Hundreds
of fans stood outside in a line that crept down the sidewalk of the Water Street
Music Hall on Monday July 7, 2003. A huge white sign in big red letters was
propped on the corner near the door stating, “sold out show.”AFI
July 10, 2003 @ The Water Street Music Hall in Rochester, NY
By Rebecca Clark
Hundreds
of fans stood outside in a line that crept down the sidewalk of the Water Street
Music Hall on Monday July 7, 2003. A huge white sign in big red letters was
propped on the corner near the door stating, “sold out show.”
The temperature was hot and muggy outside and the sticky temperature only intensified as we entered the club that was packed full of young fans.
The two opening bands the explosions and Static Age were ok. The explosions did have a bit more energy than Static Age, but neither of them didn’t compare to AFI’s tremendous energy.
My friend Laurie and I were up in the pit (in between the crowd and the stage) getting ready to take photos and suddenly the lights went dim and the crowd began to scream then began to chant in unison.
Laurie looked over at me and mouthed to me “I have chills,” as she rubbed her arm. As soon as AFI walked onto the stage and started playing Miseria Cantare, cool blue lights filled the stage and when the bands energy mixed with the crowd’s energy clashed and came together, I also felt chills hit me like a tidal wave.
The whole band was crazy and barely stood still the whole set.
AFI played songs from their new album Sing the Sorrow, such as The Leaving Song, Bleed Black and Girls Not Gray. AFI also sang songs from their other albums and gave a great set that was mixed of new and old songs.
During the last song Davey got into the packed crowd and they held him up as he sang. The way the bright lights hit the back of him and how the light flowed onto the audience was breathtaking and just an amazing site to see. That moment was an amazing and a powerful moment during their set. He fell sideways and the crowd just passed him around while he kept singing.
AFI played for over an hour and the heat was intense, but the crowd never gave up and kept the energy flowing the entire night. AFI left an amazing impression on me. Their set was nonstop energy and they blew me away. They are now in my top 5 bands you must see live.
July 24, 2003