Home is where the heart is. Right. Well last night I felt at “Home” for the first time in a long time. In a room full of my peers, people that were like minded like me, people who are as Andy said “Freaks” in the whole room, people with commonalities, people who enjoy similar interest with yourself, and people who enjoy the same things as you do.  The list may go on forever but you as the reader get the story.

I would like to mention the fact that any part of me as a BVB hater is gone. Its now filled with love and admiration of a band I once hated. I agree hating this band was a totally shame for me to do. But on that fateful day back in January 27th the best thing a hater could ever do is converting. That’s what I did. I fell in love with their music for their message and what they stand for as a band in this fucked up world. They give me hope knowing that they truly care about their fans and they are so active with their fan base. What sold me to convert while I did some major research about BVB back in January is the fact that their songs intertwine with the dredgers of everyday life. I cried so hard reading the positive dark lyrics from all their recent and old songs. Everything I have negatively read about them was WRONG. I love the fact that they don’t take shit from anyone. The famous quote from Andy now in vest form “Fuck You Motherfucker” is very imminent.

So here I am talking about converting. Some people do convert. Change is a good and positive thing in peoples lives. BVB has forever changed mine. I know what I want to do for the rest of my life career wise because of them. They have pulled this side of me I never KNEW I had. I never knew I had a knack for words. I knew I had a knack for the lovely art of words but never had I thought to become a journalist. This is like my wildest dream come true. So all the worlds “Thank You” cards in the world can’t tell BVB thank you enough. Thank you BVB for coming into my life and making everything fabulous.

Now its time to talk about the amazing concert. SO many things happened their. Many funny, weird, WTF, Heart-touching moments, and awesome moments. Lets get started shall we.

Yesterday started as any normal day for me. Little did I know my life was going to change that night forever. My mom and I drove from my home from Orofino, Idaho to Spokane, WA which is a 2-3 hour drive on max. It was so worth it. My mom and I had to make pit stops along the way. We left early. Got to Spokane fine. Visited my grandma for an hour that lives in Spokane I don’t see her that much. Left early from her place to get to the venue to get a parking spot and pay for parking which was worth it. My mom and I walked into the wrong part of the building of the Knitting Factory almost saw a film. Talking about hilarious. We got directed to the RIGHT building. Shit happens. Go through the line at the concert okay. My mom was having a bit of a cultural shock cause of all the phenomenally dressed BVB army. I would like to say the effort that they put into their looks was perfect. With my extensive education on BVB I knew what everyone’s face painted were all from what BVB Era whether it be from We Stitch These Wounds Era, Set This World on Fire Era, and Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones Era. Congrats to all those who dressed so amazingly. YOU all did a perfect job.

BVB puts on amazing live performances. Their efforts towards everything they do is such a NEED in all things rock and roll. I agree with Alice Cooper and what he said about rock and roll being anemic. We NEED bands like Black Veil Brides, Bullet For My Valentine, Throw The Fight, and Stars in The Stereo, etc to pump the iron in the veins of rock and roll to make it lively again.

BVB I am so fucking proud of you all. YOU really showed them haters what was up last night. Andy you pile drived them even before they had the chance to even flip you all off. HAHA. Way to get to the bull before grabbing its horns. I love your speech about the haters not listening to your music and not having any generalized evidence to back up their claims of their hate. YOU sir have got my full support and love to back your band. I love BVB. I also love your speech about us fans being ourselves and never let some motherfucker take control us plus live our dreams sort of speak. They fact you told us all that BVB loved us. Made me cry so hard. I felt so at home last night. BVB you made my whole life.

PSSTTT Andy with your speech against the haters you shut up three 1986’s haters in the back where I was. They were crossing the arms as you always tell it. I got to experience it. I was like the fuck. It really happened. They didn’t look happy. They look like grumpy cat. LOL Good for you Andy you shut them up before they even got to you and flipped you off. GO ANDY!

CC did his famous CC drum dance last night. I nearly died of laughter. It was epic. He banged the hell out of his drumset during their entire performance.

Jake and Jinxx played the hell out of their guitar’s. Their musical chemistry is banana potato nuts I will tell you. Plus they sang really well too during the gang vocals.

Andy sang with perfect vocalization. His deep voice compliments his singing abilities. I am really pleased with his and his bands performance abilities. I am just wowed by them. I hope many people become fans of them and many of them infamous haters wake up, smell the coffee, and become fans of them cause they are incredible.

