Concert Memories: New Found Glory

I've seen NFG play three different times and, despite the band always delivering an amazing show, each one was an unmitigated disaster.

1. I first saw them early on during my sophomore year in high school. I talked my dad into getting me the tickets and I invited a close friend who I'd always had a crush on to go with me. Right before the day of the show she backed out and I was crushed. In the final desperate hours, I asked this unstable girl I wasn't too familiar with from my history class and she accepted.

Dad had a hook up at the venue, so we had great seats and free refreshments. It was everything a 15 year old could dream of. NFG fucking rocked their set and were followed by Blink-182. It was while they were on I looked over to my companion to see her making out with the guy sitting next to her. She never did thank me for taking her to the show.

2. The band was one of the many I couldn't wait to see at Warped Tour '04. Lisa, the girl I was dating at the time, died our hair blue for the event. It was raining, which made the dye run and ruin the new shirts we had bought. Shortly after I found out most of the bands I had wanted to see had canceled and I had an awkward run in with my first obsession. After that crisis was averted, we grabbed great seats right next to the stage just in time to see NFG come on.

Thirty seconds into their first song we were nearly crushed by the massive number of people swarming the stage. Suddenly, we were in the middle of the biggest mosh pit I'd ever seen and I started having a panic attack. Something in the air caught my eye just in time for me to recognize it as a beer bottle before it hit my girlfriend in the head.

My protective instincts kicked in and I grabbed her by the arm and started fighting through the sea of bodies to get her to safety. Halfway through I came to a clearing and was able to breathe for a moment. My eyes glanced upward to see a guy standing 5 feet in front of me. His frenzied eyes scanned the crowd and before finally meeting mine. He smiled as his fists clenched and unclenched. Then came at me and kicked me in the balls. I fell to my knees for a few seconds and by the time I finally got back on my feet he was gone. Still holding Lisa's hand I tore into a full sprint into the crowd. As soon as we reached safety I let her go, went into the bathroom and threw up. We left shortly after.

3. The last time I was with Allison, right when the shit storm had been dropped. That's all I have to say about that.