cavo's corner

Nine years ago today, Blink 182 released their first (and only to date) live album, The Mark, Tom and Travis Show: The Enema Strikes Back. The album was recorded nearly a year earlier on November 4, 1999 at The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. Along with the live tracks, one new song, “Man Overboard” was included on this album and released as a single.

Given the recent death of DJ AM (Adam Goldstein) and the very close friendship he shared with blink 182 drummer, Travis Barker, the lyrics to Adam’s Song take on a new meaning, an almost eerie premonition…

I never thought I’d die alone 
I laughed the loudest who’d have known 
I traced the cord back to the wall 
No wonder it was never plugged in at all 
I took my time, I hurried up 
The choice was mine, I didn’t think enough 
I’m too depressed, to go on 
You’ll be sorry when I’m gone

I never conquered, rarely came
16 just held such better days 
Days when I still felt alive 
We couldn’t wait to get outside 
The world was wide, too late to try 
The tour was over we’d survived 
I couldn’t wait till I got home 
To pass the time in my room alone

I never thought I’d die alone 
Another six months I’ll be unknown 
Give all my things to all my friends 
You’ll never set foot in my room again 
You’ll close it off, board it up 
Remember the time that I spilled the cup 
Of apple juice in the hall 
Please tell mom this is not her fault

I never conquered, rarely came 
16 just held such better days 
Days when I still felt alive 
We couldn’t wait to get outside 
The world was wide, too late to try 
The tour was over we’d survived 
I couldn’t wait till I got home 
To pass the time in my room alone

I never conquered, rarely came 
Tomorrow holds such better days 
Days when I can still feel alive 
When I can’t wait to get outside 
The world is wide, the time goes by 
The tour is over, I’d survived 
I can’t wait till I get home 
To pass the time in my room alone

Last night, (9 August 2009), Cassie and I attended the long-awaited Blink 182 Reunion Tour, featuring, Chester French, Panic! At the Disco and Fall Out Boy at Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre. This was my second concert there that weekend, the first being Jason Mraz. Cassie and I were a little skeptical that the rain would hold off, but it did and the show went off without a hitch, except, of course, for Mark Hoppus tripping over a speaker wire, that was labeled “the orgasmatron.” Neither of us really wanted to see Chester French, so we arrived at the venue in the middle of Panic!’s set. They were pretty good, although I really only know that one song of theirs, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.”

I was really happy that I was able to see Panic! and Fall Out Boy at the same time, because I would always get the two confused. Now, I think I’ll be able to differentiate them. Fall Out Boy played a lot of new material, but played their hits: “Sugar, We’re Going Down,” “Dance, Dance,” “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race,” and “Thks fr th Mmrs.” Pete Wentz Simpson looks like a monkey and he’s actually pretty retarded. Jon’s going to kill me for saying that because he idolizes him, but it’s true, he looks like a monkey with a bad haircut. To be honest, I just don’t like anyone associated with the Simpson Camp (i.e. Ashlee, Jessica, Joe, The Retarded Mother, Ryan Carbrera, Nick Lachey and all of 98°, for that matter…)

My cousin Denielle got us pretty good seats. We were right in the center of the second orchestra section, on the aisle. There were these three really annoying 17-year-old girls from Seaford sitting next to us. Their two guy friends that had closer seats to the stage, kept coming to our row… No joke, Cassie and I had to move about 20 times because of them. That was pretty ridiculous. So, as if I didn’t already hate Seaford or teenagers, that experience solidified those feelings. And Cassie, no, I never was a teenager….LOL.

Blink’s set list held no surprises or right-field picks; it was everything that I wanted to hear after five years of waiting:

Dumpweed

Feeling This

The Rock Show

Go

What’s My Age Again?

Violence

I Miss You

Stay Together For the Kids

Down

Always

Stockholm Syndrome

First Date

Man Overboard

Don’t Leave Me

Not Now

Adam’s Song

All the Small Things

Reckless Abandon

Josie

Anthem Part II

Encore:

Travis’ incredible drum solo, involving some serious aerobatics….

Carousel

Dammit

Unlike Cassie, I was kind of exited about them playing stuff from their last album, “blink 182,” which was released in 2003, mainly because I haven’t seen any of those songs performed live before. This was the fifth time that I’ve seen Blink 182 in concert, more than any other act, (Sara Bareilles is second with four times; Spice Girls, Mika and No Doubt are in third with three times each….), and now I remember why… their shows are always so much fun. I love going to a concert and being able to sing each and every word of every song.  I’m seriously contemplating buying tickets to see them again, ether at their other N@JBT date or at MSG. Ether way, I’m so exited for their new album to be released, sometime next year.