yea for surprise birthdays!!!

my brother and i haven't always been close.  in fact, until he turned 24ish, and i was in college did we really start to talk to each other.  for a long time there was a bart/lisa like rivalry, but now we are very very close.

my brother introduced me to the rock music my dad left off.  i learned metallica (good metallica), rage against the machine, tool, pantera, stone temple pilots, ac/dc, filter, primus, and too many to name.  the most notable is nine inch nails.  my brother taught me the brilliance that is trent reznor, and because of it, i found a connection with music that is tough to find in other places.

so i found out that NIN was coming to SA, and immediately thought of my bro.  and how he would love it.  so i bought floor tickets, and decided to make it a surprise.

and it worked!!

we got down to SA this weekend, and as soon as we got into our hotel room (which i got free thanks to my job), i told him we would be seeing NIN on the floor.  his mouth dropped, as he didn't believe it.  i showed him the paper, told him dad wasn't coming, and his face lit up like i had never seen it.  he asked if i was serious, trying to hide my excitement (which caused my hands to shake), and he couldn't stop smiling.  he just kept repeating "this is going to be the best show ever." 

we got to the show, waited in line forever, but stood in the VIP line (yeah, i'm good).  we talked and joked and had a great time.  then came the time we got to go inside.  we both grew with insane excitement.  we made it onto the floor, and low and behold, we were at the rail.  we couldn't believe it!

so we waited.  watched a kick ass show from ghostland observatory (best opening band ever!) and waited.  the crowd pushed and got tighter.  people began to flip out, screaming and waiting for the moment trent reznor would walk on stage.  garrett and i were so excited.

the lights went out.  people pushed, and trent was right there!  literally three feet from us.  we freaked out, getting the shit beat out of us.  i made it to the front, and survived three songs until i got kicked in the head, punched in the face, and began to suffocate.  totally worth it.

i miraculously found garrett again, and we moved back about twenty feet.  it was calmer, and the show rocked!  it was the best concert i've ever been to.

one of my favorite moments though was watching my brother, who doesn't sing, doesn't clap, doesn't get excited, doesn't yell: scream, move and yell to "terrible lie" and "head like a hole".  i've never seen him get that happy at a concert.  i just watched him telling myself this is why i bought him the tickets.  he is really happy.

so we got back to the car, and he kept saying over the over, that was the best concert ever.  hands down, best concert i've ever been to.  i can't get over that concert.  followed by: this has been the best birthday ever.  best birthday ever.  and i felt so good.  that's all i wanted.

we hung out in SA the next day and got tanked.  and it really was the best birthday ever.  and nine inch nails takes the top spot for best concert ever for both of us.  yea!!!