So going into the week of the concert, I had mild enthusiasm for the show. Out of all the bands for Night 1, I REALLY wanted to see Metric. I liked Jack White (and was hoping he'd play some White Stripes songs) and I liked Of Monsters and Men, or at least liked the one or two songs I had heard from them (and they were from Iceland, so how could I NOT like them.) Even though I didn't hate the other bands, I just didn't know them and just had no desire to see them. Nevertheless, I had all ready paid for the ticket by paying for my friend's dinner while we were in Monterey (it was a funny exchange of money between three people that just worked out very very well) and I wasn't going to cancel out on the show.
And then my friend had to cancel on me since he had important business that he had to take care of the day of the concert. He apologized and said if I had a replacement, it would be a free ticket. And then, the search for a replacement was on... or well... kinda. After I found out, I was having second thoughts about the show, too. His girlfriend couldn't go because of finals (and if she could go, there would be a party of three anyway) and anyone who I knew would be interested was going to be busy that day. Supposedly I had one taker if I couldn't find anyone, but then my friend, the one who bought the tickets originally, said he'd be free that day... so crisis averted.
We caught BART there (because parking at the Oracle was going to be $35 and fuck that) and met up with my sisters inside the station. Even though we all had different seats, we walked together to the stadium, small talking until we separated inside and went to our seats. I was thinking about getting merchandise, but seeing how all the shirts were expensive, I just didn't want to bother.
We missed the local band that played first, so we didn't know who won the annual voting of which local act should open the show... and if it wasn't Happy Fangs, I didn't care. We did make it for Two Door Cinema Club, though. They were okay. They reminded us of an indie version of Coldplay. Since we didn't know any of their songs, there was nothing for me to get interested about... nor was there anything to bitch about. It was just there... and to be honest, I really haven't gone back to listen to their album, and don't plan to. It was okay for the moment, but it just wasn't for me. It looked like a lot of the younger kids liked them, though, so at least they have an audience.
Next was Gaslight Anthem... they were okay, too. I thought they were a bit better than the previous band... or maybe I should say they were a bit more of my style... kinda. My friend and I were trying to place what they sounded like, and I think there was a consensus that they sounded like a combination of Coldplay and the Killers' second album Sam's Town. Like the previous band, I haven't really gone back to listen to their albums, though if they took more inspiration from Hot Fuss, then I may give them another listen.
Now before I mention how the music got better as the night went on... well... kinda... I have to talk about the crowd. I realize now that crowds for festivals tend to be more douchier than the crowd for a concert highlighting a major band and their touring openers. And those stupid pricks always tend to be either right in front of me, right behind me, or both. This time, it was right behind me. A guy and a girl come in, being total fucking dicks, ignoring anyone around them, going on about stupid conversations, such as the guy saying how he snorted coke at Coachella... and when I heard that, I knew he was going to be the most annoying fucker at this concert. I mean if two of the whitest things... cocaine and Coachella... doesn't tip off anyone that this guy is a total waste of space other than saying "Hi, I'm a well-off Republican who doesn't think you deserve the entitlements I was born into..." or "I'm so mad at my parents for buying me a Mercedez... I wanted a Porsche, dammit.", then I don't know what will. They also seemed to be the type of people who would be into Jaguar Love, too... fucking assholes. And his stupid little bitch of a friend kept on hitting my head as she was standing up and doing some stupid drunk white girl dance. I didn't say anything because I was at the point where if I had to turn around, I wasn't going to be nice and I would have got violent really quickly... it was that fucking bad... and just thinking about it now makes me want to hunt these people down and kill them oh so slowly.... but I'll digress... for now.
Next up was Of Monsters and Men who I really enjoyed. I only knew one or two songs from whatever little time I listen to the radio, but I really enjoyed their energy, their music, their Icelandicness... I wish I could enjoy it more... but this was when the two assholes were at their most maximum assholiness and that bitch rammed her body into the back of my head four or five times. I think if these assholes had died right behind me from an overdose, the combination of awesome music and karma would have been the best moment ever at a concert, but the OD didn't happen so it wasn't.
