Carbon Leaf with Sleeperstar, 28 August 2009

This was the first AMP event of the year, the welcome back concert on campus. They brought Carbon Leaf and Sleeperstar to Lake Matoaka. I like Carbon Leaf, plus it was free for students, so I decided I'd go. It was at 8, and I left at about 7:45 with my friend from freshman year, Amallie, who I hadn't seen since we were sophomores. When we got there Sleeperstar had already started playing. I hadn't minded getting there late since I only cared about Carbon Leaf. We sat in chairs at first but then I suggested we stand so we could get a decent spot. Sleeperstar soon played a version of "Such Great Heights" and it rocked, and I suddenly realized I was really enjoying them and had been before. They were pretty dancy, and not overly loud. It began pouring, really coming down, and I was glad I had brought a raincoat. The stage was under a cover so rain didn't stop anything. They played a song called "Texas Rain" which seemed appropriate. We were dancing and everybody was really into it and it was extremely fun. Eventually Sleeperstar went offstage didn't come back despite everyone calling for one more song. But then they had to set up for Carbon Leaf. I actually only know two Carbon Leaf songs. Their new stuff sounds a lot different. They were really loud and I guess I was standing next to the speaker that the guitar was coming through because pretty much all I could hear was distortion. I went to the bathroom and then went to the Sleeperstar merch tent, where I met the band. They were super friendly and nice and I bought a CD and a poster which I shoved down my shirt, hoping it wouldn't get ruined. I went back to up near the front but got progressively more headachy because I could feel the loudness squeezing in my head. After I heard "Life Less Ordinary" I had to move to the back of the amphitheater because I couldn't take it anymore. After they played "The Boxer" which was the last song before the encore I made my way back to the dorm. I wasn't as into Carbon Leaf as I expected but it was cool to hear the two songs I knew. The rain poured the entire time which you would think, for an outdoor concert, would make it miserable. But actually it just became ridiculously fun. The Sleeperstar part was probably the best concert I've been to. The Carbon Leaf part was just so-so. And my poster didn't get totally ruined! Score.