Here are some memories.
In 1996 music festivals still mattered. The headliners were Soundgarden, Metallica, Rancid and the Ramones. My music fandom (and snobbery, if a Weezer fan can even say that with remaining straight-faced) came much later in life so out of those three bands I had one album between them. I probably had like 20 CD's total anyway (five of which were Nirvana).
I don't remember which of my friends decided it would be a good idea - it certainly wasn't me-- as I said I wasn't crazy about any of the bands to begin with. But we were pumped about going - just because we were 18 (going on 19) and wanted an excuse to drive far away and have an adventure without adult supervision.
It started out that there would be like 4-5 of us but everyone found excuses not to go like ticket prices, work, etc.
There were two of us left and we had already made a pact to shave our heads, so we did.
This was okay for my friend, but for me (pale and sickly white)....well, I looked like I had cancer. I also weighed about 10-15 pounds heavier than today and I looked like a pudgy, cancer-stricken person. I went from being ignored by girls to repelling them.
I told you so. Honestly, this picture doesn't do my paleness justice. I henceforth dub this time period the "Pat Wilson" era (June 96- Sep 96). That's the drummer for Weezer, for those wondering.
On the way up to Dallas we had a huge, crazy heavy rain in Waco and had to pull over on the side of the highway....that rainstorm might still be in my top 5 worst weather I have driven though.
Our first stop was in College Station where my buddy went to school (and where I transferred to the next year) and we got pulled over in the middle of no-where for no reason. The officer said my friend tapped his brakes (as he was coming the opposite way and noticed in his mirror-- but really, who doesn't tap their brakes when they see a police car - ITS INSTINCT BRO). This is where the shaved heads and altra-t-shirts did not come in handy.
We were two white kids used to our white privilege. We were shocked when he asked us to get out of the car so he could search it. We stood next to the police car stunned. I felt like a criminal and cool at the same time. We didn't do drugs but my friend had a "fake" ID in the car (he had tried to amend his birth date on an old ID). It was behind his driver's license in his wallet, so when we first got pulled over, he panicked and asked me what he should do with it. So I told him to put it in the console to hide it. Of course I wasn't counting on him searching the car. As the search went on, my friend started freaking out. The officer comes back and just gives my friend a warning and takes the ID with him.
We get to Dallas in the evening and we head out to the fairgrounds in the early afternoon. The traffic is crazy and it's freaking hot.
We have a good time but didn't and my friend couldn't drink at the event (I didn't touch the stuff at the time). We didn't even talk with anyone else really. We just dreamed of talking with some "freak" girls as we called them. This ensured much regret but was the safest choice as I was afraid of girls back then and had zero confidence.
I actually looked up the band list from 96 and noticed Sponge was there (on a side-stage). I kinda remember seeing them. Boring (I even had their lame CD from the year before too and liked it).
The best part of the entire trip was that we got super close for Rancid and the Ramones. I have to say I enjoyed Rancid and I loved the Ramones.
I was kinda familiar with the Ramones but I really had no idea what to expect. It was in Dallas in July in 100 degree heat and here they were all wearing their leather jackets. Talk about punk. I was about 15 feet away and hopping up and down to "Blitzkrieg Bop" and "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" with the best of them.
What a great pop song. I only relate to it more now than ever. Seriously, sans the performance aspect of the video (which I just tend to not like for any music video) the cartoon is brilliant. Like a Mad Magazine cartoon came to life.
Suddenly, during the Ramones set, a crazy, huge drunk guy comes barreling into the crowd around me as if he was driven mad. He had blood coming down over his head and everyone kinda stopped. Most of us gave him a wide berth and then....he drove back to the front of the stage - the crisis was over and we all started hopping again.
We had been up front for a few hours and were dead tired, hot and very thirsty (but happy they hosed us off). We went to the back for more water and food. We saw Soundgarden and Metallica from like a mile away. We were exhausted and the very thought of trying to even work our way to the front was too daunting.
I was jealous when a huge plastic bottle war went on near the stage during the Soundgarden set...it looked like a huge swarm of insects all around the stage. I got really bored during the Metallica set - I am no metal fan and actually really hated it. I finally talked my friend into leaving a little early to beat the traffic. He was kinda pissy about it but hey, that's what friends are for!
There ya have it folks. My first, only and probably last major music festival. It's not that I'm too old to go - (ACL is so close to us) it's just I'm now too cheap.
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