Austin, TX (Austin 360 Ampitheater), July 21, 2018 Options

[Voodoo Lady]

Well, I’m taking off to see them for the first time ever.
I’ve waited 25 years for this! More tomorrow after I recover from this outdoor shindig in 105 degree Texas sun.

[Voodoo Lady]

I skipped out on the Counting Crows and I’m too excited to sleep so I’ll go ahead and give my review. Thanks LiveForNow and Heather. I really did enjoy it so much. Please excuse any fangirling my post is about to have.

First, it was insanely, ridiculously hot. The singer from Boomforest said we were like baked potatoes and he was suffering. That’s no lie. Not a stick of shade in the whole place and it had to have been easily 106 degrees or higher. I bought a nerdy necklace fan, thinking I’m so smart, but it didn’t help at all. My whole review is going to go back to how it was hotter than Satan’s ass crack, and for this I apologize as well.

The crowd was a good size. The chairs all seemed full. I couldn’t see the lawn from the floor where I was, so I’m not sure how full it got. The setlist was the exact same as Denver EXCEPT, they did not perform Beauty of Gray & that’s a bummer. Yes, we got shorted on a song. But I’m telling you, it was probably due to the extreme heat. I don’t know how they do it, especially Chad Gracey. They are in great shape. I loved that they kept in Shit Towne instead of P.O.D. With the slow encore, they definitely don’t need another slow song in there.

I was really close. Like, I was hoping to sneak up closer and there was really no need. I was in 9th row and the rows of chairs are crammed in so close, it was perfection. I apologize again to the gal sitting in front of me. I bonked her on the head so many times flailing my arms around, I’m surprised she didn’t get up and punch me. I only saw 2 other people with Live T-shirt’s on. Both when we got there. No one in my vicinity was wearing one. I had on my Mental Jewelry shirt with the green logo and I was the only one standing in my area. During the first or 3rd song (definitely not Love Lounge), Chad T. pointed to his shirt and then pointed to me/mine and smiled like, “I see you and your MJ shirt there,” and so I’m over the moon that he noticed me. I can’t wait to find that moment on YouTube. I need a GIF of it. Chad also talked a few times on the mic to the crowd, which I’ve never noticed him do.

Ed was not embarrassing at all. He sounds the same as the good ole days. He did a little booty shaking in The Distance and implored us to shake ours, but it was tastefully done. I do not like The Distance at all and always skip it when it pops up in my shuffle, but as others have said, it’s much better live and does give Zac Loy a chance to shine. Robin Diaz, I’m sure he’s a nice guy and all, but he’s pointless. I honestly did not notice him that much, but I think he ruins the sound. The sound was really kinda bad. I’m not into all the technical stuff, so it’s hard to describe. It’s like all the guitars were mushed together and hard to distinguish. -Muddy? Anyway, I don’t know if it was them or us. Maybe it’s the venue or where I was sitting.

It went SO fast. I can see they rush to fit in the amount of songs they are playing. One negative about Ed I guess, is the “I’m going to take you back to the days of much larger cellphones” joke is getting kinda old. He also told the story again about how many kids they all have and they had went forth and multiplied. But honestly, I’ve heard other bands repeat the same jokes and stories too. It’s not him.

At the end, during Lightning Crashes, I had been planning to run up to the barricade and give them feels. The bouncers were cool with people doing that. But I started to feel sick and had to sit down. That really sucked that I had to miss the very end & their bow. I felt like I was going to be sick all over the chick I had already repeatedly bonked in the back of the head so I had to head to the restroom with AC. A bouncer wasn’t going to let me through, I don’t know why. I told him I was about to pass out and so he gave in. He probably also thought I was drunk although I hadn’t had anything and had been hydrating/H2O since yesterday. As soon as I wend in the cool ladies room I instantly felt better. But they are watching you like hawks there and went and got the medics. Yes, I had to go to the medic trailer and hydrate. No ambulance, thank God. My friend teased me, “This is a sign you are too old for this!” With that said, I’m glad I was on my feet for them, rocked out to the fullest in which my 42 years will allow now. But I will NEVER go to a summer show at that amphitheater ever again! But even though with my near heat stroke (I still have a head ache), I had an awesome time. I do, however, get sorta sad that I was never able to be apart of this kind of crowd back in the day...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW6nRQUG694

[lylebeach]

I do, however, get sorta sad that I was never able to be apart of this kind of crowd back in the day...

I'm more sad for you that you didn't get to see them like this! (I purposely have the video in the spot I want you to see) They had so much passion then!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6rcVauFxxM&t=4100s