Next time, we'll go for a happy medium between freaking out and playing it cool

Last Friday afternoon, AJ and I found ourselves at an event that definitely no one expected us to be at: a Sl!pknot concert. It wasn't just a Sl!pknot concert, though. It was a whole slew of pretty hardcore bands along with one other band that I wouldn't label as such. That's the one we were there to see: A!rbourne. (They pretty much sound exactly like AC/DC. What's not to love?)

When AJ and I found out A!rbourne was coming to Dallas for the May.hem Fest, we had to go. The concert started at 2 p.m. Friday and lasted into the night, ending with the two headlining bands, which were D!sturbed and Sl!pknot. AJ and I would stay through D!sturbed, and then we planned on leaving.

When we got to the concert, AJ and I quickly noticed how out of place we were. There were girls wandering around in lingerie and bikinis. There were people wearing scary masks (Sl!pknot fans, since the band wears masks). There were lots of mohawks, tattoos, piercings and black shirts. And then there was us.















































































AJ and I walked around and people watched as we waited for A!rbourne to go on. We found ourselves repeating the same things: 1) I'm never doing anything like this again. 2) Why are we here? 3) Why are all these people so angry?! 4) We must stick out like sore thumbs.

And evidently we did. We had a handful of people throughout the day ask us, "What are you doing here? Do you guys actually like this stuff? You look normal."

We made our way over to see A!rbourne at 4:15. They sounded just like their album. They were great -- energetic, fun ... drunk. The lead singer was slamming down Jaeg.er onstage. There was crowd-surfing near the stage, and people were smoking pot all over the place. AJ and I stood off to the side, a safe distance away and where we could enjoy a slight breeze in the 100-degree heat.

































After A!rbourne was done, AJ and I listened to just a few songs of a couple other bands before deciding to enjoy something a little more our style: ice cream cones. We found a nice spot to eat them where we could be in the shade and not worry about any vulgar perceptions that could be gathered by watching two girls eat ice cream cones.

We were almost finished with our cones when a guy walked up to us. I'd seen him standing by the ice cream stand for the last several minutes. He'd been talking to another guy and two girls in bikini tops. "Are you guys staying for the whole show?" he asked. AJ said that we were. I looked at her, confused. Our plan was to leave one song into the final act. "Would you want to come backstage after the show?" the guy asked.

"Um, yeah!" we both said immediately. (Smart, AJ!) The guy told us where to meet him after Sl!pknot's performance. He said he and his friend would come meet us and take us backstage.

"Oh my gosh!" I said. "That's so nice of you! ... Wait, what's your name?" He introduced himself as Mark. "Thanks so much for coming up to us!" I said. "How are you able to get us backstage?"

The guy said something about how he'd played there the night before.

"You're in a band? Which one?" I asked.

"Buc.kcherry."

"Oh my gosh! Shut. up. I love Buc.kcherry!" I gushed. "Wait, you guys played here last night? I didn't know this is where the concert was! I so wanted to come! You guys were with Motley Crue and Sixx A.M., right? I love Sixx A.M. too. Well, I mean, I only know one song of theirs -- not as many as I've heard of Buc.kcherry -- but I really like the song." (still me, still gushing)

"Are you really in Buc.kcherry?" I raised an eyebrow.

Mark told us he was the backup drummer. (They have those?) He turned around and waved his friend over. Before he could say anything, I blurted out to the friend, "Are guys really in Buc.kcherry?" He nodded and showed me a tattoo of the band's name on his forearm. He introduced himself as Bryan, a guitar player for the band. Mark showed us his backstage pass that also bore the band's name.

"That's so cool! My husband is in Iraq, and he loves you guys. Can we get a picture with you?" They obliged, and as soon as we took the picture, I looked at Mark again.

















"Oh my gosh, I love Buc.kcherry! ... Sorry. I'll stop saying that now."

Mark gave a small laugh. "It's OK. We're used to it."

I wasn't finished. "I'm so glad you came up to us! I mean, you're probably not anymore, but I am." (yes, I said that) We talked just a few more seconds, and before they walked off, Mark made sure again that we'd be meeting them after the concert.

