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This is the story of my life

Contributed by: Angela Gattuso on 8/20/2007

A crowd surfer may have fallen on me but...yeah, it was the best concert that graced the summer months of my concert going addiction. It was about two o'clock on Friday, July 14 of 2006 when my best friend Rachael and I pulled into the grounds of the Pepsi Center. By that time, the sports had already begun. You may be asking yourself, sports? Why is she talking about sports? When we entered the gates that hot July day, we entered the Right Guard Open Dew Action Sports Tour. Were we there for the sports though? Absolutely not, we were there for the evening entertainment; a band that we together were building an obsession over: 30 Seconds To Mars.

We each handed our ticket to a crew member at the gates. She ripped our tickets and stepped aside, revealing the way to vast heat-soaked asphalt being trampled by hundreds of teenagers and young adults. Wide-eyed we walked across the parking lot absorbing each and every sound, smell, and sight. For months we had been waiting for this day to come, and now it was here and we were apart of it. Sun pounded onto our already glistening faces as we headed towards the Pepsi Center itself to explore further and ultimately to cool down. After some meandering and a following of the crowds we came to the arena, where we found two huge ramps ridden with bicyclists and our well sought for air conditioning. Going back and forth between the arena and the outside sports and vendors made up our day as we waited for the sun to set and for "our boys" to take the stage. With about three hours until the real show started (at least for us) we found ourselves sitting outside in the bleachers watching still more bicyclists. Flipping through the free tour pamphlet, I discovered that we had missed the chance to meet 30 Seconds To Mars at a vendor tent earlier that day. Shocked with anger and disappointment, we could do nothing more than shrug it off. Soon after the tragic discovery, we headed to the other side of the grounds to the gates of the concert tent, where the real excitement and adventure of concert going began.

Other small groups of fans were already sitting outside the tented venue when we arrived. Still though did we find ourselves five to ten people back from the doors that led to what we had been waiting for. Rachael left some time later to get food and drink from the gas station across the way; I manned the base. At her return we together indulged in mustard pretzels and a large cherry slushie. For a good two hours or so we invested in hundreds of random and creative conversations, one of the funniest and most memorable traditions of our concert going. As time passed and the bag of pretzels emptied and the slushie was slurped down, more and more people began to add themselves to the quickly elongating line. Then finally the time came; the doors opened. A wave of excitement again washed over us as we literally ran to our destination of front and center stage. Time seemed to slow as we dashed people and objects...until through the haze of it all we were hit with the voice of a staff member exclaiming, "Walk girls!" And so time again returned to it's normal speed as we power walked our way over to the stage as fast as we could without breaking into yet another run. About one or two feet from the barrier at center stage we then sat with the others and began our next wait: the hour until the show started. Random conversations were again ensued until the concert "host" came out and finally the show began. Two enjoyable opening bands played sets and we were already finding ourselves hot in the crowd. It was the last set change and soon the band we had been waiting all day for would take the stage. Getting ready for the chaos to take place, I tied my hair up and rolled my pants up as best I could given the tiny bit of room I had. It was minutes to show time and we found ourselves in the perfect spot of a packed audience: front and center about three feet away from the stage. Then out of nowhere it began, the lights dimmed and the famous "O Fortuna" started to play from the speakers. As the intensity of the song mounted, so did my excitement. The first time I saw them in concert, not long before this, the same "O Fortuna" was played as their entrance song, and I loved it. Again as it played it built up the anticipation for the moment the members would step onto the stage. One by one, each of the members made their entrance. Matt Wachter on bass, Tomo Milicevic on lead guitar, Shannon Leto on drums, and finally, Jared Leto on second guitar and lead vocals. Now the concert truly had begun.

