Wonka stage (left), Imagination stage (right, at Bamboozle '09.
(Lorraine Schwartz)
When I woke up Sunday morning and saw that it was going to be a chilly rain in East Rutherford, NJ that afternoon, I almost wished I didn't have a ticket to the Sunday date of Bamboozle '09. However, I can only take so many rainy days in front of the computer before realizing that if I let the weather run my life, I will end up with no life at all. So I got over that feeling pretty quickly, donned my winter jacket begrudgingly (it's May! What gives Mother Nature?) and headed for Jersey.
As I drove down, I had a few concerns. The first was the parking situation. My plan was to arrive around 4pm. The festival gates opened at 8:30am. By the time I would arrive, the lot was most likely to be pretty full. Embracing the fact I would not have a convenient parking spot helped, because when I arrived and saw that's exactly what was going to be the case, I wasn't upset at all. What I was upset about was the fact the Bamboozle site said that there would be a $20 fee for parking! Suddenly I'm in Manhattan?
When I neared exit 16W, the normal ramp I would take into the property was closed off. So I had to take the actual exit which meant paying a $1 toll to get in, and would then have to park in the Izod Arena lot, which is across the road from the Giants Stadium lot where the event was actually being held. The upside is that although I had to walk a few extra minutes to cross the pedestrian bridge, I ended up not having to spend the $20 and parked for free. So I can only assume that fee was for the more convenient lots closer to the attraction.
The next concern I had was the crowd itself. After checking out some Twitpics from the Saturday show, I expected this to be a total mob scene and was a little intimidated. But that wasn't the case at all. Due to the nine stages, numerous vendor booths and a few amusement park rides (including a giant ferris wheel), the crowd as a whole was never in one spot at one time, so there was still a chance to have personal space.
My final concern, is that I was anxious I wouldn't be able to see due to the flat terrain. Since I'm short, I have had mostly bad luck with this in the past (no floor seats for me thanks, unless I'm down front). But having two fests under my belt (WBCN's River Rave in 2002 and Garagefest in 2005), I hoped that if I once again left just enough distance between me and the most concentrated part of the crowd, I would be able to see the full stage. I was glad to see that my memory served correctly. Multiple crises averted.
First on my schedule was Canada's Sum 41, a band that I was hesitant to like when I heard 2001's "Fat Lip" the first few hundred times. But eventually I was won over by another TRL favorite, "In Too Deep." Of course it was these two songs that garnered the biggest reactions from the crowd, along with the old school favorite "Makes No Difference." Frontman Deryck Whibley seemed to be enjoying himself, declaring he was extremely drunk and invited a few lucky fans up on stage to enjoy the show from a different view. Incidentally, the foursome will be back in town Thursday May 7th at the Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale out on Long Island.
Not even 5 minutes after Sum 41 ended their set on the Imagination stage, Hollywood Undead began on the neighboring Wonka stage. The great thing about this festival is that you never found yourself bored. As soon as one band ended, one began. If you didn't like what you were watching, you had rides, shopping, eating and of course 8 other stages to check out, as a lot of band set times overlapped each other. I chose to stick to the Wonka/Imagination area because the bands I was there to see were playing these two locations one after another. However, Hollywood Undead was not one of them. I have seen them play before (Vegas in December '08) and although I get what they're trying to do, I can't say I'm a fan. There is something too contrived about it, even for me. For example, I don't understand why they come out in masks, but then take them off during the set, therefore killing any mystery. But the crowd seemed to be having fun and knew the words to a few songs, so at least they were making some people happy.
While waiting for the Used to set up after Hollywood Undead's performance was over, I checked out Demi Lovato back on the Imagination stage to my right. Demi is yet another Disney chick turned pop star, so she was a bit of an anomaly among yesterday's punk/rock-tinged lineup. However, even though this was a crowd made up mostly of angsty chain-smoking teenagers, they gave her a good reaction. She thanked everyone for welcoming her, acknowledging she was a fish out of water.
Next up was the Used back on Wonka. "Taste of Ink" and "Buried Myself Alive" are favorites of mine and were thankfully played, included as part of a medley. Also making the short set was "Pretty Handsome Awkward" and "The Bird and The Worm", a dramatic song I will never get enough of. The only real complaint I have about this set is unrelated to the band. The problem was that somewhere mid-set, I suddenly found myself half stoned thanks to the pothead next to me. I'm definitely not a prude, but when you realize you're buzzing through no decision of your own, it definitely causes a weird anxiety. It wore off soon thereafter, much to my relief.
