Good things come to those who wait. That was especially true for me on the 21st of October. For seven years I have been listening to the same band, to every album and EP dropped. I had been trying to see The Front Bottoms live since I was a freshman in high school. For years it seemed like either they weren’t touring in my area, I couldn’t find a ride to the show, or I had some other important prior engagement that kept me from seeing my favorite band live.
That all changed last week. I actually skipped not one, but two classes in order to get to Stage AE in time to enjoy the full show. From start to finish the night was a huge hit for me. The two openers were absolutely amazing; Sydney Sprague hit the stage first and won me over. By the end of her set I was following her on Spotify and downloading loads of her songs. Oso Oso was the next act to perform, and they also had an amazing sound and stage presence.
Then came time for the headliner. As soon as The Front Bottoms hit the stage and started their set, I knew I was in for a treat. Before the show started, I had purchased a zip up hoodie and a vinyl record of their Talon of the Hawk album. I handed the vinyl to my friend who was much taller than I was, and jumped into the pit that had formed. Around halfway through the main set, my friend and I had both made our way up to the front barricade with the help of so many awesome people.
Then it happened.
Brian saw my friend holding the record and thanked them for buying it, and she said it was actually mine. The lead singer then offered to hold the vinyl up on stage so we could enjoy the rest of the show without having to worry about it.
Not only did I get a front row spot to see my favorite band perform my favorite songs, I got to witness one of the longest sets of the tour AND see my record up on stage.
At the end of the show, the band took a picture with the record, and then all the members took turns signing it. As soon as I had it back in my hands, I felt a wave of emotion so strong that I almost couldn’t believe I wasn’t dreaming.
Luckily I was able to hold it together until I got back home, at which point I am not ashamed to say that I did cry out of sheer happiness and amazement.
I am so thankful that I was able to see this amazing band live. The quality of the show was off the charts, and you could really tell that everyone on stage just loved what they were doing.
If you ever get the chance to see The Front Bottoms live, I highly recommend you do it, even if it’s not the type of music you would normally listen to!