Sacramento, CA - 10/10
I yawned while sitting there in the back of the cab wishing I could just go back to my bed. The one thing I really need to stop doing is partying before the start of a tour. I had to get up early to catch a plane to Sacramento for the show tonight. I was really looking forward to playing tonight; it had been a few months since I last played a show.
The cab slowed down before completely stopping outside of the 'Ace of Spades' venue. This had to be one of the first times I was getting to perform here, all the times was attending shows. I rolled my eyes upon noticing the Asking Alexandria tour bus already parked outside the venue.
Atomic Riots bus was there thankfully, which for once made me smile. Made me wonder if Claire was here yet, I did text her yesterday with my flight details and heard nothing back just yet. I guess she was busy packing, she was worse than me for packing for a tour.
I took some money from my wallet and handed it t the driver before climbing out of the cab. The driver climbed out to help me with my suitcase in the trunk of the car. "Cheers." I said as I took the handle of the suitcase and walked towards our tour bus.
I had to flash my pass at security in order to get on the bus. I smiled seeing Claire already here along with Riley. "Hey guys." I said as I stopped by my bunk and shifted my suitcase underneath the bunk for now.
"We were wondering when you would get here." Claire said as she joined Riley at the table.
"Sorry still half asleep from last night." I said before joining them at the table. Riley sat there most likely talking to her boyfriend while Claire was probably updating her twitter. Both Claire and I were bad for spamming twitter, unlike the rest of the band. But then Claire and I seemed to be the only people in the music industry who actually replied to fans on twitter.
I pulled out my phone before sighing and climbing to my feet. "Gonna go check out the venue." Claire nodded a smile on her face. Leaving the bus I flashed my pass at security again so I could enter the venue.
I actually wish I hadn't when I realised who was already in the building. Unfortunately Danny had already noticed me as I tried to avoid being seen. "Wow look who decided to show up." I heard him say as I turned to face him, another smug look on his face.
"What d you want?" I asked seeing him climb to his feet leaving a bottle of water on the table as he took a couple of steps closer to me.
"Am I not allowed to say hello?" A smirk began to form on his face.
"You were actually going to say hello? I find that hard to believe."
"God your short!" He said with a laugh looking me up and down.
"Oh yeah, out of everything you can comment on you comment on my height." He shrugged as he continued to check out my height. "You're an arsehole."
I said as I turned away from him so I could leave or at least get away from him. "Ah come one I'm only kidding." I turned to face him seeing a smile form on his face. "But you are short. Bet you meet the cut off line for a dwarf don't you?"
"Fuck you I'm not that short!" I turned away hearing him laugh.
"I bet you would!" I rolled my eyes and carried on walking towards the door. At least if I left now I could avoid him until sound check around 4. Then I could always go shopping while here, that's if Claire is up for it. I rolled my eyes at the fact I had to show security my pass again in order to get on the tour bus.
Claire was still sat with Riley this time Taylor and Jack were here checking the cupboards to see if we had everything we'd asked for. I never really asked for much, a bottle of Jack Daniels and a few jars of peanut butter. Claire and I always required at least 3 months supply of energy drink and Oreos.
Walking over to my bunk dragged my suitcase from underneath it and unzipped it; I wanted my phone charger and my laptop. I needed something to keep me occupied since Danny was roaming about and I really didn't fancy running into him any time soon.
I dumped my charger and laptop in my bunk while I sorted my suitcase out, zipping the zipper and shoving it back underneath the bunk. I climbed to my feet and turned around so I was leaning against my bunk and facing the guys in the kitchen area. I wanted to go out but knowing what I was like I'd end up in a pub somewhere.
I took my laptop from my bunk and joined Claire and Riley at the table, there was a few things I wanted to check plus I would have a load of tweets I would need to reply to. I couldn't help but smile at half of the tweets that I'd received from fans all saying how they were excited for tonight and asking if we would be performing certain songs and a few song requests.
I didn't want to reveal too much so I just retweeted most of them, I would reply but I didn't want to spoil the set list for tonight. To be honest I didn't want to spoil anything just yet, although I give it a week before people start saying things about me and Danny. I knew how word can travel very fast when your in the music business.
I'm very surprised nothing has been said yet; I've seen some of the sites which have been recently put up about how long it will take for me and Danny to get together. To be honest I was sure the band already had bets on how long it would take for Danny and I to get together. Personally I wasn't interested in him; I wanted the guy from the party last week.
I tried everything I could to find out who he was but no one seemed to know, same with the guy who Claire was with that night, I'd asked Oli and Andy and they didn't even have a clue. He was definitely British, but that didn't really narrow it down since there are loads of British bands out right now.
You would think I would recognize him from his voice but so far nothing. I could barely remember his voice but that kiss I would know if it was to happen again. That had to be the best kiss I'd ever shared with someone in my whole life.
