my friend and i ended up getting to the club at around 3:00 in the afternoon. there were already about 10 people sitting around on the sidewalk out front. we soon discovered the doorman was giving out numbered bracelets so we wouldn't have to wait around if we didn't want to; our spots in line we guaranteed. we ended up getting numbers 24 and 25, which wasn't too bad. however, we decided to hang out anyway. the sun was out and it was a pretty nice day for february, so we just talked to all the other fans, killing time. when the sun went down, it got to be damn cold. the beginnings of the line had already formed by the time silverchair's silver van pulled up. they were really late - the online chat was supposed to have started already. i saw john watson getting out and kind of jumped out of line. i knew the band would follow him, and ben came out with a big smile, chris with a slightly smaller smile, and daniel just kind of looked at us. they walked into the venue without really pausing, but an older (and i mean 50 when i say older) woman got to daniel and it looked like she kind of kissed him. anyway, *many* people were calling her a slut cos she was all decked out.
time seemed to go by so slowly after that. i was surrounded by people who were impatient to see silverchair after a long long time. we could hear the soundcheck, and i clearly heard some of emotion sickness. doors were supposed to open at 8, but that didn't happen. at about 8:10, we were finally let in to the bottom floor where the bar and bathrooms are. we had to wait in there for another hour, which was ridiculous cos it made the bracelet idea useless cos people who didn't even have them got in before i did. i happen to love this club, since i'd been to a local h show there before, but a lot of people were bitching about silverchair not playing roseland. i, for one, loved that they were playing a smaller club (i think it holds about 500). first of all, that bottom floor reminded me of the flintstones cos the walls were limestone or some kind of rock. the bar is this really cool huge oval in the middle of the room, and the bathrooms are *the* nicest any club will ever have. the actual stage room is also really nice; there are curtains on the stage and a balcony runs along the side and back walls. also, everything is decorated really nicely. the most important reason i loved that they were playing this club was the intimacy a small club allows the audience to have with the band! but back to the waiting... the hour by the bar was filled with anticipation; everyone was crammed in, pretty much like on the real floor, and i know i was very tired of waiting. at about 9:15, we were finally let up to the stage area. i got to about the fourth row in the center, and then had to wait for the opening band, starling. they were an average, mediocre pop band who were very forgettable. i can't even remember how their songs go at this time. as soon as their set was done, it was time for *more* waiting.
there was a definite energy cos everyone around me was a hardcore fan who was extremely anxious to see silverchair again. the cramming got worse, and i was up to second row. the korn cd came on and it seemed like everyone around me started dancing and singing along. anyway, the whole thing played and then some other stuff before the taxi driver "you talkin to me?" sounds came on. the screaming was insane, especially when the four dark shadows appeared on stage. there was a surge towards the stage as they started slave, which was so good to hear after all this time! that warmed the crowd up, as did the old favorite pure massacre. it was then time to get into some new stuff, kicked off with emotion sickness which sounds amazing live. the keyboards are really incorporated well with the live sound. israel's son was next. it wasn't played with the old raw energy, but it was still awesome. three slow songs were next: ana's song, suicidal dream, and paint pastel princess, all of them sounding excellent. daniel's voice is just amazing and it actually felt like the songs were familiar. i felt like i knew them already, even though i'd never heard them in their entirety. again, the keyboards sounded great and there was a nice part for sam in suicidal dream. madman was next to liven things up; it was a nice surprise.
next was a solo tomorrow, which daniel very obviously put a lot of himself into. and, i have to say it. that 50 year old woman was standing on top of some riser wearing hardly anything to cover herself. she was doing some kind of erotic dance which was freaky as hell! back to better stuff... at this time, ben was sitting on the stairs on the side of the stage taking a breather and watson was surveying the crowd to see our reaction. miss you love was up next. although the new songs were unfamiliar and so no one could really sing along or get into them, the audience was paying close attention and were rather mesmerized by the sounds. daniel said it was now time to rock and kicked into the door, which was followed by anthem. daniel raised his arms and clapped and kind of instructed us to sing along by pointing at us after he sang the chorus.
they left the stage and we screamed and shouted for them to come back. they came back on stage after less than five minutes, beginning freak. daniel sang over and over, "i'm a freakkkkk!" causing ben and watson to share a smile. another old favorite was abuse me, where sam had a nice part again. bailey must've been on the very edge of the stage cos he was nowhere to be seen. and then it was a hard and heavy spawn again, after which they left. i was sure they would come back for a second encore, and everyone was kind of confused. it was a really short set and we screamed and shouted, but to no avail :( no one really moved until the roadies started taking the drum kit apart... besides for the show ending in the blink of an eye, it was amazing. the band obviously put a lot into the performance and the new songs sound fabulous! all three members have become excellent performers.