God, Please Save These Troubled States

To start with a summary, it was easily one of the most surreal experiences in my whole life. I liken it to this: Every morning, when I come into the office here at Buzznet, I get myself situated. I turn on my computer, figure out what I want to start listening to, and then go to Buzznet. I usually check all the reported and suggested posts, check my messages, check my comments, and then go through the recently uploaded photos/videos.

It tends to be of the same thing. Fall Out Boy. Ben from Armor For Sleep. My Chemical Romance. HIM. The Academy Is. Some AFI. Lots of self portraits.

Yesterday felt like I was browsing through Buzznet, but in the flesh. Ben Jorgenson kept walking by me. Pete was hanging around. Patrick Stump was there. So were lots of other bands.

Anyway, the oh so wonderful Bonnie invited us Buzznet folks to Pete's new house for a small BBQ/Pool Part/get together. A bunch of the dudes from different Warped bands would be there (since it was the off-day from the tour.)

(For the record, yes, I know where he lives. No, you can't have his address. No, you can't even have clues to the general whereabouts of his house. That's rude, immature, and I'm not going to disrespect him like that.)

So we pull up to his pad and I immediately notice one of Tiger Army's roadies. I decide that this party is going to be 8 bazillion times weirder than I anticipated. We walk through his front door and are greeted with a spectacular view of The Valley (the eastern end, mostly of Burbank) and William Becket says hi to all of us. Nice digs. I turn to my left and sitting at the table are Pete Wentz and Patrick Stump. Yep. It was only slightly awkward for a millisecond until Bonnie barges out of the kitchen and gives hugs to everyone!

We hang out upstairs, gape at the view and I spy the pool. Put me anywhere near a pseudo-clean body of water and I'll want to jump in. I decide it must happen by the end of the night.

We head downstairs to see what else is going on and that's when I meet Ben from Armor For Sleep. Very nice and friendly guy. I also spot Dre from Donnybrook. Certainly not someone I expected to see there at all. He kept to himself and his Sidekick most of the night.

Lizy and I snacked on Honey Wheat Pretzels and hummus for far too long.

I went swimming and played a perverse form of volleyball with Mike and Butcher from The Academy Is...

I had a conversation with Pete Wentz about the Gorilla Biscuits and their upcoming reunion shows.

I think I guaranteed myself an entrance to the premiere of Snakes on a Plane because I met the dude who put together the Snakes On A Plane Soundtrack.

I spoke to Michelle Trachtenberg. Matt from Motion City Soundtrack was there too. Fuck. His hair is nuts.

I saw Nick 13 from Tiger Army hanging out by the pool. Wearing all black. Something in me saw this juxtapostion as entirely hilarious.

I met Nick from Aiden. He's nice. I also met their tour manager.

Lisa from KROQ was there.

I watched Bonnie get trashed and stand on one of Pete's chairs and make a wonderfully hilarious scene, complete with Bob from Crush Management screaming at her to put her pitcher of magarita down.

All in all, it was actually really fun and not awkward. Everyone was quite friendly and I had a lot of great conversations.

Good times.