Projekt Rev - Mountain View, CA

[parth196]

You might notice I'm typing this up with proper capitalizing unlike I usually do; I wanted to make it look professional for LPLive

 

Alright, biggest post I’ve ever done on any forum anywhere is coming.

 

I went to the show with my friend Orion. I gave him my LPU7 shirt to wear, and I wore my LP "decay" shirt from the MTM pre-order. My parents drove us to the venue. The show began at 1PM, and I remember we got there around 12:15.

 

We waited out there, and there were already about 100 people in line in front of us. I remember looking around for the band, because I really wanted to meet them this time I saw this guy who looked JUST LIKE Chester from the back, but then he turned and I knew it wasn’t him.

 

We finally were being let in, and I remembered to take off my water bottle cap and hide it in my pocket. I had a red sharpie in my bag, in case I run into band members around the venue, and the security made me throw it out

 

Anyway, we got into the venue, and went straight to the Verizon Wireless booth. I made a thread on the LPU asking how to get into the Chris Cornell meet-and-greet, and that was how. First 200 to watch the demonstration get a pass. We got the wristbands, and got pretty excited already, haha. I didn’t buy any merch, but after the show I wished that I’d bought a DSP and the show poster, but whatever.

 

I was also the captain of the Ve’cel promotion, so I called the on-site manager for the venue, and he told me that all of the promo materials they had were at the Music For Relief booth.

 

Anyway, we just hung out for a while, walked around a lot, and got food. I remember that we bought Mexican food because that’s what Orion wanted, haha. I went to the Music For Relief booth and bought two bandanas.

 

We went out to the Revolution stage and saw some local bands play. The first one had members who were freshmen in high school, and they were pretty damn good. The other two sucked, and we didn’t bother watching them play.

 

We watched Armor For Sleep, and ran into some guy who Orion knew. Armor For Sleep wasn’t too impressive to me, so we just hung out some more.

 

Then, it was time for the LPST meeting. I got to the booth, and told them that they actually already had the promo materials. They were really disappointed, they all thought we would get T-shirts to wear, but that came after the promotions. Anyway, they gave us some stickers to hand out.

 

Me, Orion, and this other guy we met went out and started handing out stickers. Then, the worst case scenario: security caught us and took us into their office. They started questioning us and basically scared us shitless. They told us to get the person who gave us the stickers to come to the office. The guy whose name I don’t remember went and did it. Me and Orion sat there in suspense. The security manager said that if he doesn’t show up, he would throw out the stickers and kick us out.

 

Turns out, the bastard never showed up. He just left us there. I got his number from LPST, so I called him and he gave the phone to the MFR booth manager and they talked to the security guy and he let us go. Thank god, and fuck that guy whose name I don’t even remember

 

Anyway, we ended up missing Hawthorne Heights, but saw 10 Years. Their singer was awesome. He nailed everything, and just gave a good show. But it was hot, and we weren’t hardcore fans, so we just went back and drank some Monster.

 

When Atreyu came on, they were pretty awesome too, but we weren’t big fans of their genre, so we only saw the first few songs. We came back for the end to watch the Street Drum Corps parade, which never happened.

 

We headed over to the main stage and watched Street Drum Corps for a bit, and I remember wondering why the hell they have a singer

 

Anyway, we only watched them for a bit because the Chris Cornell meet-and-greet was starting. We got there and were literally the last ones in a huge blob that we assumed was the line. We waited there for a while, and then the Verizon people made an announcement that Chris was going to be late.

 

This drunk guy came up to us and asked what the line was for. We told him that it was for a Chris Cornell meet-and-greet, and he told us to ask him to play Soundgarden songs. I told that he’s only going to play like two solo songs anyway and he got really excited. He was hilarious; he just went up to random people and started rubbing their shoulders.

 

We met another chick and talked to her for a bit. He said that it was her son’s first concert, and we were surprised that she was old enough to have a son

 

Anyway, she said that she watched the demonstration but didn’t get a pass, and she was pissed about it. She went up to one of the Verizon people and came back and told us this: they couldn’t help her, but they told her where the Linkin Park meet-and-greet will be! She told us too, and I got really fucking excited, haha. The problem was, I didn’t know what time it would be at.

 

Anyway, Chris finally came, and the line started moving. I remember standing there with a huge smile on my face; hell, this guy is one of my favorite artists also. I remember when I was next in line, he looked up at me and I still had that goofy grin on my face. I told the Verizon person I wanted a poster signed, and when he was done signing mine, this is what I said:

 

“Hey, I gotta tell you man, Hunger Strike with Chester is genius, man.”

 

I was kinda nervous, so it came out pretty weird, haha. He looked up at me the whole time looking surprised, haha.

 

Anyway, that was fucking awesome, I just met the “finest voice in rock and roll history.”

 

After the meet-and-greet, we ran into that chick again, and she really wanted a poster, so Orion gave her his! That was really generous of him, and I was pretty surprised that he would do that, haha.

 

Anyway, I remember looking back and seeing Chris gone already. I went back to the booth and asked them where/when the Linkin Park meet-and-greet would be, and he said 7:30/here. I was like HELL YES, I actually had a chance of getting in!

 

Anyway, we headed back to the stage and watched the Bravery play. I thought that they were pretty boring, and I was tired, so I just sat there while they played. Orion really liked them though. Also, there was this annoying, drunk chick next to me, but she was funny as hell.

 

I literally waited until 7:30, I didn’t like the Bravery much. Anyway, Orion stayed at the stage this time, he really wanted to see Cornell play. I was willing to miss it for a chance to meet Linkin Park. Plus, we had just met Cornell.

