Just What the Doctor Ordered:

Ok, so I know I told you about my foot thing the other day. Praise God that I saw a doctor and that it isn’t leprosy. Anywho, that is the least important thing that happened Friday. (F.Y.I.: I’m heading out to New Jersey as we speak so I haven’t a clue what time I’ll get this posted)

Friday, as many of you have gathered in my anticipation was the Purple Door festival. I went for one reason: Five Iron Frenzy. I adore FIF. They have been an amazing encouragement to me in my Christian walk and 3 times now that I have seen them in concert, I have found an amazing place of worship.

I went with my friend Chris and we got some pix with some of the FIF crew. Unfortunately, my picture with Reese didn’t take... which makes me mad, but hey, at least I have one of Reese that I took with Chris in it. We also got pix with Micah and Brad. They also signed my black and white checkered tie and Chris’ PennDOT vest. (PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.... he’s the guy with the stop/yield sign)

This concert was different though. This was the last time that I will ever see Five Iron Frenzy. This was a very sentimental time for me. So I took full advantage of being a Ska-kid and skanked til I all but dropped. Any time on the stage left area that a pit started, I was the one starting the skank circle and one of the first kids to join in the dance.

Before the show started, I met some kids from Jersey that inlisted my help to “get things started right” and some PA kids... I only got a couple of names though: Phil, Alie, and Esther. Phil and two other guys that were with him (can’t remember their names, but they were awesome) were like “Hey, you’re a big guy, clear the circle for us! So I did. Like I said earlier, if there was a skank pit that started in the stage left area, I was the catalyst.

Some where in the mix I ran into Alie again and she joined in the fray. For those of you who don’t know much about Five Iron Frenzy, they have a live album (I suggest that you buy it) and before they play the song Blue Comb 78, they make some comment about slow dancing:

“You know guys, I know what it’s like to be at the rock n roll concerts... you might be a little bit lonely... and you might look around and see a beautiful, young woman, and you might think to yourself.... ‘if only they might play a slow song so that I might take that girl in my arms and slow dance like there is no tomorrow!!!!’ THIS IS ALL FAKE!!!”

Considering that when you are among ska kids, you are among friends, Alie found me and in the circle with Phil and Esther and we jokingly slow danced-skanked in the middle of the pit! It was hilarious cuz none of us knew what we were doing, but we were all having a grand time. Those kids were all fun to hang out with. I may never see them again, but it was awesome while it lasted.

The show was amazing, they started with Handbook For the Sellout like always, and ended with A New Hope, World Without End, and Every New Day. Reese came on stage at the beginning in a Barney suit and these huge red sunglasses and then during Handbook he ripped it off and threw it out in the crowd.

Of all the shows I have gone to or will go to, I will always remember Reese’s parting words to a crowd cheering for one more song: “Thank you for being our friends.” I will miss them and the memories of things that were and thoughts of how much further things could go, but I will remember:

“Far away from all the lights and noise, we felt You here. It’s my favorite memory.”