He sings Soldier Side Intro…flatly, off key. This worries me because all of the rumors that I have ever heard about him, his health, especially as of late, dominate my head. I partially record this on my cell & it doesn’t sound too bad, but, his singing was off…BADLY…for that one song. Every other song, his voice was Daron. His voice was perfect. His voice was Daron.

After that, they played Attack! I think, then B.Y.O.B. The rest is kind of a blur. Here is a partial list.

Soldier Side Intro
Attack!
B.Y.O.B.
Cigaro
Suggestions
Pyscho
Deer Dance
Revenga
War?
Old School Hollywood
Violent Pornography
Radio/Video
Lost in Hollywood
Lonely Day
Sultans of Swing
Toxicity
Suite Pee
Sugar

I would rely more on SOAGolfeR21’s posted set list than my own. I couldn’t really get into the performance that much from where I was. I was ALL the way, about, 4/5 on the top of the lawn. I looked around quickly and EVERYBODY ELSE WAS SITTING DOWN!!! Eventually my cousin & his girlfriend leave (they had a long drive and an early morning), & that gives me the opportunity to move up closer, still lawn, but, still. I move up, and, now that I’m maybe in the 2/3 part of lawn (still kinda center, which is good), I’m feeling a little bit more energy. I see the people mashed up against the fence in the front of the lawn. I still see people sitting all around me, their view is obscured by the standing people, and they don’t seem to mind (and, no, they weren’t making out or anything like that, they were really still watching the stage area). AND, I say the stage area because the screens that project what is going on, at least the one did for A7X and all of them did for Disturbed, only projected the art when System was on, meaning, if you weren’t in the pit, you probably couldn’t see their faces. ~I~ thought that was lousy. I would have liked to have seen the facial expressions that ANY of them were making.
I thought that was very poor. At one point, one of the end songs (I think “Toxicity”) the screens went blue for a period. I wouldn’t have thought much about this if I didn’t see other current Ozzfest concerts with their visages projected up on the screens. I really feel the band rushed maybe, the first, 1/3 of the show, just trying to get through the songs, very little audience interaction, very little playing around.

I also (getting back to Daron) was worried about what seemed to be a second guitar player on stage. I didn’t hear him being introduced, and again, I was worried that HE was there because Daron couldn’t play…for whatever reason. AND, because he was dressed in a white trench coat (and when he spun-jumped, it flared out…pretty cool looking), and Daron was dressed in all black, with that hat on for…at least S.S Intro, they reminded me of Mad Magazines “Spy vs. Spy”. My fears were alleviated about 1/3 of the way through the set. I thought, ‘Meh, maybe they just need somebody on a different guitar part for a fuller sound’.

One more with Daron worrying me: during “Attack”, I think, he stopped playing his guitar, walks over to the side of the stage and leans on an amp (I don’t know if he was breathing heavily). I didn’t know if he did it because it was too hot or because of drug use, or he was just ill, but, I was for a split second worried that they would have to cancel the show. I didn’t see if any of the other band members saw this, but, they continued to play. After a few seconds, though, Daron gets his energy back, runs over to the drum set, jumps on the platform of the drum set, and I THINK hits a cymbal with his hand, full of energy. It was pretty fucking crazy.

Okay, so, on with what happened.

The one thing I will remember from this concert: they made rock fun again. It was like the first rock concert I went to…that I wanted to go to, the one thing I will remember was Daron’s soliloquy before “Violent Pornography”. This is not verbatim, but, this is along the lines of what he said:

Singing: It’s a violent pornography
Choking chicks and sodomy
Speaking: Sodomy. Another way to prevent pregnancy.
Audience: WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Speaking: That’s what my good friend *mentions friend’s name* in Bad Acid Trip told me. We have an addiction to oil. America! Did you know that? We have an addiction to oil. TV tells us. Serial killers and rapists. You turn on MSNBC – serial killers and rapists! Cut to a commercial – Girls Gone Wild. Serial killers and rapists. Cut to a commercial – Girls Gone Wild. Serial killers and rapists. Cut to a commercial – Girls Gone Wild. Because when Jesus Christ comes back, when Jesus Christ comes back, we will stand in line for the Crucifixion – like we did before. JESUS CHRIST DOESN’T WORK FOR A CORPORATION! JESUS CHRIST DOESN’T WORK FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!! …And neither should you.”

I remember Serj saying twice in the show “We love you!” as well as him singing “Chi-ca-go, Chi-ca-go” in that Sinatra-like way. I remember during the lyrics “Accidents happen” in “Kill Rock & Roll”, the lights all shut off for that brief second when there is no music, conversely, every time in “Sugar” when our favorite Guitarist said his famous line, the background lights on stage flashed brightly. I will forever remember, though, I forget which song, Shavo instructing us all to clap…without saying a word. He clapped his hands over his head, we all followed suit. Now, sure, TWICE, Daron told us, in his Daron way, “Clap your hands” (Psycho & some other song, Revenga, I think), but, Sexy Silent Shavo got us to do what he wanted EXACTLY, and we never heard any audio command from his perfect full kissable lips.

