Finish Ticket Concert

While listening to Finish Ticket on my drive to Redding, each song that played began to be a complete nostalgic session for me. The memories of a Finish Ticket Concert this past weekend played back in my head. Each song coincided to each band member playing each note from the song I was listening to. This moment brought me back three weeks ago on Sunday, 22 December, 2013, Finish Ticket had their Ugly Sweater Social- Part 1. My sister and I attended this concert and it was amazing. These guys never disappoint. I have attended four concerts that Finish Ticket headlined- two at The Great American Music Hall and one at The Bottom of the Hill, both of which were located in San Francisco. 

For those of you who don’t know Finish Ticket, they’re a local band from Alameda, California. There are five band members: Brendan Hoye (the lead vocalist), Alex Didonato (lead guitarist), Michael Hoye (bass), Gabe Stein (drummer), and Nick Stein (pianist), all of who are very handsome. 

The first time I got to see Finish Ticket perform- and I’m so glad I did- was at Alice’s Summer Thing at the Golden Gate Park in June of 2013. I stood on the left side of the stage with two of my friends, Sandra and Mirian, my sister and her friend, Jasmine. Luckily I was able to see between the heads of the people standing in front of us which was about 15 people deep- and we all had a perfect view of Alex Didonato, who is the lead guitarist. The first time listening to them I felt like I actually found MY band. I fell in love with their music that ever since then, I've become OBSESSED. I felt like this was the band that I would listen to and go to ALL of their concerts.

Three weeks ago, seeing Finish Ticket live again brought back memories of late night outs, laughs, and friendship from other concerts me and my sister went to that Finish Ticket headlined. Finish Ticket was actually my first concert I've been to. Because they sold out, me and my sister were keen to get there early to get a spot in the front row and it payed off. We got there at 4:30 p.m., even though doors don't open until 8:00 p.m.. Since we got there early, we got to see Finish Ticket unpack their equipment from their SUV called, "The Burrito." Over the span of time that I've been following Finish Ticket on social media, they are in love with Mexican food.

Meet "The Burrito" 

(*photo taken in September at The Bottom of the Hill, another location that Finish Ticket performed at.)

While they were unpacking I couldn't help yelling out their names to say, "Hi!" When I did this, they nicely said hi back with a wave. Finally, three hours later, the line went as far as the end of the block and they started letting us in. Once the ticket holder checked me and my sister in, I headed straight to the only space left I could see that was right in front of the stage, which was to the left, just enough space for both my sister and me. After standing for an extra hour, the opening band, French Cassettes took the stage and without a doubt got the crowd warmed up for the main event. 

After French Cassettes were done with their performance, the tech. crew began to change the instruments and set the stage for Finish Ticket which took about 15 minutes. When it looked liked Finish Ticket was about to take the stage, the tension to see them come through the double doors to enter the stage began to build up.

When Finish ticket entered the stage, I lost it, I screamed and at that moment I realized just how much I missed them. It's been four months since I last saw them and for two out of four of their concerts that I've been to, I've gotten to meet them, get their autographs, and take pictures with them. As the concert progressed it just kept getting better. 

Finish Ticket’s music was nothing I've ever heard before; the kind of music that I have been trying to search for, music that I can’t get enough of. Their music was high beat, authentic, and… popin’. I apologize for the horrible use of adjectives because Finish Thicket is so good, that the only way to understand me, is to experience and listen to their music for yourself. Because of Finish Ticket, they have opened up a whole different world of music; because of Finish Ticket they are the reason why I highly encourage local bands. I highly recommend that you check these guys out— TO THE EXTREME. You will not be dissapointed, trust me.
http://finishticket.com/

  

Getting Lost in San Francisco

Ever since I got back from Redding for winter break, I wanted to find a bookstore, a bookstore that wasn't Barnes and Noble. A bookstore that was small, had walls and walls of shelves of books. I was on a mission because I wanted to find a place I could call, "My bookstore that I could retreat to." On this day I was in San Francisco to hang out with some of my friends from high school, but halfway to my dad's work, I got a text saying that the whole hang out session was going to be rescheduled. So I decided to just spend a day in my favorite city in the world. Now because I didn't want to go far from my dad's work at the Palace Hotel, I checked on my phone to see where the closest bookstore was and with no surprise, there was a Barnes and Noble only four blocks away. So I decided to kill time there after I had lunch until my dad got off of work. 

