The Concert
Note: This page is loaded with pics. My pics that I took. Go ahead and download 'em, even though I'd really rather you not...they're pretty bad so I don't expect many people would want to...scroll your mouse over the pics to see my messages.
There was actually a lot less people than I expected(I'd say around 150 people were in line right then), possibly because I was two hours early for the concert and three and a half hours before *NSYNC themselves came up(I didn't know that until later). They weren't letting people in just then, and I somehow managed to squeeze to nearly the front. Around 6:00 or so Steve Fatone was up front saying something to someone and people started to shriek. I didn't really, I was actually tempted to shout something like "STEVE! I wanna be your brother-in-law!" but then worst case scenario he'd think I was talking about his sister. He's shorter in person and doesn't really look like Joey.
Around ten-fifteen minutes later they started to let people in. Now, I had heard some freaky horror stories about the security and stuff, but really it wasn't as in-your-face as people would believe. I just stepped through the metal thingie and they asked me to open my bag, which I did, containing my CD player, binoculars, and bottled water(Hidden where they couldn't see was a disposable camera. I found out about four seconds before I went through that those were actually allowed). By now I was just stoked and needed to pee real badly, but before I did that I bought the program and large yellow glowstick. I was tempted, very, very tempted, to buy a t-shirt(Right then I had on my *NSTYNC shirt from Halloween), but I realized, you know what, I didn't come here for the merchandise. I came here to get *NSYNC. And did I ever.
The Basics: My seat was at U203 #8...two rows from the very back. I was kinda fretting about it, but I soon discovered that the view was actually not bad at all. I could see the stage very clearly and from an almost direct angle. True, things were tiny, but really I guess you really can't get bad seats at an *NSYNC concert. This cheered me up immensely, and for the rest of the concert I used the binoculars only sparingly(It was actually better to just watch them w/out special aid).
I thought that the two girls that I sold the tickets to would be next to me(To my left to be precise), but for some reason it was someone else. I sat in a rather energetic part of the crowd, and to that I'm not displeased at all. The more rousing people around me are, the more vibrant I myself become.
Steve came out and talked to us a bit...then introduced...
First up: Dream. I had never heard them before and they were actually really good. I got a little worked up, but honestly? I didn't come here for them. I cheered and I raved because they deserved it, but kept it at a restrained level.
Lil' Bow Wow: I never claimed to like rap, but okay...I went along with it because I knew this kid's got a lot of flair and he's gonna be going places. Surprisingly, I did get into the yippie-yo-yippie-yaying after thirty seconds or so. I guess that's the way I am with all sorts of music. I wouldn't go out and listen to LBW intentionally, but it ain't torture, far from it.
(At this point a mother & daughter team sat to my right...they were really nice and offered me popcorn)
Baha Men: I must admit, I really wasn't feeling it the first few songs. But then...they let the dogs out and I was just all out whooing. How could I not? That song is just pure crowd-worker.
We went berserk.
I had thought that the cheers were loud for the acts before. I was wrong. I had never in my life heard shrieks of such intensity. You don't know. You don't know how loud, how insane it is unless you've been there. You think you know, by watching it on TV or whatever, but you don't. It was electric. I myself had gone into total teeny mode and not caring one bit about it. We wanted *NSYNC. We were getting *NSYNC.
They were lowered. Shriiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeek
"Baby you're not the only one..." WARNING! WARNING! YOU ARE ENTERING THE POINT OF NO RETURN. FAILURE TO TURN BACK WILL RESULT IN ROCKING WITH *NSYNC FOR THE NEXT HOUR AND A HALF!
Fliiiiiiieeeeeyyyyyy...!
*No Strings Attached: I was in a dreamlike state, I admit. I knew consciously that *NSYNC was there, I was in the same "room" with them, they were right there, and they were dancing, and singing, and...but I don't think I knew it. It was just surreal; I was screaming and singing and swinging my glowstick at the same time and so was everyone else, it was such a rush, I don't know how else to describe it...and through this all I was still able to get some pics. It was just surreal. My mind could not accept it. It was awesome. I felt awesome.
