Forever The Sickest: The Salt Lake Weekend

Alrighty kids, prepare yourselves because I am about to tell you about one of the best weekends of my life. And I've had some great weekends. Pretty sure this one takes the cake and eats it too. So this will be long, but oh so worth it. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be green with envy if you're anything like me. I am still so excited. I've also posted a song from each of the artists I go into detail with. Just some favorite songs. Also, click on the pictures for the full effect
Ready, set, lets document.

So for those of you who don't know, my sister is a competitive Irish dancer. She and my mother and I travel around the northwest attending these competitions called a feis (fesh) throughout the year. I compete in singing. I don't really know why I do it. I know it's good support for my sister and I can help her get ready and stuff, but the competitions aren't hard soooooooo. I mean, it's usually me and a couple 14-16 year olds that aren't that impressive. Sorry, but it's true. But I do it anyway. I probably won't be doing it anymore, except the one here and in Salt Lake cuz that one is held by our school. ANYWAY, back in the day my mom asked if I was going. I said idk. Turned out though, Spencers farewell was that weekend. I think that's a good reason to go to Salt Lake. And free ride? I vote yes. Then, I realized that it was also the same weekend as Warped Tour. There was no keeping me away.

Friday morning the 27th of June, we loaded the car and left with 2 other families going to the competition also, hit up the Human Bean (great place), and were on the road. Precisely five hours later, we arrived at our hotel in Salt Lake. Well, I guess Murray, I don't really know it's all confusing. Anyway, Erin and I competed in singing that night. It took my whole freaking life. And I messed up hardcore. Got third though out of like 20ish people. Ellen saw it too. That was kind of cool. Then Ellen and I ditched and went to see Spencer! The three of us hit up Wendy's, then met up with some of Spencers friends for Wall-E. GREAT flick! My mind wandered a little bit...I got a little restless, but I made it through. I almost thought I was going to die of boredom. This is what happens when you take me, wake me up 6 hours before I would normally wake up, drive me around for 5 hours, then make me sit around for a competition for 2. And I'm supposed to sit in a theater and watch a movie? Hello, add all that to my 3 year old attention span, no bueno. But I made it through. It was great.

Saturday, June 28th: Went to the feis for a little bit, then Ellen came to get me. We watched Erin dance one of her dances and then left. She did really well in the competition. First we dropped off my stuff at her house, as I was going to be staying with her, and met up with Lo. Then, it was off to WARPED TOUR!!!! This was our first Warped Tour experience. I didn't know what to expect. A bunch of goths? Drugs? Dirtiness? Loudness? Basically it was beautifulness in a day. Seriously guys it's like DISNEYLAND when all the characters walk around and you meet them, but replace that with some of your FAVORITE FREAKING BANDS! Glorious.

First up was We The Kings. Great set, great show. Way fun. I love to dance. And they were really into the crowd which is always a huge plus. Seriously, talk to us without being awkward. Cuz it's just great.

Then, it was off to basically, our main event. This was what we planned our day around. Forever The Sickest Kids and The Maine. We had some time so we checked out the booths, looking mostly for FTSK and The Maines booths. We found them. And The Maine was chillin at theirs. So we chilled with them. HOW SICK IS THAT?!?! One of my favorite bands and we just chilled with them for a bit. SICK! TOTALLY ABSOLUTELY SICK!! Holy life kids! Then it was time for their sets. Here's some more pictures:


Forever The Sickest Kids


The Maine


Caleb - FTSK - guitar (SUCH a great guy! ellen and i met him at their show in salt lake in march. SOOOOO great! love him)


John Cook - FTSK - vocals


Kennedy - The Maine - gutiar (he smiled and i was head over heels GONE)


John O - The Maine - vocals (so great also. i talked to him on the phone when kara went to their show in boise and he called kara when we chilled with them and left her a message. such a great guy)

After The Maines set, I really wanted their set list. So I asked Kennedy. Unfortunately, they didn't have any. He was really sorry, but told me he loved me. Which is good enough for me! I think that's a fair trade. I mean, I don't have physical proof of it, and the set list would be physical proof, but I'm pretty sure I'll take Kennedy's personal love over a piece of paper. So that's cool.

Then, FTSK did an acoustic set and signing. Left to right that would be Kent, Austin (he makes the funniest faces), John, Kyle, and Caleb. Then Marc, but we weren't at the right angle to get all of them :(

And then there was their signing. My new phone background is me and Kyle, the drummer. That's not the picture on my phone, but Kyle is PRESH! Ellen and I got another picture of us with Caleb:

I got to talk on the mic to FTSK during their acoustic set. John made sure I got to go. I was the last one. Awesome. I told them about how I'm not even from Salt Lake, but I've driven to see them there twice. Cuz I'm an awesome fan. John was way nice about making sure I talked on the mic. Just great.

Afterwards, we went back by The Maines merch booth. We met Patrick their drummer, who was not around the first time we stopped by. He signed a poster for me and one for Ellen. Then as we were leaving John O came back so we got pictures with him.

We also did some other stuff like play with sunglasses, watched The Maine with my friend Jake from home, saw Hailey and Paul at Angels&Airwaves, watched The Color Fred, Say Anything, and Family Force 5. We also drank water. Lots of it. It was in the 90s that day, and we were sweating hardcore. I mean, you can't rock out and not. But I didn't pee that day until about 11 at night. Awesome.

