I am Now BFFs with Chicago

So this is probably one of the best ways to be welcomed into Chicago: Riot Fest. 10/10, would recommend. It was a totally awesome, totally crazy weekend! The first night I went (Friday) my goal was primarily to see Fall Out Boy (not that I didn't appreciate all the other pop/punk bands that showed up). I'm still raving about how great it was.

I showed up three hours early just to get the lay out down and listen to some great music. I was wandering around Humboldt Park when I ran into someone I've always wanted to meet, Mark Hoppus (the bassist of Blink-182). I walked up to him and told him that I loved his band and I appreciated what he did. He then told me that he liked my hair. Rad.

So, that may seem pretty hard to top. But that night did. Twice. I got right up against the barricade for Fall Out Boy (that is, the first 2-3 rows of people, it's pretty much a big deal). I was in a group of girls who were a bit smaller than me (being around 5' and I'm easily 5'6''). I was there specifically because I could see around them. Well, the crowd started moshing, and Fall Out Boy fans are notorious for being unruly in mosh pits (knocking each other down, etc). A couple of VERY LARGE dudes were crowd surfing and came right over my group of petite friends. Two of the girls fell, so I was hold these two guys up alone. I soon crumbled along with them. So, we now have at least six people on the ground in a mosh pit freaking out, probably because they're afraid of getting trampled (totally reasonable). Now, I play rugby back at Hanover College. I'm a prop, which is a difficult position. You get tackled and tackle a lot and spend a lot of time rolling around on the ground dodging cleats. This was very useful experience to me. I protected my head and my hands and somehow found a way to push two of the girls off me and back upright. Then I got one of the dudes up. He got the other dude up. Then they picked me up, and up, and over. I was crowd surfing. ME! CROWD SURFING! It was awesome. I surfed my way across and PETE WENTZ GAVE ME A HIGH FIVE as I went over the barricade into the staff member's arms. Seriously. Like whaaaaat.

Then, on the way home, I found some street art that I think is probably by the street artist Swoon. I'm not entirely sure, but my research points to a yes. If not, it's still some pretty fly street art and I'm definitely going back to document it. I absolutely love Swoon and I would definitely like to prove that these works are hers. But that's a project for another day.

And I went back to Riot Fest on Sunday. It rained literally all day long. I even took a nap in the rain at one point (I had only had four hours of sleep, give me a break) on top of a pile of posters and woke up because my feet were wet. My island had flooded. But, it got me warm and moving. I went to see Brand New (they never tour, it's a big deal) and the Wonder Years primarily and got to see All Time Low as an added bonus. At the Brand New show I moshed really hardcore in shin-deep mud.

This mud pit, actually.

Brand New, Riot Fest, Sunday

*credit to chemicalkidsunderthesea on tumblr

 Here's some photos from Riot Fest, none of which were mine, because I lost my phone on Thursday and just recently got a new one (and by recently I mean today. So, I'm also really proud of myself for making it around the city without Google Maps to help me out).

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, still great after all these years, Friday Night

*credit to rottenrapture on tumblr

Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, Riot Fest, Friday Night (I am the ginger head in front of this person)

*credit to deremeto-jump at tumblr

The Wonder Years, Riot Fest, Sunday (I'm directly in front of the guy with the cup. He spilled it on me. It was just lemonade. It's fine.)

*credit to secondcitybom519 on tumblr

Also, here is a bonus pick of the pants I wore on Sunday to Brand New:

and my shoes too, I guess

shoes and pants from Riot Fest, Sunday 9-15-13

obviously, they both need some TLC. However, I have more important things to do, like homework and blogging and eating potato chips and watching Netflix.

Anyway, until next time.

Yours,

Sara Wines