A Concert in London Part 2 – A Band on The UK Tour

Note: Videos are coming soon. They have to be edited first. ^-^

(So my little brother and I went to see The Matches play at The Underworld in Camden Town, London. And in spite of everything we got our tickets and got inside the venue.)

First thing we did was of course to put away our coats and hoddies. Then we headed right to the front and center of the stage. I had felt nauseous for days, scared that I wouldn’t be able to stand right in front of the stage, but that was really no problem at all. In fact, it had never been easier and I’ve been by the stage/at the fence at every single concert I’ve been to. That didn’t really clam me though because I started to worry about not too many people showing up and that the crowd wouldn’t rock out. I was glad to be proved wrong later on. :cute:

The first band to play was a local band I’d never heard of called mon Ouisch. They were pretty good but the lead singer kept soaking me with spit when he sang. x ] He actually noticed how I wiped my arms during their last song and mouthed “sorry”. I was like “It’s okay”. Then when they were done playing he started walking off the stage but after just one or two steps he walked back, grabbed the microphone and said “Sorry for soak!” to me. I just smiled at him and mimed that it was okay (again).

Two of them went back out on the stage to hand out CD:s. So I pulled at his jeans, saying that I should get one since he soaked me and all. So he gave me one and apologized one more time. x ]

Next band was a Scottish one, Twin Atlantic, that had toured with The Matches in the UK. They were rather good actually. And the lead singer/guitarist, Sam, was real sweet. He dedicated one of their songs to The Matches and one to only Shawn, who actually had come out to watch them play. He was like standing on the side of the stage. So when Sam dedicated the song to Shawn he said “I dedicated this to Shawn.” and Shawn mouthed a ‘thanks’. The funny part was that Sam took a sip of water which he for some obscure reason found fit to spray in Shawn’s face. Poor boy got it in his mouth and all. :XD But he just kept smiling and laughed so it was all good. They were just joking around after all.

When my younger brother first noticed Shawn he told me to look, but I had already spotted him. Then my brother frowned and said “Doesn’t he look a lot like Johnny Depp?!” :lmfao
And I was like “Yeah, yeah he does!”

By the time the second band were halfway through their songs three guys started moshing. >__> Like, right behind us who where squished against the stage. One of them bumped into me so my leg got crushed against the stage. That hurt like hell. >__<

I noticed that Shawn was watching those guys and he didn’t look happy at all. He pretty much seemed like he was ready to beat them up if they didn’t stop acting like jerks, hitting and shoving people. They did stop after a while actually, or maybe they went further back in the crowd. In any case they didn’t bother me anymore. :cute:

When Twin Atlantic were done playing it felt like everything happened in slow-motion and like it took hours until The Matches got on stage.

The lights went out and just one or two blue spots were left (and the Exit sign behind the drums lol). Then a guitar could be heard, the crowd went crazy and then The Matches hit the scene.

They started off with salty eyes. ::inlove: I don’t quite remember but I think it was during this song that Jon did butt flexes. x ] That was odd but pretty awesome too ‘cause he’s pretty damn fit.

Here is the list of the songs by the way.*

During Sunburn Vs. The Rhinovirus Shawn somehow managed to break his microphone. I don’t know how he did it but he actually broke it. He seemed to get pretty angry too because he threw it at the ground and all. Then he “pushed” poor Justin away and stole his mic. Justin like wandered off to the back of the stage looking a bit lost. He was really quite adorable actually. x ]

When the song was finished their guitar tech, Ben Young, rushed in and fixed everything so Shawn had a microphone again. And it was in that break, in between sun and AM that Jon called the crowd pirates because we have downloaded their album. It’s not released yet actually. Officially. But it has leaked. :tehe:

Since their record has leaked Shawn said something along the lines of “Technically you shouldn’t know this song, but you all do so. You can sing along. And if you don’t know it it’s pretty simple. Just scream when I scream.” before they started playing We Are One which are from their new (still not released) album A Band In Hope. That song is very simple though because it actually only consists of one chorus. And pretty much nothing more, just like a few extra lines near the end. It still beats me how they managed to write a song without verses that doesn’t come off as annoyingly repetitive.

The crowd was pretty crazy all the time, I’ve never been so crushed at a concert ever. And I’ve been to some pretty big and/or crazy ones (like Korn’s and Ozzy Osborne’s). But when The Matches played Audio Blood Shawn decided that, hey, why not sit on the floor? So he sat down on the stage and the audience mimicked him after a while and basically everyone crouched down on the floor. That was during the two last times for the chorus near the end of the song. And when the last time for the chorus came everyone jumped up and went inane. So that was fun. =P

During Wake The Sun Shawn hit the wrong chord right in the beginning and made a grimace. x ] Kinda stupid of him since I sort of doubt that anyone really would have noticed if he hadn’t made a face.

The Matches are a very dynamic band so all kinds of things and accidents are bound to happen. So when they played Sick Little Suicide Justin managed to trip and fall on his ass. :XD He got up real quick though and he was grinning so I don’t think he got hurt. ^-^

It was all very insane. The crowd was so crazy; I almost got pushed up onto the stage a few times. I wonder what would have happened if I had ended up on the stage.
Anyway, since I was right in front of Shawn he was pretty much sweating all over me. Seriously, he was soaking wet (I could actually smell it). No wonder though since he was wearing two shirts and a vest. Not that nice to be honest. But considering the circumstances he didn’t actually smell too bad. And I was very thankful for that since he decided to sort of crowd surf towards the end of the concert. First time I got a handful of various body parts as I tried to keep him from crushing me. I supported like his leg and stomach and one arm as he was moved around a bit. And his clothes were drenched. So I got his sweat all over my hands and arms. Second time the same thing happened pretty much. Except that time I got his hair all over my face (I threaded my fingers through it lol, I couldn’t help myself. It was rather soft actually. :XD ). Then I had his forehead against mine and then it was like cheek to cheek. I could actually have kissed him (on the lips even), he was that close. So I was quite happy that he didn’t have a bad breath xD He crowed surfed one more time but at the right end of the stage and not where I was.

I can’t recall during which song but their guitar tech, Ben, jogged out on stage and played the triangle. That was rather amusing. ^^ He also had to come to the rescue and play the guitar when Shawn decided it was a good idea to crowd surf. x ]

What I really, really loved about the concert was the whole atmosphere. Like in the beginning Shawn couldn’t help smiling when everyone sang along to the songs, were headbanging where there should be headbanging, clapping hands and screaming nice/funny things, the crowd was pretty damn awesome. He tried to match his facial expression and all to the songs but he failed quite a few times. And it just made my heart melt when Shawn smiled like that because he, and all of them, deserved all that appreciation.

The photos you’re dying to see:
Jon and Shawn with their backs towards the crowd
Jon looks mighty fine in that hat =P
Shawn is “into the music”
Jon singin’ and playin’
Shawn can’t help smiling
Jon playin’
Justin playin’ and singin’
Jon being Jon XD
Justin being focused x ]
Shawn looking quite adorable
Jon and Ben
Shawn
Shawn’s ass XD
Justin playing
The microphone got in the way >_>

That was pretty much the whole show. I have quite a memory, I know. :001:
The next and last part is going to be about what happened after the concert, when The Matches had left the stage and the crowd had started to dissolve.

*Salty Eyes, Little Maggots, Sunburn Vs. The Rhinovirus, AM Tilts, Their City, Track 11 (AKA Scratched Out), We Are One, Clumsy Heart, Audio Blood, My Soft & Deep, What Katie Said, Yankee In A Chip Shop, Wake The Sun, Chain Me Free, Sick Little Suicide and Papercut Skin.