If you go back four years and one day from today, the date is July 19, 2004. What's the relevance of that date? Well, I saw a band I thought I'd never see in my life. That was my then-favorite band, The Mighty Van Halen. I was one happy twelve year old kid, who at the time still lived in Chicago (but was one month away from moving away). This was a very special show for me, as I got to see the greatest living guitarist in front of my very eyes, and see the band that for so many years satisfied so many people with their music.
That's just a small example as to why that time period was so special for me. Yeah, I was moving out of Chicago in a month. It was devastating then and it still is now. But, my friends definitely did all they could to make my last days there the best they possibly could, and you know what, they succeeded.
Funny how so much has changed over four years, yet so little is different. When you look at it in a certain perspective, it's pretty perplexing. But in the most interesting way possible.
Here I am, July 20, 2008. I still keep ties with my friends in Chicago (as many as I could), I'm still an outrageous Cubs fan, I get the same kicks out of "Whose Line is it Anyway?" (though that was after a brief hiatus), and I still wish I lived in Chicago. Yet at the same time, my favorite band is Rush, and I have to drive 35 miles to even get to Chicago to see my other family friends (which in reality is usually only in the summer). You'd think my life is pretty similar to the way it used to be in 2004, barring a few naturally setbacks. But it's very far from it.
I did this premise for a reason. My life has been fantastic so far in 2008. I had a discussion with Laura (who every reader should know by now) about the future. I think of how I was four years ago, and I wonder how things are going to be four years from today, in 2012. Best case scenario, I'm back, living in Chicago, going to college there, with a job in the city (which has a great economy), and just being back where I belong, living my dream (As a journalist. Didn't catch it already, dummy? :D). And I intend on doing everything in my power to make that happen. But the thing is, you never really know where life will take you. That's the thrill of the ride, folks.
So, we've reflected on the past and plans for the future, what's been happening in the present, one may ask? Last post was June 21st (life-update post, that is), and a lot more than I expected has happened. Just when I thought June couldn't be outdone, well, it has been. And July ain't over yet. How did June end, though?
Like I said, last post was on the 21st. Which means the Cubs were in the middle of their sweep of the Chicago White Sox at Wrigley Field! But I can't brag. The following weekend, we got swept by them in their house. And we just sucked. So, the series was even. You Sox fans who feel like gloating are stupid. The End :D
Anywho, in-between both series', I finished up behind the wheel. What a pain in the ass that was. I didn't like my instructor, everything was so ridiculously simple and fundamental, I was waking up early for seemingly no apparent reason. It was a total waste of time, and I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that. Pointless. It's not like I'm in a hurry to get my license. Considering how expensive gas is and my lack of a job, what's the point, really? I'd say I'm a damn good driver anyway, so I can take my hours gradually as they come.
That same Thursday when I ended behind the wheel, Dale tells me he may be going to Summerfest in Milwaukee, and asked if I was interested in going with. After much deliberation, I most certainly was. So on June 30th, I drove to Chicago and to his house, where I'd stay until the second of July. It was probably the smallest gap between stays of myself at his place since I moved in August of 2004. Definitely a surprise but nevertheless, thrilling. So what did we do that day? Relaxed, mostly. Played some baseball, got a surprisingly enthusiastic greeting from Paige, who I hadn't seen since last August (always nice to hear from someone I grew up with in the neighborhood, regardless), ate dinner, he went to band so I hung out with the neighbors. Bastard threw a drumstick at my foot when he came home, so I chased him around the block threatening to kick his ass until it got boring.
When we went inside, we played Mario Kart: Double Dash (just like old times) and eventually played MVP 05 on the Gamecube, where we did some considerably humorous mock broadcasts for his Toronto Blue Jays franchise. Following that, we'd bust out his old "Whose Line is it Anyway?" tapes. About three years ago, this was my favorite show, bar none. Ever since ABC Family replaced it's timeslot and is hardly on TV anymore, it dropped on my list. So I realistically had not watched the show in years. Wow, did it bring back some memories. Talk about ultimate nostalgia for me. Ever since then, I've been hooked! Anyway, we went to bed later than usual, sometime around 4 am.
The relevance of this day for myself, personally, is that I started growing the moustache. This DOES mean something for the story later on, mind you.
Anywho, we woke up around 9 am on that Tuesday morning, the day we'd head up to Milwaukee for "The World's Largest Music Festival" (also known, in simpler terms, as Summerfest). We were excited. Listened to the radio, talked sports with Dale's dad (Nick Swisher hit a grand slam and had five RBIs for the Sox in the previous night's game, Mark DeRosa hit a grand slam and had six RBIs for the Cubs the same night. Productive day for Chicago, both resulting in wins). After breakfast, we took a walk to the mailbox on 59th and Nashville, and would quickly pack up and leave for Illinois' Cheesy Neighbor.
So, on the way we watched R30 (just like last year, and always feels good), got caught in traffic (because of "fucking Blagojevich" to paraphrase Dale's father, who would throw a series of malicious vulgarities his way in order to convey his displeasure towards the new tollways). We stopped at a Burger King on the way, and would arrive at the camp site around 2:15 pm. We still caught a nice number of acts, smaller acts and tribute bands that really did a nice job, for the most part. It wasn't as hot as last year, which we were thankful for. Very comfortable, relaxing day.
We walked around for the most part, until about 8:30, when we stopped by the stage O.A.R. would be performing at. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band was performing, and to our surprise, had a very strong youth following. It was bizarre. They were tight musically, though for the most part I was focusing on the four hot chicks who were giving all the guys essentially a free show just a mere five rows ahead of us. It was...uhh, entertaining :D
Next would be O.A.R., and we had some drunken college chicks drop in next to us. Hey, I can't complain about that. One seemed to assume that I was 19 years old, which no chicks at a concert had ever assumed about myself before. I really think it was the 'stache. So I talked to the most sober one for awhile, and as soon as the O.A.R. performance started, I was getting a lot of action and attention from two of the four. Some "booty action" from the both of them (figure I'd use a Sean term since I simply cannot think of a more blunt way to put it :D). Can't complain about the result. I thank the 'stache.
Anyway, O.A.R. was certainly a solid performance. Not one I'd rank in my Top 10. Or 15. Or 20, for that matter. But it was pretty good, cannot lie. After the show, we headed out in the stampede that was the Summerfest crowd, sometime around 11:50, hit the bus back to the campground, showered, and went to sleep. Always a nice rest in the camper.
So the next day, we'd head back pretty early (9:30-ish). Stopped for some breakfast at Nick's (cool little place), and got tied up in traffic...again (where I swear I heard Dale's dad rant "I'm gonna grab Blagojevich by the hair and strangle him" :D I love those rants!). We didn't get home until 1:30, and only really had time to hang out on the porch. I was not looking forward to the rest of the day.
Why? I was going straight from Summerfest to the Taste in a matter of hours. I said goodbye to Dale and his family, and moved on in my journey. It was a nice trip to the Taste, got to try Lou Malnotti's pizza and just enjoy the other food out there. It was rainy, nevertheless, enjoyable. But also very, very exhausting. It was so nice to sit down and watch the Cubs game that night, after walking seemingly twenty miles in the course of two days.
So, from there on, not too much happened. Uncle Tom and grandma came by on the Fourth of July and that was a nice meeting, definitely. Watched the Cubs win a close one against St. Louis, no complaints. The weekend was boring, though the week was somewhat interesting. On that Tuesday I was asked to do a guest vocal spot for a band, and had about ten songs to learn by Saturday (which would eventually translate to Thursday). So, I did the best I could to get a vocal down and learn the lyrics in the short amount of time I had. It wasn't easy, but I guess they expected it to be. Because I went to the practice on Thursday and I was bad, and I know it, but considering the circumstances, I felt like I was alright. But of course, to the egomaniac guitar player, I sucked, and he had no mercy on me nor respect, even though I was doing them a favor and tried my damndest to do what I could in two days. When asked when the next practice would be, I was told "This is it, get it done by Saturday."
The work ethic was awful, which is why I backed out. I sensed little chemistry between the guys and it all seemed forced to me when they DID display chemistry. The band is controlled by an egomaniac guitar player who thinks he calls the shots (and isn't very good, sorry pal), a pretty solid and dedicated bass player who seems to take a lot of flack from said guitarist, even though he'd deny it, and a drummer who's very middle-ground, which I do like. This isn't a band I'd be interested in singing for at all.
So, Saturday came and it was Dave's party. Dave's a very cool guy so I assumed his party would be cool. The band I was set to sing for did not do so well that night, and the reactions from the public were not so good either, as an observer. Gotta be honest with what I sees. But aside from that, Gage, Max, and Alex sorta saved the show with some jamming of their own. After that, we hung around the bonfire for awhile, good to hang out with Laura, Cortez, Max, Gage, and Dave again. Always a thrill. It was a good party. Nice job, Dave.
So, the weekend closed out, and it was All Star Week for baseball. Home Run Derby was outstanding, Josh Hamilton put on one hell of a show (28 homers in ONE ROUND!? BEAST!). Then the ridiculous All Star Game itself. 15 innings and wearing out the pitchers and players? If someone got hurt, it'd be Bud Selig's ass on the line. Stupid fucker, making an exhibition game mean something. That's how players get hurt and it screws up any team's chances. Fucking tool...
Crue Fest was Wednesday and you could read my blog for the review. I have to apologize to those who I'd said would go to the show with me and didn't. It was an inconvenience. Sorry. Though I have to say, it was a blast! Second row, fuckers! AND the number of the girl who was on the Titty Cam. I'm telling you, this moustache is doing me wonders! (even if that wasn't the case, let me dream :D)
Thank you, Jason Giambi!
I was also told during that week from Max that he, Gage, and Alex were starting a band and wanted me to be the vocalist. Well, the style of music is right up my alley and I love the chemistry there. We'll see how that goes, but for now, I'm excited! Hope it takes off and goes somewhere! I also started grabbing episodes of "Whose Line is it Anyway?" on DVD. You can't buy those anywhere, so why not just get 'em myself?
Yesterday I went to a Chicago Fire game with my dad and got to see Marcella. Always a thrill to see her. Those games are always exciting too, considering it's ten minutes from where I used to live, and the crowds are always energetic. Very fun game, indeed. I'd also like to apologize to Marcella's friend if I came off as somewhat of an asshole. Too much going on in my head, dude. Forgive me :) Today, the family did a nice dinner at the Weber Grill, and that's where we are now.
What's in store for my future? July closes out with me taking a week-long trip to my uncle's. I am leaving Thursday to go by his place, and on Friday we are leaving for Milwaukee again for two Brewers games at Miller Park, Germanfest, and a Police concert. Can't complain about that. Then we get back to his place, see "The Dark Knight" at Navy Pier's IMAX on the 28th, and go to the "Road to Wrigley" minor league game at Wrigley on the 29th, probably with Sean. It's gonna be a beastly week. August has a Cubs game, another potential stay by Dale's, a hopeful stay by Sean's and another trip to St. Dans carnival with him, starting work with this new band and maybe even having a performance in the month as well. Though I doubt that July can be topped, or even June for that matter. August has the start of school, which we all dread.
So there's still ten days left in July, but it's already done enough to win the "Best Month of 2008" award (well, so far). With a little more than half the summer wrapped up, we all are dreading school. But Van Halen sang it best:
"Those hot, summer nights, that's my time of the year!" I have every intention on making the most of the time I have left to myself, as well.
See ya in August!
-Zach
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
"The Saints Came Marching In" - Cruefest Review, July 16, 2008
It's 95 degrees outside, a mid-summer day, and you're going to see one of the greatest live acts in rock history at First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre that day. It really defines what rock n' roll is all about, no? I got the pit tickets as a gift from my folks, and it was a pleasant surprise at the time. But I really didn't have any idea that it was going to be as fantastic as it was.
So, you have the scene. Cortez and I get to the venue at 4:40, twenty minutes before the first band, Trapt came on. I had the time to purchase a T-shirt, then we got our pit wristbands and walked over to the pit itself. We hadn't eaten or had anything to drink yet, but out pit placement was so solid, we decided to just hang around there for the whole night so we didn't lose it.
Trapt came on. I know very little of their music, but fucked if I didn't enjoy it. I figured they put on a very solid performance and was pleasantly surprised. Sixx A.M. was next, Nikki Sixx's band, and one who's music I was more familiar with. They too, put on a very solid performance. I couldn't believe how good of a guitarist DJ Ashba was. He was tearin' it up up there, and also putting up a show and talking to the crowd. James Michael is also a very energetic vocalist on stage. Very solid performance.
Next would be Papa Roach, where beforehand I met two pretty cool fans who won their tickets from 97.9 The Loop. Very cool guys, one wearing a Cubs hat and we talked about the All Star Game. Then Papa Roach came on. Singer looked like a real douchebag but you gotta love the guy's energy. They didn't really do it for me, I just didn't care for the music. Gotta give the band some props, though, they started a mosh pit very close to us, which helped us move MUCH closer to the front than we were. Wasn't much of a pit, really. Anyway, their performance left much to be desired.
