Fall Frenzy Crazy Fun!

Just this past Saturday I went to Fall Frenzy to see a couple of amazing bands including Blink 182! This being my first kind of outdoor musical festival, I was so excited! I brought along my friend Reyna with me and on Saturday at 1:30pm we stood in a LONG line to get into the Tempe Beach Park and have what would surely be one of the craziest fun times, Ever.

After waiting in line for about 30 minutes we finally made it through security and we were in the park at about 2:15. The first band up was Authority Zero. We missed the first few songs but we caught a couple of good ones including “One More Minute”. Having not eaten all day, we made our way to the food vendors. If there was ever a place I would spend the most money for the day, it would have to be all the food tents they had set up. There was everything from Indian Fried Bread and burgers to Snow cones and Jamba Juice. Reyna and I decided to split an Indian Fried Bread with the all the works. The price for food was kind of expensive, but we were expecting that even before we got there. With our tummies full we headed back to the main stage to get ready for the next set.

Up next was Asher Roth. At this time, the heat was really starting to kick in and it was getting hot! Even with the heat the crowd went nuts for Asher Roth. He had so much energy and was a big crowd pleaser. He got the crowd going with his hot singles “I Love College” and “Be by Myself”. Everyone was dancing and just having a good time. Next up was Anberlin. This band was a little heavier but they totally rocked out! For some reason the sound quality was a little off and it was hard to hear some of the vocals during their set, but all in all it was fun. At this point, the crowd was getting bigger and now starting to create mosh pits. This part of the event was a little scary, especially when you don’t want to be in the mosh pit! With all the aggressiveness of the “pits”, Reyna and I avoided them.

After being in the heat for so long, we needed to refuel ourselves. We headed back to the food vendors, bought some curly fries with cheese (yum!) and more bottle water. The band that was up next was Pepper. We missed about half of their set but what we did get to see was pretty good. There was a lot of dialogue between the band members that was a little raunchy, but funny. After Pepper, Slightly Stoopid took the stage. At this point the crowd was really getting rowdy and pushy. Reyna and I made a BIG mistake and wore flip flops to the concert and of course our feet got stepped on like crazy! Yet, when Slightly Stoopid started to play, the masses calmed down and we all just vibed out and danced to the music. Slightly Stoopid put on an awesome show! We loved them!

After an awesome show Slightly Stoopid put on, the next band really had to rock. Unfortunately, the next band, in my opinion, didn’t really deliver. Fall Out Boy came on and they did alright. The band was greeted with cheers and boos as well. Many in the crowd were not feeling the music and continued to boo the band. Fall Out Boy did their set and continued to endure the negative energy. They did ok, but I was really expecting more out of the group. After their set was done, they pretty much just walked right off stage. After, it was the moment we had all been waiting for. The main reason many of us endured 8 hours of heat and sweat. Blink 182 was up next.

The crowd’s energy began to build and build as the roadies set the stage up for Blink. Everyone in the crowd was getting restless and anxious. At this point I was just being violently jostled around and shoved by people trying to push their way forward to the stage. It was literally just bodies to sweaty bodies, and of course my feet were getting stepped on every second. This had to be a scary low point in the concert because it was hard to breathe let alone move.
Unfortunately I saw a couple pass out and hit the floor from the closeness and heat. These unlucky ones had to be rushed out of the crowd and taken to the medical tent. Just when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, the lights come up and the emcee announces that he had some bad news. He said “The bad news is… we ran out of churros, But here is BLINK 182!!!”. The crowd roared with excitement and then Blink took the stage.

Blink dominated that night! Not only were they amazingly awesome, but they were so dang energetic! Musically they did mess up on a few of their faster songs, but I don’t think the crowd minded that much. The band really showed off musically on some of their slower songs such as “I Miss You” and “Stay Together for the Kids”, which is one of my personal favorites. During their entire set they were happy, fun, and just awesome to watch and listen to. Everyone completely rocked out, and I mean we all Rocked out Hard!

Drained of all energy, hungry, dehydrated, bruised, sore and sleepy, I still couldn’t come down from my natural high I got from the concert. I was just so dang happy! I have to say that had to be one of the best times in my life. Even though I went through a world of pain and because of it and ended up bruised and sore, it was SO worth it. Next time I just have to remember not to wear flip flops! Fall Frenzy was so crazy fun, and I can’t wait for the next one!


Lonni Summers