It was Wednesday, November
11th, 2009, and my close friend and bandmate Tommy Chacon and I were on our way
to meet one of our favorite bands in just a matter of hours. I couldn’t have been more excited; there were
endless questions racing through my mind: How is this experience of going to
Philadelphia to see AFI going to change me as a fan, musician, and person? Will I be truly convinced that there are
other diehard fans out there, besides Tommy and I that have had their lives
changed thanks to this band? Well, I guess there’s only one way to find out: I
definitely had to go and experience it.
My band Beyond the View was
formed in 2009 and consisted of myself and Kristian Gonzalez on guitars, with
Kristian as the lead vocalist. My other
friend Daniel Busnelli was on bass and Tommy joined last and played drums; Kristian
and I met Tommy after messaging him through a Myspace musician's ad and began
rehearsing within our first week of getting in contact with each other.(Beyond the View; circa 2009; L to R, Kristian, Tommy, Daniel, and myself at our rehearsal studio)
Tommy and Kristian
ended up becoming close friends of mine. Within a matter of two weeks, I
had slept over Tommy's friend Joe Gallagher's home in West Milford before
meeting Tommy's father Alfredo Chacon, and his side of the family. Going
there really exposed me to Tommy's best friends in an encouraging way. Shortly after, I managed to get a job as a
cashier thanks to Tommy. He worked at QuickChek in West New York and
referred me shortly after meeting me.
As for my
relation with Kristian, I met him while visiting a friend named Fortunato, whom
I played Guitar Hero with. Kristian and I became competent Guitar Hero 1,
2, and 3 contestants amongst our friends; we also played guitar and sang during
2006-2008, when we weren't bandmates. Kristian was classically trained
and sang bass and baritone ranges during that time. As for me, I was in a
punk band named Esoteric Mishap during 2006, and a metal/hardcore band named
Destroy Your Will in 2008; I had a different guitar style, and a shouty,
not-so-classically-trained vocal style. Despite our differences, Kristian
and I shared mutual favorite bands such as Thrice, Foo Fighters, Alter Bridge,
Bon Jovi, and Guns N Roses; we enjoyed making alternative music with Tommy and
Danny in Beyond the View.
Nights of
jamming to unplugged electric guitars in my kitchen, or in Tommy's living room
at 4 am while everyone slept; during our twelve months together, that was the
kind of band we were. We loved it. Every time we played a show,
whether to 30 people or 100, Tommy, Kristian, Danny, and I were beyond
thankful. Aside from praising each other as musicians, we were grateful
for our influences.
Without
our outside musical influences and the encouragement friends, fans, and
favorite bands (Alter Bridge, Muse, Radiohead, Blink182, AFI, Smashing
Pumpkins, Weezer, Bon Jovi, etc.), there would be no inspiration. There
would be no fire inside. However, Tommy and I were on the train to
Philadelphia from Newark Penn Station when reality hit us; we were going to
meet "A Fire Inside,” we were going to meet AFI within a matter of hours! This was the light of hope that Tommy and I
needed since Danny had to leave the band in late August of 2009 due to his
father not wanting him to play bars on Sunday nights during his upcoming senior
year of high school.
On my
train ride to Philadelphia, I thought about how I got into AFI and what kind of
impact they had on me. Is it really
possible to have people come from neighboring states to catch a show? I guess so, I mean, I was traveling to see
them! It was then that the thought of
having fans come from other states to see me became inspiring. If AFI could change their sound that much and
bring people from other areas to their show after nearly two decades of being
together, then there must be a chance for Beyond the View to do that someday.
I was introduced to the band around 2001 upon hearing their 2000 single "The Days of the Phoenix;” ever since then, I was hooked. I took the time to listen to all of their previous releases as I stayed up to date with their 2003 and 2006 albums Sing the Sorrow and Decemberunderground. Around 2008, I wished to become closer with AFI’s official fan community known as the “Despair Faction.” I also read many interviews that stated that AFI would be doing more Meet N’ Greets, along with playing smaller venues in hopes of “getting closer” to their fans, as vocalist Davey Havok stated earlier in a press release. I anticipated every release date since then; however, I never considered persuading anyone to come to one of their shows with me since none of my friends understood my musical respect for AFI like Tommy did.
