My 5th concert didn't really outdo the previous 4 due to the tough and intimidating atmosphere that I was swimming in at the venue but it was still eventful in it's own little way. It was more heavier than when I was in a tight crowd seeing Linkin Park except I was trying to balance in the crowd from the constant pushing that shook the crowd like wind in the hayfields and I did get involved in a mosh-pit during one of the videos I uploaded but somehow I came out not hurt and last night's crowd would have certainly bruised or injured me badly.
But let's see the videos and see how it did turn out fair and enjoyable.
Waiting at Three Bridges Train Station |
Made this with the "Diptic" Mobile App |
Dangerkids |
Set It Off |
Whilst waiting for CTE, I was afraid honestly to mingle and meet new people since the crowd and range of people was big including age and gender. Most girls looked too young whilst wearing very little, some had boyfriends who were being very protective and even gave me a look that just read "F**k Off!" Plus the girls looked out of my league and I'm not really the type to meet people at such a place that's full of danger and eccentric people, despit how attractive and busty most were (even if they had cool tattoos). But I was here with the others for the same reason and by 10.00, that reason came on stage.
Crown The Empire - Oh Catastrophe & The Fallout (Opening)
I had a big question around will they start off with the first 2 tracks from either "The Fallout" album or "The Resistance: Rise Of The Runaways" album? So in the end it was first album and it went off to a heavy start including beginning the mosh-pits ha ha and I jumped up and down (as you can tell during the videos). In the crowd, there was a Sound System box area in the middle and I positioned myself in front of it, whilst the others were on the other side behind it and being a big bro, I did spend a lot of time checking back whilst recording to make sure Rebecca and the others were enjoying themselves and feeling alright.
Crown The Empire - Initiation
I'm glad this came straight on after the first 2 tracks to kick off the show. This one is one of my major favorites and I knew all the words too. Setlist is here.
I actually felt a little anxious as I have admitted at past concerts on not knowing all the words or failing to recognise tracks being played and how I worry that doesn't make me a true "qualified" fan. I had been listening to 3/4 of the second album for months and completely forgot about the first album (which had even been re-released as a "reissue" which included their first EP tracks. I spent all of this week and the previous week listening to the first reissue album whilst driving to and back from work and whenever I had the spare time. But due to the short concert, it was all not worth it (I can't really say that since it satisfied me a little but the concert wasn't exactly as long as all my past ones).
I actually felt a little anxious as I have admitted at past concerts on not knowing all the words or failing to recognise tracks being played and how I worry that doesn't make me a true "qualified" fan. I had been listening to 3/4 of the second album for months and completely forgot about the first album (which had even been re-released as a "reissue" which included their first EP tracks. I spent all of this week and the previous week listening to the first reissue album whilst driving to and back from work and whenever I had the spare time. But due to the short concert, it was all not worth it (I can't really say that since it satisfied me a little but the concert wasn't exactly as long as all my past ones).
Crown The Empire - Voices
Crown The Empire - Johnny's Revenge
I actually missed my chance at recording the previous track "Johnny Ringo" which is the first part in a threeway story (similar to the track layout in Green Day - Jesus Of Suburbia in a way though not as long and the "Johnny Ringo" and "Johnny's Revenge" are on the first album and "Johnny's Rebellion" is on the second. They sliced up all three songs to make it into a 5/ 6 minute combo song and the fact it was altered made it hard a couple time that night to tell what song was being played right then.
Crown The Empire - Johnny's Rebellion
Crown The Empire - Machines
After the triple compilation song, on came the first song that I discovered the band by. This was my song. The song that made me say that day during my lunch break at work back in November whilst I was watching Hands Like Houses - Lion Skin and Issues - Mad At Myself (which now has a music video), this song "hook line and sinkered me".
The show was full of many moments of the crowd expanding like an explosion and then getting ready for the scream drop to rush back in like an implosion.
There was even a "wall of death" during one of the videos I recorded (you know that scene in war films where you see both sides getting ready for the first clash, well that was this!)
As I was watching the show, I couldn't help but ponder over this little nudge in my head as to if I should "partake" in the shenanigans which I could have come back out in pain or worse. But due to the crowd's intimidating actions and the brutal players going around tonight wanting to hurt others maybe for personal gains or just to start a riot, it made me start a war of my own in my head and ask myself "am I a wuss or a brave fool for not joining in since everyone else is?!" But after analysing through the show and chatting with Katie and Sean later at the end of the gig, they even reassured me that it was much more intense than other mosh-pits they've either been in or witnessed (though that didn't stop them from partaking a little tonight ha ha). I was beginning to doubt myself to be a true fan because I was too chicken to join in and be impulsive (even use the camera to record me doing it) but I didn't wanna hurt myself since I had work tomorrow afternoon and I didn't wanna damage myself or the phone and go home f**ked off... Why not look for yourself in the videos and ask yourself the same question "would you go in there?"
The Wall Of Death
The show was full of many moments of the crowd expanding like an explosion and then getting ready for the scream drop to rush back in like an implosion.
There was even a "wall of death" during one of the videos I recorded (you know that scene in war films where you see both sides getting ready for the first clash, well that was this!)
