Ah, I was all ready to go. I found free parking right by the arena, had my bottle of water with a sport cap, my ticket in hand, and of course, Spinny Chuck in my purse. I ventured through the door, where they took my WATER away from me! I asked if I could at least bring the empty bottle to fill at a drinking fountain instead of braving the germs on those things, but they said no and admitted it was because the venue wants you to pay a ridiculous amount for THEIR water. Bastards. So I chugged as much as my tummy would hold and headed for the floor. There were already hundreds of people sitting out there, so I worked my way toward the front until I found a space just big enough to plunk down my not-so-small booty. Shortly after, the color of the lights on the Hoobastank banner changed, and everyone stood up and rushed to the front. No, the show was not starting. It was just idiotic sheep mentality.
Finally at 7:30 as scheduled, Hoobastank took to the stage and played a 30 minute set. I'd never heard these guys before, but I must say I totally dug their music. Things in the pit were still fairly calm. After they were done, and after about a half hour of waiting around and being pressed against people from all angles, Incubus appeared. The crowd went INSANE. I was so crushed that I could not take a full breath of air and I was in imminent danger of losing my footing and falling down as the crowd surged in every direction. Ah, it was perfect. After a couple songs, things calmed down a bit, well at least I could breathe anyway, and a nice pit opened up just to my right. I love Incubus pits. Yeah, we're all running into each other and going crazy, but there's still some degree of courtesy in there. Spinny Chuck was up in full effect, and helped me locate my friends from enjoychuck.com, Gerlando and Andrea pretty quickly. Eventually I ended up about 20 people from the front and on the edge of the pit where I could finally admire the stage set-up. (Read Gerlando's review at enjoychuck.com for description) And of course, Incubus sounded amazing. The only downside I experienced was the intense heat down in the front, and twice I had to make my way out of there to get some air. I swear I could feel a 10 degree temperature change just when I got to the side of the pit. (and if only stupid security didn't take my water away, I wouldn't have had to get out of there at all.)
As far as the odd events that occured that evening, I did not see the moment where something hit Dirk's instument (I think I was outside buying a t-shirt), nor did I see the crowd surfer hit the ground (I say good - that's what they get!) but I did see a couple of interesting things out there. First of all, during "Echo" there was a girl on someone's shoulders near me who was singing along, reaching out to Brandon, and CRYING. Yes, crying. Like the women you see footage of weeping at a Beatles concert back in the 60's. Can you say FUCKING DOUCHEBAG? Never the less, I got a pretty good laugh out of it. But the next thing really takes the cake: In the middle of the mosh pit, an Asian guy with spikey hair ran out into the middle of the craziness and started BREAKDANCING. Breakdancing like nobody's business in the middle of the chaotic pit! That guy gets the Evil Carrot Madd Props Award for that one!!! Definitely an awesome thing to have witnessed. All in all, it was an amazing show, a good crowd, lots of energy, and tons of fun! (Even if I am a little sore today!) See you tomorrow in SF!
Thursday, August 15, 2002
Tuesday, August 6, 2002
The King
...of STUPID FUCKING QUESTIONS! And who else but Bill should wear that crown. So this morning I come in, and there's a purchase order on my desk directly between my computer monitor and keyboard. Do you think there's any way in hell I might NOT notice it sitting there? So anyway, Bitchass Bill is like watching me out of the corner of his eye, and the moment I pick the thing up to start working on it, he leans over my cubicle (another thing I HATE), looks at the piece of paper in my hand and goes "Oh Chris, did you see that order I left on your desk?" and then just keeps looking at me waiting for me to answer. I didn't immediately speak because I was busy in my mind rephrasing "Now what do you think you stupid fucking douche bag" so it wouldn't sound QUITE so bad, and finally I raised my eyebrows and said "You mean the order that's right here in my hand Bill?" and he says something like "Yeah you saw it right?"
LIKE FUCKING DUH!!!!
And this is by no means the first time he has done this. What a goddamn tard.
LIKE FUCKING DUH!!!!
And this is by no means the first time he has done this. What a goddamn tard.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Just a poem
My First Poem For You
I like to touch your tattoos in complete
darkness, when I can't see them. I'm sure of
where they are, know by heart the neat
lines of lightning pulsing just above
your nipple, can find, as if by instinct, the blue
swirls of water on your shoulder where a serpent
twists, facing a dragon. When I pull you
to me, taking you until we're spent
and quiet on the sheets, I love to kiss
the pictures in your skin. They'll last until
you're seared to ashes; whatever persists
or turns to pain between us, they will still
be there. Such permanence is terrifying.
So I touch them in the dark; but touch them, trying.
