neglectnormalcy

A bunch of people apparently wanted LeBoy's autograph (why?!) and so I found the Curbside Gang and we settled at the back of the massive main stage crowd for Cartel. Solid, fun set! After a quick run to the port-o-potty (shudder) and some slight LeBoy stalking (you're still signing shit?!) I headed back for Say Anything.

 

The girls and I decided to get into the crowd for this one. While we were waiting among the sweaty teens, we saw a guy walk by holding up a sign he had made out of the side of a cardboard box and a sharpie. It read: "Rachael Sanborn your boyfriend misses you. He's right here" with an arrow pointing down. Hilarious. Then Say Anything finally came out with "Alive with the Glory of Love" and the crowd obvs flipped. This blond highschool age bro in front of us looked back at one point and said, "Hey - wanna go up?!" FALSE, kid. Crowdsurfers are beyond obnoxious, just sayin. 

 

Well, after almost being pummelled to death by those rabid Say Anything fans, we decided to hang out in the back with the cool kids. You know, who are 45 and looking at their watches and plugging their ears while trying to keep track of their offspring. Whatevs. When they played "Wow I Can Get Sexual, Too" we had a little Curbside danceparty. 

 

Breaktime. We were eagerly anticipating the Great American Freedom Machine's set. We sat on a curb (like ya do) and I played with a stick (yeah, I don't know...) and then we headed into the crowd for the show. Basically, GAFM is a Motion City Soundtrack tribute band. And when I say tribute, I mean they eerily looked exactly like them, too. It was all our fave songs, and we rocked out. I seriously almost lost my voice, and I know I'm a total nerd for admitting that. GAFM shows have always been fun. Always! They even covered Motion City's new song, "This is For Real," and since I spent hours watching the YouTube video, I sang along as much as I could. I was the only fist-pumper during that song...whatevs. The keyboards though, he rocks a little too fast for love, I think. Also, he's kind of super-hot. Don't tell LeBoy.

 

After their set, the girls headed back to the city and I went in search of LeBoy because I realized I hadn't seen him in a while. I found him backstage all sweaty (seriously, I didn't even ask what he'd been up to) and then we decided to make use of our VIP wristbands and drink for freeeeeeeee. Trevor & LeBoy exchanged stories about meeting Michael Stipe (Trevor, FTW) and then we raced with our beers out to watch Muse.

 

I've never seen Muse live before. Oh. Wow. I was blown away. Okay, I was a little inebriated, but when I heard the beginning of "Time is Running Out" (possibly my favorite Muse song) I flipped and almost spilled my beer everywhere.

 

LeBoy and I left a few songs into My Chemical Romance's set. We were flippin' exhausted and didn't think we would be able to make it into the city for the Bamboozle Afterparty at--you guessed it!--Angels&Kings. We got invites to the Giants Stadium Players Club to watch the Mayweather vs De La Hoya fight. Yeah, apparently the fight was a big deal. I was there for the free beer.

 

MC Hammer was also there, and but $1000 on Mayweather to win. At the end of the night we spotted him counting out a bunch of bills to this seven year old kid. What? Yeah, well, he was stoked.

 

Jeff from Cartel and LeBoy almost threw down in their challenge, but the bar was not equipped to handle such a monumental task. We hung with Neil Rubenstein, LeBoy's comedian friend, who's pretty damn hilarious. They asked him to hand out the Bamboozle awards. LeBoy gladly accepted "Bamboozle Class Clown" for the Great American Freedom Machine (I guess he kinda looks like the keyboard player?) and Neil wanted to keep Cute is what We Aim For's "Class Flirt" award and pawn it on eBay. Guessing by the amount of kids I saw decked in Cute Is Whatlaksjdf;asdkf merch that day, he'll probably make a pretty penny.

 

We saw some more of LeBoy's friends as the hours wound down... We finished the night dancing with inebriated members of Limbeck and trying to find a cab to the hotel. It was completely deserted at 3 am and the ferris wheel (of death) was even creepier.

 

DAY TWO!

 

Wow, this is one long-winded post, huh?!

 

We got there just in time for The Matches set. Their live shows always rock. You can't beat great songs + good live shows. How disappointing is it when your favorite band's live show sucks but their songs are so good? The Matches rule!

 

Neil did his comedy routine on the Pass the Mic stage - it was hilarious, even though it's soooo not the right venue for good comedians. At one point this woman in the front row dressed in denim shorts, a shirt off one shoulder, gold necklaces, beer in one hand, and big curly hair (oh riiiiiight, we're in New Jersey!) came running into the front obviously excited. Why? The Rangers just scored! Yeah! ...wait, what?

