I had planned to go to the Fear Factory concert yesterday but talked myself out of it because Fear Factory is really the only metal metal band I actually like, so I didn't want to sit through a bunch of other bands I'd probably hate. But pretty much 11pm the night before I decided to go (bought my tickets at 1am lol). It was at the beach :D

Ken had to work so I went to the concert alone. Not nearly as far as Boston but still a long drive. I didn't leave as ridiculously early this time, so I got there about a half hour before the doors were supposed to open. Wally's Pub turned out to be a total dive biker bar, so I didn't want to hang around there to wait so I walked to the beach and back... and to the beach and back again a couple times haha. At one point I walked into this group of people who I thought were just other concertgoers, but one guy nodded at me and I said hi and he goes "You like Fair to Midland?" (I was wearing my concert tee) I told him yea, then he said "The drummer of our band saw you wearing it and got excited. He's really good friends with them, being from Texas and all." I was like oh fucking sweet, wearing this shirt paid off! I asked him what band he was in and he told me The Browning (yea never heard of them). We chatted a little bit and he asked if I thought they could drink beer on the beach and I said probably not but I doubt there's any cops around lol.

Eventually it got to be 5:30 when the doors were supposed to open, only there was no line outside the place and no discernible person taking tickets. I noticed people were just walking in, so I did, and a bunch of people were just hanging out inside around the merch tables. I thought it was really odd, but then one of the bar staff was like "Anyone here for the concert, get the fuck out. Doors aren't open yet." Oookay. So the whole crowd of people went back outside and we waited for someone to finally come out and take tickets. While waiting in line, the guy in front of me was accosted by a completely wasted old guy who noticed his lip piercing and suggested he "pierce his teeth". Dude, 5 is a little early to be that drunk.

As the line moved up, I noticed more people getting X's drawn on their hands instead of wristbands and I was like way to make me feel old. It didn't help that the staff all got REALLY EXCITED when someone was over 21 and was like "Ooooh hey! You can get drinks at the window while you wait to go in! Drinks! How about a drink? DRINK??!??!" It was a little sad.

They finally let us in around 6:30 (because that's totally 5:30) and even though a bunch of people got in before me, there were a whopping two people standing up against the stage, so I got on the bass side like usual, and for the first time ever was up against the bar in front of the stage (okay I managed to do it once in Japan but it was for a band I didn't know or like... SKULL iirc). I eventually managed to be the only girl in the front, and one of only a handful of girls total, which I figured. It's just so odd having been a VK fan in Japan, where the concerts are 99% female and seeing a dude is like finding Bigfoot.

Anyway, there were only five bands listed on the bill, but there ended up being seven and it was one of the most excruciatingly long concerts EVER. First up were two local bands and I didn't catch their names. The first one had some really, really young members. Like they all had normal hair, so I'm guessing they were still in high school. They were okay, mostly because they were a lot less pretentious about it than the bands that would follow lol. The second one had a drummer who immediately caught my eye... You have to be metal as fuck to get away with wearing khaki shorts with socks pulled all the way up, basketball shoes, and a Big Bang Theory shirt.

Third band was The Browning, and when they came out to set up, I saw the dude I talked to and of course he was the bassist. I'm pretty sure I actually said OF COURSE out loud lol. He saw me and waved haha so I waved back. I actually really liked them live (recorded is another story...), and they had that electronic element to it that I'm really into now. AND SO MUCH BASS. As soon as I heard how much bass was going on, I wondered if their name came from "the brown note" lmao. I would not be surprised. So anyway they were fun, and I did the most headbanging for them (and FF of course). Also, I think I heard someone yell out "CRABCORE!" at some point during their set, and I for one was like FUCK YER.

Next up were (I forget the order) The Devastated (they had cool lighted covers for their amps which was the only memorable thing about them), Legacy of Disorder (who were from New Zealand and were super excited about it but I just. could. not. I have no idea how a band that was that goddamn loud could be so boring. Pretty sure I yawned several times) and Shadows Fall (who were the other 'big name' band on the bill though I am not a metal fan so I had no idea. Their vocalist looked like MSI's Jimmy Urine except with dreds down to the floor). Shadows Fall at least was more like Fear Factory and their vocalist actually sang, but I still was pretty meh about them, and at that point I was so exhausted I was saving it up for Fear Factory.

While their roadies set up, the backstage door kept opening up and you could spot Dino and (less obvious) Burton in a hoodie. They finally came out and the first two songs they played were "Shock" and "Edgecrusher" so I went super crazy. Then after that I didn't really know the rest of the songs haha. Well I recognized them, but not enough to sing along. Dino kept moving back and forth on the stage to play in front of people and mouth the words, and was the most high-five-happy of the group when not actually playing. Burton seemed to hate leaving the middle of the stage, though at one point he did come over and stand on an amp right over me. The whole set was a little disappointing because I could barely hear the vocals at all (though whether that was a sound issue or the fact that I was deaf at that point, I don't know).

At one point Dino and Burton MC'd that they were going to play their first single ever, from their first album released in 1992. In my mind I was like "half this crowd wasn't even born then WHY AM I OLD?!"

After the show, I seeked out The Browning's merch table and I saw the bassist and was about to ask what merch they had when their drummer turned around and was like "I LOVE YOUR SHIRT." Haha, and it figured the guy with thick curly hair was friends with Fair to Midland, the band full of thick curly-haired men. Anyway, so I asked him about merch and he pointed out another guy, who turned out to be their vocalist (which I had to ask because from where I was I didn't see much of vocalists, especially not while I was headbanging, and I think he was really confused I didn't know he was the vocalist lol). I told him I'd like a shirt or CD or whatever and he was like "if you get the shirt and the CD, you'll get a wristband for free :)" Okay suuure. It was cheap and I like supporting little bands when they're nice. So then I talked to him a little bit, about how I liked them most of all the opening bands because I don't really like metal and he said they get that a lot from fans. And he was excited they were going to play in Germany because the whole electronic metal scene is big there. I asked if they could sign my CD, and he was like "Of course! But our guitarists are at the beach sorry... though the three of us are the only ones who matter :)" I wholeheartedly agree; vocals, drums, and bass is all you need tbh. Also I keep putting smilies because HE DID NOT EVER STOP SMILING. Seriously, nicest dude ever haha. So the three of them signed it then I asked for a picture. I took a picture for another girl since she took mine, and then I left and drove home to pass out. Today I looked up The Browning on Facebook and their posts are pretty much all memes, lol. Epic. Then I checked out the individual members' profiles and yea... that awkward moment when the band you just met is four years younger than you. NO WHY AM I OLD? Obsolete (1998) was the first album I had from Fear Factory, so yea that's how long I've liked them. And they also have the honor of being the only band I've consistently liked and listened to for that long. So it was nice seeing them live even if it wasn't the best.

Funfact: I listened to them a lot when I played Spyro so now whenever I listen to them I think of Spyro. Best association ever? y/y?