Other than a few minor problems with rude management at the Flood Zone, the Richmond show was one of the best we've ever been to.
We drove all the way from Philadelphia to go to the show. It took us about five hours to drive. Although we got there about two hours early, the line already stretched well around the venue.
We parked Dee's car (note that it is a good idea to PAY when you park in a parking lot -- more about this later) and went to stand in line... for the next THREE hours. The doors were opening much later than originally scheduled and they were selling tickets at the door, which took a helluva long time as well.
We made it into the Flood Zone as the opening band, To The Moon Alice, was beginning their third song. They were awesome and we really enjoyed them. They did a great job setting the mood for the audience, who eagerly awaited the never-before-seen-in-Virginia silverchair!
silverchair opened with the traditional Slave, much to the delight of the crowd, which despite warnings not to mosh, did just that. Slave was followed up with Leave Me Out. Next, Daniel greeted the crowd with a "Thank you!" and then said, "St. Loooouis! St. Louis ROCKS! Yeah... you guys in St. Louis ROCK!" When the crowd began to jeer him, he responded with a chorus of "What? What? What's the matter?" As the crowd shouted back "RICHMOND!" Daniel let out a laugh and replied "Yeah... YEAH! RICHMOND! YEAH!" Immediately the band began the opening chords of Abuse Me. I was still getting used to Daniel's dreadlocks, which I love, but Dee doesn't particularly like at all. "Thanks, Richmond!" Daniel exclaimed after The Closing and Pure Massacre. Chris and Ben left the stage, and Daniel informed us that "I'm going to do this song by myself because I think we just broke up." The song, of course, was Cemetery. Pop Song For Us Rejects was next, which Daniel dedicated to someone (although I couldn't understand the name), then the band went directly into Suicidal Dream, followed by Tomorrow (it was during Tomorrow that Dee and I had our run in with Flood Zone management -- they took our camera away, but we got a roll of pictures anyway!)
"Are you motherfuckers ready to rock the house one more time in the mother fucking hood y'all?" Daniel asked. "I need to ask you something brothers. Brothers and sisters. We are gathered here today to rock and roll one more time in the motherfucking hood y'all. Are you motherfuckers ready to rock? I SAID are you mother fuckers ready to rock? Can I get a hallelujah? (The crowd responds.) Can I get a hallelujah?" (The crowd responds louder.) The band then begins The Door. I was laughing too hard at Daniel to jump (I'm from Alabama, and I get made fun of for saying "y'all," so it was hilarious for me to hear Daniel say it!), even though Daniel instructed us to do so at the end of the first chorus.
Faultline followed, which I have always enjoyed live. No Association was next, and then Freak, which the crowd helped sing. "This is off a movie soundtrack," Daniel announced next, and we immediately became overwhelmed with excitement because we KNEW what was coming up. Sure enough, the first incredible chords of Spawn flew out into the club, and believe me when I say that it was unbelivable! The highlight of the song is Chris -- he tackles the monstrous bass line and forces the song to take on a life of its own.
The band left the stage at this point, but returned about five minutes later. Israel's Son was next and last. It kicked its usual amount of ass. Close to the end, Daniel surprised the HELL out of us by removing the mic from its stand, and, teetering on the edge of the stage, offered his hands out to the audience, who grabbed at them ferociously. Once he had moved back to the center of the stage, he ended the song by placing the entire end of the microphone in his mouth, standing in his now famous Christ-like pose, arms outstretched.