30.01.2004 Madison, WI, Alliant Energy Center

[hahninator]

FRIDAY 1.30.2004 (Madison)

 

Let's see where to start! I left my house at 11 am to go into town to get my check and run some erons. I called Anneli to see where she was and what she was doing. Her car was broke down and i ended up picking her up. We went to Amanda's house (the 3rd ticket holder) at 12ish. The idea was to be at Staceys by 1pm so we could meet up with the others in Plainfield at 2pm. Well Amanda ended up being sick and said she couldn't go. Eventhough she was sick the night before, she waited until the last minute to tell us she isn't going. We are already running a little behind schedule so i'm going crazy trying to find a 3rd ticket holder. Anneli had to fun to Copps to get her check and while there this lady decided she would park her car inches from my driver side door leaving me no room to get in. I was good at first, but my mood changed when the bitches at the service desk threw a fit from me wanting to call the owner of the car and have them move it. After wasting over 1/2 hour there i finally had to have Anneli crawl into the drivers side from the passenger side and drive the car out so we could go. I was pissed! We ended up inviting Anneli's BF to go, meaning he called into work to go with us. After running to shopko we were on our way, but remembered we had to go all the way across town to pick him up. We got to stacey's at 1:15. We left and thats when all the fun started! We stopped at McDonalds in Westfield to get something to eat. The girl put the tray down and i thought it was one of my people's food, so i grabbed a fry and started laughing when some guy came to pick it up. I told him i stole a fry and he just laughed!

 

We got to Madison around 3:30pm. Instead of driving around to wste time we decided to just take a potty break and go to the parking lot early. We pulled in at 4pm. There were people standing in line waiting already. Some had been there since 11am! We went and got in line at 4, knowing the doors wouldn't open until 5:30. I was freezing my azz off and being sick already wasn't helping. I met a girl named Sarah who was also from the LPU and came by herself. I adopted her and found my new buddy to hang around with. We got the info that the meet and greet was around the building by the box office. We left Anneli, Charlie & Stacey at the door and took off to her car to warm up (She had heated seats). We exchanged E-Mail addressed and info. we talked for awhile. I told her its not by mistake i ran into her, this was meant to happen. Like we were meant to find each other orsomething. At about 5:15-5:30 we started walking to the back of the AE Center. WE reached the back and found some other fans hanging out. We stopped to chat and went to the booth to get the info we needed for the meet and greet. We were told to stand in that area cause Markwill be there to pick us up and take us where we need to go. While in line the guy came out and took the fans to the Hoobastank meet and greet. We sat in that area for what seemed like days! I was counting down and trying to control the thoughts in my head. I could hear the instruments and sound check in the next room..It psyched me up! The guy was supposed to come get us at 6:45 and take us for the meet and greet at 7:15. I was worried cause they kept saying no purses or bags, but people were taking them in. Plus i had my camera hidden in no mans land so i was trying to figure out how to take it out! At like 7 we ended up sneaking behind the security and hadto go down the stairs with the rest of the group waiting. There were like 100 of us on the list from lpu but, although i don't think everyone wasthere cause it didn't look like that many. We stopped by the Merch booth and i bought some more stuff (like i need more)...I bought a hat, a beenie hat, a program and some sticker/patch thing. I only spent $50. So thats not bad. I could hear Hoobastank playing. The crowd was going crazy and you could feel the bass. I was going crazy cause on one hand i wanted to get into the meet and greet and on the other hand i wanted to see Hooba too. YEAH I KNOW I'M CRAZY... The meet and greet was supposed to start at 7, but there were rumors going around that the band wasn't there yet. I don't know but i was going crazy and i had to PEEEEE!! The bathrooms were right there but i knew the second i leave the group they are going to go in...FINALLY at 8 they started lining us up single file. You have to understand...there wasn't much room already and they were having us back up until we were in single file line. I was getting pissed cause the Security guys were being asses! Finally they started letting people in little by little. The line moved pretty fast and it didn't hit me until i was in line, past the curtain looking right at them! They look so different off stage and out of the posters! I got closer to the table and the security guard took my postcard and set it on the table by Phoenix. I was taking pix like crazy. Joe gave Phi Bunny ears and i asked him to do it again cause i wanted a pic. He seemed in a badd mood and all he said was "NO". He's like "YOU NEVER DO THE SAME THING AGAIN". I'm like ok, took a pic and moved on. Next was Rob. He Didn't say much but when i said "SHOW ME THAT FAMOUS SMILE".. He flashed it and i took the pic. Next was that hottie Chaz! I got in front of him and i'm like "YOU GUYS LOOK SO DIFFERENT IN PERSON"... He said "THATS BECAUSE OF THE MAKE-UP WE PUT ON BEFORE WE GO TO BED, AND WHEN WE WAKE UP WE LOOK THIS GOOD". I bursted out laughing along with him..I'm like "OH IS THAT YOUR SECRET... I'M GONNA HAVE TO TRY THAT"...LMAO! Next was Brad. He Was very, very quiet. I asked for a pic and he did a half smile, half stare into the camera. He signed and passed The postcard to My hottie MIKE! I was standing there and i couldn't think of anything to say. I drew a blank. He gave me the card back and smiled. I asked for a pic and flashed a smile back. My heart was in my throat. That boy just does something to me! YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!...The meet and greet went so fast. It was like bing bang boom your done. But i can't complain, cause it was pretty damngood for being my first one!! I came out past the curtain and stood there waiting for Sarah. She took them T-shirts she made from the FPATPF DVD. We then took a long venture out to the other side of the venue to catch up with the group. We reached the door after stopping to the bathroom and to get some water. I knew what area they were in but i coulnd't see them cause of the lights and lazers from POD's performace. After trying to push this drunk guy off me i say Stacey's ponytail and we took off down there. We were 2nd row from the stage (almost the same area from 2002). POD played about 5 more songs including "Youth Of The Nation" which they pulled some fans from the crowd and took them to the stage to sing with them. When they were done, there was intermission so they could set up the stage for LP!