"Cookie you okay there?" I shook my head as a way to escape my thoughts as I glanced to Claire who was staring at me.
"Yeah, how?" She shook he head and shrugged I guess she was looking too deep into things again.
"You just seemed a little; I don't know to be honest." I gave her a reassuring smile before saying anything.
"I'm fine just thinking."
"Ouch bad idea." Taylor said with a giggle.
"The worlds doomed." Riley added.
"Hey I can think and there not be consequences." The lot of them just burst out laughing making me half smile and half thrown, so little faith in me.
"Remember last time you thought Christina?" Jack asked me and I looked to him a glare present on my face. "I thought so." He finished with a smile.
"I dislike you guys now." I pouted causing them to laugh at me and Taylor to practically throw her arms around me.
"You know we love ya." I couldn't help but chuckle at this.
"Yeah we couldn't afford to lose ya; we would just be a bunch of lunatics without you."
"Ha you're a bunch of lunatics anyways." I guess this was good all of us just started laughing. It was great these times when we had them. Which was pretty much all the time; there was always someone we were taking the piss out of.
Somehow we managed to spend the time we had before sound check just doing what we do best, hang around and just have fun. I climbed to my feet and checked my pockets to be sure I had everything I needed right now.
"Are we ready guys?" I turned to face them; I didn't really want to go face Asking Alexandria well Danny.
"Sure let's go." Claire said as she led the way off the tour bus and over to the venue. Sure enough Bob our manager was standing at the doors a smile on his face.
"Nice to see you guys again, you guys are on first for the sound check since its Asking Alexandria who are headlining tonight. You's will be headlining tomorrow night." I nodded as I followed him through the venue to the hall.
Unfortunately Asking Alexandria were already here sitting at one of booths with a few drinks. I smirked as I glanced to Danny a bottle of bud and a bottle of water sat in front of him while he spoke to his band.
"That didn't last long did it Danny." I could help it so I said it as soon as I was close enough for him to hear me.
"That's enough Cookie, you haven't even been here five minutes and you're already starting on Danny." Bob said as he turned to face me a glare present on his face. Danny just chuckled to himself and climbed to his feet standing on my left a smirk now placed on his lips.
"The difference between you and me darling is I can stay off the drink if needs be. You, you obviously don't know when to stop."
"Actually Danny the difference between us is I don't have a drinking problem whereas you do." I heard someone laugh but whoever it was I wasn't aware of just yet.
"I wouldn't say that, I've heard about you and drinking. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were an alcoholic."
"That's rich coming from you! If anyone's an alcoholic Danny it's you." I replied with a smile although Danny didn't seem too pleased.
"That's the second time we've met and you've accused me of being an alcoholic."
"Hmm I wonder why." I laughed as I eyed up the bottle of bud in his hand.
"One beer hardly classes me as an alcoholic."
"No but the bottle of whisky later will." I felt someone grab my right arm and drag me away from Danny, looking to my right noticed it was Bob who had a hold of me.
"Will you just leave him alone, please Cookie." I rolled my eyes and sighed as I glanced back to Danny seeing a smirk on his face. He might have won this one but there's plenty more to come.
"Okay I'll leave him alone long enough to get through sound check." He rolled his eyes as he let go of me once I was standing where my mic stand was. The weird thing was Bob actually got my guitar and handed it to me so I wouldn't have to move. "Any reason way you're acting like a slave?"
"Simple I don't want you going anywhere near Danny." Again I rolled my while before focusing my attention on my guitar. It took me months of saving up to buy this guitar, Deans Dime bag Razorback I had with the confederate flag design painted on it.
I glanced round at the guys to see Claire taking her place behind her drum kit and the others joining me at the front of the stage. Hearing the drum beat I smiled as I stepped back so I could begin playing the notes on my guitar.
I stepped forward so I was standing directly in front of the mic ready to start singing. I don't know why but when I started singing this particular song I looked right at Danny. This song we were playing was one of our heaviest and was off of our self titled EP. From The Darkness I Deliver was something we all came up with when your losing a friend to the darkness and you want to save them.
I pulled my eyes from him so I could focus on playing my guitar while I sang the lyrics. Everything sounded okay to my but whether the sound was I wouldn't know just yet. I stepped back from the mic knowing that the guitar solo was coming up now, I wasn't the lead guitarist but I loved to just focus on the guitar riffs whenever I wasn't singing.
I stepped forward again so I could scream into the mic as the bridge of the song kicked in before going back to the chorus. I smiled as I looked back up thinking this was going to be a great night even if we are playing before Asking this was still going to be a good night.
I turned to face the band as I struck the last of the notes on my guitar as the song came to an end. Claire smiled at me, Riley and Taylor high fived each other with a smile. I turned back to Bob waiting for him to say he wanted another song like he always did, for a guy like him you would think he would be extremely soft but no he was quite the opposite.
