June 10th, 2014 @ 5:43 pm

OKAY so i was complaining earlier, but then my day got a little brighter…  recently, i reconnected with one of my elementary school buddies via instagram.  we were closest of friends in like 5/6th grade…  funny enough, we both grew up to like punk rock (yet we’ve never run into each other at shows).  anyways, she let me know this morning/afternoon that vans was giving out free bouncing souls/gorilla biscuits (RSVP) tickets a la house of vans.  so WOO!  free bouncing souls tickets, YESPLZ.

i gathered a few of my friends, including one of my coworkers – and i am HYYYPED.  i got very spoiled for a few years when the souls were playing all the time, and i got used to seeing them (minimum) 4/5 times a year…  i haven’t been to a smaller souls show in almost two summers.  last summer they played with gaslight anthem on the piers, but it didn’t really feel like a souls show at all.  nobody was dancing/paying attention, i dunno.

when RSVP/smaller types of shows come to mind, i instantly think about the souls show at cha cha’s down in coney.

anyways, that show was amazingly important for two rad reasons:

a) i was promised by the lead singer (greg) that he’d ride the cyclone with me for the first time, prior to the show (via myspace, maybe?).
b) the. show. was. fucking. amazing.

however…

a) it was raining that day, so no one was riding any rides at all…  AND when i had bumped into greg after the show, he was all “ah man, sorry we didn’t get to ride the cyclone today” (!!!) the fact that he actually remembered was awesomesauce.  it goes to show that the souls give a shit about their fans.
b) the. show. was. too. fucking. amazing. – no souls show has ever lived up to the cha cha’s show.

cha cha’s was a damn shoebox (them small/intimate punk shows are the best ever).  it was late august on a rainy night – hot as balls.  they played songs i’ve never seen them play before (i wish i had a set list, DOH!)…  EVERYONE was singing and dancing.  the best vibes ever…  there was an age requirement, which weeded out the little shits that don’t know how to act at shows…  it was just perfecto.

below is a video of my exbf on stage singing…  ah man, it was so, so good.

as time goes by, i feel like shows get less and less epic.  i mean, of course they’re always fun…  it’s just that i’ve been doing this for almost 20 years, my youth is fading and the awe and fascination at shows is reasonably nil.  i’m turning into the cranky old show veteran that doesn’t like beer spilled on them by little idiots.  luckily for me, that rarely happens at souls shows…  that’s more at long island based BS.

i’ve never been to HOV, but i’m assuming it’s also outdoors (bleh), buttt i’m hoping since it “sold out” so quickly, it’ll be one of those obscure/weird souls shows.