- TwentyOneRest, One Track Mind, Hot Like A Robot, Amherst -
Erin drove, of course. Her friend Jen came with us, and Danni actually ended up being able to go, and Jill was supposed to come with us. Now Erin's car only holds five people, so that makes five. However, Jackie wanted to come, and her tail-light was broken on her BMW so her dad wouldn't let her drive it.. So, Jill AND Jackie ended up coming with us. Erin came and got me and we went and got Jill and Jackie, and then went to go get Danni. She was wearing her snakeskin print pants, she looks hott in those, and her black knit-like shirt.. it's see through to a point. So, after that we went to get Jen, and this is where the problem arose. The four of them didn't want to be crammed in the backseat, so Jill was going to sit on the floor with her legs up over Jackie.. Well, that idea failed, so Danni ended up sitting on the floor of the passenger side with her head in my crotch and my legs up on the dash. LoL. It was funny.
So, yea.. We finally got to driving down there after we stopped at our traditional gas station. I only had two Red Bull's.. I had class the next day so I couldn't be up all night, I had to try and get SOME sleep. (Didn't work) So.. I broke the number, maybe that's why all of the drama started that night. Who knows. Probably.
We finally made it to PB, and Danni had to get Nick a rose. Her and I talked to him last week and he said he was going to try and go to the show, so.. Remember the Aug 6th show at Cane's last summer? Well, that was when the whole rose for Nick thing started. Go read about it. So, we had to get a rose. We were driving and she was like "Flower shop!!" and kept pointing from between my legs, and finally, we found one, and skidded in to it. It was great. Oh, and Reno was supposed to go to the show, and Alex was supposed to show up, but the asshole didn't. Rrr. It's ok though, I love him anyway. Tee-Hee. He's my bud. So, we had the rose, and we got to Cane's and parked. Front row, yay. Naturally, I had tickets to sell, so I got working on that. Erin gave people tickets as I collected money and all was good. The bands started showing up, but no TwentyOneRest.. I started worrying. I called Weston on his cell, and was like "Where are you?". Turns out they weren't going on until 9, thus why they weren't there, but they were on the freeway. Brant was driving, and yelling nonsense in the background. That's Brant for you. So, they were on there way, but they had more tickets. Thirty, he said.. So, I went back to selling my tickets. People showed up, bands played. Larger Than Life and Kimberly Kills were supposed to play but didn't. I don't know Larger Than Life's excuse, but Kimberly Kills broke up. So, One Track Mind got on the bill and ended up playing.. First I think. I dunno, but then Hot Like A Robot played.. Or vice-versa. I dunno, I was outside selling tickets, and Jill and Jackie wandered off, and Danni was ripping little pieces of her rose apart. Dork.
That Daniel guy from the Epicentre show was there. He kinda scares me, but it's ok I guess. Don't obsess over a band. That's all I've got to say. But, anyway. I ran out of tickets, and there was no point in going inside to see the other bands because then you can't get back in if you walk out, and I had to sell the left over tickets that Weston had. So, Erin and I chilled outisde with Jen and Danni. Jill and Jackie went inside. Weston and Brant showed up and talked momentarily. He gave me the rest of the ticket.. There wasn't thirty, there was forty-three.. No problem though, we got to work. They started putting all of their stuff inside, and Erin and I sold tickets becuase Jen went inside. But, then it was 9.. I still had like twelve tickets left.. Maybe less. But, the band was going through sound check. So, I sent Erin inside with a pen and paper to take down the show for me. She said that Weston was having major problems with his guitar. He had to massively tune it. And, Aaron's guitar he had since sixth grade. How cute. LoL.So, I was outside, selling more tickets. But, then Pamela, the manager of Cane's, comes out and starts lecturing me about how you aren't allowed to sell tickets the day of the show at the show. She was pissed, but there wasn't anything I could say. I just said I was sorry, put the left over tickets with the money, and went inside. I wasn't really worried about me, but more about the band. I didn't want them to get in trouble, and I hope to God that they didn't. I'm sorry like all hell though if you did..
