May 25, 2016

Concert Stories #46: Florence + The Machine

Florence + The Machine (3rd time)

Ceremonials Tour

Eagles Ballroom

April 28, 2012

Age 29




As soon as I heard that Florence + The Machine were coming back to Milwaukee, I was so excited!  Having just played Milwaukee the summer before, I was sure they would go to Chicago but thankfully they skipped Chi-Town for good old Wisconsin.  I got tickets to go immediately with my friend Shannon, her soon to be husband Mark, and our other friend Karey.  Now the best way to tell this story is just to walk you through exactly, from my memory at least, what ensued...

The concert was on a Saturday and for some reason I remember I was very busy during the day and could not meet the other three at Shannon's house until a little bit later.  By the time I arrived it was very clear that Shannon and Kary had been pre-gaming it, for awhile.  Mark was our designated driver so naturally he was not partaking in the festivities.  When I sat down at the kitchen table I notice a vodka bottle which was maybe 1/3 full and I was very much encouraged to "catch up".  I will take full account of my actions, I mean I was 29 at the time, a grown-ass woman for sure, and I admit that I should not have taken so many shots before I even got in the car.  What made things worse is that it was some sort of whipped vodka, which I hate, but that did not stop me of course.  

Poor Mark, he managed to stuff the three of us in the backseat of Shannon's car and off we went.  Three ladies already three sheets to the wind.  We of course took the vodka bottle with us and that was empty before we made it into the venue if I can recall correctly.  Honestly, how we made it into the venue still astonishes me.  When we arrived we idiotically decided to have more drinks.  At this time I was really feeling all the shots I had already taken but that did not slow me down.

It's here where I realized we were those drunk assholes that everybody usually hates.  We were loud and obnoxious and to us having a ball of a time, but I know from being on the other side, we were most definitely not a treat for others.  This was the one and only time I have ever been on the other side where people where probably staring at me!  Now who opened for Florence beats me! I think we got there at the end of the openers set or between them and Florence.  When Florence did come out we very rudely tried to squeeze to the front, but against the sold out crowd us three drunks did not make it (nor should we have) and we quickly moved back to the open edges of the crowd.  

It is at this point where things start to unravel and get really fuzzy.  At one point Shannon and Kary left for the restrooms which left Mark and me.  What I did not realize at the time is that Karey left Mark a little "present" when she ran off, which he then kindly gifted to me.  What this "present" was I will not tell you because as soon as you know what it is, I can not erase that from your mind.  We swore that night to never repeat what happened and I have kept my promise for the past 4 years.  Who did not keep the promise? Mark! Every time he has the opportunity to tell someone how the three of us are tied for life he does and each time I bow my head in utter embarrassment!  Not the terrible kind, but in the "What the hell, I can not believe I did that!" type of way.

After Shannon and Karey returned, and we reveled in the "present" that we shared, things got really bleak for me.  We were only maybe 4 or 6 songs into the set when Karey and I had to use the washroom. aaaannnnddd then never made it back to the concert.  In the women's room of the Eagles Ballroom there is a waiting area with tables and chairs.  I remember making it to the bathroom and then I remember sitting down for a moment with Karey at a table and next thing I know a stranger is rolling a trashcan next to me and patting my back saying "Here you go sweetheart" and the concert was over. There was a huge line out the women's bathroom and there were Karey and I passed out at the tables!  We were incredibly lucky that no one robbed or hurt us.  I had my Chanel purse and iPhone sitting right on the table and no one touched it or me, very lucky!!!

Somehow, and really, I mean I have no idea how we did it. Karey and I managed to stand up, and while leaning on each other for vertical support, managed to walk out the venue and the two blocks to the car where we found Shannon and Mark, who were clueless to where we had been!  Shannon's lucky, she cut herself off early and while suffering, was nowhere near as bad as us.

Up next was the treacherous ride home.  Shannon's parent's were watching Mark's daughter and he was determined to pick her up before dropping us at home. Both Karey and I were in the backseat at this time, grocery bags stuck to our faces and praying to the high heavens for all movement and sounds to stop.  We finally got to Shannon's parents house and I have no idea how Mark's daughter got in the car, she was supposed to sit between Karey and I and neither of us could move to let her in.  I do not recall if she climbed over the front seat or just sat in the front seat.  I do remember Shannon's dad laughing so hard outside the window as he saw me. Of course I did not look up because movement = the apocalypse to me, but I could sure hear him!  

Some how we made it back to Shannon's house where I crashed in her living room recliner.  At some point in the night I got up to get sick (let's be honest) and I remember washing my hands with cookie or chocolate scented soap.  It was the most disgusting thing ever, pretty sure I got sick again immediately, and now I live in fear of hand soap at Shannon's house.  I'm scarred for life from that smell.

The next morning I awoke and Karey had gone to McDonald's and gotten a boat load of food to try and save our stomachs.

While I was bummed this was the last time I saw Florence + The Machine and did not even really see any of her set, I did have fun, and that was also the last time I took that many shots in one evening.  

All pictures of this night have been confiscated!

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