After the Used were finished, Face to Face called us all over to their side to join them, assuring everyone there would be plenty of time to run back over for the next band to hit the Wonka stage, Rise Against. I am completely unfamiliar with Face to Face's music and needed to remind my legs they're capable of walking more than 2 feet in either direction. So, I took the opportunity to take a look around the booths at the center of the festival and listened to Face to Face as I walked around. Other than the t-shirts cursing out Swine Flu, I think my favorite shirt was a yellow one that read "I Used to Be in Taking Back Sunday", referencing the fact their lineup has changed a few times over the years. After my stroll, I came back to the Imagination area with enough time to catch what sounded like a solid set of punk rock from Face to Face.
Next it was time for my main reason for being there at all, Rise Against, to take the stage. I saw them at the Roseland last October on a whim and they totally blew me away. They did not disappoint this time either. As the sun went down, they tore through a blistering set including "The Good Left Undone", "Audience of One", "Ready to Fall", "Prayer of the Refugee", and "Collapse (Post Amerika)." The biggest surprise of their set for me was that they played "Hero of War" and skipped "Swing Life Away." But I'll be catching their show when they play the newly announced Roseland date this summer with Rancid and Billy Talent on July 26th (on sale soon), so hopefully I'll hear it again then.
After they were finished, it was time for the Amityville, LI-based band Taking Back Sunday. I am only familiar with the MTV hits such as "Liar (It Takes One to Know One)", "A Decade Under the Influence" and the newly released "Sink Into Me." I realized after last night this must be corrected. I had seen them twice before, opening for My Chemical Romance and Angels & Airwaves. But for some reason, it's taken me this long to accept the fact I will need to make the effort to purchase full CDs from them. Judging from the full-on crowd rush to get to the Imagination stage when they began, I was in the minority of people not fully educated on their catalog. My favorite moment of the set was when lead vocalist Adam Lazzara climbed up the steel column on the right side of the stage, and hung upside down by his legs as if he's on a jungle gym to finish out "MakeDamnSure." I always appreciate a frontman willing to risk his life for my entertainment! Second favorite moment? Incorporating Beyonce's lyrics "If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it" into "Decade..." Nicely done.
After a long day of bands, rain, and smoke from various kinds of cigarettes, No Doubt finally came out to perform their 2nd show in five years. I have seen them before, so I knew I was in for a good show. They opened with "Spiderwebs," then continued playing every radio hit they have including "Hella Good", "Underneath It All", "Hey Baby", "New" and "Ex-Girlfriend." For "Just a Girl", Stefani also took to the steel column. From high above, she taunted the boys in the crowd for their weak attempt at singing along, then cheered the ladies for their much louder effort. While they put on a great show, the crowd started to head home towards the end before the band was done. I loved watching them, but my back and legs wanted them to end after the 7 hours of standing and not sitting was finally taking its toll. But I stuck it out. As far as I know, I didn't miss anything post- No Doubt, unlike people the night before who left early and missed Journey's surprise set at the show's end.
On my way out, I finally caved to the fair food delights offered and purchased a delicious concoction which was a slice of mozzarella sandwiched between two sweet corn griddle cakes. The vendor, who also sold fruit smoothies, handed me a bunch of five bananas that he wasn't feeling up to packing as he closed up shop. I thanked him and endured the strange looks I got as I headed out to my car.
One thing I'd like to point out is that after attending the Presidential Inauguration in D.C., I fully expected the end of the night to be a disaster. Given the fact I was among tens of thousands of teenagers and only a few random adults I was sure chaos would ensue in the form of pedestrian and auto traffic jams. But it was not so. Everyone left the premises in a totally civil organized fashion. Even getting out of the parking lot was a breeze. I was surprised a mass of kids would be more pleasant to deal with than a mass made up of mostly adults!
Anyway, I'm glad I went. Even with the yucky weather, it was a good time. In the end, the only time I found the weather to be annoying was when I had to stop and wipe off my glasses because it took my attention away from the show. Otherwise, it wasn't a problem. Because, news flash, the secret to getting through outdoor events in inclement weather is *drum roll* dressing appropriately! Who knew.
For additional sights and sounds visit my Flickr page. Not my finest hour in photography (I need a new camera to handle those long distance shots better), but you'll get a sense of what it was like.
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