this post has been a long time coming. i attended slam dunk on 26th may so, a month on, i figure i should talk about the events. i am just going to add a disclaimer right now, though. when i go to a music event, be it a one night show or a festival, i don't really like to take pictures or videos. i only go to shows i really want to go to, and would rather just be there in that moment. i am glad there are people who do document shows, which is why i am putting this disclaimer that
none of the images included in this post are mine. now, that's over with, on with the day!
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i'd like to first comment on how much more pleasant the queuing was this year. last year, we waited for hours and hours in the blistering heat. this time, your ticket and ID was checked as soon as you turned up, which meant that you could go in and wander about (and hear a touch of the bands soundchecking if you were close enough) until you were actually allowed into the festival at 1pm. it probably helped that it wasn't so hot this year, too.
when we were in, mimi and i wandered around a bit, checking out the bits that were different from last year. before long, Ali, Bexy and Donna showed their faces, and presented me with a melon! there is a long story attached to this, but the shorter version is that i adore melon and was promised melon at slam dunk. i was hoping it was going to be one of those packs of chopped up melon, but i made the best of it anyway. we drew a face on it, like normal kids, and carried on scoping out the university. we received a lot of odd looks. the people that were brave enough to ask why i was holding a melon were met with giggles and 'i really love melon' one asked what its name was, and i said jerry. thus, our slam dunk 2013 mascot was born.
we thought about attending the pierce the veil signing, but apparently thought too long, because all the wristbands had been given out before we even got in the queue. only a little upsetting, as we caught them walking out from catering to the signing tent. mimi probably has footage of me screaming "MY MEXICANS" and waving jerry around.
after that excitement, it was time to see the summer set. i'd seen them once before, supporting mayday parade. i didn't know any of their songs then, but they still put on a good show. this time was infinitely better, though. i knew TWO WHOLE SONGS! i really think the summer set are a great feel good summer festival band. plus, they ended their set with chelsea which made me squeal because, man, that is a tune.
tonight alive were easily one of my favourite bands i saw that day. jenna is just incredible. they all put on a fantastic show, and the crowd went a little crazy. a reminder: by this time i was still holding this fucking melon. i dropped it by accident, but casually kicked it away from my feet on purpose. we saw that it ended up in the mosh, and i said a silent goodbye to jerry. however, after we were about to walk away when tonight alive finished their set, one of the guys who asked what the melon's name was tapped me on the shoulder and handed jerry back to me! he was a little bruised but other than that, he was in mint condition to keep us company throughout the day.
it had been a while since breakfast, so we went to go and find some food. but who do we run into on our way? only william beckett! we stood around near him for a while, so he could finish up chatting to the fans he was talking to. he came over to us to apologise that he had to run, but he would be back later. i looked at mimi, deciding that if we didn't see him later, i would have to do something right now that would make that okay. so i told him he had to pinky promise us, which he did. what a doll!
we missed a lot of the story so far (of which i only know one song so i wasn't too bothered) but we went to the top balcony to use the facilities, and it was packed to the brim! so instead of trying to battle for a view, we headed back downstairs to grab some lunch. It was nice to have a seat for a little while. I also left Jerry in a highchair that was concealed from view when we left, so i could enjoy my day without worry that my arms were going to fall off.
then it was the moment i had been waiting for. it was time for pierce the veil. we didn't go too far into the crowd, because mimi wanted to leave after a few songs to see fireworks. also because i didn't want to die from scary jumping beardy men stomping on me. although the set wasn't as long as if they were headlining (which they were supposed to be) it was still fucking incredible. my favourite song was hold on 'til may, because that song got me through a really shitty time at work. plus, jenna came out to sing with vic, and it was just perfect! of course, kellin came out to sing king for a day to finish the set off with a bang.
between pierce the veil and sleeping with sirens' sets, ali and i spotted matt and max from you me at six. they always seem to be at slam dunk. last year, when mimi and i were watching the audition, i spotted max watching from side stage. what a sad life i lead: ali sat down and asked me if i wanted to sit down and i was like 'no.. if i sit down i won't be able to look at matt and max..' but eventually i did sit down because jumping around to pierce the veil had really taken it out of me.
then it was sleeping with sirens time. they were also really fantastic. kellin has such an amazing voice, even in a festival scenario. if you ignored all the things he was saying about how many 'hot chicks and jealous guys' there were, it was a really great set. everyone but me left to get a good spot to see william beckett, but i stuck it out until the end. my biggest annoyance of the day was these two people that stood directly in front of me so i couldn't see. they proceeded to be all 'who are these guys? i've never heard of them' and i was beyond angry. i made a point of singing as loud as i could and vigorously thrusting my fist in the air by their heads until i was just like 'fuck it' and pushed past them so i could see for the last two songs.
