#ALSO ALSO MY FRIEND WHO GOT US TICKETS CROWDSURFED IT WAS SO COOL

[lesbian-of-nine]

how is this guy even more beautiful in person 😵‍💫 🩶 i’m pretty sure he made eye contact with me AHHHHHH

also: me reading homestuck before they went on For The Bit (4/13) anddddd a bracelet a lovely person gave me !!!

[liztalksmusic-blog]

LOST IN TRANSLATION TOUR: REVIEW

Words fail to express how undoubtedly fucking awesome Tuesday night was at the Ogden Theater in Denver, CO. The Lost in Translation Tour brought their lineup to the city and to say I was impressed is a severe understatement.

Upon entrance to the venue, my friends and I, both old and ones I had just freshly made outside of the venue, went straight to the barricade for The Wrecks’ set. They’re the band we were primarily there for, but I soon learned I did myself dirty by not paying closer attention to Dreamers and New Politics, the remaining two bands on the lineup, before the show.

The Wrecks opened with an unreleased jam, “Wasted Youth”, and despite the absence of a released studio version of this song, there were still a decent amount of fans singing along, (myself included).

[IMG: Lead Singer Nick Anderson of The Wrecks, image credit to Angela Smith]

The song included a killer instrumental that was the perfect way to get an audience excited about a band they may not know, and a fantastic way to kick off the show as a whole. The Wrecks were killer with crowd interaction and feeding off the energy the audience was putting out. They moved through their set seamlessly, lead singer and frontman, Nick Anderson, moving into the crowd to jam with fans near the end of the set for their high energy, incredibly dance-able tune, “Turn it Up”.

[IMG: Bassist Aaron Kelley of The Wrecks, image credit to Angela Smith]

The indie rockers wrapped up their set with their most popular song, (at least according to the band’s Spotify page) “Favorite Liar”, giving fans the chance to scream their heart outs during the line in the final verse, “I remember waking up in Colorado…”. The five-piece played another local venue, The Globe Hall, when in town for their headlining tour on Halloween last year, and it appears as though the tour paid off.

[IMG: Guitarist Westen Weiss of The Wrecks, image credit to Angela Smith]

Walking into the venue, you would have no idea that they were the first band on the bill based off the crowd, that was clearly familiar with the band, and those who weren’t certainly are now. You can check out the Wrecks’ latest release, sophomore EP “Panic Vertigo” here. 

After the energy from their set died down and the stage was once again empty, my friends and I chose to move out of the crowd in order to buy some merchandise before things got too crazy and decided to enjoy the rest of the show from further back in the crowd. I was a bit more distracted during Dreamer’s set, but it was clear the band had some fans in the crowd. I enjoyed some songs more than others if I’m being completely honest, but regardless of my preference for some songs over others, their stage presence was undeniable.

[IMG: Lead singer Nick Wold of Dreamers, image credit to Angela Smith]

They know how to get a crowd excited in unique ways. Most notably, at the end of the set lead singer Nick Wold jumped into the audience to crowdsurf (and made it surprisingly far without being dropped), and the band threw stuffed animals into the crowd. I later learned that the animals came from a post-Valentines Day clearance aisle at a Walgreens, and thought it was pretty damn cool that they were creative enough to make it a fun addition to their set, also giving the Denver fans a unique experience from other dates of the tour.

[IMG: Bassist Marc Nelson of Dreamers, image credit to Angela Smith]

Although the band only has a few released songs on Spotify, they’re undoubtedly worth adding to your library.You can check them out here. 

The excited buzz of the crowd and vague smell of liquor in the air set the scene for the rest of the night. The only thing that put a halt to the chatter between hyped up concert goers was the beginning notes of New Politics’ first song and the sensory starkness of the lights shutting down across the room.

I’m used to being in the pit at shows, surrounded by sweaty strangers with little room to move but getting to be close to the performers, where all the action tends to be. This was the first time in a long time that I enjoyed a show from farther away, able to take in and fully appreciate the entire picture. It was refreshing. What surprised me most is that even though I only knew a few songs of theirs, New Politics made it nearly impossible NOT to dance around and get into their set. Everytime I put my full attention on the stage, something new and exciting was happening. The Ogden is a tiered venue, and I saw David Boyd (lead singer of New Politics) crowdsurf at least once in both the first two tiers. He interacted with the balcony, and even jammed with those of us in the back near the bar.