(Top to Bottom: AFI circa 2000, and 2003)
I was introduced to the band around 2001 upon hearing their 2000 single "The Days of the Phoenix;” ever since then, I was hooked. I took the time to listen to all of their previous releases as I stayed up to date with their 2003 and 2006 albums Sing the Sorrow and Decemberunderground. Around 2008, I wished to become closer with AFI’s official fan community known as the “Despair Faction.” I also read many interviews that stated that AFI would be doing more Meet N’ Greets, along with playing smaller venues in hopes of “getting closer” to their fans, as vocalist Davey Havok stated earlier in a press release. I anticipated every release date since then; however, I never considered persuading anyone to come to one of their shows with me since none of my friends understood my musical respect for AFI like Tommy did.
(Top to Bottom: AFI circa 2000, and 2003)
I feel
that a lot of people misunderstand AFI for being musically mediocre, or too
"image based". Growing up, I heard a lot of people complain
about how AFI's sound and image have changed from angry 1990's punks into a
fashion friendly, 80's influenced, alternative rock band. None of that
mattered to me. I sincerely enjoyed all of their music and was beyond
ecstatic at the thought of meeting them, regardless if they were punk or
new-wave sounding. After all, being in a
successful band with no musical boundaries is a rare thing for most people; I
wanted to follow suit in the sense of being as free, original, and ultimately,
as creative as possible as a musician.
After
getting off the train, Tommy and I arrived at downtown Philadelphia and
immediately began our voyage to Main Street Music.
“Dude! We’re in Philly!” exclaimed a happy Tommy before asking for directions.
Little did we know, this music store was quite the hike from our location, and our 6:00 event start time was approaching. Nevertheless, after confusing a bus driver as to where we were going (the guy clearly didn't know where Main Street was), Tommy and I proceeded to run downhill as fast as we can, passing a Subway sandwich store located in between our starting point and destination that said "Open 24/7.” Seeing that was a relief; we were both in unfamiliar territory, and seeing a 24/7 spot served as a guide as to where to go once we return from the signing in case we happened to get lost later on that night.
“AFI! Main street music! AFI! Run Rob, run!”
“AFI! Running! Downhill! We got this!”
“Dude! We’re in Philly!” exclaimed a happy Tommy before asking for directions.
Little did we know, this music store was quite the hike from our location, and our 6:00 event start time was approaching. Nevertheless, after confusing a bus driver as to where we were going (the guy clearly didn't know where Main Street was), Tommy and I proceeded to run downhill as fast as we can, passing a Subway sandwich store located in between our starting point and destination that said "Open 24/7.” Seeing that was a relief; we were both in unfamiliar territory, and seeing a 24/7 spot served as a guide as to where to go once we return from the signing in case we happened to get lost later on that night.
“AFI! Main street music! AFI! Run Rob, run!”
“AFI! Running! Downhill! We got this!”
After
about 10 minutes of sprinting downhill, Tommy and I arrived at Main Street
music. Sweaty and out of breath, we felt like we just ran for a grade.
On the contrary, Tommy and I were at peace mentally; we made it. We
then entered Main Street Music and that’s where our adventure really became
fun; a young lady handing out wristbands at the door began speaking to everyone
in line as they approached the store’s entrance.
“Are you here for the signing?” she asked.
“Yes I am! My buddy and I came all the way from Jersey City, NJ, right across from New York City.” I said.
“Oh! How awesome! Well you’d have to buy a copy of Crash Love if you’d like to get in the line for the Meet N’ Greet.”
“Not a problem!”
I didn't care about buying another copy of the album I already had. All I knew was that these guys were going to sign it, I was going to show them my red and black "Sing the Sorrow" leaves tattoo upon meeting them, talk about how much they've influenced me, and my day was going to be made. Nothing else mattered.
“Are you here for the signing?” she asked.
“Yes I am! My buddy and I came all the way from Jersey City, NJ, right across from New York City.” I said.
“Oh! How awesome! Well you’d have to buy a copy of Crash Love if you’d like to get in the line for the Meet N’ Greet.”
“Not a problem!”
I didn't care about buying another copy of the album I already had. All I knew was that these guys were going to sign it, I was going to show them my red and black "Sing the Sorrow" leaves tattoo upon meeting them, talk about how much they've influenced me, and my day was going to be made. Nothing else mattered.
When it
came to choosing my handful of favorite bands, I always based my decision
solely on the music and the artist's charisma as a person. To me, AFI fit
my criteria perfectly, but I did not know what speaking to them would be like;
I was just as excited as I was nervous.
To our surprise, Tommy and I were greeted first when it came to be time
to meet the band.
[AFI Circa 2009; L to R, Adam Carson (drums), Davey Havok, (vocals), Hunter Burgan (bass), Jade Puget (guitar)]
“Hey! How’s it going?” said Drummer Adam Carson.
