22 February, 2011

Now that my blog is officially open

Let me tell you why I decided to call my blog “the Domino Effect”. Actually the reason is very simple. No, it isn’t because I love playing with dominoes during my free time, I don’t think I can recall the last time I played with dominoes!

I was pondering about a name for the blog and I couldn’t find anything. A lot of people use their nickname or a thing they really like at the moment, but I wanted something that could last for a long time. If I used a nickname, chances are in a few years I wouldn’t use that nickname, same goes for a thing I like right now…people change and so do interests. Also, I could have used something related to Korea, but then I don’t want to blog only about my experience there (you'll notice my heading!). So…

I thought about my name, Dominique…then I heard my high school friend calling me “domino” from a far away memory. That friend was the only one allowed to call me domino because I didn’t like it and it was also our private joke. In Korea, you say domino, people reply “domino pizza” instantly T__T But then, I thought of the domino effect and felt that it really reflects my life, in a positive way. The same way dominoes fall on each other, my life has been a series of event that followed each other. Each event lead to another in ways I never imagined.

I guess everyone’s life is like a series of dominoes…also, everyone’s life also affect the people around them. So it’s a big metaphor that gave me this blog title idea, plus my name is similar and on top of all it allows me to write about anything I want (hahaha *evil laugh*)

I’m going to be busy during the next weeks, but I’ll try to keep on writing, because I really need to get this blog going!

15 February, 2011

A Finnish Tradition in the Middle of Montréal?

It seems as if it is impossible to get away from stress in a big city, but in the old port of Montréal, the Scandinavian Baths provide a relaxing atmosphere that also has positive effects on your health. A zen experience that comes with a price.

Last Christmas I got many gift certificates. Amongst them, there was one for the Scandinavian baths in the old port of Montréal which allowed me to access the baths once from Monday to Friday. I had no idea there was such a place in the city until I heard about it at my job but was delighted to have the chance to relax for a while. The Montréal branch is actually well situated (71 de la Commune, West) and is easily accessible with bus 55 or from the metro Place d’Armes (about a 10 minutes walk from the station). It wasn’t my first time with this kind of spa, as I’ve been to one here in Québec a few years ago and went about five times to hot springs in Japan.

On a Tuesday, after work, I waited for the bus for 30 minutes until my frozen butt told me to take another type of public transportation. Needless to say I was very eager to enter the hot water and unfreeze my muscles. The whole public transportation trouble(oh, STM) made me kind of angry so I needed those baths even more!

The entrance is impeccable. The decoration is sober and the little new age music already puts you in the mood. The employees will welcome you with courtesy and will take the time to explain everything to you if it is your first time. They even have a little map of the place and a miniature locker to show you how to use your key. Plus, you are provided with a bath robe and two towels. All those little details are what make a difference at the end of the day.

Then you enter the locker rooms. Again, spotless. You have blow dryers on the counter, shampoo in the showers and inside the lockers there is a little basket where you can put your jewellery. After taking a quick shower, I entered the bath area, with my bathing suit on of course…this is not Japan!

To benefit from the baths, here is what you are supposed to do: first, choose between the hot bath, the eucalyptus steam bath or the Finnish sauna. Stay there for 10 to 15 minutes. Second, rinse yourself with cold, ice cold water. You can either immerse yourself in the cold bath or go under the cold shower. Third, rest for about 15 minutes. Repeat as many times as you want.

Of course I tried them all, and here is what I thought of it:

Hot and cold bath
Hot and cold bath

Hot bath: I thought it was okay. It is a bit like a big jacuzzi and the waterfall makes a relaxing noise. The bath is big enough and quite deep. Personally though, I thought it wasn’t hot enough. Maybe you shouldn’t take my word for it because I really like hot hot baths. Still, when comparing with Japanese hot springs this felt just okay. Since I am not here to bathe but to sweat, I think the water should be hotter. Also, I always feel weird being in hot water with my bathing suit on. I’m ready to let go of this part because this is a mixed bath and even between people of the same gender, people in North America aren’t really comfortable with being naked with others. I also think that a bath like this is more enjoyable when it is outside, but since it’s in the city, I understand why they had no choice but to keep it inside. Even if they had space on the rooftop or elsewhere outside, in the summer the old port gets so busy the noise would disturb the tranquility of the bath. In the end, I only went to the bath once.

