february 25th - concerts i've been to, riot fest 2022, and future shows

i saw i don't know how but they found me live and superet on the ninth, they were absolutely FANTASTIC. ryan seaman is so gender. i also got a superet shirt signed by the lead singer, matt. pittsburgh has such good music venues, in my opinion. i saw IDKhow at the roxian theatre which has such amazing detail on the ceiling. my first time at the roxian was to see dog party (I got two CDs signed by them, they were both so sweet), the aquabats (they crowdsurfed a little kid on a pizza pool floatie, which was absolutely hilarious and amazing), and reel big fish.

i'm still angry the rex on carson street closed. it was my favorite venue. i was only ever there twice, once to see SWMRS, beach goons, and destroy boys, and the second time to see reggie and the full effect and frank iero and the future violents. both times it was amazing and i even named a guitar i have after that venue. is it stupid? yes. do i care? no.

if my school's parking lot counts as a venue, i've seen a local band called blended reality live twice. 

 i haven't been inside stage AE yet but the outside section is really cool. when i went there last summer for sad summer festival 2021 they had free water out and the merch booths were set up really conveniently, plus the area of the stage was large enough that you could somewhat easliy push your way to the front if you wanted to. i was on the right side for sad summer, not too close but not really that far either. i saw all time low and jack barakat called stage AE the sexiest venue in the world. i agree. very sexy. all of the bands i saw at sad summer 2021 were charlotte sands, grayscale, movements, the maine, the story so far, and all time low. i originally bought the tickets to see destroy boys again, and i'm still bummed they dropped out, but shit happens. 

i think my least favorite venue i've been to for a concert was PNC park. yes, i know it's not necessarily a concert venue, but that's where they played hella mega tour. they didn't take down the net that caught baseballs in front of our seats so the whole time i was watching through it, which really pissed me off. if i didn't love the lineup so much i would've been leaving. 

i've also been to PPG paints arena several times, but only once for a concert. i saw fall out boy in 2018 on their mania tour, which was also my first ever concert. they put on such an amazing show both times i saw them. that show also had every time i die, who had the best energy, and machine gun kelly, who was mid and kinda sucked but whatever. 

i've also been to mr. smalls twice so far, and while i don't hate it, the wooden beams really take it down a few notches on my rankings. the first time i was there i saw super whatevr (who were amazing), L.I.F.T. (who weren't really my thing but still went hard), with confidence (VOLDEMORTTTTTT), and set it off. they were honestly such a good show. i even got to meet the lead singer of super whatevr and he is honestly the kindest man, very sweet. the other time i went, last summer, i saw between the buried and me. my aunt and uncle took me because they're big fans of them. they put on an amazing show and it was my first time being in an actual mosh pit. the amount of times i got punched in the shoulder by big burly bearded punk guys was probably more than enough but it was so much fun. 

the only other venue i've been to so far isn't in pittsburgh, it's actually near cleveland. it's mahall's twenty lanes, which, as the name suggests, is also a bowling alley. my aunt and uncle (same ones) were taking me to the rock and roll hall of fame and they were friends with two of the bands that were playing that night. i got to see and meet curtail (the lead singer offered my band at the time a gig with them, but unfortunately it never happened), annabel, and signals midwest. they were acually shooting a music video at that show, so if you ever want to see me in a crowd in a music video, look up sanctuary city by signals midwest. it was the coolest experience ever. plus, after the show, we were all bowling until 2 AM. very fun.

my next show that i know of isn't until september, when i'm taking a train to chicago to go to riot fest. the lineup hasn't been announced besides my chemical romance and misfits, which i am SUPER excited for. i got the tickets two years ago and have waited that long to see my chem, and hopefully it'll happen this december. i can't wait until they announce the rest of the lineup. last year had smashing pumpkins, pixies, mayday parade, and taking back sunday, and if it weren't for my love for my chem i could've seen them already! fuck!

i'm hoping to get tickets to take my dad to see metallica when they go on sale in a few days. he's seen them a few times already but i want it to be his birthday present. i'm also working on getting tickets to see john mulaney, which isn't a concert, but that man is downright hilarious. 

to wrap this whole shit up, i'm still mad i never got to go to warped tour.