Blog it until you're coughing up blood.
Well, there's no doubt about it: I have Fest AIDS.
For those unfamiliar with the term, it was coined on the Fest's message board a few years back to sum up both the physical and psychological ailments many Fest attendees go through after the event comes to a close. It's sorta like Gulf War syndrome, only without the war. And I've definitely succumbed to it this week.
Normally, I can tough out being sick (I haven't been to the doctor in five or six years, I believe -- maybe even longer), but this week's been misery on me, just because my body has decided to make me hack up a lung every 20 minutes or so, without fail. I've spat out enough mucus to make a 2/3 scale model of Tim Karan (and the amazing thing is, my phlegm statue looks healthier than the real thing).
But what really grinds my gears about being sick is missing shows I'd otherwise be happily attending with friends. This past week alone, my Fest AIDS caused me to miss the Academy Is.../We The Kings on Wednesday, Portugal. The Man on Thursday, 3OH!3 on Saturday and In Flames/Gojira tonight. Luckily, I did manage to get out and see A Wilhelm Scream and Polar Bear Club earlier this week, only because I missed both bands at the Fest and felt it was my obligation as a fat bearded dude to be in attendance. But of course, once I got home, my body gave me the one-finger salute and I've been miserable ever since.
This got me thinking: What's the best show you've ever had to miss due to illness? There's two that jump out in my mind from college; I remember having to miss both Bad Religion/Less Than Jake/Hot Water Music and Cursive/No Knife/Small Brown Bike/The Ghost due to a pretty bad fever (and the fact that the shows were in Chicago, which at the time was over three hours away). I would've given anything to be at either of those shows (especially the latter -- I mean, just look at that lineup!).
So what about you?
For those unfamiliar with the term, it was coined on the Fest's message board a few years back to sum up both the physical and psychological ailments many Fest attendees go through after the event comes to a close. It's sorta like Gulf War syndrome, only without the war. And I've definitely succumbed to it this week.
Normally, I can tough out being sick (I haven't been to the doctor in five or six years, I believe -- maybe even longer), but this week's been misery on me, just because my body has decided to make me hack up a lung every 20 minutes or so, without fail. I've spat out enough mucus to make a 2/3 scale model of Tim Karan (and the amazing thing is, my phlegm statue looks healthier than the real thing).
But what really grinds my gears about being sick is missing shows I'd otherwise be happily attending with friends. This past week alone, my Fest AIDS caused me to miss the Academy Is.../We The Kings on Wednesday, Portugal. The Man on Thursday, 3OH!3 on Saturday and In Flames/Gojira tonight. Luckily, I did manage to get out and see A Wilhelm Scream and Polar Bear Club earlier this week, only because I missed both bands at the Fest and felt it was my obligation as a fat bearded dude to be in attendance. But of course, once I got home, my body gave me the one-finger salute and I've been miserable ever since.
This got me thinking: What's the best show you've ever had to miss due to illness? There's two that jump out in my mind from college; I remember having to miss both Bad Religion/Less Than Jake/Hot Water Music and Cursive/No Knife/Small Brown Bike/The Ghost due to a pretty bad fever (and the fact that the shows were in Chicago, which at the time was over three hours away). I would've given anything to be at either of those shows (especially the latter -- I mean, just look at that lineup!).
So what about you?
posted by Scott Heisel at
10:59 PM
15 Comments:
i distinctly remember missing out on a NOFX/fatwreck tour show in toronto a few years back. i received a "press pass" on account of the fact i wrote a shitty little photocopied print zine, and gave my brother a tape recorder to go sit in on the mad caddies press conference style interview. i think he broke the thing, or forgot to press record or something, so i ran a review of the show written by shane told instead.
although, when the against me! / mastodon / cursive tour came through toronto, i had just returned home from playing shows in mexico, and was in the feverish/pre-shitting-my-brains-out stages of montazuma's revenge. i figured i couldn't miss cursive's first show ever in canada, so i toughed it out, and it was worth it.
Easily the Pop Disaster tour. Blink-182, Green Day, and I'm fairly sure Jimmy Eat World and Saves The Day were on the ticket when they played my city.
Though Bad Religion/Rise Against cuts for an incredibly close second.
Missed both of them because I was in bed with insane fevers and coughing and puking up everything within my body.
I live near PSU, and every Srping they have a free concert. One such year had a young Fall Out Boy play as an opening band literally the week from under the cork tree came out. I had gotten sick from singing in the rain, and being a lead in the musical, I couldn't risk getting more sick at an outdoor concert. I then saw them at warped tour, but had to leave early to get water because I was getting dehydrated. I guess God doesn't want me to see Pete Wentz kick amps over.
Also I missed MCR and Muse because they got sick, but that's not my fault.
i dont recall ever missing a show due to illness, but i cant even begin to list the number of great shows i've missed because my dad is such a killjoy. /:
too bad you missed The Academy Is.../We The Kings. i saw them on the 18th.. now THAT was a great show. i totally gained respect for We The Kings, and TAI never cease to amaze me with their live shows. hell, even my boyfriend is in love with them now. William Beckett even handed him the setlist at the end of the final song... which was fcking EPIC! :D
Does excessive anxiety count as illness? I missed Horace Pinker in 1997 because I had a geology test the next day. Miguel Barron was in the band and sang lead on one of my favorite songs, "Pop Can Park." He left the band a few months later and I don't believe the band has done the song since then.
The sucky postscript is that I flunked the test anyway, despite studying my ass off.
When was that Cursive lineup? 2003?
I was supposed to go see Cursive in 2003, but I missed the show. It wasn't due to physical sickness so much, but I think we can call a poor, poor decision a form of temporary mental illness, no?
I missed Mono/World's End Girlfriend because I got sick that morning (which lasted a week). I was pissed until I heard Mono was coming back with Coliseum, but I missed that because of illness, too.
I have determined that I am never going to see Mono live...and that makes me sad.
ooh... i've missed warped the past two years because i've been sick. that about killed me.
The Academy show would have made you feel old- it made me feel ancient. there were a lot of kids w parents in tow.
mebly
I've missed just about every fantastic show this year, including many of Scott's, due to a shitty combo of work and school. I drive from Kent State to Mansfield every weekend to work, which is borderline impossible to get out of, because I'm an idiot. Hopefully, I will make it to the All Time Low/The Maine/Mayday Parade/Every Avenue show to make up for my excruciating sadness for missing everything else this year.
My last show was Thrice/Circa Survive/Pelican in Detroit back in MAY!!! if that tells you anything about my desperate need for a good show.
@ Irish Diplomat: Maybe you contracted mono??? Geddit?????
Bob Dylan this past Thursday. I'm pretty sure I'll never forget that I was that close to seeing a friggin' legend but couldn't because I was SICK!! Oh the memories...
Missing Boy Sets Fire and Snapcase in 2004 due to illness was a pretty huge kick in the tip.
might not count, but I got Fest AIDS at the Reading Festival in 2006 and had to come home from the UK early, missing a much-anticipated show at Shakespeare's Globe.
I know it's not a music show, but I spent the previous four days shooting photos of the eleventy billion bands at Reading that year and was really looking forward to the awesomeness of Comedy of Errors.
Contrary to what you might think, an eight-hour transatlantic flight is not that much fun with a fever of 102.
Amazingly, I've been lucky. I've had some close calls, but I don't think I've ever had to miss any good shows due to illness.
Also, I was at that A Wilhelm Scream show at Pirates Cove, and I got sick too. I got bronchitis and only slept for 2 hours the next night, because I could not stop coughing! It was worth it though, that show was great!!
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