BFMV blew my mind as well. I have been a fan of their for nearly a decade. I started liking BFMV music back in 2005 in my Junior High years. I was referred to them through by Atreyu and Avenged Sevenfold. So seeing them for the first time last night was “Bittersweet Memories” when they played all their hits and their new music ranging from ‘P.O.W’, ‘Tears Don’t Fall” which was the last song the crowd chanted for it and we GOT what we chanted for, “Temper,Temper” to “Your Betrayal” which is fucking awesome live, EVERYTHING was epic live. I died and went to heaven 666 times 😉 In reference to BVB playing a cover of “Fiend Club”by the Misfits. I was shocked when BVB played “Perfect Weapon” off of their first CD We Stitch These Wounds. I cherished that moment. Everything BVB played from “Shadows Die”, “Nobody’s Hero”, “Wretched and Divine”, “Perfect Weapon”, “In The End”, and “Fallen Angels”. Everything they played was perfect and well done.

The openers were fantastic too. Throw the Fight and Stars in Stereo did a fantastic job. Congrats to them for doing such a swell job. The lead singer of Throw The Fight really touched me. I would like to say Stay Strong and congrats to him for kicking cancers ass. I may not have cancer but I do have a life threatening disease and also a rare disease also. Keep kicking ass. Plus his shout out to the troops had me tear up cause the recent revelation of my deceased friend/classmate who served in the Air Force. She unfortunately took her life while serving cause the military life was too much for her to handle. So thank you to the lead singer of Throw the Fight for doing so.

I also talked with fellow BVB army members. It was amazing to do so. I cherished the conversations I had with them. One made a homemade “Rebels” vest for 3 dollars. It was amazingly done that I know BVB would be so proud of her in her vest.

Now its time for the get out the tissues section part of my article. I love these two people with all my heart. They were in the disabled section of the venue at the Knitting Factory. One man in his late forties or early fifties was permanently disabled in his move around electric wheelchair. I talked with him a bit. I probably made his day cause I told him he was amazing and to stay strong. He could talk but I barely could not understand what he was saying but I have worked with these type of people before and so I knew how to properly conversate with them. He was having the time of his life which made my whole life that much sweeter. If that does not take the cake there was a 15 year old girl who had a rare disorder that makes her wheelchair bound. Her and I may not have the same rare disorders but the commonality of her and I having rare disease together made me cry inside. I AM HOME. I screamed that in my head. She was such a lovely girl. My mom and I had a lovely short conversation with her dad and her. She is such a strong girl. I wish her the best in life, stay strong, and that she is not alone. Me and her hugged twice. After meeting her and the sweet man. I already was emotional now I am double emotional. These two people are two amazing walks of life. I commend her father unlike my mom for taking me to the show for also taking her to the concert last night as well and letting her live her life outside the disability like I was that night. To anyone who has disability and listens to like minded music. Keep fighting the fight. Stay strong and positive. Keep your head up High. As BVB aptly puts it “Never give in, Never back down.” Yes, “YOU’re all amazing.”

Now its time to talk about the funny and WTF moments. I seen someone dressed up as a psychedelic manitar and an uncle keeping an eye on his niece and her friends with a wig on drunk as hell. Don’t worry he was not gonna drive them home. They were going to walk home because their home was a walking distance away from the venue. Which relieved me. He told my mom and I that he was their to “Fuck their plans up and torture them.” The WTF moment was when this chick with a see through shirt on did not have a bra on underneath. I am all for class and dressing decent to rock shows. Which all of you girls dressed appropriately except that one older lady. The hell. lol. But Jesus ladies put bras on when you go to shows. Even though the world love’s boobies. Even if you are one of those ladies that like’s to give the band their bras. Which in my eye’s to each their own on this one. I do not do cause of my own views but if another person want’s to do do it out of admiration for the band. So be it. This has been done for years in rock and roll where ladies have thrown their panties or bras up on the stage as an incentive to the band. I watch to many documentaries on Vh1 classic about this sort of thing about rock and roll in 80’s. Haha. So ladies if you are old enough to throw your bra up on the stage please bring a “Gag Bra” that’s the one you throw and keep the one you have on, ON. Please and thank you. Cause I saw little “Black Veil Brides Army Members in training” their. Yes their was kiddies their. Just a little thought to all you older ladies. Keep it classy ladies.

