For this review I will also talk about my extended travel experience. I was really excited about this trip because it was traveling to see one of my top 2 bands in Seattle, a place where I grew up. Because of that we planned on getting there a couple of days early. The original plan was to fly in on Wednesday our flight was supposed to get us there at 8 am but we miscalculated our times, I think due to lack of sleep from the Canada trip. For some reason we thought we were flying out at 8 and when we realized we needed to be at the airport at 6 am we were cutting it close. We were speeding, running down the terminals and as we ran up to the gate the plane was still there, but they had already shut the doors and told us they had to get us on another plane which wouldn’t be leaving until noon and getting us to Seattle at 2:30 their local time. This threw a bit of a wrench in our plans but we just moved some things around and it wasn’t a big deal. As we flew into Seattle, we flew by Mt. Saint Helens and Mt. Rainer which was cool. After we landed, we hit a dispensary so I could grab some weed then headed to another teriyaki place I wanted Jess to try then it was off to our hotel to get ready. We then met up with a good friend of mine and his wife. We went out bar hopping and had drinks down on the pier. It was really nice to catch up and do some site seeing.
The following morning Jess and I got up and headed to Ocean Shores to see the ocean, we walked on the beach had some fresh fish and chips. On the way back we saw Kurt Cobain’s childhood home and the park they had dedicated to him. It was a shame to see all the graffiti and the homeless person living under the bridge, but it was still cool to see it all. We then headed back to our hotel and started preparing for the following day as we knew it was going to be a long day.
Day 1 we got up early and walked to the venue it was just about half an hour and when we got there we were both a little surprised to see how many people were there. There were more people than in Canada, when we were given our number, we were like 15th-ish in line for our VIP group. We did recognize some people from last year in Texas and of course some people we had just met in Canada. Once again, when it was time to go in they moved us and relined us up inside the stadium it was a mad dash, there was no organization I lost some positioning in our group but gained some positioning in the group that was in front of us and in the end, Jess managed to get us our shirts and the night’s poster and I managed to get us a good spot on the rail even though it was on a higher spot on the stage, there was a lot of action there most of the night. I’ll talk about that more in a minute. So, as we are standing there I of course make friends with security and the people around us. One of the people near us was a guy we met in Canada and his fiancé. The other guy on the other side of me asked if I would hold his spot while he went to get some merch, I told him no problem. While he was gone some random guy runs up and first tries to push in between Jess and I who are literally shoulder to shoulder and I told him excuse me not happening and I pushed him back as I got securities attention then he ran over and tried to get the spot I was holding for the other guy. I told him he couldn’t have that spot either. The guy on the other side also told him he couldn’t take that spot and he tried to argue as I continued to get securities attention. Security walked over and basically told him to take a hike (this is the guy we got a picture with at the very bottom on the final night below). Other than this guy we had a great group of people around us all night. Going back to our spot and our view. Starting with Wolfgang Van Halen (Mammoth). He played in front of us more than he did in Canada. I would also like to say his mom was there Valerie Bertinelli to cheer on her son, which was cool. His guitarist was jamming in front of us at one point and when he was done, he threw his pick at me, though it fell short. The Canadian guy next to us offered me his pick picker, even though I had mine I told him no, I didn’t want security to know we had them just yet and I knew the security guy was going to already hand it to me since it was thrown at me, which he did. Of the 3 times that I have seen Mammoth this was the best view I have had of him and his band yet.
For Pantera we were right in front of Rex the bass players technician which was cool, he gave all of us on the rail a pick, Rex gave a few of us a pick as well. As far as the view we had a pretty good view of all of them including the drummer until he switched drum sets to the one on the other side of the stage. In Edmonton, I missed 3 or 4 of their songs running to the bathroom and getting drinks but I caught their full set in Seattle and it was good. I think they did a good job of getting the crowd pumped and ready for Metallica. Though I can say honestly, I was already pumped up especially seeing them basically in my hometown of Seattle. When they hit the stage, Lar’s drum kit popped up right in front of us and the crowd went crazy, I was head banging and singing! It was an experience that is hard to explain as I got lost in the moment and the music. All the traveling, stress, waiting in line all day, in the heat, fighting the crowds, whatever we had to do to get that spot to have this moment, this is what it was all for, all for this moment. To forget all our life worries and just enjoy the next few hours, which we did! It was fucking amazing! At the end we pulled out our pick pickers and got several picks including one with the Seattle date which was one I really want! I tell you what wasn’t amazing, that was the walk back to the hotel lol, all up hill, it about killed us! Thankfully we had leftover teriyaki waiting for us!
For our day in between we slept in and went to the Zoo. Afterwards we grabbed some a bunch of Chinese food and hit Edmonds beach to have dinner and watch the sunset. We had an early night as we once again knew we were going to have an early day the following day. I had learned the pop-up stores had different shirts and posters then the merch tents at the shows so the plan was on Sunday was Jess was going to go the pop up store and I was going to go get in line at the stadium. We ended up getting an uber to save a little time and we got to the pop up at 730 and she was probably 30 people or so back. From there I walked to the stadium which was about 10 minutes away. When I got there, I was 5th-ish in line and I told them I was holding Jess’s spot as well so I claimed the 6th spot too. Since I had a lower number, I did a better job of keeping people from getting in front of me and in fact ended up getting several people up in line with me throughout the day. I think I got 4 others up with me by the time we lined up inside the stadium. By the time we got inside, Jess had gotten the pop-up poster, the night poster, the night shirt and 4 of the 6 of us were together on the rail on a low spot on Kirks side. Wish we could have all got together but I heard the other 2 got good spots as well. Glad I could help them.
Once again Ice Nice Kills and Five Finger Death Punch put on a great set! I got a FFDP pick, I think I got a couple and I ended up giving a couple away to share the love with some of the people around us since they were helping Jess and I get in and out when we needed to use the restroom or when we wanted to get drinks. What can I say about Metallica’s performance that I haven’t already said? It was amazing! And to be able to see them back in Seattle! This trip for me put me in debt but for the experience and to be able to do that with the girl I love was something I wouldn’t trade for anything! I will say that I was also lucky enough to get a pick with the 2nd date on it. I also managed to get another one of those beach balls. I got it deflated and stuck it in front of me. Then the crowd started pushing and as I was trying to get my dated pick I pushed back to make some room and took my foot off the ball and was too focused on getting my pick and someone snagged it right out from between my feet without me even knowing it. I’m more mad that I didn’t notice them taking it then I am at losing it to be honest. Truth be told I would have had a tough time getting it home and the one I have from last year is still sitting in my basement folded up so not like I needed it. Either way Seattle was a blast, met some great people and I am looking forward to seeing them again in a few weeks in Mexico!
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