"Come on, ya fat bastard, move us to the front!" said a guy who joined the two fans I was talking to. It just so happened it was the seventh grade gym teacher of these guys. How fuckin' cool is that? I simply could not imagine Mr. Huey at a Crue show :D Anyway, before Buckcherry came on, we spent the 45 minutes or so just talkin' music, Crue, etc. I guess this gym teacher wanted to test my taste in music by seeing my other favorite bands. When I told him Rush, Genesis, VH, he asked "Are you gay!? Because this isn't normal for someone your age!" He got a kick out of two 16 year olds nearly front row at a Crue show, and it was nice to get that respect.
Next up was Buckcherry, who puts on a really good live show. Josh Todd didn't associate himself with the crowd much. Seemed like a "Get on, perform, get off" type deal. You can't deny the fact that they brought it live, though. Regardless, it wasn't my most favorite performance of the night. I felt Trapt and Sixx A.M. put on more solid performances. There was also a big ass fight. Some hippie dude tried to but his way up to the front, and some guy nudged him to move and punches started to throw. It was entertaining. Dude was grabbin' at my shorts trying to take me down with him. But, he got taken away. And the nudger was a hero :D
So, Buckcherry walks off, and we have time before the Crue. They did a Rock Band competition on stage and the drummer really blew. It was pretty bad. Anyway, we found loopholes to get closer to the stage, and by the time the Crue game out, we were second row. Got to speak to some more fans, it was really entertaining. Crueheads are best, fuck the rest!
Anyway, after the infamous "Hell's Bells" soundtrack, Crue comes on around 9:20 with that eerie-as-hell intro of their's, followed by rippin' into "Kickstart My Heart." You can already tell the band was ready for tonight's show, as they came out ready and willing to please every single person there. Everyone moving around a lot on stage, and I'll tell you right now, the front-row experience is so different. The pyro was deafening and felt like walking into an oven, the lights were blinding at times, but you know what, I'm not complaining. That's part of the experience. Speaking of lights, for an '80s metal band, these guys had an outrageously cool light show. Nice way to start the show.
Next they'd medley into "Wild Side," and the fireworks intro was similar to their ROAE one from 2006. But from where we were, the smell and sound of it, Christ, it was like the Fourth of July twelve days late! Very solid, driving performance. After that was "Shout at the Devil '97," which to me has always been better than the original. The pyro was awesome here as well, not as intense as ROAE, but definitely pretty cool. Vince would then do his intro, and break into their newest single, "Saints of Los Angeles." I agree with Zach when he says they should lose the pre-recorded bass track in the intro, but definitely solid. Vince's vocals are so much better time time around than when I saw them in '06.
They kicked it old school for the next one. Mick did a very quick guitar solo and ripped into "Live Wire," one of the biggest highlights of the night, I'd say. Very energetic performance on all ends, and Vince gave me a look and smiled when he saw me sing the "Wild, young, runnin' free. A little bit better than it used to be" part. He seemed kinda surprised. Definitely one of the best of the night, bar none. But what can I say? It's fuckin' LIVE WIRE!!
Next was "Sick Love Song," which sounded SO good this time around. Last time I saw it sounded sloppy, this time was slowed down and sounded incredible. Plus, this time it was nice being surrounded by people who know the lyrics, unlike last time when we had two people in our section. Next, Tommy comes out to say hello, takes a drink, all that.
So, it was definitely a shocker when Tommy went looking for the Titty Cam. I was almost sure we weren't gonna get it, but we did, and it was a blast. Chicago (or "Titcago," as he kept calling it) will never disappoint with the titty cam. There were a couple chicks around us who showed off their stuff too, and were quite impressive, I must say. Very fun, did not expect us to get it since Detroit didn't the previous night. And one of the dude's I mentioned earlier had the chick on his shoulders! Lucky fuckin' bastard!
We continue with the music, and they were doing Roll-B for the official video of "Motherfucker of the Year." I got in so many shots on the camera, I HOPE they use the Chicago footage, because then I'd be in the video! Anyway, the performance was sick. Such a powerful, heavy, driving song and they really delivered. Never heard it live until the show, and was impressed.
Jozie then came out as an angel and handed Vince his guitar. She's still got it, she was smokin' in the angel outfit. Nice arse, too :D Following that, would be "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)" which was definitely a highlight for a lot of fans there. Lots of headbanging, singing along, and one of the girls near us flashed the guys again! It was awesome. Then they proceeded to do "Same Ol' Situation." I've bashed it before but it's so much fun when you're so close to the stage. Very exciting performance.
It was time for Nikki to do a quick rap to the crowd, and mentioned how Detroit thought they were better than us. So everyone booed, and I got some laughs when I shouted "Fuck Detroit, and their Red Wings!" He really pissed off a lot of people, but then he said Detroit and Chicago were their two favorite places to play, which is always cool to hear. He did his "sit down and jump" routine. Well, it's hard to sit down in the pit, but he told us to "Pretend it's a Bon Jovi concert and sit down." Got a lot of laughs from the crowd on that one. We couldn't sit, but we jumped, and I think I got on film for THAT too!
Anyway, Tommy then broke into "Primal Scream," which I never dug live until last night. Wow, that was solid. Always been my favorite Crue song, but this was unreal. Another serious highlight of the night, with EVERY SINGLE PERSON around us shouting the lyrics. It was awesome! After that, Tommy did a cool intro on the drums, and Vince had us clap and sing "Looks That Kill" behind that beat. Sorta like the "Ten Seconds to Love" breakdown from 2005. Even if these guys hate each other, damned they weren't having fun. It seemed genuine from where I was. Anyway, then Mick broke into the intro for "Looks That Kill," and it's ALWAYS a fun song for the show, regardless. Definitely enjoyable.
Vince did the "hand in the air, make a fist" deal, which I don't recall him doing in '06 at my show. That was a cool intro, and when the motorcycles went off, the crowd went apeshit. They knew it was time for "Girls, Girls, Girls," and I was getting high-fives from everyone around me. It was just awesome. Sounded like it was de-tuned as well, so it sounded much cleaner, I felt. They then medleyed into "Dr. Feelgood," which I felt was a very sloppy transition. But everyone was in awe over how well Mick could shred, considering his condition. He was phenomenal last night.
So, the band walks off, and we wait for the encore. The roadies rolled out a piano and Tommy came out, high fiving Mick and he started playing "Home Sweet Home" on it. Then Mick and eventually Nikki joined him, and Vince started singing, with everyone else singing as well. It was definitely a solid closer, especially with the new arrangement. I was pleasantly surprised, but they made it the perfect closer.
We walked out, I got the girl who was on the Titty Cam to take a picture with me, AND I got her number. How fucking beastly is THAT!? She was great, definitely. Then I said goodbye to the two guys who won the tickets on The Loop and told them it was nice to meet them, likewise for them. So, we let the venue, took the ride home, stopped at McDonald's on the way back for some food since we hadn't eaten all day.
All I gotta say is, wow. The front row experience is like no other. I was able to get good pics, interact with Vince and Tommy, get to see some personal heroes up close. It was truly a phenomenal performance, SO much better than 2006 was. I gave them a C+ on performance in '06, this year they get a solid A. Despite the "greatest hits" setlist, they really delivered, and made me leave a very happy guy with a shit-ton of memories to boot. Outstanding.
If Cruefest comes to town, GO! It's worth it, so much. Even the other bands will entertain you, you'd be surprised. This was a Top 5 show for me, and I've seen about 60 bands and counting. Once again, SO worth it.
Crueheads are best, FUCK THE REST!
-Zach
Setlist:
Kickstart My Heart
Wild Side
Shout at the Devil '97
Saints of Los Angeles
Mick Mars Solo / Live Wire
Sick Love Song
Tommy's "Titty Cam"
Motherfucker of the Year (filmed for video)
Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
Same Ol' Situation
Nikki Rap / Primal Scream
Looks That Kill
Girls, Girls, Girls
Dr. Feelgood
---Encore---
Home Sweet Home
So, you have the scene. Cortez and I get to the venue at 4:40, twenty minutes before the first band, Trapt came on. I had the time to purchase a T-shirt, then we got our pit wristbands and walked over to the pit itself. We hadn't eaten or had anything to drink yet, but out pit placement was so solid, we decided to just hang around there for the whole night so we didn't lose it.
Trapt came on. I know very little of their music, but fucked if I didn't enjoy it. I figured they put on a very solid performance and was pleasantly surprised. Sixx A.M. was next, Nikki Sixx's band, and one who's music I was more familiar with. They too, put on a very solid performance. I couldn't believe how good of a guitarist DJ Ashba was. He was tearin' it up up there, and also putting up a show and talking to the crowd. James Michael is also a very energetic vocalist on stage. Very solid performance.
Next would be Papa Roach, where beforehand I met two pretty cool fans who won their tickets from 97.9 The Loop. Very cool guys, one wearing a Cubs hat and we talked about the All Star Game. Then Papa Roach came on. Singer looked like a real douchebag but you gotta love the guy's energy. They didn't really do it for me, I just didn't care for the music. Gotta give the band some props, though, they started a mosh pit very close to us, which helped us move MUCH closer to the front than we were. Wasn't much of a pit, really. Anyway, their performance left much to be desired.
"Come on, ya fat bastard, move us to the front!" said a guy who joined the two fans I was talking to. It just so happened it was the seventh grade gym teacher of these guys. How fuckin' cool is that? I simply could not imagine Mr. Huey at a Crue show :D Anyway, before Buckcherry came on, we spent the 45 minutes or so just talkin' music, Crue, etc. I guess this gym teacher wanted to test my taste in music by seeing my other favorite bands. When I told him Rush, Genesis, VH, he asked "Are you gay!? Because this isn't normal for someone your age!" He got a kick out of two 16 year olds nearly front row at a Crue show, and it was nice to get that respect.
Next up was Buckcherry, who puts on a really good live show. Josh Todd didn't associate himself with the crowd much. Seemed like a "Get on, perform, get off" type deal. You can't deny the fact that they brought it live, though. Regardless, it wasn't my most favorite performance of the night. I felt Trapt and Sixx A.M. put on more solid performances. There was also a big ass fight. Some hippie dude tried to but his way up to the front, and some guy nudged him to move and punches started to throw. It was entertaining. Dude was grabbin' at my shorts trying to take me down with him. But, he got taken away. And the nudger was a hero :D
So, Buckcherry walks off, and we have time before the Crue. They did a Rock Band competition on stage and the drummer really blew. It was pretty bad. Anyway, we found loopholes to get closer to the stage, and by the time the Crue game out, we were second row. Got to speak to some more fans, it was really entertaining. Crueheads are best, fuck the rest!
Anyway, after the infamous "Hell's Bells" soundtrack, Crue comes on around 9:20 with that eerie-as-hell intro of their's, followed by rippin' into "Kickstart My Heart." You can already tell the band was ready for tonight's show, as they came out ready and willing to please every single person there. Everyone moving around a lot on stage, and I'll tell you right now, the front-row experience is so different. The pyro was deafening and felt like walking into an oven, the lights were blinding at times, but you know what, I'm not complaining. That's part of the experience. Speaking of lights, for an '80s metal band, these guys had an outrageously cool light show. Nice way to start the show.
Next they'd medley into "Wild Side," and the fireworks intro was similar to their ROAE one from 2006. But from where we were, the smell and sound of it, Christ, it was like the Fourth of July twelve days late! Very solid, driving performance. After that was "Shout at the Devil '97," which to me has always been better than the original. The pyro was awesome here as well, not as intense as ROAE, but definitely pretty cool. Vince would then do his intro, and break into their newest single, "Saints of Los Angeles." I agree with Zach when he says they should lose the pre-recorded bass track in the intro, but definitely solid. Vince's vocals are so much better time time around than when I saw them in '06.
They kicked it old school for the next one. Mick did a very quick guitar solo and ripped into "Live Wire," one of the biggest highlights of the night, I'd say. Very energetic performance on all ends, and Vince gave me a look and smiled when he saw me sing the "Wild, young, runnin' free. A little bit better than it used to be" part. He seemed kinda surprised. Definitely one of the best of the night, bar none. But what can I say? It's fuckin' LIVE WIRE!!
Next was "Sick Love Song," which sounded SO good this time around. Last time I saw it sounded sloppy, this time was slowed down and sounded incredible. Plus, this time it was nice being surrounded by people who know the lyrics, unlike last time when we had two people in our section. Next, Tommy comes out to say hello, takes a drink, all that.
So, it was definitely a shocker when Tommy went looking for the Titty Cam. I was almost sure we weren't gonna get it, but we did, and it was a blast. Chicago (or "Titcago," as he kept calling it) will never disappoint with the titty cam. There were a couple chicks around us who showed off their stuff too, and were quite impressive, I must say. Very fun, did not expect us to get it since Detroit didn't the previous night. And one of the dude's I mentioned earlier had the chick on his shoulders! Lucky fuckin' bastard!
We continue with the music, and they were doing Roll-B for the official video of "Motherfucker of the Year." I got in so many shots on the camera, I HOPE they use the Chicago footage, because then I'd be in the video! Anyway, the performance was sick. Such a powerful, heavy, driving song and they really delivered. Never heard it live until the show, and was impressed.
