Running down corridors/Through automatic doors

Concert gang and I went to see Athlete at the Opera House last night. Janice had class until 9pm so she was going to meet up with us after she was done. Wendy & I arrived around 6:30pm, parked, and ate our wonderful coronary-inducing fish & chips. When I was in the store, waiting for our order, Wendy called me from the car saying there were already 4 people in line. I told her to calm down, that it would be all right. We ate our fish & chips and at 7:00 the line was still only 4 people long. Then we noticed more people lining up - but on the opposite side the line is supposed to form (i.e. west side of the entrance). We got out of the car around 7:15 and saw there were about 12 people ahead of us - all lining up the wrong way. We wanted to start lining up the right way but Wendy suggested to wait for the security people to come out and tell everyone to line up the right way. It wasn't until about 7:25 that this happened. Up until this point, it just felt WRONG to be lining up the other way. haha. All was right after 7:25 pm. Another interesting thing about the line: there was a (Chinese) mom with her daughter & daughter's boyfriend just ahead of us - all 3 of them going to the concert! And the mom actually knew Athlete because the Jam Van started playing Athlete and the mom said, "Hey, they're playing them" to the daughter. We also spotted another Chinese mom further ahead in the line - but she was just keeping her daughter company until her friends arrived. This was a little bizarre but I thought Chinese mom #1 was pretty cool for knowing & going to see Athlete.

Behind me in line was this university boy and his Asian female friend. (Aside: there were a lot of chinese people at this concert... that was surprising, like Travis, except these kids were less fob). This boy was very annoying because he kept saying to his friend, "When we saw Stereophonics here, there were this many people in line, but they all went to the bar when we got in so we were able to rush the stage...I hope that happens again tonight." Note a very bad thing to say. Except he said it, or made some reference to the Stereophonics concert, at least 3 times. In a very loud, obnoxious voice. I don't know why, I tend to attract these loud-mouthed idiots at concert lineups. Anyway, that was extremely annoying but we finally managed to get inside.

UNFORTUNATELY, Wendy & I were not able to secure a front row spot! Everyone in line in front of us went to the stage. We couldn't believe it. After we each took our washroom breaks, we decided to be centre, 3rd row. That's when this blonde teacher bitch squeezed her way in front of me. She was by herself but she kept looking around so at first we couldn't tell. Then she struck up a conversation with short girl next to her (and in front of Wendy). Let me say, the only reason BTB started talking to SG is because BTB wanted to appear cool with her "esoteric" music knowledge. It was fucking annoying. She said many many many things to SG: how she can't believe how many people were at the Opera House beause they aren't that popular here but are "SOOO big in Europe"; how she doesn't listen to the radio here; how she thinks the radio here sucks; how she thinks kids these days only listen to music because it's "cool" not because they really like the music (WTF); how shows like The O.C. are perpetuating this kid-attitude (I have to agree with her on this, but it was the way BTB talked that pissed me off); how "no one here's heard of Aqualung... I'm going to their concert next month"; how she forces her kids at the private school at which she teaches to listen to "her" music; how she's had "many many" years of concert experience so she was able to tell SG that the opening band won't even come on till about 9pm; on and on and on. GRRRR. I was so annoyed. I was talking to Janice & Wendy, later in the car, about how we can't stand other people who "know" music. It's not that I dislike them; I guess it's the way they talk about it. Basically, I don't like loud, pretentious dilettantes. Really, who does.

Back to the concert itself. Apparently Working Title's equipment got stolen on the weekend so they had to cancel their tour with Athlete. The opening band was Raising the Fawn (or Pawn?). Who sucked. They were very boring and they didn't really have any stage presence. There were people in the crowd cheering really loud - I guess they were drunk or they were friends of the band.

During their entire performance, Wendy & I kept checking our phones to see where Janice was. At 9:20 she called Wendy and said she JUST got out of class because her prof wouldn't stop talking. Eeek! Good thing she made it about 10 minutes before Athlete got on stage. Another good thing was she missed the entire performance of the opening band.

Athlete kicked off their set with "Yesterday Threw Everything At Me." I think I was expecting a lot from this band because of their surprisingly good performance when they opened for Snow Patrol (a sing-along for opening band is so rare!). This time around, they were good but not as good as I remembered them at Kool Haus. Joel is definitely a charmer. He engages the audience very well. Pretty cute too. Married. Actually, I think half the band is married. Anyway, it was hilarious because at one point Wendy leaned over to me and said she could see this girl at the front trying to pass Joel a love note. LOL. Yes, we were among the kiddies. At one point, Joel was talking to some girl in the front and asked for a shot. She never got it for him but luckily some other girl, near the end of the set, made her way to the front with the shot Joel wanted. They ended the set before the encore with "Wires." During the encore, the were many shouts for them to play "Chances," including one from me, and several from "siren boy" (he kept doing the siren scream... I think he was pretty drunk but it was good he was really into the show). But Athlete did not play it :( Ah well. At the end of the encore, Joel "fell" off the stage into the crowd on the right, leaving his guitar there. That was pretty awesome but I thought out of character because he didn't really rock out that hard during the set. Maybe that's his schtick.

Overall, a good show. For some reason I can't say much about it. It was good to hear them live. Joel has a good voice but I still think the Kool Haus show better showcased his and the band's talent. Will I see them again? I don't know. I think the next time they come back to Canada, they will be as big as Keane are. I.e. the show will probably be at Kool Haus. One thing's for sure, if they do come back and the concert gang does decide to go, we are going to lounge. There was a consensus in the car. We are getting old. We must learn to lounge at concerts. With exceptions, of course.




I am glad my concert week is over. Four concerts in the span of one week is crazy! I've been really tired going to work on this concert/work/concert/work schedule. Back to a "normal" life.