After having lunch at the Dinning Hall, which is where my dad works in the Palace,  I started on my voyage to Barnes and Noble. After about 15 minutes I enter the place where my phones claims to have a B and N, but after taking a 5 minute recon of the place, I couldn't find it. I went to the directory and there is no Barnes and Noble there. I said to myself, "My phone has lied to me!!" I was so confused and I was only on 10% of battery life left in my phone, so I decide to go to the second Barnes and Noble which is a 45 minute walk. I thought to myself  it would be crazy for me to go all the way over there. I still had 6 hours to kill, so I thought, "why not? I guess when I get there I could charge my phone." So I began to follow the directions my phone was telling me and just in case my phone would die, I looked ahead in the directions and tried to memorize the street names and the longest street that I had to walk was almost 12 miles: Columbus Ave. I also started to wonder if my phone was lying to me again and I would have walked 12 miles for nothing, but nonetheless I didn't want to pass up a potential adventure.

Because I was making sure that I was going to right way, I continued to look at the map which cause the battery to drain. I tried my best to restrain myself from turning on my phone, but I started to think that I should go back to my dad's work because I knew it would be awhile until I'd get my phone charged and if my phone died and my dad called, I wouldn't want to worry him. I made a deal with myself that if my phone died, I would turn around and head back to my dad's work. 5 more minutes into the walk I took out my phone to quickly check how much longer until I got to the cross street and before I knew it, my phone dies... (MEGA SAD FACE)

I was only a couple of feet away from the stoplight, so I thought I would cross the street and head my way back on the opposite side of the road. But in that instant my phone died and I began to near the stoplight, I looked to my left and saw the best thing I have seen on Columbus Avenue.

A BOOKSTORE!!!! I was so happy and excited I forgot all about my phone and the possibility that my dad might call to check up on me and because my phone was dead, he wouldn't know where I was, causing him to worry and that was the last thing I wanted on my dad's mind. I told myself that I would have a quick look around and be on my way back to the Palace. But I couldn't help myself, I wanted to stay there until I found a book I wanted to read and, of course, like every girl that goes into a store: I wanted to buy something. I knew as I walked around that bookstore, I HAD to buy a book.

You know how serial killers keep relics or momentums to remember their victims? Well I wanted to do the same for that bookstore. I wanted to buy a book from City Lights Bookstore that reminded me of that place and the adventure that got me there.

It took me about 3 minutes to figure out how the bookstore was organized and after about 20 minutes I found my momentum: "Little Women," by Louisa May Alcott. I have never read this book and I saw this special edition of this book on a YouTube video made my BooksandQuils and I though I would read it, I also really liked the design cover of the book.

After paying for the book, I stepped out of the bookstore and was thrown back into my state of nervousness. All I knew was to walk back down Columbus Avenue until I saw Washington St. which is where the original Barnes and Noble was supposed to be. If my tuition of San Francisco is right, I remember that Mission St. leads directly to the San Francisco Port. In about 15 minutes I got to the Columbus Ave. and Washington St. For some reason I looked out into the distance and saw a building that only looked like my dad's work, so I decided to head in that direction. Throughout this time I had one of my favorite Christian songs stuck in my head, "Oceans," by Hillsong, specifically the lyrics:

"Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my savior".

I was completely willing to get lost because I knew that God was leading me in the right direction. I believe he was using my fear of being lost that once I was safe and back in an area I was familiar with, "my faith will be made stronger." Is that crazy? All the nervousness went away and I know I could have just walked into one of the stores to ask for directions, but I didn't. I kept my eye on the building that only looked like my dad's work and as I got closer I reached Mission St. And I knew once I found Mission St. I could find the Palace Hotel because it was a cross street to New Montgomery, the street where the Palace resided. And the building that looked like my dad's work REALLY was my dad's work. I was mind blown and in awe. I went into the Palace and saw that I could charge my phone there. I sat in one of the fancy chairs that decorated both sides of the lobby and as my phone charged, I sat there reading my new book with only one thought left on my mind: "God lead my feet."