Always pushing us to do better, sure I agreed with him we could do better but right now this was for fun it was for the fans. The guys and I hated being told what to do and how to do it. "Another song guys and that should be you."
I nodded to Bob as I turned to face the guys again. "What song do you guys want to do?" I asked them.
"How about we try 10 Days Safe? We haven't played that since the album came out." Claire said, I smiled and glanced to the others seeing them smile and nod their heads.
"Let's do this then." I said as I turned back to the mic and began strumming away on the guitar. This had to be one of my favourites from our second album that wasn't because it was a slow song it was the fact all five of us put a lot into the song it was personal to us all.
When the song came to an end I pulled the guitar strap over my head and handed my guitar to the crew we had. I walked off stage and waited for Claire to join me before most likely returning to the tour bus. This was the only thing I hated about touring the time between sound check and actually going on stage to perform your set seemed like forever.
"What should we do now Claire?" I asked and she just shrugged. The guys seemed to disappear pretty quickly, I guess it was something to do with the fact Asking were just going on stage now.
"What ever you want I don't mind." She said as she took her phone from her pocket and checked twitter I guess. I took my phone out of my pocket so I could update my twitter and maybe take a couple of photos for the fans. I actually had a Facebook account which I did reply to fan and I would talk to them if I was bored, but most of the times I would take a least three photos of the crowd at a show and upload them for fans to tag themselves in.
I walked over to where the bar was and turned around to face the stage which AA were currently performing their sound check. Holding my phone up I took a quick shot of AA and clicked onto twitter so I could upload it their first then go on Facebook and upload it there.
Once I'd done that I looked around to see Claire had left meaning she was most likely on the tour bus with the guys. Sighing softly I left the venue and stood outside for a moment the suns heat felt nice on my skin as I just stood there. Shaking my head I smiled as I began walking towards the tour bus.
Like the last time I had to flash my tour pass before going onto the bus, I was right with what I said earlier the guys were here by the sounds of things so were a few others. Kellin and Jesse from Sleeping With Sirens where here along with Matt, Sal and Reid of My Darkest Days.
"Hey guys." I said as I walked over to join them seeing them turn and smile as they all went to say hi back. For once the time between sound check and getting ready to go on stage seemed to fly by. I found myself and the rest of Atomic Riot in the dressing room getting ready to go on stage in about 10 minutes.
My Darkest Days were currently on stage now, Sleeping With Sirens were on before them leaving just us and Asking Alexandria to play. Unfortunately we were on first which I disagree with but then we get to play last tomorrow night. I loved it when we were the last band of the night.
Like most nights I decided to wear a pair of shorts, fish nets and converse that reach my knees. Tonight was a black t-shirt that clung to my torso with sleeves that reached mid way down my arms with the Wednesday 13 shovels and bat wings on the front with tour dates on the back.
I took my phone thinking I could get a picture of My Darkest Days before they finish their set. Everyone knew what I was like for just doing what I wanted so they never bothered me when I did. I wasn't too happy when I noticed Danny was standing there with a camera taking photos of My Darkest Days.
I shook my head for a moment not really wanting this to turn into an argument like it most likely would, I stood near him so I could get a good enough picture on my phone so I could just upload it after the our set.
He glanced to me as I looked to my right so I could get a good look at the crowd. Seeing him smile I held up my right hand and just gave him the finger before stepping back and turning to leave as his smile grew into a smirk. I shook my head as I headed back to the dressing room as I started uploading the pictures to both Facebook and Twitter.
The guys seemed to be having a laugh about something as I just shrugged it off knowing we would be going on stage in the next half hour. As if just on queue our manager walked into our dressing room a smile on his face. "Go get em out there."
I nodded as I climbed to my feet leaving my phone with my jacket since I hated having it on stage with me, I walked out of the room the guys following me as I headed for backstage. Our guitar tech Matt handed me my guitar before turning to grab Jack's bass.
Claire was the first to take to the stage followed by Jack and Riley before Taylor and I went out together. Claire was the first to start with the drum beat before the rest of us started with our instruments. We started with the song we performed at sound check From The Darkness I Deliver before moving onto A Step Closer.
We finished up with the first single off of our second album Will Not Fall. We didn't do encores because we saw it as a waste of time plus the times where we did do them we actually messed up. I handed my guitar back to Matt as I ran back on stage so I could throw a handful of plectrums into the crowd before leaving to join the others in the dressing room.
I grabbed my things as I took a seat still slightly out of breath from the show; I was only staying because I actually wanted to see a few songs of Asking Alexandria. I know I don't like them but some of their stuff is okay. It took about half an hour before Asking Alexandria took over the stage.
I managed to stand where I was before when I was getting a picture of My Darkest Days, the song that AA were coming onto was Welcome followed by Closure. I stayed until the end of the third song Not The American Average before taking my leave and heading back to the tour bus.
I know we were only here until Asking Alexandria finished then we were heading to the next venue which is in San Francisco.