FIRST- BE WARNED!!! I have a massive head cold, and a mild headache...so excuse me if I get some details out of order, or forget something you thought was notable etc etc.
Its not everyday the poorest postal code in Canada gets a notable celebrity playing a show it the area. Last night was that rare exception.
Of course 100 Monkeys were at the Rickshaw Theatre last night & played to a fairly packed show. Funny side story. I pass this theatre almost daily & till I heard Jackson Rathbone & his bandmates Ben Graupner, Jerad Anderson & Ben Johnson would be playing there I mistook it for a usually abandoned building. I have seen it open maybe 5 times ever & It doesnt even have a name displayed anywhere. I was more suprised when I got inside & saw not only was it a 2 level theatre style venue with seats, but that it had a standing & seating room of around a 1,000...but I'm getting ahead of myself here.
I showed up around 6 PM & waited at the back for Jackson to arrive. Shortly after being there I heard a soundcheck & was aware the band was, at least, partially there already. Some of the band members came out & left to go get food. No Jackson though.
About an hr or so later they returned & saw 2 fans & myself back there. When they arrived Ben (I believe Graupner) chatted breifly with us, remembered both the pair of fans & myself from their previous tour of the Vancouver area. The couple asked if he could get them tickets, and he happily obliged. He then asked me if I wanted to go, I said, I'll certainly go. A few minutes later the manager (without his trademark Banana suit...currently looking for a new banana suit as the old one was deemed no good anymore :( ) came out with 3 tickets & it was official, I was going to the show.
I had about 45 mins to an hr to kill, so I went home (a whole 4 blocks away) & dumped some stuff off & recharged my phone some. When I got back I saw the same couple still in the alley. They said Jackson hadnt arrived yet. So I waited with them. It was much darker now than when I left and rats were in abundance in the alleyways...and I'm not talking about L.A. Rats or the local rats. Eventually sometime in the first bands set a security guy came & said Jackson was already in. This would later be verified by a fan who went inside & said she saw him in the upstairs room that was sort of a "backstage" area for them...despite being infront of the stage up 2 levels. I headed inside after getting the disappointing news.
The show had 2 opening bands. Neither I heard (well, actually I heard part of the middle band, but I was focussed at that time on other things...which it turns out was foolish.) By the time the 100 Monkeys were set to take the stage I was already sweaty. It was ridiculously hot in the theatre & everyone was at the very least a bit sweaty. At this time its probably a good time to point out, of all the Twilight based events I have gone to, tonights crowd had the highest percentage of hot women I have seen at one yet. There was still some stereotypical Twinocerouses lurking about, but for the mostpart, the most aesthetically enjoyable crowd I have seen at one of these Twilight hotspot events.
I have to say, I never actually noticed what time the 100 Monkeys got on stage, but it turned into probably an hr to hr & 1/2 set. The band all took turns playing different instruments, Jackson played guitar, bass, drums & keyboards at different times. The other bandmates did as well. In typical Monkeys fashion, they did an improvised song...about Acorns tonight. They kept a good pace & were certainly giving a strong effort. They did a song right before their encore thanking all their fans for being there, which was kind of cool. Of course they squeezed in talking about Spencer Bell at the show & told everyone there if they didnt know who he was, to google him. I knew about this already as they told me last time that they would like me to make a donation for Jackson signing all our stuff to the
http://www.spencerbellmemorial.ning.com website. I actually promised I would at the time & so far have failed to step up, last night was a good reminder.
If I dont talk about cast members at the show I am sure I will hear it from some random fan....so here it is. Nikki Reed & her bf Paris Latsis were seen in the overlooking private box at the side of the stage. Elizabeth Reaser was there as well. The one that blew me away & unfortunately I didnt know till after the show. Stephanie Meyer was also there.
Nikki & Elizabeth left only a few songs into the set. I didnt notice when Stephanie left, since I was unaware she was even there.
When the show ended I instantly headed for outside. 1- to find Jackson & the band. 2- to get fresh cool air. It was sweltering in there.
Outside 30 or so fans waited around the back, while 10-20 waited out front. Band equipment was making its way out for ever. It was then that I learned Stephanie Meyer was in there....I then noticed later, she was in some of my pics. If I had only known sooner. Eventually band members from 100 Monkeys started to leave & then I saw the flashes go off...it was Jackson. He spent little to no time leaving & was hurried into a minivan, and quickly wisked away. Jackson didnt interact with fans, which is VERY rare. I was shocked.
A good show. I took lots of pics & videos. Vids will be uploaded in a little while.
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