“Whew! Adam! Nice to meet you! My name is Tommy, and this is my bro Rob -”
“Hey Adam, nice to meet you!” I interrupted, while smiling and shaking his hand.
“So yeah, Rob and I came here all the way from Jersey City, New Jersey, which is right across from New York, just to meet you guys here in Philly today!”
“Wow, that’s awesome! I’m flattered. So tell me something about you guys besides your journey. What is going on with you two at the moment?” Adam asked.
“Well, we’re in a band named Beyond the View, and we just got done recording a 2 song demo last month. We formed in January.”
“Sweet! Beyond the View, Beyond the View, Beyond the View, that’s a cool band name. I’m gonna write that down.”
As Adam wrote “Myspace.com/Beyondtheview”, I felt my heart race with excitement; I never felt like such a fanboy.
“So Adam, I have one request. I ended up getting a copy of Crash Love, but it’d mean the world to me if you could sign this snare drumhead I brought. I know it’s only one item to be signed per guest, so I figured this would be it.” Tommy said.
“Sure thing! Don’t worry, I’ll sign the CD too,” said Adam.
Knowing Adam had just “broken the rules” of the signing made me even more chipper. Unfortunately, our time with him was up since the line was moving along; however, it was time to meet Jade Puget, one of my biggest guitar influences.
[AFI Circa 2009; L to R, Adam Carson (drums), Davey Havok, (vocals), Hunter Burgan (bass), Jade Puget (guitar)]
“Hey! How’s it going?” said Drummer Adam Carson.
“Whew! Adam! Nice to meet you! My name is Tommy, and this is my bro Rob -”
“Hey Adam, nice to meet you!” I interrupted, while smiling and shaking his hand.
“So yeah, Rob and I came here all the way from Jersey City, New Jersey, which is right across from New York, just to meet you guys here in Philly today!”
“Wow, that’s awesome! I’m flattered. So tell me something about you guys besides your journey. What is going on with you two at the moment?” Adam asked.
“Well, we’re in a band named Beyond the View, and we just got done recording a 2 song demo last month. We formed in January.”
“Sweet! Beyond the View, Beyond the View, Beyond the View, that’s a cool band name. I’m gonna write that down.”
As Adam wrote “Myspace.com/Beyondtheview”, I felt my heart race with excitement; I never felt like such a fanboy.
“So Adam, I have one request. I ended up getting a copy of Crash Love, but it’d mean the world to me if you could sign this snare drumhead I brought. I know it’s only one item to be signed per guest, so I figured this would be it.” Tommy said.
“Sure thing! Don’t worry, I’ll sign the CD too,” said Adam.
Knowing Adam had just “broken the rules” of the signing made me even more chipper. Unfortunately, our time with him was up since the line was moving along; however, it was time to meet Jade Puget, one of my biggest guitar influences.
“Hey Jade!
My name’s Roberto. I’m from Jersey City, New Jersey, about 15 minutes away from
New York City.” I said.
“Sweet. I’m glad you could make it here. How was your journey?”
“Not too bad, just took a few trains and ran down that monstrous hill. I know you guys are bombarded with fans, but how are you feeling? Tired? I know being far from home must be tough.”
“Sweet. I’m glad you could make it here. How was your journey?”
“Not too bad, just took a few trains and ran down that monstrous hill. I know you guys are bombarded with fans, but how are you feeling? Tired? I know being far from home must be tough.”
“It’s a
bit tough, but always exciting. Meeting
new fans is always a plus.” Jade said, smiling.
“Awesome! I know the line is going to get moving, but I just wanna mention guitars for a bit, since I play guitar as well.”
“Go for it! What do you play?” he asked.
“I definitely play alternative rock; however, I’m using a Schecter. It’s got a bit of a metal-sound to it; I’ve been thinking about switching to Gibson, any advice?” I asked.
“Les Pauls and SG’s are my favorites. Find one with a thick body if you wanna retain a strong, metal-like, but not so overdriven guitar tone for that sound. See what works best for you.”
“Sounds good, I’ll keep that in mind. By the way, I love your picking dynamics. Learning a few of your melodies has made me a better guitarist, and I just wanted to say thank you, in all sincerity. I loved your interview for Alternative Press 2006; your quote of “finding your own style” has inspired me to just play more without thinking about the negatives of what other guitarists think of my style.” I said.
“Awesome! I know the line is going to get moving, but I just wanna mention guitars for a bit, since I play guitar as well.”
“Go for it! What do you play?” he asked.
“I definitely play alternative rock; however, I’m using a Schecter. It’s got a bit of a metal-sound to it; I’ve been thinking about switching to Gibson, any advice?” I asked.
