Blogs

• July 27, 2010

  Memoir of The Fox Show

  posted by Monotov.

  August 17th 2009
  
  That morning around 1030 I got in my car, with my wallet, my cell phone, my iPod, and a few important documents and started driving south. I was nervous, nervous I would be found out and be reprimanded. But the drive to get to San Francisco overpowered my nagging conscience. I met my friend Amanda in Salt Lake near her home, we parked my red cavalier in a parking lot and we climbed into her car and drove to the SLC Int'l airport. I said goodbye and Walked into terminal 2. No luggage, just what was in my pockets. I stepped up to a self check kiosk, realized i didnt have my ticket number, and called amanda, she gave it to me and told me to get a move on. I printed my boarding pass and traipsed through security. Once through I started killing time. I clicked on my iPod to Third Eye Blind, the Ursa Major playlist I had made. I started listening deep, connecting, and memorizing. I called ashlee nelson and told her where i was going, she was in hawaii which is way cool. she thought it was way bad that i was flying all the way to san francisco to see third eye blind. we talked for a minute and i told her i would call her during one of the songs so she could listen, i had already told matt the same thing. I said goodbye and walked around a little more. I got on at the tail end of the line. I walked through the gate to an outdoor hallway down to another door to a TINY plane. The plane only had 12 rows, 2 seats on each side. I pushed my headphones in and listened to Ursa Major and Out of the Vein again. Alot of the songs started sticking out to me - Water Landing, Bonfire, About to Break, One in Ten, Sharp Knife, Monotov's Private Opera, Dao of St. Paul. While I was flying over the Bay, water on both sides of the plane. I listened to water landing and it changed me inside.
  
  We finally landed, I was trying to be confident but I was a little nervous about getting on the BART and finding a stop and then walking to the theater, just because I had never done it before. I paid 17.oo for a roundtrip from 19th Street in Oakland. I got situated and watched 3 kids come sit down; 2 identical twins and a girl. They were from canada travelling around CA before their term started. We chatted till the Powell stop, then I was on my own. It took awhile but I finally arrived at the Oakland 19th street station. It was underground so I walked up the stairs and found myself in an alley between two streets. I walked towards one, which turned out to be broadway. I turned around (after realizing I was the only caucasian) and discovered it was the one I was looking for; Telegraph. I looked up and down the street and saw just a half block away the FOX OAKLAND theater sign. A few people were sitting on the sidewalk, i figured they were the die hard fans I was looking for. I was the 14th person in line. I sat down nest to a girl named ****** and ********and a kid named *******. Turns out I knew them on the assembly website. Michelle9, Marlene, and Godzilla respectively. we started talking about Ursa Major and Water Landing, they were such awesome people. Alex left to 'go to the car' to pull off a bottle of something. I talked to Michelle9 who was WAY COOL. Before long another girl named ***** joined us, she was pretty cool too - a little quirky, but who isn't.
  
  Then another girl joined us. **** . She had the most brilliant green eyes I may have ever seen. Her skin was a shade darker than mine, and smooth. Her hair was dark brown and smooth and natural. She was quiet for the most part, but clever, and funny. She was in SF visiting a friend, she planned her visit around the Ursa Major release hoping 3eb would play a home show. She rocked my world.
  
  The time went by fairly quickly in the company of all these cool people. The line grew longer and Godzilla kept taking pulls of juice from his car. I'm sure he was buzzed by the time we were actually admitted. I hadn't used the restroom since the airport, Godzilla said the Sears down the road had one. ***** said she needed to go and asked me to go with her, of course I'd go. So we ducked out of the line and walked down the road, we came to a light and i waited to cross. ***** turned and said, "Come on, we jay walk in *(State)* all the time". she grinned and ran across the oakland thoroughfare. I followed her laughing at the spontaneity. We walked into sears to find it almost deserted. a few bored employees wandered around but no one was shopping. the restrooms were hiding in the corner of the top floor. we talked about school and books and home. Then headed back, walking an extra block for the excercise. By the time we got back people were all standing and there was a buzz in the air - we were getting close. I met a couple other local girls in line who were way chill; ******* & *****.
  