Jozie then came out as an angel and handed Vince his guitar. She's still got it, she was smokin' in the angel outfit. Nice arse, too :D Following that, would be "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)" which was definitely a highlight for a lot of fans there. Lots of headbanging, singing along, and one of the girls near us flashed the guys again! It was awesome. Then they proceeded to do "Same Ol' Situation." I've bashed it before but it's so much fun when you're so close to the stage. Very exciting performance.
It was time for Nikki to do a quick rap to the crowd, and mentioned how Detroit thought they were better than us. So everyone booed, and I got some laughs when I shouted "Fuck Detroit, and their Red Wings!" He really pissed off a lot of people, but then he said Detroit and Chicago were their two favorite places to play, which is always cool to hear. He did his "sit down and jump" routine. Well, it's hard to sit down in the pit, but he told us to "Pretend it's a Bon Jovi concert and sit down." Got a lot of laughs from the crowd on that one. We couldn't sit, but we jumped, and I think I got on film for THAT too!
Anyway, Tommy then broke into "Primal Scream," which I never dug live until last night. Wow, that was solid. Always been my favorite Crue song, but this was unreal. Another serious highlight of the night, with EVERY SINGLE PERSON around us shouting the lyrics. It was awesome! After that, Tommy did a cool intro on the drums, and Vince had us clap and sing "Looks That Kill" behind that beat. Sorta like the "Ten Seconds to Love" breakdown from 2005. Even if these guys hate each other, damned they weren't having fun. It seemed genuine from where I was. Anyway, then Mick broke into the intro for "Looks That Kill," and it's ALWAYS a fun song for the show, regardless. Definitely enjoyable.
Vince did the "hand in the air, make a fist" deal, which I don't recall him doing in '06 at my show. That was a cool intro, and when the motorcycles went off, the crowd went apeshit. They knew it was time for "Girls, Girls, Girls," and I was getting high-fives from everyone around me. It was just awesome. Sounded like it was de-tuned as well, so it sounded much cleaner, I felt. They then medleyed into "Dr. Feelgood," which I felt was a very sloppy transition. But everyone was in awe over how well Mick could shred, considering his condition. He was phenomenal last night.
So, the band walks off, and we wait for the encore. The roadies rolled out a piano and Tommy came out, high fiving Mick and he started playing "Home Sweet Home" on it. Then Mick and eventually Nikki joined him, and Vince started singing, with everyone else singing as well. It was definitely a solid closer, especially with the new arrangement. I was pleasantly surprised, but they made it the perfect closer.
We walked out, I got the girl who was on the Titty Cam to take a picture with me, AND I got her number. How fucking beastly is THAT!? She was great, definitely. Then I said goodbye to the two guys who won the tickets on The Loop and told them it was nice to meet them, likewise for them. So, we let the venue, took the ride home, stopped at McDonald's on the way back for some food since we hadn't eaten all day.
All I gotta say is, wow. The front row experience is like no other. I was able to get good pics, interact with Vince and Tommy, get to see some personal heroes up close. It was truly a phenomenal performance, SO much better than 2006 was. I gave them a C+ on performance in '06, this year they get a solid A. Despite the "greatest hits" setlist, they really delivered, and made me leave a very happy guy with a shit-ton of memories to boot. Outstanding.
If Cruefest comes to town, GO! It's worth it, so much. Even the other bands will entertain you, you'd be surprised. This was a Top 5 show for me, and I've seen about 60 bands and counting. Once again, SO worth it.
Crueheads are best, FUCK THE REST!
-Zach
Setlist:
Kickstart My Heart
Wild Side
Shout at the Devil '97
Saints of Los Angeles
Mick Mars Solo / Live Wire
Sick Love Song
Tommy's "Titty Cam"
Motherfucker of the Year (filmed for video)
Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
Same Ol' Situation
Nikki Rap / Primal Scream
Looks That Kill
Girls, Girls, Girls
Dr. Feelgood
---Encore---
Home Sweet Home
Friday, July 4, 2008
"Life in Baseball City, USA" - July 4, 2008
I'll come right out and say it. Chicago is the greatest baseball city in the world. Bar none. New York, Los Angeles, Boston, and St. Louis (argued as the best baseball cities) can't light a candle to the fan support Chicago gives their baseball teams. Instead of typically breaking into why Chicago is so fantastic for baseball, I think it'd be a nice idea to start off with why the aforementioned other cities do not have what Chicago has.
New York - Sports politics are awful. Hank Steinbrenner disgracefully allowing Joe Torre to leave the Yankees, and telling Joe Girardi how to manage his team by having Joba Chamberlain start (which I think is still a bad idea). The Mets firing Willie Randolph the way they did was shameful, and the soap opera that Jerry Manuel caused in the process is no better. The Mets appear to have bandwagoners anyway.
Los Angeles - There doesn't seem to be the same passion in their baseball teams, even though they have the Dodgers and Angels, who typically seem consistent in their winning. Don't know how they can ever be considered one of baseball's most passionate cities, really.
Boston - May very well be the most arrogant and obnoxious fans ever, and jumped the bandwagon in 2003 when the Sox were in the ALCS and almost made the Series. They never had so much support until the team suddenly started winning. But then again, the same can be said for all New England sports, no?
St. Louis - They come second in arrogant and obnoxious fans. They have a genius for a manager in Tony LaRussa, but he's the biggest prick among Major League Faculty, if you will. His World Series team was subpar in 2006 and while the team has always been talented, their fans and manager seem to give them a bad name among sports.
So what does Chicago have that these other "baseball cities" don't? They have the most supportive fans in the world, and come close to what the Green Bay Packers have in the NFL as perhaps the greatest fan following in sports history. I'm a bleed-Cubbie-blue Cubs fan since I was four years old and will be until the day I die. That can't be changed. But there's no denying that both the Cubs and White Sox have an extreme and passionate following that no other Major League and possibly sports team could have.
I'll often criticize the arrogance and cockiness of Sox fans and some players, but in the end it's no secret Cubs fans are no better or worse. It's not really arrogance or cockiness at all. It's passion, just shown in different ways. I try to be a realist and open-minded as a Cubs fan, and when the Sox impress me, I won't be afraid to admit it. I won't make excuses and say they're winning cheaply, either, unless I see it that way. If my Cubs are sucking, I won't be afraid to admit it. I won't make excuses, either. If my Cubs are dominating and the Sox are sucking, you better believe I'll rub it in their faces. That's the mentality of the rivalry, and it's why I love the rivalry so much.
At this point, no team is better than the other. The overall series is tied 33-33 between the two, the 2008 season series was split 3-3, and the split had an even distribution of runs at 32-32. Right now, no team is better than the other, no matter what the record is. Because when faced against each other, they're about as even as even can get. And if you can deny that, you're delusional and stupid.
Yeah, the Sox have had bandwagoners. Those will be the same people who will jump the Cubs ship if they ever win the World Series, too. Those aren't the real fans. I always say that if a person cannot name five players on the roster of the team they support, they aren't a real fan. They just say they are because that's what's cool. I know a passionate Sox fan when I see one, as I lived on the South Side for twelve years. So I can tell a fake when I see one, too. As a die-hard Cubs fan, it's easier to spot. I have a much greater respect for Sox fans who say "Cubs suck!" that watch the games, go to the games, and know the team they represent. To me, they have room to talk, just like I'd assume I do as well. That's different than the ones who make the same remarks only because they feel it's what they should do, which is just pathetic.
You look at each of the team's playoff appearances since the Cubs did it in 1989. Since 1989, the Cubs have appeared in the playoffs four times (1989, 1998, 2003, 2007) and the Sox three times (1993, 2000, 2005). So that's pretty even, too. And when this happens, you see a lot of the fan support start to increase, and fans who know their baseball and typically lurked in the shadows all season start to come out, as well as the aforementioned bandwagoners who deem it necessary to cheer on the winning side of Chicago. Even though the latter is pathetic and I don't like it, it's support nonetheless. The Cubs of 1989 and 2003 and the Sox of 1993 and 2005 being the greatest examples. Never in my life had I seen so much support over sports teams in my life. Ever. And that's pretty admirable.
You'll never walk the streets of New York, Boston, L.A., or St. Louis seeing people wearing hats and jerseys of their favorite team and players like Chicago baseball fans (well, you may, just not as many). The fan support goes outside the ballpark and the home, and is taken around in casual situations. You'll often find out that Ryne Sandberg was my favorite baseball player of all-time, just like you'll see Mark DeRosa is my favorite current Cub. Just like you may see a friend of mine sporting a Joe Crede jersey someday down the line showing their support for their player, or just wearing a shirt to show off their pride. It's outstanding when you think of it.
The rivalry between both teams and their fans is so ridiculously intense. I personally hate the Crosstown Classic. Brings out the worst in both side, Sox fans and Cubs fans truly at wit's end. I think it's pointless, since by now after eleven years it's proven neither team is better than the other when faced against each other. I'd rather just see an exhibition game every season, a Mayor's Cup kinda thing, instead of the Crosstown Classic. Emotions not running insanely during a whole series, rather running high during one game that doesn't mean jack against the season. This season has proven it's a disadvantage against both teams to play in the other park, so why keep doing it? I guess it stems from my dislike towards interleague play, but whatever. That's Major League Baseball's problem, not mine.
I'll always speak negatively about the Chicago White Sox and their fans, but you know what? That's sports. I'm very passionate about my Cubs and it's just instinct to dislike a team we're rivals with so strongly. But if the White Sox get to the postseason--and deserve to be there--you may see me saying "Good for them, I hope they do well." Will I want them to win? Nah, but I'd at least wish them the best, which I will admit is more than what can be said for some Cubs fans I know. And I know some die-hard South Siders who've become my best friends who would do the same for the Cubs. Those are the fans I really like, because it's basically how I am.
Anyone willing to claim that Chicago isn't the greatest baseball city in the world is fucking delusional. Period. The atmosphere at the games of each team, the open fan support you see in the street, in the high school halls, in the bars, in the ballpark is outstanding. Take it from a guy who's been to both team's games enough in just a short amount of time. I've NEVER seen such a powerful fan following for any team, in any sport in my life (Except for, as I said, the Packers in the NFL. And I AM a Bears fan). It's so admirable that the fans in this city are so passionate. Jay Mariotti said it best when he said "Forget New York, forget Boston. Baseball's new home is Chicago." You know what, I think this has ALWAYS been baseball's home. There's nothing like walking into a Cubs or Sox game, ordering a big-ass slice of Connie's pizza (or two), getting a scorecard, keeping score, and watching two of sports' most storied franchises duke it out against whoever they're facing. The feeling is simply indescribable.
This may explain my deep passion for the sport. I grew up on the South Side, a fifteen minute train-ride to what was then Comiskey Park. I was surrounded by friends and their families who went to Sox games seemingly every single day (I have a best friend who goes on every opportunity). I had a grandfather who took the Cubs more passionately than anything else in his life. I started going to Sox games with friends and Cubs games with my grandpa, and soon I got caught up in the hype of Chicago baseball, and was soon seasoned as a general baseball fan. As a Cubs fan on the South Side, I took a lot of heat, but it helped me understand the difference between an honest, die-hard fan rivalry and a false one, the latter which I've seen more of ever since I left Chicago. I grew up in the right place at the right time in my life, and the passion I have for this game and the teams in Chicago will probably never die. Same goes for the people who grew up amidst that same background, I'd assume.
Chicago is the greatest city in the world, period. The fact that it has such passionate and respectable fans towards their baseball teams is, as I said before, truly admirable. I say what I do about Sox fans, and most die-hards know my feelings, but in the end, I have a strong level of respect for realistic fans who know when their team sucks, know when their team deserves to be praised, know the roster, and go to the games. It's just more hidden. Just like I respect Cubs fans by the same token as Sox fans. Essentially, if you can be a realistic and logical fan of your team, you got my respect. Simple as that.
*Raises glass* Here's to you, baseball fans of Chicago. You deserve the praise!
-Zach
New York - Sports politics are awful. Hank Steinbrenner disgracefully allowing Joe Torre to leave the Yankees, and telling Joe Girardi how to manage his team by having Joba Chamberlain start (which I think is still a bad idea). The Mets firing Willie Randolph the way they did was shameful, and the soap opera that Jerry Manuel caused in the process is no better. The Mets appear to have bandwagoners anyway.
Los Angeles - There doesn't seem to be the same passion in their baseball teams, even though they have the Dodgers and Angels, who typically seem consistent in their winning. Don't know how they can ever be considered one of baseball's most passionate cities, really.
Boston - May very well be the most arrogant and obnoxious fans ever, and jumped the bandwagon in 2003 when the Sox were in the ALCS and almost made the Series. They never had so much support until the team suddenly started winning. But then again, the same can be said for all New England sports, no?
St. Louis - They come second in arrogant and obnoxious fans. They have a genius for a manager in Tony LaRussa, but he's the biggest prick among Major League Faculty, if you will. His World Series team was subpar in 2006 and while the team has always been talented, their fans and manager seem to give them a bad name among sports.
So what does Chicago have that these other "baseball cities" don't? They have the most supportive fans in the world, and come close to what the Green Bay Packers have in the NFL as perhaps the greatest fan following in sports history. I'm a bleed-Cubbie-blue Cubs fan since I was four years old and will be until the day I die. That can't be changed. But there's no denying that both the Cubs and White Sox have an extreme and passionate following that no other Major League and possibly sports team could have.