“Les Pauls and SG’s are my favorites. Find one with a thick body if you wanna retain a strong, metal-like, but not so overdriven guitar tone for that sound. See what works best for you.”
“Sounds good, I’ll keep that in mind. By the way, I love your picking dynamics. Learning a few of your melodies has made me a better guitarist, and I just wanted to say thank you, in all sincerity. I loved your interview for Alternative Press 2006; your quote of “finding your own style” has inspired me to just play more without thinking about the negatives of what other guitarists think of my style.” I said.
“As warm
as that sounds, you owe a big thanks to yourself for pushing yourself to learn
new techniques. I’m glad to have
influenced you though. Thank you. I’m
glad someone out there appreciates the smaller things I do.”
Just hearing Jade say that before I snuck a picture with him made me realize that he has some of the concerns I’ve been having in terms of musicianship. Can the artist and the fan influence each other? Despite that answer being an obvious yes, this was a firsthand experience that embodied that. Again, I was inspired; I then proceeded to meet AFI Vocalist Davey Havok.
Davey Havok is one of those people you either enjoy or despise. Havok, formerly known for his angry half-yelling half-singing vocal style, now uses his clean, vibrant, tenor range to express his lyrics. His image and sound have changed the most since the band's beginning, and that’s something people either get accustomed to or annoyed by. Regardless of what others think about Havok's lyrics or sexual identity, I enjoyed our first encounter.
“Hey Davey! Nice to meet you!” I said, in pure excitement.
“Hey man! What’s your name, where are you from? and what is up!?” said Havok, smiling from cheek to cheek.
After repeating my “I’m Roberto, from Jersey City, New Jersey, about 15 minutes away from New York” introduction, I began speaking openly about music and his influence on me as he nodded contently, making eye contact to the point where you knew he was giving you his undivided attention. It was comforting to know that a contemporary lead vocalist of one of my favorite bands was immensely polite and passionate towards me.
“I’m digging the 80’s influences on this album. I hear a bit of The Cure and Morrissey on this album. As far as influences go, you’re definitely a big influence on expanding my vocabulary, stage presence, and my vocals.”
“Wow, what an honor! I truly appreciate it. Morrissey, Queen, Robert Smith, the guys in Depeche Mode, and many others, even the fans! They’re all influences to me! I’m glad I could be that artist to you,” said Havok.
This answered my question in a word for word fashion: Artists and fans influence each other. At this point, it felt surreal; I felt as if I were uncovering life’s biggest secrets.
After speaking with Havok and joking with Bassist Hunter Burgan about a bald waiter I met that I thought looked like him, Hunter gave me some great advice.
“Aspiring musicians should play the right shows. It doesn’t matter how many shows you play, but just make them count. Get your name out there; be friendly to the fans, the other bands’ fans, the people at the venue, and most importantly, have fun.”
The words resonated in my head. This led me to show the band my Sing the Sorrow leaves tattoo before attempting to leave the line (so other fans could advance).
“So yeah, I pretty much wanted all four of you to see this before I go.” I said, as I rolled up my sleeve.
(L to R; My Sing the
Sorrow leaves tattoo, AFI’s Sing the Sorrow album cover)
“Oh wow! That’s awesome!” said Adam
“All because of you guys! What an album!” I said, smiling.
“You are truly endearing. It is fans like you that keep us going.” said Havok.
This was one of the highlights of my journey to Philadelphia. I had never met an established band at a Meet N’ Greet; seeing all 4 members smile as other fans said “cool!” made this all feel like a fantasy. All eyes were on me and everyone was happy.
(Me with a picture of my signed copy of
Crash Love, 2009)
As a matter of fact, I got so side tracked and excited after talking to Havok and Hunter to the point where Havok's "Roberto! You forgot something!" made me turn around with the most surprised, yet, relieved rush I've ever experienced. Not only did one of my favorite singers call me from across the room, but everyone stared as I scurried back to the table to pick up my CD after a shrill sounding "Yes? Oh!" response to Havok's reminder.
Just hearing Jade say that before I snuck a picture with him made me realize that he has some of the concerns I’ve been having in terms of musicianship. Can the artist and the fan influence each other? Despite that answer being an obvious yes, this was a firsthand experience that embodied that. Again, I was inspired; I then proceeded to meet AFI Vocalist Davey Havok.
Davey Havok is one of those people you either enjoy or despise. Havok, formerly known for his angry half-yelling half-singing vocal style, now uses his clean, vibrant, tenor range to express his lyrics. His image and sound have changed the most since the band's beginning, and that’s something people either get accustomed to or annoyed by. Regardless of what others think about Havok's lyrics or sexual identity, I enjoyed our first encounter.