Cameras flew over our heads as song after song was lashed out from the stage. The whole concert was being filmed for live television as part of the sports event. Sure the cameras were fun, but the music is what really blew us away. We were taking part in the music of one of our favorite bands while they themselves were literally right in front out our faces. Numerous times was front man Jared Leto singing into the crowd right at us. Sure there was hundreds of people around me, but it seemed like every time we were making eye contact. From "Buddha For Mary" to "From Yesterday," songs old and new were played throughout the night. The songs weren't just played though, they were communicated. High energy was pouring out of the theatre as every person in that audience seemed to sing along with each and every lyric. During "The Kill," Jared Leto even dared to climb the support ladders holding up the tent. About 30 feet above the audience he startled a rung and let his vocals soar. Intensity built as he motioned for the crowd below to get ready for his jump. Then he did it, he jumped from 30 feet up into the fans beneath him, their arms stretched out ready for his aerial arrival. Further more, crowd surfers were constantly floating their way up the front of the stage over our heads. Being only 4'11", Rachael tried her best to warn me when yet another body would be flying over. It was a great system in the working for us...until one of them escaped. As the music continued, the chaos level increased and we were slowly being pushed towards the left end of the stage. At some point in our involuntary movement, an escaped crowd surfer swiftly made his way up and then suddenly fell on me. I got crushed and he fell straight into the floor, but everyone around us was sure to rapidly help in getting him up. I had some pains here and there and may have lost and earing or two but hey, what else can you expect when at a concert? The concert was coming to a close by the time we had been pushed almost completely out to the side of the crowd. Rachael and I decided to move out and catch some fresh air outside of the audience in the unused seats surrounding the standing crowd. We sat and listened and watched on the big screen as Jared Leto covered every inch of the stage in entertainment. This is when we started thinking. Before the show started we were informed that after the show, with the purchase of any band merchandise, you would be able to meet the band. The deal was the same at the last show we saw them at, but we didn't even bother considering it then. At concerts the way to truly meet bands is it sit around outside in the back of the theatre with a dozen or so other fans for a good hour or more, regardless of the weather, and wait for the band to come out. Both of us seemed to push that thought of tradition to the back of our minds though as we began to talk about whether we should take the cheater way out so we could meet the guys. With little time left until the end of the show we came to a decision: we were going to do it. It did feel wrong to meet a band this way, but we had had the time of our lives and decided, what the heck? Let's do it.

We left early to get to the meet and greet line...or so we thought. After leaving the crowd during what turned out to be the last song, we found that apparently others were thinking just like us and got to the line way in advance; we were lucky we left the concert when we did. Shirts and their newest CD, "A Beautiful Lie," filled up the merchandise tent. Now I already had a copy of their second CD, but the shirts were too much to consider, so I ended up buying yet another copy of "A Beautiful Lie." In the end, so did Rachael. So with our copies of the disk we walked to the back of the long, winding line and began yet another wait. We unwrapped our CD's and allowed for the random conversations to take their course. In the midst of some topic or another, the cheers began from the front of the line. This was it, it was time to meet the band.