*I Want You Back: At this point I was actually starting to grasp the idea that I was actually at an *NSYNC concert. OMfreakingG. Anyway, when Joey started to talk to us I actually thought that he was Lance because of the blond hair:). I could really see everything that they did...the downside was that they did look like ants and despite that I could make out their dance moves, ants are still ants:p. But it was all good stuff.
Things that I screamed during this song: "JOEAAAAAY YOU SEXAAAAAAY MONKAAAAAAAAAAY!!!"(During his breakdown)
*(God Must Have Spent)A Little More Time on You: Justin kinda pulled a fast one on us:D...on the parts where traditionally Justin sings a bit and the audience sings a bit and Justin sings and so on he actually just sang one part and left the rest to us, and there was this odd silence where no one was really singing...okay nevermind you had to be there:P. From where I was the rising pedestals didn't actually look high at all, but then again from where I was I could barely tell Chris from Lance(Just kidding...but if you weren't looking hard enough they do tend to get confusing).
Things that I screamed during this song: I don't remember screaming anything too weird, I mostly just sang along.
*Tearin' Up My Heart: The energy just kept building and building. We were some craaaaaaaaazy mofos and we loved it. The show was barely starting and already my voice was going haywire from all my shouting. I honestly don't know how I'm gonna last through the rest, but da***t I wasn't gonna cop out to those six year olds sitting in front of me! Young people these days...
Things that I screamed during this song: "JAAYCEEEEEEEEEEH!" "SYNC! SYNC! SYNC! SYNC! SYNC! SYNC!"(You know, during that part where they say N and we say...nevermind)
*Human Beatbox: You know how this goes. I was actually trying to box right along with him...let me just say that luckily people were screaming so loudly no one heard how stupid I sounded:).
Things that I screamed during this number: "JUSTAAAAAAAAAHHHHHN!!!" "HIS BABY! I WANT HIS BABY!"(Okay, so I didn't really say this, but I'm almost totally certain I heard it...)
*It's Gonna Be Me: You know what, my mind was actually at full working stage during this song so I was in fact able to time my photograph for Justin's hand pose...well, don't know if it turned out that good.
Things that I screamed during this song: "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"(I did a lot of this one) "LANCE, I'm from CALIFORNIA!"(I do not know. I plead temporary insanity)
*I Drive Myself Crazy(Thinking of You): Whoa...Chris sounded really high, like a bit sharper than his usual tone(Yes, you're listening to the only geek in that whole audience who actually paid attention to this...), but I know consciously that he got all the notes down great, most likely it really was just the mics. And I was actually trying to dance to this song 'cause it was so tight and...yes, luckily it was pretty dark and everyone was staring at Chris so no one saw how stupid I looked:).
Things that I screamed during this song: "OMIFREAKINGGOD CHRIIIIIIIS YOU ROOOOCK!!!" "D**N YOU FOR BEING PERFECT! **MN YOU!!!"(I seriously shouted this, the people next to me started to inch slowly away after that...)
*O Holy Night: They sang this instead of ITSK, and I can't say I'm dissapointed, even if it meant that Joey wouldn't get lotsa love. Can't say so at all. I thought they did their freaking best on this song...my second most vivid memory of the night is of the dang floors vibrating to their harmonies. I just have to mention now that my favorite chord out of all *NSYNC's songs is the one of Chris when they go: "Faaaaaaaaaaaaahhll on your kneeees..." Hearing this live, I'm just constantly reminded of why I wouldn't mind being Chris for, oh, ever.
Things that I screamed during this song: "CHRIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAHS!!!"(Yeah, I didn't only scream his name, but you know...he owned this song)
*Intermission/Lance Millionaire: Okay, at this point I feel I must give major props to the mother/daughter team that I mentioned earlier. Not only did they share popcorn with me, but during this intermission they actually found seats all the way down below and they invited me to join them! My God it just goes to show you how cool people can be. As I said the view wasn't horrible the first time around, but now it was a lot closer as you will tell from the following photographs. People are cool.
