Clifton Park, NY - Northern Lights 16 March 2011

[Cocoth]

See you all there!!!

[katie]

^can't wait!!!

[angelbear425]

1 more day!! (even though it's 11:50 I am considering it Tuesday )

[wrxracer24]

I know...eeeeeeepppppp!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll probably be arriving 5-5:30ish. Can't wait to hear white balloons. I'll have my camera and flipcam ready!

[JayElle]

I'll be there =D

[Cassie]

I want details! Updates on the set list, etc!

[MaryMG]

What an amazing show..... If you've never seen them live, do it - you won't be dissapointed. If you have seen them before - this is their best yet. Fantastic...they out do themselves every time I see them. I may be needing a road trip soon!!!

[Becky]

What was the setlist?

[wrxracer24]

uh-mazing concert! They just keep bringin it and getting better and better. I'm so happy and proud of them for all their hard work and sucess.

I got there late due to traffic. I wanted to be there by 5 but wasn't there til like 6 which is only an hour before doors. I ended up way down by the dollar store doors. The hour flew by and before you knew it I was inside trying to find my place to stand. I have heard of Framing Hanley and Adelitas Way but never seen them in concert so was looking forward to that. I had my cameras ready and pink ear plugs in. Sound guys seemed to be having troubles because mic's weren't working and the like worse than usual.

I swore I heard some security guy tell a girl with a purse that video cameras are not allowed? Is this new? I've always taken my flip cam and never had a prob...the girl had to take her camera out to the car. The guy never searched me..so I was like phew!

Me Talk Pretty was first. Not a fan of that kind of music. The lead singer was pretty. I liked her oufit and her long hair. They had sound issues and she seemed to be having an off night as I felt she was pitchy or maybe that's the style of music? Walked by them at the merch booth and everyone was ignoring them. They had a laptop with their video playing and were really pushing people to sign their mailing list and buy their record. It was sad that no one cared. They all wanted to ohhh and ahhh over how hot the Adelitas Way guy is (I personally don't see it but to each their own).

Framing Hanley was next. I thought they were decent. I had only heard of the Lollipop song. They did a good job.

Adelitas Way came on after Framing Hanley. Again decent. Not my kinda thing. 100% better than all the other opening bands I've seen open for them. You know the ones that think screaming is music

Seemed like they had alot more "staff" at this show than at shows i've seen at this venue. I felt that this show they took longer to move from band to band.

No "Goose, check, check, never leave your wingman!" ????? What happened to him??? Then another difference I noticed is no Bulls on Parade before Sick Puppies. I was all thrown off!! I was like WTH...that's part of the whole Sick Puppies experience Then usually a radio personality comes on and introduces the pups...nope..not that either...I was like hmmmmm odd???

Ok so a track begins to play. A prerecorded one. Very nicely done!! That etherial feeling. Shim waltzes onto the stage and they start the show with odd one and go into this long medley of songs one after another...

The show has a nice mixture of songs between the albums. Shim even lets the crowd choose between 2 or 3 songs and vote by screaming. Our crowd chose Asshole Father.

They play an acoustic set. He get the crowd riled up again by saying that everytime he says "How do you feel?" the crowd is supposed to respond "f*ck Yah!" Shim seemed to get lots of fun from that.

I was waiting for the moment of White Balloons. Shim didn't do as many storytelling/narations as he usually does. I love his personality and stories. That was a little lacking for me but I understand in terms of time, etc that's probably not possible.

Sounded like many new people there that have never heard them before. So hopefully we'll get some more crew members to join.

Shim said that right here right now this is life. It's not about falling in love, having sex, taking a hit off a bong, it's right here right now. I wanted to melt He could make the phone book sound sexy

