Allred, Chester French, Taking Back Sunday, Blink-182

Alexis, Katie, Kassi, and I went to see TBS and Blink-182 last night. The show was up in Provo at the McKay events center. (Provo + 112percent LDS town + (vulgar)Blink 182 + David O McKay Events center ... comedy.) The venue isn't the greatest, but the show was great!! Allred opened up and they are actually a local band from SLC. I actually REALLY enjoyed them. Chester French came out next and although the lead singer is a pretty good performer...I'm not a fan of the music. Next was TAKING BACK SUNDAY!! It was kinda lame because we had seat tickets (which is a big mistake. I'd advise anyone to just spend the extra 10 or 20 dollars and get GA.) We were by people who didn't know ANY Taking Back Sunday songs, which I guess is okay...I'm sure they were there for Blink so they saw what they wanted, but the experience is just SO much better when you are completely surrounded with people who enjoy the music as much as you do. People who, when they hear TBS play a song that is 5 years old, get just as excited as you do.

Here is TBS's setlist:
1.What's It Feel Like To Be A Ghost?
2.Sink Into Me
3.Error:Operator
4.New Again
5.Set Phasers To Stun
6.Where My Mouth Is
7.Liar (It Takes One To Know One)
8.Cute Without The E (Cut From The Team)
9.A Decade Under The Influence
10.MakeDamnSure

I wish they would have played more from their oldest albums because personally, I'm not a huge, huge fan of their brand new album, or even Louder Now... It seems like it's getting so much more poppy and mainstream...but I was still equally as excited to be there, watching them. This was my 4th time seeing them. Love these guys. Definitely one of my favorite bands.

Blink 182 came out next and OH. MY. GOD. They sounded great!! This was my second time seeing them and this time was by far better. They put on such a fantastic show. For starters, peep this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLpmbWGLa3U (close up, shitty sound.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hphtK7kzk70 (A little bit further away, but AWESOME!!!)

Here is the video, just for you :) ...and a little bit for my reference. I will watch it daily.

Here's the setlist:
“Dumpweed”
“Feeling This”
“The Rock Show”
“Easy Target”
“What’s My Age Again?”
“Obvious”
“I Miss You”
“Stay Together for the Kids”
“Down”
“Always”
“Stockholm Syndrome”
“First Date”
“Man Overboard”
“Going Away to College”
“Not Now”
“All the Small Things”
“Adam’s Song”
“Reckless Abandon”
“Josie”
“Anthem Part Two”
Drum solo
“Carousel”
“Dammit (Growing Up)”

I thought it was a PERFECT mix of songs. They sounded basically the same (except for puberty voice changes haha...)

They put on one of the greatest shows I think I will ever experience. It was put together so well. The Encore was amazing.

Hopefully they come back soon! I will see them every time they come!

Oh, and P.S. Kassi and I were chillin next to the gate (remember no GA tickets=lamelamelamelamelamelamelame!) and ADAM LAZARA walks THROUGH the gate...about 3 feet away from us. He went in and chilled and watched the show for about 10 minutes and then left through the same gate again. We were screaming his name, but he didn't hear us :( He looked bummed...I'm sure because there was 2/3 more of a crowd there for Blink...but what can you expect? They have been around forever, and put on such a great show.

Plus, although it was so so so great for me to see TBS and Blink 182 at the same show, it was a little bit of a letdown because they are both amazing bands and I would have loved for each band to play a lot longer. I don't think it's a good idea to have two great bands tour together. They need to be seperate so each can have their own 2 hours to shine. TBS didn't play for long at all. It sucked. Blink was amazing though. The show was great! So yeah, show schedulers...when you read this stuff...get that handled next time :)

Our Labor Day Weekend, so far.

Just kinda been hangin out. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking :)

We went to Cheesecake Factory to celebrate Alexis's birthday. None of us had ever been there, but it was delicious!! :)

Saturday Kyle had his first football game so a bunch of us went out to watch that. Here are a few pics from that. I'm so excited for football this year!! Can't wait!

They asked Mariah to help with holding up the banner so they guys could run through it when they came back from halftime.

I know it's probably a good month early but I always decorate the first week of September. I can't help it! I just get so excited!! Look how cute they turned out this year!

Tonight we're goin out to Grandma's house for a BBQ, should be fun!

Some people...

"Hi, I am setting up bill pay and I need to find out what location I need to send my credit card payments to."

Lady at Old Navy: "Oh, Okay, no problem. Here is the address."

"Sweet, thanks so much!! That will be all!"

I then happily click the little bubble of the correct location and click next.

PLEASE ENTER YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER:

(Crap...I don't know what my account number is and my bill is at home.)

I call Old Navy back and for some reason, this time the menu is millions time more retarded. I press 0 6 times at the onsett of the menu, just as I did before..but this time, it disconnects me. Cool.

