| DavidtheBatman DavidtheBatman
Joined: 6/28/2007
Posts: 31
Location: Oslo, NO | How I know God loves The Cure (or me) (or both)OK, I just have to share a couple of stories with you all...
STORY ONE:
In 2008, I got to see Cure in Stockholm, Oslo (my hometown, first concert there since 1992!), Copenhagen and Hamburg. But I just HAD to see more of this tour, cause the concerts were just awesome. I found out I could combine some work with 3 concerts in the Los Angeles area. Happy the man.
The first of these three concerts was in Santa Barbara, which is something like a 2 hour drive from LA. In my mind I mixed it with Santa Monica, which was not THAT far from our hotel.
As I am getting ready to go a few hours before the concert, I realize the mix-up. Oh shit. I check around, only to discover that it's absolutely IMPOSSIBLE for us to get to Santa Barbara in time. No trains, no buses to fit our schedule.
I'm on the werge of tears at the thought of missing this concert (even though I am to see 2 more the next days). Desperately I GOOGLE the following words:
"Cure Car Santa Barbara"
The FIRST hit I get, is some forum where a guy writes: "I am going to Cure in Santa Barbara and have room in a car. Anyone wanna ride with me and share gas expences?"
Now it's rush hour in LA, and the concert is starting in 2 hours - which is what it takes to get there. This dude has probably left a long time ago, or may live on the other side of the city, but of course we give him a call.
Turns out he was just about to get into his car when we called. Where he was at? Working at a company NEXT DOOR to our hotel! In LA! WHAT'S THE FUCKING ODDS???
And we saw a great concert...
(BTW, should this person be reading this, I would love to get in touch with you again... You had a black car that had lots of Cure and Radiohead graffiti on its sides...)
STORY TWO:
The Cure was going to play their Reflections-concerts in New York, where I had never been. I missed both the Sydney, London and LA gigs, and really wanted to see this concert. The problem: I was on a very limited budget, and the concerts were sold out.
After scraping together all my funds, I realize that I have enough for plane tickets and a cheap hotel - nothing more. And when I say nothing, I mean NOTHING. Not money for food, taxis, never to mention CONCERT TICKETS.
So, what to do, what to do. Should I play it safe and stay in Norway, or pretend I'm 18 again and just go to NY to see what happens and hope for some miracle?
I don't decide until the very last moment, but I realize that I will never forgive myself if I do not at least TRY. So I hurry to the airport, just in time for the plane.
When I arrive in NY, I realize that my old cell phone system do not work in the US. Fuck. I am now totally cut off from everyone. I've been informed that my brother happens to be in the city at the same time, but that is now useless information since I won't be able to contact him.
In my pocket I have 15 dollars. That's all (so I guess I lied when I said "nothing"...). I don't wanna spend that on a phone card to contact my brother, so instead I find the bus to the hotel, which costs me 3 dollars. I now have 12 dollars left. In a city faaar away from home, where I know no one, and where I have to stay for three days.
At the hotel they won't let me check in, even though the room have been prepaid, as I'm unable to pay a depositum that they demand (in case I will wreck the hotel room).
Now the concert is just one hour away, and I decide to leave my luggage and use my last 12 dollars for a cab to the venue.
The moment I get out of the taxi, I walk straight into a friend of my brother. In NY! I'm not kidding. And my brother is close by. Ten seconds later my brothers' friend have bought a ticket from some black market shark (sorry, The Cure, I know it's a market that we shouldn't support, but at least he got it for face value), which my brother decides to give me as a Christmas present in advance.
Again: What's the odds?
OK, this is getting long, but bear with me, it's the details that makes it all funny. And it gets even better.
I get a great seat in the concert hall, and the guy besides me is the one who sold his ticket to the shark outside, as his girlfriend couldn't come. When he hears my story, he can't believe it and decides to buy me beer the rest of the night as he thinks it will bring him luck (which of course it would).
Concert ticket. Check.
Beer. Check.
Cure playing my favorite song, Charlotte Sometimes, and the best concert I've ever seen. Check.
OK. So. After the best concert I've ever seen in my life, I'm so happy that I decided to go. And I discover that I have gotten a hundred dollars into my account, as some stuff I put up for sale in my blog has been bought while I was in the concert. That means I can relax, I now have food the two days of my stay, and money for the bus to the air port. And, I can finally check into my hotel.
Next night... I have already experienced what I came for, I'm thankful, and my plan is to just stay in the hotel and read and relax, as my plane to Norway isn't leaving until the day after.
But to sit in a hotel when The Cure is playing some kilometers away... It's impossible. I decide to go back to the Beacon Theatre. If nothing else, just to hang out with some Cure fans.
This night is also sold out, and I've been eating and drinking well, so I only have like 30 bucks left when I get out of the taxi. Not enough for a ticket anyway.
You won't believe what happens. A girl, a total stranger, comes up to me and asks if I need a ticket. I explain that I only have like 30 bucks, but thanks anyway.
Then she says: "No, I wasn't planning on selling it, I just wondered if you NEEDED a ticket, cause I'm going somewhere else with my friend."
Then she just hands me the ticket and leaves. I wouldn't even recognize her face if I saw her again.
And so I get to see the whole concert again. This time in fifth row, even better seats than the night before.
I repeat my mantra, guys: WHAT'S THE FUCKING ODDS?
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blacklily
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