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By: Lanz Smith
Four months later in February I was flipping through the paper and there it was: the advertisement for the Incubus concert! It was like something out of a movie; the artical appeared that it was made out of gold! When I stared down at it, my face was lit by its reflection. It was so beautiful. So it was confirmed that I would be able to see them on March 28th. It was very lucky that I found out that they were coming when I did (back in November) because a ticket was $80! But Incubus deserved it and I didn't really care how much it was going to cost me as long as I would see Brandon.
The night before the concert I hadn't been able to get much sleep so I was pretty tired but my excitement that I would see the boys took over. At 4.00 my brother and I ventured out into the streets of Wellington to the Queen's Warf Event Centre, even though the doors didn't open until 7.30. There was still a huge line waiting for us, but it was there that I felt true happiness because I knew that
I was around Incubus-people like myself. The time came and the doors were pulled open and I was finally in! I couldn't believe it! Although I wasn't quick enough to get dead front and centre in the mosh pit, third row just slightly to the right wasn't a bad spot to be either. It took a while for Eight, the "special guest" as they like to say on your ticket, to come out and get the crowd started but, because this wasn't my first concert and it was my second Incubus show, I knew what to expect. Incubus doesn't come on straight away like most people think. They leave you hanging for about an hour after the opening act until you can't handle it anymore and you just go crazy from waiting. When I thought I was about to go completely insane the lights went down and I saw figures walking onto the stage. Then I heard Kilmore starting up his turntables and the crowd went unbelievably insane. The first song that they played was "Megalomaniac," followed by "A Crow Left of the Murder." On the yelling part of "Yet / Do you get it yet?" everyone yelled it out which made Brandon smile. It was at the end of the song when I noticed a woman with a baby girl up by the stage, right in front of me. It clicked and I realised that it was Brandon's girlfriend, Carolyn Murphy, who didn't really seem to notice that there was a concert going on because every time I looked her way, she was paying more attention to her daughter, Dylan.
Twenty songs went by and Brandon hadn't really been over to the side where I was. Then I heard that familiar drum beat of "Are You In?" and I started screaming, 'Yes!' Staring at Jose and Ben all night wasn't bad but I wanted my idol to come over my way once in a while. As I thought that he wouldn't and gave up all hope, he sudenly started making his way towards me and he leaned over and started singing. He was only about seven feet away from me! Everyone around me was going crazy! I looked at Brandon and for a long five seconds, he looked back at me. I was looking into his beautiful brown eyes and it was a sight I will never forget. The closing number was "Pardon Me," and just like that, it was finished. I felt kind of disappointed that there was no "Stellar" or "Drive." As the concert slowly moved to the streets, all you could hear was about 500 people talking about the exact same thing -- what an awesome concert that was and how they wished that it could have just gone on forever. I turned to my brother and we both agreed. As we made our way to the nearest and only shop that would be open at 12.30 in the morning, my brother turned around and noticed that basically the whole concert was heading in the same direction as we were. I would have loved to be the owner of that shop that night, taking the money of around ten sweaty, thirsty people at a time who walked into their business.
My brother and I sat down and we reminisced about what an awesome night we had and how it was worth the $80 we spent on a ticket. It has now been five mounths since the concert and I still think about it everyday. I wish that they could come back again this year but I know that that is not even a possibility! So until the next time they come over, all i can do is think back to March and remember what a great time I had."
By: Miranda Harvey (me!)
After waiting for about 40 minutes there was a rush to stand up and move forward; it seemed automatic. Soon after, Sparta came on and blew me away (I'm a fan now!). Even though I didn't really know their songs, I still had fun. After about four or five songs (including "While Oceana Sleeps" with an appearance by the not-yet-ready Ben helping out on the chorus) they left the stage and the lights came back on. We ended up standing for another half hour or so. Then the lights dimmed and Brandon walked out. The floor went crazy!!! They started in with "Megalomaniac." Al was squished really badly but I was in no position to help her. As "Nice to Know You" started I was pushed further and further back until I couldn't even see Al anymore and I was thrown into the moshpit. It was fun but I wanted out cuz I was too afraid of falling down that I was missing out on the show. Finally I found a spot that wasn't so rowdy, but by then I was somewhat a distance from the stage. But I could see everything clearly so it wasn't so bad. It just made everything really small in my pictures.
"Wish You Were Here" was played to a background that "resembled a backlit canopy with holes punched in it!" "Vitamin" was definitely the highlight of the show. Halfway through, Ben pulled out a drum and sat down and Brandon stood on the other side of Jose (with Ben on Jose's right) with his djembe and other bongos and they did this amazing drum-jam that lasted quite a wonderful while before they finished off the song. Another highlight was "Everything is Dead." No one around me knew the song so I was the only one singing my heart out to it! Also, during "Stellar" there was a Police cover (the "doo doo doo, da da da" one) which was funny cuz Mike had on his Police shirt. I was even excited to hear "Pistola," my least favourite Incubus song. The concert ended with "Sick Sad Little World" and "A Certain Shade of Green" which was played to green lights.
The audience was not ready to go home, and I guess they expected an encore, because we all kept on cheering (but no chanting). Soon after Brandon walked out by himself, strapped on a guitar, and started slowly strumming before breaking into the theme of Sponge Bob Square Pants, which the crowd gleefully sang along to! Then he transitioned into "Pantomine," which, again, I was the only one around me who knew the words. The concert came to a close after "Favourite Things" and ended with one of my favourite songs, "Under My Umbrella." It was a beautiful experience that I will never, ever forget!! But it didn't end there...
After I bought a tshirt and a couple keychains, we walked above where the buses were parked and I swear I saw Brandon!! But I can't be sure because a huge mob of security guards noticed that I had stopped and started yelling for me to get away. Then Al and I went down to the entrance to the bus parking lot where a group of people were waiting to see if they'd be lucky enough for one of the guys from Incubus to come out and say hello. No such luck, but Al noticed the lead singer from Sparta (Jim Ward) get out of a taxi so we got him to sign our tickets and we got a picture with him (he was super nice, but kind of shy). We also ran into Kalin and Tim (the two guys I mentioned earlier that we kept seeing) and talked with them until about 1 am when my dad said it was time to go. It was one of the best nights, if not the best, of my life and I'm so glad I got to do it with Al because we had the greatest time!