The last band we saw for the day was Family Force 5. I also missed them when they came to Boise, and I just wanted more than a lot to see them play Luv Addict. I just love that song. But we were totally exhausted. But we had to see it. So we chilled in the shade until their set, and then when they were ready to come on we just chilled towards the back of the crowd. I had originally planned to seriously just chill and stand in the back and watch them play Luv Addict, especially since I though it would be at the end of their set. Well it wasn't. it was like their 4th song. And when it started something just came over me. I couldn't help myself. I pulled my backpack straps tight, and I ran right into that crowd. I was gone. I danced and I screamed along to that song. I guess I figured, hey, this is my last Salt Lake City Warped Tour 2008 song, I am going out in style. And in style I went.

So after Warped Tour, we hit up MolcaSalsa, an after concert must. We actually saw the kids who were in front of us at Family Force 5 there. Then we went back to Ellen's house, shared pictures and video, and went to bed.

Sunday, June 29th: Sunday was the day of Spencers mission farewell. Originally, I was supposed to leave this morning to head on back to Boise, but I felt that I needed to stay, so I stayed an extra 2 days just for him. Ya that's right Spencer, I may not have come for you, but I stayed for you. Then there was a party at his house with his friends and fam. P.S. LOVE his Mom! Spencer, love your Mom. I only met her once when he was moving out of the dorms, but she remembered me and was just so great. Spencer did a very nice job at his talk also. And the song. Just great. It was cool to see him and his older broha sing together. I also like stuff like that.

Then, it was back to Ellens for family dinner. Us, her younger broha, older sister and boyfriend, Ellens boyfriend, her parents, older broha and his wife and their kid, and both sets of grandparents. It was a freaking party. They were all so nice. Then we played some Guitar Hero cuz Riley (Ellens boy) had never played. Shame. We won't blame him, he's only been back from the mish like 4 weeks. Then the three of us hit up the Salt Lakes Arts Festival, courtesy of 3 free tickets from Grandma Ririe. It was huge. Awesome. Then it was back to Ellens house for a viewing of the Aunt Melinda Show. Very funny. Probably embarrasing for Ellens family, but so great.

Monday, June 30th: Ellen had to work in the morning which wasn't a huge bummer cuz I wanted to sleep a bit, but Spencer wanted to sleep a lot so we didn't hang out. No big deal. But no one was home, so I played guitar hero 2. Again, not a big deal. I got the high score on The Killers When We Were Young on expert. I'm pretty proud about that one. Then Robin (Ellens madre) came home and let me borrow her car to go down to Ellens work for lunch. How kind of her. Seriously, how many people offer a 19 year old they've just met for the first time to use their car when she has never in her life driven herself around Salt Lake and it was only her third time there? Awesome people that's who. (whenever i say 'thats who' i think of the nanny/cook/maid in Mary Poppins. The shorter one, cuz she says that after the nanny leaves 'who gets stuck caring for the children? me thats who' except she says oo instead of who. great)

So by the time Ellen got off work it was time for me to head to the airport basically. But we had enough time to stop by Deseret Book by the temple. I needed a postcard with the temple on it for a birthday card for my friend on his mish in Canadia. We also found temple stickers which I stuck all over the back and then wrote happy birthday over it in sharpie. Straight up! I'm so crafty. Then I was almost late for my flight. But no worries! I made it with time to spare. Thanks Ellen! She was stressed.

So it's pretty bittersweet leaving. Love SLC and my friends, love Boise and my friends, love SLC shows, love Boise shows. It's pretty cool that I have 2 places in my life like these. I'm really going to miss chilling with Ellen and Lo. And I'm really going to be missing Spencer cuz he leaves Wednesday for the MTC and then Germany. That sucks. Well, only kind of but ya it sucks. I'm just gonna say, it's not really fair that I only met Spencer less than a year ago, and had all this other useless time with people I don't like. Not a fair trade. But seriously, quality people right there. And their families. Quality people, quality friendships, quality times. Quality. It might not be very much in quantity, but that weekend was one of the most quality weekends of my life. Also, bands = great kids. At least when it comes to these bands it does.

But wait?! It's not over. Turns out, the concert this Saturday isn't sold out. Boys Like Girls with Good Charlotte, Metro Station, Love You Long Time, and THE MAINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What's even better....ROAD TRIP WITH MY FRIENDS! Reggie, Christina, Chaz (we just recently decided to take a road trip together, well here it is!) and KARA! KARA AND I FINALLY GET TO SEE THE MAINE TOGETHER!!!! Plus Ellen and Lo are coming to that one also. Pricelress. That will also be epic. The blog to come next week sometime.

So thanks for reading and hopefully feeling a little bit of joy. Because I felt joy reliving it. I basically relive it every morning day and night. It will never get old. I love you also Kennedy, thank you for telling me you love me. Thank you Caleb for remembering me and Ellen from The Avalon when you had a fever. Thank you John for making sure I got to talk on the mic. You didn't worry about the others, just me. Awesome. Thanks Kyle for taking an awesome picture with me for my phone. Pat, Jared, Garret, Kent, Marc, and Austin, I thank you also. Thanks to my friends who go on these adventures with me, and the families that allow us to do that. And thanks to these bands for being so totally great. Just great.

The most epic weekend of my life.

P.S. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO convinced I'm allergic to Utah. I sneezed a ton at school, and all the time during the weekend. Awkward. How does that make you feel guys? I'm allergic to your state.

P.P.S. I wanted to post some videos, but it just takes way too long. I will add them on a video real later.