Hey!!!

Yeah, yeah, I know I am supposed to type about this AFTER the concert ended, but what the hell... estranged from the wonders of computers I have to patiently, or rather, impatiently wait for the opportune moment to get this started and off my chest!

Hmm... I bought the early bird ticket priced at $75 at the fourth day. (Haha, that money was supposed to be used to buy my Raya clothes) and then had to wait for THAT day to come.

And it finally did.

Heck, I asked pratically everyone in my phonebook to accompany me to the concert but all of them could not make it. So, yes, in the end I had to head there on my own.

It's okay. I could do it.

As planned, I arrived there almost 3 hrs early. Donned on an A7X black and white T-shirt (after much coaxing from a particular friend) I made my way to the pavilion, and was all the way self-conscious because I was not the only one wearing the kind of shirt and was the ONLY one heading there ALONE. Haha! Felt so weird and nervous and scared.

And the people there... the fans... wow... I could not even begin where to describe. Well, then, I shall not.

In the end, I braved myself to approach a decent girl and we started to be friends. Suddenly I was not alone anymore. An by then the place we stood in started to be really, really packed. We were all squeezed in in anticipation for the damn door to finally open.

Phew. Remind me why I hated crowds. The heat, the sweat... I was certain at some point of time I felt fainted. Haha. But it was definitely worth it, because while waiting, the crowd entertained themselves by singing the national anthem (of all songs!), then the pledge (sooo not the time to show your patriotism!), and bits and pieces of some of A7X most famous hits, like Dear God, Bat Country, Unholy Confession etc, etc... Sometimes chants of A7X rang out, and I joined in for a while before stopping myself. Haha! I was almost overwhelmed with/by their passion for the band. It felt sooooo good!

Oh, I forgot, before the whole waiting started, there was actually a fight somewhere... until the police had to be called in... and the crowd started to crow... what the heck... I just rolled my eyes and purposefully not look at the incident. What a spoiler. But it sure didn't as hell dampened out spirits!

Then, when it was closer to 8pm, the crowd lost their cool and started to scream 'F*** You!' at the security. I just laughed. So amusing. Until the time we had to fight to get through the entrance and into the pavilion!

The wait was over, and the concert had begun! The opening act was from an unknown local rock band, and good as the songs were, we had to wait, again for A7X to appear on stage. And some people apparently got the guts to smoke in the air-conditioned pavilion! Then there was a flying sole that hit a poor guy right next to me on his cheek. Haha. Luckily it didn't hit me. And around 8.30, even after the opening act, we have to wait for another half-an-hour for the band to finally started! Oh, they sure love to keep us waiting, do they?

The first song was Critical Acclaim. Wow. And wow, I had to contend with the pushing and shoving and the damnable mosh-pits! Tolerated having my toes crushed, yep, I was so busy keeping my balance and defending myself and my friend from the wild, wild, crowd I couldn't enjoy the first two songs fully. Somewhere in the Afterlife, I finally lost my balance and the whole group of us fell. (So embarrasing!) Right in front of M.Shadows. (covers face with hands) Oh my God. So embarrassing!! And then my legs wouldn't move, wouldn't get up! They were so heavy. I struggled to get to my feet but they just refused to move! Then a guy leaned forward and extended a hand. I grabbed it and he pulled me to my feet. Argh! I thanked him, and then started to fight my way to the back of the crowd.

Oh, the horror of being somewhere in front! I was nearly stampeded!

From the back, the view, the air was MUCH better and clearer. If only I was at the back right from the start... Anyhow, I enjoyed and sang and bopped my head to the beats of Unholy Confession, Seize the Day, Scream and a song sang by Zacky Vengeance (songs not in order... some I even may have missed here.) Then the time had come for me to leave! Damn curfew. When I left a7X played Bat Country... And I heard someone muttering about the stupidity of not staying till the end of the concert. If only they knew!

Sigh... what an experience... of being in my first ever concert, of seeing M.Shadows in flesh and he is sooooo hot!, and of enjoying live music.... wow... a priceless experience.

Alright, gotta rock off... Am late for home!

Catch ya later, and as soon as I can!

Rock on, rockers!