“Hey Davey! Nice to meet you!” I said, in pure excitement.
“Hey man! What’s your name, where are you from? and what is up!?” said Havok, smiling from cheek to cheek.
After repeating my “I’m Roberto, from Jersey City, New Jersey, about 15 minutes away from New York” introduction, I began speaking openly about music and his influence on me as he nodded contently, making eye contact to the point where you knew he was giving you his undivided attention. It was comforting to know that a contemporary lead vocalist of one of my favorite bands was immensely polite and passionate towards me.
“I’m digging the 80’s influences on this album. I hear a bit of The Cure and Morrissey on this album. As far as influences go, you’re definitely a big influence on expanding my vocabulary, stage presence, and my vocals.”
“Wow, what an honor! I truly appreciate it. Morrissey, Queen, Robert Smith, the guys in Depeche Mode, and many others, even the fans! They’re all influences to me! I’m glad I could be that artist to you,” said Havok.
This answered my question in a word for word fashion: Artists and fans influence each other. At this point, it felt surreal; I felt as if I were uncovering life’s biggest secrets.
After speaking with Havok and joking with Bassist Hunter Burgan about a bald waiter I met that I thought looked like him, Hunter gave me some great advice.
“Aspiring musicians should play the right shows. It doesn’t matter how many shows you play, but just make them count. Get your name out there; be friendly to the fans, the other bands’ fans, the people at the venue, and most importantly, have fun.”
The words resonated in my head. This led me to show the band my Sing the Sorrow leaves tattoo before attempting to leave the line (so other fans could advance).
“So yeah, I pretty much wanted all four of you to see this before I go.” I said, as I rolled up my sleeve.
“Oh wow! That’s awesome!” said Adam
“All because of you guys! What an album!” I said, smiling.
“You are truly endearing. It is fans like you that keep us going.” said Havok.
This was one of the highlights of my journey to Philadelphia. I had never met an established band at a Meet N’ Greet; seeing all 4 members smile as other fans said “cool!” made this all feel like a fantasy. All eyes were on me and everyone was happy.
As a matter of fact, I got so side tracked and excited after talking to Havok and Hunter to the point where Havok's "Roberto! You forgot something!" made me turn around with the most surprised, yet, relieved rush I've ever experienced. Not only did one of my favorite singers call me from across the room, but everyone stared as I scurried back to the table to pick up my CD after a shrill sounding "Yes? Oh!" response to Havok's reminder.
It seemed
as if this band had an honest appreciation for their old and new fans, doing
their best to remember each and every one despite playing in front of thousands
of people upon a tour's end. Playing a lot of shows with encounters
afterwards can make it tough for bands to remember names; however, AFI
reconnected with many fans of previous releases afterwards, engaging in photos
and a room illuminated by smiles. I
thought to myself: Does it get any better than this?
My
question would then be answered as Tommy and I left Main Street Music, our
answer came in the form of joking around with AFI's tour manager, Smith Puget.
(Smith Puget)
“Hey Smith! You’re the man!” I
shouted.
“I’m the man!? (looks around) … Me? You’re cool for saying that, but you’ve got it all wrong!” said Smith, laughing. The younger brother of guitarist Jade, Smith greeted us with a strong grip and arm wrestled me without any sign of warning shortly after.
“So are you guys coming to the Electric Factory to see AFI tomorrow night?” he asked, as other fans waiting in line outside of the store began to cheer.
“Wait! AFI’s playing here tomorrow!?” I asked, excitedly.
“Yup! Tomorrow night at the Electric Factory, right here in good ol’ Philly!” He answered.
“How much!? We thought it was just a signing!” said Tommy, excited as well.
“$20 a pop. You want two tickets?”
"Dude,” said Tommy, “You're NOT going to class tomorrow! I don’t want to hear it!"
“I’m the man!? (looks around) … Me? You’re cool for saying that, but you’ve got it all wrong!” said Smith, laughing. The younger brother of guitarist Jade, Smith greeted us with a strong grip and arm wrestled me without any sign of warning shortly after.
“So are you guys coming to the Electric Factory to see AFI tomorrow night?” he asked, as other fans waiting in line outside of the store began to cheer.
“Wait! AFI’s playing here tomorrow!?” I asked, excitedly.
“Yup! Tomorrow night at the Electric Factory, right here in good ol’ Philly!” He answered.
“How much!? We thought it was just a signing!” said Tommy, excited as well.
“$20 a pop. You want two tickets?”
