kalpurna

So this time we had grandstand seats instead of pit, which was honestly such a good thing, because we were hella sore from the night before, and I don't know that we could have made it through. Also, we had a shrift, which was FABULOUS. I love fangirl meet-ups so so much, for reals.

Cobra Starship was fucking awesome. I have drunk the kool-aid, you guys; I am in the cult, and I am never coming out. Gabe was in fine form, telling us all about Ryland's magical ass, which is, apparently, full of unicorns and rainbows. "Have you seen Ryland's ass? I have!" he told us. (We cheered.) (ETA: Ahahahaha, also, Ryland told us all that they weren't the opening act, they were the reverse headliners. He's so cool.) They played another song, I think, and then he walked up to Nate and said, "Nate, there's a girl in the front row who's holding a sign that says 'Hollaback Boy.' How do you feel about that?" Nate nodded, or something, and then: THEY PLAYED HOLLABACK BOY. It was AMAZING. Allison and I were the only people in our entire section who knew the words, and we were SHOUTING along. Ohhh, Gabe, take me to your basement.

We decided to go over to where they would be signing shit before their set ended, which was probably the best decision ever, because we were the second group of people in a line that stretched all the way back around the grandstands. Allison was wearing her "It's Warmer in Gabe's Basement" shirt, which, FOR THE FUCKING RECORD, was my shirt first. I wore mine Saturday, so I just brought it with me to get signed, instead of wearing it. He signed hers, "Allison, this rules! ♥ Gabe." I love him so so much. Vicky T signed them as well, and OMG, she is so tall and gorgeous, I fangirl her hardcore.

Paul Wall was Paul Wall. William Beckett was bendy, and his shirt had stripes. Not much more to note about those.

We went to get merch just before and during +44's set, which worked out very well, because not only was there not much of a line, but we found Vicky T smoking and got to fangirl her again! shrift smoked with her, Allison and I got pictures with her, and we wished her luck for her song with +44. She is goooorgeous. Then we bought "leave me alone" shirts, and I got a batmond necklace. Yes, Pete Wentz, I am your bitch.

We got back to our seats before the +44 set ended, and got to watch Mark serenade the same security guard from the night previous. This time, he either kissed him on the cheek or else kissed the air next to his cheek. Awww! When it was time for Vicky T to come out and sing with them, he declared that "being polite is so 2006," and DEMANDED that she get her ass out here right fucking now. Oh, oh, and also, when he was introducing their fourth song, he said, "Travis and I were up on top of the Sears Tower yesterday, and he said to me, 'Mark, I love Chicago SO MUCH that I want to open the fourth song all by myself!' And then we made out, and now we're here." Way to up the gay factor, +44! I approve!

When they started playing "Rock Show," I grabbed Allison and dragged her down to the bottom of the grandstands to dance – where we suddenly noticed that the people who had been keeping people without GA tickets from getting on the floor were gone. "Fuck it," I thought, and we RACED for the pit. So, continuing the theme of thing working out AMAZINGLY this weekend, we were on the floor for FOB! It was really perfect, because we got to walk around and get merch and get shit signed and SIT THE FUCK DOWN, but I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere but on the floor for the Fall Out Boy set. Yay, serendipity! I was feeling very guilty for leaving shrift all by herself up in the stands, but luckily she realized what was going on and managed to sneak past the guards as well to join us.

I have no words for how much I love this motherfucking band. Their set was awesome, as it was last night; Patrick was gorgeous, as he was last night; Pete was happy, Andy was a god, Joe Troh was a fucking rock star. I honestly love them.

Partway through their set, Pete stopped and asked us to give it up for another hometown hero: Lupe Fiasco! Now, I had no idea who Lupe Fiasco was before last night, but OMG, that dude is AWESOME. He was LEAPING around the stage, getting the audience involved, and it was just totally fucking kickass. Pete, Andy, Korean Tom Cruise, and Gabe were off on the side of the stage that we could see, and Pete was super into it, grinning and bouncing along. It was a whole lot of hometown love, and we were all feelin' it.

Hmmmm, what else of note happened during the FOB set? Let's see. Well, there was the time Joe Troh went up to Andy and played at him, and Andy turned around and drew one drumstick down the strings of Joe's guitar. And then there was this... Pete, to the crowd: "What do you want us to do? We'll do anything you fucking want!" Everyone screams. "Kiss Patrick on the mouth? Nah." Patrick shakes his head. "That's more of an at-home activity."

Finally, Saturday starts! We're all freaking out and jumping up and down, so I don't think much of it at first when Allison starts hitting me on the shoulder and yelling in my ear. But finally she gets my attention, and she points up at the stage... and GRETA MOTHERFUCKING SALPETER WALKS OUT. Pete hands his bass to her, and she starts to play it as he goes down to the edge of the stage to gladhand the crowd. Holy God, she is BEAUTIFUL. She is gorgeous and perfect. MARRY ME GRETA I AM SERIOUS. Then Patrick and she walked towards each other and held up their instruments in front of their bodies and played directly at each other and I died, the end.

BUT NOT THE END ACTUALLY, because this time, our night did not end when the show ended! Instead, we got on the red line and went to meet kissingchaos9, joyfulseeker, beingothrwrldly, and quettaser, who are all as ADORABLE and HILARIOUS in real life as they are on the internet. There is nothing, NOTHING like being able to say "You know that fic where" and having people know what you're talking about. I love fangirl meet-ups more than ANYTHING. We talked about, oh my God, I don't know, Brendon's apple bottom and badfic and epic AUs we want to write, and it was such heaven. ♥ ♥ ♥

Uhm, also, I got my nipples pierced.

IN CONCLUSION: BEST WEEKEND EVER. \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ Check out shoemaster's journal in a bit for pictures and video.