When the Starland Ballroom sells out a show, you know it's going to be packed up the ass. I found a spot at the back of the main floor and hopped up on one of the raised platforms so that I could get a decent view of the stage. Being short sucks.
Moments in Grace took the stage first. I wouldn't say that they were horrible but they didn't give the most memorable performance ever. I'm not familiar with their stuff but they seemed to put a fair amount of heart and energy into their set.
Vaux was next. I was excited to see them because I had caught them at Warped '03. They're awesome live and they even got some good pits going by the end of their set. I love these club shows- there's something special about when the lead singer of a band heads over to the merch table after his set is done to sell T shirts.
When Vaux was done the folks at the Ballroom put the lights back on and showed some cool footage of motorcycles wiping out. That occupied us while Poison the Well set up. I'm not the hugest PTW fan and I know they get some nasty pits, so, being a tiny short person, I got the hell off the floor and watched their set from the stairs at the back. They're awesome and getting a crowd riled up, and the one song I recognized was awesome.
When PTW was finished with their set, I as really happy because I had sat through these 3 bands so that I could see my heroes in person. Thrice opened with Silhouette- some people complained about their choice of song later, but I loved it. The energy in the crowd was amazing and we threw it down hard for them. I don't have the set list, but I remember they played Where Idols Once Stood, In Years to Come, The Artist in the Ambulance, to Awake and Avenge the Dead, and Don't Tell and We Won't Ask. They were perfect- everything about the way they played was amazing, from Dustin's vocals to Eddie's hair, and at the end of the night when I was standing out in the (cold) parking lot covered in other people's sweat, it was the happiest I had ever been in my entire life.
If you're a fan of Thrice and haven't seen them live yet, GET TICKETS (although if you plan on pitting, you might want to wait until the Dashboard tour is over).