Panic! at the Norva

As much as I love Amy (and Cliff!), right now I kinda really miss my room the guest bedroom at asimplechord's house, lol.

Before I make my post about the concert, I want to say thank you to asimplechord and sonicbookmark for putting up with me the past few days, and especially today. I have been ridiculous, moreso than ususally, and you two are more than I deserve. Thank you.

Also, thank you wendy and jmc_bks for the virtual lj gifts!

So, Panic. My day started out with me not thinking I was gonna be able to make the show at all, because my child support failed to come through, despite the fact DSCE assures me the problem has been resolved. So after a lot of freaking out and me wanting to say fuck it and go live in a cave, I finally let my brother give me more money and we got a late start to Norfolk. It's normally a 4 1/2 or 5 hour drive. I can sometimes make it in 4. It took us 6. Three sets of construction, two unscheduled bathroom stops, one accident causing traffic delays, and a fuckton of people who can't drive for shit. The last 20 miles took nearly an hour. Some woman almost rearended me - she stopped so short that the car behind her had to drive into the grass on the median so he wouldn't hit her.

Finally got to Amy's, got the kids settled, got to the venue and met up with thebunnyknows, who I haven't seen since January when we took my boys to the USMC museum. We obviously missed our m&g/ee opportunity, so we found a spot on the balcony where Amy could have a chair for the evening. (Amy's 7 months pregnant, remember.)

Cliff was super excited about Foxy Shazam? I mean, he talked about them nearly all the way to the venue, other than a story he was telling me about amateur night at the strip club that gives military discounts and the trashy pregnant chick that grossed him out, and he went down on the floor for their set. We could only see them on the monitors, and their sound was for shit. Lots of feedback, and general poor quality, which is boo. The crowd, which we could see, was also boo. I don't care if you came to see the headliner and don't know any of these songs, show some respect. Move around a little, pretend you give a fuck. When you can tell you're supposed to be clapping along or whatever, do it. The venue that I'm used to in Charlotte has a group of local guys that come to Every Freaking Show and stir up the crowd, so I'm used to the crowd being into it, no matter what. It was a little weird.

I wasn't really familiar with Foxy, and with the sound issues I still can't say I have an opinion one way or the other, but at least they didn't have to soundcheck their tambourine/shakers?

fun. Cliff came back to join us before they went on, and the four of us (me, Amy, thebunnyknows, & Cliff) were talking shit about the other concertgoers. We're not very nice people. Then again, we never claimed to be.

Fun is kinda fun? Not great, and I probably wouldn't have gravitated to them on my own, but I'll put them on my ipod? Even though one of their songs reminds me of Sharon, Lois, and Bram's Elephant Show (Skinamarinky Dinky Dink, Skinamarinky Do, I love you! - thanks thebunnyknows) and one of them sounded like it belonged in a Molly Ringwald movie from the 80s.

thebunnyknows and I moved to the floor before Panic took the stage. It kinda sucks that we're both short, and that she broke her toe this morning so she couldn't exactly stand on tiptoe.

Panic's set was fucking stellar. Instead of an in depth review, which I can't manage, have gibberish:

Brendon! Seriously the best thing ever.

THEY COVERED KANSAS! CARRY ON MY WAYWARD SON! Like I said on twitter, best birthday present EVER! (thebunnyknows and I may have held hands and squealed and jumped like the 12yo fangirls we are, but there's no proof of that!) (Also, just before this, I started getting dark spots in my vision and that fun whirry noise in my head that means I'm gonna have a stupid episode, so I legit thought it was an hallucination at first. Fucking fandom, lol.)

No Northern Downpour. :( That is the song of my HEART and it means so much to me and I was prepared to CRY for it but didn't get to.

Spencer Smith got fucking HOT. Yes, yes, I know. Certain people *ahem*shutyourface*ahem* have been telling me that for YEARS, and I knew he was hot, but watching him tonight (I had an EXCELLENT view!) omg, that boy is FINE! Especially with his current hairstyle and the open collar on his white button down shirt and when he gets all sweaty. Umm.

We're totally keeping Dallon. I know I've said that before, just reiterating.

Ian cut his hair. I mean, I knew this,but I didn't realize it? I love Ian's hair!

Brendon drumming with Spencer will never not be LOVE!

Me and thebunnyknows making hearthands at one another during various songs and various parts of Brendon's ridiculous banter

Ian and Brendon would totally be happy in a band that just did covers of classic rock music

Brendon is such a spazz and so uber dramatic even with a broken ankle (omg, boy, slow the fuck down!)

Spencer's smile is a thing of wonder!

In conclusion: FUCKING AWESOME CONCERT! Let's hope this bodes well for my new year!