There are no flowers, no not this time...

[revid]

AFI rocked. Seriously.

Watch on YouTube

This Time Imperfect.
(No, that's NOT me singing.)



I was so happy to see that AFI was playing a few more California dates, because as usual, I start liking a band just after they play in my area, in this case, last fall. So when I saw Davey and friends were coming to Bakersfield, I put up a plaintive wail on my LJ for company and indie_wonka and sick_of_me03 answered my call. (I would have gone by myself if need be, however.)

Ashton came up by train on Saturday, giving us a little time to hang out, eat sushi, and drink large quantities of white wine. Since we all like AFI but we're not true fanatics, we had decided that an hour or so before the doors opened would be plenty of time to get in line. Brendon drove from Reno to B-field and was at the Motel 6 there. Ash and I left the coast around 3:15pm and got there a little after 5:30p. We picked Brendon up and made a quick stop at the Jack in the Box, where we were in the company of lots of teenagers wearing lots of black eyeliner. Gee, I wonder where they were going?

When we got to the venue, the parking lot was so amazingly uncrowded that we had a moment of "Are we in the right place?" but once again we were able to follow the multitude of Misfits hoodies and studded belts around the corner to the entrance. The line was a decent length but not too bad at that point. I was bored so I took a pic of the electronic sign at the Rabobank Arena.



I was surprised when I found out that AFI was using an end stage configuration at the arena, because I was pretty sure that as popular as they are, they're not big enough to sell over 10,000 seats in Bakersfield. As it turns out, the upper level was completely closed, and having an end stage allowed for more pit tickets. D'oh. I'm estimating the crowd at about 5000 or so.

The opening bands were Viva Hell, an unremarkable sounding thrash punk band, and Deadboy and the Elephant Man, a more rock-y band who didn't overwhelm me either.

Finally, at 10pm, the opening chords to Prelude 12/21 came on. First minor surprise, Davey was dressed in black, instead of the all white from last year. After the first song he took off the jacket, leaving on a plain grey tee-shirt. More importantly, his eye make-up was a rather understated monotone pale purple glitter.


I luuuurve him!



So Sexy

The three of us were in about the seventh or eight row when the music started. Then it got crazy. For the first three songs I got pushed around so much that I couldn't enjoy the show. I realized that this was not going to improve, so I started working my way out and back. Amazingly, I found Ash and Brendon again, in a rather calm area somewhat to the side and maybe 40 feet back. At least I could enjoy the show from there without getting killed. Unfortunately, as you can see, the quality of the photographs suffered. Oh well.


Davey and Jade off in the distance

Most of the songs were from Sing the Sorrow and decemberunderground. They also did a most excellent cover of Blur's "Song 2". Didn't someone else do that one once? I liked this one better. ;-) My only real gripe was that the show was too short, only about an hour and ten minutes. C'mon guys, you can do better than that! However, It was a great show. Davey is a pleasure is watch. He still seems to be enjoying himself, which is always important to me when I go to a show.


There be slash in this band


Jade


Hunter, Adam, and Davey

This picture is horrendous, but I include it because it was my favorite moment of the show. During the encore, Davey actually went out into the crowd, and was standing on the hands of the crowd performing! It was amazing. For a glitter princess, that boy sure has cojones!


Almost as good as walking on water!

ETA: Here's a great video of him doing the crowdwalk from about a month ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwqL8t16CuM&NR

One very funny moment occurred when I was standing in the pit looking around and realized that I was easily the oldest person there. Like, by 10 years. Not more than a few minutes later, a young kid (19 or 20) did a double take at me and blurted out "How old are you?!" You know, sometimes you have to embrace your uniqueness, so I laughed and said "I'm sure I'm the oldest person here, I'm 47!" He did a big high-five and started telling his friends "Hey, she's 47 and she's rocking out to AFI!" Then, even more hilariously, the guy behind me says "Hey, I'm 54!" And he was wearing a Green Day HLAHG tee-shirt. So I showed off my matching HLAHG earrings. Fun times in the pit.

I'm so glad I went and it's always awesome to cross another name off the Flist-To-Meet list...thanks for coming along Brendon! And of course, seeing Ashton again was wonderful.



Go see 'em if you have the chance.

Comments

[tasyfa.livejournal.com]

More importantly, his eye make-up was a rather understated monotone pale purple glitter.

Ahahaha and once again, Mary FTW! Aw, man, it sounds awesome. As awesome as I knew it would be. I love that that guy who spoke up was wearing a GD shirt! I'll have to watch the vid later (gotta go to bed, eep!).

[revid.livejournal.com]

Well, it is one of the most important questions you can answer about an AFI show: What did Davey look like?

The quality of the vid is pretty poor, but hey, it's mine! :-)

[mikeyface.livejournal.com]

Oh, what an awesome recap! Now I want to see them! :D And dude, sorry about the crazy mosh. That's what I went through for FOB. *cringes*

You know, sometimes you have to embrace your uniqueness, so I laughed and said "I'm sure I'm the oldest person here, I'm 47!" He did a big high-five and started telling his friends "Hey, she's 47 and she's rocking out to AFI!" Then, even more hilariously, the guy behind me says "Hey, I'm 54!" And he was wearing a Green Day HLAHG tee-shirt. So I showed off my matching HLAHG earrings. Fun times in the pit.

