Above is the music video for Strung Out's song Analog. It comes without the little intro on the CD, but it's alright. I wanted to post a live clip, but then when I was looking online they only have really low-quality stuff and it looks lame. It just looks dumb out of context and none of the energy is present watching a video that is there when you're actually at the show. It's completely different. I think concerts are the funnest thing in the world. It's just such a funny dynamic and energy to the whole thing.
I, of course, was exhausted post-race. I laid down on my bed, but I couldn't even take a nap. Aaron really wanted to go to this show and we had been talking about it for a good month or so now, so I didn't want to poop out. I was looking on Craig's list to try and find something that would get us floor tickets for a decent price. I called a few, but none of them were very good deals and they sold before I could decide not to purchase them. And then it happened.
Adventure mode.
Thank goodness for adventure mode. It was like a switch that turned on in me. I had been texting with Aaron debating whether or not I wanted to go. I know I tried explaining it before, but I think it's most akin to the scene in Tommy Boy where Chris Farley is talking to David Spade after he got the waitress to turn the grill back on and get him some buffalo wings. It's like that. You just kind of decide, oh the hell with it, I got a frozen pizza back in the car so what do I care if she says yes or no? I'm going to be fine one way or another so let's just go for it. So I texted Aaron and told him, 'screw it, let's just drive down to the arena and if we can't get tickets then we'll just catch a movie or something.' It's not like we were going to be missing out on anything else anyway. And he was totally game and so with no plan other than just showing up and finding some kid to buy tickets from, we went.
Within about 5 minutes of arriving to the Long Beach Arena we found a person selling tickets for below face value and we were in. Floor seats were sold out and went for $25 a piece originally; we got two at the show just as it was starting for $20 each. The lesson is this - you can ALWAYS find tickets at the venue. Why? Because there is always some person or people who bail the day of or the night before. I've done this several times to events that were sold out. One was a broadway play at the OCPAC that was sold out, Jack Johnson at the height of his popularity in Hollywood, Rufio, and now this one. I think there are one or two others. In spite of this prior experience, it still makes me nervous because you always feel like it just shouldn't be that easy. The trick is this, you just start asking everyone you see if they have extra tickets and you commit to yourself that you won't pay above face value for the tickets. You just have to be willing to talk to every person you see. The downside is that it feels kind of funny, but the upside is that you can get into ANY show. I'm sure of it. You just have to be there as it's starting and you have to be okay with talking to every stranger you see. That's it.
The show was great. There were a couple of screamer bands and then Strung Out came on. They are easily my favorite live. Aaron and I moved for the front before they got on and then when the first beat dropped there was a crazy rush to the stage that sent everyone lurching forward. Before it started I was kind of marveling to myself about how odd it was that so many young girls were up at the front by the stage. Then the crazy pushing began and they realized that they didn't belong there and things were back to normal, at least for Strung Out. I just love them to death. So fun. Lagwagon was also good, but I guess I haven't been listening to them as much because I couldn't recognize several of the songs that played and didn't know the words to the ones that I did recognize. Each of them have totally different feels to the way they play. Lagwagon is more fun and tell jokes; Strung Out is just straight up punk music with really raw energy.
Rise Against also was playing, but I just don't really know their stuff and they're too much of a screamer band for me. I wonder how many people think Strung Out is like that for them...It feels completely different to me at least. We caught a couple of songs from them, but nothing that I really knew and then we bailed. I had a ton of fun on my man-date. I was so beat by the time the night was over, but was so glad just to be out and able to take advantage of a fun weekend. I've been so busy the last couple weeks it feels like, but I've really been able to enjoy myself and that has been great.
1 comment:
The problem you could run into by buying tickets that way is that they could be fakes. Never heard of that happening to anyone I know, but the threat is real nonetheless. Buyer beware!
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