Last night I saw the bands Chapel, 3oh!3 and Good Charlotte at Toad’s Place in New Haven, a nightclub/ concert venue/bar. This venue lets local bands perform for gig experience, hosts glow parties for people 18+, and of course hosts concerts like this one. Overall, this is a chill venue that brings young people together.
This venue is fairly small with a capacity of only about 2,000, all general admission so you have to be aggressive and push your way through if you want to get close. The only other way to get into the front row is to line up at the start of the day or even camp out overnight. I got a fairly close spot closer to the front and the middle so I could see a lot of the show. I will be honest I know these three bands could’ve booked a larger venue. The tickets were sold out a week before the concert for God’s sake. I know GC’s latest album that came out last year didn’t prove to have too many album sales but they have fans that are older now that have been with them since maybe 2003. Luckily, this is the only criticism that I will make about last night.
Chapel was pretty good. They always try to make opening acts have a similar sound to the headline. In this case, all three acts were alternative/ pop punk. I did not pay much attention to this group I admit because I couldn’t wait for 3oh!3. I also did not know their songs because I wasn’t really a fan going into the concert. Their performance was excellent, but I like sets where I can sing along and know the work of the artist beforehand.
Afterwards, 3oh3! brought back all my middle school memories when they performed “Don’t Trust Me” and “My First Kiss”. The whole audience was singing along. Mind you this crowd was full of people around my age to late 20s. There were only few people taking their phones out recording. Most just took a few pictures and put them away. After 3oh3! went off, there was about 15 minutes that went by while setting up for GC. People stayed in their places because they did not want to lose their spots. People in the back tried to push to get closer but I’m 5’10” so don’t even try.
The lights finally went out and the band started playing. Joel and Benji (otherwise known as Nicole Ritchie’s husband and Cameron Diaz’s husband) came out last minute and kept shouting “Heyy” and telling us to repeat after them. The voices sound pretty much the same, the same cool jocky, nonchalant tone. First they performed “The Anthem” which I love. Most of their setlist in fact came from their 2002 album The Young and the Hopeless. I knew the setlist beforehand so I knew they were going to sing my absolute favorite song by them, “Bloody Valentine”. Of course the lyrics to this are a bit creepy, a guy who wants another guy’s girlfriend so he kills the boyfriend, luckily not based on a true story. I’m not sure what it is that I love about this song because it is the least bit of romantic or sweet. I screamed those lyrics though. After some songs from their new album, they closed with “Lifestyles of the Rick and the Famous” a song about stuck up celebrities. This is a bit ironic because Joel married Nicole Ritchie, a socialite on the reality show The Simple Life who was known for not having to do anything herself and was loaded with money. But they killed that song.
I was a bit teary-eyed when they had to leave because they are a huge part of my childhood. Sometimes when I’m feeling nostalgic I watch old shows or movies and their music is on the soundtrack. This was my first time ever seeing them in concert because unfortunately I could not attend Warped Tour ’16 where they were on the lineup! I know, lucky me. But I am glad this was my first time seeing them. To be honest, they are very short in person but I’m not judging! I loved every bit of last night.
Hold On- Good Charlotte
Blah Blah Blah- Ke$ha ft. 3oh!3
Caught Up- Chapel
Alexia Williams 