  After another eternity they pulled the rope back and i ran to the gate, they scanned me in and i booked it through the bar and onto the floor. I was one of the first couple of people to get there, and I grabbed the front railing in front of the stage. Front and center, i was in heaven. Soon, all of our group from the line joined me in the same area. We looked around making sure all of our new friends were here. They were. It was perfect and unified and close and intimate and beautiful. ****** and ****** were right next to me and we kept getting closer as more people filled the theater. ***** had forgotten to get an "over 21" bracelet so she could order liquor. She ran back to get one as we saved her spot and I got to chat with ******, who was really cool. She liked salsa music and marijuana. They went to Berkely. We chatted till ****** came back and we were in business.
  
  The opening act took the stage; The Upwelling. They were ok, but no one wanted to hear them. The crowd was still and bored while they played, I know we were. We talked more and laughed with everyone. Finally they finished,and the Third Eye Blind setup began, holy shit it was exciting. ***** ordered me and ***** and herself a 'Cuba Libre'. I'd never heard of it, it's just rum and coke with lime juice. We shared it when the order came, delicious. The guitars had been strummed, the drums beaten, and we caught a glimpse of a setlist being placed. It was huge. ******, a guy I met in line (tall guy, HUGE fan) said he saw 'Faster' as the opening song. I wanted to cry I was so happy. There were a few songs I thought would be amazing to hear and Faster was high on the list.
  
  The lights dropped and they took the stage: Abe, Tony, Brad, and of course, SJ. I was so close SJ and I could have shaken hands. The techno introduction began and rocked as all apart, they started into Faster.
  
  I made eye contact many times with Stephan through the night, and not just short moments, but for entire phrases. There were moments I leaned and SJ leaned, we made eye contact and we both yelled lyrics toward each other. No more than 2 feet away. The show went as follows:
  
  Techno
  Faster
  Wounded
  Don't Believe a Word
  Graduate
  Can You Take Me
  Never Let You Go
  Why Can't You Be
  1 in 10
  Motorcycle Drive By
  Dao of St. Paul
  
  ------short break
  
  Losing a Whole Year
  Water Landing
  Bonfire
  Jumper
  Crystal Baller
  A Sharp Knife
  Semi-Charmed Life
  
  ------Encore
  
  God of Wine
  
  I sang every word of every song. I screamed, I yelled, I sang motorcycle driveby with stephan. I screamed graduate. Wounded moved me. I heard semi charmed life like never before. Jumper included a LONG bass solo, a LONG guitar solo, and a LONG drum solo. After the solos SJ brought us back with the YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA! And Tony melted my face with the classic Jumper solo. My eye watered there was so much emotion. Hearing that song preformed like that was one of the more powerful experiences of my life. MDB and GOW were deeply touching, singing them with the other fans and my new friends was somthing special I will never forget. Through the show a couple of pictures were taken. I made eye contact with **** in a couple of emotion packed moments, we smiled deep and sang.
  
  Before I was ready the band thanked us again and again after the encore and left the stage. Most of our group met outside: *****, *******, *****, *****, *******, *******. We chatted and hung out behind the theater waiting for the guys. I needed to get onto the BART before too much longer and others needed to meet friends and rides. We took a picture or two and all hugged. We left ****** and ******* and ******* waiting for the guys. ****** and ****** headed towards their car, and I saw ***** to a cab. We hugged, "see you in another life" I said and smiled.
  
  I took off towards the BART, I needed to cross the street. The light was red, but hell, they did it in *(State)* : I jay walked to the station. I passed a homeless guy and gave him 10.oo for kicks. Down stairs to the BART and then 45 minutes to the airport. I was dazed and tired. It was about 1 AM when I finally got to the airport. No luggage, just me. I found a spot on the floor to crash in an 'under construction' terminal. I awoke to peoples voices and got into a line for check in. I looked haggered but I didn't care, it was surreal.
  
  I hopped on the plane home, the normal small flight size. I closed my eyes, and the songs in my head took me home.