Feeling :  giddygiddy  Listening :  Same Blood - The Academy Is...  Reading :  Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury

Basically, the Academy Is… the other night was amazing.

I went with my niece, C. We painted my car with window chalk: Santi or Bust on the back window, Guy “Delicious” Ripley and TAITV on one side window in the back, and Burn the Merch on the other side. She wanted to paint all the windows, but I was all, “Dude, I still need to drive y’know.”

We got there a couple of hours early, and stood around in line. I had a screwdriver which loosened me up a bit. We took a walk around the plaza that housed Jillian’s. It’s really frickin’ quiet over there. It’s a shame the city doesn’t try to put more effort into it. I’d never been to the venue before, and being a local who actually cares about what goes on in city hall, it was shocking how there wasn’t anything going on there. Nobody was there. It’s a massive amount of wasted space! But that’s a rant for another day.

Tipsy from the screwdriver ’cause I drank it on an empty stomach, this random guy passes by and goes, “What are you waiting for?”

“THE ACADEMY IS!!” I yell shrilly.

“I have NO IDEA what you just said.” rofl.

I repeated it, but he gave up and walked away.

Anyways, we walked around the very quiet Neonopolis and when we got back to the queue, we met L, a friend of my niece C’s from the Panic! boards. L brought a friend, S. And we chatted for a bit. A lot of the kids in line were there for the opening acts, and they were being bitches. Plain and simple. There is no other way to explain it. We were acting silly in our own little group, and they would make little asides about our behaviour that almost put a damper on the whole waiting in line deal. What is with people like that??

After constantly checking our watches, we were all getting antsy that Jack the Camera Guy - TAI’s camera guy - who was supposed to give us our wristbands for the meet and greet had not yet shown up. We got the munchies, and had just run back after a quick run to the Walgreens nearby. But Jillian’s doesn’t allow outside food, so when the doors opened, I ended up tossing the food. I was tempted to put the food in the car, but by the time I realised I should do that, the doors had opened and we were right in front. Whatever.

I was like, “We need a sign to hold up against the window so someone can find out where Jack is.”

And L was like, “Yeah! Use this!” She gave me S’s Armor for Sleep poster that was handed out by their merch guy, and I took a Sharpie that I had brought for emergency purposes. I scribbled “WHERE’S JACK THE CAMERA GUY?!?” in big bold letters. C ran out of line to stand on this planter thing nearby to see if anyone knew. We were all feeling a little punchy. And literally 30 seconds after she did that, JACK SHOWED UP!! The people behind us in line were like, “Fucking seventh graders. Who’s Jack the Camera Guy?”

OK, it’s fine if you don’t know the significance of Jack, but don’t you DARE think you’re better than me in some way that you feel the need to talk shit about our behaviour. We weren’t hurting anybody. So what the hell? I was going to say something, possibly scrap with those jerks, and get kicked out of the show before it started, but I let it pass. If you want to be a bitter scene kid, fine. I’m not going to let you rain on my parade.

I shrieked and gestured for him to come over. Jack is a really nice guy. I think he was a little freaked out about our fangirlness, but I’m sure there’s some at every show, haha. We got everything situated, and we just waited for the doors to open. He kept walking around trying to find more SLH, and that’s when I remembered the candy. We bought a bag of Starburst and Airheads for the band, just for fun. We gave it to Jack, and when we saw him later on during - I think - Armor for Sleep’s set - he goes, “What candy?” I hope the guys got it. Or at least somebody’s at Jillian’s ended up enjoying it.

We got in okay, and bought our merch. The show starts, and it’s Sherwood up first, of course. Good music. L, C, and I are waiting impatiently for the meet and greet which was to take place upstairs at 7:30. So we didn’t really pay attention to Sherwood. We were to meet by the merch table for the M&G. Right as The Rocket Summer was setting up, we decided to wait with the other SLH by the merch table to confirm with Jack how many there was and our wristbands. He counted us a few times to make sure everyone had showed up, and he poked me in the arm the second time and I was not paying attention and chatting with C and L and was all, “What the hell?” rofl.

So we climb upstairs, and we wait around for the band to show up. We got our things ready and didn’t have to wait too long. I unrolled my rasterbation, and Jack and I had a small conversation about it. He was like, “Cool.” Jack finally realised what hoodie C was wearing (the same one Gabe Saporta from Cobra Starship was wearing on HCT), and he goes, “My friend Gabe has a hoodie like that.” *whispers* We bought the hoodie that morning; I bought the yellow/electric blue-striped one that Sisky digs at our local American Apparel at the same time (but I passed on wearing it in favour of my favourite TWLOHA hoodie).