Now I've met my fair share of bands and musicians, but for Rachael, this was a first. As the line got shorter we both got excited, but nervous. When you're not used to it, or even when have had your experience, meeting a band is a hard thing to do. You think they're the coolest people in the world and you absolutely love their music, and now you're about to confront them. What do I say? What do I do? These questions seemed to have rushed over Rachael's thoughts as she told me as we got ever closer, "You go first." With a chuckle I agreed that I would go first. After a set of fresh deep breaths, it was my turn to step up to the table. First seated was drummer Shannon Leto. He's the brother of front man Jared Leto and a small role movie actor. I stepped up and with a smile and literally, and accidently, threw my CD pamphlet on the table for him to sign. It slid across the table and was about to either fall off or slide right into him seconds before he caught it. At this point I felt like an idiot for throwing paper at the drummer of one of my favorite bands. He just smiled though and asked how I was doing and commented on my shirt. After some small talk and getting his autograph, it was time to move onto the next member of the band: Tomo Milicevic, lead guitarist. I looked down at him and he gave a little smile and proceeded to sign my CD booklet. There was a slight hold up in the line and I was about to move along. Last minute though I built up my courage and turned to him and exclaimed, "Oh! I really like the Manson shirt you had on at your last show!" For most people this would have been an extremely bizarre comment, seeing as in saying "Manson," I was referring to cult leader Charles Manson. What was the first and last time I saw the band in concert, and in many pictures of the band that I had seen, Tomo had on the same shirt largely displaying the face of Charles Manson. He looked up at with a smile and gave a little chuckle as he motioned with a single finger for me to come closer. Confused, I bent over the table as he too stood up and bent over his side the table, meeting me in the middle. With his head right next to mine he whispered into my ear something along the lines of how he couldn't wear it that night because the performance was filmed on live television. As he stepped back a bit, I too returned to a normal standing position as a smile began to form on my face. I looked at him with a smile, laughed, and let out an "Ooohh" of understanding and amusement. He just looked right back at me and smiled and too shook his head in an understanding. Slightly shaken to what had just happened to me, I moved on to Matt Wachter, bass player. We simply just smiled at each other and I moved on. Now it was time for me to meet the last and final member of the band: Jared Leto. Not only is Jared Leto a great, talented musician and a nice guy, but he is also a Hollywood actor. Starting his career on 1994 television show "My So Called Life," he later became an actor in many movies. You may be thinking right now that OK, he's an actor, but I don't know that name; I haven't seen any of his movies. "Fight Club," "Highway," "Requiem For A Dream," "Alexander, " "Sunset Strip," and "Lord of War" are all just some of the movies Jared Leto has been apart of, cast in both small and big rolls. Now you tell me that you haven't seen any of his movies. As if him being the lead singer of an amazing band and being an actor wasn't enough, the man is gorgeous. Big blue eyes and a cute little round nose only complement is built body and ever so young looking figure. I told myself to just be calm and cool as I stepped up to him. After each of us asked how each other was doing, he signed my booklet and looked up. I decided that now or never was my chance, and so I sucked it up and stuck out my hand to shake his. He looked at it with his head slightly turned for what seemed minutes. I didn't know what to do. Did he not want to shake my hand? Was he confused as to what I was doing? Finally, he took my hand in both of his and allowed it to rest on the table. Relieved, I told him that it was great to meet him and that it was an amazing, great show. As he continued to hold my hand, he said his thanks and how he was glad that I came out and enjoyed the show. He then asked me if they would be seeing me that next week at Warped Tour. At that time I already knew that I wasn't going to Warped Tour that year, but from the shock of what was taking place, I instead simply shook my head "yes" and smiled as I told him, "absolutely." I lied to Jared Leto. Later on I couldn't get over it, I had lied to Jared Leto. So I didn't go to Warped Tour, but since then I have seen them two separate times, so I figure he can't be too mad, right? It turned out Rachael did great meeting rock starts for the first time. Like me with Shannon, she did have her silly, nervous, awkward mess up moments though. Ask either of us if it was worth it though, and without hesitation we'll both say absolutely.

So with that we concluded our long day and night of 30 Seconds To Mars jam-packed action. It was a night that both of us will remember for the rest of our lives, as cliche as it may sound. That night we both got a higher appreciation for the band, as well as built an even bigger obsession with them. In September of that year, on her eighteenth birthday, Rachael even got the band glyphs tattooed on her wrist. I haven't gone that far, but my Jared Leto movie collection has grown, I now own three copies of their second CD alone, and have seen them two additional times live, one of which did I meet the Leto brothers for a second time, that time getting my picture taken with each of them. Every summer concert I went to that year, and each year before and after that one, was something to remember. From getting to the show hours before the doors open, to the performance itself, to waiting outside in insane weather to meet the band, every concert has a story worth telling. This summer concert though ranks in the top of a good couple of dozen. I burned in the sun, sat and watched sports all day, sweated in a crowd of hundreds, and had a crowd surfer fall on me, but yeah...it was worth it.


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Showing 1-2 of 2 comments
Submitted By: Steve Shultz
posted on 8/23/2007 @ 4:00:25 PM
Rated Story
Great story, Angela! My wife and her friend saw Jared and the band outside of the Bluebird last year (or maybe 2005 ... I can't remember). But they didn't get his autograph. I've seen some of his movies -- Fight Club (one of my all-time favorite movies), Panic Room and Requiem (intense!). But I've never heard the music. I'll have to check it out sometime.
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Submitted By: Michael Rule
posted on 8/21/2007 @ 8:04:01 PM
Rated Story
Holy crap! I will come back when I have more of my life to finish reading....LOL Heck of a first entry, though.....
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Showing 1-2 of 2 comments
CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Angela Gattuso

Highlands Ranch , CO

Angela Gattuso has posted 1 story and 0 comments since joining on 8/10/2007. Angela Gattuso 's average story rating is 5.
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