AwolNation graces Boston with a show on the eve of Cinco de Mayo

We got out of the house much later than I wanted.  We had to wait for my mom to get back from her appointment before we could leave so she could take the kids while we dashed in the car to head out.  Not that travelling into Boston on a Wednesday night should be that bad, it's just with construction, the 95/93 split and the congestion of life I wanted to have been out of the house much earlier than we did and of course we hit all of the above on the way in.  The doors open at 8 so I wanted to be there about 7 to have plenty of time-  of course that didn't go as planned. Someone I know, his brother works at the radio station which happened to be hosting the show, got us (along with 2 guests) on the list! So we had coupons for a cheap parking garage but with us running so late we couldn't seem to find it so we just had to settle with whatever one was closest after we had already driven once completely around the block and started heading in the opposite direction. So we circled back around and parked and rushed to the club. I called my bestie who was meeting us there that we were on our way because she said we better hurry that it was full & filling up quicker than expected, as they had overbooked.  A couple weeks before, the show was supposed to be at another place, still in Boston, but for some reason something happened and it got bumped from there and relocated.  Ironically the same place where I had my high school reunion. So we rushed down the block and got in the doors.  We then still had a bit of a wait before we were allowed to go upstairs but at least we were inside and right near the stairs where we were headed. We anxiously awaited being able to head up. The three of us went up and I decided we should be on the left side of the stage- the mister was thinking we should be in the middle, but I wanted the left as that's where I saw CT's guitar sitting perched in it's stand.  Once again we didn't get any ear plugs- what is with me and not thinking about this. My poor ears. This time though we didn't use anything, I thought oh it can't be any louder than it was at the Ruins (I learned to find out later that it was).  We stood around and my friend put her earplugs in, she was a smart girl for bringing them, BUT she put them in way before the band took the stage so we couldn't hear a word she was saying.  Although she thought she was loud, in her head it probably sounded louder than it is but it was like she was whispering and with everyone else around us I could only hear snippets of her conversations- the mister said it was the same way with him and he was standing even closer. We stood around for a very long time as there was no opening band.  We stood around for at least another hour. The poor roadie who sound checks and makes sure every one's instruments are tuned had to do it twice! The DJ from the radio station came out eventually and we noticed the band members over near the sound booth. I snapped a couple good pictures of them getting ready over on the side.  Finally Awol Nation hit the stage! They opened with some cool instrumental stuff and then got right into their set. This was Awol's first trip to Boston.  The girl standing next to me made me have total camera envy and I didn't feel so bad having my flash be on - considering her camera and flash were twice the size of mine.  My camera was having serious focusing issues, more so than usual which was frustrating but I will still able to take a lot.  Awol Nation is a band with intense energy and emotion.  They got the crowd worked up- and with alcohol involved there were some drunk dumb big guys behind us that started a mosh pit. Is it just me, but who moshes to Awol Nation?! So they were really getting into it and bumping/knocking the people in front of them and us small girls in the front really wanted to have no part of it. Myself and the other bunch of us in the front kept getting closer and closer to the stage where I was pretty much almost on top of CT & his amp. I was inches away from CT- my thoughts were "don't mess up his playing, wow I'm REALLY close." We smirked at one another & we both did this eyebrow raise thing, it was a funny exchange of facial expressions. The girl next to me had her earplugs knocked out- she was knocked into so hard that we all watched it bounce out. She was pretty pissed and saw it bounce on the stage. It landed next to CT's foot, we both had seen it & we both shrugged our shoulders. The lead singer made a comment that those guys needed to be protectors of the pit- especially for those people who want nothing to do with the pit- pointing to our row.  Think about it, there's some people who just want to have just as good a time but without the moshing. It seemed like this set was a lot shorter than the last but I think it's just because we were waiting around for so long.  When I think about how many songs they played it was a good amount and they jammed out for a while. Maybe I just wanted them to play for as long as they can.  They finished up their set. We hung around hoping to see the band & hang out with them again.  I brought a picture I had printed out from home to have the guys sign.  We caught the keyboard player as we noticed him going back to get his laptop off the stage.  I asked where they were hiding & if they were planning on coming back inside. He said everyone was just washing up and would be near the merch table. We then found the drummer as he was loading up his equipment.  Then eventually the bass player came back & I asked if he would sign the picture too- he was like I don't have a pen, I said not to fear I try to always come prepared and had my sharpie in hand.  A while went by & still no sign of the lead singer or CT.  I asked the bass player where they might be, especially CT. He was like "he's been doing this a LONG time, he went to shower & probably went to bed- we are all really tired & honestly I think if he's tired, he'd just go to bed." Well I guess. I told him and I was not pleased and we both laughed. We stood around talking for a while. I had had a bit to drink and my drunken ramblings about everything still kept him entertained to listen. I told him it felt surreal watching them play at the same place as my high school reunion & both agreed that it was a strange place for a band to play.  Some more time went by, and eventually me, the mister & my bestie J went to the bar downstairs because the selection of booze was better. As I was hanging near the bar, J said don't look now but the lead singer had graced his presence back to the club.  I tapped him and thanked him for a great show & said how we had met at the Providence show & would he mind signing something that we could bring back for our son who couldn't grace us tonight since he's underage.  He wrote a sweet little message to the boy-o saying "we missed you tonight buddy, see you at the next show." I thought it was very kind of him to do so. We took some more pictures and all hung out for a bit before heading out.