 

I went back to the Verizon Wireless booth and talked to the chick there. She said that some people who had actually won the contest hadn’t showed up yet, and I asked if I could get their passes. She was like “No, sorry… we have to wait for them.” She was really nice. But I didn’t leave; I just sat there as if I had actually won the contest.

 

I heard Chris Cornell go on stage, and I was disappointed that I was missing “Cochise,” but whatever. I also heard “Hunger Strike” and the crowd go insane for Chester, haha.

 

Then, another Verizon Wireless person came out and told us to stand in a line outside this area backstage. When this happened, I noticed that Chris Cornell’s set was being broadcasted on these TV’s inside a bar, and I saw an acoustic version of “Like a Stone.”

 

These two stoners started talking to me about why this is taking so long. They noticed that I didn’t have a black wristband for the meet-and-greet and tried to help me get in by acting as if we were together. The Verizon Wireless people knew that I was alone and didn’t have a pass, but they weren’t saying anything.

 

Eventually, the Verizon girl came up to me and said “Look, I know you didn’t win a pass, but I talked to my manager, and since you’ve been waiting out here for an hour, we decided to let you in.” I was like “Yes! Thank you so much!”

 

They let us in the backstage area, and we waited out there for a while. It was really cool, I could see all of the stage from the back, and I saw the singer from The Bravery walk by. We waited some more…

 

Finally, I saw LP. I saw Chester and Brad walk out of a golf cart to the front of the Verizon Wireless banner, even though we were behind it. I completely had an OMG fanboi moment.

 

As the line moved on, the stoners just kept talking to me about random shit… I remember counting all of the guys to make sure that they are all there, I couldn’t think straight.

 

Finally, it was my turn. I was about to meet my role models/idols/heroes.

 

I walked over to Chester and put my hand on his shoulder and said “Hey Chester!” He looked at me and said “Hey man, how are you?” When he looked me in the eyes and I was like HOLY SHIT IT’S ACTUALLY HIM. Total fanboi moment again. I don’t remember what I said to Chester, but I definitely replied. I nodded at Brad and shook his hand, but didn’t say anything. Rob was talking to Brad, so I didn’t say anything to him, but I remember that he was really tall, haha. I just waited there for a moment, then I put my hand on Phoenix’s shoulder and said hi. He looked over at me and was like “Hey, what’s up, man?” I just said “Sup” as a response, and then said “Hey Mike!” He looked really surprised for some reason, so Joe pointed at me. Mike just said “Hey,” and I shook his hand. I was like OMG and had another fanboi moment. Then I looked forward for the picture. They took two photos, and the one I have a hard copy of is different than the one that’s online, haha. Then I said thanks to the band and thanked Joe personally, and shook his hand.

 

Holy shit. That was awesome. I was feeling really euphoric afterward.

 

I went back to the stage and told Orion everything, and he was really happy for me. Chris had been done for a while, so LP was abut to go on. I was about to text the screen, then the texting stopped and the lights dimmed. I was the only one in my section, initially, who stood up and put my hands up. Eventually, everyone else did too. Street Drum Corps did their intro which seemed too long for me, I just wanted to see LP!

 

The gunshot intro of One Step Closer came, and I was like HELL YES. I was going crazy when the band started coming out and playing. Chester was really happy, he was running around all over the place and started high-fiving people in the front. Mike saw me and pointed at me, because he recognized me from before. Fucking Awesome.

 

They fucking destroyed the first few songs, Lying From You was insane. I remember looking at Orion during Somewhere I Belong, and he was screaming like his life depended on it, it was awesome.

 

When No More Sorrow started, I told Orion that this was LP’s best live song. It was really exciting seeing Mike improvising the intro and it truly was an amazing song. I sang my lungs out for every song, but none as loud as the bridge on NMS. That was sick.

 

They flew through the next couple songs, and I remember headbanging like crazy to the POA outro.

 

I remember when Wake 2.0 started, I didn’t recognize it and just thought it was a sweet new intro, haha. I recognized it later.

 

The next few songs were insane, Mike and Brad had so much feedback on their guitars during the From the Inside intro, it was amazing.

 

I remember getting really into singing along with LOATR, and I saw Chester was too, so we were sharing a moment and it was awesome, he saw me during it and pointed, he recognized me from before too.

 

The next couple songs were really emotional, and Little Things was amazing. Breaking the Habit too.

 

I got another point from Shinoda during HHH, he saw me keep my hands up the whole time, and the whole venue went crazy for Chris Cornell on Crawling. I screamed my lungs out when Chester said to make some noise for Shinoda before In The End.

 

The encore came, and I got a long drink of water. What I’ve Done intro was awesome, and I got a point from Brad AND Phoenix on the actual song!

 

I went apeshit for Faint, I fucking love that song live. Then, during the 2nd encore, me and Orion started chanting for No Roads Left. It died down quickly, though. Bleed It Out was insane, but I have to say that I prefer Faint ending the show.

 

After the show, I went to get my photo and a signed LP poster from the Verizon people. The photo came out really well, and I showed it off to my parents and a couple chicks we talked to on the way out.

 

Fucking amazing day. Met seven of my role models, and saw an insane show.

 

My head was spinning, I was drenched in sweat, I was hot, hungry, tired, and sore, but I just had the time of my life.

[hahninator]

Jealous jealous jealous. Chris Cornell.

 

Damn.

[Jen]

Then, during the 2nd encore, me and Orion started chanting for No Roads Left. It died down quickly, though.

I listened to the dsp for this again today, and finally heard you chanting.

 

I have to agree meeting Chris Cornell was great.

[parth196]

I listened to the dsp for this again today, and finally heard you chanting.

 

I have to agree meeting Chris Cornell was great.

haha, awesome. it's barely audible, but i listened for it, and it's there for like 2 seconds

 

yeah meeting chris was awesome

[linkinmetalfanatic]

looks very professional well done