it was the roar of the crowd
Nov. 12th, 2007 06:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wildestrangerSo I went to see My Chemical Romance last night. :D
I had to get up at the asscrack of dawn (fucking 7 am), having gone to bed at four (fucking pirate party and my inability to turn down opportunities to wear tight breeches), and still drunk from the night before (fucking red wine. am never drinking again). So I was somewhat tired and achy throughout the day. However, two doses of Starbucks' large cappucino with caramel made me feel better and allowed me to remain awake throughout the day (seriously. I tried to take a nap after I got to my hotel but couldn't sleep, and this is after two nights with three hours of sleep each. My insomnia is hardcore).
There were tiny goth children swarming around in the hotel, which was both kind of funny and slightly scary, but they were well-behaved and nobody was screaming at least. Although there was some running up and down the corridors later on, but I can appreciate that they couldn't express their fierce love for Gerard Way any other way. I kind of wish I could have done the same. ;)
At the arena there were even more tiny goth children - I'm not exaggerating, there was at least one five-year-old in full eyeliner and MCR t-shirt - many with inventive and ludicrous costumes; vampires, zombies, self-made Black Parade-uniforms, flouncy mini-skirts, and of course lots and lots of black. Now, I usually hate both people in general and children in particular, but in this case there was no mindless hatred towards other people which is my usual reaction to slow-moving crowds. Rather, I found myself going "aww, bless" most of the time, and probably scaring![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kabeyk with my non-misanthropic tendencies. But the tiny goth children were sweet. And pretty much vibrating with excitement. Unlike me, totally. *g*
Mindless Self-Indulgence were, well, er. There were no screens so we could only see small figures bobbing up and down on the stage (and from what I could see, Lyn-Z was bobbing up and down in a most delightful manner), and the music kind of failed to interest me. The singer was dancing all over the stage and doing all sorts of exciting hip-swinging movements, and at one point he did peer down at the front row and said "fuck, it's like High School Musical in here" which was rather funny. Also, after their set was finished, he started prancing along to "There's No Business Like Show Business" and got simulated oral sex from the guitarist in the end, so that was fun. Otherwise, pretty meh.
My Chemical Romance, on the other hand, were brilliant. And yes, I'm totally biased, but that's the best concert I've been to and I was grinning madly throughout from sheer joy (see, Gerard Way brings out the bad poet in everyone!). The only problem was that there were still no screens, and we could only see their figures - I was sitting at the opposite end of the arena so I did have a direct view of the stage, but so very, very far away. However, it was still possible to see Gerard strutting around on the stage, and that made it all okay.
Highlights of the show:
- Gerard: "I'm gonna ask you a question. You're gonna have to be straight with me." Turns around, wiggles his arse. "Does my bum look big?"
- Gerard: "You're all my little jewels, my little treasures. I'm going to polish you up real good, and put you into the pocket of my tight little pants." Crowd roars, because yes, we do want to get into Gerard's tight little pants.
- The beginning of Welcome to the Black Parade - everybody singing along to the first verse. In tune, even, most of them.
- 15 000 people screaming I'm Not Okay and being really fucking happy about it. :)
- 15 000 people, mostly tiny goth children, singing the chorus of Teenagers, which was all kinds of priceless and wonderful.
- Gerard spanking his own arse, repeatedly.
- Frank being on his knees a lot. Although sadly, with the lack of screens, I didn't get to see the come-face he does when playing and it was also really hard to tear my eyes away from Gerard *has a totally embarrassing crush*
- Gerard talking about how happy they were to be back in the UK, and although it will be a while until they can come again (*is so pleased about having bought the ticket*) but that they will keep coming back as long as we want them to, as long as we keep coming to their shows, and I didn't quite well up at that but almost. I don't know how sincere he is, but he makes a very successful performance of sincerity, and oh Gerard.
And as I was sitting there, between a pair of 18-year-olds (drinking loads of Smirnoff Ice but looking twelve, so I assume 18) who were dancing like mad on their seats and a sixteen-year-old who'd come with three middle-aged women, and feeling terribly old and unrock'n'roll because everyone else was dancing and I was only twitching slightly on my seat, I started thinking about the concert experience (Note: whenever I feel awkward in a social situation I start Thinking Philosophical Thoughts - does wonders for one's social confidence).
