Relient K - first and forever <3

There are not too many things I know for certain in this life, but one thing I do know is this:

Never pass up a Relient K show.

I took the train into town and met up with Ducky, my friend from summer camp, and her boyfriend Curly. It would be Ducky's first Relient K concert and I was honored to be there for it. We were hours early because none of us had tickets and the show was almost guaranteed to sell out.

Pretty much the first thing that happened when we got off the train was Matt Thiessen, lead singer/guitarist/keyboardist/lyricist extraordinaire, walked right by us to get on the tour bus, which was inconspicuously parked right in front of the venue. I was like "Hey Matt! What's up" really awkwardly because, I'm sorry, his presence alone renders me speechless. And he was like "hi." And that was it.

Later I found out Ducky had a camera. I wish she'd mentioned that when Matt was there.

Then we amused ourselves by wandering around the Goodwill next door in search of a Cruella De Vil costume. Instead I found a Pokemon VHS. It cost me a dollar. Best dollar ever spent.

Then we sat on the sidewalk and ate "dinner," aka PB&J on a bagel and a naner that I brought from school because I'm cheap. Curly had an energy drink. I wrapped my leftovers in the saran wrap from my bagel and was asked whether I saran wrap my banana. The answer is yes, yes I do.

Two or three hours later we finally got to go inside and buy tickets. Then yet another hour of waiting ensued. We had great spots on the floor, although we'd gotten there so early that frankly I think we should've been front row. But no matter; when the crowd got going we'd be able to push our way up.

The first band came on stage. Right away I knew it was going to be an earplug show and I put them in. I don't remember too much about their set except that the drummer had his mouth open the whole time and the guy singing/playing keys kept looking at me. I could've imagined I imagined it until he winked at me.

Copeland played second. I like their stuff well enough, but they're not the kind of band to get you stoked. It's not that they don't have upbeat songs - "Pin Your Wings" comes to mind, thought I might be biased because my name is in that song ^_^ - they just didn't play any of them.

Finally it was Relient K time (I feel like one of those Papa Gino's ads: study time. Party time. Papa time. Relient K time!) I'll admit I was getting kind of tired by then, what with the traveling and waiting and more waiting and forgettable sets, but nothing picks me up like seeing the best band in life. I like to call them my first and forever love. Sorry to whatever lucky guy becomes my husband, but there will always be a small part of me that wants to marry Matty T.

They played a lot of stuff from Two Lefts Don't Make a Right... but Three Do. This made me happy beyond words. Wanda and I played "Falling Out" in a talent show once and I'd wanted to see the band play it ever since. I finally got my wish! They also gave us a taste of the new album, Forget and Not Slow Down, which was coming out the day after. It was too soon for me to pass judgment on the songs... although in a couple of weeks it would be a huge part of me surviving my breakup with Paul. Pretty much best album ever. Definitely the best I've heard from them since 2004's Mmhmm.

My sole complaint about their set is that there was this bitch standing in front of me. Her hair kept getting in my face because it was really puffy and I kept sort of leaning back to keep from inhaling it, but it seemed like she kept getting closer so I put my arms up in front of me, sort of like when you cover your vitals in martial arts. Well she knocked into my arms and apparently interpreted this physical contact as me crowding her and made sure to snap at me for it between songs.

Sweetheart. You're at a show. There are no personal bubbles at shows.

I apologized sweetly for the fact that there was no space behind me to back up, and suggested that if she felt crowded maybe she could move up into the foot and a half in front of her. She was pretty fat but she didn't need as much space as she was taking up. She didn't take my advice; instead she kept randomly backing up just to piss me off, so Ducky and Curly kept launching themselves into me and, by extension, into her. This pissed her off even more. She kept giving me death glares over her shoulder. I actually feared for my life.

But after Miss Bitch's little fit and Ducky and Curly's faux mosh pits, some kids behind us started a real pit. Shame they waited until the encore, though I guess we might've been kicked out if we'd done anything during the show. There was a congo line, too. When it was all over, Curly helped me find Matt Hoopes' guitar pick on the ground. Now I have one from Matty T and one from Hoopes! <3

But I still have no drumsticks, which is my true life goal. If I can get one from Darren King (MuteMath) next month, it may just be the climax of my entire existence....