Road To The Warped Tour!

I've been overly excited about Monday the 5th of November for a looooong time! And not just because it was Bonfire Night (which I will admit; is ruined every year by little children sitting outside supermarkets; having drawn eyes onto a football wearing a tracksuit and asking for pennies. Sodd off. I'm not giving you penny for THAT guy unless you mug me.) but because one of my favourite bands were passing through my hometown. YES! The Road to The Warped Tour had taken a turning into Manchester; delivering 'Less Than Jake', 'New Found Glory', 'Man Overboard', and 'The Story So Far' to us. Swoon! What a lineup! 'Stoked' was not the word (well, it was, but just repeated a lot).

I met up with my sister, Sarah (Sarha** hahahaha), for some tea before the gig; we went to Kro Bar over the road and shared a Halloumi finger sandwich and some wedges. Delicious. I had a cheeky cider too. (Yum!) Anyway my super, awesome sister bought me a tee shirt upon arrival for a Christmas present and it is possibly the most beautiful top ever; blue with punk seagulls (I think they're seagulls) in leather jackets, Mohawks, and brandishing weapons under an almighty title of; 'LESS THAN JAKE'! 

Is it obvious who I was mainly there for yet? Thought so...

First up were; The Story So Far who were really good, and despite not knowing any of the songs I couldn't help but bop along during their set. I will definitely be giving them another listen. Second on was Man Overboard; were also ace; again though, I didn't know all that many songs. According to the lineup; Less Than Jake were meant to be on next, which shocked both Sarah and myself due to LTJ celebrating their twentieth year of being a band and also made Sarah exceptionally happy as she hates NFG with a passion (and it meant she didn't have to watch them). HOWEVER; despite the printed lineup sheet that littered the academy, it was NFG's backdrop that was being speedily displayed. HURRAY!! I'd get to watch them after all! LTJ WERE headlining! Life was good. 

(Made me laugh heartily at just how many people thought Less Than Jake were going to play with New Found Glory's backdrop. Fools!)

I can't lie though; I thought New Found Glory were on fire! They played their second album 'Sticks n Stones' from start to finish (in order; which Chad would not stop babbling about I might add) because it had been ten years since its release (again, be quiet now Chad) and then threw in two golden oldies ('Dressed To Kill' and 'Hit & Miss') and also played my favourite ever cover; 'Kiss Me'! I full on squealed when they started playing it. Makes me think of being eighteen, being inside Satan's Hollow and dancing like idiots with my best friends. I thoroughly enjoyed their set; I was bopping along, throwing my arms into the air, screaming, and just generally loving every minute of it. It was amazing just how many of the songs I knew as well, seeing as I've not listened to them properly for years! In my opinion though; oldies are always the best. 

I've got to admit; I watched Less Than Jake earlier this year at the almighty Leeds Festival and they were INCREDIBLE! I've seen them live, at the very least, twelve times over the years and it was, easily, the best set they've ever played. They belted out hit after hit and the crowd was electric! I was praying that this evening would be no different; and it wasn't. They were absolutely fantastic! I wish I would have noted down the songs they played (or nabbed the set list somehow) but I'm pretty sure they opened with Gainesville Rock City, closely followed by Johnny Quest. I forget the order, but I know for certain that they played:

• The Ghosts of Me and You
• Look What Happened
• Gainesville Rock City
• All My Best friends Are Metal heads
• Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts
• The Science of Selling Yourself Short
• Plastic Cup Politics
• Last One Out Of Liberty City
• History of a Boring Town
• Great American Sharpshooter
• Scott Farcas Takes It On The Chin
• Automatic
• 9th At Pine
• Sugar In Your Gas tank
• How's My Driving!

And loads others that I must just be forgetting. If anyone else can add to my list, or correct me for adding ones that weren't played (I've seriously seen them that many times that I'm sure I've heard nearly every song live at least once...). Anyway; they left after a brief goodbye and were obviously going to return for an encore, yet despite knowing this I still chanted along with the crowd: eager for them to return, and when they did they broke straight into my favourite song; the one song I was most stoked about, and was utterly adamant that they weren't going to play: NERVOUS IN THE ALLEY! Again; I screamed like an overly excited child and instantly started bouncing around like a lunatic while shouting the trumpet line back at the band. They seemed to fall in love with a security guard called Ross and tried to get him some loving; from what I could guess: he wasn't all that up for it. Misery. I'd love LTJ to do chicken fights again! My sister always told me about that being something they always got the crowd doing when she saw them live (when I was much younger) and I've still yet to chicken fight. Fingers crossed for next time!

 

Right now I can't find the words to describe just how much I love that band, and Roger (swoon!), but I actually can't stop smiling while thinking about the gig either! So I think that will do well enough for me. Absolutely fantastic evening! I can't wait to see them live again! Beauties.

My Favourite STWJ Moment

I have far too many half finished book review blogs in the waiting, I am seemingly getting sloppy and for that; I am sorry. So to fill the time I will, instead, tell you about my favourite Story Time With Jess moment.




On the 27th of May 2011 I took part in a creative showcase at The International Anthony Burgess Foundation put on by my university called FRESH 2011! It included several short plays and a variety of readings; both poetry and prose. When I found out something I had written had been chosen to be read out I could hardly believe it, I went on to excitedly tell all of my family and friends - I was literally jumping for joy - it was the first time I would be reading my own work out infront of anyone other than my classmates or teachers. That's when it hit me; I had to read my own work to a room full of - essentially - complete strangers. My nerves kicked in, my stutter broke out worse than ever, and to top it all off (after three weeks of barely any sleep due to intensive essay writing for my final university deadlines) I lost my voice. I tried every remedy in the book; including gargling with boiled whiskey and lemonade concoctions, but still nothing brought my voice back thus making my anxiety treble.

After days of rehearsing, and praying that my voice made a miraculous comeback just in time (it didn't), the big day arrived and I was sat before the audience watching them squash their chairs together to help fit more people in the room. I was determined to do it; without stuttering, without rushing and thus merging all of my words together into one indecipherable sentence, and to just do myself proud. The show got underway and eventually my friend, who was just before me, finished his last sentence and soaked up his applause. Oh god. I readied myself at the microphone stand, looked out across the audience (saw my sister, mother, father, and boyfriend all lean forward eagarly), and, as boldly as I could muster, announced the title of my story. All I remember after that is the light that I was looking into that had silhouetted the crowd and saved me from being able to read their faces, the voice in my head imploring me to read slowly, and my own heartbeat as it ricocheted around my ribcage.

The story itself was from a creative project and was about defamiliarising the city that I live in by introducing creatures from folklore/legend and describing the city, its inhabitants, and happenings through their eyes.

As soon as I had finished a complete feeling of euphoria washed over me; my knees almost buckled as the adreneline from what I had just done, and the applause I was receiving, took over my body. I sat through the rest of the showcase with the biggest smile on my face. 

To all of my family and friends that came and supported me that day, and continue to do so now; thank you so much, I love you all to no end.