Is the title of a blink song, if you were unawares.
Tonight, my friend Mike from Scotland and I went to see blink-182 play at some sports arena here in San Diego. On our way there, we went to In N Out, which was nice.
So we got to the venue and weasled our way up to the front and saw some band called Mutemath. They were okay. Not my favourite but they were super entertaining to watch.
Everlast went on. I've never heard of them before and wouldn't buy their album or anything, but their cover of Folsom Prison Blues was cool.
I think DMC was next? It was okay. It was like. Half of RUN DMC. Or whatever. So that was okay.
Pennywise went on and I saw SO many bloody noses. They were rad. And at the end, I think I managed to get against the barrier. Which is my goal in life for all shows ever.
Switchfoot went on. They were like, my first real show when I was like 13 or whatever. I had a t-shirt from their show. It was brown with a pink logo. Yum. Anyway, it was really funny seeing them because I didn't know they even still toured. Upon further ferreting around on their wikipedia page, I've been reminded that they did Oh! Gravity at some point while I was in highschool. It was a rad song and I recall once sitting on my desk and rocking out to it.
Social Distortion were good. They were all really well-dressed which was cool. Their singer, Mike Ness has face tattoos and a fight broke out somewhere behind me and he started talking about how people with tattoos weren't necessarily badasses. They covered Ring of Fire as their last song. Which was exciting. I love Johnny Cash. And literally the entire time Mike Ness was staring at me. Which was awkward. Because he's okay looking I guess and his tattoos are hot, but he's 49... so yeah, whatever. I just smiled about Johnny Cash songs and sang along and stared right back at him anyway. Because seriously why not?
Blink went on last and they were amazing. I was literally dead centre for them when they first got on (but was slowly pushed over to Tom). After they played two songs, Tom came over to the middle and we looked at each other and he mouthed hello at me, so I said hi and waved. ...And then he opened his mouth and drooled a massive gooey looge. Ew. So I spit at him. It didn't hit him or anything, but the guy next to me gave me a high-five for it.
Mark Hoppus is gorgeous.
Like. Actually. Freakishly good looking. It should be illegal to have eyes that blue. Or not. Actually. Just... to sleep. Or blink.
Anyway. He is excellent. At everything ever. Like bass and being cool. And funny. A+ for the funnies.
He was rad and came over and played in front of me and smiled at me a whole bunch. Which was awesome because obviously I love him and want to stare at him forever. He also came over and was like, HEY THESE ARE FOR YOU! when I was looking at him, and threw a bunch of plecs at me. So rad! Oh. Also. My bra matched his nail varnish. I actually didn't remember his nails when I chose to wear this bra.
...Also I took my shirt off because it was coming down anyway. I was totally going to throw it onstage, but it's my Kid Dynamite shirt so I decided that would be a dumb idea. It was also just nicer to be topless. I was in my bra, anyway, though.
So yeah. They were lovely and wonderful and I adore them.
Showing posts with label blink 182. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blink 182. Show all posts
Monday, December 12, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
32 Days.
Why is my life eternally count-downs to things? Glord.
Anyway. That's happening.
GA Floor ticket to see blink.
File this under reasons I like breathing.
A lot. Being alive is so cool right now.
I like my life. Everything makes me happy.
Except for coffee. Espresso makes me super unhappy.
It's delicious, but ohmygod all the caffeine. It kills me.
I spent all last night in bed alone making sad cat noises. I must be the most annoying person ever.
I'm only going to be in Toronto for 12 more days. I have to do Toronto-y things, I guess.
Like go eat at Hot Beans. I think I'll do that today. Go get a burrito the size of my head.
How ironic that I should be eating burritos here.
Anyway. My new body and I are going to go thrifting and go get a burrito from Hot Beans.
Maybe next month I'll write about the fries I get from In N Out. <3
This is my new blink shirt. I bought it before my surgery and refused to wear it until after.
Now I refuse to take it off. Me gusta.
Anyway. That's happening.
GA Floor ticket to see blink.
File this under reasons I like breathing.
A lot. Being alive is so cool right now.
I like my life. Everything makes me happy.
Except for coffee. Espresso makes me super unhappy.
It's delicious, but ohmygod all the caffeine. It kills me.
I spent all last night in bed alone making sad cat noises. I must be the most annoying person ever.
I'm only going to be in Toronto for 12 more days. I have to do Toronto-y things, I guess.
Like go eat at Hot Beans. I think I'll do that today. Go get a burrito the size of my head.
How ironic that I should be eating burritos here.
