One More Tour in the Books
House of Blues, Myrtle Beach SC.
Another end to another tour. More goodbyes I can’t stand to say.
Although I didn’t go get to see the gator farm [that’s on my list for next time and my inner nerd is stoked], and despite the unfortunate heat, Myrtle Beach you were so, so good. I enjoyed the whole time being in you.
It was a bit of a late arrival in MB, but we were tired, heat stricken, and of course had to stop for food, gas etc. As soon as we got there, and managed to find the right direction on the highway, we got to our hotel and it was after 5 or so, so we were very anxious to get to the venue. We threw our stuff in the room, had an awkward and unpleasant conversation with the concierge, about who we were going to see, we took a cab and headed to the HOB.
….and there was no one there.
No, wait, I’m sorry, there were four young kids in the early entry line only. Doors were later at 730 though and it was stupidly hot. So, Katie and I went and got our drink on at the bar—pounding back two and three dollar drinks like nobody’s business before meeting with the girls at the store to get our things for early entry.
The barrier was extremely low at this venue, but they did have barricade bar service—win--, and the stage was wicked high. I was buzzing though and really didn’t mind much. The latest show of the tour, starting at 830, and I was losing my shit per usual as Runner Runner came on and while I was drunk with excitement and beyond stoked as the audience filled out and I screamed along, the sadness started to set in and I knew this would be the last show for a while with nothing future in the works. I kept going as hard as I could though, with a complete lack of inhibitions that probably made me look like a madwoman. I was having a blast though, and to be honest, sixty-nine shows in and this still hasn’t gotten old.
If I could do this every day with the best friends in the world, I absolutely would. I always feel incredibly happy and for those few hours, nothing else matters. It’s me, my friends, the stage, and the bands that let me keep my sanity. There’s no drama, no worry about petty problems that cause people to stress out on a daily basis, no letting “real life” get in the way, just enjoyment and losing yourself in the music that creates the thread that I hold onto on a daily basis that keeps me hanging on. It’s flawless and perfect and what I wish every day could be.
The music has this way of making you feel invincible. For me, it happens to be Good Charlotte’s music that does it for me the most. Who would ever want to give up that feeling, especially when it’s amplified at live shows? Luckily, we’ll always have itunes or cds to create that feeling, but there’s something that can’t be replaced seeing them live—they bring it to an entirely new level that I can’t even explain properly and these words could never do justice, it’s something intangible that just takes you over and there isn’t a time you won’t walk away smiling afterwards.
Is that slightly inappropriate? Probably. I apologize to any younger readers or those not a fan of my sometimes charmingly crude humor that escapes me. I’m really just a girl trying to be witty who’s probably making an ass of herself because I can never seem to properly explain things because it’s a feeling that fails to let words suffice for what it’s like to have that experience.
I love this band, I love this lifestyle, I love the memories, I love my best friends, I love that I am lucky enough to have the opportunities I’ve had, and I can only hope this is able to continue for a good few more years at least. I’m simply insatiable when it comes to this.
The show, because it opened later, didn’t end until about midnight and I was understandably sad as the stage cleared. I tried to keep my emotions in until we made it back and I was at the airport where I typically have my post-tour cry fest and the onset of post tour partum kicks in, but I didn’t even make it to the bathroom before I was crying on Krisse’s shoulder. I obviously should not be allowed to drink in public, nor should tour ever come to an end.
Krisse and I hung around inside for a bit, said goodbye to Peter, whom we had a ‘Every Road {the maine} sing a long with, talked about gators and sadly departed from our beloved musician who I grew to enjoy very much this tour run especially. Said adios to Anthony, sang some Morrissey, and also ran into LP and spoke to him for the first time and let him know he’s a fantastic musician and they killed the shows.
We headed outside to meet up with Katie and Jazz…and it was really dark outside the HOB, like really dark and weird. We got to say goodbye to Joel, Benj, and Deano, along with Ryan Key overall and it was a very nice way to go out on tour.
I remember most of it, including downing another drink—a redbull and vodka, my first ever, and probably rambling and talking too much like I always do. To be honest, I really don’t remember too much of anything, except sitting on the ground, not being nearly as wasted at the chicks next to us, laughing at how the pictures I took turned out---and taking a perfectly centered Polaroid for Katie. I remembering dying during the conversation with Benji and the discovery made, and it being one of the most memorable nights, ironically. We said goodbye to Tom as well, and as we headed to go away, being some of the last ones there since the buses had to leave pretty quickly, hearing someone yell for us and turning around to see Deano jogging toward us.
He’s uber sweet and I hadn’t really talked to him on this tour so I was wicked happy to see him. Talked about the usual—pajamas, movies, and the show. Pretty much.
SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. [you had to be there?] Then we had to say another goodbye, got hugs&kisses and hit the curb to call a taxi and go sleep. We’d actually be able to sleep in so it was much awaited after a very good end to another perfect show. The cab company had none available, so having no inhibitions still, I went to the last few people in the parking lot with krisse, since all our phones were dead, and asked them if they could look up a cab company on their internet.
It was Sean Mackin from yellowcard and their sound guy, Max, and these dudes were beyond wicked sweet. Max had a card from a cab earlier, they called it for us and didn’t hesitate at all. We got to thank them, tell them how good of a show it was, and chat for a second before running away back to the girls to get in our cab and head back to sleep.
Sleeping in late, we had lunch at the Olive Garden the next day and said goodbye to Myrtle Beach only to spend the next seventeen hours in a car as we trekked back to Boston. Longest drive of my life. Also happened to stop at Denny’s in Hanover as our late night dinner stop, the same one Katie and I went to after the SOYS tour in 08 with the girls and last time we were there, they played DFA right after the show at Sonar we had went to.
We walk in, and like just a few minutes later, DFA comes on. Like, all of the gin joints in the world…right then, when we come in, they start playing the same GC song? Nope. Katie and I lost our shit and I couldn’t take it, once again. It was déjà vu and it hit me pretty hard that once again it was all over again.
Made it back to Boston at like, 7am. Slept for a few and headed to the airport and once again I found myself engaged in much despised goodbyes. It gets harder every time and these girls become a bigger part of me every second we spend together.
I love them with all my heart and they make every second worth it. Tour never fails to be anything but perfection; so thank you to my girls and good charlotte once again for giving me the time of my life.