I'll often criticize the arrogance and cockiness of Sox fans and some players, but in the end it's no secret Cubs fans are no better or worse. It's not really arrogance or cockiness at all. It's passion, just shown in different ways. I try to be a realist and open-minded as a Cubs fan, and when the Sox impress me, I won't be afraid to admit it. I won't make excuses and say they're winning cheaply, either, unless I see it that way. If my Cubs are sucking, I won't be afraid to admit it. I won't make excuses, either. If my Cubs are dominating and the Sox are sucking, you better believe I'll rub it in their faces. That's the mentality of the rivalry, and it's why I love the rivalry so much.
At this point, no team is better than the other. The overall series is tied 33-33 between the two, the 2008 season series was split 3-3, and the split had an even distribution of runs at 32-32. Right now, no team is better than the other, no matter what the record is. Because when faced against each other, they're about as even as even can get. And if you can deny that, you're delusional and stupid.
Yeah, the Sox have had bandwagoners. Those will be the same people who will jump the Cubs ship if they ever win the World Series, too. Those aren't the real fans. I always say that if a person cannot name five players on the roster of the team they support, they aren't a real fan. They just say they are because that's what's cool. I know a passionate Sox fan when I see one, as I lived on the South Side for twelve years. So I can tell a fake when I see one, too. As a die-hard Cubs fan, it's easier to spot. I have a much greater respect for Sox fans who say "Cubs suck!" that watch the games, go to the games, and know the team they represent. To me, they have room to talk, just like I'd assume I do as well. That's different than the ones who make the same remarks only because they feel it's what they should do, which is just pathetic.
You look at each of the team's playoff appearances since the Cubs did it in 1989. Since 1989, the Cubs have appeared in the playoffs four times (1989, 1998, 2003, 2007) and the Sox three times (1993, 2000, 2005). So that's pretty even, too. And when this happens, you see a lot of the fan support start to increase, and fans who know their baseball and typically lurked in the shadows all season start to come out, as well as the aforementioned bandwagoners who deem it necessary to cheer on the winning side of Chicago. Even though the latter is pathetic and I don't like it, it's support nonetheless. The Cubs of 1989 and 2003 and the Sox of 1993 and 2005 being the greatest examples. Never in my life had I seen so much support over sports teams in my life. Ever. And that's pretty admirable.
You'll never walk the streets of New York, Boston, L.A., or St. Louis seeing people wearing hats and jerseys of their favorite team and players like Chicago baseball fans (well, you may, just not as many). The fan support goes outside the ballpark and the home, and is taken around in casual situations. You'll often find out that Ryne Sandberg was my favorite baseball player of all-time, just like you'll see Mark DeRosa is my favorite current Cub. Just like you may see a friend of mine sporting a Joe Crede jersey someday down the line showing their support for their player, or just wearing a shirt to show off their pride. It's outstanding when you think of it.
The rivalry between both teams and their fans is so ridiculously intense. I personally hate the Crosstown Classic. Brings out the worst in both side, Sox fans and Cubs fans truly at wit's end. I think it's pointless, since by now after eleven years it's proven neither team is better than the other when faced against each other. I'd rather just see an exhibition game every season, a Mayor's Cup kinda thing, instead of the Crosstown Classic. Emotions not running insanely during a whole series, rather running high during one game that doesn't mean jack against the season. This season has proven it's a disadvantage against both teams to play in the other park, so why keep doing it? I guess it stems from my dislike towards interleague play, but whatever. That's Major League Baseball's problem, not mine.
I'll always speak negatively about the Chicago White Sox and their fans, but you know what? That's sports. I'm very passionate about my Cubs and it's just instinct to dislike a team we're rivals with so strongly. But if the White Sox get to the postseason--and deserve to be there--you may see me saying "Good for them, I hope they do well." Will I want them to win? Nah, but I'd at least wish them the best, which I will admit is more than what can be said for some Cubs fans I know. And I know some die-hard South Siders who've become my best friends who would do the same for the Cubs. Those are the fans I really like, because it's basically how I am.
Anyone willing to claim that Chicago isn't the greatest baseball city in the world is fucking delusional. Period. The atmosphere at the games of each team, the open fan support you see in the street, in the high school halls, in the bars, in the ballpark is outstanding. Take it from a guy who's been to both team's games enough in just a short amount of time. I've NEVER seen such a powerful fan following for any team, in any sport in my life (Except for, as I said, the Packers in the NFL. And I AM a Bears fan). It's so admirable that the fans in this city are so passionate. Jay Mariotti said it best when he said "Forget New York, forget Boston. Baseball's new home is Chicago." You know what, I think this has ALWAYS been baseball's home. There's nothing like walking into a Cubs or Sox game, ordering a big-ass slice of Connie's pizza (or two), getting a scorecard, keeping score, and watching two of sports' most storied franchises duke it out against whoever they're facing. The feeling is simply indescribable.
This may explain my deep passion for the sport. I grew up on the South Side, a fifteen minute train-ride to what was then Comiskey Park. I was surrounded by friends and their families who went to Sox games seemingly every single day (I have a best friend who goes on every opportunity). I had a grandfather who took the Cubs more passionately than anything else in his life. I started going to Sox games with friends and Cubs games with my grandpa, and soon I got caught up in the hype of Chicago baseball, and was soon seasoned as a general baseball fan. As a Cubs fan on the South Side, I took a lot of heat, but it helped me understand the difference between an honest, die-hard fan rivalry and a false one, the latter which I've seen more of ever since I left Chicago. I grew up in the right place at the right time in my life, and the passion I have for this game and the teams in Chicago will probably never die. Same goes for the people who grew up amidst that same background, I'd assume.
Chicago is the greatest city in the world, period. The fact that it has such passionate and respectable fans towards their baseball teams is, as I said before, truly admirable. I say what I do about Sox fans, and most die-hards know my feelings, but in the end, I have a strong level of respect for realistic fans who know when their team sucks, know when their team deserves to be praised, know the roster, and go to the games. It's just more hidden. Just like I respect Cubs fans by the same token as Sox fans. Essentially, if you can be a realistic and logical fan of your team, you got my respect. Simple as that.
*Raises glass* Here's to you, baseball fans of Chicago. You deserve the praise!
-Zach
Sunday, June 29, 2008
A Tribute to My Best Friend - June 29, 2008
No, this is not a tribute to Dale or Sean. Sorry fellas, maybe some other time. This is a tribute to the greatest person I've ever known in my life, who three years ago last Sunday left this world leaving what could very well be the biggest impact anyone's ever left on me. This person was my grandfather.
He was just a fun guy, everything he did. The kind of guy everyone knew, even if he didn't know them. I remember one day when I was really little, he and I went to a Wal-Mart to pick up some lawn care supplies, and he ran into this woman who he had a discussion with for a half hour. When I asked him who that was, his simple answer to me was "I wish I knew!" It was something he and I always would laugh about, even just casually bring up from left field.
He used to have a job for a couple years at TCF Bank on Archer, after he retired from trucking, and I always remember casual Wednesdays when he would wear these Hawaiian shirts. He used to try and do some kinda hula dance with it, and it always made my young six year old self laugh about it. After he retired, he and his friend Roger, who used to help mow my lawn in Chicago would just chill at the bank, and almost every day in the summer of 2003 and 2004 we'd go down there and talk sports. It was nice because I learned a LOT about the past history of football and baseball, things that to this day I remember, and really have a good use for knowing.
He was the biggest Cubs fan I'd ever known. He'd randomly spit out facts about this team hardly anyone would know, and the thing is, he wasn't making them up. He's what got me into baseball, insisting he watch the Cubs game before I got to watch Aladdin one day when I was five. That day got me hooked on the sport forever, and until the day he went he and I were talking baseball. Sometimes we'd go out for lunch, stay in the place for hours after we ate because we always talked so passionately about it, and sometimes pissed off casual eaters with our volume. I remember the last day I saw him on this earth, he was watching the Braves / Reds game on TBS, I think it was Father's Day 2005. He and I watched it together, since the Cubs were on in the evening and we couldn't watch that. The outcome wasn't the desired one, but nevertheless, it's a game I will never forget.
I spazz out when the Cubs screw something up, yes. I have a short fuse with this team. But I got that from him. He endured seventy-five years of losing, and his anger towards a loss, a bad trade, a poor performance by a player clearly rubbed off on me. I scream, I get pissed when things go wrong. But I do it because I got it from him, the passion, the love of the game. I remember in '98 when Brant Brown dropped the routine fly ball in left to prevent our Wild Card berth. I was doing basic first grade homework at the time next to him, and we both stood up and just flipped out. It was a BAD scene. We'd end up ranting about how awful the bullpen was (all the time), how big of a mistake Nomar Garciaparra was, how much Alex Gonzalez ruined our chances in the 2003 postseason (screw Bartman, it was Gonzo's fault).
Sox fans, don't give me too much flack for being a Cubs fan. Because of this, I take it on a very personal level.
He taught me everything I needed to know about the game, both historically and playing it as well. He taught me how to hit, catch, all that stuff. Every day we'd go into the backyard and play catch, sometimes go to Vitumn Park and hit. And for a guy in his seventies, he could HIT, and he had an arm on him, and he didn't go easy on me because I was ten years old. Let's face it, the guy was a monster.
Summer 2004 was a tremendous memory. My parents would work, so he'd come and pick up my sister and I (who at the time only lived three miles away), he'd drop off my sister with my grandma, and he and I would go to Dunkin' Donuts and the bank just to hang out and talk sports. After that, we'd go home, read the paper (all I'd read is the sports section), go get lunch, come back, and typically watch a Cubs game the rest of the afternoon, ranting and raving, depending on what was happening, of course.
Man did this guy have a sense of humor. He'd always tell strange jokes, always watch comedy shows, even questioned everyone's comedic ability on "Whose Line is it Anyway?" which was my favorite show at the time. He thought it was scripted. Certainly was a straight-shooter and told it like it was. And that's just a small example. He'd do politics, sports, television, anything. And it got humorous after awhile. He was definitely as old school as it got, but somehow managed to conform to modern society well enough to allow me to enjoy myself when I was with him. I remember one day he was having a fight with my grandma and left for awhile. He came home and when I asked where he was, he said he was "just getting a haircut." Funniest thing is, he DID get a haircut. Even though he was pissed and left the house for a few hours.
Funny thing is, according to my grandmother, he wasn't always like this. He drank, he got into arguments, stuff of that nature. He changed when I was born, which says a whole lot about what I've done for him. Shit, he smoked, but because of my asthma condition, he always had the courtesy to step outside, until he went cold turkey in 2000. Unlike some "grandparents" of mine who GAVE me my asthma condition. He did a lot for me, sometimes I regret that I could never fully return the favor for him, because I end up feeling as if I somehow took advantage of his kindness. That sense of remorse usually comes after the death of a loved one, right? He knows I'd have made up for all of that if I had the chance. If he just had a few more years on this earth, I'd have probably done things for him to return the favor. Sadly, I never had that chance.
I've been having dreams about him lately. He just randomly shows up in them, and the most bizarre thing is I KNOW he's passed on, even in the dream, but he's there, and I often wonder what he was doing there. In one dream, it was Christmas and the family was together, and I marveled at the fact that he was in my prescence but had no clue WHY he was there. It was a nice dream, because there were conversations just like old times. But it was just strange. Last night I had a dream I was watching the Cubs game in his kitchen with him, feeling the same sense of confusion as I did before. We were watching the Rangers (for whatever reason) beat the Cubs 14-1 in the third inning, and Ted Lilly get rocked (due to recent events in Cubs games, should I really be surprised?). He and I were screaming at how bad it was. Just like old times. Then I woke up, wondering why I'm having these dreams.
It's simple. I miss the guy. When my dad wasn't there for me in the past, who was? My grandfather. Since his passing three years ago, my uncle took over his role. No, you can NEVER fill that guy's shoes, no matter who it is. But he's doing better than anyone could doing so. We go places, we do fun stuff, we just get out and enjoy ourselves, something I can't do around here. Shit, he and I are going up to Milwaukee later in July to see the Brewers. That's just a tiny example of what he's done for me these past three years, and I couldn't be more thankful that he's done that.
But my grandfather was the ultimate, and he's really missed. But, it's the cycle of life, these things happen. I get mellow around this time of the year because I remember what happened three years ago. If he just had a few more years on this earth, we'd be able to talk about the Cubs in first, the latest Cubs losses, the Presidential race (I'm more into politics than I was in 2004), how corrupt Chicago and Illinois government is, stuff like that. And I'd be able to return the favor of the things he'd done for me. Regardless, he knows I would have, and that's all that matters. A few of my friends who knew him will tell you how outstanding of a guy he was, and know I'm not just talkin' bullshit here.
I'll see him again someday, definitely. I just hope it's later rather than sooner. I want to get the most out of my life while I have it and make the same impact on any children I have that he had on me. He always supported my decision to want to be a sports journalist and always wanted me to take advantage of it, which is why I intend on living that dream. For him. And he'll get a special nod from me someday in an article in the future.
