We all know what the number three is- Awolnation Paradise Club in Boston 7/14/11

I sat in anticipation throughout the day for this show.  My son had been listening to Megalithic Symphony all week so he decided that he'd sit & wrote/drew a letter to the guys in AwolNation for me to take. It was a very sweet thought for them - and we happened to listen to the CD for inspiration.

Eventually after a bit of waiting, my friend came to pick me up as I was her "hot date" for the evening. It's nice to have just a girl's night and be able to go see a band that I like so much (she dubbed me a super fan when I asked if she'd like to see them with me) with someone who appreciates music and also happens to dig this band.  So we got in the car and headed Northbound into the city chit chatting and listening to tunes.  We found a parking spot less than a block from the club and we decided to hop into a bar next to it. It is noisy & filled with business dressed people who have apparently finished work & need a drink.  We chose to leave after our drink and headed into the lounge area of the Paradise- I noticed right away that Awol's bus was parked outside.  The lounge was absolutely empty. So we were able to enjoy our drinks and our conversation (and notice when Aaron, AN lead singer, walked past us).  So after chatting for a bit we got our drinks put in plastic cups to be able to head up to the concert area. This side of the club is still pretty sparse as well when then people slowly begin to filter in.  We were chatting about stuff & were both amazed that this show still had tickets available for it- I mentioned to her that they're still a band that a lot of people haven't heard of unbelievably so we just happen to be part of a lucky group of people who have seen them since their small start as we can watch them rise. 

There were 2 bands opening up for AWOL. The first one, Redlight Kings, in my opinion was nothing really all that special but they were alright & it's nice to support a band that is just starting off.  As they were playing their set, I noticed Awol's keyboardist, Kenny, standing next to my friend and he filtered into the crowd almost incognito.  At one point I noticed Hayden, the drummer from Awol standing around as well. 

The second band, Bear Hands, was fabulous. They had a progressive, independent sound- despite the fact that their lead singer mumbled when he was talking to the crowd & introducing the band.  Also I always enjoy watching musicians who mix it up and play around with different instruments. Plus who doesn't love a band with maracas? Both bands had broken all their equipment down & I noticed Awol's roadie/stage guys come onto uncover the guys instruments, take the cover off the drums & reveal a new lit up sign of AN.  The guys walk on the stage and the set begins.

CT smiles and turns to shake a handfull of the people around him hands and then straps on his guitar.  At the end of the first song, he noticed I was standing in front and said "hey thanks for coming again" & shook my hand. First show I went to I only knew a small bunch of songs and not many of the words. Second show I went to I knew most of the songs but not all of the words. This time I around I've got all the songs down and know pretty much every word.  It was interesting to see the people who were there- I always love checking out to see the mesh of people who are into the music. Aaron got off the stage during Sail to sing in the middle of  the crowd and then hopped back on. Coolest moment of percussion was watching Aaron, Hayden & David (with a cowbell) all playing together. They ended the set with Aaron on the drums & Hayden with guitar for Knights of Shame. CT flicked one of picks toward the crowd but it didn't really bounce far so I picked it up off the stage. Excellent show definately. We headed outside through the back door eventually toward the front since that is where their bus was parked.  It had started drizzling.  David, the bass player, was the first one out.  As he was coming back out off the bus I turned to him & asked if he didn't mind signing some stuff & that I had a letter for him/the rest of the guys.  He was like "I remember you." Oh my I was thinking, yeah do you remember my drunken mess at the last Awol show?!  Then I wanted to make sure the rest of the guys saw it so he was gonna have me come in with him to get it to them. But the doors we were standing at were locked- we all laughed and said he wasn't going to get back in either. As he was going in, Hayden was coming out and soon the rest of the band was eventually as well so I decided to just stand outside.  I showed Hayden the letter and he said he was gonna put it on the bus so it didn't get ruined from the rain and so that the other guys would get a chance to see it as well. Then Christopher came out of the club- he turned to me & my friend and he was like "where did this rain come from?" My friend and I looked at each other and we're like it's New England, weather changes at the blink of an eye.  Plus it seems like every time Awol has done a show here it's rained.  So I was telling CT about the Melon show & how we didn't get a chance to get back in - he said he noticed us in the front row & had wondered why we hadn't hung out. I mentioned how he hit me in the head- he was like "with my hand" "no, with your guitar" He was apologetic, I said it was fine plus a cool story to share. I told him of my road trip plans for September and such. I told him the people I was travelling with and he said that our roadtrip trio is great and that it'll be some fun times and shows.  I mentioned how I was doing it without the mister or the kiddos, and he said that my husband must be pretty cool to let me go out on an adventure like that. Then I told him how there was a letter for him and the rest of the guys that he had to make sure to see. He got all excited and was like "well where is he tonight?" I was like well it's an 18+ show otherwise he'd be there.  He was like "oh yeah and he's just a little kid" and we both giggled.  I turned and was like "I have a bet from a melonhead friend that hopefully you can help me fullfill." He looked at me worried- my friend tried to reassure him that it wasn't crazy or strange or anything. "Can I wear your hat CT?" He was like "no, this is my hat plus if I let you wear it then everyone will want to wear it." He took it off, waved it at me and put it back on his head.  So then I turned back to him and I was like "well if you won't let me wear your hat, will you atleast take a picture with me?" That he was aggreable to.