Eucalyptus Steam Bath: This one was my favourite. It is round and made of tiles with three levels on which you can sit or lie down. When you first go in, you feel like you’ll suffocate but that is only temporary. The best thing is to relax and take deep breath. The smell of eucalyptus is very soothing and the warmth becomes so comfortable that all your muscles relax. I also felt all this sweat coming out of my pores, not in a disgusting way of course, it was just refreshing. In the end of the night, I went there the most.

Finnish Sauna Finnish Sauna

Finnish Sauna: This is the more traditional type of sauna. It is dry, 90C…basically it’s just hot. I always have a hard time staying in these types of saunas for more than 5 minutes. Maybe if I went more often I would get used to it but right now it is a bit too much for me. I get dizzy quickly. Still, the feeling and the smell of the warm wood is different from the other sauna and brings you back to nature.

Cold bath or shower: This step is painful to go through, although apparently it becomes very addictive. The first time I did it I just quickly stepped out of the shower, so it didn’t have much effect on my body. I also tried to go into the cold bath, but as it felt like a hundred needles going through my skin, I just stuck to the showers. I became more used to the shock of the cold water and started slowly counting to 5 every time I got under the water. After that, you really feel the difference in your muscles. Even if it is painful, try to go through it!

Relaxation zone Relaxation Zone

Relaxation zone: There are two spaces made for you to rest after the hot/cold therapy. There is a common area where you are allowed to chit chat, in a low voice of course, with whoever you came with. You can also buy fresh juice at the juice bar. I didn’t like the fact that the prices weren’t posted for the juices and that you get to know the price when you pay at the end, so I didn’t order any. My guess was: if it’s not written, it MUST be expensive. There is water and tea for free on the juice bar. It is important to stay hydrated during the whole process by drinking a lot of water or tea. You can also go to the zero stress room, which is supposed to be a complete silent room…but of course there is always someone to talk loud and not respect the rules! I think the light for this room could even be lower. I went there most of the time and sat down in the big beanie bags/chairs, closing my eyes, relaxing. At some point I almost felt asleep.

***

The fees are not cheap. For the access to the baths only, it is 54$+tax, but it is pretty common for a place like this in Canada. Plus, since it is in the middle of the city, you pay for the rareness and the appeal of the old port. I also talked to my friend about it and I came to the conclusion that if it was cheaper, then more people would come and it wouldn’t be peaceful. So you’re also paying for peace and quiet. You can also get a massage, but then the price goes over 100$ (you get a massage and full access to the baths). I think it can make a great gift for a friend or for yourself, but make sure you have a lot of time, because if you spend only one hour, you’ll regret spending all that money.

I noticed from the website that Scandinavian Baths are also located in Mont Tremblant in Québec, but also in Blue Mountain in Ontario and Whistler in BC. These three other spas are in the mountains so they look extremely gorgeous and some of them are even cheaper than the one in Montréal (but of course you have to drive all the way there!). I would love to try one of these one days, because I just love taking a hot bath surrounded by snow.

All pictures belong to www.scandinave.com

10 February, 2011

Linkin Park in Montreal – A Thousand Suns Tour

Last Monday February 7th we were a little more than 13 000 fans of the nu metal band to fill the Bell Centre in downtown Montreal. Having bought my tickets more than two months before the concert, I was pretty excited to see one of my favourite band on stage for the second time. They did not disappoint the fan in me.

linkin-park-4

The evening all started with a glass of beer at a Korean restaurant/bar not too far from the Bell Centre. I had planned to meet my sister there and as I work downtown and she doesn’t, I waited while chatting with the restaurant owner. Diner was awesome and my sister and I were chatting about how excited we were to see the concert. Actually, my sister didn’t really plan to go with me to the show before I told her in the beginning of the winter that I had no one to go with. She then offered to go with me and asked me to lend her the Linkin Park albums, as she had only heard the widely commercialized songs. After only a few week, she texted me saying that she was now addicted and couldn’t wait for the concert. Perfect!

