan brought out Neal to play at the end of the song. Ryan’s set seemed to go by in 10 minutes, I wanted so much more.
After a short break it was time for David to come out and it was a huge surprise to hear The World I Know first. I could see David up on the stage in the dark and then to hear the first notes of the song begin in that manner was unforgettable. It has been said that David’s voice is even better live and I have to agree. The tone and power of his voice is breath taking. I also noticed David’s speaking voice is a bit different too, even sexier if that is at all possible. It was hard to know what to focus on during the show so I tried to take equal time on just the voice, David and band as a whole. I didn’t take as many pictures and video because it is hard to not be in the moment. Every song was a true pleasure to enjoy live but some were absolute stand outs. I have to say Declaration is unbelievable live. The energy during that song compares with the some of the best concert moments I’ve had. It is that feeling where singing and cheering isn’t enough, it almost compels you to want to jump off of something. It was also such a nice treat to get Lie, it is one of my favorites from all of David’s collection of songs. All the little moments in the show were so much fun, like the synched movements in Make Me, the completely sexy and out of control Hot for Teacher, the Light On in the dark with the glowsticks and cellphones plus so much more. Although I hadn’t been to a concert on the tour before I had a feeling the crowd was one of the best they’ve had. There was a lot of cheering in between songs so I hope David and the band felt the love. I really got the impression that David is a true star on that stage. He owns it and can do whatever he wants on it. I don’t know that I’ve ever witnessed so much raw energy and charisma from one person just in their performance plus all the other members in the band add their own spark and attitude to combine into one collective ‘plosion.
The second night was surprisingly met with more buzz and anticipation. After a failed attempt to get upgraded seats and an encounter with one irate ticket official , the second night of my journey was about to begin. Our seats were better this night, not on the back row and even the 6 or so row change made a large difference in view of the stage. The one drawback in being closer to the action was it became easier to get distracted by the rest of the crowd. Ryan’s set was as always amazing again and the crowd was really great. I wasn’t sure how standing would go since we were not in the last row this time but the people behind me made the decision for me that standing is what I should do. Of course I was left wanting more and more. This time after the set I had the opportunity to get an autograph on the album cover for the CD he made with the band Stage and to let him know he had a big fan in the audience that night.
David’s show was as great as the first night and the energy in the room was easy to feed off of. It is so nice to see all the little details in the show such as the lighting and how the band interacts with each other. About 3 songs into the show I noticed some seats on the aisle about 6 rows down from me were not taken and made the decision to self upgrade. This was my last chance to see David as up close as I could and I’m very glad I made the move. Declaration was a stand out song again as well as the out of control Hot for Teacher. The gorgeous Permanent got me choked up a little as I underestimated the power of the song live, truly a gift for anyone lucky enough to hear it. I also really enjoyed Man in the Box, the vocals and swagger on that song just slay me. Of course the highlight on the night and the whole trip for me was the last song of the night, A Daily Anthem when halfway through the song David introduced Ryan on to the stage to help sing and for the first time in my life I think I literally could not remember breathe. What a nice treat for me to see both artists who hold equal parts of my soul on stage at the same time and contributing to the energy of a song. I’d love to know what compelled this to happen on this particular night with me in the audience but I’ll chalk it up to good karma and not to question when the universe gives you giant gift of a lifetime memory.
After the show there was an after party. I’ll skip many of the details since most are known anyway. I enjoyed my time there as I don’t do much clubbing at home. It was nice to be in an area that wasn’t the packed dance floor. People watching was fun for a little while but when I felt the experience gave me all it could it was time to move on.
The journey ends with another great trip back to the airport. No bus stop this time but a temptation to take an oversold deal and stay an extra night in Philly courtesy of the airline. Hard to pass up but I figured if I stayed then I’d never come home. Better to head home with great memories and hope for another experience down the road. Thanks to all the great friends I met and of course Ryan and David for the incredible music.
Link to my youtube videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/tigervixxxen
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Friday, August 15, 2008
Linkin Park in Denver Review
This is quickly turning from a TV blog to a music review blog but we'll ride this wave and see where it takes us.
On August 12th I had the opportunity to see a band live that I had wanted to see for many years. Linkin Park's summer festival Projekt Revolution came to town and I jumped at the chance to attend. Linkin Park puts on one hell of a show and here is my experience for what its worth.
The first hurdle to overcome in my concert going objectives was to get rid of the extra ticket in my possession left behind by a companion that bailed at the last minute. I was going to rock chick groupie it alone this time in what is becoming a trend for me. Secretly I was trilled at the prospect. So I sold the ticket at a quarter of its value for $10 to the scalpers who were not too interested in negotiating with me. A short walk later and a confiscated bottle cap at the gate and I was in.
Immediately my first call of duty was to hit the merch table and drop some money there. I'm beginning a collection of concert t-shirts apparently and had to add one to the mix. The obligatory tour date shirt was begging me to purchase one but a gorgeous black shirt with dark red roses sprawled across the front was calling me. Anyone who knows me would attest to this graphic being my signature image so its hardly a wonder I chose that shirt in particular. The only drawback is that its a Chris Cornell shirt and not Linkin Park. Minor details though, and this was one of the few ladies shirts that could actually be worn by anyone who is larger than a size 6.
