If you havent read it yet here you go....... just a few lines
and I hope you feel like you are there....
Well my morning starts out like any other EXCEPT, I get to drive down to LA for the first ever MAN VS CLOCK show at The Roxy. Excited and prepared for what lies ahead, over the last several weeks I have gotten all the SWAG flyers (120), posters (10), shirts (9 plus others on the board) and cd’s (had 50 but gave out 20 over the past few weeks) ready for the show.
I pack my bags for the show, get my girls ready, take Mackenzie (my oldest 6) to school and Haylie (my youngest 3 almost 4) to daycare. I planned to get on the road by 8am but I was running just a small bit behind (only 10 minuets). So 8:10 I hit the road blasting MVC for the first hour of the trip, it’s a 5-6 hour road trip to LA for the show so I made sure to bring some other cd’s too (Cold, LP, Living Syndication, Papa Roach, Velvet Revolver and others). It’s overcast and raining for most of the trip and then outside of LA (before Magic Mountain), I hit the worst fog! Well I finally get into LA city limits at 1pm. Highland/Hollywood bowl is the exit to look for, 1:20 I get off the exit and find a hotel since I’m so early. I rest for a bit before heading out to dinner at 3:30, after dinner I went back to the hotel for a nap before the big night.
Well I fell asleep and woke up at 5:30 and was like O crap! I wanted to be at The Roxy by 5pm to start putting up flyers and walk around town but the rest felt good. I pack my bag (with all the swag) and head down to The Roxy at 6pm. I get there and there is valet parking behind The Roxy for $7.00 which is cheep around there. I pull up and remembered that I forgot 1 important thing…..
My TICKET! So I head back to the hotel and get back to The Roxy to park again. I decided to walk around and find some tape to hang the posters up (I forgot the tape!), I got back to The Roxy and hang up the posters on the wall and go across the street to take pictures. My batteries stared dieing! So I had to go find some batteries too. There is still plenty of time before the show to find batteries.
It’s 7:10 when I finally wait in line for the show, I’m wearing my MVC tee that I made and some guy on the street says to me “let me see your shirt” sure no problem then he said “how cool it was!”. Its 7:15 now and I see a car park in front of The Roxy its Lats and Noah unpacking their gear. Then they take off. 7:25 rolls around, I see another car pull up on the left side its Justin. I don’t really like bothering people so I just sat there waiting. I hear “Paul”? Me “hi Justin “we started talking like old friends which made me feel welcome. I look over and see Armando and Jeff unloading their gear. Justin “come over and meet the guy’s” Me “cool” Armando and Jeff are down to earth and we talk for a bit. I gave Justin his shirt and let me know how amazing it is! He showed Jeff and Armando too. I made plenty for everyone in the band to have. Then Noah and Lats come back, Justin introduces me to them too. What a great start for the night!
Then I asked Jeff if they needed help, since I was there doing nothing, he says to me “you just drove 5 hours to get here, don’t worry about it”. Justin asks me “what’s your last name” so I told him he goes into The Roxy and comes out “can you spell that for me?” I decided to ask why, Justin says to me “for the guest list” WOW I was not expecting that! I said “don’t worry about it I already have a ticket” Justin says to me “you bought a ticket? I put you on the guest list.” I thanked him but said that “I didn’t’ come here expecting to get in for free and it’s for you guys so it’s ok” he told Jeff and Armando about the ticket they were shocked, but I said “I might make it to the Dragonfly show” Jeff asked “if I got my ticket yet”, I said “not yet” Jeff says “you have a ticket now!”, me “WOW thank you”.
They were all done putting their gear in, Justin asks me to come in and check things out inside. So I get in there and hang around for a bit. Jeff and Armando came over and we started talking. One of the questions Jeff asked is what I do for a living. I said I’m a restaurant manager for Red Robin. Jeff “I love Red Robin!” I had some comp. cards (like gift certificates) in my backpack so I set them up with a few and made sure to let them know when they come to the Bay Area they will be fed well! They asked if I had eaten yet “no” I replied. “Do you want to go get something from Subway”, so I say” Sure”. We get outside and run into Camp Hoobillama (Darla) and another fan Paul who is in a band. Cool people, so all 5 of us head to Subway for a bite. We sit and talk for a bit then back to The Roxy, we pass by the pizza place and Justin and Noah are eating so we go in and hang out. Armando shows up with his parent’s, cool. We had everyone but Lats there who was picking up spicy mama. So I asked if they would sign some photos and shirts since I had a few on me to surprise the fan that gets it.
