About a month ago, Ashley told me that Collective Soul will join 15th Annual KFOG KaBoom, and tickets are only $15 each in advance. Moreover, there'll be fireworks after the concert! Sounds cool! Therefore, I told her just to buy the tickets without any hesitate.
Along with Ashley and her roommate Chun, we decided to take Bart to SF downtown. However, the lane between Fremont and Hayward seemed to have problem.(It's so ironic when I came back home and saw this.) Finding a parking space near Fisherman's Wharf has never been easy, but it's probably the best choice for us. Luckily, we still made it. When everything was settle down, First act, Matt Nathanson, was just begun.
He's not bad. Matt performed some radio-friendly songs. Smooth, laid-back listening, yet not that impressive enough. There are too many similar artists, and he doesn't make his stuff unique. Additionally, I think the first few songs such as “Car Crash” were better than the last song, which should be his most-remarkable one. Well, it's all personal preference. Maybe it also indicates that he's still improving himself.
Later, we “Rock ABC” split,(Ashley, Bob and Chun :p what a coincident.) and tried to find some interesting vendors. Food and drinks everywhere, also souvenirs by sponsors. There's a game held by Hornitos tequila. Once you spin the wheel, you have chance to get the prize where it stops. Honestly, the prize sucked. they're just promotion CD and something like pencils...I forgot. The first prize was a T-Shirt, yet you got very little chance to win unless you have beginner's luck like me XD.
Collective Soul took the stage next. The bittersweet post grunge group is still groovy. After the opening riff of “December”, the atmosphere went completely different. When the second song “Heavy” started, the crowd came back alive :p. So many years have passed, the band rocks as they never leave the stage. Since Nu-Metal and Indie-Rock became almost the mainstream of rock & roll, to see a lively post-grunge performance is such a wonderful thing. Roland brothers kicked ass, the new guitarist also did great job, too.(Although I always like the original lineup more.)
It's too bad that they're not the main show, only performed about 8 songs, I think. But they still did some early hits include “Shine”. This song was chosen by VH1 as Top 90's hits. I love it so much, especially the tone of electric guitar during the chorus.(The new guitarist didn't play like the original recording when playing live, a bit pity though.) I don't know why, but “Shine” somehow reminds me the feeling of “I would for you” by Jane's Addiction. Beer and good friends, cool summer night, beautiful music shine.The final set was Los Lobos. These old man did make the whole crowd crazy. Sadly, Rock ABC seems too young for this. I heard a little rockabilly, a little Latin and also some Mexican style music. I like Santana and rockabilly is not bad, but I just can't comprehend why can't I feel the same way people dancing around?
Anyway, we quickly finished a pizza and pasta before fireworks at Palomino.(BTW, their happy hours sounds great, half price for all appetizers and pizzas.) The fireworks was just so different than anywhere in Taiwan. It's not as delicate, well-planned as Taipei 101 of New Year's Eve; On the contrary, it not only last longer than I expected, so many fireworks sparked the sky like it's free. In the end, still a great show though. It's also the first time for me to stay at the piers so late, Bay Bridge was so beautiful at night. Hope next time I can climb up twin peaks and see the whole view of San Francisco bay.
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