Crushing Motivation Sounds from Chevelle

 

     Chevelle came to me like I mentioned in a previous post because of my cousin. Jamming out to "Forfeit" in his Ford Ranger heading to get fishing supplies (minnows and worms) was a turning point in my young adult life that would the shape the future of my music tastes. Hearing Chevelle for the first time struck an emotion deep down...I had started playing guitar recently before this day. I had been practicing and looking for a sound that I had stuck in my head that I wanted to produce with my guitar. Only problem being was I could not hear the sound in my head but as soon as I heard the crushing head-banging sounds that Chevelle was producing I knew at that moment they had gave sound to the soundless noise in my head! I had found the sound that I was looking for. 

    As soon as "Forfeit" ended I asked my cousin to play it again and show me more of their songs. We listened to "The Red", "Closure", and "Grab Thy Hand". Now when I say that the music I was experiencing was perfect I would be lying because Chevelle was beyond perfect! It was the most head-banging, gut-punching, adrenaline pumping and mind blowing sounds I had ever heard. To this day that statement is still true for when I hear Chevelle. My ears simply melt off my head when a Chevelle song comes on. Any other Chevelle fans understand what I'm talking about or experience anything similar? 

    For the next week I don't think I existed but merely just on auto-pilot. I went to school and did my school work but I didn't remember what had happened during the day. Day dreaming of Chevelle, non-stop repeat of the Wonder What's Next album playing in my head, and feet constantly tapping in class to the bass pedals beating in my head. Can you picture me just in my own world? That is the idea.

    Usually at this point you get tired of a song or a band when you listen to them non-stop but I on the other hand only craved more! more! MORE! I was so entranced in their music that I almost missed the announcement of the Chevelle tour making a stop at a venue 10 minutes from my house. I snapped out of it the hypnotism and got my ticket. My cousin who introduced me to Chevelle was going also. As soon as the confirmation for my ticket purchase came up I was no longer controlled by the sound of their music but now I was like a little kid counting down the days until summer. I counted the days until Chevelle would be in town I'm pretty sure I went to bed earlier every night thinking that it would make the next day come faster. Although that doesn't work it did seem to come faster and before I knew it made its arrival like a train coming stopping at a train station and I couldn't be more excited!

    The day of the concert I was faced with a problem....I had realized I only knew Chevelle's songs an nothing about who the band members playing them. My new mission before the show was to discover who was in the band Chevelle. How could I not have done this before now? Why did I wait so long? How could I be a fan of band and not know who the members were? What was I thinking? Upon very precise research I discovered the members at the time were Pete Loeffler as the singer and lead guitar player...wait WHAT sing and play guitar at the same time! The drummer was Sam Loeffler (Pete's brother) and Dean Bernardini (Sam and Pete's brother-in-law) as the bass guitar player. Also found out that the bass player used to be Joe Loeffler which was their other brother. Now I knew the names I needed to scream during the show in between songs. The researching also didn't take as long as I thought so only about 10 minutes has passed....only 7 more hours until the concert would commence. Seven very long, painstaking and boring hours that seemed to take long than the weeks I waiting until the day of the show. Before I knew it the moment I had been waiting for started to happen in the form of waiting another hour in a long line waiting to go into the building. Various conversations were started with fellow concert-goers. Including naming favorite songs, songs they wanted to hear, and wishes asked for the chance of catching a guitar pick or a drumstick (add one more wish for me to get one). It seemed like everyone I talked to were long lost friends I didn't know I had. We were in mid conversation when we heard cheering and a big commotion coming from the front of the line by the door and we all realized pretty fast that the doors had finally been opened. The moment the doors open is such a good feeling almost as good as seeing the band live itself. The cheering started at the front of the line had the same idea as a wave at a stadium sports event it made its way to the back of the line. Almost like telling the people at the back of the long line around the corner that the doors were open without being able to see them open. 

