Atlantic City - House of Blues Part 2: Whatevah! Whatevah! Oh man...

I couldn’t sleep. My alarm went off at 3:45. I know I slept at some point. I’d had this vivid dream, I stood at the top of a fort where in a battle, the Americans had defeated the British in the Revolutionary War. One of the founding fathers, I believe it was Tomas Jefferson stood with me showing me the place – the view was the most magnificent flash of orange and yellow trees at the peak of autumn sprawling forever across the horizon. The fort we stood on extended down a hundred feet to those amazing trees, where a series of grey stone walls broke up the foliage into maze like grids. It was so beautiful beyond description – so yeah I slept at some point, but damn I was tired. Well that’s it anyways so fuck it.

I got up I brushed my teeth and for all intensive purposes it was morning. I laced up my boots and go ready to return. My shift ended at 4 – and Jen was calling to make sure I was on my way. I tied my last lace and told her I was on my way. “Ok” she said, “Cuz I’m getting tired…”

Then she said…”Carol, it’s so weird – NO ONE IS HERE!!!” What!? How can that be? “I’m gonna kill whoever is pre-sale! They clearly don’t know and don’t deserve it!” she cries clearly on edge as the lack of sleep/Nails stress has totally gotten to her. OK OK I tell her. Its OK I’m coming. I race through the hotel – the elevator bell goes off and I jump nearly 30 feet from shock. Oh great – I’m gonna be in fantastic fucking shape for the rest of the day I think to myself. I’m totally shaky and feeling that hollow I didn’t sleep last night feeling…. And no, it isn’t the jittery I’m about to see Nails shaky – it’s the one you felt in college when you worked all night then slept 45 minutes and ran to class feeling.

Fuck. I run past Starbucks. OK 3 hours till it opens I can do this. I can. I run up that massive elevator – round the corner and come upon the saddest sight.


Oh you guys! They are alone.

Poor Jen – up all night hallucinating that she’s seen mice run across that terrible floor. She and Jonathan flip a coin to see who would have the next watch. Tails. “Tails always wins,” She told him. “Tails always beats Sonic The Hedgehog.” “What they fuck are you talking about Sega for?” “What the fuck are you talking about?” because clearly she has no memory of having even said that. OK Jen you go back to sleep…she needs it most.

Tails don’t beat Sonic… yeah but he can fly and grab extra rings.

I’m fucking tired as hell too. Jonathan is out cold how he can sleep through this horrific music is beyond me. Jen’s mice become Shadow People dashing across the floor – Force, kick them…oh me..

Around 6 am – my beloved Javier shows up – so to do other fans I know and love. I could not see the sun for the lack of windows in that horrid hall – so their arrival is was the dawn for me. They are the first of the pre-sale line. Silly Jen, I know them, I know what they have braved on past lines – mosquitoes and cold they deserve this. Having more people around makes me happy – and since I was so jealous of Jonathan’s being able to sleep through Room 23 from The Hydra on Lost – I tried to sleep as well.


I tried. I gave up. No matter – 7 o’clock had finally come! Starbucks was open – time for coffee and drawing!! I was a happy girl. Jen came back from her shift – and since Jonathan can apparently sleep through Armageddon, I went back to the room to get ready , since there was no chance I would wake him up while I did. So off we both went to the room, Jonathan passed out – I went into the bathroom with all of my diva gear to shower and get ready.


See now, normally, when I take my hour breaks in the morning to shower and get ready – I feel rushed and tense. As much as I like to be a princess and get ready – I kinda feel guilty being away from the line while everyone else is out suffering. So I’m my usual tense and rushing, I decide that today I will bring my make up with me and save time and do that on line with Jen. Then the texts start pouring in.

First is the text between Lucas and Jen and then me to Pam – She’s OK! We can give her a ride! Then comes another horrific message from Jen.


The band is here.

