Taking Back Sunday, Bayside, and Transit Atlanta 11/9/12

I was on Facebook one day and Alternative Press posted a link that said “Taking Back Sunday announce Tell All Your Friends 10^th Anniversary Tour Dates.” I read through them and I saw Atlanta on the list. I immediately called my cousin Molly and she freaked out because that is one of her favorite bands along with one of her favorite albums. By the time the day came to go to this show, I was really tired. I had already been to Huntsville for a show and Mobile for a show. And at this point I was on my way to Atlanta. Yes, I am crazy, but even though I was tired, the trip was so worth it. We met my aunt in Birmingham and we headed out. When we got to the venue, we had to stand outside for a little while. When we walked in, we ran to the floor and patiently waited for the first band to start. The first band was called Transit. They were from Boston. I had never heard of them, but oh my gosh, they were absolutely amazing. I think they are going to be one of my favorite bands. Something about them just… I cannot even explain it. I did not know any of their songs but I know that they played Please Head North and Skipping Stone. All of their fans were freaking out the whole time and that it made it much more awesome. I really hope that I get to see them again and soon. The next band was Bayside. I had seen them before at Warped Tour but I do not really like them. I can respect them though, because they have been around for a long time and their fans really show their dedication. When it was finally time for Taking Back Sunday, I was restless and I was really tired, but nevertheless I was excited! Their first set consisted of songs that were not on TAYF. They were

What’s It Feel Like To Be A Ghost?

A Decade Under The Influence

Faith (When I Let You Down)

Liar (It Takes One To Know One)

One-Eighty By Summer

El Paso

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I swear that those songs had great crowd participation and I was pumped and I even got chill bumps. I had no idea what was coming during the next set. They were playing the entire Tell All Your Friends Album in order. I had listened to that album for years, but since I was really young when it came out, I never really understood what this album meant to some people and how it helped them through their own lives. I only knew how it helped me through mine. As soon as they went into You Know How I Do, the crowd was so emotional and screaming every lyric to the song. And I got wrapped up in all the emotion, and I screamed my lungs out too. All throughout Bike Scene, the next song, that same energy rang through. Just when I thought there could not be any more energy in the room, I was proved wrong. The next song was Cute Without The “E” (Cut From The Team). I saw several people start crying and the crowd was absolutely insane. The energy was at its highest when Adam sang, “I know you well enough to know you never loved me. Why can't I feel anything from anyone other than you? Hoping for the best just hoping nothing happens. A thousand clever lines unread on clever napkins.... And all of this was all your fault!!!” At that moment, if you were in the crowd, you could have felt all of the emotions just from those few lyrics and it gave me chill bumps. I cannot put into words how emotional that was. It was definitely an experience that I will never forget. After that, the show died down a little, but it was still a great show. They played the rest of TAYF, which included

There's No 'I' in Team

Great Romances of the 20th Century

Ghost Man on Third (Adam ran into the crowd and walked around the room)

Timberwolves at New Jersey

The Blue Channel

You're So Last Summer

Head Club

Adam said that for whatever reason these last two songs did not get put on the album, but they were going to play them anyway because they felt like they should be played.

Your Own Disaster

The Ballad of Sal Villanueva

I wish more bands would do anniversary album tours. 

Halestorm, In This Moment, and Eve To Adam Mobile, Alabama 11/8/12

When I found out that Halestorm was coming back to Alabama, at first, I was a bit reluctant because I did not think that there was anyway that I would get to go because I was going to a show the night before in Huntsville and the night after in Atlanta. When my dad agreed to take me, at first I was excited, then I thought I was crazy because I would go from the top of Alabama to the bottom of Alabama in 24 hours and I would be in two states in 48 hours. When the day finally came, I checked out of school and then I was on my way to Mobile. Also playing with Halestorm were Eve To Adam and In This Moment. I knew ETA because of Octane on Sirius/XM and I knew In This Moment because I saw them on Warped Tour in 2009. I met one of my friends there and we went inside and I could barely contain my excitement. Eve To Adam was okay. I do not know any of the songs that they played other than a new song they wrote with Eric Bass from Shinedown. After the show I had the opportunity to meet them and they were some really cool dudes. After ETA, was In This Moment. They put on a great show, but the fact that they had a fog machine made it a little less pleasant. It was really hard to see and I think I would have enjoyed them more the second time if they did without that. I do not remember all the songs that they played, but I do remember

Adrenalize

Blazin’

Whore

Beast Within

The Gun Show and

Blood

Maria changed hats during almost every song and she stood on a platform that was surrounded by skeletons and skulls. It was definitely different than anything I have seen. Maria also had people hold up a curtain and she danced behind it. The band members had make-up on and they looked freaky, but cool. Over all, ITM, was greatly entertaining and I really want to see them headlining.

