Best night ever...
And I know I say that after every show but I'm not sure what can top this night.
So I broke out of class today and headed to my moms office where Liz was waiting and we drove almost straight to the venue (took a detour at Chick-fil-a for dinner).
There wasn't a huge line like last year so we got in and waited... and waited...
And might I mention the buses were a few yards away at the street, so hypothetically if The Butcher and Michael were to go to the bus, we would've seen them.
We did and, after a few moments of trying to act cool, ended up practically running up where it was just Michael.
I started talking to him with Liz, nervous of course, but not enough for me to not give him the painting I had done for them.
(By the way, if by a miracle you see a brightly colored painting of a skyline, a heart in the skyline, and bars of music in the sky, let me know because I didn't take a picture of it and I'm hoping they'll scan it).
So he was blown away by it, and enjoyed the card my friend had drawn up for them in a minute on a locker (To Mr. William Beckett and Co. From: Eliana- I love you and your homies. Keep on keeping and don't stop the rock! P.S. Lets make babies!)
I'm not lying.
While we were talking to him, telling him we'd see him inside soon enough, who would happen to walk up but William Beckett?
I awkwardly excused myself because I wanted to show him too, see his reaction, and give him the card.
I still feel guilty like I chose William over Michael but I spent the most time with him at the meet and greet I think.
William was very sweet, he said it was beautiful, and also laughed at the card but had to go in the bus and rest, so we said we'd see him later.
Eventually we were in our own separate line talking with some chicks when Jack came by to herd us inside.
The venue wouldn't let us bring in lighters or Sharpies so I ditched my lighter but shoved my silver sharpie in my bra because it was expensive and Liz had Santi to get signed and I learned quite well last year black sharpie on that does NOT work.
We walked in, Jack gave us a pep talk, and went to go get the guys.
When they walked in... wow... my heart skipped a beat I swear.
They all kind of wandered amongst us twenty or so Santi's Little Helper's members and me and Liz managed to talk to Michael again all on our own.
He was so sweet; I told him how we smuggled it in and he assured us it wasn't his rule and asked if we knew about this movie Spinal Tap where the band had all black booklets and only signed in black sharpies.
I wish I had known it but I chided him jokingly about making Santi black, no matter how cool it was, and he said they had made sure they could sign this new record and it'd show.
It was adorable we were taking pictures* and he was wondering if there was a flash and we didn't really know, it was Liz's camera, so he started playing with it and trying to figure it out.
Didn't quite work but it was the thought that counted (and Julie! I got a picture with the infamous MGC!)
He asked us what songs we wanted to hear tonight and after a brief pause from me because I love them all so much, said Rumored Nights and After The Last Midtown Show, which he nodded too as acknowledging they were playing that, but when Liz said Coppertone... not the same reaction.
Eventually we had to excuse ourselves because we only had like ten minutes left and we ran into Sisky.
I cannot for the life of me remember what we talked about but when we took pictures he asked too if the flash had gone off while I assured him it worked and he hadn't turned out orange (Liz's camera has a red light instead of the flash) with the exception of his VERY orange shirt.
We left him too when a few fans came by and ended up talking to Mike.
He was really funny as Liz commented on how deep his voice was and he agreed it was deeper for even a guy; I said he sounded like a stoner.
I also mentioned my painting and he promised he'd go look at it, so that made me feel good in a giggly way.
I think this was where me and Liz briefly parted because I knew we didn't have much time left and I still wanted to say hi to the rest of the guys, so I left her with him and found The Butcher.
The first thing I said to him was how much I liked his beard.
We laughed a bit since he really is a nice guy, probably my favorite in person next to Michael.
Liz found me and we got pictures, he was oddly the only guy that didn't ask if the picture worked.
Like before we left him and moved onto the William Beckett.
I'll be honest he isn't wholly personal in person but since I'm not either I understood and simply couldn't hold it against him, not after how much his lyrics had gotten me through.
I joked a bit while he was talking to the girls we had been talking with in line about how one of them (who was very tall) he didn't have to lean down to take a picture with, which made him laugh.
I made William Beckett laugh.
When he got to us I apologized for making him lean down too (since I'm fairly short) but he assured me it wasn't as bad as usual.
I know he's famed for being super tall, but I think the camera adds like three extra feet because standing next to him I really didn't feel that short.
Like I said he wasn't as easy going as the other guys but I enjoyed it anyway and left him with Liz and a few other fans to go back to The Butcher.
I knew he was one of Emily's (my Wifey/Santi) favorites, so I pulled on my awkward shy girl mode and was like 'I know we're only supposed to get one thing signed but my best friend couldn't make it and I was wondering if... maybe... you could sign my ticket stub for her?'
Well... he agreed... but about a minute later he had signed my ticket and two posters (I only asked for one for Emily but he did both).
Sisky and Mike had ran off early, surprising Jack, so I found Michael again and said my same speech, and he was more than happy to as by now they had opened the doors to the Santi's and they had made a run for the barrier so the guys were kind of alone.