As soon as they were gone, AJ said to me, "You can't freak out like that when we go backstage!" I wasn't too concerned, though. I'm always easily excited, and I think that's a good thing. It just sucks that I'm easily starstruck too. But seriously, what are the odds that a rockstar (Slight exaggeration, since he's the backup. But still!) is going to come up to us? I was completely caught off guard!

I immediately called my brother to brag about what had just happened. I had to cut our call short when I realized we were walking by A!rbourne! AJ and I headed over to them to say we'd enjoyed their show. The lead singer (in the black) asked us if we'd gotten our dresses at the same store. (Hello? Mine's a shirt!)

















We chatted with them for a few minutes, took a picture, and headed to the main stage to see Dragonforce, a band whose fame has grown in part due to their notoriously difficult song on Gu!tar Hero. AJ and I were watching the show and minding our own business when two people came up behind us and said hello. When we turned around, we were surprised to see Mark and Bryan. They told us they'd wanted to see what the event was like "from back here" (read: the lawn). They stood with us for a while (I was calmer this time), and before they walked off, they made sure we knew the right area to meet them after the show.

D!sturbed was up next. They were really good. I'll probably wind up seeing them with K once he's back, since he really likes them. They were pretty patriotic, too, which I didn't know before. Bonus points!

Then, Sl!pknot came on. They put on a good show, I guess, but it was definitely not our thing. After the show, we finished up talking to a few people we'd met around us, and then AJ and I headed toward the area Mark had told us to go. As we walked, I told AJ that there would either be 18 billion girls there, since we surely weren't the only ones they'd invited, or there would be no one there because we'd be the only ones who fell for it.

When we got to the backstage entrance, it was pretty empty. The concert had been over for several minutes, though, so I was hoping maybe we'd just missed the crowd. There were about 6 or so people (guys and girls) standing in the general area. AJ stopped several yards away from the gate. I tried to get her to move up to the entrance, but she said, "Let's wait here. They'll come for us."

I wondered aloud if we were in the right spot. Should we have been on the other side of the stage? What if they missed us? Maybe we should ask the guy at the gate if this is the right side.

But just a minute or so after we'd gotten there, the gate opened, and there stood Mark and Bryan. Bryan raised his shirt at the small crowd to our right. He and Mark stepped back inside, and the security guard closed the gate.

My jaw dropped. "Do you think they saw us?"

"Yeah ... I'm pretty sure they did."

"Really? What if they didn't? Surely not. I don't think they did," I said.

A few minutes later, the gate opened again. Mark and Bryan peered out. It was hard to see inside, since the gate opened toward us, but I could see a bikini-clad girl next to the guys. The door wasn't open long before it closed again. The event officials were clearing us out so they could lock up.

AJ and I were in disbelief. How could they do that? They were backstage laughing at us. "We're the only ones who fell for it," I said.

I headed toward the backstage entrance gate. "Where are you going?" AJ asked.

"I'm going to say bye," I said. I had more to say to them than bye, but I didn't want to just walk out of there. AJ did.

"I don't have anything to say to them," she said. We were both very frustrated. Angry.

We had wanted to leave the show early. We stood there through Sl!pknot so we could go backstage. But they'd lied to us. Why?! It was so mean!

Saturday and Sunday were pretty busy for me, so Monday was the first day I really had to think about the whole thing again. It still just didn't make sense. I mean, if the guys had found us once, I wouldn't have been that surprised by what happened. But they had found us twice! Why would they waste so much time if they'd planned to do something that mean?

And then I realized: They didn't see us.

AJ was in dark gray. I was in navy blue. We were several yards back from the backstage entrance. It wasn't dark where we were, but it wasn't exactly well-lit either. Considering they were in a well-known band and had the day off to watch (and hang out with) other well-known bands, they'd probably had a few drinks or who knows what else, which would probably make it even harder to see things clearly when they're far away. They'd come to the gate twice while we were there. I'd waved the first time, and they didn't wave back.

They hadn't seen us.

It really sucks to know that if we'd just gone up to the gate, we'd have been able to go backstage. Pretty sure I'll never make that mistake again (like I'll ever find myself in that situation again!)!

At the same time, it's much better now to know that the guys didn't just blow us off. I know K was really relieved that we didn't make it back there with Buc.kcherry too. So I guess it worked out the way it was supposed to.

Plus, this way, I still get to like Buc.kcherry. And it makes for a pretty cool story!