Grandpa's probably having a Budweiser with Harry Caray right now, watching me as I type this. If that's the case, here's to ya! I miss you, and we'll meet again someday, whether it be in my dreams or in the big house in the sky. I just know it'll be a moment I'll always remember.
RIP Dan Biskoski (June 14, 1930 - June 22, 2005). We love you and miss you down here!
-Zach
He was just a fun guy, everything he did. The kind of guy everyone knew, even if he didn't know them. I remember one day when I was really little, he and I went to a Wal-Mart to pick up some lawn care supplies, and he ran into this woman who he had a discussion with for a half hour. When I asked him who that was, his simple answer to me was "I wish I knew!" It was something he and I always would laugh about, even just casually bring up from left field.
He used to have a job for a couple years at TCF Bank on Archer, after he retired from trucking, and I always remember casual Wednesdays when he would wear these Hawaiian shirts. He used to try and do some kinda hula dance with it, and it always made my young six year old self laugh about it. After he retired, he and his friend Roger, who used to help mow my lawn in Chicago would just chill at the bank, and almost every day in the summer of 2003 and 2004 we'd go down there and talk sports. It was nice because I learned a LOT about the past history of football and baseball, things that to this day I remember, and really have a good use for knowing.
He was the biggest Cubs fan I'd ever known. He'd randomly spit out facts about this team hardly anyone would know, and the thing is, he wasn't making them up. He's what got me into baseball, insisting he watch the Cubs game before I got to watch Aladdin one day when I was five. That day got me hooked on the sport forever, and until the day he went he and I were talking baseball. Sometimes we'd go out for lunch, stay in the place for hours after we ate because we always talked so passionately about it, and sometimes pissed off casual eaters with our volume. I remember the last day I saw him on this earth, he was watching the Braves / Reds game on TBS, I think it was Father's Day 2005. He and I watched it together, since the Cubs were on in the evening and we couldn't watch that. The outcome wasn't the desired one, but nevertheless, it's a game I will never forget.
I spazz out when the Cubs screw something up, yes. I have a short fuse with this team. But I got that from him. He endured seventy-five years of losing, and his anger towards a loss, a bad trade, a poor performance by a player clearly rubbed off on me. I scream, I get pissed when things go wrong. But I do it because I got it from him, the passion, the love of the game. I remember in '98 when Brant Brown dropped the routine fly ball in left to prevent our Wild Card berth. I was doing basic first grade homework at the time next to him, and we both stood up and just flipped out. It was a BAD scene. We'd end up ranting about how awful the bullpen was (all the time), how big of a mistake Nomar Garciaparra was, how much Alex Gonzalez ruined our chances in the 2003 postseason (screw Bartman, it was Gonzo's fault).
Sox fans, don't give me too much flack for being a Cubs fan. Because of this, I take it on a very personal level.
He taught me everything I needed to know about the game, both historically and playing it as well. He taught me how to hit, catch, all that stuff. Every day we'd go into the backyard and play catch, sometimes go to Vitumn Park and hit. And for a guy in his seventies, he could HIT, and he had an arm on him, and he didn't go easy on me because I was ten years old. Let's face it, the guy was a monster.
Summer 2004 was a tremendous memory. My parents would work, so he'd come and pick up my sister and I (who at the time only lived three miles away), he'd drop off my sister with my grandma, and he and I would go to Dunkin' Donuts and the bank just to hang out and talk sports. After that, we'd go home, read the paper (all I'd read is the sports section), go get lunch, come back, and typically watch a Cubs game the rest of the afternoon, ranting and raving, depending on what was happening, of course.
Man did this guy have a sense of humor. He'd always tell strange jokes, always watch comedy shows, even questioned everyone's comedic ability on "Whose Line is it Anyway?" which was my favorite show at the time. He thought it was scripted. Certainly was a straight-shooter and told it like it was. And that's just a small example. He'd do politics, sports, television, anything. And it got humorous after awhile. He was definitely as old school as it got, but somehow managed to conform to modern society well enough to allow me to enjoy myself when I was with him. I remember one day he was having a fight with my grandma and left for awhile. He came home and when I asked where he was, he said he was "just getting a haircut." Funniest thing is, he DID get a haircut. Even though he was pissed and left the house for a few hours.
Funny thing is, according to my grandmother, he wasn't always like this. He drank, he got into arguments, stuff of that nature. He changed when I was born, which says a whole lot about what I've done for him. Shit, he smoked, but because of my asthma condition, he always had the courtesy to step outside, until he went cold turkey in 2000. Unlike some "grandparents" of mine who GAVE me my asthma condition. He did a lot for me, sometimes I regret that I could never fully return the favor for him, because I end up feeling as if I somehow took advantage of his kindness. That sense of remorse usually comes after the death of a loved one, right? He knows I'd have made up for all of that if I had the chance. If he just had a few more years on this earth, I'd have probably done things for him to return the favor. Sadly, I never had that chance.
I've been having dreams about him lately. He just randomly shows up in them, and the most bizarre thing is I KNOW he's passed on, even in the dream, but he's there, and I often wonder what he was doing there. In one dream, it was Christmas and the family was together, and I marveled at the fact that he was in my prescence but had no clue WHY he was there. It was a nice dream, because there were conversations just like old times. But it was just strange. Last night I had a dream I was watching the Cubs game in his kitchen with him, feeling the same sense of confusion as I did before. We were watching the Rangers (for whatever reason) beat the Cubs 14-1 in the third inning, and Ted Lilly get rocked (due to recent events in Cubs games, should I really be surprised?). He and I were screaming at how bad it was. Just like old times. Then I woke up, wondering why I'm having these dreams.
It's simple. I miss the guy. When my dad wasn't there for me in the past, who was? My grandfather. Since his passing three years ago, my uncle took over his role. No, you can NEVER fill that guy's shoes, no matter who it is. But he's doing better than anyone could doing so. We go places, we do fun stuff, we just get out and enjoy ourselves, something I can't do around here. Shit, he and I are going up to Milwaukee later in July to see the Brewers. That's just a tiny example of what he's done for me these past three years, and I couldn't be more thankful that he's done that.
But my grandfather was the ultimate, and he's really missed. But, it's the cycle of life, these things happen. I get mellow around this time of the year because I remember what happened three years ago. If he just had a few more years on this earth, we'd be able to talk about the Cubs in first, the latest Cubs losses, the Presidential race (I'm more into politics than I was in 2004), how corrupt Chicago and Illinois government is, stuff like that. And I'd be able to return the favor of the things he'd done for me. Regardless, he knows I would have, and that's all that matters. A few of my friends who knew him will tell you how outstanding of a guy he was, and know I'm not just talkin' bullshit here.
I'll see him again someday, definitely. I just hope it's later rather than sooner. I want to get the most out of my life while I have it and make the same impact on any children I have that he had on me. He always supported my decision to want to be a sports journalist and always wanted me to take advantage of it, which is why I intend on living that dream. For him. And he'll get a special nod from me someday in an article in the future.
Grandpa's probably having a Budweiser with Harry Caray right now, watching me as I type this. If that's the case, here's to ya! I miss you, and we'll meet again someday, whether it be in my dreams or in the big house in the sky. I just know it'll be a moment I'll always remember.
RIP Dan Biskoski (June 14, 1930 - June 22, 2005). We love you and miss you down here!
-Zach
Saturday, June 21, 2008
"Fireworks and Lightning in Bizarro World" - June 21, 2008
Fireworks and lightning, to me, are very thought-provoking. Mystical, majestic explosions of light in the evening sky. How does that not make you think about things? It should make one think about life, love, good times, the future, among other lesser important things. People are afraid of lightning, I find it to be stunning, like art unfolding right in front of your very eyes. Which may explain why I have such an appreciation for each. I'm always very "zoned in," if you will, during a display of each.
It's been a month and a few days since I last gave a full update on life, and wow, it's been a roller coaster since then. For a change, mostly positive things. I mean, how can one complain? School's finished, summer's here, my Cubs are STILL winning, I've accomplished a lot. Things have just been solid lately. Might as well start from the beginning, which as I reflect, seems like SO long ago!
On May 24th, my father and I took a trip to Peoria to see the Chiefs (Cubs A affiliate). Nice little metropolitan town, no doubt. The hotel we stayed in was shit, though, very poor decision. The game was fun, nice stadium, can't complain. Except security (typical Cubs security) who, as always, wouldn't seem to follow their own rules with getting a Ryne Sandberg autograph, thus causing disappointment in many fans there, including myself. Ah well, shit happens, right?
Regardless of that, the game was cool, nice weather, no complaints. Nice win by the team and a cool fireworks display at the end. Next day we came home, and I guess the breakfast at the hotel gave me food poisoning. Sweet, right? I was sick all night (Marcella would know, since I was on the phone with her). It was just miserable. Tried to sleep, didn't get much of it. Luckily, next day was Memorial Day and I had off of school, so I had a day to recover. But it was just an awful night.
So we did the last couple days of school (see my blog reflecting Sophomore year for highlights), and it was such a relief on the 28th to just get the hell out of there and relax for a change. On that weekend, I went to Laura's 16th birthday party, which was a lot of fun and a very nice getaway for an evening. Then my sister's graduation dinner was the next day, and I actually got a nice surprise from my uncle that day. He gave me baseball tickets to the Cubs game on June 10th, Brewers games on July 25th and 26th, and to the Chiefs / Cougars game at Wrigley on July 29th. Definitely excited for all of those.
The next week was more of a relaxing period for me. Spent a lot of time sleeping, playing video games, stuff that calmed me down. And stuff that I needed, no less. I was basically free to rest until that Saturday (June 7th), and I took advantage of that time, 100%.
On that Saturday, the weather was nuts. Rainy, tornado warnings all over Fox (missed Seinfeld, thanks a lot, Mark Strehl). Though surprisingly, Lockport didn't seem to be a huge target for that. Regardless, it was strange, but this was the day I'd leave for Dale's and spend a week in Chicago! So after some Burger King and some Simpsons on DVD, I waited outside for about a half hour and was finally picked up. Dale, his family, and I listened to the Sox destroy Minnesota on the radio and pulled up into his house. A stay I had planned for five months had finally arrived!
That night, we didn't do much. He was exhausted, as was I, it was hot as Hell in his house. Not much inspiration to do much. We basically unpacked, watched Family Guy, and went to sleep. The next day, I woke up early because Dale was sleeping like a sick horse, moving around and making noises and all that crazy bullshit. I was up at 6:30, he wouldn't get up until 9. So I went on his computer awhile. We filmed breakfast (which we'd been dying to do for a long time, don't ask why), made some thrusting videos, went to Arby's and came back. Speaking of Bizarro World, funny thing happened on the way back. We were walking down Archer, and the first old friend of mine I run into to is, ironically, Lauren Cross, who just so happens to go to Lockport, for those who don't know. Of all the people I end up seeing, it's someone who doesn't even live there anymore, casually walking into Obbie's. Funny, and strange. Bizarre.
Later that evening we would see Marcella (who was so nice to see after such a long time), had Obbie's for dinner (another ironic, bizarre coincidence), sat outside and listened to Rush's A Show of Hands album amidst the lightning of the evening, went inside and Dale tells me he had to go to bed early because of band at 6:30 in the morning. So that left the house all to myself, and considering it isn't even mine, I was clutching at straws to find something to do. I found myself playing Nintendo 64 and watching a Rush DVD before I finally called it a night.
The next day, June 9th, was the day of the Rush concert with Ray! It was FINALLY here, after nine months of waiting. That day was interesting, I was able to sleep until 10:30 because the sick horse had to wake up early and wasn't home to keep me up (haha). I ate pancakes for breakfast, played Super Mario 64 for about an hour until he got home. From there, we walked to Burger King in the rain (or approaching rain, whatever), which was a shit-ton of fun. After that, we returned to his house, the rain picked up, but we did some yardwork and mowed the lawn in the rain. Fun stuff, actually. From there, all we had to do was sit and wait for Ray to come get us and we were on our way to the Rush show!
There's a blog on the show itself, I'm not gonna rehash everything. I will say, however, that it was the best show I'd ever seen in my life. Bar none. Want to know more? Read the other damn blog :)
The trip home was fun, crankin' Different Stages out, windows open, singing all the songs as loud as we could on the outskirts of a dangerous Chicago neighborhood. Fun stuff! Regardless, we returned home at 11:45, I had a cool shirt and a program, said goodbye to Ray, went back in the house, Band Boy had to go to sleep at 1, so I spent about an hour and a half on the phone with Emma that night while I was alone, which was nice. I went to sleep about 3 in the morning, ending possibly the best day of the whole damn week, perhaps the whole year so far.
Next morning I woke up at 10:30 again, went on the computer, typed my Rush blog, packed. Dale came home, and sadly we just had a little time for goodbyes because I left at 2, was going to the Cubs game later that evening with Sean and my uncle. So my stay at Dale's ended at 2:00 on June 10th, and it was awesome! After a quick stop at my uncle's house, us three were on our way to Wrigley Field.
