Apocalyptica Concert- Edmonton Events Center. Thursday, May 24th.

So this day started out to be typical, I woke up, had a shower and sat at my desk to get ready for my day. Usually on concert days, I love to do my make up very elaborately and I love to wear corset dresses, or corset shirts and be all gothy. I can't help it, it's just who I am. I've always had a flair for dramatics, gothic clothing, especially in my teens and it carried through until adult hood. My make up was done, resulting in something of a purple smokey eye and then I put on my corset dress and I was good to go.


I decided to take DATs, the transport for disabled adults, seeing as my automatic wheelchair was very broken but I needed it for the show. DATs comes to your door in a white small bus, picks you up and takes you to where you need to be if you call three days in advance. It costs you what it would normally cost to get on a bus ($3.00), but it's slow as hell, that particular ride took two hours.  There are pro and cons to everything in life, I suppose.

Anyways, I'm at West Edmonton Mall now with tons of time to spare seeing as it's 2 PM, and the doors don't open until 8. We decide to get this whole "venue and places for wheelchairs" thing sorted out because if you've read my blog in the past this is where I got beat up at the H.I.M concert and I didn't want a repeat of that to happen. So we go in through the arcade entrance to the Edmonton Events Centre and immediately a sense of panic hits me as all those memories come flooding back. I go up to the restaurant and we talk to the bartender, who tells us to go through the double doors and straight to the office.

A little bit of back story is needed here, at the H.I.M concert we spoke to the booking agent after the concert who was named Troy Dezwart, he did everything he could for me, told me if I needed anything, free tickets, backstage passes, arrangements to get in a bit early to make getting seating better he could arrange it. This was in 2010, so I was nervous he was going to forget me. All I wanted was assurance I could get in five minutes early and get to a spot close to the stage, because otherwise I wouldn't be able to see anything.

The Edmonton Event Centre is very interesting for handicap accessibility, it has ways around things, but it's just really a pain in the ass to do things, like you have to take an elevator up, down and then go across a pedway kind of thing. It's an older building that they put renovations into, so I understand, you can mostly get around it in a wheelchair, which I'm really thankful for because so many venues are just completely inaccessible.


As I'm passing over the balcony, we can hear people doing sound check on cellos, and see the sound guys.. I feel like I'm not suppose to be there and I'm breaking the rules or something. We finally get to the office and talk to a young blond lady who assures me Troy would call me within the hour and takes my phone number. We end up backtracking, go for lunch at the bar just adjacent and then go for ice cream.

Still no phone call. I didn't want to bug Troy or the lady but my friend, Corrie-Ann and my husband Daniel practically dragged me back there and made me stand there while she fetched him. He came out and sat on a couch.  He told me he remembered me and that he could let me in early and that I shouldn't have even bought tickets because I could always get in for free. He gives us all these phone numbers to call, assures me we'll be able to get in fifteen minutes early and then tells us that he's going to try to get us a private meet and greet with the band. I left there feeling sky high, honestly. That someone would go to that much effort, for me, was truly amazing.

So we left, and we walked around the mall. We did play the slots for a bit.. I lost some money, which isn't that usual for me. Usually I win money, or something. Not that day. We had some dinner in the food court, and then it was time to stand in line outside, except not really, because there had been people standing in line since two and they were all glaring at me because I was standing in the Guestlist/VIP area. Oh dear.

Suddenly my friend Cat texts me, "Are you at West Ed?" "Yes..." "At Ed's?" "Yes...?" "Waiting in line for Apocalyptica?" "WTF where are you Cat?" Turns out she was going too, so I just added her and her friend to our group. Corrie Ann calls Tate, one of the numbers Troy gave her and he comes to get us and he escorts us inside.

Now inside, they take our tickets, and wristband us. A very nice security guard leads us in and informs us that I'll be sitting just right of the stage which at the time, I have to say I was kind of bummed about, but it turned out to be really awesome. I have my friends, My front row seat and most of all, I had god music coming to me. <3 Here's some pictures while we waited for the opener band Incura, who I had heard lots about.

                                          Above is me and Corrie-Ann, my valiant protector.

                                         Above is Dan, John and I.

                                                          John, Dan, Cat, Jeff and I.


Anyways. So, Incura comes on and I LOVED them, and upon further reflection "I'd Give Anything" and "Who You Are" have to be among my favourite songs by them. I definitely enjoyed headbanging to them, almost too much. My neck was sore after that night. Really sweet guys too, but more on that later...

Next up was Apocalyptica and after a brief bathroom break, I was back in my seat just in time to watch the lights dim and Apocalyptica to come on stage. Now I'll admit it, I had very little knowledge of them at this point, but what I had heard I absolutely adored to death, musically speaking. I love it whenever you smush orchestral components into metal/rock.

Now being that I didn't know much about them, and I didn't manage to track down a set list, I couldn't tell you ALL they played, just that I was completely transfixed, so I'm going to post some pictures. I did recognize, in no particular order.. I Don't Care, Master of Puppets, Nothing Else Matters, Oh Canada and Hall of the Mountain King.

And then everything quieted down, and the stage went dark and Perttu came on stage and did his solo...

and while he was doing that.. My friend snapped a picture of me doing this...

Yes.. I was actually crying.. String instruments, particularly ones that are played with bows get me emotional every time. Thanks a lot for catching my lameness, Corrie-Ann.

The concert was over far too soon, but not before they played Oh Canada.. Which really just kicked ass! Ever heard Oh Canada with three cellists and a drummer?! I have!

Corrie-Ann calls Troy (Who was tending to another venue that night unfortunately) and he tells us to wait by the stage. Now, I had a hunch that no meet and greet would happen, so I didn't get my hopes up. As some members of my party left, I started to find it harder and harder to hold hope. Finally someone comes and tells us that the tour manager said no. I wasn't that upset about it to be honest. It would have made some great material for my blog, but I have a hunch that I'll end up having even greater material eventually. :)

So we went over to the Incura table and saw the guys from the band signing CDs and I was interested in buying them, and the guy was like, "Well they are 3 for twenty.." and I threw a twenty on the table and was like, "Shut up and take my money!" Hah, and then we joked and talked about Diablo 3 for a little bit and I watched Corrie-Ann flirting with one of the members. All of a sudden all of the guys are coming towards me and I'm like, "WHAT DID I DO?! Oh.. pictures.." And pictures were taken!

All in all, the people to the people at Edmonton Events Centre, especially to Troy Dezwart, the entirety of the security staff, to Tate who put up with my wheelchair bullshit. To the staff who wasn't even really involved in the event centre itself and helped, (the bartender, arcade staff and things like that) I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Also the guys from Incura live here Incura  and here is their Facebook!


Bailey Dawn