Again with the emotional moodiness. Actually, I don't believe it ever went away. I don't know what the deal was with my last period, but I was miserable as shit before, during, and long after. And I was just starting to feel semi better and now it's repeating all over again. They were discussing on the news earlier refrigerators to use in dorm rooms and I burst into tears. I never thought a time would come where I would regret
not ever going away to college.
When I was in my senior year, I never had any desire to go away to school. I don't know exactly why, but I think it was mixture of a fear of taking risks, of being away from my family, and meningococcemia (yes, seriously). And I was never envious of my classmates that were going away, because I knew in a short amount of time I would be seeing them at the community college after they were kicked out of their chosen university for drinking too much or raping someone. What? I'm not making a joke. I went to school with some major assholes and I wouldn't put it past any of them to take advantage of someone. It only took a decade, but the regret of not going away has finally surfaced. I think it may have been better for me to get out on my own.
I get so tired of people telling me there is no point in having regrets. Yes, I understand you cannot change the past and all that. But all of my regrets are stuck in the mudswamp known as the completely illogical part of my brain that is just too stubborn to argue with, so as hard as I try to convince myself not to even bother regretting, it is almost impossible.
I think people who claim they have absolutely no regrets are full of shit. I don't expect people to have mountains of regrets like me, but I am sure everyone has at least
one.
Anyway, on to something I have been holding out talking about- Sunday night! We got to Bethelehem around 5:00PM and the whole ride up, the sky was partly cloudy, so I had some hope it would be nice. Of course, when we get up there, it's cloudy and ominous looking. When I went to go pick up my tickets, there was a computer behind the desk and the Weather Channel was up and I saw the redbox with "Severe Thunderstorm Warning". We grabbed dinner and just as we sat down, raindrops started, so we went in to the Artsquest center and not long after, all hell broke loose. And it did not stop raining until well after 7:30PM.
The opening act, Atlas Sound, was bizarre. I expected a band and here it was just
some guy who weighed about 6 pounds. His first song sounded pretty cool, but I was out at the merchandise stands, where it was noisy, so whether it was actually any good is beyond me. And he just kept talking and talking in between songs and I
still have no idea what he was talking about. At one point he was asking the audience if we wanted to shoot him or something. It was kind of disturbing. I always feel bad for opening acts, because how many actually want to listen to them, but at one point he was even starting to grate on my nerves and I was ready to scream "SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND GET MGMT ON STAGE ALREADY!".
MGMT didn't even come on until about 9:20PM. Atlas Sound started well after 7:30PM, played until about 8:40PM, and then it took forever for the crew to get everything tuned. Which I can certainly understand from my marching band days how humidity can affect instruments. But aside from the late start, OMFG the show was incredible. I enjoyed their performance very much. I was actually able to see a lot more from the bleachers than I expected. And Andrew is nuts. I almost died of shock when he let out a long string of F bombs. Aside from "Time To Pretend" and reading interviews, hearing him actually say the word just stunned me. There is just something disturbing about hearing him say the word.
Andrew had long sleeves on. I don't know how he wasn't dying from the heat. Not to mention stages get really freaking hot. He also had a major fro going on. Probably from the heat. My hair was stick
straight and by the time I got up there, it started to puff up. Then it
rained and POOF.
Their line up of songs was good. They played, not in order except for the first 2 and the last:
1. Pieces Of What
2. Of Moons, Birds, And Monsters
3. It's Working
4. Time To Pretend
5. Electric Feel
6. Only A Shadow (cover)
7. I Found A Whistle
8. Weekend Wars
9. Alien Days
10. Angie (cover)
11. Brian Eno
12. Siberian Breaks
13. The Youth
14. Flash Delirium
15. Congratulations
I was beyond estatic when I heard the opening of "Siberian Breaks" and it was incredible, although
I will admit I was expecting my favorite part, 4:55 to 5:55, to be a
little more astonishing. It didn't quite do for me like when I listen to
the record version. I did fill up at "I Found A Whistle" (luckily it was already dark), although I am almost positive Andrew messed up the lyrics. I have that song memorized, dammit! Both of the cover songs I enjoyed very much. I was honestly surprised to hear "Weekend Wars". I really didn't expect to hear it. I was also surprised to hear "Flash Delirium", and hearing it live renewed my interest in it, because I started to grow meh on it.
I did really want to hear "The Handshake", but I did get to hear 2 of the 3 songs I really wanted to hear, so I am not bitching. I wouldn't have minded hearing "Kids", either, since while not one of my absolutely favorites, it was what started everything. I would have also liked to have heard "Someone's Missing" and "Destrokk". Do they ever even play the latter live?