Convinced that the concert was starting at 8pm, we took our time until I decided to check the tickets tucked in my purse to see what our seat numbers were. Then I saw the time written on the ticket: 7pm. OH MY GOD! It was 6:55pm and we were about to miss the beginning of the show. We paid as quickly as possible and jogged to the Bell Centre but as we got closer, we saw many people still getting in and started to slow our pace down. It’s when we got inside that we relaxed: the first part was going to last for an hour and a half…

I’m curious as to why first halves have to be so long. Has the band just not arrived yet? Is it to allow people to come slowly in the concert hall and avoid traffic? Although it is good for other bands promotion, I must say that when you’ve been sitting there for an hour and a half waiting for the REAL show to start, the most talented singer could be on stage and no one would care. Furthermore, I was so scared that the show would start while I was gone that I didn’t dare going to the bathroom before the show started. I felt bad for the first part groups, because the crowd’s response was really pitiful, but we were obviously keeping our energy for LP.

Finally, around 8:45pm (!!!) the show started. When the whole concert hall turned to black, the crowd suddenly came to life. The screams we gave for the first part groups were tripled. My sister and I automatically stood up from our terrible 222 section seats (first balcony) and didn’t plan on sitting for the whole show. Unfortunately,  most people around us sat for the whole show, as if they were at the movie theatre. Never mind them, I wasn’t going to restrain myself from screaming, jumping and singing along because I was sitting way back!

As soon as the first notes of The Requiem started, I got all excited like a kid on Christmas. I was expecting this opening since in 2007, at the Minutes to Midnight tour they started with Wake, which is also an intro instrumental piece on their 3rd album. Then they went on with Faint which got the crowd going crazy. It’s interesting how in 2007 when I saw them in Seoul, South Korea, they ended with this very song. Kind of a full circle moment.

The group  went on with Lying from you, also from the album Meteora. As the crowd was now heated up with these two first well known songs, the heavy guitar of Given up started and Chester screamed his lungs out. I adore this song because it is so strong and really relieves stress (and probably causes some to elderly people :P)

From LPliveTV Youtube Channel

After that, to calm the crowd and Chester’s voice, they played What I’ve done and I have to admit that at first I mistook it for The Catalyst. Shame on me. Keeping up with the Minutes to Midnight album, the first guitar notes of No more sorrow started and the crowd clapped, off beat at first, but we soon figured it out. Most of us recognized the melody (except of course the people who only know the songs from the first album, I’ll rant about that later). From the inside followed and had the crowd singing at the chorus.

Jornada Del Muerto, a transition track from the Thousand Suns album came on and Shinoda sang the Japanese lyrics live. What is interesting is that the song title is in Spanish and means “Journey of the dead man” but the lyrics are in Japanese and basically saying “Raise up, liberate” again and again. The song transitioned to Waiting for the end which includes a lot of Shinoda’s raps. The group then played Blackout, but the crowd wasn’t as excited as when Numb started. Even the boring people in my section stood up to cheer on.

Radiance, another transition track set the tone for Iridescent, a mid-tempo song with very inspiring lyrics. Unfortunately, not a lot of people seemed to know the lyrics…I thought this would be an awesome moment in the show, it wasn’t bad, but if we all sang it together, I would have had chills. Still, most of us took out our lighters or phones, so the crowd became like a sea of lights. This got us a “You guys are beautiful” from Chester. After Fallout, it was time for The Catalyst which again, just a few people knew. The lyrics :

God bless us everyone
We're a broken people living under loaded gun
And it can't be outfought
It can't be outdone
It can't out matched
It can't be outrun
No

These were definitely meant to be sang in unison, maybe in a few years when more people will have listened to the 4th album more. Shadow of the day came on, and that’s when voices in unison came on. It was quite beautiful to listen to. Then, these famous piano notes were heard:

From LPliveTV Youtube Channel

Just a few people were still sitting and most were shouting the lyrics of the song that got the band famous back in 2001. In the end can now officially be called a classic. For me this song reminds me of so many things: my last year of high school, my first serious boyfriend, 9/11 and a lot of basement parties! I am convinced it is the same for a lot of people.