[IMG: Soren Hansen of New Politics, image credit to Angela Smith]

The lighting visuals were intense and overwhelming, but in the best way. I could go on and on about positive things in regard to New Politics’ set. Between a backflipping lead singer, a crazy talented drummer and keyboard player, and the remarkable ability of the musicians to not only keep performing through a long and difficult sounding set, but to keep up their incredible physical and musical ability consistently, never wavering or missing a beat and never letting any fatigue show through, it was an experience for the books.  It takes true passion for their art. Few times in my life have I seen performers as incredible and committed to their stage show as the men of New Politics, and I’m kicking myself for not listening to them sooner.

[IMG: David Boyd of New Politics, image credit to Angela Smith]

The night was filled with antics, dancing our butts off, and having fun. If you’re looking for a way to let loose for a night, a New Politics show is the way to do it. The buzz of the bass filled my body from the hair on my head to the tips of my toes, pounding in my chest along with my heart. Upon leaving the venue I could still feel the buzz of the bass and the energy of the performance on the tip of my tongue, and at the back of my throat, ever so slightly soothing the harshness that was there from screaming lyrics earlier in the night.

All three bands on the tour not only met my expectations, but exceeded them in a mind-blowing way. The passion and commitment these guys all have to their art and to their performance is unfathomably real, raw, and resulted in the most refreshingly inspired shows I’ve been to recently. It takes commitment and drive to play a show at all, but the above-and-beyond passion is what sets these performers apart. It takes true passion to put on a show like these acts did, and I have no doubt they would have played at the same caliber that they did to a  1,000 person room as they would to a room of 10. 

If you have a chance to catch any of the remaining dates of The Lost In Translation tour, DO IT. You’ll only regret it if you choose otherwise. You can find out what cities they’re hitting and get tickets here. 

 Otherwise, do yourself a favor by checking out the bands on the lineup and keep an eye out for future tours they’ll embark on. Trust me when I say you do not want to miss out on the chance to jam these bands. Check out New Politics’ music here.

A special thank you to my friend Angie Smith for providing her kickass pictures for this review: You can visit her website at  PinkSkiesMedia.wordpress.com or check out her instagram at instagram.com/angesmithmedia !

Keep an eye out for some Warped tour related content from me in the next few days! Who are you most excited about on the lineup?

[metal-diy-projects]

Tips and Tricks #3

So, I have apparently gone to my first metal concert... Jeez. My neck still hurts like a bitch, but I had a fucking amazing time nonetheless!

Aaaand that’s the reason why I’d like to share some tips and some pieces of advise with you all, so that you will not make the same mistakes as me..!

Wear comfy clothes. I am talking tshirts, jeans made out of elastic fabric and comfy shoes. Don’t come to the concert wearing leather boots with studs and straps and tight-fitting jeans. I know that it looks cool, but if you are planning to mosh and thrash around freely, think about your clothing choices again. 

However, if you own a pair of boots that are sturdy (army boots are your best choice), wear them above anything else to any concert that you go to. Those that have hard toes will protect your feet from getting hurt if you are stepped on, your ankles will have great support and you will keep your feet dry no matter the weather.

The clothes that you are going to wear will be covered in sweat and filth by the end of the night. Wear something that you will not mind sweating all over. Also consider the fact that you might tear your clothes (especially your jeans) while moshing. Don’t wear your favourite pair that night.

Don’t wear loose jewellery. You don’t want to lose them, or get them caught somewhere. Also, wear those that you do not mind losing and avoid those made out of precious metals that costed you a shit-ton of money.

Remove your piercings or cover them up! I had my helix piercing almost torn out of my ear during a wall of death. It still hurts like a bitch and I lost my earring. Thankfully, a dude in the pit helped me put the earring that I had in my earlobe in the place of the helix piercing, so that the piercing woudln’t close. Great guy. Wear studs instead of bars and rings, and if your piercings are fresh, cover them up with a band-aid. They will not get caught anywhere and you will be free to enjoy the concert.

