Twice during the month of April I witnessed the Believers Never Die Part Deux tour from the seats ringing the floor of an arena and, though pretty close to the stage, felt isolated from the party going on right in front of it. I yearned for the day I'd be right there, knowing it was coming when I caught the tour in a general admission only venue.
Last night, when I saw Hey Monday, All Time Low, Metro Station, Cobra Starship, and Fall Out Boy at the Time Warner Cable Amphitheater downtown Cleveland, I discovered there's truth to the adage, "Be careful what you wish for."
I'm short, so I knew it wouldn't do to be terribly far back from the stage. Therefore, I shelled out the extra cash for early entry to the standing room only tent next to the infamous Cuyahoga River. The email I received said to be there no later than 4:30, but knowing how quickly lines form for such things, we arrived near three. After picking up our VIP wristbands from the box office, Jason and I got our place in line. The regular entry line already was winding into the parking lot, and I was glad we'd gone the VIP route.
Near 4:30, venue staff separated the VIP group into folks going to the All Time Low meet and greet, folks going to the FOB meet and greet, and folks entering the venue early. The other two groups entered first. We were left out in the sun for an additional hour, wondering if the 150 or so people doing meet and greets were going to get into the tent before us.
Our gate didn't open until 5:30, the regular gate time. Yet when we got into the tent, no one was in front of the stage. I staked out my spot where I thought would be roughly halfway between Joe and Patrick once Fall Out Boy came on and congratulated myself for snagging a place in the front-row.
Jason went and got us a few bottles of Aquafina, as we knew that once our spot was secured, we'd be unable to move again. That turned out to be a good prediction, as we were unable to move AT ALL. Once they finally opened the main gate, a huge crowd swarmed in and we were pinned to the barricades.
We had less than an hour to wait before the first act appeared on stage. In the mean time, someone from MTV came out to entertain us. The Cleveland show was one of three stops on the BNDPD tour sponsored by MTVU, so they sent someone from the show $5 Cover to hype up the crowd.
Hey Monday began promptly at 6:30 p.m., and as soon as the music began, the crowd began to push forward. Those of us at the front already felt like sardines but became quite cozy as we were pushed into each other. My feet had begun to hurt before the show started, but I was pretty much lifted off of them, sandwiched between the barricade and the stranger behind me. That much was a blessing. Not being able to breathe, not so much.
Despite the close quarters, I much enjoyed Hey Monday's fun, high-energy set, which consisted of "Run Don't Walk," "Obvious," "Candles," "Homecoming," and "How You Love Me Now" (all tracks off their debut album, Hold On Tight). My heart flipped a little when guitarist/Bon Jovi look-a-like Alex and bassist Jersey came out to their respective mics and I realized just how close we were. I've had a teeny tiny crush on Jersey for a short while now, and it was awesome to be able to see up his cute little nose. haha
Lead singer Cassadee and guitarist Mike came to our side of the stage frequently, and we also got a nice visit from Pete Wentz during "Obvious." I was so excited, I took way too many pictures, mainly of Jersey and Alex (not just because they're cute, but because they were right in front of us most often). The rest of the crowd seemed really into it as well. Most of the people around me sang loudly to every song and screamed any time a band member approached the front of the stage. I knew we'd be in for a rowdy night.
The crowd didn't back off when Hey Monday finished. The push forward continued without music, much to the dismay of those of us at the barricade. A group of girls behind Jason started harassing him because he was leaning back and leaving space between himself and the barricade to avoid being squished. When one of them told Jason there was room for five people in front of him, he got fed up and told her off. That shut them up.
Jason and I expected to remain side by side at the barricade for the duration of the show, but when All Time Low came out, the crowd got really crazy, and Jason decide to step behind me with his arms stretched to the barricade on either side of me for my protection. The moshing and crowd surfing began in earnest, and Jason gave me many heads up so I could duck as surfers came over my head into the waiting arms of the security crew on the other side of the barricade.