The show had already been going on for a little more than an hour but it felt like it had just started. The band didn’t rest and went on with Bleed it out and this is when the mosh pit started to act like one (they had been very calm up until then!) The melody of the song kept on going on but Shinoda started rapping the lyrics from A place from my head getting everybody to scream: “You, try to take the best of me GO AWAY”. Again, another epic moment. Linkin Park then left the stage, to make us believe that the show was over, but none of us thought it was actually over as we didn’t even have to beg for an encore more than two minutes. (Does any crowd still believe in fake endings of shows anymore?)

Of course the group came back and they fulfilled one of my wishes: they played When they come for me, a song from their newest album that has a lot of percussions and electronic sounds. Also the “Try to catch up mother f****” line is a personal favourite of mine.

From LPliveTV Youtube Channel

When I was at the show I thought people didn’t sing along, but when I watch those videos I realize that many actually were(some off tune, but who cares). Followed Papercut and New Divide. Most people recognized the latter which surprised me. I guess it got popular because of the movie Transformers which came out when I was in Korea and there, rock music doesn’t really play often on radio so I didn’t think it was a popular song. The crowd cheered a lot and so did I. At that point I really thought the show was going to last another two hours!

The show ended on a high with Crawling and One step closer and even if we didn’t know that it was the end, I think we all reached our craziest at the last song. It was an awesome song on which to end the show because it all left us on a high of adrenaline.

From LPliveTV Youtube Channel

I am convinced if you remove the music and just show our faces, we all look possessed by the devil or something. Jokes aside, it was extremely liberating. Actually it was so much fun that when it ended everybody got surprised and thought it ended abruptly. After the show, when waiting for the subway, a couple who had been in the first row told me that before singing One step closer the guys said it would be their last song. In the back I never heard that so I was expecting them to come back on stage. But they didn’t…I will have to wait another 4 years or more before I can see them again!

In all, the concert was awesome there is no denying. If some people were disappointed by the format of the show, meaning one song after the other with no chit chatting by the band members, I myself wasn’t surprised as it was the same format in 2007 when I saw them in Seoul. Back then, I just thought they didn’t talk to the crowd because of the language barrier, but no, they did the same in Montreal. I’m alright with that, I mean, I didn’t pay to hear them tell us how our city is the best (which all bands say in every city) but I think saying a few words is always welcomed. On the other hand, some singers tend to talk way too much between their songs and that can become annoying too. I guess Linkin Park isn’t into small talk and prefers delivering their songs.

Also, I must say that this time the show didn’t have a “moment”. Maybe it is because I’m a girl and I like touching moments, but back at the Minutes to Midnight tour, the show had two very strong moments (at least for me). First was when Shinoda  played Pushing me away on the piano. It was magnificent.

Seoul November 30th, 2007 - From yuni1992 Youtube Channel

Second, The little things give you away. This song only had the power to give me chills and when performed live it hypnotized the whole crowd. I think maybe I would have had this “moment” if I had been in the standing section like I did back in 2007, but I was sitting very far this time. After comparing both, I prefer the standing section, even with the mosh pit. Actually, it seems like Linkin Park’s fans are getting older and the mosh pit isn’t as crazy as it used to be. So next time I’ll try to be in the front if possible! (I got my glasses stamped on the nose last time, resulted in minor bleeding)

Now, time for a short and sweet rant. Why, oh why, would you pay almost 100$ to see a band you don’t really know about? Why do you look at people funny when they scream at a rock concert? Pheeww….But actually, my section wasn’t that bad: there was a guy at the end of my row that knew all the songs and was rocking to the music the whole time, I wish to marry him teehee.

So to sum up, it was a real Linkin Park experience and also the first arena concert I saw in Montreal in my entire life. I feel lucky that I got to see them, because only 2 days after the Montreal show, Linkin Park announced that they would have to cancel two shows in the States because Chester has come down with something and can’t sing. Hope he gets better.

I’ll be there at the next concert! How many years later will it be….

09 February, 2011

Getting there

Hi there, I guess starting a blog isn’t as easy as I thought but after all the preparations are finished, then it will be up and running! I have to thanks miss shmuberry who is working on the layout (with the html and all) and she’s helping a lot. You can visit her blog at http://www.shmuberry.com/ 

I’m coming soon!!