The game was outstanding, Cubs won over the Braves 10-5. Ted Lilly pitched well (only mistake was a three-run homer in the first off former White Sox Third Baseman Greg Norton, which was so laughable). The Cubs offense touched up Tom Glavine early, and he left due to a shoulder injury. Bob Howry almost blew a 6-3 Cubs lead in the 8th by allowing two runs to bring Atlanta within one. The booing on him was outstanding! But nothing to worry about, as the next inning Geovany Soto hit a three-run shot into left field to put us ahead 10-5, and it was up to the bullpen to hold it down. What a game that was, the atmosphere there is absolutely unreal. I took a South Side Sox fan to the game and even HE was getting caught up in it. So much fun. I even bought one of those badass "Horry Kow!" shirts with Fukudome's name on the back. That'll be worth something in a few years!
Anyway, we returned back home around midnight, I showered and slept like a baby that night. My uncle woke me up at 8:30 the next morning, which is the norm from him, and we did breakfast followed by some yardwork (which gave me some nice pay in the end). Then we went out, did some stuff, and would return home for dinner, which would be Obbie's (again), then we'd watch the Cubs game and relax the rest of the evening. I went to sleep, woke up the next morning after one of the strangest dreams I'd ever had along with a splitting headache. I got over that, watched the Cubs throwback game with my grandma, just kinda relaxed the rest of the evening. When my uncle got home we watched Game 4 of the NBA Finals, which my Lakers pathetically lost. I went to bed, and the next morning was another transitional day.
After packing, I got Genesis' new "When In Rome" DVD finally, which I had a chance to watch Sunday and is absolutely brilliant. I made a few phone calls, and some Law & Order, Sean picked me up, as I would spend the weekend there. I dropped stuff off at his casa, we chilled, and got tickets to the Sox game against the Rockies that evening. The Sox ended up pulling out a victory, though the atmosphere was totally different. The same excitement just wasn't there, it was very different. And the booing of Scott Podsednik as a pinch runner was disgraceful, I thought. It's not like he WANTED to leave. Ah well, can't change people. Regardless, they won, Jenks closed it out, and there was a cool fireworks show at the end of the game. Very nice evening. When we returned back to his place, we played some Mario Kart 64 and basically went straight into bed, though spoke about life and such for about three hours before actually getting sleep.
The next day was relaxing, basically just watching baseball and playing Nintendo all day, just like old times. Though we did get up early to help a family friend of their's take off the tarp on their pool, and played some beastly basketball on one of those kiddie hoops. That was awesome. When we got back to his house we did some swimming in his pool, very refreshing. Then we played the N64, some Goldeneye, NBA Courtside (he owned me, Brent Barry, at the time of the Heat had 42 points at half time, haha), I owned him in some All Star Baseball 2000 (Cubs were winning over the Sox 14-6 after 3 innings, Gary Gaetti had three homers :D), and then we dominated as Argentina in FIFA World Cup Soccer '98. Just like old times. We'd have a beastly dinner, go upstairs and play MLB 2K8 on his PS3, and then we went to sleep.
Next day (June 15th) would be my last. We woke up at 9:30, I started to pack whilst playing FIFA again (one of the most addicting sports games ever), we went downstairs, I had a donut, I showered, and before you knew it, my uncle had picked me up. After a quick handshake with Sean, we said goodbye and I moved on to my uncle's for a couple hours, watching the Cubs beat the Blue Jays in Toronto, very nice game. Around 2 we left for my house, and when we got there, it marked and end to what very well could be considered one of the best weeks of my life. Bar none.
So, how have things been since? Topsy-turvey if you will (if that's how it's even spelled!). I've been forced to wake up at six in the morning for behind the wheel, and I feel like I'm wasting my time because it's so damn easy! What a joke. Too lazy to handle it during the year so they ruin two weeks of mine and other's summers with this bullshit. So my sleep schedule has been screwy because of that. I've also been sick, still recovering. Should've gone to a bonfire tonight but still wanted to have the house to myself and have time to totally get better. Smart choice, I think.
So that's that, however there are other broader subjects that need to be handled, one that always interests people is seemingly my love life. Well, I'm confused as shit, to be honest. Has not bee going well lately and I've just been in the dark. I know what I like and they (most) know who they are. I'm just not getting anywhere with any of them, and it gets frustrating at times. But, what can ya do? Outside my love life, I've also been working on getting a personal domain for blogs, and other things I do with my life. Definitely looking forward to that. I also got back to messing around with my baseball cards again, organizing them and such, then doing inventory. I only have half my cards in books, and that totals about 4,000 of them. Some of the cards are worth hundreds of dollars, so I probably have about $7,000 worth of baseball cards, if my estimate is correct. And like I said, that's not even HALF of what I have. I still have a shit-ton of old ones that need to be archived, probably more valuable than what I've got now. It's fun stuff! Plus, half the ones I have archived are probably Cubs and Sox cards, anyways :D
So what's next for Zach? I have no idea. I have zero plans. I'd KILL to go to one of the next four Cubs / Sox games coming up, but I need a miracle on that one. I've been writing and may end up recording with a friend of mine soon, if he wants too, of course. I have hardly any plans lined up, so if you want to book Zach for a day, just give him a jingle. OH! I got tickets to Cruefest on the 16th of July! Seventh row from the stage, center, how beastly is that! It's gonna be a fucking blast! Then there's the trip with my uncle to Milwaukee in late July. But before July 16th I have absolutely no plans. Ah well, gotta roll with whatever happens.
Anyway, wow, I like this blog. Turned out pretty well, depicts my life since May 18th pretty solidly, I'd say. Whew, was a pain in the ass to type though, took me some time. Regardless, I'm happy with it. I don't know what kind of filler blogs I have coming up, but those just come to me. So we'll see what happens, but for now, I'll say goodbye. Next life update comes sometime in July, so be ready!
-Zach
It's been a month and a few days since I last gave a full update on life, and wow, it's been a roller coaster since then. For a change, mostly positive things. I mean, how can one complain? School's finished, summer's here, my Cubs are STILL winning, I've accomplished a lot. Things have just been solid lately. Might as well start from the beginning, which as I reflect, seems like SO long ago!
On May 24th, my father and I took a trip to Peoria to see the Chiefs (Cubs A affiliate). Nice little metropolitan town, no doubt. The hotel we stayed in was shit, though, very poor decision. The game was fun, nice stadium, can't complain. Except security (typical Cubs security) who, as always, wouldn't seem to follow their own rules with getting a Ryne Sandberg autograph, thus causing disappointment in many fans there, including myself. Ah well, shit happens, right?
Regardless of that, the game was cool, nice weather, no complaints. Nice win by the team and a cool fireworks display at the end. Next day we came home, and I guess the breakfast at the hotel gave me food poisoning. Sweet, right? I was sick all night (Marcella would know, since I was on the phone with her). It was just miserable. Tried to sleep, didn't get much of it. Luckily, next day was Memorial Day and I had off of school, so I had a day to recover. But it was just an awful night.
So we did the last couple days of school (see my blog reflecting Sophomore year for highlights), and it was such a relief on the 28th to just get the hell out of there and relax for a change. On that weekend, I went to Laura's 16th birthday party, which was a lot of fun and a very nice getaway for an evening. Then my sister's graduation dinner was the next day, and I actually got a nice surprise from my uncle that day. He gave me baseball tickets to the Cubs game on June 10th, Brewers games on July 25th and 26th, and to the Chiefs / Cougars game at Wrigley on July 29th. Definitely excited for all of those.
The next week was more of a relaxing period for me. Spent a lot of time sleeping, playing video games, stuff that calmed me down. And stuff that I needed, no less. I was basically free to rest until that Saturday (June 7th), and I took advantage of that time, 100%.
On that Saturday, the weather was nuts. Rainy, tornado warnings all over Fox (missed Seinfeld, thanks a lot, Mark Strehl). Though surprisingly, Lockport didn't seem to be a huge target for that. Regardless, it was strange, but this was the day I'd leave for Dale's and spend a week in Chicago! So after some Burger King and some Simpsons on DVD, I waited outside for about a half hour and was finally picked up. Dale, his family, and I listened to the Sox destroy Minnesota on the radio and pulled up into his house. A stay I had planned for five months had finally arrived!
That night, we didn't do much. He was exhausted, as was I, it was hot as Hell in his house. Not much inspiration to do much. We basically unpacked, watched Family Guy, and went to sleep. The next day, I woke up early because Dale was sleeping like a sick horse, moving around and making noises and all that crazy bullshit. I was up at 6:30, he wouldn't get up until 9. So I went on his computer awhile. We filmed breakfast (which we'd been dying to do for a long time, don't ask why), made some thrusting videos, went to Arby's and came back. Speaking of Bizarro World, funny thing happened on the way back. We were walking down Archer, and the first old friend of mine I run into to is, ironically, Lauren Cross, who just so happens to go to Lockport, for those who don't know. Of all the people I end up seeing, it's someone who doesn't even live there anymore, casually walking into Obbie's. Funny, and strange. Bizarre.
Later that evening we would see Marcella (who was so nice to see after such a long time), had Obbie's for dinner (another ironic, bizarre coincidence), sat outside and listened to Rush's A Show of Hands album amidst the lightning of the evening, went inside and Dale tells me he had to go to bed early because of band at 6:30 in the morning. So that left the house all to myself, and considering it isn't even mine, I was clutching at straws to find something to do. I found myself playing Nintendo 64 and watching a Rush DVD before I finally called it a night.
The next day, June 9th, was the day of the Rush concert with Ray! It was FINALLY here, after nine months of waiting. That day was interesting, I was able to sleep until 10:30 because the sick horse had to wake up early and wasn't home to keep me up (haha). I ate pancakes for breakfast, played Super Mario 64 for about an hour until he got home. From there, we walked to Burger King in the rain (or approaching rain, whatever), which was a shit-ton of fun. After that, we returned to his house, the rain picked up, but we did some yardwork and mowed the lawn in the rain. Fun stuff, actually. From there, all we had to do was sit and wait for Ray to come get us and we were on our way to the Rush show!
There's a blog on the show itself, I'm not gonna rehash everything. I will say, however, that it was the best show I'd ever seen in my life. Bar none. Want to know more? Read the other damn blog :)
The trip home was fun, crankin' Different Stages out, windows open, singing all the songs as loud as we could on the outskirts of a dangerous Chicago neighborhood. Fun stuff! Regardless, we returned home at 11:45, I had a cool shirt and a program, said goodbye to Ray, went back in the house, Band Boy had to go to sleep at 1, so I spent about an hour and a half on the phone with Emma that night while I was alone, which was nice. I went to sleep about 3 in the morning, ending possibly the best day of the whole damn week, perhaps the whole year so far.
Next morning I woke up at 10:30 again, went on the computer, typed my Rush blog, packed. Dale came home, and sadly we just had a little time for goodbyes because I left at 2, was going to the Cubs game later that evening with Sean and my uncle. So my stay at Dale's ended at 2:00 on June 10th, and it was awesome! After a quick stop at my uncle's house, us three were on our way to Wrigley Field.
The game was outstanding, Cubs won over the Braves 10-5. Ted Lilly pitched well (only mistake was a three-run homer in the first off former White Sox Third Baseman Greg Norton, which was so laughable). The Cubs offense touched up Tom Glavine early, and he left due to a shoulder injury. Bob Howry almost blew a 6-3 Cubs lead in the 8th by allowing two runs to bring Atlanta within one. The booing on him was outstanding! But nothing to worry about, as the next inning Geovany Soto hit a three-run shot into left field to put us ahead 10-5, and it was up to the bullpen to hold it down. What a game that was, the atmosphere there is absolutely unreal. I took a South Side Sox fan to the game and even HE was getting caught up in it. So much fun. I even bought one of those badass "Horry Kow!" shirts with Fukudome's name on the back. That'll be worth something in a few years!
Anyway, we returned back home around midnight, I showered and slept like a baby that night. My uncle woke me up at 8:30 the next morning, which is the norm from him, and we did breakfast followed by some yardwork (which gave me some nice pay in the end). Then we went out, did some stuff, and would return home for dinner, which would be Obbie's (again), then we'd watch the Cubs game and relax the rest of the evening. I went to sleep, woke up the next morning after one of the strangest dreams I'd ever had along with a splitting headache. I got over that, watched the Cubs throwback game with my grandma, just kinda relaxed the rest of the evening. When my uncle got home we watched Game 4 of the NBA Finals, which my Lakers pathetically lost. I went to bed, and the next morning was another transitional day.
After packing, I got Genesis' new "When In Rome" DVD finally, which I had a chance to watch Sunday and is absolutely brilliant. I made a few phone calls, and some Law & Order, Sean picked me up, as I would spend the weekend there. I dropped stuff off at his casa, we chilled, and got tickets to the Sox game against the Rockies that evening. The Sox ended up pulling out a victory, though the atmosphere was totally different. The same excitement just wasn't there, it was very different. And the booing of Scott Podsednik as a pinch runner was disgraceful, I thought. It's not like he WANTED to leave. Ah well, can't change people. Regardless, they won, Jenks closed it out, and there was a cool fireworks show at the end of the game. Very nice evening. When we returned back to his place, we played some Mario Kart 64 and basically went straight into bed, though spoke about life and such for about three hours before actually getting sleep.