 

While we were sititng there everyone was like there is the drummer from Hoobastank. He jumped up in the isle and was standing right by us. We jumped up and got his autograph and a picture with him. He was pretty cool. More laid back than anything. We were sitting there and all of a sudden the guys walked to the big curtain. You could see Mike & Chaz' Shadow behind the curtain. We all stood up and got ready for another AWESOME SHOW! The curtain dropped and they went into "WITH YOU". The stage setup was unbelievable and there were so many lights and stage props. There was an awesome banner hanging above. There was so much energy and excitement in the room. The mosh pit was going and you could see body surfing. They made their was through out the stage pointing to the crowd and pumping them up. I can still feel the excitement! They went into "RUNAWAY". That was awesome. It's like every song you think the mosh pit was bigger than before. We were jumping and screaming liek crazy. Something happens to you when you go to a concert. You go with the flow and become a whole new person. Next was "PAPERCUT". They changed the banner above and it seemed every song the lights became more and more awesome! Mike was doing his famous hand gestures to work the crowd. He was pointing and getting us more pumped with every hit of the drum. The sounded the pipes and i knew what song was next. It was my hyper song "POINTS OF AUTHORITY. Whew...did i go nuts! The guys were full of sweat and still looking good! (just thought i'd throw that in there). The music went off and Mike was like "DO YOU GUYS WANNA HEAR SOMETHING FROM METEORA?" The crowd went nuts. They went into "DON'T STAY". He kept taking the mic away from his mouth and into the crowd. There is nothing more awesome then hearing the whole crowd sing together with the music. I was taking pix throught out the whole concert, I had no flash cause you couldn't take flash into the meet and greet. But the stage was lighted enough to where they should be fine. They brought out Mike's guitar and they crowd went wild cause they knew what song was next..."SOMEWHERE I BELONG". That song set the mood. It was crazy, but at the same time it was really calm and relaxing. It's a sad song and i esp felt it cause it fits my life. The lights were out in the crowd and everyone was holding up their lighters. It was sooooooo awesome! I'm at loss for words. You had to be there. The lights went cojmpletely out. When they came back on Mike was in center stage and he was like here this. He started rapping to "IT'S GOING DOWN". No one else and no music, just him. He did it so smooth and sleet. Then he stopped and the lights went on. Phoenix & Rob went to the very top of the stage and they went into the song. Mike broke it down for us. He's like "WHEN I SAY ITS GOING I WANT YOUR GUYS TO SAY DOWN". We all followed along, It sounded good...He's like "YOU GUYS SOUND AWESOME....KEEP IT UP". It was fierce! If you've ever heard the song you know the beat....It's 10x better live! "LYING FROM YOU" was next. The crowd was singing the song with them. They were loving it. Oh my god...They started the next song and i went CRAZY!! I love "NOBODYS LISTENING"! That song brought the house down. There was a little quiet time and the stage hands brought out a piano. Mike came out and sat down while chaz took the mic. They started singing "BREAKING THE HABIT"....It was like a solo, to put you in the mood and then the rest of the band jumped in to finsih the song. I love chaz' singing voice. It gives me shivers. He sang the song with as much feeling as you could get from the song. They played "FROM THE INSIDE" next. The video for the song was on the screen above the stage. That song actually brought tears to my eyes. It was a moment i guess. It was so sad and happy at the same time. They preformed it really well. Although chaz was going crazy trying to give out as much feeling as you could get from it. Mike and Rob had a little guitar match after that song. They were getting ready for the next song, bypassing some time. It was funny...What Rob played, Mike followed! The guys are like "I WANNA SEE SOME MOSHING IN THIS NEXT SONG"...Which lead right into "FAINT". Chaz made his way to the top of the stage props and was giving it all he had. I swear he's gonna throw his back out one of these times. They brought out the piano for Mike. They had a mad/awesome lazer show for "NUMB". The crowd started swaying the lighters and i even saw some cell phones. The changed the video screen