I don't know if it was just my position in the crowd, or if the hours of sound checks were off, but i couldn't seem to hear the vocals very good.. i missed out on a lot of APC, just being able to hear the guitar.. although, i had brought in a camera, and i decided i would start taking pictures early (i even got one of sound check :) Its too bad that i didn't know disposable cameras don't work right, and almost none of the pics came out, and the ones that did, don't look that good, despite my efforts to wait for the best light.

After APC finished up and cleared off, the stage crew feverishly began working on setting up for NIN. another 45 minute wait, with nothing goin on, but socializing and begging the event staff for water and jolly ranchers. One of the guards was especially nice, i can't remember his name but on his shirt was #9. he was extremely cool. he'd duck while i snapped pics, handed me water, helped me out.. great guy.

Finally nin came on, and i my hopes were quickly broken. he didn't play somewhat damaged.. it seems that the song can never get loud enough when i play at home or in the car, and i was hoping that the concert could satisfy the urge to ..feel.. the song.. so loud that you can feel the highs, the guitar, and vocals...and the bass measures on the richter scale. rather than sit there bitching, i decided i would enjoy the rest of the show, and get some damn good pictures to remember.

Well, the pictures would've been great, but they didn't turn out, you know this. i managed to take one or two when trent came down into the crowd.. one when he was just out of my reach. i shoved the camera in his face, and after that, he made his way down toward me... instead of grabbing and clawing like everyone else was doing, i reached out to him, and put my hand around the back of his neck/base of his skull.. and just kinda held him, while he sang piggy. he stopped moving down the row, and stayed there and let me hold him for what seemed like forever. then, finally he handed me the microphone took another step down the crowd, then went back onstage, where i was then instructed by one of the security guards to sing along.. so i sang the chorus to piggy from the crowd. well, screamed is more like it.. "nothing can stop me know, 'cause i don't care anymore.. nothing can stop me now, 'cause i just don't care"

The show continued on with much energy, not to mention pain.. i was getting upset with those bitches coming up over me, and by the end i was clawing, biting, punching, and powerbombing over the rail anyone who dared crowd surf over me, rather than helping them out. they were ruining my show! still, i was having the time of my life, and by the time the show was over, i was thoroughly exhausted, and definately showing signs of afterglow.

To top this all off, i had sorta made friends with one or two of the event staff before hand, and had told #9 how much of a fan i was, and how it was like, a 'dream' of mine to bring home keys from the keyboard. after the show, when people started clearing out, he looked at me, bent down and grabbed a white key. he reached it out to me, but before it even got to me, someone next to me jumped out and grabbed it. he looked a little worried, and i started to freak out.. after all, that was MY key! but, as luck would have it he found two black ones on the ground, and handed those to -me- very carefully. i said thank you, patted him on the shoulder, and he informed us that it was time to clear out. as i was carrying my girlfriend away (she had a hard time up front, she is pretty little) she told me to stop, and she bent down, picked up a white keyboard key, handed it to me and said 'here ya go'.. i insist that its the one that was snatched away from me, carelessly dropped, or something. as i see it, if somebody was willing to let themselves lose it, i deserved it more than they did.