See, in most concerts that I've been to, the crowd is there because they kind of like the music, because the band is okay, and they expect to have a good night out. There's a few passionate fans, but most people are not massively keen - they probably know some of the songs, have heard most, but aren't terribly bothered overall.
But in this show, most of the audience were people who really, really love My Chemical Romance. Pretty much everybody there was a massive fan, and it makes for a totally different atmosphere - you can tell that coming to this concert, seeing this band, singing along to this music means a lot. They love MCR, they love Gerard Way, and what he says on that stage is important. He told us that he was "fucking unimpressed" with our insufficient noise levels and I was there with all the tiny goth children, screaming louder, clapping harder, feeling guilty because OMG Gerard Way doesn't know how much we love him! He must know! We must be louder and prove it! And I was thinking about how yeah, okay, this probably happens in all concerts, there's always someone asking the crowd to make some noise, and I'm pretty sure the band know how much their fans love them, but still. It makes a difference when the audience isn't a crowd of bored twenty-somethings, half-drunk and making half-assed noises, when the people are all screaming because this band, this show, is the best thing in the world and they just have to make noise in order to express how much they love them. And frankly, I enjoyed this kind of a concert a lot more. Not just entertainment, but somewhere where the music matters.
I was also really impressed with Gerard Way's voice. He sounds great on the record but even better live - and to do that after god knows how months and months of touring is quite remarkable. He doesn't have a smooth voice, but it's a very compelling one. And (as if this isn't embarrassingly obvious by now) the voice I most like to hear right now. :) *continues to be stupidly in love with MCR*
Anyway, I had a great time and evenkabeyk who doesn't like MCR admitted (grudgingly, to be fair) that she enjoyed herself.
Also, if you were there, come and talk to me about it! What did you think of Gerard's arse? Or, you know, even if you weren't there. *g* That's an endlessly fascinating topic, after all.
ETA: They played CCR's "Fortunate Son". Fucking rock'n'roll, man. *g*
I had to get up at the asscrack of dawn (fucking 7 am), having gone to bed at four (fucking pirate party and my inability to turn down opportunities to wear tight breeches), and still drunk from the night before (fucking red wine. am never drinking again). So I was somewhat tired and achy throughout the day. However, two doses of Starbucks' large cappucino with caramel made me feel better and allowed me to remain awake throughout the day (seriously. I tried to take a nap after I got to my hotel but couldn't sleep, and this is after two nights with three hours of sleep each. My insomnia is hardcore).
There were tiny goth children swarming around in the hotel, which was both kind of funny and slightly scary, but they were well-behaved and nobody was screaming at least. Although there was some running up and down the corridors later on, but I can appreciate that they couldn't express their fierce love for Gerard Way any other way. I kind of wish I could have done the same. ;)
At the arena there were even more tiny goth children - I'm not exaggerating, there was at least one five-year-old in full eyeliner and MCR t-shirt - many with inventive and ludicrous costumes; vampires, zombies, self-made Black Parade-uniforms, flouncy mini-skirts, and of course lots and lots of black. Now, I usually hate both people in general and children in particular, but in this case there was no mindless hatred towards other people which is my usual reaction to slow-moving crowds. Rather, I found myself going "aww, bless" most of the time, and probably scaring
kabeyk with my non-misanthropic tendencies. But the tiny goth children were sweet. And pretty much vibrating with excitement. Unlike me, totally. *g*Mindless Self-Indulgence were, well, er. There were no screens so we could only see small figures bobbing up and down on the stage (and from what I could see, Lyn-Z was bobbing up and down in a most delightful manner), and the music kind of failed to interest me. The singer was dancing all over the stage and doing all sorts of exciting hip-swinging movements, and at one point he did peer down at the front row and said "fuck, it's like High School Musical in here" which was rather funny. Also, after their set was finished, he started prancing along to "There's No Business Like Show Business" and got simulated oral sex from the guitarist in the end, so that was fun. Otherwise, pretty meh.
