I walked into Matt's house and found Thomas on the Xbox 360; pistol whipping his unsuspecting victims.

Most days I would walk in and tell him to move over and let me join, but this day I couldn't do that, we were running late.

He told his friends he had to go, but not before leaving them a present of one shotgun round to the face each...3 seconds at the most.

It sucks enough having to work on a Saturday, getting up at 5 a.m. (well...5:45 cause I decided to be lazy today) and showing up 30 minutes earlier than I really had to wasn't too much fun. Then I figure out that I got substituted for a watch today that would keep me at work till 7:30 at night, 30 minutes after the concert would have already started.

By the time we would get there, it would be just about 8:30 p.m.

First attempt to enter was a NG just like at Time Square a month before.
"Can't have that camera with you."

(what...can't have my camera?!)

I didn't stay to argue. It would do no good to argue the fact that everyone practically owns a cell phone with camera/video capabilities and digital cams held in their girl pants pockets.

Just go back to the car cause you're already late as it is, and come back and try again.
The decision of whether or not to mosh has now been made.

Second attempt of course was a success.
The usual routine of entering the concert arena is started by holding out your left hand-
"Under 21? I need your right hand."

*ahem
...right hand.

This is where you give your freedom away, first by clamping a green paper bracelet with yellow school buses on it so that people can tell what age you are. This is mostly accompanied by 2 black x's on each hand showing the rest of the world that you are part of the 'scene'.

This is your key to enter the gates along with two pieces of paper saying "Take Action Tour w/Red Jumpsuit Apparatus." The scan is clean so we're good to go.

Enter into a room that automatically takes your sense of hearing away.
And because of that your eyes are averted to the screaming monkeys on stage with crazy hairstyles and no sense of musical talent whatsoever.

But when you can win over a crowd none of that matters...and when you have a sold out crowd you are placing everything on the line.

All I knew was that we hadn't missed the two bands I had bought the tickets for in the first place, and this one was only worthy of standing in the back and tapping my feet a little.
I'd deal with the monotony for a little while. The songs blending together to make them seem a little longer than they really were.

It was only a matter of time before Emery got on stage.
Here we would move a little closer, striving past all the body odor and sweat to find that spot where we could be ourselves.

Usually I don't have much of a choice but to end up next to some over excited teenage girl who doesn't know how to sing, but insteads screams the lyrics of the song with a voice that would make the cat sound inviting.

Soon I don't care about this small fact either, letting instead the music filter through my ears and take me to a place I can only visit in these moments.

Lost in passion and energy, wanting to break through and be the person I really am.

Not like that guy in the middle of the mosh circle just flailing his arms around and acting stupid while everyone stares at him and wonders what his problem is.

I heard it's best to leave drowning people alone, because if you try and save them you'll only end up getting pulled under yourself...best let them wear themselves out first before jumping in.

I'll be the first to say that Emery sounds alot better on their albums than they do in concert...well...maybe not the first.
but they do put on a heck of a show...and the music is pretty awesome.

One thing I hate, though, is waiting for the next band to come on stage.
Usually this isn't a long process...but there's always those instances where you know that they are taking their sweet time just so that they know that their prepared.

All the while you're still shoved up against strangers that you can only hope is a cute girl every once in a while so that it's not so uncomfertable.

The lights go off at one point, and that's usually the sign for fangirls and guys to start screaming depending on how much they like the band coming on stage.

(Well, it's alot better than hearing them sing bad versions of Bohemian Rhapsody in between the line up.)

Either way, all you can see on stage now is darker shadows atop dark ones as the members enter slowly as the intro music plays.
One of these shadows comes up to the front of the stage, the 'frontman.'

In a flash of light (from a camera of course) you can see his face for a second.
Staring back at you...
Just listening to the crowd go wild...
I always thought the lead singer looked a little stoned every time he came on stage.
Girls apparently think Ronnie's cute, but I could care less about that little tidbit of information.

He comes on stage with a jacket, but this will be taken off right before the end of the first song, only to reveal and element t-shirt underneath.

The guitarist is sporting a short with the letters L.O.V.E handwritten on the back.
another one has to deal with a bra wrapped around his mic stand...don't know when that happened.

This is the time of nonstop moshing and utter chaos, when the headlining band lets go and you've saved all your energy for the impending doom.

It's at this point that you realize that if you were there to mostly listen to music and get lost in the sounds, then you should've chosen a better spot.
Faerie Circles behind,
Mosh Posers in front.

Either way this will go on for 45 minutes to an hour, so the only choice I have is to make the best of it.

Some person tries to push me into the pit...I just step aside and pull him behind me so he can get pushed around on his own accord.

Sometimes you forget about what's going on outside in the world. Time stands still as you stand and bounce your head and sing loud enough so you yourself can atleast hear what horrible sound my be escaping from those lips.

It's only a matter of time before they finish their last song.
They take their bow.
Shut the lights off.
and put the cat out.
And I think to myself how quick that was.
But I don't care, it was fun, and I start to walk out.

No...wait...everyone's screaming "one more song."

The band is more than willing to comply with two...amidst jokes of how they just bought a keyboard just for us and so that they could play this song.

As I push my inhibitions aside and join the chaos behind me, I lose control.
Doing full circles with my arms while jumping in the air.
People stand back and watch, thinking to themselves "This guy is a loser."

Another guy grabs me by the neck and pulls me aside. You know the one, with the earpiece and t-shirt that says "Norva Staff" on the back.
He whispers sweet nothings in my ear.
"If I get hit...I will break your face."
...Then he promptly throws me back into the fray.

(should've let me bring in my camera.)

Afterwards there's handshakes and head nods as the band leaves the stage, and everyone's content with what they've just witnessed.
Thomas tells me he always meets new people in mosh pits.

I have to ask him to repeat that because I lost my hearing slightly.

Once I step outside I don't care how cold it is...the blood still pumping through my veins.
The feeling of fresh air hits my face and senses.
No more beer breath.
No more sweat.
No more armpits in your face as people raise their hands to congratulate the band.

All we care about is one thing at this moment.

And that is to get food.
preferably fast.
and cheap.

Next time it'll be us on stage.
at least...that's what we say.

"Thank you...and good night."