Don’t carry a bag. My friend had a backpack with her, and at some point, someone tried to steal her belongings while she was enjoying the music. We found the bag open but nothing was missing. If your belongings don’t fit inside your pockets, place them all inside a purse/case that can be attached to your belt. 

The safest place to be is at the back or at the very front. This goes out for the people who do not want to get involved in a mosh pit/wall of death. Anywhere in between is a no-no if you just want to enjoy the show. However, keep in mind that the crowd gets more energetic as you walk closer to the stage. 

There is actually a mostpit etiquete! Killbot&GorGor Attack made a great video on it, and you should definately watch it! Take it from me; it was my first show, and I am not the most muscular girl around. I had the time of my life, I only stepped out of the pit for a ballad, and I didn’t even hurt myself. Yes, I fell a couple of times, but there was always someone to push the crowd away from me and lift me up. Remember not to be a dick. I saved a dude’s ass from falling on the ground while he was crowdsurfing and he had the biggest smile on his face (he looked a bit scared too, but I can’t blame him!). You are going to have an awesome time if you help those around you do the same.

I actually made a tiny concert first-aid kit to carry with me. It proved so damn helpful and I am glad I carried it with me. It contained: a. Tissue paper  b. Two band-aids (to cover my piercings) c. Bottle opener d. Pen and paper (for autographs and what not) e. Money  f. Your ticket (placed in a ziplock bag in case it rains)  g. Tiny container with unscented moisturising cream (apply on the scabs that you get from injuries on your joints so that they stay soft while you are at the concert. Scabs that harden will make your hurt and itch as your skin stretches while you move, and it sucks balls)

Carry a scarf or a handkerchief with you. I always keep one tied around my wrist, and it came in handy at the concert. The majority of the people there where smoking weed, and I didn’t want to breath in the smoke, and I tied it around my nose and mouth.  It looked really nice with my tshirt too! The colours matched xD

The first thing you want to do when you return home is to put your clothes outside. You might gotten used to the smell, but next morning you will realise that their stink will cause you a gag reflex. Keep them out of your room and wash them right away the next morning.

DON’T SLEEP WITH THE A/C ON! This is what I did and I got sore muscles all over my back and neck. It might sound stupid, but wrap yourself with a blanket and stay warm throughout the night to avoid waking up sore the next morning.

Well... that’s it for now. I truly hope that I have helped you somehow! Feel free to send me a message and ask more questions if you feel like it, I will be happy to help! \m/

[bruceedickinson]

Maiden adventures part 1: San Bernardino aka "Maidenfest"

Wow. Yesterday was absolutely insane, in both the best and the worst ways possible, but I'll go about it in chronological order.

The day had come: I was finally going to go to a concert with my best friend. Jaidyn and I had been trying to go to one together for years; from King Diamond to Rob Zombie to Ghost, something always came up and either one or none of us could make it work, until now.

We left town around 11 and got to the venue around 1:15, I was shocked at how many people were tailgating in the parking lot but I imagine most had reserved seats or lawn general admission. There was a merch stand at the beginning of the trail up towards the gates, so I went and picked up four different designs, one of which was the venue-exclusive design for the California shows in Oakland and right there in San Bernardino, buying an additional couple shirts for friends. Walking up the trail, I was eager to meet up with Jamie/ @gedddylee and her sister, we’d been planning to hang out in line the moment we bought tickets in January and we were minutes away from doing so. After a few minutes, Jamie saw me and we totally freaked out, it's amazing when you get to meet up with online friends you've known for ages and then see a band you both love together. The wait for doors to open at 3pm seemed to take forever, venue employees always lag on opening them right at the scheduled time, but eventually, the gates were opened and we all piled into the venue, making our way to the stage… until we discovered that the pit was closed until 4pm, and we had to get entry wristbands at the entrance. Luckily, we had about 35 minutes left to do so. Setting my water down, I dragged myself back to the gates and acquired wristbands for myself, Jaidyn and her dad, then made it back to the line and waited for 4pm to come. It came faster than initially thought, and we were off! I led the way for the pack to follow me, flashing my yellow wristband to venue employees before sprinting to the right side of the stage and making it to the same exact row in the same exact position I was in the first time I saw Maiden last year, second row right in front of Janick and Steve. I couldn’t believe it! The same place twice in a row, more than 14 months apart. Could’ve been luck, could’ve been fate, but either way, we were all there and ready for the metal madness to unfold.