Anyway. My new body and I are going to go thrifting and go get a burrito from Hot Beans.
Maybe next month I'll write about the fries I get from In N Out. <3
This is my new blink shirt. I bought it before my surgery and refused to wear it until after.
Now I refuse to take it off. Me gusta.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Album Review: Neighborhoods
I reserve doing album reviews for special occasions and exceptionally good albums. This is both. It's the first new blink-182 album in 8 years, and their first new material since their break-up and make-up.
It's a blink album, to be certain. They're the same band as they always were, but they're a completely new band at the same time. The 8 years it's been since their last album came out really, really shows. They've grown up a lot since 2003; they are not in their 20s anymore. They're married [and divorced] and have children.
It sounds nothing like Enema of the State, but why would it? This isn't the 90s anymore. During the band's hiatus, they all had time to expand on their own. Travis has his own album, Mark did +44 (with Travis), and Tom has done both Box Car Racer, and Angels and Airwaves.
Some people are saying that blink sounds too much like Angels and Airwaves featuring +44 now. But is that not what it always was? To me, AVA sounds like Tom and +44 sounds like Mark. Obviously Travis sounds like Travis. In having the chance to separate and do their own projects, I feel it gave them a chance to develop their own sounds, and us a chance to differentiate between the two.
So, there's a lot of Tom on the record, and there's a lot of Mark on the record, and the whole thing has Travis putting in the solid beats in the background. It's a fitting place for him, I think. He puts in what needs to be there and it holds everything together perfectly. He seems to be a lot like that in person, as well.
Ghost on the Dancefloor:
I think this was a really good choice for a first song, it's one of my favourites on the record so far. It's very up-beat and really quite dancy with lyrics about being incredibly sad and lonely, which is what a lot of blink songs are about anyway, so nothing new there.
Natives:
The bass on this song is amazing. It sounds like it could have been released on their last album. Nothing has changed, which is not a bad thing at all.
Up All Night:
This is the first single, which I personally think was a mistake. It is a very new sound for them and I think a smarter choice for first single would have been After Midnight. Not that this isn't a great song. Since it was their first single, I've had a long while to listen to it. It has the back and forth style that they have perfected and it's executed brilliantly on this track. It doesn't sound like their old sound at all, but you can clearly hear the merging of their 3 signature styles and it's a great marriage.
After Midnight:
This is another one of my favourite tracks. It's a perfect balance of their newer sounding songs, and their classics. It's absolutely brilliant lyrically. And it's catchy, which I love. I have nothing else to really say other than this song is, in my opinion, excellent and should have been the first single.
Snake Charmer:
This song is really dark, both lyrically and musically. There's a lot going on, but it fits together well, somehow. It's very much a "Tom and Travis" song. The bass line is great, but that's really all I hear of Mark on this track. It's lacking, there.
Heart's All Gone:
It has an interlude before it which is rather haunting and pretty experimental. It's a different direction for them. I'm glad it's on its own track so that I don't have to listen to it repeatedly, though. It's nice for sometimes and goes great for a straight listen-through of the album, but I wouldn't want it fused to Heart's All Gone.
The drumming really stands out on this track. It seems like a counter to Snake Charmer; it's very much of a Mark and Travis creation. The vocals and lyrics are both really strong, and it's up-beat.
Wishing Well:
Musically it sounds like some of their older stuff, which will never earn any complaints from me. It's vivid and interesting lyrically and is taking a lot of what Tom has been working with in AVA.
Kaleidoscope:
This, lyrically, one of my favourite tracks on the album. Mark sounds amazing on it; he has a really, really gorgeous voice. Instrumentally, it's nothing special or extraordinary, but the vocals are stunning.
This Is Home:
It's electronic and dancy. The vocals fit in great with the instrumentals. It needs a few more listens for me to really make a solid opinion on it. It isn't a bad song, but it doesn't stand out like some of the others do.
MH 4.18.2011:
Sounds like old blink. As always, Mark sounds great.
Love is Dangerous:
Their vocals mesh perfectly together. It's very much a balance between both of their styles. The drums don't stand out, and aren't lost in the background, either. It's a perfect marriage of 3.
Fighting The Gravity:
It's dark and electronic, which works perfectly with the dark lyrics. Bits of it remind me a bit of Asthenia, which is great, as it's one of my favourite songs they've done. It doesn't really stand out, but it's got a big sound and it's nice to listen to.
Even if She Falls:
A lot like old blink. The bass really stands out on this and sounds great. The vocals are good and the lyrics are great. Good ending to the record.
