After months of anticipation, Summerland was finally here! and in only my kind of luck fashion... it was a chilly on and off rainy day after weeks of 100 degree sunny weather no less! but it was fantastic! I got there about 2 hours early and tailgated with my pouches and snacks while waiting to meet up with my sister and cousin and crew.
I looked this happy the whole time! haha
Here's all of us... ready to rock!
Josh was not happy to be sitting next to Marcy Playground's biggest fan.. haha he was obnoxiously dancing so much that he was nudging Josh... we eventually scooted up to get away from him and his creepy Mom. and below is me with my sweet upgrade. Due to the rain, I guess people didnt turn out or someting bc we had lawn seats and when we got there, we were given the option to upgrade to the pavilion for 5 bucks (the same as a lawn chair rental, so it was a win win!) we were closer and in a comfy seat out of the rain for only 5 bucks we were going to spend anyway. The evening just kept getting better!
Marcy Playground... they opened the show and I must admit, their hit "Sex and Candy" isn't very high on my list of liked songs... but the other songs they played were a pleasant surprise. They didn't really seem to get much of a reaction from the crowd, only polite clapping... but I liked a few of the songs way better than their hit, leaving me to wonder why they only had that one song... the others were better! Very grunge-y and 90's. He even had the flannel shirt on to complete the genre :)
then the hosts of the evening, Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray and Art Alexakis of Everclear *swoon!* came out and talked a bit about why they wanted to do this tour and how they plan on doing it every year. Yay! I have had a crush on Art of Everclear since... middle school? I had cutouts of him - along with others from that time *Rivers Cuomo! (Weezer)* in my notebooks and bedroom. I love the geek/nerd rockers :)
Lit was the next band on... I remember the hit songs they had and although they were catchy and I don't mind them, I never owned and album or really cared until they started playing. They can still rock! I forgot all about their song "Miserable"... I like it! They had a ton of energy and we were impressed. They really lifted the mood and got the crowd going.
While my sister and I were getting our concert tees, we learned that Everclear were going to be in the tent behind the merch stand signing autographs and then after them, Lit would be. All I cared about was meeting Everclear! As we got closer in the line, I just got all spazzy. I have met a few celebrities before and the only other time I got so ridiculous was when I met David Hyde Pierce. I forgot how to speak then. I actually played it cool once I got up to him. He shook my hand and askedme my name, all the band members told me their names and I said something like I cant wait to hear you guys play later... I resisted the urge to tell him I liked him since I was a young teenager... haha *awkward*
While we were meeting Everclear, the Gin Blossoms came on and we missed about a song and a half... but I heard them playing. It was a tough choice but I just had to meet them over seeing the opening song. The Gin Blossoms were the second band I was pumped to see. They played 6 of their biggest hits and also a cover of a song I haven't heard in forever - Million Miles Away originally by the Plimsouls> (WHICH btw is an 80's song on a 90's tour... whoops! haha but it sounded great and I sang and danced to it anyways) i sang along and danced and didn't have a camera for most of the performance... my sister took it to meet Lit. Sorry Lit, but the Gin Blossoms won for me! My sister got my ticket stub signed by Lit for me so I wouldn't miss the Gin Blossoms. There was no way I was leaving my seat! I got to hear Hey Jealousy live :) yaaay. They were pretty amazing.
Then Sugar Ray came on and people went nuts. Mark McGrath had this bright ass white suit thing on and danced like crazy. He really has the charismatic front man thing down to a science. They played a bunch of songs, including Answer the Phone (one of my faves) and covered a Ramones song briefly. When they finally played Fly, the crowd just lost it. In my opinion, their other songs are better, but I guess it does have that infectious nostalgic feel and it was fun to sing along. I saw them back in '99 with the Goo Goo Dolls and Fastball and they were good then and pretty good still. He looks just about exactly the same, its creepy haha
I love Bethel! and Summerland! Can't wait for the next one! All I could think about was Everclear was coming up haha
Intermission before Everclear. Everyone left to get food and use the bathroom but I was sitting vigil. NO WAY was I getting stuck in a line and missing them open up. I swear I spent the entire set jumping up and down and singing and dancing. I was the fist pumping pointing and singing maniac that I was making fun of at the Ringo concert. I am as bad as the Toto fanatic... haha but I didn't care whatsoever.
awaiting the headliners... :) AAAHHH
They opened with Father Of Mine, not one of my faves, but hearing it live was surreal. We decided to try and walk down closer to get some pics and they let us. My cousin Meg shot this one of Art. Yay :)
They played an unexpected song - a fave of mine - am radio... I danced like a fool. I was hoping and hoping and starting to worry they weren't going to play Santa Monica, but they closed with it. What an amazing night.
I was an ecstatic maniac without much of a voice... drunk on adrenaline. I love my 90's music :)