Moving on, to the amphitheater where I spied a very full crowd although the show was only at its first opening act. My ticket was general admission for the lawn so it was a task to find space not already occupied. Since I was rolling solo on this adventure I figured there would be some decent space to squeeze in. I eventually chose an odd spot underneath a light pole which had a concrete riser, perfect for sitting on and keeping the crowd away from me.
Enough about me, on to the music. The first opening act was Ashes Divide which sounded a lot like Metallica slowed down. I enjoy this sound so it was a pleasant introduction to the event. Next up was The Bravery which I was previously a fan of. The crowd didn't seem to familiar with the band but I spotted random people rocking out to their most popular tunes. I recommend anyone to give their music a try, Believe and Honest Mistake are very well broken in on my iPod. Busta Rhymes was supposed to perform as well but either he didn't show up or the purple smoke around me caused me to lapse in consciousness for a while. I'm assuming the former but I cannot be certain.
Chris Cornell was the first real headliner of the night. The crowd stood on his entrance which was a taped symphonic track of Black Hole Sun. Interesting thing about Cornell is he was pretty much doing the anti rockstar thing, he at times appeared on stage like he just happened on there and decided to sing some songs. Cornell's vocals are incredible, however thats likely trite to say since Cornell's voice is legendary. I greatly enjoyed when Cornell at one point randomly went so far into the crowd that he ran all the way up the hill into the part where the lawn folks were standing. My favorite performance was when Chester Bennington of Linkin Park came out to do a duet with Cornell on Hunger Strike, a song that it pretty familiar to me. I was hoping for a live Billie Jean since Cornell inspired the legendary David Cook interpretation of the song but alas no dice. Another symphonic exitlude and Cornell was gone.
The crowd and anticipation at this point did not slow down. Everyone was standing and clamoring for Linkin Park to emerge. The video screens placed on either side of the stage was set up for people to text their messages to get broadcast to the crowd. Genius way to keep the crowd entertained and for Verizon to no doubt make a couple bucks on the deal. I wondered who was moderating the messages and was tempted to send in a text full of vulgarities to find out. In the end I decided to text "Go Broncos!!!" which never made the screen anyway. I will not be shocked if somehow I signed my life away to Verizon in the process.
The wait wasn't too long until the lights went out and it was showtime. Linkin Park started with a bang and did not relent the entire hour and 40 minute set. They played old and new songs, almost all of which are my absolute favorites. About a third of the way through the show it began raining and nobody in the crowd moved. A couple hoods went up and the crowd continued fist pumping and singing along. At one point I peeked over at the crowd around me and all I could see was a wall of people. The open areas in the lawn and empty seats in the stands were all full, I wondered where they were all hiding before. At another point in the show I looked to my right and saw my first ever mosh pit up close and personal. Its amazing to see how the music drives people to have to find someway to get the emotion and aggression out. Another aspect of the crowd that made an impression on me was just how intently they were into the music. I've been at concerts where crowds sung along to the hit songs but this wasn't like that. Everyone was literally screaming and singing as loud as they could and it got so intense that I almost couldn't hear the lead singer. I could tell Chester and the rest of the band was feeling it too because the intensity level in their performance went sky high as well. Its a feeling I'll never forget to be a part of a crowd who was not only enjoying the experience but creating the moment as well.
After the 3 song encore, which completely brought the house down with the songs What I've Done, Faint and Bleed it Out, the show was sadly over. I felt compelled to purchase the password to download the my live show from Linkin Park because I had to archive this experience and was very curious to hear what the crowd singing back sounded like on a recording. Somewhere in there I will hear my voice and know it was the difference maker.
My rock chick groupie thoughts for the day. Please skip if thats not your cup of tea. Lead singer Chester started out with a jacket and shirt on and proceeded to peel off a layer of clothing every few songs. I thought he might stop at the wife beater but he made it all the way to full undress. Not a bad view at all. I also spied the tour buses parked right on the street as I was exiting and my previous groupie stalking experience (see post below) made me pause for a second in contemplation. Reason and the impending arrival of husband to pick my bitch ass up squelched and further pondering of such stalking.
All in all this was one of the best not only concerts but experiences in my life. Pity on those who did not experience it. I had a blast every second of it and thrived on the crowd's intensity. It further awakened my passion for both music and live shows. Say what...Metallica is coming to Denver soon? There might be another music review blog in your future.
On August 12th I had the opportunity to see a band live that I had wanted to see for many years. Linkin Park's summer festival Projekt Revolution came to town and I jumped at the chance to attend. Linkin Park puts on one hell of a show and here is my experience for what its worth.
The first hurdle to overcome in my concert going objectives was to get rid of the extra ticket in my possession left behind by a companion that bailed at the last minute. I was going to rock chick groupie it alone this time in what is becoming a trend for me. Secretly I was trilled at the prospect. So I sold the ticket at a quarter of its value for $10 to the scalpers who were not too interested in negotiating with me. A short walk later and a confiscated bottle cap at the gate and I was in.