By this time, I was so pissed, that if they started shit during Metric, the main reason why I was there in the first place, I was going to lose my mind. Shit didn't happen because No Name -- a 105.3 DJ and co-host of the Creepy KOFY Movie Time show on Saturday -- came out and said that Metric's equipment was still in Miami and instead of the usual set that was prepared, Emily Haines and Metric's guitarist played a 20-minute acoustic set. I'm not sure on the time but it was short. They played four or five songs, including "Youth Without Youth" which sounds awesome acoustically, and then their show was over. Since the show was acoustic, this didn't give the douchebags behind me a chance to get up and be coked-out fuckheads. However, this did prompt a loud chat between the two, with the guy obnoxiously saying "It's over... IT'S OVER... IT'S OVER..." I guess they knew The Shins was going to put them to sleep and I don't get the unlove for Jack White, but you know, whatever... they were gone. I wanted to follow the guy to the bathroom and repeatedly bash his skull open with a urinal, but I refrained.
Of course, the other couple of people who would take the seat behind me just kicked the chair, but somehow that was less annoying than the fucks who were previously sitting there... and what the fuck is up with people seat hunting during concerts. Just take the fucking seat you bought and be done with it. Don't be fucking douchebags and sit in seats you didn't buy... and then precede to kick my chair when you're not even suppose to be there.
So, my friend was telling me that he was fine with leaving if that's what I wanted... which was code for, "I want to leave now..." but since he didn't say that and I kinda sorta wanted to see Jack White, we stayed on for The Shins. Now, there's nothing wrong with The Shins. Their musicianship is okay and they don't sound bad. The problem with them is that their music can put me to sleep... and it apparently put my friend to sleep, too. This isn't a surprise since he can go to a sleep at a Foo Fighters concert, but at least this was justified. Plus, the singer looks like a cross between my friend Jeff and Kevin Spacey... or in other words, a bearded hipster Kevin Spacey. My friend thought he looked like a college English or history professor, but my description is way more funnier. (Yeah, I know that's not proper English and it's either way funnier or more funny, but you know what, fuck you.)
For some reason, probably because Metric had the shortest set possible, The Shins went on for-fucking-ever, and this brought my friend and I to different variants of frustration. I was thinking, "Ohmigod, when is this going to end?" whereas my friend was definitely more vocal and expressive. I could definitely feel the frustration oozing from him without even having to look at him. I can even sense when he was going to emit a very loud sigh/groan of agony and I just had to laugh. I felt his pain because even now I wanted to leave. But you know what, I wanted to see Jack White, and those douchebags behind us were gone, so I was trying to enjoy the little remainder of what I could enjoy at this concert.
When The Shins were FINALLY done, I compromised with my friend and said we should just get out of our seat and stick around in the back until we were ready to leave. I think it was around this time that I verbally proclaimed that I wasn't ever going to another fucking 105.3FM sponsored festival. No fucking BFG, no fucking Not So Silent Night, no more. I don't even want to go to Outsidelands because of the fucking crowd that I know it can attract. The "one last show" may as well be my last Not So Silent Night and my last festival, unless something really REALLY is worth being surrounded by dickholes and shitbags.
We stood to the left of the exit as to not be blocking any stairways... because you know, I'm considerate of other people when other people are not considerate of mine... and saw quite a bit of Jack White. Now, I didn't recognize any of the songs he played, though they could have totally been White Stripes songs... but they were good. Really good. His backup band consisted of these really attractive, really talented female musicians dressed in white, especially this one redhead violinist (or was she playing something else... fuck, it was a week ago, sorry) that was just gorgeous, and they were all just kicking ass on stage.
About five or six songs in, or whenever I had a good fill, we left for BART, avoiding the huge herd of people that would accompany the end of the concert. Even though we avoided most of the people, we were still on a crowded BART train and a really crowded MUNI tram. The BART train wasn't bad but it was still filled with idiots... but that MUNI underground train had the most obnoxious Asian kids I had ever seen that day. Totally oblivious to the space around them, loud as fuck, saying stupid shit... it was the perfect reminder that everywhere we go, there will be totally obnoxious assholes that will steal our air and crowd our space.
So, how was the concert? Music wise, it was okay. There were a lot more disappointments than anything, like a way-too-short Metric set and a way-too-long Shins set, but the music itself wasn't all that bad. The environment, though, was shit. Sure, I was coming off from watching some of the greatest concerts like Garbage and The Monkees, and I had seen Jaguar Love live so I'm prepared for anything, but dealing with the assholes that attend these concerts is not worth it.
And thus ends the concert season for 2012. If this was the encore, I should have just went home after the glorious ending that was The Monkees, but then again, you never know what you'll get if you stay for the encore... unless you all ready peeked at the setlist online, then well, you know, but... you get what I'm talking about. Overall, though, it was a great experience. I don't know if 2013 will top it... if we're all alive to witness it ;) I guess I'll find out next year.
Everything he said is true and not an exagerration. I was there...
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