They do an encore of Your Going Down. Then he tells everyone that he wants to meet them and shake their hand. The crowd rushes to the merch desk, bars, and bathrooms. I hit the bathroom and then proceed to the merch desk. I pass all the other bands and head towards Gerry (right?) I never plan out what I want. I know I have probably like 75% of the stuff. Just about all the shirts, hoodie, definitely all the cds, both necklaces, the wristbands, and the Sick Puppies wrist warmer thing. I knew I wanted the Shimrock shirt (not only cause its cute, because I wanted them to sign it) I saw the guitar pick that says Sick Puppies with Anzai on the back so decided to get those. I work my way down to the band. Mark is first. He is usually really quiet. He actually said hi how are you. I was like All I could think to say was good, then smile and say thank you. I walked down to Emma. She wasn't talkative, just a flash of a smile. I thanked her and then stood before Mr. Shim. I thanked him and smiled. He looked up at me and smiled and I just wanted to die. He thanked me for waiting. I grabbed the signed shirt and proceeded to leave the premises. I was exstatic yet sad as I was making my way to the car. My feet really hurt. I buckled up and then hit the road for my 2 1/2 hr ride back home. Reality started to sink in as I merged onto I-87. I wanted to slap myself saying what are you doing you're going the wrong way. You are supposed to be going towards the pups not away. A sense of deep depression set in Drowsiness and tiredness set in as I made my way home. I thought about what Shim had said about following your dreams and all his inspirational words. I constantly am thinking about my life and what I'm doing this all for. Every day is a test in some fashion. I played all my cds in my cd changer in the car on the ride home. I made it home about 2:30am to crash to bed just to have to get up at 7 for work. On the car ride home I thought of what I should have said to the band instead of the locking up not wanting to hold up the line that I always do To be funny I thought I should have said "f*ck Yah!" when Mark asked how I was to follow the directions that Shim had given us during the conert. I think he would have gotten a kick out of that. To Emma I should have asked about her Starbucks. Like has she used up the card I gave her already. To Shim....awwwww Shim I wanted to say to him "Good things come to those who wait" after he thanked me for waiting. I also wanted to say to him "Have I told you lately that I love you?" Its this saying that I say all the time as a joke. I'll say it to my mother but I'll switch love for hate.. I forgot to wish them a early St. Patrick's Day....I left there a total I also wanted to add in there to Shim something like "I'd wait for you forever" but not make it sound stalkerish

If I didn't have to work and make a life for myself I would love to just follow them around Be their errand girl. I think I'd do just about anything.

I loaded what videos I could get to my youtube. They are very crappy but sound is decent. Shims voice was very good. I know he has had some tough spots with the vocal chords. I was 5-6 people back and rude drunk people kept pushing their way in. I had 2 people beside me grinding each other and shaking their beer around and getting it on me. The girl in front of me kept doing the blond hair flip thing from side to side right in my face. The crowd surfing seemed about the same, but I noticed this time that they didnt really do anything about it. The kept pulling this one drunk dude out of the crowd for crowd surfing. He'd come around the corner, make his way through the crowd and within the next song or two he'd be back again crowd surfing. He must have crowd surfed like 6 times and they didn't kick him out. One girl I saw crowd surfing was completely barefoot. I thought uh oh this isn't going to end well.

I should have a couple of pictures coming soon. Again not great but I think I have another Funny Faced Shim...

Shim mentioned Charlie Sheen! I thought this was Epic. He wanted us to go crazy like Charlie Sheen...

So in honor of Charlie Sheen....I say a very very big WINNING to Sick Puppies!!! Congrats.

http://www.youtube.com/user/thewrxracer ... e=mhum#p/u That's my channel. You can check out some of my other Sick Puppies video from Higher Ground VT and other Northern Lights shows. New videos were taken March 16th and uploaded March 17th. THanks!

[Becky]

So did they do White Balloons?

[angelbear425]

Becky, Yes they did play it. I didn't expect it that this show so I didn't record it (plus I was in the back). I tried to record it last night in Poughkeepsie, but I was already at the merch table and people were talking, plus I couldn't see. I will try to get it recorded on Sunday. Honestly, it sounds amazing.

[angelbear425]

They also do a beautiful acoustic version of Don't Walk Away (like on Polar Opposite). It honestly brought me to tears last night. I recorded it so as soon as I get everything uploaded to my computer I am going to post. (Just as long as my computer doesn't crash between now and then. It hasn't been starting right the last 2 times I tried turning it on. )

[angelbear425]

[wrxracer24]

[wrxracer24]

My others from facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... 1152888567#!/photo.php?fbid=1889215147426&set=a.1889212667364.2111294.1152888567&theater

[katie]

[Becky]

Opening with Odd One? Hmm. Not sure how I feel about that. I generally like a more rockin, upbeat opener.

[angelbear425]

[katie]

[angelbear425]