My Chemical Romance, on the other hand, were brilliant. And yes, I'm totally biased, but that's the best concert I've been to and I was grinning madly throughout from sheer joy (see, Gerard Way brings out the bad poet in everyone!). The only problem was that there were still no screens, and we could only see their figures - I was sitting at the opposite end of the arena so I did have a direct view of the stage, but so very, very far away. However, it was still possible to see Gerard strutting around on the stage, and that made it all okay.
Highlights of the show:
- Gerard: "I'm gonna ask you a question. You're gonna have to be straight with me." Turns around, wiggles his arse. "Does my bum look big?"
- Gerard: "You're all my little jewels, my little treasures. I'm going to polish you up real good, and put you into the pocket of my tight little pants." Crowd roars, because yes, we do want to get into Gerard's tight little pants.
- The beginning of Welcome to the Black Parade - everybody singing along to the first verse. In tune, even, most of them.
- 15 000 people screaming I'm Not Okay and being really fucking happy about it. :)
- 15 000 people, mostly tiny goth children, singing the chorus of Teenagers, which was all kinds of priceless and wonderful.
- Gerard spanking his own arse, repeatedly.
- Frank being on his knees a lot. Although sadly, with the lack of screens, I didn't get to see the come-face he does when playing and it was also really hard to tear my eyes away from Gerard *has a totally embarrassing crush*
- Gerard talking about how happy they were to be back in the UK, and although it will be a while until they can come again (*is so pleased about having bought the ticket*) but that they will keep coming back as long as we want them to, as long as we keep coming to their shows, and I didn't quite well up at that but almost. I don't know how sincere he is, but he makes a very successful performance of sincerity, and oh Gerard.
And as I was sitting there, between a pair of 18-year-olds (drinking loads of Smirnoff Ice but looking twelve, so I assume 18) who were dancing like mad on their seats and a sixteen-year-old who'd come with three middle-aged women, and feeling terribly old and unrock'n'roll because everyone else was dancing and I was only twitching slightly on my seat, I started thinking about the concert experience (Note: whenever I feel awkward in a social situation I start Thinking Philosophical Thoughts - does wonders for one's social confidence).
See, in most concerts that I've been to, the crowd is there because they kind of like the music, because the band is okay, and they expect to have a good night out. There's a few passionate fans, but most people are not massively keen - they probably know some of the songs, have heard most, but aren't terribly bothered overall.
But in this show, most of the audience were people who really, really love My Chemical Romance. Pretty much everybody there was a massive fan, and it makes for a totally different atmosphere - you can tell that coming to this concert, seeing this band, singing along to this music means a lot. They love MCR, they love Gerard Way, and what he says on that stage is important. He told us that he was "fucking unimpressed" with our insufficient noise levels and I was there with all the tiny goth children, screaming louder, clapping harder, feeling guilty because OMG Gerard Way doesn't know how much we love him! He must know! We must be louder and prove it! And I was thinking about how yeah, okay, this probably happens in all concerts, there's always someone asking the crowd to make some noise, and I'm pretty sure the band know how much their fans love them, but still. It makes a difference when the audience isn't a crowd of bored twenty-somethings, half-drunk and making half-assed noises, when the people are all screaming because this band, this show, is the best thing in the world and they just have to make noise in order to express how much they love them. And frankly, I enjoyed this kind of a concert a lot more. Not just entertainment, but somewhere where the music matters.
I was also really impressed with Gerard Way's voice. He sounds great on the record but even better live - and to do that after god knows how months and months of touring is quite remarkable. He doesn't have a smooth voice, but it's a very compelling one. And (as if this isn't embarrassingly obvious by now) the voice I most like to hear right now. :) *continues to be stupidly in love with MCR*
Anyway, I had a great time and even
kabeyk who doesn't like MCR admitted (grudgingly, to be fair) that she enjoyed herself. Also, if you were there, come and talk to me about it! What did you think of Gerard's arse? Or, you know, even if you weren't there. *g* That's an endlessly fascinating topic, after all.
ETA: They played CCR's "Fortunate Son". Fucking rock'n'roll, man. *g*