Over-all, they've made a very strong come-back. There are throw-backs to their classic sound, and they're also bringing new stuff into the mix. I feel that on the whole, it would have been stronger if there was more vocal contribution from Mark. It's very diverse and it wasn't repetitive. The songs that didn't really "stand out" were not bad or boring. I wouldn't remember them enough to put them on repeat, but I also wouldn't skip over them on shuffle. It's a very dark album, which makes sense since they're on a come-back from a quite public, seemingly rather harsh, break-up.
It's way more grown-up and mature than Enema of the State or Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, and picks up where their most recent album left off. Although it's grown up, it isn't all, "We have kids and this is how we feel being parents", it's still full of their always relatable, very real, lyrics. They certainly have not lost their touch.
Note: it pains me greatly to have to spell "neighborhoods" instead of "neighbourhoods".
It's a blink album, to be certain. They're the same band as they always were, but they're a completely new band at the same time. The 8 years it's been since their last album came out really, really shows. They've grown up a lot since 2003; they are not in their 20s anymore. They're married [and divorced] and have children.
It sounds nothing like Enema of the State, but why would it? This isn't the 90s anymore. During the band's hiatus, they all had time to expand on their own. Travis has his own album, Mark did +44 (with Travis), and Tom has done both Box Car Racer, and Angels and Airwaves.
Some people are saying that blink sounds too much like Angels and Airwaves featuring +44 now. But is that not what it always was? To me, AVA sounds like Tom and +44 sounds like Mark. Obviously Travis sounds like Travis. In having the chance to separate and do their own projects, I feel it gave them a chance to develop their own sounds, and us a chance to differentiate between the two.
So, there's a lot of Tom on the record, and there's a lot of Mark on the record, and the whole thing has Travis putting in the solid beats in the background. It's a fitting place for him, I think. He puts in what needs to be there and it holds everything together perfectly. He seems to be a lot like that in person, as well.
Ghost on the Dancefloor:
I think this was a really good choice for a first song, it's one of my favourites on the record so far. It's very up-beat and really quite dancy with lyrics about being incredibly sad and lonely, which is what a lot of blink songs are about anyway, so nothing new there.
Natives:
The bass on this song is amazing. It sounds like it could have been released on their last album. Nothing has changed, which is not a bad thing at all.
Up All Night:
This is the first single, which I personally think was a mistake. It is a very new sound for them and I think a smarter choice for first single would have been After Midnight. Not that this isn't a great song. Since it was their first single, I've had a long while to listen to it. It has the back and forth style that they have perfected and it's executed brilliantly on this track. It doesn't sound like their old sound at all, but you can clearly hear the merging of their 3 signature styles and it's a great marriage.
After Midnight:
This is another one of my favourite tracks. It's a perfect balance of their newer sounding songs, and their classics. It's absolutely brilliant lyrically. And it's catchy, which I love. I have nothing else to really say other than this song is, in my opinion, excellent and should have been the first single.
Snake Charmer:
This song is really dark, both lyrically and musically. There's a lot going on, but it fits together well, somehow. It's very much a "Tom and Travis" song. The bass line is great, but that's really all I hear of Mark on this track. It's lacking, there.
Heart's All Gone:
It has an interlude before it which is rather haunting and pretty experimental. It's a different direction for them. I'm glad it's on its own track so that I don't have to listen to it repeatedly, though. It's nice for sometimes and goes great for a straight listen-through of the album, but I wouldn't want it fused to Heart's All Gone.
The drumming really stands out on this track. It seems like a counter to Snake Charmer; it's very much of a Mark and Travis creation. The vocals and lyrics are both really strong, and it's up-beat.
Wishing Well:
Musically it sounds like some of their older stuff, which will never earn any complaints from me. It's vivid and interesting lyrically and is taking a lot of what Tom has been working with in AVA.
Kaleidoscope:
This, lyrically, one of my favourite tracks on the album. Mark sounds amazing on it; he has a really, really gorgeous voice. Instrumentally, it's nothing special or extraordinary, but the vocals are stunning.
This Is Home:
It's electronic and dancy. The vocals fit in great with the instrumentals. It needs a few more listens for me to really make a solid opinion on it. It isn't a bad song, but it doesn't stand out like some of the others do.
MH 4.18.2011:
Sounds like old blink. As always, Mark sounds great.
Love is Dangerous:
Their vocals mesh perfectly together. It's very much a balance between both of their styles. The drums don't stand out, and aren't lost in the background, either. It's a perfect marriage of 3.