Things that I screamed during this intermission: "That's not true! Justin does NOT have a fro anymore!"(^o^)
*Just Got Paid: So much to say...but first I have a question...you know those folks who get to go on and dance? Do they have to miss the rest of the concert? I mean I don't think I personally would want to be up there if I had to miss even a little bit of the concert I paid to see, but oh well.
Things that I screamed during this song: "I DON'T HAVE MONEY! GIVE ME MONEY! SHOW ME THE MONEY!"(It was getting late, and I was getting freaky...)
*Space Cowboy: Wow, those jetting flames are much brighter in reality than on the TV screen, they took me by surprise. What else to mention that I haven't already said...I'm not crazy about those flashy spaced out animations that appear on the jumbotron, to me they kinda take away from their performance, but it's okay...up closer you get to see their dance moves a lot better too.
Things that I screamed during this song: "Why-yi-yi-yippie-yi-yay-yippie-yi-yo-yippie-yi-yay, Why-yi-yi-yippie-yi-yay-yippie-yi-yo-yippie-yi-yo!"
*It Makes Me Ill: Again, whereas I was able to get into the singing all along, now I was able to see the dancing up close and of course it was just immense. Words to describe? Not from me.
Things that I screamed during this song: "NO! DON'T DIE, *NSYNC! DON'T DIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!"
*This I Promise You: Their lead-off conversation to the moving platform dragged on a bit, but it did give me a chance to sit down and rest for a while. During the song, I think Justin may have done his "Yea, yea, yea-eeaaaaah..." that he did during the VMAs but now I can't quite remember. I'm almost entirely certain that Joey saw me being a mofo at least once when the platform came closer, but then again I wouldn't be all sad if he didn't...I was enjoying the song. The song was good. Need I say anything else?
Things that I screamed during this song: Well, when I wasn't singing along I was basically screaming all of their names with all my might, 'cause they came pretty close and I'm pretty sure they could've heard me. So what if I was in extreme teeny mode...:P
*Digital Get Down: Phatineeeeeeessss...I'm telling y'all, it was so easy to get lost in the vibe and the extreme energy of it all. Even if you absolutely do not like *NSYNC, there's no way you could be in that arena and not feel it. And I mean feel it. Get down, baby.
Things that I screamed during this song: Whatever the heck I wanted to...and you can bet I wanted to scream some freaky stuff:).
*Bye Bye Bye: Despite being the last song of the night, it was during this number that the whole arena(*NSYNC, the entire audience, and myself)had the most energy. This was their dang finale, their trademark NSA song, and we just rocked like no tomorrow. The energy did not waver. The screams did not waver, not even after the guys finally disappeared behind those curtains.
Things that I screamed during this song: "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" "*NSYYYYYNC ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCKS...!!!(I will not lie, the strain I was putting on my throat was horrendous and insanely unhealthy, but did I care? Not one bit)
The stage cleared. People rose to get out. My throat, ears, and mind was whacko(Ie I could barely speak, hear, or think). I was hungry. Needed to pee(Again). And I think the nice mother & daughter took my NSA program by mistake...I never even knew their names(Note: If you are indeed the mother or daughter who gave me popcorn and invited me down, pleas drop me a line!).
But I felt great.
*I ran outta photo rolls during TIPY; That's why there aren't any shots of the last two songs.
*I just gotta mention this; There were a lot of parents there. There were a lot of parents there. It kinda made me annoyed at how a lot of people would have really wanted to go, whereas these parents who didn't really want to go got to. I mean, sure they have to look out for their young'uns, but to me these tickets would be better off in the hands of those who I know really wanted to go but couldn't, you know? At least the tickets weren't wasted, but...in my mind they could have been better used.
*NSYNC is cool.
*I had a great time.
Things I learned: *The Fatone brothers suck at gambling.
*While somewhat deep-toned male voices are good for getting the attention of an *NSYNCer because it stands out from the rest, it is not built for screaming/shouting/blabbering/rasping at sonic levels for two hours straight. I learned this the hard way. But I'd do it again in an instant.
*People are cool.
*NSYNC is cool.