"Dude,” said Tommy, “You're NOT going to class tomorrow! I don’t want to hear it!"
“Word!!
This is awesome!! I had no idea they were playing tomorrow night! Sweet!”
As much as I hated missing school, I had an absence to spare for my Thursday Night English 102 class at Hudson County Community College. Regardless, I didn't have much of a choice since I already was having the time of my life; plus, I didn't want to go home by myself from Philadelphia! Tommy and I stuck together, jogged uphill to Subway, and after footlong Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki sandwiches, Baked Lays, a bathroom break, and refilling our large combo drinks, we decided to get a cheap, $60, motel room about an hour's worth of walking from Main Street Music.
As much as I hated missing school, I had an absence to spare for my Thursday Night English 102 class at Hudson County Community College. Regardless, I didn't have much of a choice since I already was having the time of my life; plus, I didn't want to go home by myself from Philadelphia! Tommy and I stuck together, jogged uphill to Subway, and after footlong Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki sandwiches, Baked Lays, a bathroom break, and refilling our large combo drinks, we decided to get a cheap, $60, motel room about an hour's worth of walking from Main Street Music.
Tommy and
I were having our most adventurous day in the history of our friendship, and it
in fact, was about to get better. We managed to get a few 32 oz
Budweisers and Bud Lights to finish our night. We then got drunk and talked
about how much we wanted our band to prosper.
“Man, seeing that line of fans really has me inspired. I can’t wait for the show tomorrow, and coming back to Jersey is going to be so different for me, in a good way.” I said
“Yeah, if only Kristian were here…” said Tommy.
To me, our music could wait. During this time, we were the fans waiting to see our favorite band, and it felt great; however, the next day was just as welcoming as it wasn't.
"Room Service! You guys have 15 minutes to leave!" said the maintenance woman as Tommy and I greeted our hangovers. Despite not vomiting, I still felt awful. I was pale. After walking outside of the hotel, Tommy and I searched for a McDonald's and walked slowly in favor of our pounding headaches, only to be soaked in rain.
“Man, seeing that line of fans really has me inspired. I can’t wait for the show tomorrow, and coming back to Jersey is going to be so different for me, in a good way.” I said
“Yeah, if only Kristian were here…” said Tommy.
To me, our music could wait. During this time, we were the fans waiting to see our favorite band, and it felt great; however, the next day was just as welcoming as it wasn't.
"Room Service! You guys have 15 minutes to leave!" said the maintenance woman as Tommy and I greeted our hangovers. Despite not vomiting, I still felt awful. I was pale. After walking outside of the hotel, Tommy and I searched for a McDonald's and walked slowly in favor of our pounding headaches, only to be soaked in rain.
After
about an hour of dehydration and a long wait for a trite tasting cream cheese
bagel at some small breakfast stand in a shopping plaza, Tommy and I got to
McDonald's and managed to get my “hangover curing” Fruit and Walnut salad.
My hangover was gone, and Tommy couldn't help but network with a few
older women about our voyage. Thank God I was with a social person who
had experience in customer service! His friendly conversational skills
led to our use of their laptop by Googling directions from our location thanks
to the McDonald's Wifi. We then left McDonald's and ended up catching a bus
that took us to the downtown section of Philadelphia for $2.00.
Downtown
Philadelphia had many marble benches and statues to accompany its White House
resembling architecture. Everything was grand; the streets were finely
paved as the curbs were smooth, yet multicolored. It felt liberating to
walk the streets of “Brotherly Love” with Tommy.
“And to think, you could be getting ready for class right now,” said Tommy.
“Ha!” I replied, not even wanting to think about school.
“And to think, you could be getting ready for class right now,” said Tommy.
“Ha!” I replied, not even wanting to think about school.
We then
made our way towards The Electric Factory, the venue where everything was going
to happen; thankfully, it wasn't far away from our food stop. Eating a Philly
Cheesesteak in Philly was a nice bite and future bragging right bonus.
We got to
the venue, and after showing our tickets, a punk band from the UK named
"Gallows” opened the show. About an
hour later, AFI took the stage; more fans were in attendance, they chanted,
“THROUGH OUR BLEEDING WE ARE ONE!” from AFI’s 2000 album, Black Sails in the
Sunset. This was the real deal.
“Hello everyone! …We are… AFI!” said Havok.
They began their set to the track "Torch Song," the opener to their Crash Love album. Throughout their set, I was amazed. Singer Davey Havok hit just about every note while sporting a shiny golden blazer for the first few songs of the set, immediately gainining crowd control. Guitarist Jade Puget was as accurate as humanly possible, utilizing various chord shapes before nailing his Eddie Van Halen like, tap solo to the song "Dancing Through Sunday," a fan favorite.