22 February, 2011

Now that my blog is officially open

Let me tell you why I decided to call my blog “the Domino Effect”. Actually the reason is very simple. No, it isn’t because I love playing with dominoes during my free time, I don’t think I can recall the last time I played with dominoes!

I was pondering about a name for the blog and I couldn’t find anything. A lot of people use their nickname or a thing they really like at the moment, but I wanted something that could last for a long time. If I used a nickname, chances are in a few years I wouldn’t use that nickname, same goes for a thing I like right now…people change and so do interests. Also, I could have used something related to Korea, but then I don’t want to blog only about my experience there (you'll notice my heading!). So…

I thought about my name, Dominique…then I heard my high school friend calling me “domino” from a far away memory. That friend was the only one allowed to call me domino because I didn’t like it and it was also our private joke. In Korea, you say domino, people reply “domino pizza” instantly T__T But then, I thought of the domino effect and felt that it really reflects my life, in a positive way. The same way dominoes fall on each other, my life has been a series of event that followed each other. Each event lead to another in ways I never imagined.

I guess everyone’s life is like a series of dominoes…also, everyone’s life also affect the people around them. So it’s a big metaphor that gave me this blog title idea, plus my name is similar and on top of all it allows me to write about anything I want (hahaha *evil laugh*)

I’m going to be busy during the next weeks, but I’ll try to keep on writing, because I really need to get this blog going!

15 February, 2011

A Finnish Tradition in the Middle of Montréal?

It seems as if it is impossible to get away from stress in a big city, but in the old port of Montréal, the Scandinavian Baths provide a relaxing atmosphere that also has positive effects on your health. A zen experience that comes with a price.

Last Christmas I got many gift certificates. Amongst them, there was one for the Scandinavian baths in the old port of Montréal which allowed me to access the baths once from Monday to Friday. I had no idea there was such a place in the city until I heard about it at my job but was delighted to have the chance to relax for a while. The Montréal branch is actually well situated (71 de la Commune, West) and is easily accessible with bus 55 or from the metro Place d’Armes (about a 10 minutes walk from the station). It wasn’t my first time with this kind of spa, as I’ve been to one here in Québec a few years ago and went about five times to hot springs in Japan.

On a Tuesday, after work, I waited for the bus for 30 minutes until my frozen butt told me to take another type of public transportation. Needless to say I was very eager to enter the hot water and unfreeze my muscles. The whole public transportation trouble(oh, STM) made me kind of angry so I needed those baths even more!

The entrance is impeccable. The decoration is sober and the little new age music already puts you in the mood. The employees will welcome you with courtesy and will take the time to explain everything to you if it is your first time. They even have a little map of the place and a miniature locker to show you how to use your key. Plus, you are provided with a bath robe and two towels. All those little details are what make a difference at the end of the day.

Then you enter the locker rooms. Again, spotless. You have blow dryers on the counter, shampoo in the showers and inside the lockers there is a little basket where you can put your jewellery. After taking a quick shower, I entered the bath area, with my bathing suit on of course…this is not Japan!

To benefit from the baths, here is what you are supposed to do: first, choose between the hot bath, the eucalyptus steam bath or the Finnish sauna. Stay there for 10 to 15 minutes. Second, rinse yourself with cold, ice cold water. You can either immerse yourself in the cold bath or go under the cold shower. Third, rest for about 15 minutes. Repeat as many times as you want.

Of course I tried them all, and here is what I thought of it:

Hot and cold bath
Hot and cold bath

Hot bath: I thought it was okay. It is a bit like a big jacuzzi and the waterfall makes a relaxing noise. The bath is big enough and quite deep. Personally though, I thought it wasn’t hot enough. Maybe you shouldn’t take my word for it because I really like hot hot baths. Still, when comparing with Japanese hot springs this felt just okay. Since I am not here to bathe but to sweat, I think the water should be hotter. Also, I always feel weird being in hot water with my bathing suit on. I’m ready to let go of this part because this is a mixed bath and even between people of the same gender, people in North America aren’t really comfortable with being naked with others. I also think that a bath like this is more enjoyable when it is outside, but since it’s in the city, I understand why they had no choice but to keep it inside. Even if they had space on the rooftop or elsewhere outside, in the summer the old port gets so busy the noise would disturb the tranquility of the bath. In the end, I only went to the bath once.

