~FOXfest 1998: A Review~

Last night, well I guess it would be this morning, I went to FOXfest in Vancouver (Plaza of Nations) and had the most WICKEDDDDDDD New Year's ever!!! The Todd Kerns band or whatever the hell they're called :o) played first, and they totally rocked!!!! They played all new songs (CD will be out soon!!!) and they played an AOE tune "I don't mind". Their set was waaaaaay too short in my opinion but I enjoyed every second of it! Todd sang as well as ever and each song was awesome The mosh pit was very tame if not non-existant during TKB and my friend and I attached ourselves to the front fence quite easily. After a short break, the Matthew Good Band was up and the mosh pit went NUTS!! it seemed that most people were there to see the MGB (which shocked us!!! I mean, didn't everyone go to see EC?? :o) I stayed attached to the fence for 3/4 of their set with only 2 good kicks in the back of the head from flailing crowdsurfers and constant elbowing from some chick behind me who wanted to be against the fence too. Pretty soon it got to the point where I couldn't breathe or move my arms, and was extracted from the pit by a very nice security guy. (Very embarassing - I've been in many a bad pit but never had to leave!!!) Feeling quite lame having never left a mosh pit before the band was done, I watched the rest of the MGB's set from the side of the stage. Despite my discomfort, Matt Good and the band played very well and I enjoyed their set music-wise, especially when Todd Kerns returned to the stage to help sing with Matt during "Rico". After an MGB encore, another break to change sets, it was time for Econoline Crush......

The lights dimmed, and a white Econoline Crush logo was projected on the black backdrop curtain. Strange music and strobe lights increased the intensity of waiting to be CRUSHED! Finally after 5 minutes of "WOOOOO!!!!"s and "ECONOLINE CRUUUUUUUUUSH"s from the crowd, Niko, Robbie, Ziggy, Dan, and last but not least Trevor ran out. *the crowd goes wild* They took their respective positions and opened with "Cruel World" (to our suprise!! No Surefire!) and of course the Crush had the crowd going by the first chord of the song!!! After Cruel World came Surefire, and Hollowman, TDM, Pssyche, Sparkle and Shine, The Devil You Know, Wicked, and Home followed. At about 5 minutes to midnight, EC ran off and a whole bunch of people from the FOX ran on (including the fox in a tux!!) and a huge thing of blue, white, and orange balloons was dropped from the ceiling. After this , EC returned, and as Trevor said "we will now return to the regular schedual of KICKING YOUR ASS!!!" and he sang the 1999 remix. Matt and Todd were supposed to come help him out with this, but never showed up :-/ After rocking it out until about 12:30, they left and came back to play a 3 song encore of All That You Are, Razorblades and Bandaides and Burnt. As usual, the stage presence from the whole band was AMAZING and Trevor had alot of interaction with the audience.

I had the most fun since EDGEfest and it was good to have our Crushers home :-) I can't wait until the next show!!! Sparkle and Shine into 1999!!!

Thanx be to the Crush for the WICKED-est New Year's yet!! Who loves you baby! oh yah, a big hug to Marcela who couldn't make it, and hello to the Matthew Good girl I met while waiting for them to come on and that girl I talked to before EC played All That You Are. You guys were cool :-D Also HEY!! to that guy that looked like Joel and said "Happy New Years, Ladies!" U ROCK!! :-)

*if you use any of the photos on this website, please drop me a line and ask, or give full photo credits to Ally Faris, 1998/99. Thanx*