The next day was relaxing, basically just watching baseball and playing Nintendo all day, just like old times. Though we did get up early to help a family friend of their's take off the tarp on their pool, and played some beastly basketball on one of those kiddie hoops. That was awesome. When we got back to his house we did some swimming in his pool, very refreshing. Then we played the N64, some Goldeneye, NBA Courtside (he owned me, Brent Barry, at the time of the Heat had 42 points at half time, haha), I owned him in some All Star Baseball 2000 (Cubs were winning over the Sox 14-6 after 3 innings, Gary Gaetti had three homers :D), and then we dominated as Argentina in FIFA World Cup Soccer '98. Just like old times. We'd have a beastly dinner, go upstairs and play MLB 2K8 on his PS3, and then we went to sleep.
Next day (June 15th) would be my last. We woke up at 9:30, I started to pack whilst playing FIFA again (one of the most addicting sports games ever), we went downstairs, I had a donut, I showered, and before you knew it, my uncle had picked me up. After a quick handshake with Sean, we said goodbye and I moved on to my uncle's for a couple hours, watching the Cubs beat the Blue Jays in Toronto, very nice game. Around 2 we left for my house, and when we got there, it marked and end to what very well could be considered one of the best weeks of my life. Bar none.
So, how have things been since? Topsy-turvey if you will (if that's how it's even spelled!). I've been forced to wake up at six in the morning for behind the wheel, and I feel like I'm wasting my time because it's so damn easy! What a joke. Too lazy to handle it during the year so they ruin two weeks of mine and other's summers with this bullshit. So my sleep schedule has been screwy because of that. I've also been sick, still recovering. Should've gone to a bonfire tonight but still wanted to have the house to myself and have time to totally get better. Smart choice, I think.
So that's that, however there are other broader subjects that need to be handled, one that always interests people is seemingly my love life. Well, I'm confused as shit, to be honest. Has not bee going well lately and I've just been in the dark. I know what I like and they (most) know who they are. I'm just not getting anywhere with any of them, and it gets frustrating at times. But, what can ya do? Outside my love life, I've also been working on getting a personal domain for blogs, and other things I do with my life. Definitely looking forward to that. I also got back to messing around with my baseball cards again, organizing them and such, then doing inventory. I only have half my cards in books, and that totals about 4,000 of them. Some of the cards are worth hundreds of dollars, so I probably have about $7,000 worth of baseball cards, if my estimate is correct. And like I said, that's not even HALF of what I have. I still have a shit-ton of old ones that need to be archived, probably more valuable than what I've got now. It's fun stuff! Plus, half the ones I have archived are probably Cubs and Sox cards, anyways :D
So what's next for Zach? I have no idea. I have zero plans. I'd KILL to go to one of the next four Cubs / Sox games coming up, but I need a miracle on that one. I've been writing and may end up recording with a friend of mine soon, if he wants too, of course. I have hardly any plans lined up, so if you want to book Zach for a day, just give him a jingle. OH! I got tickets to Cruefest on the 16th of July! Seventh row from the stage, center, how beastly is that! It's gonna be a fucking blast! Then there's the trip with my uncle to Milwaukee in late July. But before July 16th I have absolutely no plans. Ah well, gotta roll with whatever happens.
Anyway, wow, I like this blog. Turned out pretty well, depicts my life since May 18th pretty solidly, I'd say. Whew, was a pain in the ass to type though, took me some time. Regardless, I'm happy with it. I don't know what kind of filler blogs I have coming up, but those just come to me. So we'll see what happens, but for now, I'll say goodbye. Next life update comes sometime in July, so be ready!
-Zach
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
An Evening With Rush: Take Two! Review of June 9, 2008
Last night was the Rush show, and let me first say, there's a world of a difference between the last time I saw them (September 2007) to now. For the Tinley show last year, Dale and I had just started our Sophomore year and were already about three weeks in, it was sunny, late summer, gorgeous weather, seeing Rush for the first time at an outdoor venue. This time, Dale and I had just gotten out of school, it was cloudy and rainy, late spring, seeing Rush for the second time at an indoor venue. So, two very different scenarios should call for two very different evenings, eh?
Anywho, Dale and I brought our pal Ray along, huge Rush fan who was also kind enough to provide a ride. We stopped at a place called Moretti's near the venue for dinner, and at about 6:50 we arrived at the United Center. We scoped out our seats and after we found them, hustled to the swag lines so I could buy a shirt and a program. It was about 7:25 when all was said and done, and I ran to the bathroom to change my shirt and got back to the seats at exactly 7:30, when the band was supposed to come on.
The lights eventually went down at 7:45, with the adrenaline of a concert rushing through our veins like no one could ever believe. The intro video was the same, and it helped me realize how much I dislike "greatest hits fans." The whole video, the guys behind us kept saying "Start the damn show!" and "What are they a fuckin' comedy act now?" Annoyed the hell out of me. In the vid, Alex Lifeson says he has a dream about snakes, he calls for "honey" so he can talk to them about it, and Neil Peart wakes up next to him, thus instigating a scream of horrifying surprise. Following that, Geddy Lee is sitting in a room and Harry Satchel (also played by Geddy) and basically tells him to get off his ass and get on stage.
And they did. First song of the evening was the classic "Limelight," which was an immediate crowd pleaser. The band seemed very energetic as did the fans, and the sound was simply great where we were. It's an awesome way to start off a Rush show, no doubt. Second song was, as everyone by now should know my personal favorite Rush tune, "Digital Man." This one smoked, only this time I think I had a much greater appreciation for it than last time. The guys seemed to have a lot of fun with this one, and who could blame 'em? The crowd was lovin' it, and Rush has seemed like a band who enjoys playing deep cuts. It was also a serious highlight for me. Third song was "Ghost of a Chance," which seemed to me like somewhat of a momentum killer. I was anticipating it live, sadly it didn't really deliver. "Entre Nous," which was replaced by GOAC for this leg of the tour, seemed to be the better fit for that spot in the set.
Geddy would take a moment to say hello and introduce the next song, which would be a very emotional performance of "Mission," and after this would be the classic "Freewill." That song was a definite crowd pleaser, especially in Alex's shredding guitar solo when you seemingly couldn't calm the crowd down, and who can blame him? The guy has to be mid-50s, and the fact that he could still shred so gracefully, to me, is remarkable. Following this, Ged would introduce the next two songs as "new" ones, and the annoying fans behind us were saying "Well, time for ME to go take a shit!" laughing their asses off, while Dale, Ray, and I were stoked to hear these songs again. First one was "The Main Monkey Business," which was SO much better the second time around for some reason. Following that would be "The Larger Bowl," which also seemed to click better live in the environment it was in.
After a small string of Snakes & Arrows tracks, Geddy said we'd move on to some classics, and he wasn't lying. The first one was "Red Barchetta," which I will say right now was probably the best song of the night. So much energy in the band and the crowd, it was just outstanding. Such a perfect atmosphere for that song, and Neil even caught the stick on the toss, which made the crowd more rabid. Definitely better for the set than "Secret Touch" was last year. The next tune would be another new addition to the set, "The Trees," which replaced "Circumstances" from last year. This was a real momentum killer, and if I were the band I'd have alternated "Barchetta" and "Trees" around. Cool to hear live, but it didn't click with me. Following this would be two of my favorite songs from last year and probably this year, too. "Between the Wheels" was the first, a song which I really was hoping would be dropped because lately I've had a hard time getting into it. It didn't disappoint though, it was probably one of the most solid performances of the night. Just awesome. After this would be "Dreamline," with the stunning laser show and enormous energy by the band and fans. Following the song, Geddy would announce that they are no longer "spring chickens" and need to take a break, thus beginning the intermission.
In this contest, I believe it's safe to say that Chicago was the clear winner of the first set.
We would then set out at intermission, where I would go use the bathroom (which had probably the quickest line I've ever been in waiting), and Dale and Ray would go to a concession stand to buy some beverages. When I returned to the seats, they both were already there, both saying that so far, this show was better than Tinley. And I agreed. So we looked at the program, and before you know it, the lights go down again. Seemed to be a much shorter intermission from last time.
The intro video to the second set was different. Instead of Alex's "Plane of Dharma" video, we got a new one called "What's That Smell?" It featured Harry Satchel again, driving a truck and picking up Alex's Barbie dolls (which he humorously has as his "fan club" on stage), and then finding a guy with some chicken (a play on the chicken roasters Ged uses as amps). In the end, Jerry Stiller makes an appearance, which was nice to see due to the R30 vid.
After this, the band would break into "Far Cry," which seemed to translate so much better live this time around (seemingly all the S&A songs did). It was a nice way to say "Alright, we're back in business!" especially with the shot of pyro before the second chorus. After this would be "Workin' Them Angels," which is such an uplifting tune in concert, given a great place in the setlist. It was an awesome way to start off the second half of the show.
The string of Snakes & Arrows tunes would continue, same as Tinley, with "Armor & Sword," which seemed to work out so much better this time around. The band seemed so into the song, and while the fans didn't take so kindly to it, the guys and I really enjoyed it. Smokin' performance of the song. Following that would be the dreaded "Spindrift," which I really was not looking forward to and as I reflect, I still think it should've been dropped. Better than Tinley, but still nothing really enjoyable. Next would be "The Way the Wind Blows," which was pretty good, nice way to end the string of S&A songs. Powerful performance.
We now approach the Big Three, if you will, from this tour. The band explosively breaks into "Subdivisions," a crowd favorite that definitely got a positive reaction this time around (and featured Dale and I humorously shouting "SUBDIVISIONS!" at each other when that part came up). Next would be "Natural Science," a song I can garner so much more respect for this time around, and they delivered. What an awesome performance, they really delivered the goods. Following that would be "Witch Hunt," with the outstanding laser display and a generally solid performance. After this would be "Malignant Narcissism," which really didn't click for me. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE MalNar, but being familiar with the set, you KNEW what was coming next, which spoils the fun, somewhat.
What's next you ask? Neil Peart's drum solo! And my God this guy does not disappoint. His solo was basically the same as Tinley, only the electronic part seemed to lack a little bit of energy. Regardless, what this guy is capable of doing is mind-blowing, and it was impressive. Of course the assholes behind us kept saying "I think he needs to turn back around" during the electric part, and saying "Eh, it was alright" at the end. I mean come on, this guy put on a godly display of musicianship, as usual. Following that was the most emotional version of "Hope" I'd ever seen, a beautiful acoustic piece by Mr. Alex Lifeson.
Now we move back to the songs, starting off the last third of the show with "The Spirit of Radio," clearly a crowd pleaser. Everyone was on their feet, clapping, singing, clearly enjoying this classic being performed in front of them. Next would be "2112: Overture / Temples of Syrinx," which replaced "Summertime Blues" from last year. The Overture was played with a ton of energy, the fans singing certain parts and shouting "hey!" towards the end everytime there was a break in the music. Then, after a pyro explosion, the lights dim to a mere spotlight on Geddy, and a haunting chorus of 18,000 fans sang "And the meek shall inherit the earth..." along with Ged. It was a staggeringly good performance by the guys, glad it was added. After that was the funny South Park intro with them playing "Tom Sawyer," which would lead up to...you guessed it, "Tom Sawyer." Very nice performance, something about this one dominated the last show's. Nice way to end the regular set.
Enocre time! The first song is "One Little Victory," a song I like but to me doesn't belong as the first encore song. Regardless, pretty good performance, better than Tinley's because to me it sounded a bit slowed down, which it needed because it sounded sloppy in Tinley. Next would be "A Passage to Bangkok," which was SO much better this time around. I couldn't get into it at Tinley like I did last night. After this would be the last song of the evening, the fan favorite instrumental, "YYZ." This ended the night in grand fashion, and after it was over, the band left and fans began filing out, although a video at the end captured Al's "Plane of Dharma" character saying goodbye instead of Harry Satchel like last year. It also featured a cameo by Jerry Stiller and a funny appearance by Neil.
Overall, the better show was Chicago, and I'm not saying that off the high of last night's show. Do I miss "Entre Nous" and "Circumstances?" Yes. But I like two of the new inclusions as well so it cancels out. The band seemed to have a lot more energy last night than they did at Tinley, and it's proof that Rush is an indoor band rather than outdoor. Worked very well last night. I went in saying it couldn't get better than Tinley. To my surprise, it was.
Sadly, until Rush tours again, I won't be seeing them for awhile. No more stops nearby. Oh well, I'm sure the next tour will be just as good, if not better (Ged's "hope to see you again sometime!" at the end provides some nice hope as a fan). But two shows on the Snakes & Arrows 2007/2008 World Tour with my best friend? I can't complain, that's very satisfying to me.
So we left the venue and basically walked back to the lot where our car was parked. People shouting "RUSH!" all over the place was definitely exciting, and the one guy who said "Bangkok! Pulling into Khatmandu, smoke rings fill the air!" was quite humorous. We left blasting Disc 2 of "Different Stages," jammin' to "Natural Science" in the lot, and cranking and singing "Test For Echo," "The Analog Kid," and "Freewill" as loud as possible on the way home, getting some interesting looks from pedestrians. At 11:45, Dale and I said goodbye to Ray, he drove off, and we went back in the house, ending our evening.