“The band is here. Rob just posted a pic on the photo blog.” 8:30 in the morning. It’s too early for this. Fuck that I’m taking my time… last thing I need it a run in right now. So I get in the shower – and I take my time. Standing in the shower thinking – “What the hell is he doing here – now? Why the hell are they all up so early??” Doing my hair - taking my time…


-and I put on all my make up. See the silly thing too is that at this point, I’m really not insecure over TR or someone official seeing me with no make up. In fact, I’m totally comfortable with it… at this point, its more everyone else. That in and of itself is silly – but at least I’m getting past one insecurity….


So I’m very happy – I pick up my things and I head back to the line to see Jen. I walk back through the Casino. I see no one – no one sees me. It’s all good. Heading up the escalator. Jen calls – I know I know I think to myself as I answer it, I took too long. “Where are you?” she says, I can already tell from the tone of her voice. “I’m right here I’m on my way up the escalator. “Ok well, hurry back, because something happened…” she says all cute like.

Trent.

Trent walked by and saw her. They saw each other, he recognized her – then disappeared in a through a door. Thank god I took my time!

I know I know. You don’t believe me but I mean it. Thing is, When you’ve met the man a few times, and they have all been great – some of the greatest moments of your life and no one can take that away from you…unless of course, you run into him again – and I say something dumb… and I negate that… So it’s true, as discussed in earlier posts - I fear running into him. I fear all and band members, and even Rob a little. Really I love Rob…but.

So Jen and I laugh about TR. She and I are now stuck in the hall. We can leave the line – we can wander at all for fear he will pop back out of the doorway he’d disappeared into. All the while, Jen’s new boyfriend (Just kidding, he’s just one of the crew guys Jen had seen earlier with TR) keeps walking by and smiling. We’re all making fun of that damn Aerosmith song. He, Jen and I all sing it mockingly and laugh at one point. He walks away – Jen cracks up – he’s going to tell Trent you and I were singing it she jokes. Jonathan wakes up – then all three of us make jokes again together. We laugh about Pam on the phone it’s all good.


We spotted Leo. OK – Leo doesn’t count. Leo is Leo. I love Leo, I still remember Leo from back in Fragility when all those jokes ran rampant. I met him many times back then. Leo doesn’t really scare me all that much. He’s super cool and totally willing to take pics with us.


My camera was acting weird – see its all yellow. You know what, he said he’d be around all day if we needed to take more. I wouldn’t bug him again, but that was awful nice of him. He was even nice enough to say he liked my dress…

It was really cool, as the day got later, more and more people I knew showed up. I was having so much fun hanging out with everyone -



As many of you know, waiting on line for Nails means you will encounter security guards. Most are tough, some are super nice and helpful and some are just down right mean and on power trips. Well, Atlantic City had, by far some of the dickiest dudes. We weren't lined up, but we were on couches. So they told us we couldn’t hang out in that hall. Not ones to argue - we all left the hall - and waited in the bathroom. BEAAA-troom!

Total High School Moment - all the girls hiding out in the girl’s bathroom to be bad - smoke gossip and cut class. Hell we even had some of the boys waiting in there with us - under a sink - Jen found an un-opened can of beer left over from the cleaning staff - and that was it. We had ourselves a grand spanking time in the bathroom. (No one drank the beer or was actually spanked - the spanking was actually a Worchester thing but now I'm getting ahead of myself.)


And then we spotted Justin. Yes, I was afraid of Justin. I’d met all the others before, but not him. Jen and Jonathan are with me. They want to take pics, and so I went with them and wasn’t too scared.


Jonathan and JMJ.


Justin was so nice! He told me he liked my dress – I told him I liked his hair. I do – one has to be iconic to take that stage next to TR and The Diva. Plus – do you see what he does during Ghosts but I digress… Anyway he was really really really nice. He said something again about my dress about my dressing up – “There’s nothing better to dress up for” I said something like – then he said, “I hope Rob takes photos, Our Rob”

It’s so cute – Our Rob, is there another Rob? Really I love Rob – but if I remember my Fragility days correct – Rob and I don’t like each other – we did that “Hi how are you.” But both of us kinda don’t mean it. At least he I don’t think did - …whoops there I digress again. Anyways Justin was super super sweet, and I wished him good luck later – we all thanked him and now I’m not afraid of Justin anymore. We were all really happy after that.


