Cut and paste right from my LJ ;) 

Lance picked Mel and I up at - well, technically at 11:00, though we didn't get on the road until 11:30 - and we hit the road.  The drive up to Mansfield, by the by, felt a lot longer on the way up than it did on the way back.  The fact that Lance was going about 80 mph may have contributed to that, but I digress.  As he's driving us up there, he mentions that he needs to collect Christine from work to bring her to the show.  Problem is, Christine doesn't get out of work until 3:00, and she lives about thirty miles away from Mansfield - and the Tweeter doesn't allow re-admission.  So when we got to the venue at 1:00, Lance had to drop us off and immediately turn around, go back thirty miles (back along the road we just drove), and wait for Christine.  Meanwhile, Mel, Joce, and I wandered around inside, during which time three things happen:

1.)  We become increasingly horrified at the price of food and drink.  Eight bucks for a ######## Dixie Cup full of beer?  $&#^% that, I'll stay sober.
2.)  We realize that the entire concert has been really ill-planned out, in that no one knew what the line-up was prior to getting into the arena, no one had directionals indicating where the Revolution Stage was, and we stumbled into everything almost purely on chance.
3.)  We were propositioned by two men, who want to put our pictures on a sleazy website.  We turned them down, but still - score.  Now I feel like I've done Projekt Revolution.

We hung out by the Revolution stage for Saosin, who were good, and lamented that Lance was going to miss the band he'd been looking forward to the most - Mindless Self Indulgence.  And it was really a shame, because Jimmy Urine puts on one hell of an entertaining show.  Like I said, I can take or leave MSI - I really like a few of their songs, I listen to them casually, but I'm not a big "fan" - but they are amazing live.  Jimmy's got the best sense of humor, and I like a show where you can headbang and laugh.  And I still ######## have "Stupid Motherfucker" stuck in my head.  (PS:  We like Jimmy Urine because he's creepy and cute - he might have to register as a sex offender, but he's a Pokemon and we want to collect his balls.  Mm-hmm).

Walking back from MSI, I ran into one of my graduated Seniors, who saw me, did a double take, and broke out into a broad grin.  "Oh my God, how are you?  MSI were really good, weren't they?  Wow, I was just thinking, 'Gee, I haven't seen anyone I know, and then it's like, whoa, oh my God, a teacher.'"  I know the kid, his brother, and his circle of friends pretty well, so it wasn't really awkward - he knew I was into the music and everything - but it was the one time that night that I rethought the major cleavage-revealing tank I was wearing.  Ah, well.

Anyway, after MSI, there was a lull during which we grabbed more food ($6.50 FOR A CHEESEBURGER, WTF) and then headed into the assigned seating for Julien-K - who is actually pretty good, and I'd like to hear more of when he finally releases an album.  After Julien-K, the other act the Lance had really wanted to see - Placebo - came on.  Again, I feel really bad that Lance was missing them, but it was still so, so nice to finally see them live.  And Brian Molko has hair again!!  It's funny, though: my mum told me about the time she was supposed to see Bowie, during his glammed-out, Ziggy Stardust tour, but it got cancelled cancelled; and when she finally got to see him, it was during his Thin White Duke stage - and he was wearing a black suit and a white shirt - and she was disappointed.  Well, Joce and I kind of felt that way about Placebo.  They played some of my favorite songs - "Every You and Every Me," "Special K," "Nancy Boy," "Meds" - and Brian looked good, but alas, he was dressed only in a white button down shirt and black slacks.  Sigh.

Also, Placebo was apparently having a signing after their set.  We beat feet out of the arena (wanting to see Placebo, but not wanting to miss HIM) to try to find them, but to no avail.  It was only later that Lance would casually remark that they had been right next to him.  Son of a 817c# (the situation, not Lance.  Not this time, anyway).

HIM was likewise good.  He went through a period where he was looking a little less like himself, but he looked very, very good, and he did "Killing Loneliness," which is my favorite song by them. I absoluely adore the fact that he performed his entire set while clutching a cigarette. He's such a shy little boy, too.  It was tres adorable.

Taking Back Sunday was good, but while I thought I must have heard something by them before, I recognized absolutely none of the songs they performed.  It was at this point I sort of tuned out - in a positive way, seriously - and just sort of started taking in everything around me.  The sea of people screaming, the ever deepening darkness (Tweeter Center is an outdoor arena), the boys behind us who were alternately amusing and obnoxious.  It was a good night.  It really was.

My Chemical Romance was - great.  Okay, and musical elitists can poo on me all they want because it's MCR and OMG EMO!!!, but I had a ######## good time during their set (and the fact that Gerard appointed himself the sherriff of emo town made me lol).  I like their songs (they aren't favorites of mine, but I enjoy them), the banter with the audience was cute as shit, the energy level was amazing, the audience enthusiasm was addictive, and $&#^% you all, Gerard Way is hot.  By the time they did "Welcome to the Black Parade," it was dark out, you could see a sea of waving arms in the audience, and they entire opening of the song, along with every chorus, was sung in perfect sync with Gerard - it was wonderful.  Um, and Gerard in a feather boa and black eyeliner commanding the guys in the audience to take of their shirts - and all the guys doing it?  Must I ennumerate the awesomeness that that is???

We sadly had to leave early during the Linkin Park set because Jocelyn had been up since 4:00 am, Christine was falling asleep, and Joce also had work the next morning.  But their reception was incredible - it was like a collective orgasm (only non-sexual... mostly).  They were playing loudly enough that we could hear them all the way to the car, which, because Lance didn't get back until 5:00, was parked in the furshest corner of the furthest parking lot.  Still, we got out of there without a hassle, and got home at a decent time.

They car ride home was spent exclusively quoting The Simpsons.  It was amazing.

But anyway, it was the atmosphere of the concert that was fun - batting around inflated condoms like beach balls during the performances.  The kids with the "Free Hugs" signs.  The text-to-screen jumbotrons (which were way, way more amusing than they had any right to be), the participatory atmosphere, the numerous references to things like DDR and Harry Potter, the glorious night air (as opposed to the afternoon air, which ######## sucked, it was so hot).

All in all?  Good times.  Thanks to Lance for inviting us; it's definitely something I'd like to do again - hopefully Lance can get the chance to enjoy himself as much as we did :(

Anyway.  Since Mel left this afternoon, I've spent most of the day on and off the computer or lack of anything better to do.  The house is clean, I'm still a bit lethargic from yesterday, and everyone else is basically lounging around doing nothing, so I'm just vegging out on one of the last weekends (sniff!) of the summer.

I'm off.  G'night everyone.