February 17, 2007 - "The Greatest View: Silverchair Concert 2/12/07"

***So as most of you now know, IT has happened. And by it, I mean I finally, after 12 years of obsessing... I saw Silverchair in concert. The following explains the who, what, were, why, how. Please take the time to enjoy this.***

Originally I had been sitting by the computer on the day that the tickets went on sale, and could only afford 2. I got 2 tickets to the February 12 show, which sold out almost immediately. I got Keegan and I tickets for only $20 each, plus those lame conveniency charges and shipping costs. In discussion with Kelcey and Erin, I mentioned that they should go. I knew I could scoop tickets from craigslist or ebay, so that's what I did. Kelcey ended up getting hers for $55, and Erin got hers for $82.50. Inflation's a bitch. Erin was going to be the driver since she is the most experienced in city driving. The day before we were going to go, I get a text message from her that says "limo picks us up at noon". She had rented a 2007 stretch limo to take us so there would be little to no complication, and we could all drink. Amazing. We actually had the limo pick us up at 1, went to a liquor store, stopped for gas and batteries, and headed to NYC. On the way we stopped at a McDonalds in RI that was totally all done like it was a 50s diner, which I thought was wicked cool. We also had to stop in the Bronx to go use a bathroom at a McDonalds. Yikes. Doors opened at 7:30, but I wasn't totally freaking out about being late because Army of Me was opening, and I could have missed them and been okay with it. After getting lost pretty badly, we ended up where we needed to be. Unfortunately we had to get out of a limo in front of the line of kids waiting to get into the concert... embarassing. We were at the Bowery Ballroom, one of the smallest concert venues I have been to. We got some drinks and proceeded upstairs to check out Army of Me. They played very well, but I think their stuff might be a little too soft for me. After they went off stage they band members were practically standing right next to us in a doorway. Some people went over and hugged them and got pictures. I just left them alone. When they went off stage, I got as close as I could weasle in, and got VERY impatient.

On the way there I am hell bent on trying to bet on which song they will open with. I felt very strongly about them opening with Slave (from Freak Show, their second cd). We got right up to the front right of the stage, and a dude we were standing near (whom Kelcey and Erin befriended) was almost sure they would open with Slave too. We were excited. Much to our suprise, they opened with Without You (off Diorama, their fourth cd). No big deal. Next, they come out with Emotion Sickness which sends me into an absolute frenzy. As we all know, that is one of my most favorite songs. I took a 30-second or so clip of it with my camera, which you will find in My Videos section. At this point I am so fucking pumped, expecting more Neon Ballroom, or some Freak Show, or, most importantly, Frogstomp songs. But following Emotion Sickness we got The Greatest View, World Upon Your Shoulders, and Across The Night (all off Diorama), then Young Modern Station (off their newest cd that won't be released for about a month from now). I was starting to get concerned that they weren't going to play many older songs. So as much fun as I was having... I was starting to get slightly disappointed. Ana's Song (off Neon Ballroom) came afterwards, and that reassured me that good things were to come... I think.

Now let me stop here and just say a couple things regarding the way I feel about Silverchair's new music. When I heard Straight Lines (their newest single, and also the next song on their playlist that night), I had a fucking heart attack. A literal tear dropped from my eye when I saw the video. Let me remind you that I fell deeply in love with that band at a most influential point in my life - and have never felt differently. That band was the GRUNGE band Silverchair, from 1995. My love continued through Freak Show, went with the flow into Neon Ballroom until I learned to really love it... and got really concerned at Diorama. Honestly, when Diorama came out I felt like maybe my love was diminishing, but I still maintained that they were my favorite band. I never really got into Diorama. I knew pretty much all the songs - but just couldn't relate to them or enjoy them like I had done in previous years. So let me just say that when they were done playing Straight Lines, and then played 2 more songs from Diorama (Tuna in the Brine & Luv You Life) my heart was sinking. I didn't realize that they were going to play that concert as if Diorama had just been released and they were promoting it (it was released in 2002). Finally I hear Daniel say they were going to play "an old song" and I nearly lost my shit. In the seconds before he started playing I had high hopes of what it could possibly be. It was The Door, off Freak Show (their second cd) and also happened to be the first song they played all night that was pre-1999. I had hoped for something off Frogstomp, but I decided to just keep my fingers crossed that they would bust out with it a little later, or at least for the encore. 2 new songs followed, Don't Wanna Be The One (a Midnight Oil cover) & Mind Reader. I knew the concert was coming to an end and I was getting really upset. Then FINALLY they played Freak (everyone knows this song, hopefully) and I couldn't have been more pleased. If they had not at least played that I would have freaked. And that was it, they went off stage. We all knew an encore was in order. They seemed to take forever to come back out, and when they did they played If You Keep Losing Sleep (another new song), and The Lever (off Diorama). That was it. Not one song off Frogstomp, not even Tomorrow (which is essentially the song that made them who they are today). I had so many mixed emotions when I left there. For one, I was absolutely overwhelmed and ecstatic at what I had just seen. I was also very sad that it was over, and kept thinking that I may never get the chance to experience that again. Lastly, I was super disappointed that they didn't play any real old songs. Come to find out that Daniel doesn't "relate" to those songs anymore. Bummer. I mean, I don't really relate anymore either, but I did at one point, and will always love them because of it. I honestly would not be who I am today without that cd. But oh well, about 10 years too late for the concert where they play all Freak Show and Frogstomp songs. I can say though, after the seeing them live, I have a new found love for Diorama, and will be anticipating their new cd. I have to accept that we all grow up at some point, and with musicians, it reflects majorly through their music. I need to learn to grow with them, and not be close-minded to their maturation. I seriously just love them so much. And no matter how poppy they get, they know how to fucking rock, and that is something I needed to experience to continue loving at the level that I do.

On the way home the limo driver kept having to pull over to rest his eyes. Erin was WASTED on the way home and kept telling the limo driver she loved him. We're pretty sure he loved her too though, so it was okay. We made it home at about 5:40am. Erin passed out on my couch, Kelcey went home to get a couple hours of sleep before work (but she never actually made it), me and Keegan went to bed, but he had to get up early for work in the morning (which he was late to), and I got to stroll into work about 3pm, then work from home.

All in all, the best concert ever. Nothing could top the feeling of seeing your favorite band live after a good 12 years of claiming that they are your number one. I have renewed my obsession and have been listening to Diorama for a straight week. I'm talking constantly. I wish more of you had the love I had for them. If anyone does, I would LOVE to make a "through the years" cd that has songs from all 4 cd's so you can hear the unbelievable transition.

You can find all my pictures from the concert (there are about 100) in my Yahoo Photos, the album called Silverchair, obviously. Thanks for reliving this with me.