Exodus, Kamelot and Ghost were the opening bands; Exodus went on first, and they were incredible, I'd missed them twice over the past two years and I'm happy that they were the first thrash metal band I got to see because they're my favorite band (in that genre) of probably all time. I was right in front of the legendary Gary Holt and I'm so grateful I was able to see him because he has double guitar duties for both Exodus and Slayer, there's always a chance he's off touring with Slayer when Exodus are as well, but this was the only show Exodus has done so far this year so he was able to be there. There were a few issues with Zetro's (Steve Souza) mic during the opening song (Bonded by Blood) but luckily it was fixed by the second song. There was so much energy and it was borderline overwhelming, everyone was headbanging and throwing up the horns and I kinda wish I'd been able to headbang more but my hair's too heavy for that haha. They had Fabulous Disaster in the setlist and it was probably my favorite in the set apart from The Toxic Waltz since both songs are from my favorite album of theirs so that was pretty cool. Zetro actually pointed at me during Blacklist since there was a parting between the first and second rows and I was in plain sight. I was in shock for a few seconds afterward; it's always hard to register that you just had your existence acknowledged by a band members, let alone the lead singer of your favorite thrash metal band. They only played for 45 short minutes but it was so worth missing them twice over the years. I hope to see them again soon.

Kamelot were next and they were unfortunately plagued with the worst of the audio difficulties; there was feedback left and right but luckily my earplugs reduce the most harmful frequencies to your hearing so it didn't really bother me. They were my least favorite opener out of the three; as a whole they were okay, but they're American power metal and I prefer the European variety. They had a couple female guest singers come out for a few songs and they honestly stole the show; I cannot remember the blonde singer's name at all but she slayed my life oh my GOSH. Ghost came on about half an hour later, and you would not believe how amazing they were; I missed them twice last October and there is no better feeling than finally getting to see your third favorite band for the first time. Papa Emeritus and the Ghouls were on fire and they sounded fantastic, the Ghouls looked like they were having a blast and they really got the crowd going the most out of all the openers (they're the main openers for Iron Maiden this year and they've really won over a lot of the fans, which is amazing because Maiden fans are typically super snooty about opening acts, they just want to see Maiden), Exodus were an extremely close second. Papa was so charming and funny and lewd and it was my favorite thing, I love him so much let's be real. Fire Ghoul (lead guitarist) pointed at me and Papa waved at me and I can honestly die happy. I cannot wait to see them two more times in over two weeks. And then things started nosediving really quickly. After Ghost left the stage and their and Maiden's road crews came out to change stage sets, security was trying to divide the pit up so they could get to someone who was trying to start a fight or something, I have no idea; security were pulling a handful of crowdsurfers and bozos doped up on who knows what from the pit mostly during Exodus' set, but it was really getting more and more frequent once it came to be time for Maiden to hit the stage. Once Doctor Doctor began playing over the PA system, we were all squished together like sardines and I wound up having to put most of my weight on the First to the Barrier guy in front of me, I felt so bad for him since he was taking so much of the overall crushing and weight and was hunched over most of the time but there was honestly nothing anyone could do. I did wind up having a very clear view of the stage but I could barely enjoy it since I was just fighting to hold myself upright and trying not to die. I lost count of how many crowdsurfers/people who wanted out went over me; my neck and shoulders took a serious beating, I lost my hat twice but got it back both times, my glasses got knocked off my face constantly (I actually had makeup smudged into a lens after being knocked around particularly hard) and I had quite a few strands of hair ripped out from being crushed like a soda can against the people in front of and in back of me. I actually almost went down a couple times from trying to avoid crowdsurfers and it was honestly a miracle I managed to get myself back up again, the fact all my buttons and pins managed to stay on my battle jacket as well is