They show up and Mike Carden is the first one we meet. It was a casual deal, just everyone standing around and conversing. I literally forgot everything I was going to say. I was going to have them sign a birthday sign I had made for my friend D, but I forgot that. I was going to mention seeing them on the casino floor at the Palms during HCT, and I forgot that too. I was going to bring a bottle of Captain Morgan’s, I forgot that. I was going to tell them that seeing them was my 24th birthday present to myself, forgot that too. Doy.

We meet Michael Guy next, and I have him sign my rasterbation. And I don’t know why, but I pointed him out like I was making like he didn’t know, and he goes, “yeah I know.” *facepalm* Butcher was next, a sweetheart. I think it was the Butcher who said that the picture I had chosen for the rasterbation may end up as an official poster. We tracked down Bill next, and he was just really shy and quiet. I know what it’s like to be shy around people but he was gracious.

Sisky was the last one we meet, and Butcher was all, “Hey, someone brought us Hi-C. Want some?” Another SLH had brought a basket of Hi-C and some baked goodies. And Sisky, as he’s signing C’s poster, goes, “Yeah.” So Butcher sticks the straw in his mouth and Sisky starts drinking! In Tagalog, we call it make subu (sp?). I don’t know what you call it in English. I got a picture of it. Between the three of us, C, L, and I got 3 different sides of it, rofl. He was wearing a Clash shirt, and he thanked me for pointing it out, but we didn’t talk about the Clash, which I had hoped we could have. I could talk about the Clash all day.

The guys loved the rasterbation, and they’re all, “That’s really good. She’s going to take your job, Jack,” and I wasn’t really paying attention so I didn’t acknowledge it until it was too late. I wasn’t even sure they were talking about me, actually, because I was busy trying to get it rolled up properly. *headdesk* I should’ve said, “Yeah, you know, Jack, if you ever want to retire, or if you need a Camera Girl…” Don’t you hate when you get really nervous during what should be a really simple, friendly conversation, and only realise much later what you should’ve said?

Anyways.

I asked Jack take a picture with my dorky sign, and he did. He ended up signing it for me too.

So we get the tail end of the Rocket Summer, and wait through Armor for Sleep. Good music too. I ended up buying TRS’s CD from one of their merch guys after the show.

The show itself was AMAZING. Everything I could’ve ever hoped for in a TAI headling show. That’s the best way to describe it. I threw a white bandanna onstage during Black Mamba, and I think MGC got confused for a second trying to figure out who threw it, rofl. He would’ve seen it was me, had the lights not gone out for dramatic effect at the precise moment I threw it.

Setlist was a bit of everything: opening with “Same Blood” and closing with “Almost Here.” “Attention, “Slow Down,” “The Phrase That Pays, “Black Mamba,” “Classifieds,” “Checkmarks,” “Down and Out,” LAX to O’Hare,” “We’ve Got a Big Mess on Our Hands,” “Sleeping with Giants (Lifetime),” “Everything We Had,” “Bulls in Brooklyn,” “Neighbors,” “Seed,” and “40 Steps” was performed, and not necessarily in that order.

I forget between which songs, but William said they really loved Las Vegas, and “not because of the nightlife.” I screamed, “LIAR!” rofl. I don’t think he heard me though, haha.

I’ve been to a lot of shows, but I think SWG was - by far - the best I’ve been to. That is a testament to how bloody fantastic the boys are live. Loads of energy, all go, no quit.

They were personable in between songs, said we were an incredible crowd, and dedicated “Classifieds” to us. Mike gave the security guard a straight up dirty look during a song, after some crowd surfers were doing their thing, and both he and William addressed that afterwards. They go, “If you want to crowd surf, please be careful, because security’s not going to look out for you.”

I got video of “Everything We Had,” and it was lovely. Far better and much more emotional live. C said that William looked like he was going to let loose a few tears, but I think I missed that. I was too busy trying to get everyone on the video.

Got a picture with James by the sound boards afterwards. His first reaction to my niece was, “Wow, you’re… short.” Way to make a girl feel special Jimmy!

I forgot I was holding S’s shirt, but she and L took off right after the show so we weren’t able to give it to them. We waited around for a bit, called them a few times, no joy. Hopefully we can do it soon ’cause that was hers and all. If need be, I can mail it.

C passed out on the way home, and that leads us to now.

?: “Last live show that you went to?“