Because of my lack of familiarity with a) the area, and b) driving from work to Graceland, I left at 5:30ish and got inside at 6:30. That's really bad.

Luckily I didn't miss F-Minus *completely*, and got up to my usual spot by the stage to see their last few songs. Very, very cool. I've enjoyed all of the F-Minus I've heard so far, and I wasn't disappointed. "Pist off doesn't begin to describe it..." says the free sticker their merch table gave out, and that's the truth. The crowd was pretty much motionless for them, but I have confidence that they'll gain quite a following in Seattle.

Speaking of the crowd - *tiny*. I was shocked, really. I mean, forget the other bands, I figured people would at *least* turn out for Agnostic Front or The Business. I guess you really know who is hardcore in Seattle when you go to a hardcore show - because it's a select few that, in many peoples' cases, I haven't seen at other shows.

Speaking of select few, Jackal was there. More on that later.

Right after the F-Minus set I hung around for a while, and suddenly noticed Andy Outbreak brushing by as he loaded his gear onto the stage. I said, "Hey Andy!", and he turned and went, "Oh, HI!" In that I-know-you! voice. Needless to say, I'm pleased he remembered my face...though I had to say, "From Warped tour," before he went, "Oh yeah, sorry, my head is gone." Like I care...he remembered me out of all the places he played for Warped, that is good in itself.

Before the Nerve Agents set I bought the F-Minus album and got the sticker, then hung around that side of the stage for a while - the right, different from my usual, the left. The right side is where the door to the backroom is, so the band members hang around offstage there. Dante, bassist for the Nerve Agents, was about three feet from me, sitting with some girl (dunno who). I asked if I could get a picture, and he said enthusiastically, "Yeah, sure!", jumped up and opened the little swinging door between us, and came to stand by me. His friend practically took my camera before I could ask her, really nice about it all. Dante and I put our arms around each other (note to Dante: EAT SOMETHING!!) and grinned, and that was that. Very friendly, cute little punker. (And yes, Dante does follow the law of nature regarding bassists.)

The Nerve Agents were, in a word, awesome. I realized that although I know Andy, I've never actually seen him play (with the exception of the five minutes I saw of the Distillers last November). With the Nerve Agents, he really showed what he could do. The first song started out with a hard, fast drumroll that blew me away, and I didn't come down until they stopped.

I took a few pictures during their set, and while I was watching Dante through the viewfinder I noticed the singer (mrowr, btw) coming into the field of view. I turned the camera towards him and saw him making a giant frown face, so I snapped a pic and he went back to the song. (God, I hope that one turns out!)

Also cool - at the end of the last song, somebody, I think it was Dante, got so into his performance that he ended up jumping off the stage and into the pit. All I could see was the neck of his bass sticking up. Rather nifty.

After their set I went to buy their CD, but the guy said they were getting more from the van. After waiting around for a few minutes I thought I might have been blocking other people, so I went to the Business table to get their CD. Since parking was cheap for me, I thought I had enough to get 3 CDs, but the Business cost more than I thought and I was left without enough to buy the Nerve Agents one! I could have bought the vinyl, but the only record player I have access to is my dad's, and the speaker connections on our system aren't that great (being 25 years old). So I'm not sure if I could burn MP3s onto my 'puter from the record player, which is what I would want to do...otherwise I wouldn't be able to listen to the thing at all.

I feel bad about walking away from the guy after making it clear I wanted to buy something, but that's the way it goes, I guess. I'll pick up their album eventually, that's for sure.

I felt uncomfortable with the sudden buttload of stares and glances I was getting that night, so I went back to the left side of the stage for the Agnostic Front show. Interestingly enough, *they too* played the theme to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, just like Lars and the Bastards. I guess that's where Lars got it from, or something. Anyway, as it was the first time, it was pretty damn amusing. The guys strutted out onstage, let the music fade, and took over.

I think A.F. was a little less powerful than the Nerve Agents, but no less entertaining. The songs were all great old skool NY hardcore, and Vinny, the guitarist, was amusing as hell. Between songs they paused to say some nice words about Seattle and our scene and such, and Vinny yells, "Widout you, we ain't SHIT!" Very true, to the point, and amusing as all get out. I enjoy that kind of appreciation, too; bands say that all the time, but it doesn't feel as sincere as when Vinny said it.

Partway during their set, the band asked for all the girls in the house to come onstage. Most were a little slow in getting up there. I think we were all confused about what they wanted, especially when the singer kept saying, "We're going to play a little game."

The singer then explained that they were tired of seeing girls get beat on in the front of the crowd just for being girls, or smaller, or whatever. So the next song they were going to play was for the girls alone, and they were in control (if you will). So the girls had a chance, as he said, to stick their middle fingers in the faces of the guys in front, or kick 'em in the balls if they got low enough. One guy raised his hands up and flexed his fingers, showing what HE'D be doing when the girls crowd-surf, and the singer reminded him that the girls were allowed to kick him in the balls if they got the chance. *Smirk*

So they started - I believe it was "Gotta Go"; I know they played it sometime that night, and the song was one I knew - and the girls started singing for a bit, then stage diving and whatnot. I started putting down my camera and CDs, and a girl next to me said she'd watch them for me. (Thanks, btw!) So I climbed up onstage and sang for a bit, then jumped off and rode the crowd for a few seconds. I got dumped back onstage but stepped off to the side, finishing off the song next to a couple other girls. At one point I glanced at Vinny and found him watching me, so I gave him a grin.

Anyway, really good set. After it I was waiting in my spot , when I heard a voice ask, "Budgie?" Turning, I found a woman matching Meghan's description of herself - waist-length hair and standing around 6'. It was her, so we hung out for the rest of the night and chatted. (BTW - Meghan, next time you want to go to a show and your friends ditch you, send me an email!)

There was a long wait for The Business, but their set was easily worth it. With such simple, direct, whole-hearted music and performing, it's easy to see why these guys have endured for decades while other "artists" rise and fall. They're highly entertaining and, from what I could tell, great people. Although I wasn't too pleased with the higher price for their album, they've earned the extra two bucks.

The crowd chanted them back for an encore, and when they came out Fitz said, "If you come onto this stage, you respect the people, you respect the monitors, you respect the mikes, you respect EVERYTHING." The club had been good about letting stage divers up, but around the middle of the night there were guys holding people back. So Fitz let them up, but with conditions.

I can't say people followed them to the letter - kids hanging off the ceiling pipes aren't exactly showing respect, especially when the pipes are bending - but for the most part they just climbed up and sang along for the last song. Fitz looked a little strained - forced to the edge of the stage and probably close to falling off - but I'm sure he handled himself.

Like I said before, Jackal was there, but seeing him didn't go well. He was OBVIOUSLY on something - walking around bumping into people and staring blankly with his mouth open. I said hi to him about five times, and tried to take his picture once. He got peeved at that and turned away, then came back and slurred at me, "Why'd you want to take my picture?"

I said, "I know you, you're Jackal."

He said, "How'd you know my name?" and I reminded him how we met twice before on the street. He walked away again, then came back a few seconds later all huggy and affectionate and saying, "I remember you! I'm in love with you!"

I just pushed him away and avoided him for the rest of the night. I'm really NOT surprised that the last time I talked to him, he lied about doing any drugs, but it still hurt to see him have no clue as to who I was.

So after the final song, I turned to Meghan and said a brief goodbye, inviting her to call me when she wants to go to another show. Then I went home.

In other news, Asbury Park Warped today. I sure hope Bob's having fun; he hasn't replied to my email since I told him I wouldn't be coming, about a week ago.

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