probably due to black magic. It felt like I had every drunk and crackhead in the venue shoved up against me, I literally could not move on my own and I barely had the strength to hold my camera up for pictures and video as I was using whatever I had left to wrestle tall sweaty dudes off me, some of the ones I did manage to get aren't as great as I would have liked them to be since it was impossible to get a constant steady shot from being thrashed around nonstop. I was so exhausted that I only smiled a few times throughout the entire two-hour set and I wasn't even singing along most of the time, I was only mouthing the lyrics and I looked so miserable that Janick actually mouthed, "Are you okay?" to me but I think I lied and nodded that I was. There was also a pro photographer that scoped my section frequently so there might be a chance of me finding pictures of myself looking like an actual zombie lol. Luckily I was able to make it out of the venue in one piece, thanks to a very nice shirtless guy from San Diego; I'm just very sore and tired and my upper arms will be completely bruised by Independence Day. I didn’t lose my voice since I didn’t shriek very much during Maiden so that’s a plus I guess. Even though I barely remember anything of last night and the pit was the worst I have ever been in, it wasn't all bad, I do remember that the boys' performance as a whole was just as good if not better than last year’s show at The Forum; Bruce sounded the best I'd ever heard him, his scream during The Number of the Beast was on par with the one from Flight 666, which blows my mind because NotB is in the encore this tour and it was in the middle of the set for Flight 666. What a man. He made a bunch of horrible dad jokes before Children of the Damned and I could literally feel my soul leave my body when he made a Fifty Shades of Grey reference 😂 I made lots of eye contact with Steve and Janick, who may have recognized me from last year, he pointed his guitar right at me while shaking his head and smiling/laughing. I also got to see Bruce's bare stomach when he covered Janick's head with his hoodie during The Red and the Black, I unfortunately didn't get footage of that but I was pretty much yelling "GOD BLESS AMERICA" the whole time when it happened because it was toned and glorious and it cleared my skin lmfaoo Someone threw a bra at Bruce at the end of NotB and he joked how he has a collection of hats, “some of which are questionable” and I died hahaha. Bruce threw it to the floor afterward and Janick picked it up and hooked it onto his headstock and it was my fave. I almost caught a drumstick from Steve after Wasted Years but I was too far out of reach, had I been at the barrier I most certainly would’ve caught it. Maybe it’s a sign for things to come.

Overall, Maiden themselves never ever disappoint, they mean the world and beyond to me and I'm glad I did see at least some of the show, but I will definitely think twice about doing the pit at this venue or even going to see them at this venue again. I’m just grateful I have two more shows in Mansfield and Brooklyn to look forward to later this month, they’ll make up for this fiasco for sure.

[cyb3rhexx]

@ all warped tour friendos

warped season is upon us my friends and as always, for some of us it’s going to be our first warped. some of us are warped veterans but i feel like sharing some tips for everyone this coming festival season

WATER IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

bring sunscreen. whether your preference is lotion or spray (my personal one is spray because it won’t get all over my clothes) 

SHARE SUNSCREEN WITH PEOPLE YOU MEET. i always bring at least two bottles of sunscreen because i can’t help but share with others that might need it

the most important areas that need sunscreen: chest, shoulders, nose, face, TIPS OF THE EARS (i got bad blisters one year and oh my god it sucked), back of the neck, back in general.

sunglasses are cool as shit and keep you from getting blinded!

bandannas also help keep the sun off your face! i bought a crown the empire one and kept it tied around my face, kept my nose from direct sunlight

ColdSnap towels are VERY useful. just soak it in water, ring it out and snap it (kind of like a belt) and it cools down quickly. keep it around your neck

they’re less than $15 at walmart fam, get a couple

have enough cash for food. warped food gets expensive

WATER IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

bring light snacks like granola bars. try to avoid chips because they don’t give you some energy. a box of granola bars can get you through the day and they get through the gates

portable chargers! bring at least two and keep them on you just in case!

