Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Tour Diary (Part 1)

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus check in from their world tour!

Japan


Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Tour Diary (AltPress Exclusive) from Alternative Press on Vimeo.

Brisbane, Australia

We arrived at the airport around 7 a.m. after a ridiculously long flight from Japan. The climate nearly mirrored that of summer in my hometown in Florida, a drastic difference from the Japanese winter from which we'd just left behind--a comforting attribute when you've spent so many days and nights from your own home.

First things first, we had to see some "roos," so I, along with the rest of the guys, piled into two taxi cabs and we were all off to the Lone Pine Koala Reservation. The walls of the gift shop were lined with photos of all types of artists, bands and celebrities--which was why we were all invited by the staff to visit their park.

After each of our individual koala cuddling photos, we gathered for a group picture that will eventually be added next to the rest of the musicians, actors and royalty that covered the the interior of the gift shop.

Koalas weren't the only residents at the reservation; exotic parrots, indigenous reptiles, kangaroos and wombats roamed the grounds that we explored for the better part of three hours. The creatures here are so different from North American animals. It was intriguing to finally see them all up close and not on a television screen or through glass at zoo. The kangaroos were surprisingly docile and accepted food from our hands and scratches between their ears. Being one of the most incredible things I've gotten to do on tour, I would suggest the Lone Pine to anybody planning a visit to Australia.

Later that night, we caught the Fall Out Boy show (which kicked ass) and got to hang out backstage afterwards. It was the first time I had ever met Patrick or Pete and both were so amazingly cool. I honestly was quite shocked and humbled to hang out with them. They definitely deserve all of the success they have achieved in my opinion.

Our first order of business was to kick off the Soundwave Festival at the RNA Showgrounds in Brisbane. I was pleased to see we'd be sharing a dressing room with some old tour mates: Madina Lake, a band we'd met and become friends with in the states. We were pumped to be performing for the first time in Australia on such a well known tour, and the lineup was filled with acts we could enjoy all day before and after playing. After playing a huge show that day on one of the two main stages, we stuck around to catch Alice In Chains and Nine Inch Nails, both of whom sonically and visually blew our minds. We then departed for the hotel, tired but stoked as hell. So far, Soundwave has been amazing for me and the rest of the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

peace-RnS-Winter