Despite the insanity, I really enjoyed seeing All Time Low again, especially from a vantage point so close to the stage. The chemistry between guitarist Jack, singer Alex, drummer Rian, and bassist Zack makes for not only some awesome music but also some zany and highly entertaining stage antics. In addition to performing "Jasey Rae" and "Coffeeshop Soundtrack" from their EP Put Up or Shut Up and "Six Feet Under the Stars," "The Beach," "Poppin' Champagne," and "Dear Maria, Count Me In" from their full length album So Wrong, It's Right, they sang the Jimmy Eat World-esque debut single "Weightless" from the album Nothing Personal, due out next month.
Jack bridged the gap between stage and crowd twice for a little fan interaction. At one point, he ran around to the back of the crowd with his guitar, although I'm not sure how much he actually was able to play it. During the final song, he left his guitar on stage to visit with those of us in the front near the center. I helped hold him up while I snapped several pictures. I got a little of his sweat on me, but the best souvenir from the set was a pick that landed on Jason's arm. I thought Jack threw it out, but it has Alex's name on it.
By the time All Time Low finished their set, Jason almost had had enough of the crowd. He'd grown hot and frustrated, not to mention tired from fending off the pushing, moshing, crowd-surfing nuts. I, on the other hand, was happy in my little protective cocoon. The support from Jason and the barricade took tremendous weight off my feet, and the breeze blowing across the corridor between the barricade and stage kept me from overheating. I had just enough room to dance, which I did plenty of, along with singing, screaming and taking tons and tons of pictures. Although the late afternoon sun gave me a glare during Hey Monday, the lighting was perfect to get many excellent shots of the beautiful All Time Low boys.
Many other crowd members weren't nearly as comfortable as I and asked security to pull them out so they could get safely to the back of the tent. Security staff also hustled between acts to provide Dixie cups of water to the folks at the front of the crowd so no one got dehydrated. We were set with our own stash, though. Although two of our three bottles got kicked over during All Time Low, I caught them with my foot before too much spilled. We had plenty to hydrate ourselves as the crews tore down from one band and set up for the next.
Although All Time Low hyped the crowd to a crazy level, Metro Station pretty much killed the excitement. I enjoy their synth-poppy music, but most of the people around us weren't fans. (I know from the forum at absolutepunk.net that most people who like the other bands on the BNDPD tour do not like Metro Station at all.) I have to say that I didn't enjoy their set that much myself. Although I like all the songs they performed (self-titled debut album tracks "Wish We Were Older," "Control," "Kelsey," "Seventeen Forever," "Now That We're Done," and "Shake It," and T.I. cover "Dead and Gone"), their stage presence leaves a little to be desired. Guitarist/singer Mason swaggers about with unwarranted arrogance, while the other guitarist/singer Trace does anything and everything for attention, leaving him with little breath left to sing. Instead he speaks his lines in a slightly creepy voice. Furthermore, they're not really much to look at. Trace is actually a little repulsive.
Cobra Starship regained some of the energy lost on Metro Station, and then some. We had a fantastically fun dance party to debut hit "Bring It (Snakes on a Plane)" (which Hey Monday's Cassadee came out to help sing), Viva la Cobra tracks "The City Is at War," "Smile for the Paparazzi," "Kiss My Sass," and "Guilty Pleasure," and a single from their forthcoming album Hot Mess, "Pete Wentz is the Only Reason We're Famous." I think the adorable Gabe Saporta and company were a little taken aback by the crowd love, and they all performed their asses off in return. Honestly, theirs was the set of the night. In fact, it's the best set I've seen by any band in a very, very long time.
My only complaint is that keytarist Vicky-T and bassist Alex (my Cobra Starship crush) didn't visit our side of the stage, and my pictures of those two all suck because it had grown dark by the time they performed and my flash wasn't powerful enough to hit them on the opposite side.