when sleeping with sirens was over, it was nice to have some alone time. don't get me wrong, i love my friends, but i am kind of an introvert. i bought a pierce the veil tank top, grabbed a beer, and sat in the back of the acoustic tent. it just so happened that andrew mcmahon walked on stage just as i walked into the tent, and i couldn't help but grin at how happy mimi would be. i could hear a few people freaking the fuck out, and i am sure one of them was her. i spent the end of william's set sat at the back of the tent, playing bubble shooter, and appreciating some nice community moments.
when bilvy was done, mimi grabbed me and we swooped off to catch the end of the wonder years' set. now, the wonder years are a band that i like, but i don't know the words to many of their songs. one song i do know in some stretch is logan circle, which they played just as we came into the room, and i was happy we didn't miss that.
before long, it was time to meet william beckett properly. i retrieved jerry from his hiding place (mercifully he had not been abducted) and got in the queue to meet the man. when we got to the front of the queue, he looked at me (like everyone else did) like i was crazy. while he is not one of my favourite people in the entire world, i can appreciate why he is to some people. he's a talented, sweet and charming man. i asked him to sign the melon and he said 'oh, i'll sign it alright.' which only produced girlish giggles from everyone behind us. as we were walking away, i turned back to thank him for signing my melon. even i had to melt when he touched my shoulder with a slightly confused expression and said something like 'anytime..?'
then we went to see deaf havana finish off their set. i only really know songs from fools and worthless liars, so i was glad that they finished with songs from that album. while mimi and donna hung back so they could go and see andrew mcmahon headline the acoustic stage, ali, bexy and i charged forth into the crowd in order to get a good view for all time low.
there was a moment in that crowd, i was standing at a precariously diagonal angle. i was really worried that someone was going to break my leg or my bag. i am not the best in confined spaces, but i did my best not to panic. eventually, ali and i decided that this was ridiculous. i put my best 'about to burst into tears' face on (not hard, since i was on the verge of a panic attack) so people would move as ali guided me to safer ground. we found a nice spot to stand, and spoke to a girl and her friend. she seemed all too impressed with my story that i met we the kings in burger king, but it was nice to have someone to chatter to that likes all the bands i used to like.
as usual, all time low were amazing. they are have such great showmanship, and have been doing this for so long, they were just incredible. of all the all time low shows i've been to, that had to have been the best. it's something about those feel good songs and dancing to them as the sun is setting. as usual, hearing therapy overwhelmed me a little, but i held it together. i love the album don't panic, and was really looking forward to hearing them live. they definitely did not disappoint. apart from the music, a highlight of that show had to have been jack twerking in a neon yellow tutu.
then we met up with mimi and donna again, and had a nice sit down. well, a nice sit down, until we decided that group photos were what needed to finish the night off. this included me crouching on the floor because i was laughing so hard and my legs really hurt. mimi and i debated going to the after party because we were just so damn tired. my legs were fucking killing me, and i was all for just getting on a train home. yet some how we cut the queue (by 'somehow' i mean we asked the least threatening looking group of girls if they minded if we joined them and they let us) and we were in the venue within ten minutes.
if i am entirely honest, the after party was a bit of a let down. maybe it was just my tired legs talking, but i didn't have as much fun as i thought i was going to. but you know, it's hard to complain about a club night where alex gaskarth walks past you and they play fall out boy's grand theft autumn and everyone is singing along. though what i can complain about is paying £5 for a vodka red bull. yes, i will just let that thought sit with you for a second. five. whole. english. pounds. just.. don't. also some wasted guy spilled his beer all over me and i was fucking angry. after that happened, taking back sunday's makedamnsure came on, and i got some aggression out by singing along to that.
that was our last song, before we left the after party. now i just have to pause and squeal when i think about what happened next. we just caaaaasually bumped into jack barakat. i freaked out. i was trying to get my camera out but i was shaking so much that mimi had to do it for me. jack was obviously very drunk, which is likely what made it easier. he was just walking away when i got this weird social anxiety thing where i was like 'no no let's just go, let's not bother him' but mimi called after him. i managed to get the words out to ask for a picture with him, and then we both went on our merry way. i did some galloping because that's what i do when i'm happy.
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well, wasn't that fun! thank you for reading all the way through, if you did. i won't make a habit of making posts this long in the future, it's just that so much stuff happened at slam dunk, i wanted a place to document it all. i also plan on blogging far more regularly, and i have a few topics in mind. until then, i'm gonna go listen to the wonder years and review how wonderful the month of may was.
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