Mest @ El Corazon (Seattle, WA) - May 17, 2012
When Tony posted that myspace message about five years ago, I thought I would never see/hear Mest ever again. And I think because I knew that, I stopped listening to them and I started listening to new types of music. It was pretty much impossible for me to listen to Mest and not think about seeing them at Warped Tour and that they were over (as far as I knew).
The only time I ever saw Mest live was for 30 minutes at 12:00 noon at Warped Tour 2005. It was fucking awesome. Most memorable was when everyone sang “Fuck the Greyhound Bus.” A couple hours later, Tina and I (or actually more so her, because I’m sufficiently retarded) begged backstage security to please let us in because we really wanted to meet Tony. Honesty works and I don’t remember how long it took but we found him, but he had to run off for something. But he came back, we got two pictures taken by his friend. The first one got fucked up. I was hopeful after this day that Mest would eventually return to Canada as an opening band for so many of the pop-punk bands that were releasing records then. Never happened. Took a few months after Photographs was released to realize that even being signed to Madonna’s record label doesn’t necessarily mean you’re touring Canada anytime soon. And then Tony posted a message on myspace that this “world tour” would be Mest’s last. World tour pretty much meant USA, Japan and Europe.
Seven years later in April 2012, Fiona posted on my Facebook: Mest would be playing in Vancouver. At first, I was pretty excited even though I was in Seattle because I’ve always knew that if Mest was ever to play Vancouver, I’d be there no matter what. But then I searched around to see what was up with Mest. I was pretty disappointed - a new lineup, new songs that weren’t “Mest” “to me and I accused Tony of unfairly using Mest’s name to start his new project. But then…I looked at their recent setlists, they were still playing several of my favourite songs: Fuct Up Kid, Rooftops, Until I Met You. I was happy that Tina and Fiona would go see them but I was pretty sad that I wouldn’t be there with them and a bit angry too because I like to think they’d only know Mest because of me.
So when I found out Mest was playing on May 17th at the El Corazon in Seattle, I purchased tickets right at once as soon as I confirmed it on the venue’s website and Tony’s twitter several times. Part of it was because I knew the setlist would have a bunch of old stuff and the other part of it was that either this would be the last chance ever to see Mest or that they would become so incredibly popular that their old stuff would not be played again.
The opening bands really bothered me. I’m sorry. There was a chick band. I’m just not into this but the girl was really pretty. Then three other local bands. They were horrible man, they looked like clones of 90s pop-punk. Baggy shorts and checkered boxers. How tacky. Didn’t know that was still cool. Anyway, good luck to all of them - you gotta start somewhere.
Mest took the stage a little after 10:40, opening with Fuct Up Kid. When I first entered the venue, I thought being right at the stage was too close for comfort so I decided to retreat to the balcony which offered a pretty decent view. But as Mest was setting up, I thought, “fuck it, am I really going to sing when I’m by myself at the top of the balcony?” Obviously not. I took up a spot at the front of the stage, some other people were mingling around but no one was clinging onto a spot. Anyway, I’m glad I moved up front to be with the three other people that were able to sing along. I was pretty into it and I probably looked a bit retarded singing right in front of Tony. But I don’t care. I love Mest and the lyrics came instantly to me as the song was played.
I really wished this had been a sold out show. I always imagined that a Mest show would be sweaty and really crazy. But it was a sparse crowd and I’m really hoping it was because of the total lack of promotion for the show and how last minute it was.
After the show….
People poured out of the venue pretty quickly. Tony was clearing some stuff up at the back of the stage but I was too nervous to call him. I don’t know why. I had no problem walking up to Frank Turner when he played a sold out show in October. I stood there for a while, I asked their bass player for the setlist, which I got. I figure I would give it to Tina since there wasn’t any merch that I could get her. Tony left the stage and then I was about to leave when it occurred to me that this might be the last time I ever see Mest. I went to their merch table (which I only knew existed when Tony pointed it out during the show) where their new guitar player was. I introduced myself and told him about how I was skeptical about the new lineup but tonight proved me wrong. His name is Mike, he’s really nice. I was hoping during our talk Tony would appear or something but he didn’t. When we ran out of things to talk about, I just truthfully said “I grew up listening to Mest and the first time I saw them was on Warped Tour. It would mean so much to me if I could say hi to Tony.” He texted Tony to come out. By this time, I was the only non-crew person left in the venue. I nearly skipped towards Tony as he walked out, trying to keep my cool. The first thing I said, “I’m from Canada. I saw you guys 7 years ago at Warped Tour and Mest was the most important band to me growing up, I never thought I would ever see you guys again after you posted that message on myspace.” I think halfway through that sentence, Tony was already giving me a hug and I was kind of talking into his ear (sorry for that!). He responded “Don’t worry I’m still alive.” I was a bit like “what the fuck - I wasn’t talking about you specifically” (in my head). I asked him about them coming to Vancouver, he said, “your country won’t fucking let us in.” I apologized, asked for a picture. We said some things here but I can’t remember word for word, it was related to Mest’s music though. Remembering it was almost past midnight and I was the only person left in the venue and also fearing I would say something completely too sentimental, I thanked him for playing Seattle and told him that I hope Mest would eventually be able to tour Canada. He thanked me for coming and gave another hug. I walked out looking for the bus stop. A homeless man asked for a dollar so I gave him a dollar, then he asked for two. And I said no.
Not going to lie, all up until Mest’s set, I was questioning whether it was really worth it go bus out to one of the sketchier places in Seattle to see Mest with Tony being the only original member.
My favourite (besides meeting Tony): Tony changing the lyrics in “Drawing Board” from “I spend days and nights in my bedroom, trying to write the perfect song to sing to you” to “I spend days and nights in my bedroom, trying to write the perfect song to fuck you to.” Had it been anyone else that tried to do something like this, they would just be insulting.
Fuct up moment of the night: Tony gave the remaining portion of his beer to a 21+ kid in the audience. Security gets all in shits and swoops the drink away and shouts in a really mean voice “ALL AGES SHOW” at Tony. How rude. Tony did ask the kid if he was 21+.