And a great evening it was, one which I documented very well on video and also on pictures, if you will. Great fuckin' show, guys. And to show the excitement of other fans, I think this quote speaks volumes:
"Witch Hunt. They played fuckin' Witch Hunt!"
Yes they sure did. And it was but one of the many highlights of the evening. Anyway, I'll have a full blog on my entire week here sometime next week, but for now, goodbye!
Rush N' Roll!
-Zach
Anywho, Dale and I brought our pal Ray along, huge Rush fan who was also kind enough to provide a ride. We stopped at a place called Moretti's near the venue for dinner, and at about 6:50 we arrived at the United Center. We scoped out our seats and after we found them, hustled to the swag lines so I could buy a shirt and a program. It was about 7:25 when all was said and done, and I ran to the bathroom to change my shirt and got back to the seats at exactly 7:30, when the band was supposed to come on.
The lights eventually went down at 7:45, with the adrenaline of a concert rushing through our veins like no one could ever believe. The intro video was the same, and it helped me realize how much I dislike "greatest hits fans." The whole video, the guys behind us kept saying "Start the damn show!" and "What are they a fuckin' comedy act now?" Annoyed the hell out of me. In the vid, Alex Lifeson says he has a dream about snakes, he calls for "honey" so he can talk to them about it, and Neil Peart wakes up next to him, thus instigating a scream of horrifying surprise. Following that, Geddy Lee is sitting in a room and Harry Satchel (also played by Geddy) and basically tells him to get off his ass and get on stage.
And they did. First song of the evening was the classic "Limelight," which was an immediate crowd pleaser. The band seemed very energetic as did the fans, and the sound was simply great where we were. It's an awesome way to start off a Rush show, no doubt. Second song was, as everyone by now should know my personal favorite Rush tune, "Digital Man." This one smoked, only this time I think I had a much greater appreciation for it than last time. The guys seemed to have a lot of fun with this one, and who could blame 'em? The crowd was lovin' it, and Rush has seemed like a band who enjoys playing deep cuts. It was also a serious highlight for me. Third song was "Ghost of a Chance," which seemed to me like somewhat of a momentum killer. I was anticipating it live, sadly it didn't really deliver. "Entre Nous," which was replaced by GOAC for this leg of the tour, seemed to be the better fit for that spot in the set.
Geddy would take a moment to say hello and introduce the next song, which would be a very emotional performance of "Mission," and after this would be the classic "Freewill." That song was a definite crowd pleaser, especially in Alex's shredding guitar solo when you seemingly couldn't calm the crowd down, and who can blame him? The guy has to be mid-50s, and the fact that he could still shred so gracefully, to me, is remarkable. Following this, Ged would introduce the next two songs as "new" ones, and the annoying fans behind us were saying "Well, time for ME to go take a shit!" laughing their asses off, while Dale, Ray, and I were stoked to hear these songs again. First one was "The Main Monkey Business," which was SO much better the second time around for some reason. Following that would be "The Larger Bowl," which also seemed to click better live in the environment it was in.
After a small string of Snakes & Arrows tracks, Geddy said we'd move on to some classics, and he wasn't lying. The first one was "Red Barchetta," which I will say right now was probably the best song of the night. So much energy in the band and the crowd, it was just outstanding. Such a perfect atmosphere for that song, and Neil even caught the stick on the toss, which made the crowd more rabid. Definitely better for the set than "Secret Touch" was last year. The next tune would be another new addition to the set, "The Trees," which replaced "Circumstances" from last year. This was a real momentum killer, and if I were the band I'd have alternated "Barchetta" and "Trees" around. Cool to hear live, but it didn't click with me. Following this would be two of my favorite songs from last year and probably this year, too. "Between the Wheels" was the first, a song which I really was hoping would be dropped because lately I've had a hard time getting into it. It didn't disappoint though, it was probably one of the most solid performances of the night. Just awesome. After this would be "Dreamline," with the stunning laser show and enormous energy by the band and fans. Following the song, Geddy would announce that they are no longer "spring chickens" and need to take a break, thus beginning the intermission.
In this contest, I believe it's safe to say that Chicago was the clear winner of the first set.
We would then set out at intermission, where I would go use the bathroom (which had probably the quickest line I've ever been in waiting), and Dale and Ray would go to a concession stand to buy some beverages. When I returned to the seats, they both were already there, both saying that so far, this show was better than Tinley. And I agreed. So we looked at the program, and before you know it, the lights go down again. Seemed to be a much shorter intermission from last time.
The intro video to the second set was different. Instead of Alex's "Plane of Dharma" video, we got a new one called "What's That Smell?" It featured Harry Satchel again, driving a truck and picking up Alex's Barbie dolls (which he humorously has as his "fan club" on stage), and then finding a guy with some chicken (a play on the chicken roasters Ged uses as amps). In the end, Jerry Stiller makes an appearance, which was nice to see due to the R30 vid.
After this, the band would break into "Far Cry," which seemed to translate so much better live this time around (seemingly all the S&A songs did). It was a nice way to say "Alright, we're back in business!" especially with the shot of pyro before the second chorus. After this would be "Workin' Them Angels," which is such an uplifting tune in concert, given a great place in the setlist. It was an awesome way to start off the second half of the show.
The string of Snakes & Arrows tunes would continue, same as Tinley, with "Armor & Sword," which seemed to work out so much better this time around. The band seemed so into the song, and while the fans didn't take so kindly to it, the guys and I really enjoyed it. Smokin' performance of the song. Following that would be the dreaded "Spindrift," which I really was not looking forward to and as I reflect, I still think it should've been dropped. Better than Tinley, but still nothing really enjoyable. Next would be "The Way the Wind Blows," which was pretty good, nice way to end the string of S&A songs. Powerful performance.
We now approach the Big Three, if you will, from this tour. The band explosively breaks into "Subdivisions," a crowd favorite that definitely got a positive reaction this time around (and featured Dale and I humorously shouting "SUBDIVISIONS!" at each other when that part came up). Next would be "Natural Science," a song I can garner so much more respect for this time around, and they delivered. What an awesome performance, they really delivered the goods. Following that would be "Witch Hunt," with the outstanding laser display and a generally solid performance. After this would be "Malignant Narcissism," which really didn't click for me. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE MalNar, but being familiar with the set, you KNEW what was coming next, which spoils the fun, somewhat.
What's next you ask? Neil Peart's drum solo! And my God this guy does not disappoint. His solo was basically the same as Tinley, only the electronic part seemed to lack a little bit of energy. Regardless, what this guy is capable of doing is mind-blowing, and it was impressive. Of course the assholes behind us kept saying "I think he needs to turn back around" during the electric part, and saying "Eh, it was alright" at the end. I mean come on, this guy put on a godly display of musicianship, as usual. Following that was the most emotional version of "Hope" I'd ever seen, a beautiful acoustic piece by Mr. Alex Lifeson.
Now we move back to the songs, starting off the last third of the show with "The Spirit of Radio," clearly a crowd pleaser. Everyone was on their feet, clapping, singing, clearly enjoying this classic being performed in front of them. Next would be "2112: Overture / Temples of Syrinx," which replaced "Summertime Blues" from last year. The Overture was played with a ton of energy, the fans singing certain parts and shouting "hey!" towards the end everytime there was a break in the music. Then, after a pyro explosion, the lights dim to a mere spotlight on Geddy, and a haunting chorus of 18,000 fans sang "And the meek shall inherit the earth..." along with Ged. It was a staggeringly good performance by the guys, glad it was added. After that was the funny South Park intro with them playing "Tom Sawyer," which would lead up to...you guessed it, "Tom Sawyer." Very nice performance, something about this one dominated the last show's. Nice way to end the regular set.
Enocre time! The first song is "One Little Victory," a song I like but to me doesn't belong as the first encore song. Regardless, pretty good performance, better than Tinley's because to me it sounded a bit slowed down, which it needed because it sounded sloppy in Tinley. Next would be "A Passage to Bangkok," which was SO much better this time around. I couldn't get into it at Tinley like I did last night. After this would be the last song of the evening, the fan favorite instrumental, "YYZ." This ended the night in grand fashion, and after it was over, the band left and fans began filing out, although a video at the end captured Al's "Plane of Dharma" character saying goodbye instead of Harry Satchel like last year. It also featured a cameo by Jerry Stiller and a funny appearance by Neil.
Overall, the better show was Chicago, and I'm not saying that off the high of last night's show. Do I miss "Entre Nous" and "Circumstances?" Yes. But I like two of the new inclusions as well so it cancels out. The band seemed to have a lot more energy last night than they did at Tinley, and it's proof that Rush is an indoor band rather than outdoor. Worked very well last night. I went in saying it couldn't get better than Tinley. To my surprise, it was.
Sadly, until Rush tours again, I won't be seeing them for awhile. No more stops nearby. Oh well, I'm sure the next tour will be just as good, if not better (Ged's "hope to see you again sometime!" at the end provides some nice hope as a fan). But two shows on the Snakes & Arrows 2007/2008 World Tour with my best friend? I can't complain, that's very satisfying to me.
So we left the venue and basically walked back to the lot where our car was parked. People shouting "RUSH!" all over the place was definitely exciting, and the one guy who said "Bangkok! Pulling into Khatmandu, smoke rings fill the air!" was quite humorous. We left blasting Disc 2 of "Different Stages," jammin' to "Natural Science" in the lot, and cranking and singing "Test For Echo," "The Analog Kid," and "Freewill" as loud as possible on the way home, getting some interesting looks from pedestrians. At 11:45, Dale and I said goodbye to Ray, he drove off, and we went back in the house, ending our evening.
And a great evening it was, one which I documented very well on video and also on pictures, if you will. Great fuckin' show, guys. And to show the excitement of other fans, I think this quote speaks volumes:
"Witch Hunt. They played fuckin' Witch Hunt!"
Yes they sure did. And it was but one of the many highlights of the evening. Anyway, I'll have a full blog on my entire week here sometime next week, but for now, goodbye!
Rush N' Roll!
-Zach
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
"You Can Make Me Smile In the End" - May 28, 2008
So this is it, huh? I know I stated you wouldn't hear from me for about a month since my last post, so just consider this some filler. It's not as if I'm going to indulge into my personal life over the past two and a half weeks.
I would however like to commemorate the last day of Sophomore year, which ended all but three hours ago from right now. It's a blog dedicated to the 2007 / 2008 school year, one which, as I reflect, I'd truly enjoyed. I stabalized myself in a lot of areas, such as friends, grades, etc., something I basically needed to do after last year. I couldn't be happier being surrounded by the people I see and call close friends, nor could I be happier about my place academically, because it's really where I should be right now.
I consider this year somewhat like a President's legacy. You know it was pretty good, you just have to wait awhile before it officially makes it's mark on history. That's how I feel. I did a lot of bitching, and quite frankly it still makes sense, a lot of it. That doesn't diminish the fact what this year has done to me from a more personal side of things.
And yes, there are some things I seemingly couldn't accomplish that I would have liked to. My biggest is finding a stable relationship, and considering some points I'd hit in my personal life before, would've been nice to have earlier. Am I so focused on it now? Not so much. However, it would've still been nice. I also couldn't seem to get myself to do Porter Press this year, which I should really do next year, considering I am an aspiring journalist.
So after the sores, the complaints, and above all the stress, I have three months to sit on my ass an relax. Sure, I'll go out and do things too. Lots of people I need to see and do things with. But it's just nice to have the downtime to do whatever I feel like doing, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. This weekend, I have two parties to attend: One for one of my best friends, the other a family thing for my sister. Nice kick-off weekend, if you will. What comes after that will all be told in my next blog.
Cue Alice Cooper, school's out for summer! I know it's cliche, but it's felt good the past ten years, and it STILL feels good now!
I would however like to commemorate the last day of Sophomore year, which ended all but three hours ago from right now. It's a blog dedicated to the 2007 / 2008 school year, one which, as I reflect, I'd truly enjoyed. I stabalized myself in a lot of areas, such as friends, grades, etc., something I basically needed to do after last year. I couldn't be happier being surrounded by the people I see and call close friends, nor could I be happier about my place academically, because it's really where I should be right now.
I consider this year somewhat like a President's legacy. You know it was pretty good, you just have to wait awhile before it officially makes it's mark on history. That's how I feel. I did a lot of bitching, and quite frankly it still makes sense, a lot of it. That doesn't diminish the fact what this year has done to me from a more personal side of things.
And yes, there are some things I seemingly couldn't accomplish that I would have liked to. My biggest is finding a stable relationship, and considering some points I'd hit in my personal life before, would've been nice to have earlier. Am I so focused on it now? Not so much. However, it would've still been nice. I also couldn't seem to get myself to do Porter Press this year, which I should really do next year, considering I am an aspiring journalist.
So after the sores, the complaints, and above all the stress, I have three months to sit on my ass an relax. Sure, I'll go out and do things too. Lots of people I need to see and do things with. But it's just nice to have the downtime to do whatever I feel like doing, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. This weekend, I have two parties to attend: One for one of my best friends, the other a family thing for my sister. Nice kick-off weekend, if you will. What comes after that will all be told in my next blog.
Cue Alice Cooper, school's out for summer! I know it's cliche, but it's felt good the past ten years, and it STILL feels good now!
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