-Kim Addonizio, 1994
I like to touch your tattoos in complete
darkness, when I can't see them. I'm sure of
where they are, know by heart the neat
lines of lightning pulsing just above
your nipple, can find, as if by instinct, the blue
swirls of water on your shoulder where a serpent
twists, facing a dragon. When I pull you
to me, taking you until we're spent
and quiet on the sheets, I love to kiss
the pictures in your skin. They'll last until
you're seared to ashes; whatever persists
or turns to pain between us, they will still
be there. Such permanence is terrifying.
So I touch them in the dark; but touch them, trying.
-Kim Addonizio, 1994
Tuesday, May 21, 2002
The Kids In The Hall, Stalkers, and Germs
So I saw these guys at a live show on Sunday night. And it was AWESOME! It was especially funny to watch David Foley miss cues and forget lines, and try his best not to lose it and start laughing hysterically. I think I enjoyed that even more than the rehearsed show!
What I did NOT enjoy, however, was the annoying chick sitting in front of me. She had the back of her hair so ratted out that it looked like she had this head of mammoth proportion, and evey time I leaned right to see past her fro, she too leaned right. When I leaned left, she leaned left. She ignored my LOUD comments about how I wish she would just sit still so I could see past her gigantic hair, and how tall people's place at a show like that is in the back. So I got my revenge. And it was oh-so-sweet. She took off her coat to reveal that she was wearing a very skimpy backless top. After my annoyance with her grew to astronomical proportions, I couldn't help but lean right over her bare back and let out a nice wet (fake) sneeze. It couldn't have been more obvious. She turned around and looked at me and contorted her face in disgust, and I couldn't help but burst into laughter right in her face.
She scrunched down in her chair and sat still after that. (well, after putting her coat back on)
But the most interesting part of the evening was the stalker my mom and I acquired on the train. A very tall man dressed in jeans, a long black trenchcoat, and a cowboy hat got on the train and sat across from my mother and I. He got up, leaned over my mom's lap and pulled a paper bag from under the seat, like he knew exactly what was there. Turned out it was just a sandwich which he munched down, not taking his eyes off my mother and I the whole time. After getting off the train, we stood around for a minute trying to figure out which exit to take, and he too stood around (I thought he was waiting for another train). Finally we headed toward the escalator, and I noticed he had followed, still staring at us. I told my mom to hang on to her purse, and when we reached the exit, my mom stopped to search for her ticket. The man too stopped, and my mother, thinking she was blocking his way, apologized and stepped aside. But he just stood there. So finally she finds her ticket and comes throught the exit, with him on her heels. We knew for sure at this point we were being followed. We saw a security guard near the entrance to the underground shopping center at Powell St. and headed that way. My mom stopped to talk to the security guard about nothing in particular, thinking that this would discourage the man. It didn't. He stood just a couple feet behind us as we talked to him. So we started walking one direction, then decided to go back out of the center, and then decided after all to go into it. The guy changed his direction every time we did, so we made a bee-line toward the security guard who was now standing near a coffee stand and he asked if there was a problem. "Yes!" I shouted, "That man right there is following us and he's creeping me the fuck out!" The guy, realizing he was obviously busted at this point tried to duck behind the coffee stand but then stuck his head over the top of it to continue watching us, even though I pointed right at him when talking to the guard. (how stupid was this guy?) So the guard walked us to the exit of the shopping center, and my mom decided to tell him the entire story, start to finish. I saw the creep approaching again, so I just shouted at my mom to get her ass in gear and get the hell out of the station. She lagged and finally I had to grab her hand and make a break for the exit.
Now THAT was creepy. What did the guy think he was gonna do? Mug us? Wait for us to wander someplace secluded? What? I shudder to think what may have happened if we hadn't spotted that (clueless) security guard when we did.
But everything said and done, we had a great evening, stalkers, sneezes and afros and all!
What I did NOT enjoy, however, was the annoying chick sitting in front of me. She had the back of her hair so ratted out that it looked like she had this head of mammoth proportion, and evey time I leaned right to see past her fro, she too leaned right. When I leaned left, she leaned left. She ignored my LOUD comments about how I wish she would just sit still so I could see past her gigantic hair, and how tall people's place at a show like that is in the back. So I got my revenge. And it was oh-so-sweet. She took off her coat to reveal that she was wearing a very skimpy backless top. After my annoyance with her grew to astronomical proportions, I couldn't help but lean right over her bare back and let out a nice wet (fake) sneeze. It couldn't have been more obvious. She turned around and looked at me and contorted her face in disgust, and I couldn't help but burst into laughter right in her face.
