I was a punk rock kid once, I can dig it.
By Alyssa Ramos
As usual, I wasn’t entirely sure of what I was agreeing to when a friend asked me if I wanted to go to Jimmy Kimmel at 4pm on a Monday afternoon, but as per also usual, it turned out to be way more exciting than I expected. “Don’t worry, we’re not kidnapping you.” The guy driving said when I noted that we were going in the opposite direction of the studio on Hollywood and La Brea. There was an awkward silence before an even awkwarder conversation about how I really did get kidnapped by an ex boyfriend…who I happened to have met my girl friend in the front seat through. Irroonnyy.
I was still quite confused when we pulled up to an office building on Melrose that looked like a renovated house with enough interesting things and art work inside it to make my brain go into ADD overload. So much overload that I still had no idea what the purpose of being there was until we got into the car with the cute guy who I had met in the giant office that was complete with a personal bathroom, mini living room, and about 1,000 press passes hanging on the wall…Should have gotten the hint sooner.
Turns out it was Velvet Hammer, the music management company for AFI (and several other big band names like Alice in Chains, System of a Down, and Deftones), and the reason why we were going to Jimmy Kimmel was not for audience participation entertainment as I assumed, but because they had to go make sure everything was good with soundcheck and the live show. That was cool. I enjoy being surprised with concerts, backstage passes, and attractive men with real jobs and personalities. I mean…………..the band was really good…
Although my ear drums were being blasted out since no civilians were allowed in yet to block some of the sound waves, I was thrown right back to middle school with a song that I had been obsessed with when I thought I was a punk rocker chick (I went to an arts school, it was acceptable). The guys sounded just as amazing as they did when I owned a skateboard, and I was suddenly reminded of how hot rockstars are on stage.
We had some time to kill before the actual show so the manager guy brought us into the green room to get a drink from the open bar and watch the Jimmy Kimmel show from behind the scenes. In the middle of our enthralling conversation about all four of my jobs and my extremely versatile resumé, he turns to my friend and announces, “You were right! She’s not dumb!”…at least I know my friends think highly of me….I guess?
When it was time to watch AFI, we got to go to the side of the stage that was the designated for management, publicists, security, Jimmy Kimmel, and the LA Dodger’s pitcher, Brian Wilson who attempted to disguise himself with a weird black stringy wig and baseball cap, but come on, that ridiculous beard isn’t fooling anyone. The performance went well, the lead singer, Davey Havok somehow climbed into the crowd and was able to stand straight up by fans holding his legs. Interestingly I suddenly felt extremely old noticing that the fans wore things I may (or may definitely not) have worn in middle school, and there I was, wobbling on the asphalt in my six inch Loubs making comments about the various types of smartphones that were being held up in the air.
After the blast from the past we shot straight back into the present with a delicious meal at Delphine in The W on Hollywood Blvd. Fingers are crossed for more concerts in the future.
Below is the actual professional video that’s way better than my soundcheck video.
http://abc.go.com/shows/jimmy-kimmel-live/video/PL5520977/_m_VDKA0_o7jrdyz2
Alyssa Ramos, I must say , I quite enjoy your blogs… Good job
Gracia Maria ( from PB )
Thank you Gracia! Hope all is well!