Then Sound Check happened. Everyone ran to the door to hear, like little kids on Christmas morning. It was The Sweetest Thing – and I think says a lot about everyone waiting out, and why they were. I loved it.

Jen and I left them to charge our phones and something happened then that really pissed me off. A security guard came over and told us – this was a warning that if he had to tell us to get away from the door, he would kick us out and we would miss the show. I was upset right away I apologized, I assumed he meant when we walked to the door where Justin was. I thought he was yelling at us for talking to him. We both humbly apologized then promised not to do it again. You’d think then it would be over but then he starts yelling again.

WTF? Remember when you’re parents yelled at you as a kid, they’d go ape shit for no reason, you’d say – “OK” they’d bug out taking it way to personal and go “NO IT’S NOT OK!” ‘cuz really at that point all they want to do was yell? Yeah that.

But that’s not bad enough. What he really meant was – he’s pissed everyone’s at the door. No one is lining up, but he’s pissed they’re near where they line up. So now what he wants basically is everyone to leave or they will ALL be kicked out. Not only that – he won’t even do it himself – Pussy on a Power trip. He makes ME do it. So what – I’m not everyone’s Mom!

But now I have to tell them, so I do. I quick pull them away from the door, still security is not happy. Security shits themselves screaming and we all have to go downstairs, so we do.


So now we’re all waiting. And then I see THE most amazing thing.

Every. Single Person on that line – reordered themselves. Everyone worked together – the entire pre-sale line, Sharpied their hands and as a team re formed the line. After all the hell I’ve seen – it was really beautiful to watch that Pre-Sale line not fight and just help out.

Now, as all this is happening, Leo and Brett and Justin keep walking by. There were numerous band spottings all day. It was nice – a lot of people got to meet band members, and that made it a really special day for a lot of people. Justin came by while we waited downstairs more then once and was talking to people, it was really sweet.


So 4 O’clock finally came and it was time to officially line up. All of Pre-Sale and the handful of Regular GA’s went up. Jen and I stayed behind so as not to be the hex on everyone else, since security had it in for us in particular. As everyone was joking all day – I can’t very well be inconspicuous! So we linger a few extra minutes for everyone else’s sake and then head up. Jen goes up that long assed escalator first, it takes me a few extra seconds to hold up the rain of my dress. In the tam e I linger I notice who has gotten on directly behind me. Justin.

I immediately go into don’t bug the band member mode as I did when I saw JT in the airport and other incidents. I look straight ahead to Jen, say nothing and step off the escalator. She sees him and does the same. We begin to walk away and were here – “Hey!”

Us!? We both think at the same time – we look back and sure enough, Justin has come to talk to us. So we talk with him as we walk back to the House of Blues. Jen Jokes with him – “Don’t you know you’re not supposed to talk to us Justin!” He is funny too. Now I’m really not afraid of Justin. I love Justin. Did you hear me – I’m not afraid of one of the guys in the band, I absolutely love Justin – he’s awesome.

We walk away from him after saying good-bye. We go back to the GA Line, which is already full of people. “I don’t want a fight” I say, I freeze and don’t want to go to the front. My knees lock, I’m in actual fear of what us going up there will mean. Several people know we have been there since the night before. Only one or two protest. It’s enough to upset me – but the Jen and Jonathan stand their ground and insist I join them. I do hesitatingly.

I feel weird, only one woman is upset. She screams that she’ll be really mad if she doesn’t make rail because of us. Fair enough – but – it’s more the hundred or so Pre-Sale people who will stop her. She also says that earlier in the day she saw Robin, she ran up to him to tell him she’d been seeing him since 1990. Apparently he looked at her funny.

