Sun, Rain and hankies

BEFORE

This gig has been a long time coming! I bought the ticket in March and I believe this is the ticket I pulled off the road while driving from Chicago to Detroit to go into a McDonald's to use the free wi-fi in order to get onto Ticketmaster.com! Yes it was THAT serious! So after the ticket was secured the next hurdle was a passport, something I should have had long ago but I'm lame and have never been anywhere (SAAAD). After I have a horrible photography session, I apply for the passport, get sent a letter saying my identity is questionable, send a bunch more papers FINALLY get the passport right before the fourth of July. Next hurdle figuring out accommodations after many hours on hotels.com and bing.com I settle on a hostel that some friends of mine had been to before and given a good recommendation. Now there's just days to go and all of a sudden pigeon-gate 2010! Huge uproar cane be heard on twitter and surrounding social networks. Chicago, Cleveland and then Toronto! So for those who don't know I live in Detroit, MI (born an raised so watch your mouth) about four and half hours from Toronto. I set out at around 11am on Tuesday morning my soundtrack starts with The Stills who are very appropriately playing as I cross the bridge to Canada. Getting to the border is the shorter part of the trip only about 45 minutes. The drive is quite nice not much traffic until I approach downtown Toronto. I arrive at my hostel within in five minutes of exiting the expressway. Clarence Castle is located on Clarence Square in an ideal area just southwest of central downtown. I believe it is in the entertainment district it was just down the street from CBC, Rogers Centre, the CN Tower and only 2.6 km from the Molson Amphitheater. So I'd highly recommend the place if you're traveling on a budget. But enough of that infomercial, back to business. Tuesday was check in day, I got my stuff inside and settled a bit, updated my FB (my form of communication with my family since I was not even thinking of paying roaming charges to use my iPhone), went out exploring and the to dinner, gave Katia (@ShesOnly17) a call to touch base and go over the plan for tomorrow (Show day).

SHOW DAY! I woke up really early, surprisingly early but I wasn't really awake until I seen a tweet that @ShesOnly17 knew where the Kings were then I was wide awake! I got showered, dressed and went over directions to the subway and the mall where I would meet Katia. Just before leaving I checked my order email to see what card I'd used to purchase the ticket with because I hadn't ben carrying all my cards in my smaller concert going purse. This is when things fell apart, I realize after checking the receipt which says my card ends in 4807 I have NO card that ends in 4807! Then I remember the day I bought the tickets something was weird with my card and I was sent a new card shortly after. Now I'm flustered on the verge on panic. I find a local number to Ticketmaster only to call and be put on hold FOR-ev-ver to be told I need to know the entire number (who knows the entire number to a card they are no longer in possession of!) I procede to call Bank of America who tells me they can't give that information out over the phone so I try to calmly ask him if he has any locations in Toronto, Canada OF COURSE NOT its called Bank of AMERICA so then I think you're going to have to give it to me the number via the phone! He finally says he can do it and gives me the number. So I call the local number for Ticketmaster back, I'm transfered to a customer representative who says she needs to transfer me to the Canadian side WHO THE HELL DID I JUST CALL!!! OMG DYING Dying dying! I get the Canadian representative who tells me they're going to charge the new credit card number I immediately say well where is my refund going to go he explains some circle logic I still don't get (and no refund has posted yet!) but I say whatever just do it then I'm all set. Now I'm back on track so I head out to meet up with Katia and her friend Claudene who are already at the mall. I walk down Front Street where all the action is including a tour bus! I run to catch up to where its pulling over but only a short guy with a laminate I can't make out get's off then back on and it pulls away again and pulls over in front of a hotel after I catch up with it again I realize I'm out front of the Intercontinental Hotel. A large group of men who appear to be roadies are getting on I scan the crowd but no familiar faces so I pick up my pace to get to the subway station. I get to the station and I really don't know what I'm doing but I just ask the attendant and I'm on my way. A quick ride and I'm at the Eaton Centre a huge mall. I try to quickly find the Apple store because I know they have internet I can use to DM Katia so I can tell her I'm here. I find two Bell stores and I go in the second one because they have computers and iphones so I figured they have working internet, NO! Not only was the internet not working but somehow I picked the laptop that was missing a key off the keyboard and of all thes to be missing it was the "e" after about 5 minutes of my tweets not going through I quit and continue to look for the apple store I only found it after asking someone at an info desk. The internet works perfectly I DM her and she's there within minutes! At last were all together and starved its time for food then time to wait it out fr the rest of the afternoon. Shortly after being seated we learn from Jon (@_Custard) there are already several groups of people in line so we all three inhale salads and book it to the venue. The paperless ticket system rears its ugly head again when Katia and Claudene are denied being able to line up because the ticket holder isn't there yet luckily we smooth talk our way in and the waiting commences. In the mean time we all get more aquatinted make friends, laugh at security, sweat it out uner the sun then get RAINED on and then it is time. We're about to get our wristbands and I look at Katia and say "I don't think I need to say this but if there a problem with my card leave me just be sure to save me a spot!" they open the gates and everyone does the fast walk to the ticket printer people. I get to the front of the line and my person walks away! His printer isn't printing! For CRYING OUT LOUD! I'm vocally disgruntled. By this time everyone else I'm with has been let through. I'm standing asking can someone else swipe my card like someone who's printer IS working! Then his printer gets going and he gives me my credit card back and hands me my ticket. I dash around a few people and make it to the wristband station set up just before you step in the pit. Two girls a couple people ahead of me get pulled out of line and they look crushed. The security assures them they aren't getting denied but they don't have tickets I think they had the same guy as me and they ran ahead without the tickets so as they're pulled to the side people behind them are continuing in so she starts whinily asking can the line be held he says yeah but he doesn't I get in before them along with a bunch of other people...I felt bad for them but this is kinda like war and all is fair in love and war. I get to Katia, Jon, Claudene, Dom (Katia's brother) and his date (?) who both had joined us about an hour after we arrived at the venue. We're all position right in front of Caleb. Jon and Katia are on the barrier. I'm a little on the barrier and everyone else is in row two. The stage is close, very close, the closest I've every been I think but pretty high up (my neck is still aching). So from then it was 30 minutes till show time the high I was on had started to die and I was fading but then the Stills took the stage.