I call back and go through the options...enter all of my information and there is NO option for a live rep...but for your convenience...you can go online to oldnavy.com and every question you have will be answered. Right. Since you need your freekin account number to access your account online.

So, I call back a 3rd time. I finally get through.

Old Navy rep (from India): "Thank you for calling Old Navy how can I help you?"

"Yes, I just need..."

Old Navy rep: "Thank you for calling Old Navy how can I help you?"

"Uh..ya...I just need my..."

Old Navy rep: "Thank you for calling Old Navy how can I help you?"

Old Navy rep: "Due to either my phone being a peice of poop, or me not wanting to take this call I am disconnecting now. Bye-bye."

(He didn't really say that, but I know he could hear me. Cmon now. My phone was not on mute and navigated through the menu just fine! I know he was thinking that and would have said it if at all possible.)

I call yet again. I really need to get my bill pay set up. I need to pay them!

Old Navy rep: "Thank you for calling Old Navy how can I help you?"

"Hi, I just need to get my account number. I am setting up bill pay."

Old Navy rep: "Okay, what is the number on your credit card so I can pull up your account."

"Sure, it's... ... ... ..."

Old Navy rep: "Well unfortunately ma'am, we are unable to give you your account number over the phone, but if you have a statement available, it will be on there..."

"Are you serious? I just need it real quick. I need to set up bill pay. Can I make an account online and look it up there?"

Old Navy rep: "Oh, sure. You just go in, create an account, and put in your card number to sign up."

"Cool, so it won't ask me for my account number then?"

Old Navy rep: "Ma'am, your Old Navy card number IS your account number."

Awesome, this conversation could have only lasted 1 minute. After me saying here is my card number, you could have said...oh, well that is your account number. Why did you tell me that you COULDNT give me my account number after I JUST gave it to you??

OH man.

I have the best job in the world.

If you don't already know...I work for Sorenson Communications. They are a company that provides relay (a way for someone who is Deaf of Hard of Hearing to communicate with someone who is Hearing.) for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people. I work in the Training department and don't get to take calls as much as the people who just take calls, but once in awhile we take calls. It sometimes is a challenge taking calls, after you have not done it for so long. But other times, it can be the most rewarding thing ever.

Like today.

I have been taking calls for the majority of the day and on the last call I took, at the end of the call, the Deaf User simply said "Thank you so much for asking if I'd like another call. I don't need to place one right now, but I want to thank YOU so much for what you do. I really appreciate it. A lot."

Then came the tears...

Again, it seems like something so simple, but it just kinda hits the heart ya know? We are getting paid to do a service for people who really need it. It is so awesome. I love my job!

MODEST MOUSE!!

Call me selfish but this post is mainly for me. To remember. I understand that it's probably not going to be interesting to 90 percent of the people who read it but it's necessary. Modest Mouse is my all-time favorite band, and I don't ever, ever want to forget last night!

Marching Birds opened up for them. I'm not necessarily a fan of them so we didn't pay attention to them for more than about one song. It was nice background music though. We hung out upstairs on the deck, with couches. It was such a chill place, I absolutely loved it and can't wait to go back...even if it isn't to go see a show. I wouldn't mind going up there to just hang out sometimes. It was super!

While Modest Mouse was setting up, we (Me, Amber, Shawn) started to look around the extremely packed venue to see how we were going to make it to the front to be as close as possible. As we were walking down the stairs to make our way toward downstairs, there was an intense heat wave the moment we started to get closer to the first floor. That didn't change throughout the entire show...but that comes with every show...it's the only heat I will ever be okay with.

I loved the opening act. The lights were shining, Isaac came out...he didn't say anything, they just started playing Dramamine. One of my favorite parts of the whole show was the way he would switch up the lyrics and improv at times. It's so nice to watch someone you love, doing new things with songs you love.

Next they played Gravity Rides Everything and the entire crowd was into it, swaying back and forth. Again, one of the greatest things at a concert is the involvement. It is one of the greatest feelings ever to be around 2000 people who love the band as much as you do.

Fly Trapped In a Jar came next. It was perfect. They opened up with Dramamine, everyone was pumped because it's the first song, and a great song at that! They slow it down a little and play Gravity Rides Everything, gets the crowd swaying, great song, fantastic music. Then they play Fly Trapped In a Jar to get everyone all hyped up and excited again. At least 90 percent of the crowd was jumping, dancing, singing along. It was such a fun experience!

**About this time Isaac informed us that they had bought some cauliflower and broccoli to eat and didn't get a chance to eat it so he said he needed to find someone who could "take care" of said veggies and not throw them all over, so he picked out his people and tossed them their bags of veggies haha**

Never Ending Math Equation came next. A song that is a little bit older, but definitely a great song! Personally I think it's the funnest to sing, haha...Just how fast the lyrics go and what he does with his voice, it's rad. Isaac is a genius.

