Bamboozle 2011

April 29, 30 & May 1, 2011 

Meadowlands Stadium, Rutherford NJ

Bamboozle - 3 days of live music, meeting bands and all around rocking out. We lucked out this year in that it didn't rain incredibly hard or for an extended period of time, and while the evenings were chilly, the days were sunny and hot. Meadowlands Stadium parking lot was full to the brim with people ready to hear some good music from both well known and unknown bands and browse killer stands that included the ever popular Electric Zombie clothing line. Bands that I saw included Sleeping With Sirens, Streetlight Manifesto, Taking Back Sunday, The Ready Set, LMFAO, 30 Seconds to Mars and Circa Survive among others. Despite the heat and sometimes irritating people in the crowd it was an awesome weekend full of awesome music.

I want to talk first about Electric Zombie, because while I was at Bamboozle for the music, I was incredibly excited to see designer and clothing line owner, Kyle Crawford out promoting his new summer line. Don’t mind my creeper picture below, but who wouldn’t be drawn into shopping at a stand that looked like that?! 

With a horror and cult pop culture themed repertoire, I instantly fell in love with Electric Zombie – it encompasses all of my favorite things after all. While I was creeping on the stand during the LMFAO show, I got a sneak peak of the new summer line, which was being previewed at the time, and actually met Kyle. He was very nice (and might I add totally cute, since we know I’m a creep and all) and being able to meet the line’s creator made me that more inclined to buy his products. Check them out if you like bright colors, eye catching designs and are in the mood for something a little different.

So now on to the music! I guess I should start by saying that I always have a problem seeing everyone I want to at Bamboozle, because my favorite bands tend to play at the same time – Gaslight Anthem and Taking Back Sunday for instance. But that aside, I love Bamboozle because there are so many things going on at the same time, which gives you the option to be at a concert or getting something signed, while listening to three different things that you’ve never heard before while you’re trying to get where you’re supposed to be. Bamboozle has introduced me to many new bands over the years, and has heightened my awareness for local music, for which I’m thankful. I’m a staunch supporter of Philly local music, so Bamboozle gives me more of the New Jersey (and even beyond) side of things. To name just one, an unsigned band from CT named Brookline Drive approached my friends and I to listen to their CD as we were headed in for the day and gave us a taste of their four part harmony after we’d talked to them for a few minutes. They were great and what made it even better was being able to actually talk to them and get to know them before we bought their CD. There’s almost a sense of community at Bamboozle, and you can get caught up in it if you let yourself.

I also met two bands that I absolutely love – Sleeping With Sirens and New Found Glory. All of the guys were really nice and I happened to be close to the front of the line for both signings (very first in line for SWS). I’m not usually one to have much to say to bands when I meet them, I’m a little prone to nervousness and awkward silences usually ensue but I told Kellin Quinn that they were awesome and that I loved their music, he told me I was awesome. Lame, I know, but I like to think I’m awesome once in a while. The guys from NFG were great too – just really down to earth and seemingly happy to meet everyone.

I’m not going to talk about every concert I saw, just because I feel like it might get boring, but I did want to highlight a couple, just because they were so awesome. Circa Survive is the first – I’ve loved this band for a long time, not only because they’re from my hometown of Doylestown (and I saw them when they played Siren Records) but because Anthony Green is an incredible front man. He actually got down into the area between the barricades and was attempting to crowd surf while still singing, after running around on stage for three songs like a crazy man. I love distinct sounds voices (evident by my love for Sleeping With Sirens’ Kellin Quinn) and Anthony Green certainly has one, and being serenaded while the sun went down wasn’t too bad either. Taking Back Sunday was another great show, and an awesome end to the second night of festivities. Not only did they play the entirety of the album ‘Tell All Your Friends’, but Adam Lazzara actually climbed up the stage scaffolding at the end of the show and hung upside down. You don’t see stuff like that too often, and it’s awesome to know after a whole day of great concerts you can end the night with one of the best. I can’t say that anyone we saw actually sounded bad, which is a great thing in my book, because we all know there are just some bands who don’t sound incredibly good live.

Part of loving Bamboozle is realizing that a lot of the bands who were featured, played ‘Boozle when they were first starting out, and have played the festival many times. There’s a sort of nostalgia for some of them and it really comes through in fantastic performances. I’ll go again next year just as I have for the past few years, expecting more of the same – great artists and great music. To see some of the pictures I took, go to my Flickr! On a final note, since I didn’t talk about all of the bands I saw, I do want to recommend that all of you check out any of the aforementioned artists, because they’re awesome.

- RIOT! (aka Morgan)