 

I was super-stoked for Sunday because one of my favorite bands evar, Monty Are I, was playing! I've known those dudes forever, and I was just soooo excited to see them, their set (which never, NEVER disappoints) and all the people they always bring (Ben! John!). Their set was AMAZING - they get better every time. They bring that epic shit and I pump my fist in apprecation always. It was pretty hilarious after the show when I wanted to say hi to Steve, but he was bombarded with fans. It kind of made me proud - is that weird? Anyway, after a few minutes of lollygagging around, I finally got to catch up with my old friend. Of course, the first thing I pointed out was that his Brandon Flowers-attempt-at-a-blazer was actually a woman's blazer (who's having Office flashbacks?!). They're touring with Amber Pacific and Powerspace right now - so check them out if you haven't already!

 

Also, Andrew told all the guys to greet me as "Hey, Spanish." Thanks, I'm Panamanian - not Spanish! And this coming from the dude who gave me the nickname Jessiska. FanxxxxxxMontyAreI.

 

Notables: I got to meet Steven from Steven's Untitled Rock Show - another friend of LeBoy's. They were filming a Fuse segment with Andrew McMahon. Steven was awesome, though I didn't say much, because if I did it would have probably been along the lines of "Yo, I watch you every night at 7 on Fuse. I love when you answer viewer questions from fans like fobatthedisco873!" And that would be me. Classic Awky Jessica. I decided not to embarass LeBoy.

 

Then LeBoy and I decided to be reckless...and...go on the Ferris Wheel (Of Death)! After waiting in the line for a while, we got LOCKED in and basically it just twirls with the weight of the car, except you can use the wheel to turn the car however you please. LeBoy thought it would be hilarious to twirl A LOT. So, I almost got sick...a lot. But it was fun. I enjoyed watching the beginning of Jack's Mannequin's set upside down 500 feet in the air (that measurement is a total guesstimation, as I have no real concept of space...at all). I also enjoyed trying to have a romantic kiss up there, but that probably would have ended up in *us* barfing and not the usual cast of spectators we induce vomiting in. Sexy!

 

We caught the rest of Jack's Mannequin's set - I got what I wanted: "Dark Blue" and "Bruised." Then we chatted a bit with Steve again, Erin G., and Dan from Sherwood. Dan is one of the nicest dudes evarrrrrr. Seriously, so sweet.

 

Said bye to Steve and then headed to the VIP tent again. Beer me! We then caught Weird Al's performance which was hysterical! We were also laughing really hard due to the massive consumption of beer we'd just had, though I think LeBoy took it harder than me. At the end of Al's set, I was all ready to go because we had agreed to skip out on the lamest Bamboozle headliner ever, Linkin' Park, but apparently LeBoy had to get out some male aggression. We set our scene in the Atticus tent with a few other VIPs who decided to go CRAZY to LP's first song - which apparently is popular and the only song LeBoy's heard of theirs, but I have no idea what it was. Classic stuff. At one point he fell back into the Atticus merch boxes, collided his skull with his friend Christian's, and basically was doing a lot of yelling and moshing. Oh the drunkeness. I have pictures, and you will be seeing them soon.

 

Exhausted, we finally headed back to our hotel. But then we got a second wind and decided to go to a nearby Chili's restaurant. LeBoy and I are the only ones sitting at the bar and we decide to get margaritas and have a nice chat (our conversations could go on for hours) when I see Powerspace walk in with their tour manager Bob D. Bob D. recently friend requested me because Steve from Monty Are I told him to. I'd never actually met him, so with a bit of tequila in me I did the honorable & awkward thing and said my hello, congratulated the band on a good set, and told him that Steve says hi. I don't think they're old enough to drink yet, plus, they'd just gotten there. Who's this awkward girl?!

 

So, back at the bar, LeBoy and I are talking and then Shawn from The Matches walks in with their guitar tech, Ben. They sidle in next to us and we order another round of margaritas and decide to play uno. At the bar. At Chili's. In Secaucus, New Jersey. Shawn won three times, I won once, and LeBoy won twice or something. I really sucked for some reason. I usually win A LOT at uno.

 

It was a good ending to Bamboozle. I probably wouldn't have recovered too well if I had gone out and partied crazy every night (last year was a bit like that...). I mean, I needed to get back to the city Monday morning! Working Girl Are I. Though I still haven't caught up on my sleep. Gah.

 

If you get through this entry, YOU WIN AT LIFE. This is such a tl;dr post.