“Hello everyone! …We are… AFI!” said Havok.
They began their set to the track "Torch Song," the opener to their Crash Love album. Throughout their set, I was amazed. Singer Davey Havok hit just about every note while sporting a shiny golden blazer for the first few songs of the set, immediately gainining crowd control. Guitarist Jade Puget was as accurate as humanly possible, utilizing various chord shapes before nailing his Eddie Van Halen like, tap solo to the song "Dancing Through Sunday," a fan favorite.
Hunter and
Adam did not miss a beat either. Together, Hunter's bass and Adam's crisp
sounding; golden drumset filled my ears with a sense of rhythm that made me
move all throughout the show. And then
it happened.
“Dude, this is the song “On the Arrow,” you don’t know this one, but I know you’ll like it. Adam always comes up front and center with the other three members and plays the shaker to this song.” I said.
“Dude, this is the song “On the Arrow,” you don’t know this one, but I know you’ll like it. Adam always comes up front and center with the other three members and plays the shaker to this song.” I said.
“Sweet! Sounds like something I’d do on a slower
song. Dude!! I’m gonna hold up the drumhead he signed, hopefully he’ll see us.”
Tommy said.
Adam then vividly recognized us; he made eye contact, winked and smiled before scanning the audience for other fans.
“DID YOU SEE THAT!?” asked Tommy, with full volume and excitement.
“AM I NOT YOUR BRAIN TWIN!?” I responded, just as excited.
Since Adam is normally behind the drumset, his view is limited when it comes to looking at big crowds. Seeing him see Tommy’s signed drumhead as he played a shaker for the mini ballad made my night.
Adam then vividly recognized us; he made eye contact, winked and smiled before scanning the audience for other fans.
“DID YOU SEE THAT!?” asked Tommy, with full volume and excitement.
“AM I NOT YOUR BRAIN TWIN!?” I responded, just as excited.
Since Adam is normally behind the drumset, his view is limited when it comes to looking at big crowds. Seeing him see Tommy’s signed drumhead as he played a shaker for the mini ballad made my night.
Being a guitarist,
I had always followed Jade's guitar parts and always was curious as to how all
of the instrumentation would be replicated live since he was the only guitarist
in the band. The studio version of songs had many guitar layers, so it felt
refreshing hearing the drums and bass stand out a bit more. It was like a
new part to songs that I had already grown familiar with. Knowing this satisfied more of my quest for
musical knowledge; it made me re-realize just how important it is to have a
strong drum and bass connection, it made me miss Danny in a bittersweet way.
AFI
concluded the set with their 2006 single "Miss Murder.” I made my
best effort to hurry to the front, advanced about 15 rows. In moving
forward, I was moved around as well. I was excusing my way through singing fans
just so I could get as close to the stage as possible. I ended up losing
my voice shouting the "Hey!" backing vocal parts to "Miss
Murder", whilst losing track of Tommy as well.
About 10
minutes after the show, I was reacquainted with Tommy.
“Hey man, the train is leaving 33rd street in about 20 minutes.” I said.
“Let’s go! … NOW!” shouted Tommy.
“Yeah man, the train is at 11:00. If we catch this one, we’ll be home in the mid-morning, you know, like around 4-5 am, as opposed to full-blown daylight, 8am-ish, morning time.” I said, shortly before sprinting from 8th street to 33rd with Tommy; the show already had us tired and sweaty, this was an excruciating cardio workout.
“Hey man, the train is leaving 33rd street in about 20 minutes.” I said.
“Let’s go! … NOW!” shouted Tommy.
“Yeah man, the train is at 11:00. If we catch this one, we’ll be home in the mid-morning, you know, like around 4-5 am, as opposed to full-blown daylight, 8am-ish, morning time.” I said, shortly before sprinting from 8th street to 33rd with Tommy; the show already had us tired and sweaty, this was an excruciating cardio workout.
We ended
up missing our train by a few minutes and had to spend the next 4 hours waiting
patiently. I decided to nap for about an hour as Tommy stayed awake; I
was in for an awakening.
“Dude wake up!” exclaimed Tommy, excited.
“Huh? What’s up?” said I, cranky.
“I just got us some free donuts since I was flirting with the young lady from Bangladesh at the Dunkin Donuts counter!”
“Awesome! You’re a beast!” I said, joyfully before hopping up and hugging my bandmate.
“You know how I’m a mutt?”
“You mean, an ItaliPuertoCuban?” (Tommy was of Italian, Puerto Rican and Cuban descent.)