She scrunched down in her chair and sat still after that. (well, after putting her coat back on)
But the most interesting part of the evening was the stalker my mom and I acquired on the train. A very tall man dressed in jeans, a long black trenchcoat, and a cowboy hat got on the train and sat across from my mother and I. He got up, leaned over my mom's lap and pulled a paper bag from under the seat, like he knew exactly what was there. Turned out it was just a sandwich which he munched down, not taking his eyes off my mother and I the whole time. After getting off the train, we stood around for a minute trying to figure out which exit to take, and he too stood around (I thought he was waiting for another train). Finally we headed toward the escalator, and I noticed he had followed, still staring at us. I told my mom to hang on to her purse, and when we reached the exit, my mom stopped to search for her ticket. The man too stopped, and my mother, thinking she was blocking his way, apologized and stepped aside. But he just stood there. So finally she finds her ticket and comes throught the exit, with him on her heels. We knew for sure at this point we were being followed. We saw a security guard near the entrance to the underground shopping center at Powell St. and headed that way. My mom stopped to talk to the security guard about nothing in particular, thinking that this would discourage the man. It didn't. He stood just a couple feet behind us as we talked to him. So we started walking one direction, then decided to go back out of the center, and then decided after all to go into it. The guy changed his direction every time we did, so we made a bee-line toward the security guard who was now standing near a coffee stand and he asked if there was a problem. "Yes!" I shouted, "That man right there is following us and he's creeping me the fuck out!" The guy, realizing he was obviously busted at this point tried to duck behind the coffee stand but then stuck his head over the top of it to continue watching us, even though I pointed right at him when talking to the guard. (how stupid was this guy?) So the guard walked us to the exit of the shopping center, and my mom decided to tell him the entire story, start to finish. I saw the creep approaching again, so I just shouted at my mom to get her ass in gear and get the hell out of the station. She lagged and finally I had to grab her hand and make a break for the exit.
Now THAT was creepy. What did the guy think he was gonna do? Mug us? Wait for us to wander someplace secluded? What? I shudder to think what may have happened if we hadn't spotted that (clueless) security guard when we did.
But everything said and done, we had a great evening, stalkers, sneezes and afros and all!
Monday, May 20, 2002
Ping this!
My frustration has grown to a new level today. I have discovered a bad gateway on hop #12 to my favorite Counter-Strike server. And it's NOT owned by Pacific Bell. So how am I gonna get it fixed? For you CS players out there, I'm getting lag of a second or so every ten seconds without fail! You have NO IDEA how infuriating that is to be kicking mucho booty, and suddenly stop moving and "wake up" dead. Very annoying. Guess I'm gonna have to crack some skulls at Pac Bell tomorrow until they get on the horn with this other company and tell them to fix it or suffer the wrath of one Evil Carrot. *sigh*
Thursday, May 16, 2002
Wednesday, April 17, 2002
The Pit Report - SF Bill Graham Civic Auditorium 4/16/02
They all thought I was crazy. But there I was, standing in the pouring rain with a bottle of mudslide in one hand and my camera in the other, patiently waiting by the band's bus for over 2 hours. But I briefly saw Dirk's face through the window and I watched Jose hop on the bus, so if they (and any other members on the bus) wanted to get from the bus to the venue, they were going to have to get through me! Eventually Jose and Dirk appeared and came to meet the 9 poor souls out there braving the storm to meet them, and they were super nice. (pictures will be up in the gallery as soon as I develop them)
Now it was time to hit the pit.
We arrived on the floor just a few minutes before Hoobastank started playing, and I think I may very well have been the first unfortunate person to fall down. Well, me and about 3 other people. This big sweaty fat guy with bitch-tits in front of me came stampeding backward and a few of us went down (imagine the domino effect). No one was hurt, but people thought I was because I didn't get up right away... My shoe had come off! I had one leg out behind me holding onto my precious shoe with just a single toe, determined not to spend the evening barefoot and my shoe being thrown at the band. So while my friend was trying to pull me up and some girl was screaming to get up, and everyone clearing away from me thinking I was injured, I finally managed to grab my shoe and secure my foot back inside it. Whew! That was our cue to go smoke a bowl.