Fighting The Gravity:
It's dark and electronic, which works perfectly with the dark lyrics. Bits of it remind me a bit of Asthenia, which is great, as it's one of my favourite songs they've done. It doesn't really stand out, but it's got a big sound and it's nice to listen to.
Even if She Falls:
A lot like old blink. The bass really stands out on this and sounds great. The vocals are good and the lyrics are great. Good ending to the record.
Over-all, they've made a very strong come-back. There are throw-backs to their classic sound, and they're also bringing new stuff into the mix. I feel that on the whole, it would have been stronger if there was more vocal contribution from Mark. It's very diverse and it wasn't repetitive. The songs that didn't really "stand out" were not bad or boring. I wouldn't remember them enough to put them on repeat, but I also wouldn't skip over them on shuffle. It's a very dark album, which makes sense since they're on a come-back from a quite public, seemingly rather harsh, break-up.
It's way more grown-up and mature than Enema of the State or Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, and picks up where their most recent album left off. Although it's grown up, it isn't all, "We have kids and this is how we feel being parents", it's still full of their always relatable, very real, lyrics. They certainly have not lost their touch.
Note: it pains me greatly to have to spell "neighborhoods" instead of "neighbourhoods".
Monday, September 12, 2011
I Hope I Won't Forget You
I love September 11th's. Excellent things always happen to me.
2009, Ewan McGreggor kissed me.
2011, I spent an hour and a half eye-fucking Tom DeLonge.
I sound like a frog. I'm in an aeroport without any underwear on. I'm hungry. It's cold. My [roommate's] shoes are falling apart. I have to go to Texas. I have to pee.
I don't care.
Last night was amazing. I get to go to the beach tonight.
Look at all the fucks I give > ...
Yup. None.
And no fucks were given that day.
Because. I saw my favourite band last night. I've been waiting 11 years for that night.
Also, Asthenia is such an underrated song. It is brilliant.
2009, Ewan McGreggor kissed me.
2011, I spent an hour and a half eye-fucking Tom DeLonge.
I sound like a frog. I'm in an aeroport without any underwear on. I'm hungry. It's cold. My [roommate's] shoes are falling apart. I have to go to Texas. I have to pee.
I don't care.
Last night was amazing. I get to go to the beach tonight.
Look at all the fucks I give > ...
Yup. None.
And no fucks were given that day.
Because. I saw my favourite band last night. I've been waiting 11 years for that night.
Also, Asthenia is such an underrated song. It is brilliant.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Please Don't, Actually
This song is called "Stay Together For The Kids" which is nice, and all.
But really; please don't.
Having parents who are divorced is a million times better than having parents who argue fucking constantly.
Really. I would know.
Having parents who date other people is weird, fucked up, and gross... absolutely.
But it's still better than them fucking fighting all the fucking time.
If you can work through your shit and stay together, by all means, absolutely do.
But whatever you do... do NOT ever stay together for the kids. They will hate you for it.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Things I Cry About:
- blink-182's break-up.
- blink-182's reunion.
I think they're my favourite.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Really This Time
Can I just say how excited I am to see blink in less than 3 weeks? Night of my life.
I get to see Tom. In the flesh. In the same building/arena/venue/whatever.
But really. Tom DeLonge. In person. With his eyebrows. And his butt.
The one he sticks out all the time? Yeah. That one. The one attached to him.
I'm going to be in the same place as it. Yup.
OH. ALSO.
I guess this happened:
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Pet The Albums
Ugh. I'm too excited to even brain.
I've accepted the fact that I am never going to Warped Tour.
And I thought, when they broke up, that I'd never get to see blink-182 because I'm an asshole and I keep missing their shows. Which is stupid. Because I fucking love them so much.
But now I have a ticket to go, so everything will be allright.
Anyway.
The point of this was to mention the first time I ever listened to them.
I love telling this story.
When I was 10, the only music I ever listened to was what my parents listened to, The Backstreet Boys, etc.; Spice Girls, etc.; and Britney Spears, etc.; as well as what was played on WNIC. Because that was the only radio station I'd ever heard in my life.
In music class, Bracken Merrit brought in Cheshire Cat, for us to listen to... so there were a bunch of 9 and 10 year olds sitting on the floor listening to Carousel. And It was the first time in my life I'd ever heard anything that could actually be classified as some form of punk. I found out what CD and band it was and straight away asked my parents for it. They never actually got it for me, but I kept asking. I don't know why they never got it for me. I really, really, really wanted it. Perhaps it was because it was pop-punk? Or maybe the parental advisory label scared them away.