That, is easily the greatest story EVER. :)

*SMOOCHES*

Glad you, Ash and Brendon had fun!

[revid.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it only takes a few assholes to make the pit really miserable for everyone. I can't count how many times my toes got totally smooshed. Next time I'll wear steel toe boots.

I forgot the other little part of the story. The guy in the GD shirt got it at the Fresno show, the same one I was at too.

We need to go to a show together sometime Angie!

[mikeyface.livejournal.com]

Oh, we TOTALLY need to see a show together! A GD show. :) The key to not getting killed in a mosh, is NEVER EVER try to be in the middle. Simply put, we stay over on Mike's side, and we'll be fine. :) Sidelines are okay. You try to be right in front/middle... you die. Or get squashed. I nearly died for FOB. Imagine a GD pit? :p

I've been there, done that. I have always favored Mike's side, and lived to tell about it!

xoxoxoxo! :)

[feels-like-fire.livejournal.com]

I am so happy you enjoyed yourself! looks like you got some good-pictures - the crowd-walking bit at the end is great, isn't it?

I'm still amused you like the glitter princess so much. ha. hysterical. ♥

[revid.livejournal.com]

I know! I can't help it. The glitter princess has some strange hold on me!

[and-ed.livejournal.com]

Great recap, Mary. Glad you had a good time...and LOVE you and the 54 year old bonding in the pit. I really need to give AFI a listen, don't I? *puts on list*

[revid.livejournal.com]

It was pretty funny. I thought I was ancient at the Green Day show, but that was nothing compared to the AFI show.

I am definitely impressed by Decemberunderground. It really grew on me after a few listenings.

Well, looky here! :-)

[thelackey.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you guys had a good time. The pix came out great!

[revid.livejournal.com]

It really was a good time. I was glad they allowed us to have cameras. I don't understand not allowing point and shoot cameras...it's not like I could sell these pictures!

[indie-wonka.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to figure out how much of the singing on the vid is really me and how much I'm just imagining. I don't think I'm the incredibly flat person at least (since I don't generally shout the lines tonelessly), otherwise my former music teacher would pitch a fit.

Too bad more of your pics didn't come out. But the pit was really pretty crazy up at the front, so it's better that you got out before something bad happened. Of the bunch, the pic with the sexy head toss is definitely my fav.

Also, there's a short clip of Davey standing on the crowd up on youtube now.

[revid.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure the person singing was actually this chick to my right, not either of us. :-)

Check this out: http://www.buzznet.com/tags/afitourjournal/journals/129300/

It's a blog from a hardcore fan who's been following the band around. I guess we got treated to a couple rare songs, and we didn't even know it!

[thexxminorityxx.livejournal.com]

Sounds awesome! Ooohhh the glitter princess ;)

HLAHG shirt guy clearly rocks! So do you, but we knew that already :P

[revid.livejournal.com]

I've always had fun conversations in the pit. I was happy to see at least one Green Day fan!

[revid.livejournal.com]

There is something about Davey Havok that I can't explain...he draws me like a moth to a flame.

For half a second I almost said something like "Say What?!" to the kid, but then I figured if he had the guts to ask, I should have the guts to answer.

Mr. Old Green Day Fan didn't look like my type. Of course, if I knew what my type was, maybe I wouldn't be single. :-/

[leighrowena.livejournal.com]

Aw, I'm so glad you guys had a fun time with the Glitter Princess! It's so easy for a band to sell me on themselves and their music when they look like they're enjoying the hell out of themselves up there on stage. (Quality performing, also, of course. ;) And props to you for handling the pit. I very rarely have the pit in me, but you always seem to find yourself right in the middle of it!

[revid.livejournal.com]

There were a few moments where I was wondering exactly what I had been thinking going into that pit. But it's all good. Interestingly, the only part of me that is sore are my neck muscles from tilting my head up trying to see above the sea of heads in front of me.

[elegant-silence.livejournal.com]

I envy you. Mostly because you've seen those boys live, and I haven't... and the punks wont come back to Colorado.

SO, as per your request. I come with AFEE slash for you. :]

AFI Slash (http://www.afislash.com/index.php), it's an archiving site.

This is my Member Page (http://www.afislash.com/viewuser.php?action=favstor&uid=987), I reccomend anything that I've favorited, because being in the GD fandom, I've become a picky brat about what I read. xD As you'll notice, I'm a Jadam girl (They really use the names like that a lot in AFEfandom.)

Have fun, hope you enjoy. :]

[revid.livejournal.com]

Excellent. Thank you so much. I so much prefer to get fic recs when delving into a new fandom...it saves a lot of time. :-)

I'm sure I will enjoy.

[iheartpolrbears.livejournal.com]

Awesome pictures you have there. You had a good spot. Much better than the spot I had for my show on Feb 9th :D

[revid.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Much as I would have liked to stay in row 7 or 8, my self preservation instincts took over. Still, it wasn't bad where we where. I would sure like to see them again soon.