As I got inside they were in the middle of 'Moon-Calf Friend'. It was going so perfectly, I thought I would cry. Seriously. Aaron was so into it, so lively. Sean was romping around on the stage, with his hair pulled back in dreads that I asked him to take down.. Weston was wearing this hat, and the same shirt he was wearing for the last two shows.. Wierd guy. Brant had on his beanie but was totally rocking out on the drums. It was so fantastic. It WAS.. But, then Aaron was holding his note, and it was going so well. It was the longest he has ever held it, so much inflection, so much emotion, he was holding it, bent down to stage level with the mic-stand following him.. And, then he laughed. That moment was lost. They finished the song, but it wasn't together from there out.
They fell into 'We All Want' after that, and that was good. It's one of the newer songs, so I don't really know it well enough to fully critique it. But, from what I could see it was awesome. It's was religious.. That's all I know. Aaron didn't play guitar for most of it, possibly all of it, but was holding the mic in one hand, guitar resting upon his hip, knees bent, leaning into the audience, drawing you in like the ocean.. It was riveting. Seriously. It was so good. He was so into it. From stage right to stage left.. His eyes catching the light causing an almost eerie illumination.. Weston playing it away.. And, the feeling was there.. That feeling, it doesn't let you walk away. You can't take your eyes off of them, beacuse if you do, you almost feel like.. I don't know.. But, you're just that in-tune with the band. Then, Aaron was like "TwentyOneRest wrote it's first country song", because he was messing with his guitar and it made this twang. So, Brant starts busting out this yee-haw beat, and Weston is twanging away on his guitar and Sean backed him up with one of those slapping spoons on knees beat. It was hilarious. 'First Summer' erupted from that hick mess, and the harmony was so completely perfect. Seriously. Weston and Aaron sounded SO good at that moment. That opening harmony. Lonnie was flipping out that they were playing that song, and it was funny. Weston's mic stand was set too high, so he had to like sing up to sing into it.. it was funny. But, then right after the opening chorus of 'First Summer', they ended it and were attempting to fall into 'She Said' in this smooth transistion.
Smooth.. TwentyOneRest.. Aaron.. Nope. It didn't happen. Weston had it, Aaron messed it up, and then starts busting up laughing about it. And, he's like "Yea, we suck". That royally pissed me off. Not laughing, but the "We suck".. I go out and promote them like hell.. Invest more money than you would even believe.. Making everyone believe they're the best thing that's happened since the condom.. Proving to the world that a local band from Ramona can be so much better than any band from Seattle.. That there's more emotion, and feeling, and expression, inflection, and just true talent in these guys than there is in the entire world of acting.. Or of sports.. Or anything for that matter. But, NO. Aaron proceeds to tell over four-hundred people that they suck. Thanks guys, I'm glad I know that I believe in something that I thought you at least had some faith in. Sure, it was in jest, but not on stage. On stage.. You can't cover that up. It's out there, with too many people witness to it. In practice, sure.. Scream about how you suck, or anything else for that matter.. But, not on stage. I'm sure I've mentioned this stage presence thing before.. Yea.. *Sigh* And, Aaron wants to make it, to be the best, but forgetting your lyrics won't get you there. You've got to take it seriously. This success, and getting into the industry isn't just going to fall into your lap, and if you think it is.. Get over it. You've got all of the talent and potential in the world, but it yourselves who are going to cause your own downfall, and no matter how much I try to help.. No matter how much everyone supports.. No matter how many CD's get out there, or how many people come to the shows.. No one can protect you from yourselves, only you can do that one..
Yea.. So, they played 'She Said', and ohh! Guess what!! Yep, Aaron forgot his own lyrics again. But, Nick showed up, so that was interesting. I drug Danni over to him and she gave him the rose. He laughed, and some girl cast a not-so-friendly smile, but that's ok. Danni and I went back over to where we were and were rocking out to the song. Erin, Jill, Danni and I were busting out our hand-motions to the whole song. It was beautiful. After that, they fell into 'Eating Tinfoil'. I love and hate that song respectively. Kinda like how I love and hate Alex.. Heh. Erin started yelling, literally yelling, the lyrics at me.. "Stop living your life for someone else".. And, I think Weston heard, or noticed her, because it seemed he was looking at me for the rest of the number, almost like "Yea, listen to the lyrics".. I know I need to stop living my life for everyone else, but that's a whole other story in itself. It was perfect though, the song. And, so was 'Know Me' after that. Before the song, Aaron was asking the band what they were playing next, and the hoochie girls in the front were like "Know ME!!" Yelling really loud, and he was like, "Alright, we'll play 'Know Me'". It was funny. But, they hit the break, and so it was perfect. Plus the harmonies were splendiforous. Truly. And, after that, they were going to play 'Lightshow', and Aaron was like "This song is about drugs". People were laughing, people were cheering, others were bewildered. And, Aaron was like "But, I don't condone the use of drugs", and Brant scoffed really loud and was like "Riiiiiiiight". It was funny, but then again it wasn't.. That's a whole other story in itself.
