My Chemical Romance, Dodge Music Center, 2/24/07

[rikibeth]

There's a lot less preparation involved when the venue is all of a 10 minute drive from your house.

We got there at 5:30 for a 7:30 show, 6:30 advertised doors. The crowd was lined up in the entrance chutes, and it looked like a smaller crowd than doors-minus-one-hour for Nassau Coliseum. It was also a good bit warmer than Friday, without any significant wind chill. So we were fine in hoodies-with-hoods-up and gloves, no extra coats or blankets needed, although we were parked close enough that if we'd needed to, we could have.

Parking at the Dodge IS free. Score.

There have been riots at the Dodge before, so I guess they've gotten really pro-active about crowd control, which is an EXCELLENT thing. They sent a security guy out to EXPLAIN about how they could only staff three chutes for pat-down, so people were going to have to shift lines, and he said "I KNOW some of you have been out here waiting a long time, we ARE going to let you in soon, there's LOTS of room in GA and you'll all get good spots, no need to push and shove in the lines, everyone be safe and you'll be fine." And he explained about what would make it easiest for the pat-down (jacket unzipped, arms up) and where ticket checks would be, so it would go quickly and smoothly. And it did.

And they let us inside the lobby at 6, not at 6:30, which was really considerate of them given the weather. Nassau Coliseum could've done that but they didn't.

And then when we were lined up waiting for them to open the GA doors, they sent people to punch tickets and apply wristbands IN THE LINE, so the entrance wouldn't be a choke point. Major bonus.

With all those crowd control advantages, we were able to snag spots on the left side of the stage only one person away from the actual barricade, so we decided that that was worth staying up front, because even if it was going to be as crushy as the Coliseum, we could only go a tiny bit forward, and wouldn't be in danger of tipping over even if the crowd started to leeeean.

There were a couple of MOMS on the barricade, which seemed slightly annoying, because, geez, the barricade should be for FANS. Moms in pastels. But one (the taller one) left before the music started, which was kind of a relief. No trying to see over her.

Rise Against! is growing on me. Hearing the songs a second time through, I appreciated them more. That's not surprising. They were delighted that there were some sections of the pit who were into it enough to be moshing. I was delighted that the moshing was more towards the center and the right of the stage, so I could just stand and appreciate it.

There's something to be said for a venue that was built specifically for music instead of as a sports arena -- the acoustics were a LOT better. Possibly standing right next to the speakers had something to do with it, but also the vocals were just a lot clearer. I was able to hear LYRICS from Rise Against! this time.

Same filler-music loop, of course... and while the entire audience didn't sing along to "Basket Case," the little gaggle of girls right behind us did, enthusiastically, as soon as melovechocolate and I started. That was fun.

eternaleponine and I had fun watching the techs set up the guitars. "Look, that's Frankie's guitar!" "Nooo, that one's wood colored, it's Ray's, isn't it?" "No, last night, he was playing a wood colored one besides his white Les Paul." "I didn't see that..." "Well, he did. Oh, wait, they're taking it to the other side of the stage, I guess it IS Ray's. And THAT wood colored one, with the Fender head, THAT's the other one he was playing last night." "Yeah. And here's his white one." The tech was just cute, too.

This time, when the show started, there wasn't any crush! Maybe people smooshed forward at the center, but at our edge of the stage, people just stayed where they were! With AIRSPACE between bodies! Enough room to get your hand in the air when Gerard asked for it WITHOUT elbowing anyone in the face! Enough room to JUMP and not just because everyone else around you was jumping and you were going up and down whether you liked it or not! It was brilliant. And we had perfect sightlines for EVERYONE, so this time I could watch Ray as he did some of the really good lead riffs.

The mom on the barricades? In the pastel green yoga top? Turned out to know all the words. Very cool.

Besides standing right in front of the speakers, we were also standing right in front of the left-hand CONFETTI CANNON. So we all came home with pockets full of Black Parade confetti. It was just black and white tissue, black plastic, and sliver mylar, no printed confetti like Green Day's heart grenades or name logos, but still, yay confetti. TONS of it. I wonder how much they go through for the tour?

Also, this was the third night of the tour, and the first night they broke out the FLAME POTS. Wow. BIIIIG flame pots. Luckily, all at a good safe distance from Bob's huge elevated rotating double drum kit. No chance of setting him on fire again. I have to wonder if he was scared, though. I would have been!

Note to fangirls: Throwing bouquets of flowers is okay. Throwing odd toys (light-up plastic dinosaur?) seems to be all right, too. But, please, do not throw underwear. Gerard will pick up bouquets and toys and hold them up and then toss them backwards for the techs to deal with. But bras and panties, he'll pick up in a pincer grip, with a really disapproving expression on his face, hold them at arm's length, and chuck them back into the audience. He has a girlfriend. He does not WANT your fangirl underwear. So just don't.

melovechocolate was disappointed that he didn't give the "emo death cult" speech this time. Sorry, kiddo. Maybe it'll show up on YouTube.

Setlist for the MCR portion of the show:

I'm Not Okay (I Promise)
It's Not A Fashion Statement, It's A Deathwish
Cemetery Drive
Ghost of You
Give 'Em Hell, Kid
Thank You For The Venom
You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison, Don't You?
Helena

melovechocolate is on the phone with one of her friends right now, rehashing the concert.

And the first draft of her history paper is DONE.

Comments

[pookiegroupie.livejournal.com]

And the first draft of her history paper is DONE.

kick ASS, you mom-fan!

There were a couple of MOMS on the barricade, which seemed slightly annoying, because, geez, the barricade should be for FANS.

ahem ;) (couldn't resist)

why NOT go twice?

i have done it. and i agree.

i'm so glad you had a good time <3

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

There were a couple of MOMS on the barricade, which seemed slightly annoying, because, geez, the barricade should be for FANS.

ahem ;) (couldn't resist)

Ah, but *I* was a fan slightly before melovechocolate was. She would not have found out about them as young as she did (a month before her 10th birthday) if I hadn't brought her to Warped in 2005!

Also, if the mom had been dressed as I was -- black cargo pants and a Cruxshadows shirt -- I would never have doubted that she was there for the music as much as I was. The pastel green yoga top threw me off!

[auspeople.livejournal.com]

So see, this is why I really am worried about what to wear to EdgeFest. I don't want someone else like you thinking I'm a MOM when I'm really a FAN.

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Keep it simple -- jeans and a black T-shirt or tank top. If you own cargo pants, they are very useful for not having to wrangle a purse. Wearing Converse or Vans (or other canvas slip-ons) instead of your more gym-appropriate sneakers would also help. If you have Doc Martens or other stompy boots, even better. Do not wear sophisticated grownup jewelry. Do not wear pastel anything. I would say "get a studded belt" but the trouble there is that some venues won't let you wear them, so skip it. Got a band T-shirt? That's good too. If you need an outer layer, a hoodie is a much better choice than a windbreaker or other yuppie-looking jacket.

Basically, everything I've been saying about Not Dressing Like A Grownup? Like that. Although not clubwear. That would be Trying Too Hard. We laugh at the young girls who wear clubwear to shows... it's more important to dress defensively for weather and crowd conditions than to show off your butt in a short skirt, chickie!

Besides. You have actual seats. Nobody's going to be cranky at you for taking a spot on the barricade.

[kitwench.livejournal.com]

Judge not by the comfort clothes of others what evils lurk in the heart of MOM !
;P

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Hey, when I saw she knew the words? VERY cool.