Sunday, April 04, 2010

The Weakerthans

Hi how are you whats happening. So I haven't blogged for awhile. But now I am blogging.

Mostly I was putting off posting cause I wanted to post about meeting the Weakerthans, who I decided were my official "favorite band" early this school year. I really, really love them and it was amazing so I wanted to do a good post on it but I kept putting it off cause I don't think I could possibly do it justice. Soooooooo instead of trying to explain it I am just going to type out what I wrote about it in my diary because yes I keep a diary that's what cool people do. So there's prolly bad sentences etc and also I left stuff out but pretty much this is what happened.

[side note, John Samson = vocals, guitar; Jason Tait = drums; Greg Smith = bass; Stephen Carroll = guitar]

Thursday, March 25
Yesterday was awesome.
I went to Bathurst to get my credit/debit cards that someone turned in. I saw a cool record store while looking for the bank called Sonic Boom and went in, looked around. There was a sign on the door that said The Weakerthans, March 24 but I thought at first that it was for that concert in May, I thought, this must be the place they're playing in May. But once I'm out, I think, but they can't have just made a typo, wtf. So I go back inside and to the guy working there I'm like, are the Weakerthans gonna be here tonight? And he's like yeah. "Are there... tickets left?" "It's free." "Dude" "Yeah." He said get there by like 4:30 and it starts at 5. So I tried to get Kara/Rifqi/Elise to go. But Kara and Rifqi couldn't. I finally found the bank (after asking someone at a CIBC bank) and got my cards back. Then I went home, it was like 3:00.
Eventually I got Elise to come, it was close though and we only got there for the last 2 songs. I pushed to the front. Jason Tait looked at me at least twice. When they played Night Windows I got goosebumps. I bought a $2 poster and got it signed by all of them. When I came up to John Samson I was like, "...you are like, MY GOD." He was so cool and a bit distant but later he was really nice. I got a picture w/ him. I look like a creeper in it.

[you're not seeing that photo btw]

I said hi/got all of them to sign. I was shaking it was amazing. Elise doesn't listen to them but thought they were good. Stephen gave me a high-five. We asked Greg when his art thing was. He told us, 1640 Queen St W at 8pm. (He had talked a bit about it during the show). We hung around among the records like creepers and talked about music while glancing over at them until they had left. When he was leaving Jason looked over at me and waved bye. Ahh! Elise and I walked back to Vic and had dinner before going to Queen St. We started off a bit late and took the subway to Lansdowne, planning to walk south to Queen.

[Omitted because it's just boring crap about how we got lost while trying to get there]

It was like an hour and a half after it started but there were still people, it was really really small and pretty crowded. Along with Greg's art there were instruments made with gears, pvc pipe, etc. and some tree silhouette drawings. All 4 of them were there. John was wearing a black hoodie. Greg reminded Elise and I of a young Jack Nicholson. He eventually saw us sitting awkwardly and was like "heyyyy!! You guys came!!" And I was like :O. We met a guy named Wayne who was like early 50s maybe and works for CBC. He said earlier that day or recently or something, he had worked w/ the Barenaked Ladies. He was cool! He was like, "so you're a big fan of the Weakerthans? Do you know the hockey song?" and I was like, "...do you mean Elegy for Gump Worsley?" and he's all yes! You're a true fan very good! And he told us all about Gump Worsley and old-school hockey and stuff. We talked to him later and he was like "I saw you talking to John" and I was like "yeah it was pretty much the best part of my life so far." and he's like "lol nooo, I think the best part of your life is studying astronomy!" What a sweet thing to say! He was like "they're just guys" but holy SHITTTT it was so amazing. Like fucking hell. So awesome. I talked to all of them while we were there. There were no screaming/crazy fans except for us, it was a very "in" crowd I guess and most people were like 25-35 and seemed to know each other. I asked John if he liked Toronto more than Winnipeg and he was like lolno. We talked about Portland a bit and I nearly fainted. Before we left I said goodbye to Greg and I was like "your art is awesome. Your music is awesome. You're awesome." and he was like "YOU'RE awesome!!" and gave me a big hug. OMG. I said bye to Jason and basically was all up in his grill being like "Sooo I'm leaving but just thought I'd say bye and you're awesome and I played the drums too and you guys are my favorite band and you're amazing and oh my god you rule okay bye" and his facial expression was like "whoa what's happening this girl is crazy!" but he was smiling. Best fucking night ever. Wayne told us how to get back to the subway station. While we were waiting for the streetcar I literally almost started crying out of happiness and disbelief. On the streetcar/subway ride/walk home Elise and I talked about religion. Because it had come up before when I was talking with Wayne and her about astronomy. It was really interesting. It was the best night. Of my entire. Fucking. Life.


So anyway thanks for reading all that if you did in fact read it and now here are some lovely pictures that I shakily took while staring in awe.
Apparently Greg Smith is headbanging, or being sucked into a vortex or something.


Afterward someone made them pose so they could get a picture, and I nonchalantly but totally creepily took one too.


Here is my poster, you might notice that it's awesome


Okay fine here is the creepy picture of me and John Samson.

Sooooooo

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Awesomest post ever!! So worth the wait.

Glad you included the creeper picture. I like it!

alv said...

You are so lucky that you (almost) lost your bank cards or you would never have known they were playing!!!
The drummer has a wicked cool mustache.

Claire said...

bwahaha how exciting! your story telling fills me with glee- even though i haven't the slightest as to who the Weakerthans are. but judging by their poster/ vortex sucking capabilities, i will indeed need to check them out

i'm glad you had such a smashing night! happy almost birthday!

Claire said...

lol that picture is creepy.
and you're a fan girl.
which is funny as well.

there were a lot of OMGs in that post

marinna said...

that is soooo cool!! i think you maintained your composure remarkably well. if i'd run into one of my fav. actors or directors or whatever i prob. would have been a total creeper.
what an awesome night! toronto sounds pretty much awesome

Erin said...

there was only one OMG!

caro said...

Howcome you don't feel this way around the plops? Doug is pretty hot if you can get past the three day sub smell.
And your creeper picture doesn't look too creepy at all.

jay said...

nice one Erin.!!! it's a strange situation to be right next to your idol. i was using the urinal at the horseshoe
during a frank black show and guess who strolled right up next to me??? charles himself. and then i started to sweat. should i say hello?(lame), should i tell him how i wished i was him?(wrong place for this).
i didn't say anything cause i knew i would just blow it.
then at the sink i said "how's it going?" (brilliant).
i guess it could have been worse....like if we were next to each other on neighbouring toilets. that would be ultra-awkward.