They played 3rd planet next. I don't even know what to say about this song. Definitely one of my favorites and so great to hear live...the dedication and feelings that come from this song are almost too much. (In a very, very good way :))

Next they played Here It Comes. I didn't expect them to play this song at all, but I am so glad they did. Such a great song!! Again, Isaac would change up the lyrics and use his special mic to make his voice (I can't remember what it is called) sound different and it sounds so sick!!

Satellite Skin was next and I wanted them to play this song more than anything!! It is one of their newest songs and I first heard it when they played it on Letterman. I fell in love right away and listened to it at least 3 times a day. It's amazing how awesome they sound live.

King Rat and Dashboard were next and they were the FUNNEST songs!! They are both songs that just get you pumped and make you want to dance right out of your little shoes. Which is what happened to a lot of people. So, so, so, so fun!

Next they played The Whale Song. Again, this was off of their new album, which is awesome...I really would have liked to hear the entire EP. I love every single song. This is definitely one of the better ones though.

Blame It On The Tetons was next. Definitely a classic. When I first started listening to Modest Mouse, this is one of the songs that really got me hooked, so it's great to hear them play it every time I see them perform!

Breakthrough was next and lasted around 10 minutes...they did a bunch of SICK guitar solos, Isaac changed his voice almost everytime he sang the chorus. It was amazing!!

The last couple of songs were The Good Times Are Killing Me, The View, and another favorite, Spitting Venom. Travis LOVES Spitting Venom so I wanted to call him SO bad and let him listen because it was perfect. Everything about it. Absolutely amazing. I wish I could have recorded the entire show so I could watch it every single day. It sucks that it's going to be at least a year before I get to see them again. But I will wait as patiently as I possibly can.

I was not waiting very patiently though, when they left the stage and we were waiting for them to come out for the Encore. I was SO happy that they played for as long as they did. I needed that in my life oh so badly!!! They waited about 15 minutes before coming back out for their Encore though, so that sucked. But it was well worth the wait, of course.

The second they got back onto the stage, Isaac walked up to the mic and said "UH OH SPAGHETTIO" lol, random but awesome.

They played Bury Me With It first which is sweet because that was the opening song two years ago when we saw them. How clever.

Next they played Tiny Cities Made of Ashes and it was bluegrassier than usual. It was so great! I love that song!! The crowd was SO into it...it's a pretty popular song, so almost everyone knows it.

And then they closed with Broke which is crazy because I was thinking to myself in the middle of the show...if I could choose any song that I wanted them to play, I thought to myself it would definitely be Broke, and sure enough, they rocked the shit out of it. Thank God I was able to be there. I would have done anything to see them again, they are such a great band and Isaac is so amazing.

His very last words to us were "UH OH, SPAGHETTIO!"

Here's to hoping the next time I see them is within 3 months :)

The greatest toilet paper run, ever.

Friday night Trav ran to Wal-Mart for me because we were out of toilet paper. It. took. him. forever! In the meantime I was in the living room with my sister and her boyfriend Jon watching The Hangover.

Travis finally got home and started putting stuff away in the kitchen. After about 3 minutes he says "Babe, come here."

When I got in the kitchen, he went out the back door and pulled these out of the car:

along with a bag of beef jerky! (my favorite) It was the sweetest thing ever.

After we finished watching The Hangover, I decided that I wanted to play games, so we played Sorry a couple times (For the record, I won.) and we played Battle of the Sexes (Again, I won :))




It was an awesome day/night!

SEPTEMBER!

You've finally come!!! I have been waiting for you all summer. September, you are great for so many reasons!
* Stores will now start to carry pumpkin spice candles. Oh, how I love pumpkin spice candles.
* Fall is coming!! Leaves will turn into very pretty colors and soon fall down (Which is exciting because then October and Halloween are coming!!)
* Instead of trying to convince Trav that we need to have the AC on full blast, I get to cuddle with him and a comfy sweater or blanket instead and be perfect!
* September, you make Chai taste so much better.
* I get to decorate just for you. My house is going to be so dang cute.
* It's almost time to carve pumpkins, and watch a scary movie each night, and enjoy the many great Haunted Houses in the area.
* Football. September, this is one of the greatest things about you. When you come, that means it's time for football Sunday and Monday's. Oh, how I long for those.
* This year, I have been counting down for you September. Not just for all of these reasons, but because today I get to go see Modest Mouse play In the Venue. What a great, great, great way to start off September.
* Summer is leaving. Besides camping and fishing, I won't miss her. I vote for a two season year, every year. Spring and Fall.

YAY September, WELCOME and don't ever leave!!