As I was watching the show, I couldn't help but ponder over this little nudge in my head as to if I should "partake" in the shenanigans which I could have come back out in pain or worse. But due to the crowd's intimidating actions and the brutal players going around tonight wanting to hurt others maybe for personal gains or just to start a riot, it made me start a war of my own in my head and ask myself "am I a wuss or a brave fool for not joining in since everyone else is?!" But after analysing through the show and chatting with Katie and Sean later at the end of the gig, they even reassured me that it was much more intense than other mosh-pits they've either been in or witnessed (though that didn't stop them from partaking a little tonight ha ha). I was beginning to doubt myself to be a true fan because I was too chicken to join in and be impulsive (even use the camera to record me doing it) but I didn't wanna hurt myself since I had work tomorrow afternoon and I didn't wanna damage myself or the phone and go home f**ked off... Why not look for yourself in the videos and ask yourself the same question "would you go in there?"
Crown The Empire - Bloodline
Crown The Empire - Millennia
It was shocking and disappointing to see that the band was now playing their 14th and last song for the night and all within an hour's play though thanks to the 3 supporting acts that deep down I felt were unnecessary (I'm not dissing them or anything, it's just I had no clue on any of their work and my main attraction was cut short thanks to the generous performances that delayed my excitement, it even made me worry if we all had to head home by 11 before the band even finished playing like when I saw Rihanna). It took me a small while to realise "Millennia" was being played because due to the change in tone, crowd vocals and instrumental flow (as we all see in live performances) it messes up my clockwork/ cog and gear-like brain to realise suddenly plus this band was deffinitely different live compared to the almost identical vocal and instrumental performances that I saw in Owl City and Ellie Goulding, even Linkin Park and the other bands at Download Festival 2014, but not every live performance can live up to your expectations because people need to get the crowd hyped, go off topic and even delay the songs but at least it's all rehearsed rather than cutting the flow drastically unless it's an emergency or something, I dunno it's just the way my mind works on flow and routines and how having high hopes can sometimes affect my feelings but at least that night I managed to keep my cool and keep smiling whilst telling myself "at least your here and actually went out and did it, no matter the circumstances and atmosphere that followed!" Plus the bass level made my feet think the earth was shaking which was a cool/ thrilling feeling during the night!
Crown The Empire - Makeshift Chemisty (Encore)
The crowd and I weren't satisfied and all shouted "We Want More!" and like most concerts I've seen on YouTube or actually been to, the band/ singer actually gives in as it's all "part of the plan" and always come on for an Encore. They played my second/ third favourite song from the first album and I always enjoyed singing along to the chorus whislt driving in the car. Good choice in Encore song and it was a good way to end the show despite it's short performing time.
Left to right: Me, Rebecca, Katie, Sean and Dean |
Oh and in the underground as we made our way home train swapping, there was a guy with a huge Didgeridoo... Gosh how I wish I could try playing one, one day for laughs (though I won't be going to Australia to do it... I hate the thought of encountering the deadly spiders, eugh xP).
But hey, things don't always outdo the previous events but if you sleep on it and still see the small pieces of excitement then it was sorta worth it in the end instead of missing out on something and regretting it forever, right? The goodside is that now, I guess us lot are now part of The Runaways?!
So what's next?! I still wanna see them again live someday (possibly Download this year) but I'd also wanna see Hands Like Houses (Australian Rock) and Issues (Metalcore). BTW I do like how a lot of bands including Issues and Hands Like Houses actually do videos for their songs and put up the lyrics in such creative and cool layouts like in "Antarctica" and "Mad At Myself", even CTE have done it like in "Initiation!"
Hands Like Houses were the first band from Rise Records that I was shown by Lewis and Rebecca right after Download and the song Lion Skin caught my attention right after the first listen. I don't know much about them other than their 2 albums which are not really screamo stuff but more heavy rock music with passionate vocals and have acquired another fan who is hoping to see them live someday.
Issues were the heaviest stuff I had heard around August thanks to Lewis again, I think it's the obvious opposite in the band's style (it even sounds a bit like R&B or Nu Metal) that makes it so outstanding like CTE how one guys screams and the other sings either both angry or one is hurt/ sad and the other is angry and vengeful, if that makes any sense. They have 2 EPs and a self-title album so far and are dynamite!
The band's singers are Tyler Carter and Michale Bohn who were originally in the band Woe, Is Me and their stuff is where Tyler sings (clean vocalist) and Michael screams(unclean vocalist) (bit like Andrew "Andy Leo" Velasquez singing/ screaming a little and David Escamilla in CTE). I do wonder if I saw either one of these two bands live, would it be as eventful and heavy as to when I saw CTE or would it be more easy going (not as calm and peaceful as when I saw Owl City live with Lewis) though I do wish to see him again and this time record on a better camera just to fill in that crater in my mind that must be filled up to end the annoying and irritating pain I felt when I played back my work... ugh.
Aside from those, and seeing as it's super late right now as I FINALLY finish this long post, I'm heading to London all weekend, Saturday for London Anime & Gaming Con with a friend Beki to meet new people and hot cosplayers and even take a look at the Gaming area which has a talk on "How To Become A Game Designer" I hope it's worth it. Plus I'm hoping this atmosphere at The London Metropolitan University will be much less stresfful, claustrophobic and overwhelming compared to MCM Comic-Con, I'll just wait and see.
Oh and on Sunday, I have a date! Well I don't know if it's classed as a "date" or not, but this really pretty girl that I've been chatting to, well we are meeting up for a fun day in London and it'll also be the first day we meet each other too. How exciting my weekend looks. I hope your weekend will be awesome too!
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