Eucalyptus Steam Bath: This one was my favourite. It is round and made of tiles with three levels on which you can sit or lie down. When you first go in, you feel like you’ll suffocate but that is only temporary. The best thing is to relax and take deep breath. The smell of eucalyptus is very soothing and the warmth becomes so comfortable that all your muscles relax. I also felt all this sweat coming out of my pores, not in a disgusting way of course, it was just refreshing. In the end of the night, I went there the most.

Finnish Sauna Finnish Sauna

Finnish Sauna: This is the more traditional type of sauna. It is dry, 90C…basically it’s just hot. I always have a hard time staying in these types of saunas for more than 5 minutes. Maybe if I went more often I would get used to it but right now it is a bit too much for me. I get dizzy quickly. Still, the feeling and the smell of the warm wood is different from the other sauna and brings you back to nature.

Cold bath or shower: This step is painful to go through, although apparently it becomes very addictive. The first time I did it I just quickly stepped out of the shower, so it didn’t have much effect on my body. I also tried to go into the cold bath, but as it felt like a hundred needles going through my skin, I just stuck to the showers. I became more used to the shock of the cold water and started slowly counting to 5 every time I got under the water. After that, you really feel the difference in your muscles. Even if it is painful, try to go through it!

Relaxation zone Relaxation Zone

Relaxation zone: There are two spaces made for you to rest after the hot/cold therapy. There is a common area where you are allowed to chit chat, in a low voice of course, with whoever you came with. You can also buy fresh juice at the juice bar. I didn’t like the fact that the prices weren’t posted for the juices and that you get to know the price when you pay at the end, so I didn’t order any. My guess was: if it’s not written, it MUST be expensive. There is water and tea for free on the juice bar. It is important to stay hydrated during the whole process by drinking a lot of water or tea. You can also go to the zero stress room, which is supposed to be a complete silent room…but of course there is always someone to talk loud and not respect the rules! I think the light for this room could even be lower. I went there most of the time and sat down in the big beanie bags/chairs, closing my eyes, relaxing. At some point I almost felt asleep.

***

The fees are not cheap. For the access to the baths only, it is 54$+tax, but it is pretty common for a place like this in Canada. Plus, since it is in the middle of the city, you pay for the rareness and the appeal of the old port. I also talked to my friend about it and I came to the conclusion that if it was cheaper, then more people would come and it wouldn’t be peaceful. So you’re also paying for peace and quiet. You can also get a massage, but then the price goes over 100$ (you get a massage and full access to the baths). I think it can make a great gift for a friend or for yourself, but make sure you have a lot of time, because if you spend only one hour, you’ll regret spending all that money.

I noticed from the website that Scandinavian Baths are also located in Mont Tremblant in Québec, but also in Blue Mountain in Ontario and Whistler in BC. These three other spas are in the mountains so they look extremely gorgeous and some of them are even cheaper than the one in Montréal (but of course you have to drive all the way there!). I would love to try one of these one days, because I just love taking a hot bath surrounded by snow.

All pictures belong to www.scandinave.com

10 February, 2011

Linkin Park in Montreal – A Thousand Suns Tour

Last Monday February 7th we were a little more than 13 000 fans of the nu metal band to fill the Bell Centre in downtown Montreal. Having bought my tickets more than two months before the concert, I was pretty excited to see one of my favourite band on stage for the second time. They did not disappoint the fan in me.

linkin-park-4

The evening all started with a glass of beer at a Korean restaurant/bar not too far from the Bell Centre. I had planned to meet my sister there and as I work downtown and she doesn’t, I waited while chatting with the restaurant owner. Diner was awesome and my sister and I were chatting about how excited we were to see the concert. Actually, my sister didn’t really plan to go with me to the show before I told her in the beginning of the winter that I had no one to go with. She then offered to go with me and asked me to lend her the Linkin Park albums, as she had only heard the widely commercialized songs. After only a few week, she texted me saying that she was now addicted and couldn’t wait for the concert. Perfect!