I shall always remember Daron’s solos (he did a few…OH! To hear them was amazing. Maybe they didn’t show his technique of play on screen because God doesn’t want me to orgasm to death…at this point in my life), and John’s solo. That rocked! Three times – Daron: Pull the tapeworm / Audience: Out of your ass! Daron, going on his knees via his legs being outward and going inward and coming back up again, to emphasize the notes he was playing. He didn’t do it with as much ease as I have seen in videos, but, he did it, and THAT looked SO cool!!! It was like the music itself was lifting him. I also have the memory of Serj’s and Daron’s beautiful voices. I cannot distinguish which one more beautiful or which man is more talented. Typically, I truly feel that in each band, the lead singer is just eye-candy and contributes the least, and the guitar player is the real talent, but, in SOAD, they are truly equal. The singing by them last night was just so beautiful. So beautiful. God has truly blessed these men.

Following with the Serj/Daronness of the night:
Serj: Said that Oil and Egos of those in power are the cause for war. He followed this with
WE LIVE THE WAR
WE DIE THE WAR
WE BREATHE THE WAR
WE FUCK THE WAR
WE KILL THE WAR
And a few of those repeated. He also did the “Of war, we don’t speak any more of war. Of war, we don’t speak any more of war.” I must say, I was touched. I wish.

His comment during “Suite Pee” was “Lie naked on the floor and let the spiders crawl all in your ass."
He used “mother fucker” at least one time when he was really pissed. I was surprised because it seemed real, like he was that genuinely pissed with what was going on. Maybe he’s just a good showman, but, he was jumping up and down screaming. It was during his whole “war” thing.
I also remember the whole, “If you want to dance, turn on your radio”. I thought it was a recording. It was said three times, the third the lights came up and it WAS Serj’s voice, live. Then he did this dance pose, loosely, with his right arm up and his left hand like he was holding a partner.

Oh yeah! I almost forgot, ALSO, with Radio/Video, it was Serj who did the whole, “Loi, loi loi loi” thing at the beginning (didn’t sound like “Eloi” that first time). I mention this because I remember a thread here asking was it Serj or Shavo. I don’t know who it was on the recording, but, last night, Serj said it; I took note of that.
Played the guitar AND keyboard. I was actually surprised how much the keyboard was involved. He looked great playing the guitar; head down, leg crossed on the one knee that was up…*sigh*

At one point, the entire band was in the middle, Daron, Serj & Shavo congregated in front of John’s drum set during some song. Serj said something like, “Get over here” or “Come join us” and White Spy ran over there and they all played in the center. It was kinda like a huddle, they were all leaning in. It was very intimate to watch, all five of them in that close proximity. I cannot even imagine what it was like to be part of that.

Daron: Is it wrong to be upset because he only flipped us off once? …And I’m not even sure if he did, but, it looked, the gesture he made looked like he did.
“It’s the most loneliest mother fucking day of my mother fucking life”.
“Can’t you see that she love’s my cock?” I think the “she” in question was an audience member, but, not positive.
His voice speaking into the synthesized microphone.
“All you bitches throw your hands in the air and wave them like you just don’t care” …AND THE FEMALES IN THE AUDIENCE ACTUALLY DID THIS!!! I refused to because wouldn’t that connotation be that I am indeed a bitch?

 

Things that occurred to me throughout the show:

Early on, during “Attack”, it sucked not being able to see any of them, but, it dawned on me, I don’t need to see them. It would have been nice, but, Daron & I are breathing the same air, we are feeling the same wind. OMG!!! DARON AND I ARE SHARING A MOMENT!!!!...and that is something that can NEVER be duplicated again at any other concert. That was mine, all mine, and THAT is the greatest reason to go to a rock concert…I’d go again.
I remember at some point, I felt compelled to pray that God blesses them. They inspired me that much and I want them to be happy and fulfilled in life.
I will also remember ALL of them dancing…their own dances at their own times, spazing out, almost, but, all of them, just, enjoying life, living in the moment. There was one dance that Serj did. I remember thinking: I KNOW THAT DANCE!!! I’VE DONE THAT DANCE! Very Happy (yes, I am that cool.)

During Suite Pee, Daron & Serj lying while singing/playing. Serj was lying on his back, Daron was on his side, back to the audience, if I recall. They both crawled to get on the floor, though, it wasn’t just they lied down, it was very exotic.
At the very end, I think Shavo threw water bottles, filled with water, down into the audience- filled pit.


All in all, I cannot complain, I prayed before that everybody going would be safe and stay healthy (not get heat stroke or anything), and, to the best of my knowledge, not only did that happen, but, we also had a wind…it was a warm wind, but, regardless… So, anyway, I leave you with how awesome the show was: I stood for, like, two hours…without complaint. I have NEVER done that before at a concert, and I didn’t need to do that here. This has honestly been the only band WORTHY of me standing up throughout, and it didn’t even feel like it. If anything, my complaint is that I will not be able to see them again for a long while. I went to Ozzfest, not only because I truly believe every rock fan who has the opportunity SHOULD, but, because I wanted to see SOAD before their hiatus…this just makes me sad that I can’t see them any time soon. Now, don’t get me wrong, if Scars on Broadway tours, and I have the slightest means, I will see them; if Serj does a solo album and tours it, same deal…probably…but, I am really going to miss SOAD for the next few years. I am glad I got to experience them, but, at the same time, this only makes me want them more.

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