    "Can I scan your ticket," sir? A dream I had about every night leading up to tonight but this time I didn't wake up...this was REAL! This was not a dream I wasn't sleeping. YES I half-way blurted out loudly showing the guy my ticket who was the last obstacle I needed to overcome to see Chevelle. "Thank you" came out of my mouth when I was given the motion, "you are good to go man." I walked slowly though the building taking in everything stopping briefly to look at the merch stands. Middle Class Rut, Janus, and Chevelle...I was seeing three bands not just Chevelle? This night just keep getting better and better. I made my way to the stage to get as close to it as I could and I ended up being front row! As we waited lots of good music was playing within no time out of the blue the light went dark and the host of the local radio station walked out on stage to announce the bands who would be playing tonight. They were also trying to get the crowd pumped up (they seemed to be pumped up already) I didn't need pumped up and I didn't think I could be pumped up more than I already was. 

    Middle Class Rut came out on stage once the radio hosts finally left the stage. I knew nothing about the first two bands that were going to play because I had only found out they were playing 10 minutes via the merch stands. I was not about to do research on my phone in the middle of the their performance so attention to everything I was watching was going to suffice. Middle Class Rut only consisted of 2 people. A guy drumming that was insanely good and the other person playing guitar and singing. Even the drummer started singing at some points as he was hitting the drums. I was very impressed and I enjoy every second of their performance. It was over too soon and they were waving to the crowd and walking off stage so the next band could get set up. Janus was up next and I was eager to see them now after seeing Middle Class Rut perform. Janus came out like an explosion of energy. They were move heavier sounding them the previous band and the singer could scream for a long time....going from low to high while screaming. Janus was full of energy and it didn't look like they were going to run out of it any time soon. They put on an amazing show so fantastic that I added them and Middle Class Rut to my music playlist. Janus finished their last song and was saying goodbye to the crowd and asking the crowd to come see them at the merch stand to talk and sign autographs. After they left the stage the radio hosts came back out to get us pumped up for the band most of us had been waiting to see. "So without further introduction we would like to present to you Chevelle!" 

    It got dark and I couldn't see anything although I could see movements on stage of the band members going to their positions Sam walking to his drums, Dean coming out to one side of the stage, and then SURPRISE the light came up and I could see all of the members of the band I had become to idolize. Pete was there right in front of me since I was in the front row. I could almost reach out and touch his leg but I didn't dare try in fear of tripping him and somehow putting an end to the show. They came out on to the stage playing "Antisaint" and melted my face off. I became more pumped after every song and was hoping that the would never end. During the show Pete looked right at me when I was rocking the devil horns and cheering the band on. It was a moment I will never forget. Their setlist was longer than the previous two bands which was delightful. After a good hour of rocking out and face melting sounds they walked after stage in what seemed like the end of the show....everyone around started chanted, "encore, encore , encore, encore, encore, encore all the way until we could hear Pete playing "The Red" from behind stage. The background went completely red and it was just Pete on stage playing and singing "The Red" by himself. When the chorus of the sound hit Sam and Dean started playing and it was like concert had started over. Everyone in the audience sang the chorus for Pete as he provided the music for us all to sing in unison to. After that joyous moment of getting to sing with Chevelle they walked off stage again which was ending of everything that I had waited for for the following weeks. 

    I was full of satisfaction and adrenaline which meant I was not going to go to sleep any time soon. On the way home I grabbed something to eat and was ready to tell any one about everything I had experienced. I needed to tell someone else about it to relive the experience while telling someone about it. I knew I would never forget what I saw never could even if I tried. 

    To this day I've seen Chevelle 9 times and I've talked to them a few times at their shows. I've gotten their auto graphs on just about every one of their albums that have been release. Not all of my ticket stubs are signed by them just the ones from the shows that they actually came out to sign at. IF they didn't come out to sign I got the opener bands to sign my ticket stub. I have been waiting for concerts to start back up and I have been hoping that Chevelle comes to a town near me. 

     Have any of you had an experience seeing you favorite band, comedian, or celebrity in person? How did you feel? Was it everything you wanted it to be? Let me know I'd love to hear about your experiences!