Parental advisory labels are censorship of art and are therefore horrible and wrong.
Anyway, I used to go to Borders and every time we'd go, I'd go up to the music section and find where they kept the blink-182 CDs and I used to go through them and just look at them all and pet them. I wanted one so badly, but they all had parental advisory stickers on them, so I wasn't allowed to buy them, and my parents refused to get any of them for me. So I was stuck with stupid bubble-gum pop. I feel like I'd have grown up and gone to more fun shows earlier if I had been able to listen to blink-182 as a kid.
Also, I feel like I'd have been more awesome if my babysitter had let me listen to Nevermind when I was 7. Of course the only reason I wanted to listen to it was because of the naked baby on the cover. But still. It's a great album. I could have been a little grunge kid. But no. He wouldn't let me. I still don't know why. It's not profane or anything. I think censorship of inappropriate things for kids is stupid. You can tell all the sex jokes you want and they really will not have a fucking clue what the hell you're on about. Stuff like that is only inappropriate when you actually get the references and kids don't, so it's fine to let them watch stuff like that because they just won't think anything of it.
The first time I actually got to listen to more than Carousel was when I went to Molly Curry's house when I was 12. She had a lovely assortment of blink albums that we listened to while sitting on her floor and playing with her horses. It was a lovely moment for me.
At some point, I finally managed to acquire a copy of Cheshire Cat. I listened to that album over and over and over again. It remains one of my more cherished possessions. Others include my mother's charm bracelet, my great-great grandfather's cufflinks, Richard Kruspe's guitar pick that I got after the Rammstein show in Montreal last year, the signed Silverstein drum-head Kevin gave me after their 10th anniversary shows, my cast, and that picture of Travis Barker and I when I was 15. Obviously it's very important, if it's as important as all of those things. (Okay. I'm kind of exaggerating, here. It's not actually that important to me. But I do like it a lot!!)
I met Travis Barker at the airport when I was 15 and he was on my plane to LA. I didn't actually know who he was, to be honest, since the only album I had was Cheshire Cat and Scott was still their drummer on that one. After that, I started listening to their newer stuff because I finally figured out how to pirate music. And now I love them and I'm going to see them.
So yeah. That's my whole sordid history on my relationship, up until now, with blink-182. Who knows what will happen at their show?
Actually. I'm pretty sure of one thing that will happen. And that will be...
I'm definitely probably most likely going to cry.
All of my tears of joy ever.
Every Word
I'm going to sing. So, so, so loud. To every single word I know.
11th of September, Two-Thousand and Eleven.
I'm coming for you, Tom, Mark, and Travis.
11th of September, Two-Thousand and Eleven.
I'm coming for you, Tom, Mark, and Travis.
Hanging out behind the club, on the weekend.
Acting stupid, getting drunk with my best friends.
I couldn't wait for the summer and the Warped Tour.
I remember it's the first time that I saw her - there.
She's getting kicked out of school 'cause she's failing.
I'm kinda nervous, 'cause I think all her friends hate me.
She's the one, she'll always be there.
She took my hand, and I admit it I swear.
Because I fell in love with the girl at the rock show.
She said "What?" and I told her that I didn't know.
She's so cool, gonna sneak in through her window.
Everything's better when she's around -
I can't wait 'till her parents go out of town -
I fell in love with the girl at the rock show.
When we said we were gonna move to Vegas -
I remember the look her mother gave us.
Seventeen, without a purpose or direction.
We don't owe anyone a fucking explanation.
Because I fell in love with the girl at the rock show.
She said "What?" and I told her that I didn't know.
She's so cool, gonna sneak in through her window.
Everything's better when she's around -
I can't wait 'till her parents go out of town -
I fell in love with the girl at the rock show.
Black and white picture of her on my wall.
I waited for her call, she always kept me waiting.
And if i ever got another chance, I'd still ask her to dance.
Because she kept me waiting.
Because I fell in love with the girl at the rock show.
She said "What?" and I told her that I didn't know.
She's so cool, gonna sneak in through her window.
Everything's better when she's around -
I can't wait 'till her parents go out of town -
I fell in love with the girl at the rock show.
With the girl at the rock show.
With the girl at the rock show.
I'll never forget tonight.
With the girl at the rock show...
- The Rock Show
Also. Is it just me, or is EVERY post lately about blink-182 in some way? Whatever. I love them. I'm also excited to get to see MCR. I really, genuinely enjoy their music. I always kind of liked them and listened to them, but Danger Days is seriously an amazing album!
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