“Well yeah, I being a mutt and all, with my ballsy choice of words, convinced her I was from Bangladesh!” Tommy said.
“No way! Hahahaha!” I was cracking up.
“I even pointed you out while you napped and told her we missed our last train to New Jersey and that we needed food since we’re on our last few dollars,” said Tommy. “She was about to throw out a buncha donuts since it was time to change em, but I got her to spare a few. Here, chow down!”
As I ate, I was convinced that my friend was smarter, wittier, and funnier than I originally had thought. Tommy always had a funny story to tell; I didn’t know which ones happened to be true, but I’m glad she bought into “him being from Bangladesh.”
“Dude wake up!” exclaimed Tommy, excited.
“Huh? What’s up?” said I, cranky.
“I just got us some free donuts since I was flirting with the young lady from Bangladesh at the Dunkin Donuts counter!”
“Awesome! You’re a beast!” I said, joyfully before hopping up and hugging my bandmate.
“You know how I’m a mutt?”
“You mean, an ItaliPuertoCuban?” (Tommy was of Italian, Puerto Rican and Cuban descent.)
“Well yeah, I being a mutt and all, with my ballsy choice of words, convinced her I was from Bangladesh!” Tommy said.
“No way! Hahahaha!” I was cracking up.
“I even pointed you out while you napped and told her we missed our last train to New Jersey and that we needed food since we’re on our last few dollars,” said Tommy. “She was about to throw out a buncha donuts since it was time to change em, but I got her to spare a few. Here, chow down!”
As I ate, I was convinced that my friend was smarter, wittier, and funnier than I originally had thought. Tommy always had a funny story to tell; I didn’t know which ones happened to be true, but I’m glad she bought into “him being from Bangladesh.”
The train
ride felt never-ending, but was quite the reward. Tommy and I kept quiet and slept for about an
hour or two on our way back to Newark; we were exhausted. After we
arrived back in Journal Square, I took the bus home as he departed via PATH
Train. The trip was coming to an end. It was 8:00 am and I had just
used the last $1.50 to my name to get home. I still had the same James
Dean shirt, blue striped hoodie, and denim blue jeans that I had originally put
on two and a half days ago. Thankfully,
I had showered at the hotel on the first night, so things could’ve been worse.
Despite
this, I felt like I had done something new for once. Regardless of it
being my second time accompanying Tommy for a friendly adventure into a new
territory, it was never this extreme and spontaneous. Although I was back
in Jersey City, I remained inspired.
As a
devoted fan, you learn about the importance of your role. You learn to
respect other fans and not to judge other people based off of their appearance,
since they might support the same thing you support. After being a punk
fan with a mentally hostile punk attitude during my teenage years, I learned to
move on from punk like AFI did. I began to respect and appreciate artists
solely on the fact that they're able to stick together, let alone produce work
after years of touring. My eight and a
half months of jamming with Tommy, Kristian and Danny, along with my 2 day trip
to Philadelphia, is just a fragment of what these artists endure year after
year.
As for
artistic direction, I learned that it is best to not have any preconceived
ideas of where your sound is going.
“Finding your own style”, as Jade Puget said, is the key; there
shouldn't be any desired artistic direction other than the natural one.
As mundane as it sounds, I became confident in knowing that no one on the
planet can replicate my artistic style, and that I should be myself if I
honestly want to have any chance in the music industry.
Regardless
of genre names, only you can truly classify and represent your art. I can
see why AFI moved on artistically. As humans, we only have one chance at life
as a whole; in that time we are permitted to do as we please. In this
case, it is a musical career, so why should I not be myself, stick to a certain
genre, and limit myself by emulating a sound that's already been achieved?
Why should AFI limit the sounds of their career and stay punk? People change within moments; so, it is only
fair for bands to change their sound over long time periods as well.
I learned what it is like to be truly inspired and influenced. Seeing AFI taught me that anything is possible if all members are willing to work together. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for Beyond the View since Tommy ended up moving to Texas after his home situation wasn't benefiting him as Kristian began a new work schedule. Regardless, I wasn't too distraught about BTV not lasting since I had some of the best times of my life with Tommy and Kristian during 2009. This was just one of them.
I learned what it is like to be truly inspired and influenced. Seeing AFI taught me that anything is possible if all members are willing to work together. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for Beyond the View since Tommy ended up moving to Texas after his home situation wasn't benefiting him as Kristian began a new work schedule. Regardless, I wasn't too distraught about BTV not lasting since I had some of the best times of my life with Tommy and Kristian during 2009. This was just one of them.
