... at 10 High. 9 November 2003, Jackson's first tour ... when they were also still called Jackson, without the United on the end.

Photographs:
blurry Cary
not blurry Cary!
Chris the frontman
Chris again
arty pic of Chris' guitar
Doug!
Doug again
the "Chris Shiflett signature series" guitar
blurry Shifletts
Chris and Cary
Chris and Scott -- the inspiration for SIN.com's banner
sorry i cut off half your face, Doug!
Jackson minus Scott
Scott!
another one of Scott!
the setlist!!

warning: these are excerpted ramblings from my livejournal. and yes i realize my writing ability has gotten worse since the 2001 Warped Tour. hah.

so anyway, after driving around in circles 800 times, i got to the place. i went in and got a beer because otherwise i wouldn't have been able to face a table of Shifletts and Cary (who is so cute i just want to pinch his cheeks). one at a time maybe, but not all three.

I went over to the table they were sitting at and reading magazines, and told Chris i had some messages from the board for him, how he has to meet Tania in Buffalo and i gave him his custom made guitar, and they were highly amused by it. Chris asked how to turn it on and i told him how i took the batteries out because i figured they didn't want to hear that in the van all night and all day, then i told them i made them cookies and they really enjoyed that. Doug sauntered up and gave me a hifive for that.

i somehow had a conversation about the following with Chris: how i ended up in Milwaukee, the nearest big cities to Knoxville -- including Birmingham, and of course my buttons. 'i've got a button for you downstairs' - Chris. thus began the all night long fascination with my buttons.

keep in mind i got there about 7.30, so there wasn't much to do. well Cary got up and went to do something, so Scott asked if i wanted to sit down, so i did and started looking at one of the magazines. well then Scott got up to start playing a game with Cary. Chris and i were both wearing red and at one point Scott came up and was like 'did you two plan this?' and we were like, 'huh?' and he pointed out the red shirts, haha.

well Chris went to head downstairs and thanked me for the cookies again. i didn't want to sit at the table alone so i went over to where Scott and Cary were playing the video game. it was one of those space shooting games, atari style, right? well they would each do a crazy dance every time they almost got shot and died, but didn't realize they were doing it. Scott started having a conversation with me how it looked like (because we didn't see anyone go downstairs) i was going to be the only one there. 'after we're done with a song, and you clap, if you want to, we'll say having a good time ... sarah?' - Scott. haha.

Scott went out to the van and i followed Cary downstairs, but the door guy stopped me and was like 'so i guess you're on the guest list?' me: 'uh no, i just showed up' so i paid him. well when i got downstairs Cary was like 'did they make you pay?' and i said yeah, but i didn't mind, because they probably need gas money or whatever. well about two minutes later Cary came back with a $5 bill for me.

Doug came up and declared he was going to look at every button on my purse. which he did. then he asked if i wanted him to put the Jackson button on there and i said why not. *g* (side note: I actually lost that button not long after I went to that show. sad times, I tell you.)

Chris started videotaping Patrick the merch guy -- then turned the camera on me, saying how i drove all the way from Knoxville. Scott (i think, but can't be positive) told Chris he had to dedicate a song to me because he owed that much and Chris said he owed me his life (for some reason), and i said 'now, i wouldn't go that far!'

Chris started disco dancing for some unknown reason.

well after a local band, Jackson got on stage. Chris kept saying how this was the best show of the tour. keep in mind it was only their third show on the tour. he dedicated "A Better Life" to 'my friend Sarah who drove all the way down from Knoxville' haha.

during 'Here Comes Hollow' Chris broke a string so he just did singing duties for a bit.

i got a tshirt (the green one) and Patrick gave me a sticker too.

the door dude came over and started talking to me about Knoxville, saying his brother went to school there.

I went over to Scott, who pinched my cheek (i've never had anybody do that before and boy was it cute) and i asked if i could get a picture with them all. after it took Scott 5 minutes to round everybody up, Patrick snapped a picture.

everyone scattered again but i think i hugged Scott, and he said to drive safely, listen to metal NOT emo, and pull over and take a nap if i had to. then i went over to Chris and he gave me hug and said pretty much the same thing minus the metal NOT emo part. *g*

i waved bye to Cary and Doug and Patrick #23421235444433 and that, my friends, was a good night.