MAIN EVENT
I have been waiting to see The Stills for what seems like forever! They are another band I was introduced to via Kings of Leon I have their debut Logic Will Break Your Heart newest album Oceans Will Rise both excellent! The Stills have a moody dark sometimes romantic sound. Even though I knew their songs I didn't know any bio info other than they were from Montreal so I had no idea who played what or what they looked like. When they took the stage I didn't have much reaction because I hadn't formed any idea in my head. I was happy that they were the only opener though because I would have a better chance at hearing all my favorites and I think they covered most of them. I was pleased by their set. They didn't talk a lot but they was a funny exchange from the lead singer about his guitar being slung way too high and not covering his man parts. The was some unintentionally humours moments including one of the songs where the bassist Olivier Corbeil doesn't play for the first 3/4 of the song and stood unmoving with a fixed gaze until I think he noticed us laughing at him and he started to crack a smile before regaining composure until his part came in. Another amusing thing was the guitarist Gregory Paquet who was nearly lifeless on stage people say Nathan shows no emotion this guy has him beat hands down. I kinda thought he was hot in a scary sexy kind of way he has beautiful blue eyes but I was most amused at his total nonchalantness I think people have more emotion practicing than he does performing.

The Stills wrap up and the guys come out and start tearing down. Of course that means Nacho comes out and gets to work, he's quite focused on his many tasks even though people are yelling his name all while he's working he does give a few nods and waves and continues to work furiously. Then theres some more wait wait waiting and then the lights go out the smoke starts and the lacrimosa plays! The guys come out and the smoke clears



Caleb is wearing a dark gray tee with the now infamous white jeans they kind of look super light blue or light gray but I guess they are white. His beard has been neatly manicured down to stubble but I actually havent been looking a pictures from the gigs since Bonnaroo so I really didn't even notice. Caleb did a nice speech about the fans being the best and greatly supportive he thanked the fans that are here now and the ones who have been here for a long time that got a loud cheer. He also remarked that they have had some good shows on this tour and some "funny" shows which got only a slight reaction from Jared. Caleb really seemed to enjoy himself I really got the full effect of his dancing for the first time and it was great watch those little hips go! Makes me smile just thinking about it. The crowd was particularly appreciative when he said we were one on the best crowds they've had on this tour.


Matt as usual has on layers a dark button up with a white shirt on underneath and I can't understand for the life of me how he can play like that. He's also looking the heaviest I've seen him and his hair is OUT OF CONTROL I'm missing the old Matt.


Nathan in all his glory had on a white cut off tee and thats pretty much all thats important there. I feel like I made serious eye contact with him but it was hard to tell with the angle we were on so who knows! What I do know is I will never forget him getting up from behind his set when it was all over and putting his hands together to form a heart I DIE! The man knows how to kill me HE KNOWS!


Jared was his best dressed self as usual he had on a cute red plaid short sleeve button up and tight fitting blue jeans and his hair was styled up like I like it. I realize now that when your that close up either Matt or Jared kinda get left out of the equation and usually I go to Matt's side but since we were all together I decided to stick with the group we were actually a little off from be dead center on Caleb so Jared, Caleb and Nate got all my attention and I forgot Matty existed until a solo came up which is usually what happens to Jared. But I have to say Jared made it worthwhile he was so into the show I was pleasantly surprised. He was giving good bass face, singing along to himself, smiling, making eye contact, I don't think he turned his back on us once and in general just being gorgeous. At one point I told Katia "I take every bad thing I've ever said about Jared back" he totally redeemed himself in my eyes.

the set list went like this

*Crawl
*Notion
*Taper Jean Girl
*Immortals
Molly's Chambers
*Fans
*Milk
*Closer
*Mary
*Four Kicks
*The Bucket
*Radioactive
*Where Is My Mind (Pixes Cover)
*Sex on Fire
*On Call
*Southbound
*Trani

< Encore >
*Knocked Up
*Use Somebody
*Black Thumbnail

My thoughts-
Immortals I always thought this was Radioactive and Radioactive was Immortals because it talks about going up yonder.
Milk again YESSS!
Mary, I think after the first couple bars of this song my stomach did a flip and a chill went down my spine (and I never get chills or the hairs on my arms standing up kind of feelings but I got it this night) and in the moment it overtook Southbound as my favorite new song.
Radioactive into Where is my mind AGAIN I was shocked! Of the three times they've played this I've been witness to two! And I like it better every time which is the same way I feel about Trani again shocked! I was never a HUGE Trani fan, in that it was one of the not often heard one I would beg for but with Bonnaroo and now Toronto I fall deeper in love with it each time I hear it live. Southbound just pumps me the fuck up! I just feel like it was made for me (self centered much?)!

Those were my highlights. It was a great night, with an awesome crowd in an amazing city I will never forget it. I won't forget how my ear was ringing with the screams behind me. I won't forget Katia's face after she caught the hankie. I won't forget those guys giving it their all. I don't think it could have gone better. :-D