Thursday, July 14, 2011

Anberlin!

Ok...So the story of last night (July 13, 2011). Last night was the night of the free Anberlin Concert. AMAZING. Yes, I know that I have seen them before, but I could go see them all of the time, seriously. If I had to make a top 3 list of my favorite musicians, not in any specific order, Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, and Anberlin. For sure.

So yesterday was work, boring, handed in my paper, more work, then class, got out early....that was my day in a nutshell. Then Caitlin and I went up to Angel to meet Sam there, the anticipation was killing me. I was so excited. So we had to get on the tube, go up one stop to Kings Cross, and then take another line up one more stop. Once we got there I was so excited, I just wanted to jump for joy of course! Once we were in, we made our way right to the merchandise counter, I bought a t-shirt. Super sweet shirt too.

So we make our way to the front, duh....we watch the first band play...they're called What Now. They were very good. I was plesently surprised with them. Of course not as good as Anberlin...but thats hard to do. These guys who were probably about 16, in the background of their song started chanting "Anberlin! Anberlin!" I thought that it was very rude. They made me angry (but that wasn't the end of it). So they finished their set list, and then we waited for about half an hour until Anberlin came on, because well we had to wait for the first band to take everything down, and then for Anberlin to set up. Those same kids kept trying to push forward, so of course I did what any girl would do and stuck my hips out. Of course I was a lot taller than pip-squeak...so my hip bone was right in his lower back. He didn't like that too much. He finally got the hint and backed off only a little bit though.

*Sidenote* I think that this is a perfect example of why people so young shouldn't be able to drink around here. They were seriously like 16 and had alcohol in their hands, and obviously very very intoxicated. I think that States wait, because they at least want people to be a little bit more mature and responsible, but these kids were OBNOXIOUS!

Ok back to the story. So after hearing more and more chanting from these idiots, Anberlin FINALLY came out. They were great, except for these damn kids started moshing. Ok, for those of you that don't know Anberlin, first you need to listen to them, and second they are NOT a moshing band. These kids were pissing everyone off around them. One of them got pushed into me and hit the back of my head, I mean I'm obviously fine but I was like ok thats it. So the next time they came back towards me I elbowed the guy in the back. It felt good. There was this guy that was in front of Sam and I (Caitlin got lost behind us when the "mosh" started) like saw what happened, and hes like are you ok? And he ended up giving Sam and I his spot so that he could push them back if they come up again. You could tell after a couple of songs the buzz started to wear off, I mean looking at them they were either very very very drunk or just on some sort of drugs. I don't know which one. So that was the end of them, thanks to that random guy. People are so much nicer here than in the states.


So then there was an issue with Anberlin's amp. So they were prepared, and had all of their acoustic stuff, which is awesome. They were talking to all of us for a few minutes. People started to yell out song names for them to play (this was before they brought out the acoustic stuff) and one of those dumb kids yelled out "play the mosh song!" so he was totally making fun of them and hes like yeah! I'll play the mosh song, and he started to sing a mellow slow song. So funny. Then people were yelling out more songs, I yelled out my first Anberlin song that I had ever heard. Its called Day Late Friend. If it wasn't for that song, and my good friend Ryan Utter in high school, I might not have even ever heard of them. I only yelled it out twice, and I couldn't yell that loud...or I didn't think. I didn't think they could hear me so I just gave up...but then they announced that they would play an acoustic song. Other people kept yelling out...and then they were like "So we're going to play a song from one of our older albums, we heard it yelled out by someone in the crowd, I don't know who it was, but they will know when we start to play it, its on the "Never Take Friendship Personal" album, and Sam and I were like OMG its on that album...and they started to play the song!!! It was amazing I was so so so happy....Then the concert kept going on, they played like 3 or 4 acoustic songs...then they fixed the problems, and the concert went on. It was so amazing. He paused between a song, and he mentioned something about dancing to a song, and then said don't dance like these guys though (totally referring to the stupid kids behind us) So funny, everyone laughed.

Playing Day Late Friend
So the show ended, everyone cleared out...we made our way up to the very front (I mean only like 10 feet closer than where we were)...just to see if we could get a pick or something of the sort. The security guard was standing right in front of the stage. He was the nicest security guard...he could tell we weren't from around here obviously so he started to talk to us. We were like looking around on the ground for anymore valuables...and he's like I think they got everything...I was like well I want a drum stick. He said well thats not mine to give out...I don't have the authority...then one of the band crew members came out and he walked over and asked if they could give me the drum stick! The guard came back and was like you owe me big time, and I said for what!? The crew guy came over and handed it right to me. I was so excited. Sam goes "and its her birthday Saturday!" So it's like a birthday present. All for free!! So I was holding that stick and I was just joking around and was like now I want it signed (although I was happy with just the stick) and the guard said well...I can tell you how to get around to the bus. So he told us to go out and around the building and the bus would be right outback. So of course we thanked him big time and then went out around the building to the bus.

We waited for a good 15-20 minutes before anyone started to come out. The first people that came out were the ones from What Now, the opening band. I of course being me, said hello! and so the guy, with the red hair came out and was talking to the three of us. He was very funny, kind of intoxicated....but very funny. We were talking to him for a good 10-15 minutes...we were telling him a bunch of stories and he was telling us a bunch of stories. He mentioned that he was from South Africa...which he wanted to clarify that it wasn't  "in the bush" because apparently all Americans that he has met said "You're from Africa!? Do you see zebras and giraffes" so clearly he has met the dumb Americans. Probably blonde. So yeah, we talked for quite awhile and how he lived not very far from where Dave Matthews is from. It was a great conversation. So by then the drummer of Anberlin came out, and we didn't notice...the red hair guy said don't you want your stick signed by him? And I was like wait is that the drummer? (he had on a hat so none of us could really tell, and when I saw them before he wasn't at the concert).

Guy from What Now
I walked over fo the drummer and asked if he wouldn't mind signing the drum stick. He of course said no problem! He was very nice, all of them were. He goes I hope I didn't hit you when I threw the stick out (because he had thrown one stick out and the other was still on stage), I said nope, I just asked and had it handed to me. He just laughed and said oh well I guess that works too! I said I got it because it was my birthday...and so he wrote HAPPY BIRTHDAY on my stick and signed his name right below it. Sam was telling him how she had to see them in London when they had been to Rochester 3 times in the past 2 years. I mentioned that I saw them without her, but he wasn't there, someone else had stepped in. Surprisingly he remembered that concert, and applogized for not being there! Hahah. Of course we all got a picture with him.

My signed Drum Stick!!!!

Then we saw that the lead singer (Steven) came out so we went over to him. We waited patiently while other girls got pictures and signatures. So then he is standing there, and he sticks his hand out for a handshake which was pretty awesome. Of course I asked him to sign my stick, and get a picture. We also told him the same story about how I went without Sam, and that it was my birthday. I also said I was the one that yelled out Day Late Friend...and he goes yeah, we knew it was your birthday so we played it for you! Rather funny I'd say. So then on our way out I got my sticked signed by the bass guitarist. No picture with him though, he was busy loading the bus.

Lead singer of Anberlin

Drummer of Anberlin
Oh it was an amazing night! It was awesome. This is officially going to be the best ongoing birthday ever!! I got a drumstick with three signatures, met, took pictures and talked to members of Anberlin! Amazing is the only word to describe it. Today is my last day at Pro Capital, and then tomorrow is Paris!



XOXO

No comments:

Post a Comment