We go back to The Roxy and meet up with Lats and spicymama then Justin gave out wrist bands for On the Rox, but they were for band members to have, Justin gave me one too! When we stared going into The Roxy Steve the doorman asked if I had any cameras, I said yes. But I had spoken to heather through email and she said it was ok (I brought the email just incase) it was on the ticket booth cameras: all good also. I showed him my regular camera, Justin backed me up so Steve got me a photo pass so I would not get harassed while there.
After that it was just a waiting game, from 930-10:00, I watched one of the opening bands Soccer Mom, they were ok reminded me of 80’s new wave. MVC went on at 10:30, and I was able to meet Jeremy assultassassin about 10:20 and we talked for a bit, 10:30 rolled around quick.
The stage manager announced that this was MVC first show ever and some of us would recognize a few of them from Memento. The crowd was excited to see MVC; the drapes go up and into STAR amazing! Justin’s stage presents blows people minds! Darla, spicy mama, Jeremy, Paul and me were front row center all night. They kicked everyone’s performance before them! They gained a good fan base from this show. I really wanted to sit back and take it all in but, made sure some video and pictures came back. Next time more watching the show & pictures maybe less video well see.
Introducing the Killing Machine was next, power vocals mixed with heavy guitars & bass and kick ass drumming! This was one of the first encounters with Justin and the cymbal, he hit it then it fell and got stepped on then Justin put it back up. The stage setup was small with very little room to move around. Another thing went down the microphone stand the top went to the back of the stage and the bottom fell off the stage. The microphone cord was stuck under it and there it went. No more microphone stand for the rest of the night it just gets in the way. (Btw the microphone stand broke when Justin tried to get it unstuck and NOT Justin’s fault it just happened).
During the next song (unknown) passion for the music invoked another beating of the cymbal from Justin. Lats, Noah, Armando and Jeff’s talents for music shined through on this one! In the front the vocals got a little distorted from the speakers plus being that close probably didn’t help that out, but it was worth every second!
How long was next, Armando had a little trouble with tune but quickly got through that. Then everyone power through that song with a vengeance! Living up to how it sounds on cd’s very little distortion on this song.
This is the last song (unknown) were things got a little crazy; Justin was having some fun with Lats wrapping the microphone cord around him, then 2 minuets in to the song the symbol went down again! What a bad day to be a cymbal in a band! Shortly after that Justin I believe got his right wrist caught under the cymbal and Lats accidentally stepped on it. Then Justin took his covering off his forearm to reveal a nasty cut and lump on his wrist, OUCH! Justin was in pain he hit another symbol after that with his right forearm thus dislocating his shoulder, as he kneeled in pain on the floor on the middle of the stage and everyone played on. Justin then popped his shoulder back in place (I was in pain just watching what was going on but there was nothing I could do to help) got back up and finished the rest of the song! A-fricken-amazing!
I walked to the back by the bar after that and just relaxed for a minuet. Then Armando stopped by, I asked about Justin and he said that he was ok. Justin then came from the back; I stopped him and asked of his condition he said he was fine. He looked to be on his way out, I asked if he was leaving or coming back for a bit. He was going to hang out.
After that I decided to go outside for a bit, I ran into Jeremy his friend & Paul. I gave Jeremy his shirt after the show, signed except for Lats, but Lats was out there hanging out so Jeremy took the shirts for Lats to sign and I took some other pictures to get signed too. Then Jeremy noticed that Armando forgot to sign one of the shirts (thank you Jeremy for pointing that out or I would have been pissed at myself for not checking!). We then handed out cd’s to people outside. Shortly after I was ready to get back in and just enjoy the rest of the night.
When I get back in Metal Skool is playing, 80’s hair band lip sync rockers but I found them to be funny as hell! They spotted the guitar player for the new Guns And Roses and got him to jam with them (live) then would you believe Axl Rose comes out from the crowd to do 2 songs! Shock of my night! Then the lead singer for warrant gets up there for 2 songs! What a night, the shows over and I get outside and who was also at the show….Terry from evanescence and formally the bass player for COLD! We talked for a bit and he’s doing great.
It was 1:30 by now and time to get going to the hotel to turn in for the night and get an early start on the trip back home. Well I woke up a little late 9:00 but that’s ok no rush really. I get on the road back home at 9:30 and of course play my thoughts back of the night before, remarkable, memorable and just plain ROCK!
Thank you to Justin, Lats, Armando, Jeff and Noah for making me feel like I was at home and welcomed. And to everyone else who made it to the show THANK YOU!
Music is about the passion, without passion you are nothing!
Paul Salazar
Psdsmshs
02-10-05