At around 4 AM December 15th 2007, Reid (Driver), Anthony (Co-Pilot), Tucker and I (Weighing down the back) made the six hour drive to Chicago. Our goal was this:
We made it their early so we ate at a
Quiznos for breakfast, found a mall (where tucker got an
Orange Julius) and Reid and Anthony were too big to ride the carousel.
Then we made our way to the venue (all of this in a semi-blizzard). Everyone else could go straight in but I had to wait for my ticket to get there. When I finally did I had missed almost all of
Regret's set, bummer.
Convicted played next. This was my first time seeing them but not hearing them. My dude Rob (of
Reflect fame) had burned me a copy of their demo and I was almost as excited to see them as
The Suicide File and
The Hope Conspiracy. After these two the line-up gets a bit iffy in my memory. Ill just skip over
Damnation A.D. and
Turmoil I've never really been into those bands and I was busy looking at distros and catching up with friends.
Blacklisted played one of the best sets I have ever seen them play, it changed my mind about this band. Bernies sound had ruined them for me for a long time. Next was
The Killer, who I had never heard before played a pretty decent set. I beleive Ringworm was next and they played one of the best sets I have ever seen them play. People were losing their minds and crushing each other. Now
The Suicide File and
The Hope Conspiracy, both bands played amazing sets. It was a long long time ago so I don't really exact songs they played but I do remember both bands killing it.
After the show we drove for what seemed like forever (I kept dozing off so I have no idea how long we really drove), and we found a hotel to stay the night. We slept a good amount of time and then hurried into the city. I remember the drive in because It was also the first time I heard the Darvocets. Our targets in the city were all on or around the Chicago Ave. Of course records were on the list but Reid had his own goal, toys. But pizza was to be the catalyst of the day.
Then came the first record shop we hit up, it yielded a repress of the Alone In The Crowd - S/T 7" for me and a random Oi! record. Then we hit up this toy store. Its called
Rotofugi and blew my mind. I had no idea anything like this was going on. Artists, independtent designers and toy companies making inventive and very design oriented toys for collectors and normies alike. And
blind box toys, fuck my mind was blown. It to me was a throw back to collecting cards as a youth. You never know what you are going to get, weather its going to be some amazing and different new thing or just a double you can toss to the side and hope you can trade off one day. I only bought a few things that day, but toys ever since have become a big interest in my life. Reckless Records was our next stop, and we all found some gems here. Now mine might not seem as mind blowing to you but to me they were amazing. First was a Catch 22 - Washed Up 7" for two bucks. Then came a Bloodpact/Varsity split 12" out of 100 for 3 bucks. And on a whim I walked to the back section and I found a H2O - S/T cassette tape for one single dollar. After all this fun and walking (Reckless was about a 20 minute walk from the car). We drove tucker to the airport so he could fly to Alaska to see his family, and we made our way home. All and all it was one of the most fun trips I have had with my friends. I am very glad I finally got this disposable camera developed so I could relive these memories and get siked for Reid and I's trip to Chicago in May. Peter get siked.
It sucks that my recollection of events is a bit off but its been a week short of a year (And 11 months since I promised to make this post). Maybe some day I'll make a post about the stop we made on the way and were Tucker got a handjob from at a truck stop Asian massage parlor. Ha.