There are only 3 things I was disappointed with. One, the weather, obviously. And seeing how gorgeous of a day and night Monday was really pissed me off. Curse you, Huey Lewis and the News for having such a nice night! I really would have liked to have gotten to see more of the actual festival. I really wish I get could get back up there before the end of the week to see the North Side.
Two, I didn't get any pictures. The tickets say no cameras allowed so I didn't bother taking mine in and all night, I saw cameras flashing. I was so livid. And because my brain can't miss an opportunity to degrade me, I have been beating myself up all day over it, that why was I so stupid to not just take it in. My brain is also holding me responsible for the weather, that apparently I am just not meant to ever have a completely good time without one smidgen of disappointment.
Three, I was already out on the streets when they performed "Congratulations". I heard it, and could see some of the screen, but I am livid that I was not actually in the stands.
There was a lot of pot smoking going on. I was almost certain my mom and I (yes, my mother was my guest; sad, isn't it? But despite calling their music depressing, she apparently likes "Time To Pretend" and "It's Working", because when they started to play the latter, she turns to me and says "I like this song". Color me shocked.) were going to have a contact high from all of the smoke blowing our way. Hell, I wouldn't have minded smoking with the people. But my luck one of the many cops there would have arrested me and only me and hauled me off to jail.
But overall, it was great. And naturally I am feeling the post-excitement blues. I can't stand how I have to go through this every time I really look forward to something and it is over. I mean, I have spent weeks tearing my hair out trying to make this happen, and then I was able to find a way there, and have been overly excited but worried about the weather, and then the day finally came, and now it's over. And it's like it never happened. I couldn't even sleep when I got into bed last night, because I was still so hyped from it. Still am, actually.
ETA 1:56PM: Here are a couple articles on it:
MGMT's newer songs outshine its earlier hits in Musikfest concert
MGMT creates their own 'Electric Feel,' warding off lightning at Musikfest - REVIEW
That first article...this part:
And “I Found a Whistle,” with the music from keyboardist Ben Goldwasser
and three other players floating behind the acoustic guitar strums of
Andrew VanWyngarden.
Not to be that person, but....those other three have names, you know. Sure, Ben and Andrew are essentially what is known as MGMT, but I think they have kind of moved past the point of being a duo. You see pictures of them nowadays, and all 5 of them get loving.
Also, here is a picture of their set list, with the proper order of songs:
They most certainly did not play "The Handshake". LIARS.
You know what I have to laugh about? In the comments section of that picture, there were tons of people bitching about them not playing "Kids", and pretty much an equal number of people bitching that "Kids" isn't their only song, and how much they hate it, and blah blah blah. Just an all out whine fest. Yes, I agree that "Kids" is not their only song and they do have better songs out there, but I still think the backlash is stupid. If someone wants to waste their money to only hear one song being played, that is their prerogative. And their loss of better songs. Only one person in the entire comments section made any sense. He basically said that yes, we get that there are more songs, but saying you dislike a more mainstream song doesn't make you any more of a fan.
Besides, how many of these people bitching about how much they hate "Kids" were introduced to MGMT by that song? Probably more then care to admit. I was one of those people. I certainly like other songs much more, but I still think "Kids" is an amazing song. I would never have known who they were if it were not for that song, although if any song sparked my interest in them, it would have been the morning of July 1, 2011 right before I was leaving for work when I first heard "It's Working" on Music Choice (don't ask why I remember that down to the exact detail).
Ha, so much butthurt. Telling people you hate them and hope they die and saying you are going to throw acid at them because they wanted to hear "Kids"? They don't deserve to listen to MGMT? Wow, I know I can overreact to things, but....geeze Louise, overreact much? I'm sure MGMT would be real happy to know their so called fans are acting this way to each other. If I were a musician, I would be very pissed to see my fans treating each other that way.
And how fitting- the worst of the whining butthurts are probably late tween, early teen girls. So typical of that age group. Probably the same girls going around wishing death on any girl seen with one of the One Direction imps or wishing death on Selena Gomez for dating that ugly little cocky bastard she dates. Or calling these girls ugly. Do I think negative thoughts of a crush's significant other? Sure. Not death threats or anything, but I am guilty of envying them. And despite my envying....honestly, half of these women I'd probably go pretty far with myself.
I fucking
despise tween girls. They are the worst group of people on earth.They are a huge reminder of why I never want kids. I feel like sending all of them
this. And I wonder how many of these dumb bitches only love Andrew and could care less about the rest of the band. Yes, I admit that I do absolutely adore him more than the others, but I still have mad respect for the rest of them and think that they deserve just as much credit as Andrew.
Besides.....maybe, just maybe, some people still like "Kids" in addition to their other songs.