He wasn't sure where to sign so I directed him toward Sisky's face.
(I forgot to insert here I high fived Sisky as he left and did the same when I said bye to The Butcher).
Lastly I found William, who Liz was talking to again, and asked him for the same (
by now it was pretty much me and her) so he signed his face and as I later found out, signed Liz's cast along with... The Butcher I think.
I high fived him pretty badly since he had a sharpie in his hand while the other had a coffee.
OH! And I almost forgot I gave him a breast cancer bracelet my mom got on one of her walk for the cures; it was black beads, kinda heavy (but it looked like he had a lot) with a silver tag with pink outlining the ribbon and a flower (I have the pink version).
Eventually I left him and Liz because I knew we'd lost a big chance of getting to the barrier and while she was fine with it I had suffered enough last year, I was not dealing with pushing screaming fan girls on all sides again.
I have to put in it's the weirdest most out of body experience having the guys you've looked up to for years not just talking to you but making eye contact with you... still makes my heart flutter.
Liz joined me a while later and I sent her off to get a tour shirt before they were gone (I'm sorry Liz but if anyone stood a chance at saving our spots it was mean old ruthless me).
So the doors opened I had Liz back and the lights dimmed to Hey Monday.
Our show happened to be on the day of their album release so it was pretty special, not to mention I was right next to the barrier and had learned a few of the songs, which got me a few appreciative smiles from Cassadee.
Their songs kind of blurred together but I still enjoyed them, and have to admit they got the crowd going perfectly for such a young opening band.
After them was Carolina Liar, who I really love musically wise but weren't so good a live band, maybe that's because you couldn't really hear the singer and because I was edging my way to the barrier.
They earned bonus points though since after they were taking their stuff down we yelled to the singer and he threw us some waters (god bless him I was ready to jump the barrier and hug him).
After them was We The Kings who, even though I wasn't hugely fond of, were really good, well really good.
They totally won me over when they did a cover of Feel Good Inc., you really can't top a guitarist rapping next to a redhead.
Travis was the only one who commented on us getting hit by Ike and how usually Florida got it and that he was glad to see so many of us out there.
I ended up loving them afterward when I caught the rapping guitarist's pick.
Then... it was The Academy Is...
I'm not sure I'd be able to recount all of what happened but I'll try.
They came on and started with Summer Hair = Forever Young.
By this time I had successfully managed to get a barrier spot so I got great close up pictures and lots of attention.
I was on the left, in front of Sisky, to the left of Chizzy, and not quite in front of William.
I really forgot how great they were live, especially William's energy, though I'm thankful he wasn't as much of a blur this time since I actually have some legible photos.
We had several moments throughout the show, like him pointing at me when one of the lines said pretty girls (I can feel my cheeks heating up once more at the memory) or like when he pointed to me as well singing something like getting a job in retail (not so much blushing at that).
Sisky was also being his usual stoic self, though he cracked several grins when the guy next to me that had kind of become my friend slipped off his shirt and threw it on stage (I have pictures of the shirt on the mic stand) and when he wasted like three picks trying to throw one to him.
One funny thing was William screwed up and said Checkmarks when it was actually Black Mamba, though it was the guys reactions at his mistake I enjoyed as William turned his back to us, obviously trying to smooth over his mistake and all I saw was The Butcher rolling his eyes, and Michael just laughing when William walked over to him and gave him that look like 'hey I screwed up, oops'.
Like most my shows I wrote We Heart You on my hand to show the guys on stage and like I hoped, Michael must've seen it since a moment or so later he tried throwing a pick to me... I failed to catch it of course, so he threw another one I didn't catch, but the body guard in the front picked it up and gave one to me and one to Liz so it worked out and I mouthed 'thank you' to him.
Sisky was the only other guy that made eye contact with me enough to get the point across he remembered me, which is always a great feeling.
I made sure to make eye contact with Michael when Rumored Nights played, just to show him how happy I was... random little thing but meaningful to me.
It had to end though... but it was so breathtakingly wonderful.
Oh, here's the set list that consumed Liz's arm as she wrote them down (we figured it out in the car).
Forever Young
Slow Down
Phrase That Pays
Big Mess
Neighbors
Rumored Nights
Down and Out
Attention
Everything We Had
LAX to O'Hare
Classifieds
About A Girl
Black Mamba
The Test (acoustic)
After The Last Midtown Show
Checkmarks
Now I'm beyond sore, it's nearing one a.m., and I'm hoping to lose my voice since I have like two projects due tomorrow, one of which I didn't do... can you say screwed? But I'll have my guitar pick and signed booklet with me so I'll survive... off to bed though for the tired little Santi.
*Pictures of the night, be warned there's a lot. If you want to use any, since there are some really good ones, feel free but I'd love it if you let me know you were.
We The Kings/Hey Monday
The Academy Is...
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