to some cool graphics. The whole crowd sang with Chaz & Mike. They kept jumping on and off the speaker boxes throughout the whole concert. "CRAWLNG" was next. Mike grabbed the guitar and added his touch to the song. He took the mic stand and held it into the crowd, he basically let the crowd sing the song for him. It was pretty cool how the crowd sounds when we all sing together. They had the lighters going again too. I swear everytime i hear "IN THE END" live it gets better and better. Mike jumped off the stage and went right into the center of the crowd to invlove the crowd. I don't think he even had to sing, we did it all for him...Sarah got some good pix. I'll post some when i get copies. The crowd did some mad moshing and crowd surfing. I would see person after person getting pulled outta the pit. Shoes flying here and clothes going there. There was a lot of shit being thrown on the stage, the guys just threw it back into the pit. Mike would take a drink of the water and throw the bottle into the pit. He was also throwing guitar picks too. We were standing and someone threw a glass of water in our section. It surprised me, but its all good, cause i was getting warm anyways. It looked like I peed my pants, but its all good! Anything for the guys! LMAO...Mike was like "THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR COMING TONIGHT AND I HOEP YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW...." The stage and the whole Arena went dark. I thought the concert was over but i knew its not over until they do One Step Closer. Then...one light appeared on the stage and the guys came out one by one. There was a piano on the stage so it had to be one of like 4 songs, 3 of which they already did. First Joe walked out to his stand, Then Brad to the drums, Rob to the left of the stage, Chaz came out and sat on the middle speaker holding the mic, Poenix came out and took right side stage, and of course finally Mike came out and sat at the piano. They went into "MY DECEMBER". That song has a history with me so i felt the emotions in Chaz' voice. He sat in the middle for the whole song with his back to us (He was facing the left side of the stage. The lighters went back and forth to set even more of a mood. They did "PUSHING ME AWAY (Reanimation Remix)". It was sooo cool, it sounded just like you were watching the CD. After the song Mike was like "ARE WE HAVING FUN"...The crowd screamed, He's like "I DON'T BELIEVE YOU...ARE WE HAVE A GOOD TIME"...The crowd We screamed as loud as we could...He's like "THERE WE GO...LETS GET THIS MOSH PIT GOING"...LMAO but he made sure to say LP's famous saying "IF SOMEONE FALLS IN THE PIT IT'S YOUR JOB TO PICK THEM UP, WE DON'T WANT ANYONE TO GET HURT". IT was really sweet and it shows how much they actually care about their fans. They went into "A PLACE FOR MY HEAD". We sang along with them and screamed as loud as we could. He invloved us in helping him sign part of the song. He was like "OK HERE'S HOW IT GOES, WHEN I SAY YOU TRIED TO TAKE THE BEST OF ME, I WANT YOU GUYS TO SAY GO AWAY....OK YOU READY LET'S TRY IT". It was amazing! It got wild but it was so awesome how the song went back and forth from the stage to the crowd, back to the stage. You could feel the bass in your body and you could feel your voice going. finally it was time for the last song...thats right "ONE STEP CLOSER"...What ever energy the crowd had came out in this song! It's A Classic! It was even more awesome When The lead singer from Hooba and The lead from POD came out and was singing the end courus with LP. Everyone was on the stage rocking out and giving it all they had. I was jumping and watching all the excitement on the stage. Mike was emptying water bottles and throwing them into the crowd. Brad was throwing drumsticks into the crowd. All the guys were shaking hands and waving at the fans. And with Mike being the last one on the stage, He gave one final wave and walked off the stage flashing that killer smile. WOW...WHAT A SHOW!!!

 

The ride home was brutal. I was soooo TIRED! My cold meds wore off and i was feeling pretty damn sick. I wore my Lp hat all the way home. We listened to METEORA and REANIMATION for some driving toons. Back at Stacey's house we crawled into my cold car, i took Anneli & Charlie home. I got home around 2 AM and started typing this cummary. I was to tired so i went to bed (Cold drugs kicked in). I crawled outta bed this morning with a smile, and had to jump on here to finsih for ya! LOVE YA GUYS.....

 

THATS ALL FOLKS! 1