Rancid: Never fell in love until I fell in love with you...

Post Recap of July 28, 2009

Computer problems delayed this post, more will be explained in tomorrow's blog.

What did you do on Tuesday? I went to the House of Blues on 15 Landowne St. Boston, MA to see what you all know as the loves of my life. Well my musical life. RANCID. My day started off slow with about an hour delay of the Green Line trains. All branches because of a disabled train at one of the other stations. I LOVE the MBTA, I rely on them, but the Green Line is the enemy. Just a useful enemy. Walking around the corner towards Lansdowne street showed the flocks of Red Sox fans making their way to Fenway which is right across the street from the HOB. This would be a good time to tell you that the Sox game started at 7 and the doors opened for my show at 6:30. I showed up at 2:30. At 2:30 I met 4 other people also waiting as early as I was, two of which had just moved to my home/hometown of East Boston. The lead singer of Billy Talent was parading up and down the street but of course I didn't know who the fuck he was, BECAUSE I barely know anything by Billy Talent. Later on, a few of the guys were playing wiffle ball across Lansdowne and Mr. Tim Armstrong (Rancid) joined in on the game. I have met Mr. Armstrong so when I and others tell you he is extremely down to earth, willing to talk with fans, and quite gentlemanly I might add. Believe it. This man is my hero if I ever decide to have one.

As I stood outside with my new "I'm only here for Rise Against" friends, I also explained to them, I only showed up for Rancid. Word for word, I get as a response- "Well I don't know about Rancid fans but Rise Against fans are absolutely insane". I just shrugged and said, I wouldn't know- knowing in the back of my mind that they weren't ready for Rancid fans. After sweating for four hours outside and then another 30 minutes in the hallway, we were finally allowed into the venue. I stood through Billy Talent, quite still I might add, still enough to get a video for a friend who is a fan. Crowd was quite dull except for a few fans who occasionally pushed me forward once or twice. The lead singer is very energetic and it would be a good show for those who enjoy their music.

Rancid was second of the night, which I still don't understand HOW they could be just a supporting band, in my humble opinion. First chord played and hundreds of bodies pushed forward. The guy in front of me obviously didn't want to be touched and continuously tried to push us all back. He was just met by a stronger push, slamming him into the barricade each time. If you can't handle being in front for all of the crowds, just not the band you want to see, I personally say- get lost. Leave the front for someone who cares. One song alone, I counted 21 crowd surfers to be picked off by security guards. Yes, I made sure to count- just for you my dear blog readers. Matt Freeman even broke out the pure white stand-up base for "Civilian Ways" from their new album Let The Dominoes Fall. Go look it up. People were being asked to be pulled from the crowd because the force crushed all the air from their lungs. I stood on my toes, letting the pressure from the bodies around me hold me up, and belted out every song. Old and new. My official statement: Seeing Rancid in concert is better than sex. Period-ended. No one will ever know how much their chords, their words, all their songs mean to me and what they have helped me through over the years. I feel like Tim Armstrong took my life and put it on every CD they have made. I don't remember the entire set but I do remember "Bloodclot" and "Nihilism" thrown in with "Fall Back Down" and "Last One to Die". An overall great mix of music from albums over the last 16 years. Including my personal favourite which they have played every time I've seen them- "St. Mary".

Just as soon as it began, it was over. Supporting bands not getting enough time I think they deserved. Sweating, panting, legs wobbling I pushed my way through the crowd -wetter than I was at Warped which was outside in the pouring rain. I walked right out the fucking door without looking back. No Rise Against set for me or the other 50 or so people who left with me after Rancid's set. I hope your Rise Against crowd was good guys 'cause now you know how Rancid fans show their love for their boys.

I froze my ass off on the train, in the most glorious pain there is. Rancid, by far, the most amazing band I have known in my time. Of course that is just my opinion and it works for me. Go see them live if you like any of their music, even if you know one song, go, you will not regret it. That's all I have for you tonight my friends. This post cannot contain the excitement and emotion I wish it could.

"Here it is
Here I am
Turn it up
fuckin' loud"

Until next time darlings.

"When I got the music, I got a place to go."
Love,
-Napalm

Sunday: I Feel Ambiguity

No blockquote! Surprise!

I know, that's a first, isn't it? Today finally feels like summer which makes me extremely happy. I'm ignoring all the outside pressures and anxieties I have for a while (even though they are picking at me somewhere in the back of my mind) and not worry about anything until at least Wednesday night. Why? Because Tuesday I will be at the House of Blues on Lansdowne St. in Boston enjoying myself as Rancid sings all my troubles away. The headliners are Rise Against, who are being supported by Rancid (which makes NO fucking sense to me, I think RA should kiss the soles of Tim Armstrong's converse) and Billy Talent but I got tickets just because Rancid is playing. Honestly, I couldn't even remember the names of any Billy Talent songs.

