Blue October
Apr 5th, 2007 by Ashley
20070401 @ The Fillmore in San Francisco, CA
We got there a bit earlier before the door opened and there were already quite a lot people in line. But fortunately we were able to make it to the 4th row. The Fillmore is a place of stories and history. Its yellow dim light, buzzing chatters, photos on the wall and a basket of apples… I walked into the Fillmore, I walked into the time vortex of the happenings of great music in modern history.
I still haven’t found out the name of the opening band. They were okay. But the kid (the guitarist) was quite impressive. I guess he’s around half of my age. Well, I’m exaggerating. But he for sure is under 18. As people around and under my age are accomplishing something grand, I can’t help but… nah, nevermind.
And then they left, and the crew came on stage and changed set. There were about 7 of them and that was the fastest set changing I’ve ever seen. Either they (Blue October) wanted to go home early, or they (the crew) are used to do things efficiently. Few more points to team Blue October!
And then Ryan, CBH, Jeremy and Matt showed up on stage and the crowd shouted and clapped, but didn’t persist. When Justin walked out, the noise re-emerged, which was so inappropriate. It shouldn’t have stopped in the first place. For me, it’s an indication of lack of true passion for rock.
Honestly, I like the 3EB crowd better and Cake’s and Hoobastank’s.
I’d say it’s a down side of having one or two super successful hit songs (In this case, Hate Me and Into the Ocean.) Concert goers would consist of not only hardcore fans but a number of people who only listens to radio hits and come only for radio hits. It requires real passion to get a concert going. I mean a GOOD concert which will remain in your heart for a long time, not just any mediocre concert. And please note that passion does not equal to drunk crazy chicks yelling and swinging at people around.
Ryan had a beautiful solo before everything started. Following was the other intruments and Justin joined with “there’s some kind of light… at the end when touching the edge of her skin.” It was so right. I thought. You Make Me Smile is the first song in Foiled. Every time I put it into the player, I hear the same few notes and that line and the feast of Blue October follows. I held onto my necklace while another hand raising up in the air. It was like a realization of a dream. A dream you ruminate over and over. The songs I listen to everyday, in my car, in my room were living and dancing and rejoicing in the same room with me, in front of me, 2 meters away.
there’s some kind of light… at the end when touching the edge of her skin.
I didn’t recognize the second and forth songs and they’re proved to be from the first and second albums. They sang mostly songs in Foiled and some in History for Sale. I’ve been cramming myself with Inner Glow lyrics for the past 2 days cos I love that song so much and I wanted to be able to sing along when they perform it. And they didn’t perform Calling You as I expected (or I should say, as I wanted them to, during encore and acoustically.) I guess they needed a highlight in every part of the show. But for me, every song was the highlight of the show. Every first note of every song, I went “Oh I love this song!”
Justin’s face was covered with sweat by the end of the second song and his jacket remained on through the entire show. We don’t know how he endured it. Justin spilled bottle water on us when singing “so drill it, so drill it, so hard I feel it.” and he threw away the picks into the crowd very often and once it landed on my head but I was checking my camera so when I realized it, it was picked up by someone else, darn.
Half way through the show, they torn down Blue October/Flame thing and revealed another painting by Justin. (Seriously! Justin paints.)
When I looked at Justin, I couldn’t help but wondering what he had been through. When Hate Me first came out, it hit me so hard cos I can hear the pain, accusasion, struggle and residual hatred. It was real and you can still see the cuts. Great art works often come from tortured souls. When you sing along “hate me today, hate me tomorrow” (and smiling!), did you feel the pain?
The concert was great. My heart was filled with… I don’t know, something good, the entire time. It seemed so short but I guess it’s because I just went to a 27-song concert 2 weeks ago. Every show would seem short. Oh, there was something really annoying. A guy kept booing from the opening band to Blue October. I don’t think he’s really booing. Someone suspecting he was cheering BLUE, which was a valid arguement cos I don’t see why a person would pay 30 something box just to boo somebody. However, it was very irritating to hear something similar to BOO~~ When Justin came out again for encore, the band played 18th Floor Balcony, a beautiful ballad. The crowd quiet down and started to swing and that moron BLUE again. Justin looked pissed and flipped him off, said “if you wanted to boo you can get the f*ck out.” and I clapped so hard.
I saw a 5591 T-shirt and didn’t know what it means. It turns out to be the patient number assigned to Justin while he was in a treatment center. I should have got one.
Set List:
You Make Me Smile
Independantly Happy
She’s My Ride Home
HRSA
Calling You
What if We Could
Clumsy Card House
Let it Go
Quiet Mind
Drilled a Wire
Razorblade
Everlasting Friend
Come in Closer
Into the Ocean
Encore
18th Floor Balcony
Overweight
X-Amount of Words
Hate Me
I really liked your cover of the Blue October concert in Fillmore, CO. My fiance and I are probably borderline obsessed with this band so, of course we were there as well. I would like to comment on your “When Justin walked out, the noise re-emerged, which was so inappropriate. It shouldn’t have stopped in the first place. For me, it’s an indication of lack of true passion for rock.” I believe Justin Furstenfeld makes up MOST of the band. Because he writes all the deep, heart-felt songs and sings them so passionately, I can understand WHY long-time Blue October fans would cheer more loudly for Justin. I am one of those fans. I am OOBER passionate for Justin and Ryan. They are both powerful and theatrical musicians. Thank you for posting :)
Thanks! :)
I totally agree that Justin is the heart and soul of the band. I guess I feel bad seeing people get publicly ignored like that. :p
i was one of them that picked that pick up…so cool I loved that concert and hopefully they come near the bay.
they rock!!
I am an avid Blue fan and am going to see them in Providence, RI this Saturday night (5/2)! Reading this made even more excited than I thought I could be. I have seen them only once before and wont forget it, so I know this show will be the same!!!!
AND too hear that 18th Floor is in the encore is awesome! This is the song that my husband and I danced to for our first husband/wife song at our wedding over a year ago! YAY!