only use your phone when necessary. if you meet a band member, that’s fine to use it. keep it on airplane mode and try to use it as little as possible.

sharpies!! bring at least two or three just in case you lose one. use it to write set times and meet & greet times. if you don’t want to use paper, write on your arm or somewhere where it won’t sweat off easily.

when it comes to bags, i personally have used drawstring bags because they’re small and get the job done. they don’t weigh much and you can hold everything in it.

have enough cash to get merch!

if a band you want to meet has a ticket requirement for a meetup, have enough money for the ticket. when i went in 2014, the ‘ticket’ for a falling in reverse meet and greet was a $30 jersey. in 2014, the motionless in white ticket was pre-ordering Reincarnate. PRIORITIZE WHO YOU WANT TO MEET THE MOST

if you want to get in fast, wake up early and leave early. i went to warped 2016 with a friend and we woke up at 4am and left by 5am. got to the venue by 7am and were some of the first people in line.

PLEASE GET ENOUGH SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE. i made the mistake of pulling an all-nighter the night before warped 2016 and i fell asleep while waiting for issues to come on. not sleeping also fucked me up really bad and i almost passed out (didn’t even get to fully see motionless in white or crown the empire but that’s not important). falling asleep at a festival can be dangerous because of heat exhaustion and dehydration. i got lucky and was fine and i don’t plan on pulling all-nighters before festivals again.

WATER IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

make friends while you’re in line outside the venue! everyone i’ve met at warped is really chill and we met up periodically throughout the day. i lost my friend while she was at Artreyu in 2016 and i found some of our friends and they helped find her.

KEEP AN EYE ON ANYONE YOU BRING WITH YOU

hell, keep an eye on everyone in general. 

for those with facial piercings: if you plan on getting in a pit, don’t wear your piercings. ESPECIALLY if you have your septum done, getting punched in the face with a septum is not fun (so i’ve heard)

all friendos that have stretched ears, wear solid plugs (no donut ones idk what they’re called sorry) or don’t wear plugs at all. you do not want something getting stuck in the hole.

clothing tips: t-shirts, tank tops, shorts (whatever kind of shorts are fine), comfortable shoes (gym shoes, tennis shoes, sneakers, etc). don’t wear jeans, heels (i’ve seen it), big, clunky boots (doc martens are acceptable), shoes with spikes (not allowed in at all), or anything that can hurt someone or slow you down

WATER IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

keep makeup at a minimal

seeing bands you haven’t heard of before, or haven’t really listened to is always a good idea! you might like what you hear

local bands typically hang out outside the venue, talking to people in the line and showing them their music, don’t be rude to them. they’re trying to perform on warped tour one day and be big like your favorite bands.

i’ve given a bunch of local bands a chance and a lot of them i’ve heard have really good music. 

the TEI people offer workshops with band members like Chris Motionless, Jenna McDougall, Ash Costello, etc and offer workshops from warped tour crew. i personally did the Roadie 101 workshop in 2016 and got a lot of insight on how to be part of the crew side of touring.

not really a tip but keep your eyes open for band members wandering around the venue! i’ve run into Ash Costello, Aaron Graves (from Vampires Everywhere!), and Craig Owens while walking around. be mindful that they might have places to be so if they say they have to jet, let them go.

be yourself. let go. be free. sing that song as loud as you want. you’re at warped tour. it’s completely okay for you to let yourself be free. no one will judge you, and if they do, they’re missing out on the full experience of warped tour. if you wanna dance and sing as loud as you want, go for it my dude. 

watch out for each other in the pit (if you decide to join one). if someone falls, get them back ASAP. if someone hits you on accident, it’s an accident and it’ll happen. (if they hit you on purpose, they’re a dick and let them know that but don’t be a dick and hit them back). crowdsurfers can fall REALLY easily so keep your eyes out for anyone surfing and be ready to hold them up.

pits can open up ANYWHERE. be mindful of that so you don’t get pushed in.

WATER IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

my last tip here my friends? enjoy yourself and keep yourself and your friends safe. keep each other safe, even if you don’t know them. have fun this festival season my dudes. stay hydrated.