Campus Chaos 2007

Just over 24 hours ago I started my evening at the Shaw Conference Center downtown for the renamed (and moved twice) Ookfest. It was "100.3FM The Bear presents Stage 13's Campus Chaos" back to school bash. And it rocked.

The line-up went like this: Italian Editon, illScarlet, State of Shock, Marianas Trench, Danko Jones, Social Code, Tupelo Honey, Hedley and Three Days Grace. Each band had 45 minutes on stage with the exceptions of Hedley and Three Days Grace who each received an hour because they were headlining the night.

The performances were scheduled to start at 6PM, with doors opening at 4PM, but with 9 bands and only a single stage (as opposed to three stages and 18 bands), they started things at 4:30. We missed Italian Edition and some of illScarlet, stood in line for drinks during Social Code and rested for the first half of Hedley in anticipation of Three Days Grace.

It was a lot of fun, a blast, and all that jazz. We were a little more disorganized this year and didn't buy any disposable cameras, my cell died at 5:30, and everyone else left theirs behind. So we actually have no pictures of the events, only the aftermath. I have some nice visible bruises, and parts of my body are sore as hell.

I bodysurfed three times (technically five if you count the fact that I was dropped twice half-way to the front). Being dropped isn't nearly as bad as it sounds, or at least not for me, unless you get hurt. If you're dropped, you get pulled back onto your feet, then you throw up the horns and shout to let them know you're okay. When you make it to the front, really big security pull you from the crowd, set you down on your feet and then you get directed back into the crowd. I honestly didn't even think about the hundreds of hands on my back, head, legs, arms and ass while I was surfing.

This was my first concert where I surfed, but my third where I've gone mosh pitting (that is so not a proper word). If you enter the pit, expect to be hit. Expect to fall. Expect to be helped up. If someone falls down, you pick them up, it's expected of you. I do feel a bit of sympathy to the girls who somehow end up on the edge between the pit and the rest of the crowd, but then, if they don't know what's happening, clearly they deserve it.

And then you get the guys who feel they still need their personal space while standing 10 feet from the stage (arguably one of the most crowded spots in ANY concert). Indeed, while rocking with Three Days Grace, there was a guy who kept pushing people around him so he could have two feet of room everywhere around him. Except to his right, where I was standing. He tried the subtle approach of leaning against me with his weight, but I leaned back. After a few minutes he turned and pushed me away. I turned and shoved him right back. And that's when shit just about started flying. I was ready and more than willing to take him, but two seconds before fighting started, two things happened: Stuart jumped in from out of nowhere (I never knew he could move that fast, it was faster than me), and then a girl who was 5 foot nothing and about 100 pounds in high heels pushed me and the guy apart with one hand each.

Milliseconds later the crowd intervened (before security took notice), separated me and the guy and we went back to our merry ways of rocking out. All of that took place in about 10 seconds. Afterwards I felt hungry.

And Three Days Grace does a good job of integrating "Hey Man Nice Shot" by Filter into one of their songs. Two guys from Colorado sang along with Stuart and I during that part. Sam must've felt a little left out during that part.

Pros:
-Music was awesome, the bands got the crowed pumped
-Despite 4000 people in attendance, there was still plenty of room
-Security was well organized and prepared

Cons:
-Sad choices for beer (Canadian, Coors, MGD)
-Long lineups to get a drink (despite a dozen people serving)
-Bad air circulation, no A/C

I'm thankful I'm 6 feet tall. The air is very stuffy down at the 5'6 level, plus all you see for the concert if you're not right up front are the backs of people. And you can't do much for the bodysurfers.

In closing, I really need to attend more concerts.