Miss LDN | The Kills: Chicago 1/20/12 : Ex's, snow and meeting the kills

The Kills: Chicago 1/20/12 : Ex’s, snow and meeting the kills

So I’ve been meaning to write this down but I’ve been working or MIA every day since the kills show.

First off Erica and I could not have planned this any better. We opted to get a hotel in a ‘burb just outside of Chicago. She lives far north of the city and I’m west. We figured to save ourselves the hassle of trying to get to the city early on Friday and stress, we’d already be close on Thursday and have a hotel room to ourselves for an evening ;)

Friday was greeted with a massive snow storm. We left our hotel at 1 pm and what normally would have taken thirty minutes to get to the city took TWO HOURS. To state this simply, I have a bit of control issues when it comes to driving. When Erica drives and I’m co pilot, an argument of some sort if bound to happen. So after TWO HOURS of blowing blood vessels in my head, writing ‘help’ on the fogged up windows, and playing on my phone to keep me from looking at the road; we arrived at the Riviera aka the Riv.

First off we had a parking spot literally ten feet from the door. For a while I felt sick, it was too good to be true. I vowed to pay what ever parking ticket we got but from all the signs I saw we seemed good (which to both of our relief, we were!). Our arrival time put us in the city at around 3 PM. Doors opened at 7…. I know, I’ve never been hardcore about getting to a show early but we were both too anxious to sit in the hotel and the weather wasn’t about to change so I was grateful for our extra time. We popped into a dinner next to the venue, enjoyed some coffee and sat around for awhile.

COFFEE!

By 4 pm I couldn’t stand it anymore. When we stepped out of the diner, three people had already jumped in line. We joined the three chicks who’s names completely escape me. They were lovely but much more properly dressed for the long haul then either of us were. While my leather jacked and boots are a cute combo, they provide no protection from the Chicago winter (which I’m born and raised here, you’d think I’d learn after twenty two years?)

the Riv

By 4:15 I lost Erica to the car. We decided we’d take thirty minute shifts and rotate back and forth to the car to stay warm…. That lasted about fifteen minutes when I gave up and ran back to the car with her. Needless to say we were safe. We waited in the car till about 6 PM. By then only six more people had jumped in line. So we had an hour to fight the cold and it was a blistering battle. Victor joined us by 6:30. They didn’t let us in till about 7:20 which in my opinion is INSANE in those temperatures. It was about 20 F.

We had devised a game plan while standing in line which was implemented quiet successfully. Victor snagged a spot right up front and center stage, I ran to the merch booth and tried not to put myself in debt while Erica went to the bar for drinks. (Stage/Merch/beer strategy!). The first band Hunters was decent. Every song seemed to have the same tempo, the girl on stage seemed to be trying to channel blondie on such a painful level and the guitarist and I kept making awkward eye contact. I was trying to figure out a way to sign ‘I’m GAY’ in the ten second windows we had.

HUNTERS

Victor made the mistake of eating gluten before the show and felt super sick after the first band. So we had to bid him a farewell. JEFF and the Brotherhood showed up late for their set time. While we waited for them this horrible couple standing behind Erica and I kept talking about how the Kills lyrics were unrelatable, how awkward Alison is, and Jamie HINKS (WTF!?!?). I’m really not conveying their annoyance well enough but it took everything not to turn around and ask them why they were there.

brotherhood

JEFF and the Brotherhood we’re entertaining with his three string custom built guitar and black keys, beefy guitar tones. Finally it was what we had all been waiting for. The tension was building and the crowd was closing in. Suddenly from behind us ‘Erica!’ Instinctually we both turned around to see my girlfriends ‘Ex’. I had heard the stories about her. It’s hard when you’re madly in love with someone and you hear stories about another person hurting them to keep a smile on your face when you’re faced with meeting them. She was but a blip on my radar when she managed to push her way through the crowd to stand right next to my girlfriend. I could feel the annoyance boiling inside but I had to remind myself ‘The Kills, Alison Mosshart, Jamie Hince’.

The lights dimmed. The people screamed and the crowd rushed in. There was only one girl in front of me and I kept reaching out to hold the barrier to keep from getting crushed. Then there they were. I can’t explain that moment. When you listen to their records, you watch the videos and interviews and then just suddenly, there they are. The drum loop kicked in for No Wow and the sea of people began to shift into a rhythmic thumping. I couldn’t make up my mind on who to oggle longer. One moment I was scanning Alison from head to toe and then watching Jamie’s fingers effortlessly tread across the fret board.

It was halfway through No Wow that I turned to grab Erica’s hand when I noticed only her ex girlfriend pushing next to me and her ex’s friend pressed tightly behind me. I panicked before my eyes finally met her’s just two people behind us. I reached for her but the crowd around us didn’t move. I was livid. I had bought tickets for our one year anniversary and I was going to have to spend it standing next to her ex girlfriend!

Future Starts Slow kicked in and I tried to lose myself in the guitars. Alison stalked the stage and Jamie pointed his guitar to the crowd beckoning for more. The energy was overwhelming. Losing yourself in the music is the reason we all go to shows right? As the song ended I attempted once again to pull Erica to my side with no avail. Finally a few songs in and maybe one rude comment or two I was able to pull Erica up next to me. I don’t know what happened but it was midway through Heart is a Beating Drum when we could rejoin and we just stood there with our heads pressed together, eyes closed and just feeling. Feeling everything. The crowd, the kills, the pulse of it all. It was insane.