So, they played 'Lightshow' and it was wonderful, as always. Lonnie was dancing with himself over by stage right, and he ended up taking off his shirt and just.. I don't know. Being Lonnie. It was hilarious. I was singing along with the song and this girl gave me this stupid look because I knew the lyrics and she was all just pretending she knew. People are wierd. The way Aaron hits the note on "pour" in the chorus sounds so cool. Seriously. I thought you all should know. But, anyway, they finished that and went into 'Closer To The Ground'. Weston was all saying that it's been overplayed, and I agree. It's turning into what 'First Summer' turned into. Oh well. It was going beautifully up until the last thirty seconds of the song.. Aaron decides.. Notice it's Aaron again.. Yea, well he decided to forget the lyric "I was lost but now I found my way", and the song got all messed up at the end. It was jusy dandy.. Not really.
They played 'Puddles' after that though, so things were good again, because that went perfectly. Sean was all playing bass and walking across the stage, and Aaron backed up into him. It was funny. Aaron got bass in butt. Yea.. It's ok because it didn't mess up the song, and Aaron started totally working the mic. It's great when he does that. The mic stand swaying on the stage, following his voice, following his movements.. It's like a shadow. But, it's so much better than that. 'Sorry' followed that up.. LoL. Brant was all playing that song with his beanie pulled way down over his eyes so that is sat at the tip of his nose. It was so hilarious. TwentyOneRest had a blind drummer. It was great. And, Aaron's hair looked cool.. LoL. Yay for 'Sorry'. "I'm sorry for adding up to nothing".. How true is that. Sounds like me, I haven't done anything productive. I've invested all of me into everyone I know. Friends, family, guys in bands that think I'm nuts, people that move 3000mi. away, everyone. Hmph.. Oh well..
They closed with 'Burn Purple'. That song makes me want to cry, just because of the way it sounds. It's that emotional.. Sounding. Aaron comes across so well. Like an echo against the wind.. Waves crashing over a thousand miles away.. On top of a mountain.. Red night sky.. The wind fighting against the sound.. No one around.. No one to hear it.. But, then one voice cries out.. Singing in the darkness.. Bleeding through everything the world tried to hold against it.. A nonviolent protest.. And, everyone can hear it.. All are drawn in.. Mesmerized.. Piercing against the back of your neck.. Five simple words.. "Put your mind at ease"..
The show ended, I was still wrapped up in the last song when this drama began with Nick and the rose, and then Lonnie and not hearing 'First Summer'. I gave Weston the money from the tickets and explained to him about Pamela and her not being too happy about selling tickets. I appologized to him, but he didn't seem to mind too much. I saw Marissa and was telling her about how I saw a girl at registration who was wearing a LadyBird shirt. It was funny. Then, Erin went to.. eh.. talk to Nick. And, all in all, the show wasn't too bad, because the parts that were good were REALLY good, but the parts that sucked, just sucked.. And, there was the same old stuff like always, like forgetting lyrics.. But, whatever. I can't do anything about that. I can't really do anything about anything, just make an observation and hope someone listens. We left. Jackie wanted to see Weston's car, but it wasn't there because he got a ride with Brant. So, I said my "bye" to Weston, Aaron, and Sean.. I didn't see Brant again. As we were leaving though, walking through the parking lot, they were yelling their thank you's and someone yelled "I love you".. It was funny. But, I love them all too, so it works.
We got in Erin's car. Jill ended up sitting on the floor in between my legs on the way home. We stopped at Alex's house. I love that kid. I really do. Yea.. But, then Erin made the rounds and took everyone home, and then dropped Danni and I off at my house. And, well here we are and here this is. Danni made Dad a cake for his birthday. Danni's the best. The band's the best, and they know it. Beleive it, you guys. I love you.