Convinced that the concert was starting at 8pm, we took our time until I decided to check the tickets tucked in my purse to see what our seat numbers were. Then I saw the time written on the ticket: 7pm. OH MY GOD! It was 6:55pm and we were about to miss the beginning of the show. We paid as quickly as possible and jogged to the Bell Centre but as we got closer, we saw many people still getting in and started to slow our pace down. It’s when we got inside that we relaxed: the first part was going to last for an hour and a half…

I’m curious as to why first halves have to be so long. Has the band just not arrived yet? Is it to allow people to come slowly in the concert hall and avoid traffic? Although it is good for other bands promotion, I must say that when you’ve been sitting there for an hour and a half waiting for the REAL show to start, the most talented singer could be on stage and no one would care. Furthermore, I was so scared that the show would start while I was gone that I didn’t dare going to the bathroom before the show started. I felt bad for the first part groups, because the crowd’s response was really pitiful, but we were obviously keeping our energy for LP.

Finally, around 8:45pm (!!!) the show started. When the whole concert hall turned to black, the crowd suddenly came to life. The screams we gave for the first part groups were tripled. My sister and I automatically stood up from our terrible 222 section seats (first balcony) and didn’t plan on sitting for the whole show. Unfortunately,  most people around us sat for the whole show, as if they were at the movie theatre. Never mind them, I wasn’t going to restrain myself from screaming, jumping and singing along because I was sitting way back!

As soon as the first notes of The Requiem started, I got all excited like a kid on Christmas. I was expecting this opening since in 2007, at the Minutes to Midnight tour they started with Wake, which is also an intro instrumental piece on their 3rd album. Then they went on with Faint which got the crowd going crazy. It’s interesting how in 2007 when I saw them in Seoul, South Korea, they ended with this very song. Kind of a full circle moment.

The group  went on with Lying from you, also from the album Meteora. As the crowd was now heated up with these two first well known songs, the heavy guitar of Given up started and Chester screamed his lungs out. I adore this song because it is so strong and really relieves stress (and probably causes some to elderly people :P)

From LPliveTV Youtube Channel

After that, to calm the crowd and Chester’s voice, they played What I’ve done and I have to admit that at first I mistook it for The Catalyst. Shame on me. Keeping up with the Minutes to Midnight album, the first guitar notes of No more sorrow started and the crowd clapped, off beat at first, but we soon figured it out. Most of us recognized the melody (except of course the people who only know the songs from the first album, I’ll rant about that later). From the inside followed and had the crowd singing at the chorus.

Jornada Del Muerto, a transition track from the Thousand Suns album came on and Shinoda sang the Japanese lyrics live. What is interesting is that the song title is in Spanish and means “Journey of the dead man” but the lyrics are in Japanese and basically saying “Raise up, liberate” again and again. The song transitioned to Waiting for the end which includes a lot of Shinoda’s raps. The group then played Blackout, but the crowd wasn’t as excited as when Numb started. Even the boring people in my section stood up to cheer on.

Radiance, another transition track set the tone for Iridescent, a mid-tempo song with very inspiring lyrics. Unfortunately, not a lot of people seemed to know the lyrics…I thought this would be an awesome moment in the show, it wasn’t bad, but if we all sang it together, I would have had chills. Still, most of us took out our lighters or phones, so the crowd became like a sea of lights. This got us a “You guys are beautiful” from Chester. After Fallout, it was time for The Catalyst which again, just a few people knew. The lyrics :

God bless us everyone
We're a broken people living under loaded gun
And it can't be outfought
It can't be outdone
It can't out matched
It can't be outrun
No

These were definitely meant to be sang in unison, maybe in a few years when more people will have listened to the 4th album more. Shadow of the day came on, and that’s when voices in unison came on. It was quite beautiful to listen to. Then, these famous piano notes were heard:

From LPliveTV Youtube Channel

Just a few people were still sitting and most were shouting the lyrics of the song that got the band famous back in 2001. In the end can now officially be called a classic. For me this song reminds me of so many things: my last year of high school, my first serious boyfriend, 9/11 and a lot of basement parties! I am convinced it is the same for a lot of people.