Guitarist Ryland tossed out his water bottle at the end of the set, and Jason made an impressive catch. I dumped the water (love Ryland and all, but I'm not down with the backwash, especially with all the illnesses going around); I'll be keeping the bottle, though.
Cobra Starship had worked the crowd into an incredible frenzy, so the energy was at fever pitch by the time Fall Out Boy finally came out at 9:30. I don't think I can describe what I felt as the boys appeared before me. To be so close as they worked their musical magic far surpassed the experience of meeting them for 5 minutes in New Orleans. Unfortunately, we misjudged our stage placement and were directly in front of Joe rather than between him and Patrick, but I still was close enough to Patrick that I could see the roof of his mouth when he sang. It was wild.
I do love me some Joe, so it was fantastic to be able to make eye contact several times throughout the set. He looks so different with his hair cut shorter, but he still gave his characteristically frenzied performance, complete with plenty of his trademark Trohmania jumping spins.
We had a great view of Andy as well. That was the only time I've been able to actually see his face during a Fall Out Boy set, which was cool. He's so intense! Pete came over to visit us a few times. I hated myself for occasionally thinking, "Oh my God. Pete Wentz is right in front of me," but ass hole or not, the boy's a big deal.
Patrick wandered right in front of us just once, and I screamed my head off like the crazy fan girl I am. Other than that, I spent most of the set singing, dancing, and slightly fawning. I caught myself several times with my head propped on my hands, just staring at my boy adoringly. I've thought many a time as I've watched him play, whether live in concert or in videos, that he has the most amazing thighs. Being just a few yards away from them, I may have overheated slightly. The couple instances of eye contact made me giddy. And he sings so pretty!< / gush>
The euphoria of being so close to the boys I love, watching them perform the music I love, was off-set by the fact that the crowd surfing was out of control during several of the songs of FOB's set. Not only was it annoying and distracting to have to keep ducking out of the way of flying bodies, one of them injured me. About half-way through "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race," I heard Jason say heads up and ducked. I thought the guy was clear of me, but suddenly I felt a painful jolt against my right eye, and my glasses tumbled down my front.
I panicked for two reasons: one, my eye really hurt, and two, I wasn't sure I'd be able to retrieve my glasses from the bottom of the shaking sardine can. I got them and slapped them on my face, only to discover they'd been terribly warped. It took me the rest of that song and half of the next to bend my glasses back into position and wipe off all the smudges (which had tricked me into thinking my eye had gone terribly blurry). It was difficult to enjoy the rest of the set because I was afraid of being kicked again, especially during the last couple songs of the encore, when the crowd surfers came by one right after the other such that I barely heard any of the performance.
The setlist was identical to what they played in New Orleans, with one addition. During the encore, they did a pretty cool cover of OutKast's "Hey Ya!" between "Tiffany Blews" and "Dance, Dance." Cassadee still came out to help with "Sugar, We're Going Down," and Gabe still came out to sing his part of "What a Catch, Donnie," but All Time Low's Alex didn't make his typical appearance on "Grand Theft Autumn." I later discovered (via Twitter) that all of All Time Low (including their crew) had gone across the street to Progressive Field to take in the Indians/White Sox game right after their set.
Despite the frustration and injury, I had an amazing time at the show. It's an experience I'll never forget, nor will I likely repeat it. When I was in college, I routinely attended concerts and festivals where moshing and crowd-surfing were the norm, and I was quite used to coming out battered. It's been a long time since I've been in that sort of situation, however, and I think I've outgrown it.
Overall, the Believers Never Die Part Deux tour has consumed my last six weeks. I've been following the goings on via Twitter and experienced painful envy of the audience at the respective shows each night, all the while playing all of the bands' CDs ad nauseum. My three stops of the tour have provided an amazing opportunity to forget my troubles for a few hours while becoming completely absorbed in some amazing live music. Just three shows remain of the tour, and it is of course over for me, which is really sad.
To all the bands and their crew, I say Thks fr th Mmrs.
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