So during intermission, we farted around for a while and found some FREE earplugs at the first aid station. The t-shirt people were trying to charge $2 per pair! I knew better, so I went and got some free ones and made sure to wave them in the face of the little ogre who tried to convince me that earplugs were never free. We headed toward the back of the floor when Incubus came out, and my friend wanted to spend the evening there as he was too drunk and high to deal with the insanity and chaos of the front. But I couldn't do it... so we went our separate ways and I claimed a few inches of territory right in front of Mike. I had a blast! There were some injuries nearby though.... 2 women right next to me got in a fist fight and I was unfortunate enough to have caught a stray punch in the face. Luckily, this chick was weak and it didn't hurt... otherwise I'd have joined in that fight and beat some ass! But these two were so riled up that it took 5 big guys on each of the women to tear them apart. Then, only moments later, I watched a girl get kicked above the eye by a crowd surfer... she looked pretty hurt, but toughed it out. Then some guy passed me, half limping and half being carried by a friend, and soon after, 3 people dragged an unconsious woman past me! Craziness! (I even saw some guy leaving the show on crutches... that's gotta suck)
But I managed to survive the show unscathed and one more Incubus memory richer. They played INCREDIBLE last night. The sound was mixed much better than the SJ show and no band members or instruments were injured. I got right up in front and took a roll of photos, but have no idea how they will come out... I'll see them at 5 this afternoon though! The setlist was basically the same as the previous shows on this tour, but I did have to laugh hysterically when they did a full rendition of Madonna's 'Like A Virgin'. (In SJ they started to do it and then were like "just kidding" and stopped) It was indeed a strange spectacle to see the thousands of fans out there at an INCUBUS concert singing along to old-school Madonna. Very weird indeed. But the band appeared to be having a good time, as they always seem to in San Francisco. (let's hear it for SF! The coolest people in the country!) And the energy of the whole place collectively was amazing, definite positive vibes all around! *sigh* I'm sad to see that the Northern California leg of the tour is over, but who knows, they may just go right back on tour when they're finished with this one! (that's what they did after the release of Make Yourself - toured for about 2 years straight before heading back into the studio!) So who knows.....
See you on the next tour...
Now it was time to hit the pit.
We arrived on the floor just a few minutes before Hoobastank started playing, and I think I may very well have been the first unfortunate person to fall down. Well, me and about 3 other people. This big sweaty fat guy with bitch-tits in front of me came stampeding backward and a few of us went down (imagine the domino effect). No one was hurt, but people thought I was because I didn't get up right away... My shoe had come off! I had one leg out behind me holding onto my precious shoe with just a single toe, determined not to spend the evening barefoot and my shoe being thrown at the band. So while my friend was trying to pull me up and some girl was screaming to get up, and everyone clearing away from me thinking I was injured, I finally managed to grab my shoe and secure my foot back inside it. Whew! That was our cue to go smoke a bowl.
So during intermission, we farted around for a while and found some FREE earplugs at the first aid station. The t-shirt people were trying to charge $2 per pair! I knew better, so I went and got some free ones and made sure to wave them in the face of the little ogre who tried to convince me that earplugs were never free. We headed toward the back of the floor when Incubus came out, and my friend wanted to spend the evening there as he was too drunk and high to deal with the insanity and chaos of the front. But I couldn't do it... so we went our separate ways and I claimed a few inches of territory right in front of Mike. I had a blast! There were some injuries nearby though.... 2 women right next to me got in a fist fight and I was unfortunate enough to have caught a stray punch in the face. Luckily, this chick was weak and it didn't hurt... otherwise I'd have joined in that fight and beat some ass! But these two were so riled up that it took 5 big guys on each of the women to tear them apart. Then, only moments later, I watched a girl get kicked above the eye by a crowd surfer... she looked pretty hurt, but toughed it out. Then some guy passed me, half limping and half being carried by a friend, and soon after, 3 people dragged an unconsious woman past me! Craziness! (I even saw some guy leaving the show on crutches... that's gotta suck)
But I managed to survive the show unscathed and one more Incubus memory richer. They played INCREDIBLE last night. The sound was mixed much better than the SJ show and no band members or instruments were injured. I got right up in front and took a roll of photos, but have no idea how they will come out... I'll see them at 5 this afternoon though! The setlist was basically the same as the previous shows on this tour, but I did have to laugh hysterically when they did a full rendition of Madonna's 'Like A Virgin'. (In SJ they started to do it and then were like "just kidding" and stopped) It was indeed a strange spectacle to see the thousands of fans out there at an INCUBUS concert singing along to old-school Madonna. Very weird indeed. But the band appeared to be having a good time, as they always seem to in San Francisco. (let's hear it for SF! The coolest people in the country!) And the energy of the whole place collectively was amazing, definite positive vibes all around! *sigh* I'm sad to see that the Northern California leg of the tour is over, but who knows, they may just go right back on tour when they're finished with this one! (that's what they did after the release of Make Yourself - toured for about 2 years straight before heading back into the studio!) So who knows.....
See you on the next tour...
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