I was really happy waiting – I saw an old friend – Kim!! I hadn’t seen her since With_Teeth! We hugged and talked about how sad things were, how many people weren’t around anymore. We talked about how the crowds seem smaller and how even the die hards aren’t lining up anymore. Times are rough and we are both sad and miss people.

Lucas calls then, he’s on his way.


Oh god I hate this. Jonathan and I go to collect Pam, Daylin and Lucas. We cannot bring them into the line now. We ourselves can’t be in that line now…

Jonathan and Pam and I go back. Jen – nin.com Jen comes out. She says something about why are we not on the other line. She’s really nice and I love her. Behind my back I hear people talking to her. I know what is being said, though none of my friends believe me. I then see her talking to Security, and know what is being said. Again no one believes me. Jen talks with the guy for a long time and they seem to be – not arguing but not….agreeing if that makes sense. Then the guy walks over. I immediately get ready to get up before he even speaks.

He yells we need to leave. I say I won’t fight. Even as I get up – he’s still yelling. Dude I get it _ really don’t care. Yeah I waited out all night but it’s GA and if everyone behind me wants to move up a few spots I’m not going back that far it’s really not worth fighting over. My friends stand their ground longer but I have long since run.

I leave and I cry. I’m not upset to have lost a spot. Honestly we’ve moved back 15 people at most. Nothing at that point. I cry because I fear I’ve upset nin.com Jen. Our Jen tries to make me feel better, but lack of sleep over the past few weeks has gotten to me… A few nice women se me say they love my dress and practically beg me to have a good time. I talk to more people I know – and Our Jen has me laughing again. I owe her big time for that…I was so sad.


So I go back to the line. This is where Jen and Lucas met. They met at that show in 2006 – so this is a historic moment and we all take pics.

Our entire team of six is finally together now. “Jen isn’t mad at you.” They all say. I hope not. She’s really nice…I saw people scream at her over line shit before, it was wrong beyond wrong how they yelled at her. I don’t ever want to be like that…

I’m so tired and shaken up – but everyone together – I cannot stop laughing. Pam is fucking hysterical. She and Daylin keep making fun of Sarah Palin. We all are still so happy about Obama. We keep talking about how amazing it is. Pam from her jokes about Palin then curses Trent for making her go to Atlantic City and making her miss her favorite TV shows. She then starts reciting her now famous line – which would be one of the most quoted of the weekend “What Evah What Evah – I do what I want! I do what I want!” Of course, when it is said, it must be said in the half crazed Pam voice that she does instead of Cartman. I love it.

And then the text comes in from our friends in Pre-Sale.


Peter Murphy is here.

NO FUCKING WAY!! Look – that’s Luca’s face when he found out. We were all freaking out at that point.


We all got let in. I made Jen hold my hand as we passed JT since I was still feeling awkward about hat Airport thing. We walked passed – he did not see us. We then walked to the soundboard and took our spots with our backs to that rail as we’d planned to try to do all day. We were exhausted –but happy. Health played. You know, they weren’t THAT bad. They weren’t that good – but everyone booed and heckled. That was a bit much, and on top of that –

Oh shit, TR’s gonna be pissed Jen and I both thought.


So there I stood, drained and near passing out from the crazy week. But there I stood with my six friends. We’d made it through Hell and now we stood in a line in the mist of the throng, together. Just as I’d imagined we would that day I’d gone online – jet lagged from just getting off the plane from that insane LA show – and we’d all failed to get Pre-Sale. I pictured us, that afternoon in exactly this position. The show itself I knew would almost be secondary. Us doing this together, all the insanity, all the laughs would be what mattered most in the end – and it did---


And yet - there was still a show – just seconds away from happening. A –SPECIAL CLUB SHOW that promised to bring even more insanity – and we could all feel it –

Are you ready!?!?!?