I also want to THANK ALL of the people of their hygienic odors last night. THAT was the first ever concert I went to without smelling BO but I did smell some drive by shootings aka walk by farts. EW. Thank all your parents for raising you all well for having good hygiene values.

I did not get to meet any bands. But I did get to meet Jesse Lee, BVB’s merch dude. He was a kind, sweet, and awesome guy. I gave him my “BVB Former Hater Surrender Slip” to him to give to BVB. Which I fangirled so hard for hours on end. Still am right now. BVB deserved that so much. I love them very much. They get so much hate and to have a “BVB Former Hater Surrender Slip” is quite nerve racking to tell you. I also baptized myself with water after BVB’s set to symbolize that I am no longer a hater but a fan of a beautiful band with such a beautiful message.

I vow to never hate them ever again. I also shamed myself there at the show with the sign. HAHA. I had the guts to do it and I raised the sign and waved it in surrender. Best feeling in my life. It was so great to know that the band that gets so much hate has one of their former haters surrendering at one of their shows. Ain’t that neat. I was the one that did that. I will never forget that show. NEVER. I plan on going to more BVB shows in the future. Plus BFMV in the future as well.

The intro to BVB’s set had feels up the ying yang. I can’t tell you how nerve racking it is. Once the lights went out. I said oh fuck here we go. My stomach was in knots plus not feeling well because of my health conditions but I braved the storm anyway and went to the concert. Instead of drinking soda I drank tons of water. Water is good kids. Keeps yeah hydrated. Plus the bands were drinking their water too. Positive output of all the bands live performances. Plus they drank monster instead of alcohol on stage. I knew they were keeping that for after the show. Bands that do that in front of young crowds like that not only win approval ratings in my eyes but positive feedback from the parents as well. THANK you bands for doing that. That was a cool “Sober” observation I saw.

To wrap up this huge article. I am glad knowing that I have buried the BVB former hater I was forever. BVB deserves me as a fan. I am glad I woke up and smelled the coffee sooner rather than later. As one of my BVB friends told me before I went to the show. BVB makes YOUR dreams come true. That for the fact is true in every form. They have directed me in the right path in my life. So all in all have fun with your lives. Life is too short to HATE all the time. Always try something new. Befriend a new buddy who is lonely. Treat others with love, respect, and dignity. Have some potatoes(They kick heart disease right in the ass). Enjoy your life people have it much worse than you in the world. Have a laugh. Blast your music really loud. Follow your dreams. Be yourself. Last but not least don’t forget to tell someone you love, you love them.

BFMV did a phenomenal job performing live I have no words to say about it. It was that phenomenal. 

But BVB playing live in front on me. Was the cherry on top of the banana sundae. Absolutely amazing live. No words can tell you the reader reading this on your computer or on  your mobile device somewhere in the world how beautiful and powerful BVB is live.

I wish these guys nothing but the best in their lives and musical endeavours. They all mean the world to me and to every fan they have touched and helped throughout the world. Music is the key to everything in life. Everything beautiful and natural in life.

So glad I went. I have memories to last a lifetime. So excited to see what my future brings and what it entails. So happy for everything in my life.

I love you all in the BVB army. YOU all mean the world too me. Thank you for being in it now.

BLACK VEIL BRIDES WILL DOMINATE THIS EARTH….BECAUSE..WE SCREAM…WE SHOUT…BECAUSE WE ARE THE FALLEN ANGELS….. BECAUSE…..IN THE END….. WE ARE LEGION….FOR WE ARE MANY…NEVER GIVE IN..NEVER BACK DOWN

PS Knitting Factory why the fuck does your venue with your vents  certain area’s smell like Subway sandwiches. YOU made me extremely hungry for subway. Shame on you for not having Subway for all of us.

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Written by: Mariah L. Hanna

Journalists note: These are my thoughts and words that went on during the BVB/BFMV show that was in Spokane, WA at the Knitting Factory. You may use my words but please use my twitter handle as accreditation if using my words on your own blog. If you don’t. I will track you down. Steal all of the potato made products in your home and give you a ban slip from ever purchasing potato made products ever again. 😉

Copyright @PotatoBVBQueen 10/4/13