Enough of that, I returned to the movie theatre this weekend after many beach-at-night exploits as my weekends usually consist of. My friend and I decided to see The Ugly Truth with Gerard Butler. Now let me say this before you groan and roll your eyes at me, I already knew how the story was going to play out just by watching the previews/trailers. So I wasn't expecting a life changing plot and ending, not at all [but Gerry is a wicked actor!]. On the other hand, it was pretty funny- after I yelled at some loud mouth asshole behind us to shut his fuckin' mug. Movies are great- too bad they couldn't come up with a device that weeds out the assholes and puts them all in the same theatre with each other. Assholes, theatre 6. Let everyone in theatre 11 enjoy their movie. All the mothers with babies, theatre 14. See how much they enjoy being in a room with 50 others just like them and what that will do to the next time they decide to go see a movie.

I don't have much for you this Sunday, I didn't accomplish much over the weekend, other than having a good time. AND, I think that's what it's all about. Too many people let the stupid shit get them down. I have clothes on my back, a roof over my head, and food in the fridge. Singing to myself, life is good. Fuck the world.

I love you all.
Live it up.
-Napalm

Who's Shapiro? Warped Tour 2009: Just about what I expected...

Sorry for the wait. Post recap of: 21 July 2009

And what did I expect? Not much. Out of the numerous bands there that day, I was determined to see three of them. The rest, I couldn't have cared less if they were playing at all. For the line up - Check out www.warpedtour.com

Now don't get me wrong, it was great for a lot of people and I'm glad. I also love the idea of Warped Tour's festival style with the ridiculous amount of bands that do play. I just personally disliked most of the bands -felt like so many just sounded all the same- and also felt like years past have been multiple times better. And some guy at South Station was rambling on about "Shapiro" to a person in the seat across from him that only he could see. Who the hell is Shapiro?

It rained like a motherfucker! And that is no lie. Every inch of me was soaked, including my electronics. This is why you get this post so late, I was PISSED all morning. I had photos and videos of three bands I wanted to see, total number of all media on my camera when I left the venue: 222 The number of photos that were uploaded to my computer before the camera had an error and deleted practically everything: 61

All anger aside- Bad Religion, NOFX, and Anti-Flag completely kicked my ass, PWND me, and all that other shit- they were wicked. I went to Warped in'04 and missed Anti-Flag, so getting to see them front and center was pure sex. They played around 2:55, mixing old and new into their set, keeping everyone happy. All the 12/13 yr olds who only knew of their last two albums eyed them, confused, as the rest of us broke out, chanting along to "You gotta die, gotta die, gotta die for your government, gotta die for your country, that's shit!" They were an amazing, amazing, wicked awesome, best part of my day by far. Chris #2 (Barker) is always the highlight of my life. Talk about some fucking energy, that guy has it. The vocals, the moves, the usual jumping into the audience, and of course, the wall of love. You have to be there to know. Also, you have a few photos of him here from the performance because (he is THE MAN) they were the only ones that survived from the bands I enjoyed :( but hurrah for AF. They rocked my world.

(5:55 p.m.)Bad Religion was in fine form, no matter how many jokes they make about their age, they still own you on stage. An awesome performace of Generator, one of my personal favourites, got the crowd moving. I had great footage that was lost, video of "Sorrow" and even a guest appearance by NOFX's lead singer Fat Mike, joining in for the chorus of "21st Century Digital Boy" [<- there are parenthesis in there somewhere but I'm too exhausted to remember]. After the BR set, NOFX took over, also in fine form but in a more intoxicated manner. Fat Mike enjoying Vodka & milk from a red solo cup on stage. An "old man's drink" as he says. The set was covered in rainbow flags as the guys played on the idea of this being one of the more liberal states in the nation. The boys being ridiculously, and humorously liberal themselves, meant no offense and anyone who took any are assholes. "Bob" was a crowd favourite of the night, as well as The Racist Joke Song. They also graced us with a new song they had just written in the bus about Massachsuetts, I loved it, I agree...it's too fucking cold here. Probably one of my favourite in the NOFX set was their cover of Rancid's "Radio", but that's just because Rancid are the loves of my life. After NOFX, I said FUCK IT. Skipped out on the 2-3 other bands I didn't want to see and waited on the warm, dry bus to take me back to Boston.

Well that was most of my Warped! There was more to it but I don't want to own your life by having you read anymore of this blog....BUT! I am now the proud owner of two RANCID tickets for TUESDAY, at the House of Blues [Boston] with Rise Against and I believe Billy Talent (I didn't know BT was still around) so I am a happy narrator. Until next time, where I may share more Warped with you.

Keep it wet.
Love,
-napalm