Their whole set flew by. Last Day of Magic stands out in my mind. Alison’s haunting croon on Patsy Cline’s ‘Crazy’. The slow rendition of ‘Nail in my Coffin’ was unexpected but beautiful. I called my younger sister during Black Balloon since it’s her favorite song. Their encore consisted of ‘Last Goodbye’, ‘Sour Cherry’, ‘Fuck the People’ (which we may or may not have made out through), and ‘Monkey 23’ which in my opinion was THE perfect way to end it.

So that was it. They were off the stage and it was over. After waiting months for this show, it was over just like that. I watched as people scrambled for set lists but I just stood there and eyed the one in the far back where Jamie had stood during Last Goodbye. One of the security guards told me the time had come for me to go and I pleaded that it was my one year anniversary and I was on a mission to get a set list. I could have told him I had cancer and he would’ve cared less. I made eye contact with one of the roadies and pointed quickly. He got my message and walked back and began to peel the set list off the stage. Again the security guard told me it was my time to go and a second one joined him. I kept pointing ‘look he’s grabbing the set list and I’m leaving’. Still, no fucks were given by this guy. I was moments away from being escorted out when the roadie reached down with my set list. I just smiled and walked off where Erica greeted me with a ‘this is why I love you’.

set list

The car was ten feet from the door so we settled in, cleaned ourselves up before deciding to head over towards the stage door around back. Their bus was across the street so they we’re going to have to come out sooner or later! We waited for ten minutes and the concert sweat and heat faded and the cold set in again. We began to wonder just how long we could really stand out there. We opted to stand in the alley just around the corner from the door. We could see anyone coming and going and it provided some shelter from the wind. It was the Kills and neither one of us wanted to leave but frost bite seemed like a real option after standing in line.

The back door opened and a older gentlemen stepped out with a cigarette in hand. I had remembered seeing him on stage sound checking all their equipment. I assumed he was either the sound engineer or their tech. Either way he was very deliberate in the way we kept making eye contact. Finally I asked,

“What’s their eta?”

“Pardon?” he asked in a well coated british accent as he stepped into the alleyway.

“What’s their eta?” I asked again. He smiled taking a drag of his cigarette.

“Aww, they usually take at least an hour or so..” We exchanged names. Murray began talking about how they had been in MI the past few days rehearsing since no one remembered anything with a month off. We went over the plans for the rest of the tour, etc. It was near the end of his cigarette when I pulled out the cat card I had purchased a few days earlier.

“My younger sister is about to turn ten. Our birthdays are about a month apart and in my card she wrote ‘I love you soooo much, The Kills Rock!’ So my goal is to try and one up her a little bit and see if I can get them to sign a card for her.” Something about the honesty and endearment in his eyes told me my cheesy story had not fallen on deaf ears.

“Well I’m gonna head in, I’ll see if I can grab them really quick so you don’t have to wait out here in the cold.” and then he was gone. For a moment I told myself not get my hopes up. That his gesture was kind but there were no guarantees. Erica had her back to the door and I was trying to get her to come closer to me for warmth when the door opened. I just kind of stood there for a moment and Erica turned. Jamie Hince peeked around the corner looking in the total opposite direction of us. Even from the back of his head we both knew who he was.

“Oh my god, I’m gonna throw up.” Erica whispered. I couldn’t even register what she said when my own voice calmly called out “Jamie!” He didn’t turn and from behind him I head the female voice “Are they still out there?”

“Where are they?” Jamie replied back

“Jamie!” I called louder this time and he turned. He immediately smiled and both Jamie and Alison walked out the door.

“We didn’t want to keep you guys out here in the cold waiting for forever.” Alison immediately said with a chill as she wrapped her fluffy blood red jacket around herself. It weird how inside my insides were melting, I was screaming and I wanted to confess my undying love for both of them. Instead I just smiled and introduced myself.

“London? I’m from London,” Jamie said holding my hand. “That’s a FUCKING beautiful name!”

So I gave them the quick synopsis on my little sister and her birthday card. They both though it was adorable. Alison was a bit confused on how to spell my sisters name ( “Kendel?” “No, Kendall” “…..?”). So after making my sister the coolest ten year old in that moment we snagged a quick picture with them. Alison seemed a bit stand offish for a second before I extended my arm “Come get warm!” She stepped in closer wrapping her arm around my waist and resting her head on top of mine as her messy locks fell partly into my face. Might I add that in that moment I melted. My left arm was around Erica and my right arm around Alison Mosshart. Seriously….. Seriously. [This sentence has been deleted due to strong sexual themes and fandoms]

card

Another gentlemen had joined us and they took the time to chat with him and sign one of the last goodbye promo’s he had won from Domino Records. Before they stepped inside we stole hugs from both of them. This is where I sound weird again but I’m very particular on how people hug. If you don’t give a real hug, it’s very off putting. Jamie’s hug took me by surprise. It was like hugging your best friend goodbye. it was so raw and genuine. Alison was just as endearing but slightly timid. As Jamie ducked inside she quickly added “I want to meet your sister sometime.”

“I’ll bring her when it’s not eighteen and over.”

And that was it. Mission accomplished. Amazing live show, got a set list, The Kills came out specifically to meet with us, got my sister’s card signed and walked away with photographic proof that it happened because sometimes I still can’t believe that it did.