Stand and deliver your money or your life

This is probably a few days tardy, but I’m still kind of in awe of the No Doubt/Paramore show I went to this past weekend. Angela was super awesome enough to get us VIP tickets to the Jones Beach show. We got there a couple hours early and just sat on the “boardwalk” thing-y, drinking some coconut wine and tangerine flavoredNoS. Believe it or not, they tasted kinda good. It was so nice to just sit by the water and chat the whole time while listening to Janelle Monae open the show.

By the time Paramore was up, we got to our seats which were perfectly centered and slightly tiered (good for me because I’m so short and can’t see over anyone’s heads…even though no one was really in front of us). I was so amped to see them play. It has almost been a year!

Their set was, of course, amazing. Everytime I listen to “Let The Flames Begin,” I get chills. I think it’s my current favorite song they play live. It was awesome to hear two new songs of theirs. I’m an idiot for not knowing what the second one’s title is (not “Ignorance”). I am so so pumped for this new album (Brand New Eyes). Eleven tracks they recorded, eleven tracks that will be on this album. Solid! I love hearing them get so excited about their work…it’s a beautiful thing.

Now,…No Doubt. Obviously, I was there for Paramore (I don’t think I’ve missed a single tour they’ve been on since the very beginning), but I wasn’t expecting to totally fall in love with ND. I’ve always been a fan, just not hardcore. Yes, Gwen is all sorts of amazing on her own, but there’s so much about the band as a whole. It’s a sort of chemistry that makes things explode! If I could explain the show in one word, I guess it would have to be “Party!” One big party. I seriously danced around, threw my arms in the air, and kicked my feet in every which way. I want to do it all over again! We actually questioned which city they were going to next.

So many parts of the show rocked. The set, the video backdrops, the costumes, THE ABS!!! (Gwen is now my motivation to get back into shape. Her body is serious). All the songs just brought me back…gosh, to my high school days! My favorite part of the show was definitely “Stand and Deliver,” though. I don’t know why, but I was so shocked when all of Pmore came on stage. Hayley sang, Jeremy and Taylor beat the drums…it was such a celebration. I loved it. I may have even squealed. To think, 3 years earlier, they were traveling via band van to venues as small as The Continental. I bet they couldn’t even imagine at the time performing live on stage with freakin’ No Doubt. I’m slightly jealous of that, I must say,…or the fact that Jeremy gets to see Gwen everyday on tour. Geez. Surreal.

Anyways, after all the “EPIC-ness” of the show, Jeremy came out to get me and Ang at the back gate so we could hang. The poor kid ended up getting mobbed. Being the good guy he is, he took a bunch of photos with some fans before Ang pretended to be his publicist to get him outta there. He brought us back to the buses and showed us the sweet set of bikes they have on the road with them. I’m particularly fond of his wolf seat. I showed him the video I took of the show. He will always make fun of me for taking videos of every show, but I know he secretly loves it. We basically just hung out, caught up on what’s new, and reminisced like we always do. It’s always good to see him.

We didn’t end up getting back to the city until late. Angela and I had our fair share of encounters with crazies that night. The Wantagh late night partiers, the homeless dude on the platform, and the cab driver who almost killed us 7 times and screamed, “Your momma, prick!” Interesting, I tell ya.

Anyways, I woke up the next morning completely way too early for it to be normal. I was sore, and I had bites ALL OVER my legs and feet! Jeremy was complaining of the mosquitos the night before, but I thought nothing of it seeing as I had long sleeves and leggings on. Now, I have this huge welt on my left limb (still). Hopefully that will fade quickly, lest not the memories of an awesome weekend.