Then it was finally time for Halestorm. Even though I had seen them twice, I was still excited. It had been almost 3 years since the last time that I saw them. I got even more excited when they opened with one of my all time favorite songs, Mz. Hyde. *Cue freak-out*. The rest of the songs I do not remember in order, but they were

Love Bites (So Do I)

Freak Like Me

Dissident Aggressor (Judas Priest)

Dirty Work

American Boys (AHH MY FAVORITE!) (Lzzy said that they are going to play this song every night of the tour because they respect our troops and the song was in memory of a soldier that she knew. RIP, man)

Break In (Lzzy Played The Piano and it was beautiful, like her)

Familiar Taste Of Poison

In Your Room

Rock Show

Arejay's Drum Solo
You Call Me A Bitch Like It’s A Bad Thing

Slave To The Grind (Skid Row)

It’s Not You

Here’s To Us

I Get Off

I Miss The Misery

The band basically played my dream set-list and just when I thought the night could not get any better, I found myself at the buses in the back waiting to meet the band. I had met the band before but it was through a fence. This time was different. I actually got to have conversations with them and hug them. The first person I talked to was Lzzy. I cannot put into words how much I love and adore her. She is my favorite female vocalist and she is one of my biggest inspirations of all time. I said hey to her and I asked her if I could give her a hug. She said “Of course!” That was probably the best hug of my life. I got my picture with her and I thanked her profusely for being amazing. After her, I got my picture with Josh. He was not much for words but he did thank me for coming to the show. Then I talked to Arejay. He is a character. For some reason, he told me I had a sexy shoulder? I did not really know what else to say other than thank you. He also thanked me for coming to the show. The last person I talked to was Joe. Joe was awesome. I talked to him for a long time about a lot of random stuff. It started with me telling him the show was great. It then continued with us talking about the Birmingham Uproar show in 2010 and Pearl Jam and how many times I have seen them, plus their 20^th anniversary show in Wisconsin, and I told him that I am bad at math and that I will never use it in my career. He asked me what I wanted to do and I told him I wanted to work in the music industry. He said “Hey, that’s what I do!.” Then we talked about college and he told me he dropped out but if he had not, he would not have met Lzzy and he would not have been in the band. The funniest part of the conversation was when Arejay was talking to some people and he yelled “I’m going to pull a magic mike in this bitch!” and proceeded to drop to the ground. Everyone that was there started laughing and Joe asked me if that was going to be put in my blog. Joe, if you are reading this, I remembered to put that in the blog. ;) I finished talking to Joe and it was time for me to leave. Goodness gracious, this show quickly made its way into my top 5 favorite shows of all time. The shows that I can sing every song to and not have a voice the next day are some of the reasons why I want to make going to concerts a career. 

Needtobreathe and Matthew Mayfield Huntsville, Alabama 11/7/12

Needtobreathe is one of my favorite bands. I have seen them numerous times that it is hard for me to remember how many times I have actually seen them. After tonight, I think my total is up to seven or eight. I was so excited to see them again not only because I love them, but because Matthew Mayfield was going to be opening for them. I love Matthew Mayfield too. I have seen them play a show together before and I was absolutely blown away. The amount of talent that was present in the room tonight was remarkable. The first act of the night was Matthew Mayfield. I have listened to him for years and I had seen him once before. He is from Birmingham (about two hours away from me) and his voice is one of those voices that I never want to quit listening to. He played

Track You Down

Missed Me

Welcome To The Jungle

Ain’t Much More To Say

Fire Escape

Hard Wire (“My manager told me not to play this song, but I’m going to do it anyway)

When he played WTTJ, I laughed. That was such a great cover. Before one of his songs, he talked about how he did not make it into his fourth grade talent show. That was really interesting. When his set was done, I went to his merch table and bought my shirt. When I got through the line, Matthew was standing around talking to people. When it was my turn, he shook my hand and said “Hey, I’m Matthew.” I said “I’m Kinsey.” And then I told him that I loved it when he posted Yield lyrics on Facebook, that Yield was my favorite Pearl Jam album, and that Given To Fly was my favorite song to hear live. He said he liked it too and that he likes their entire catalogue. He said he really liked the middle era albums and his favorite songs were Last Exit and Tremor Christ. I told him that I loved both of those, which I do. I got my picture with him and then I went back to my seat.

Good Old War had already started by the time I got back to my seat. I sat down and I felt bad because I laughed at them. I am sorry, but they were really nerdy. They were not bad at all, they were just goofy. To me, the singer looked a lot like Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for cute. The drummer looked like a younger version of Matt Cameron from Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, and the other guy looked like a younger version of Jimmy Fallon. The only song I remember them playing was their song “Better Weather” and they dedicated to the people that were affected by Sandy. They were from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and they said it hit them hard. Then it was time for Needtobreathe!!!

Each time I see them, I get so emotional. I can not express how much I love them because they have helped me through so much. They played

Devil's Been Talkin'

Cops

Let Us Love

The Outsiders

Washed by the Water/Lay 'Em Down

Girl Named Tennessee

Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash Cover)

More Time

White Fences

Keep Your Eyes Open

Wanted Man

Drive All Night

Difference Maker (New Song)

Something Beautiful

The Reckoning / Joy (With Matthew Mayfield and Good Old War)

During the show, there were several people in the crowd, both male and female, that kept screaming, “I love you, Bear!” He stood there and said that we should not come to the bus after the show because we do not really know him and he has ninjas in their trailer to attack anyone that comes back there. Then later, he said he loved us too and he was joking about the ninjas.  I swear I laughed for a while after the show and I am laughing even as I type this.