The show had already been going on for a little more than an hour but it felt like it had just started. The band didn’t rest and went on with Bleed it out and this is when the mosh pit started to act like one (they had been very calm up until then!) The melody of the song kept on going on but Shinoda started rapping the lyrics from A place from my head getting everybody to scream: “You, try to take the best of me GO AWAY”. Again, another epic moment. Linkin Park then left the stage, to make us believe that the show was over, but none of us thought it was actually over as we didn’t even have to beg for an encore more than two minutes. (Does any crowd still believe in fake endings of shows anymore?)

Of course the group came back and they fulfilled one of my wishes: they played When they come for me, a song from their newest album that has a lot of percussions and electronic sounds. Also the “Try to catch up mother f****” line is a personal favourite of mine.

From LPliveTV Youtube Channel

When I was at the show I thought people didn’t sing along, but when I watch those videos I realize that many actually were(some off tune, but who cares). Followed Papercut and New Divide. Most people recognized the latter which surprised me. I guess it got popular because of the movie Transformers which came out when I was in Korea and there, rock music doesn’t really play often on radio so I didn’t think it was a popular song. The crowd cheered a lot and so did I. At that point I really thought the show was going to last another two hours!

The show ended on a high with Crawling and One step closer and even if we didn’t know that it was the end, I think we all reached our craziest at the last song. It was an awesome song on which to end the show because it all left us on a high of adrenaline.

From LPliveTV Youtube Channel

I am convinced if you remove the music and just show our faces, we all look possessed by the devil or something. Jokes aside, it was extremely liberating. Actually it was so much fun that when it ended everybody got surprised and thought it ended abruptly. After the show, when waiting for the subway, a couple who had been in the first row told me that before singing One step closer the guys said it would be their last song. In the back I never heard that so I was expecting them to come back on stage. But they didn’t…I will have to wait another 4 years or more before I can see them again!

In all, the concert was awesome there is no denying. If some people were disappointed by the format of the show, meaning one song after the other with no chit chatting by the band members, I myself wasn’t surprised as it was the same format in 2007 when I saw them in Seoul. Back then, I just thought they didn’t talk to the crowd because of the language barrier, but no, they did the same in Montreal. I’m alright with that, I mean, I didn’t pay to hear them tell us how our city is the best (which all bands say in every city) but I think saying a few words is always welcomed. On the other hand, some singers tend to talk way too much between their songs and that can become annoying too. I guess Linkin Park isn’t into small talk and prefers delivering their songs.

Also, I must say that this time the show didn’t have a “moment”. Maybe it is because I’m a girl and I like touching moments, but back at the Minutes to Midnight tour, the show had two very strong moments (at least for me). First was when Shinoda  played Pushing me away on the piano. It was magnificent.

Seoul November 30th, 2007 - From yuni1992 Youtube Channel

Second, The little things give you away. This song only had the power to give me chills and when performed live it hypnotized the whole crowd. I think maybe I would have had this “moment” if I had been in the standing section like I did back in 2007, but I was sitting very far this time. After comparing both, I prefer the standing section, even with the mosh pit. Actually, it seems like Linkin Park’s fans are getting older and the mosh pit isn’t as crazy as it used to be. So next time I’ll try to be in the front if possible! (I got my glasses stamped on the nose last time, resulted in minor bleeding)

Now, time for a short and sweet rant. Why, oh why, would you pay almost 100$ to see a band you don’t really know about? Why do you look at people funny when they scream at a rock concert? Pheeww….But actually, my section wasn’t that bad: there was a guy at the end of my row that knew all the songs and was rocking to the music the whole time, I wish to marry him teehee.

So to sum up, it was a real Linkin Park experience and also the first arena concert I saw in Montreal in my entire life. I feel lucky that I got to see them, because only 2 days after the Montreal show, Linkin Park announced that they would have to cancel two shows in the States because Chester has come down with something and can’t sing. Hope he gets better.

I’ll be there at the next concert! How many years later will it be….

09 February, 2011

Getting there

Hi there, I guess starting a blog isn’t as easy as I thought but after all the preparations are finished, then it will be up and running! I have to thanks miss shmuberry who is working on the layout (with the html and all) and she’s helping a lot. You can visit her blog at http://www.shmuberry.com/ 

I’m coming soon!!

 

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