AFI - Starland Ballroom 10/10/09

the show was amazing!
I can't even think of the right word to describe how wonderful it was.

I left my house at around 12:30. we drove and got slightly lost, but in the end figured it out. I got to the Starland at about 2:20. I waited for maybe a half an hour and then Christy showed up. she bought my extra ticket, we waited, and then someone she knew came over. Her name was Theresa and she was super nice! it was cold so she gave us blankets and later came back with a veggie wrap for Christy, but she shared it with me. then we waited some more.

Smith came out around 6 and handed everyone who was in the DF a wrist band. when I got to Smith I asked if I could take his picture, but I think he took what I said the wrong way and thought I meant that I wanted to take a picture with him, but he nicely said "I'm sorry, I'm working right now!".
I wanted to ask because I just didn't want to go up to him and shove a camera in his face.
so I got my wrist band and the DF line formed, we all waited until about 6:50ish to actually get in. I feel bad for the people that paid extra for the star parking, because it didn't even matter, the DF still got in first.

so I was up front for the whole show, there was a platform-esque thing that was a step above the rest of the floor that I stayed on for the duration of the show. although, I was shoved off by like two people who kept trying to hop on the platform. but I eventually got back up there.

as soon as gallows went on the crowd went crazy. everyone started smushing up against eachother, crowd surfing started and I got hit in the head with one of them, I think the guy actually landed on me. I had boots on so I was taller than usual, but I still wasn't able to hold the guy up! so he fell on me. and then I got smacked in the head a few times by people's hands. I thought it was kind of rude and gross that Frank kept spitting on the stage. but he got the crowd going and the music wasn't bad. but the only complaint I have with gallows playing was this one guy who tried ripping my shoulder off just to try and get closer. he left his spot and people swarmed in it, so when he wanted it back he tried shoving and pulling people out of the way. and during their set this same guy was basically throwing himself at people. I felt so bad for that tall guy with the lip ring who was to my right, he was being smashed by this guy! someone threw gallows set list into the crowd and I grabbed it. I wanted to put it away but couldn't reach my bag. I thought I had reached my bag so I shoved the list in, but I missed my bag and actually shoved it between myself and someone elses ass. then I asked the girl in front of me "did I get that in my bag? I think I did!" and she said "no, I think you shoved it between my ass" I apologized and grabbed the set list back and this time I got it in my bag.

so then AFI came on probably about 40 minutes after gallows. everyone went CRAZY. once again everyone was smushed against one another, and I still couldn't even officially reach my bag to pull my phone out to call people from the show as I promised (sorry Matt and Aly!). it was amazing though! besides the fact that I got hit in the head a few more times by people's arms. and also how some girl had her elbow out right up in my face. I got so mad because she kept smacking me with her arm I turned to her and said "can you put your fucking elbow down?" and she said "where the fuck am I supposed to put it!" she actually did have room to put it down, and after a little while she did put her elbow down. I feel so sorry for the people that were in front of me, especially the two girls, my rings got caught in their hair a couple times, and I probably hit them in the head a couple times by accident too. also, that guy in the hat, I felt sorry cause my arm(s) kept hitting his head, and to the girl with the monroe I was talking to before AFI came on, I believe my arm got shoved into her neck a couple times:/. AFI opened with torch song and after a couple more songs Davey saw a shoe and was like out of nowhere *pointing* "that's a shoe. whose shoe is this? is this your shoe?" and he handed it to some kid, then he said "wait, is that even your shoe? I think you only wanted it cause I touched it. that's fucking disgusting". from what I can remember they played (not in order): torch song, veronica sawyer smokes, end transmission, medicate, girl's not grey, dancing through sunday, death of seasons, the leaving song, silver and cold, on the arrow, love like winter, miss murder, kill caustic (with Lou from sick of it all), and just like heaven.

they did an encore after everyone chanted "AFI" and "through our bleeding we are one". the encore songs were (from the list above): just like heaven, miss murder, love like winter... I believe thodse were it, I was so excited it was hard to tell haha.

I was right smack in front of Hunter the whole night.

when AFI got off the stage for the second time, it was officailly over. I stood there for a couple of minutes and a girl I met while in line from NJ was so nice (she was with Christy and I the whole night, I feel bad I can't remember her name!) she bought us all water. so we drank our water and then went to the merch stand. I bought an AFI shirt, 3/4 sleeve. it's black and has the band members and details all in different colors. the background is black, but the sleeves are white. I got a small, but should have got an extra small... so it's kind of roomy, but it might shrink.

overall, I met some really awesome people! and it's a shame I didn't get really any of their names. the one story someone told me while in line that involved birthday parties and some rather sad and unfortunate circumstances (but the story was meant to be funny, and it was) that was one of the funniest things I have ever heard!

now I want to go to the Philly show in November:O