As we had our arms around each other for the picture, I decided to get up the nerve to turn and whisper in his ear while my friend was adjusting everything to take the picture.  I moved a curl that was hanging from his hat away and whispered "So, what is the deal with your hat?" She took the picture.  He whispered back in my ear "It's special to me." I turned back again "Well, why is it special?" He whispers in a somewhat aggrevated tone "It's just a very special hat to me. It's MY hat." We then whispered back and forth for another few seconds and he then had his hand around my shoulder for another minute and until some other people started to talk to him as well. Honestly I was a little bit out of my body at this moment. Then they were trying to figure out how to take the picture to get all of them in it and he turned to them & pointed at me and said, "she's good at pictures, have her take it."  My hands were really shaky for some reason at this point. My friend stood for a picture with him and Aaron's girlfriend had walked by and tapped him and he turned to see her.  I turned and said "um excuse me but can you pay attention to me and MY camera thank you." The picture that we then took was great as he was very intently paying attention. After I took it he wanted to see it right away and said "SEE I can pay attention, so there."  There was another melon head that was standing next to me at the show & he went up to CT & asked if he'd be insulted to sign some melon stuff he had with him Christopher was like "insulted? no. flattered, yes." They were chatting and as that guy turned to leave CT turned to him and said "hey man, make sure to keep it between the ditches." It made me smile a mile wide. I joked and asked CT if he was planning on going to bed since he's old and can't keep up with these young musicians. We all laughed. He said no not going to bed yet first he was gonna read. I said "see you ARE old." He was like "No, I did that even when I was young-  go to the back of the bus in my bunk and read." I was fascinated by this. So I turned back to CT with a hand on my hip and said to him "Well if you won't let me wear your hat, atleast do something with me?" He turns and had this big cheesy grin on his face "What do you want me to let you wear my pants?!" I am completely thrown and didn't even know what to say. "Um wait, WHAT?! No?!" We both laughed. I turned and attempted to explain the whole planking phenomenon. I turned "can I plank with you?" He looked at me like I was completely nuts. "What the F**K is that?!" I covered my eyes to visualize how to tell him exactly what it was all the while he was looking at my intently trying to figure it out. He was like "I have to research that and well maybe I'll think about it. But that is just weird." He turned to talk to the other people hanging out there and was like see you in a month. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lying_down_game
Then as we were heading towards the car my friend pointed out that Aaron was standing in front of the bus and we talked with him for a few. I told him he needs to inform his guitarist about what planking is. We laughed.  I told him on the bus was the letter/drawing from my son. He was like "oh yeah I saw that! What a great kid you got. He must've put some time into it." We hung out for a few minutes more - hopefully waiting for Kenny to come back out but he had just headed back into the club to shower so we didn't get a chance to see him. It was getting late and my friend had work early in the morning. All in all a very grand evening.