Immediately my first call of duty was to hit the merch table and drop some money there. I'm beginning a collection of concert t-shirts apparently and had to add one to the mix. The obligatory tour date shirt was begging me to purchase one but a gorgeous black shirt with dark red roses sprawled across the front was calling me. Anyone who knows me would attest to this graphic being my signature image so its hardly a wonder I chose that shirt in particular. The only drawback is that its a Chris Cornell shirt and not Linkin Park. Minor details though, and this was one of the few ladies shirts that could actually be worn by anyone who is larger than a size 6.
Moving on, to the amphitheater where I spied a very full crowd although the show was only at its first opening act. My ticket was general admission for the lawn so it was a task to find space not already occupied. Since I was rolling solo on this adventure I figured there would be some decent space to squeeze in. I eventually chose an odd spot underneath a light pole which had a concrete riser, perfect for sitting on and keeping the crowd away from me.
Enough about me, on to the music. The first opening act was Ashes Divide which sounded a lot like Metallica slowed down. I enjoy this sound so it was a pleasant introduction to the event. Next up was The Bravery which I was previously a fan of. The crowd didn't seem to familiar with the band but I spotted random people rocking out to their most popular tunes. I recommend anyone to give their music a try, Believe and Honest Mistake are very well broken in on my iPod. Busta Rhymes was supposed to perform as well but either he didn't show up or the purple smoke around me caused me to lapse in consciousness for a while. I'm assuming the former but I cannot be certain.
Chris Cornell was the first real headliner of the night. The crowd stood on his entrance which was a taped symphonic track of Black Hole Sun. Interesting thing about Cornell is he was pretty much doing the anti rockstar thing, he at times appeared on stage like he just happened on there and decided to sing some songs. Cornell's vocals are incredible, however thats likely trite to say since Cornell's voice is legendary. I greatly enjoyed when Cornell at one point randomly went so far into the crowd that he ran all the way up the hill into the part where the lawn folks were standing. My favorite performance was when Chester Bennington of Linkin Park came out to do a duet with Cornell on Hunger Strike, a song that it pretty familiar to me. I was hoping for a live Billie Jean since Cornell inspired the legendary David Cook interpretation of the song but alas no dice. Another symphonic exitlude and Cornell was gone.
The crowd and anticipation at this point did not slow down. Everyone was standing and clamoring for Linkin Park to emerge. The video screens placed on either side of the stage was set up for people to text their messages to get broadcast to the crowd. Genius way to keep the crowd entertained and for Verizon to no doubt make a couple bucks on the deal. I wondered who was moderating the messages and was tempted to send in a text full of vulgarities to find out. In the end I decided to text "Go Broncos!!!" which never made the screen anyway. I will not be shocked if somehow I signed my life away to Verizon in the process.
The wait wasn't too long until the lights went out and it was showtime. Linkin Park started with a bang and did not relent the entire hour and 40 minute set. They played old and new songs, almost all of which are my absolute favorites. About a third of the way through the show it began raining and nobody in the crowd moved. A couple hoods went up and the crowd continued fist pumping and singing along. At one point I peeked over at the crowd around me and all I could see was a wall of people. The open areas in the lawn and empty seats in the stands were all full, I wondered where they were all hiding before. At another point in the show I looked to my right and saw my first ever mosh pit up close and personal. Its amazing to see how the music drives people to have to find someway to get the emotion and aggression out. Another aspect of the crowd that made an impression on me was just how intently they were into the music. I've been at concerts where crowds sung along to the hit songs but this wasn't like that. Everyone was literally screaming and singing as loud as they could and it got so intense that I almost couldn't hear the lead singer. I could tell Chester and the rest of the band was feeling it too because the intensity level in their performance went sky high as well. Its a feeling I'll never forget to be a part of a crowd who was not only enjoying the experience but creating the moment as well.
After the 3 song encore, which completely brought the house down with the songs What I've Done, Faint and Bleed it Out, the show was sadly over. I felt compelled to purchase the password to download the my live show from Linkin Park because I had to archive this experience and was very curious to hear what the crowd singing back sounded like on a recording. Somewhere in there I will hear my voice and know it was the difference maker.
My rock chick groupie thoughts for the day. Please skip if thats not your cup of tea. Lead singer Chester started out with a jacket and shirt on and proceeded to peel off a layer of clothing every few songs. I thought he might stop at the wife beater but he made it all the way to full undress. Not a bad view at all. I also spied the tour buses parked right on the street as I was exiting and my previous groupie stalking experience (see post below) made me pause for a second in contemplation. Reason and the impending arrival of husband to pick my bitch ass up squelched and further pondering of such stalking.
All in all this was one of the best not only concerts but experiences in my life. Pity on those who did not experience it. I had a blast every second of it and thrived on the crowd's intensity. It further awakened my passion for both music and live shows. Say what...Metallica is coming to Denver soon? There might be another music review blog in your future.
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