A Talk On Front Porch Step

   If you don't feel like reading the entire statement I've got prepared, this sentence sums it all up: Warped needs to get their shit together. Let's take this back a couple months. In January, the band's single member, Jake McElfresh was accused of sexual harassment of multiple underage girls through text and in person confrontations. Screenshots of messages got out and all hell broke loose- there was a pretty obvious divide: the ignorant Front Porch Step fans that were excited to see their favorite band at Warped and those actually concerned for victims of McElfresh's actions and future young girls he could possibly harm. Even if McElfresh had learned his lesson and wouldn't repeat this, those who manipulate and harm anyone should NOT be given opportunities to thrive within this industry. There was a petition started against Front Porch Step playing the tour and though it did not reach it's ultimate goal, conversation was sparked and founder, Kevin Lyman, said he was dealing with it- around two days later, the band was dropped from Pure Noise and Allison Weiss, who had planned to tour the UK with McElfresh, made a statement saying she had left the tour. Though radical and great procedures were being made, there continued to be no statement from Lyman. In the end, a statement on Lyman's twitter was made that FPS would not be attending. However, on July 1, In Nashville, our favorite band was due to play. Needless to say, I along with thousands of others, were furious. How dare Lyman allow this to happen? Especially after calling him off? Thankfully, there was countless backlash against McElfresh on multiple member's of tour's twitters telling him to not stick around or else "you want to find out what half the people on this tour want to do to you" and to see Man Overboard at the same time instead. Dan "Soupy" Campbell even cancelled his performance in the acoustic basement due to play after FPS. There were even discussions at band tents on the issues of allowing a sexual abuser play a major music festival. Although most of the right publicity for the performance was displayed, there was inevitably going to be comments from fans supporting him. Most supporters claimed there was no evidence against McElfresh's actions along with saying they'd see him at Warped. Luckily, this was a complete one time thing, FPS played twenty minutes and then left. On a music website, it was said that this performance was a part of a rehabilitation process and that supervisors were there, Warped Tour also did not pay him. Lyman reported, "Since no one has filed a charge, for me it’s time to move on. He’s not on the whole tour, this is one piece of a puzzle of trying to bring people back that have made mistakes in their lives. He could be going to jail, and if there had been charges against him I assure you he wouldn’t have been here." Though this statement is riddled with many different controversial things (such as why is performing in front of fans !!the people he's hurt!! part of his therapy) the line that sticks out the most to me is "this is one piece of a puzzle of trying to bring people back that have made mistakes in their lives." zoom in a little more on one single word: MISTAKES. What Jake McElfresh did is NOT a mistake. Forgetting to lock the door behind you before you leave the house is a mistake. Sexual harassing multiple underage girls is a crime. Jake McElfresh did not make a mistake. He committed a crime. To sum up this large hunk of writing, I am livid Warped and Kevin Lyman allowed Front Porch Step to play this year's Nashville date and I believe the incident has sparked some great conversation on how to make music festivals like this more safe and how to avoid things like this. Overall, this entire situation is a wake up call towards Warped Tour. If something like this happens again, I can guarantee I will not be attending the festival next year. 

Research:
♥Kevin Lyman Explains Why Front Porch Step Played Today's Warped Tour: 'This Was a One-Time Supervised Part of a Rehabilitation Process'
♥Musicians React to Front Porch Step Playing Warped Tour
♥Everything We Know About The Sexual Harassment Allegations Front Porch Step
♥Front Porch Step Speaks Out In Lengthy Statement "You deserve to hear my side of the story"

you're my favorite lie

Wow where do I even start with this one- On April 2, I saw one of my favorite bands ever, As It Is, at Webster Hall in New York. Being part of their Street Team has its serious perks such as exclusive hang outs with the band so me and six other girls ended up having the opportunity to meet up with them a half hour before doors opened and by the time I got to the venue I could barely contain how nervous and excited I was. Since I was like an hour early, only two other team members were there and they were super cool and we took this lovely squad picture. (Also, we ran into Cody, all of Against The Current, and Ben Biss while waiting in line!!)

About a half hour later, the rest of the members came in and we made our way to the outer part of the venue (we were on the corner because the line wrapped around) and waited for their tour manager, Alex, to get us. Since this wasn't an official VIP, such as Against The Current and Set It Off's, we were low priority with the venue and had to wait awhile for the main band's actual VIP to come in. After that though, we got nothing from Alex and was half an hour late until Elliott, their photographer came out to get us because apparently Alex went out to dinner. I think the part where I really felt the coolest was when we were going past security and Elliott said, "They're with me." I felt like the non drug addicted, depressed, complete mess, Penny Lane. Since the main band meet and greet was going on inside the Marlin Room (where the show would be), we ended up in the hallway. I don't even know how to describe how excited and nervous and happy was when I first began talking to the band. Patty and I had a conversation first and we talked about Straightedge (since we're both) and Mystery Science Theatre and his day in New York and he was so sweet and considerate and genuine throughout the whole time (he gives the best hugs ever by the way) and when we took a picture he rubbed my back and oh my.

We then took pictures with the full band and I ended up on the Alt Press instagram because As It Is was doing a takeover that day!!

I seriously felt like Penny Lane (because of course I need to choose the most problematic Almost Famous character to compare myself to)

I then ended up talking to Ali, Andy, and Foley who were the nicest guys- our conversation mainly revolved around tourist traps, New Jersey, Warped Tour, and how a subway works. I loved talking with them because it didn't seem like there was a barrier between us. When I asked them if they could sign my docs, Ben turned around and said,

"Did you just ask them to sign your dogs?" and I had to explain that I didn't just ask three guys to sign a live animal and Ben joined in talking with us. Doors opened then and more people wanted to meet the band so I backed off a bit and waited for Samantha and Madison. Once they got in, they both met Patty and we got spots in the crowd. 

me and Madison being a cute, edgy, couple 

   Roam was on first and even though I didn't really know their music, they had such awesome energy (I think Alex did a backflip at one point) and had an overall fun set- I even joined in a circle pit for the first time! 

As It Is was up next and holy shit I'd been waiting years for this and it was exactly what I hoped for. The entire band was fun to watch and they did such a good job of getting the entire crowd involved. They played, "Dial Tones", "Concrete", "Horoscopes", "Bitter Broken Me", "Can't Save Myself", and two new songs that are off their album that's coming out soon. I was screaming so much and jumping and no matter how much I try and explain what was going on, it can never do these emotions justice. 

After their set, Sam, Madison and I hung back at Roam and As It Is' merch tables because the bands were hanging out there (I love that they sell all their own merch). We met two members of Roam and had a lovely conversation with their lead singer, Alex, about New York , the underground, pizza, and their ukulele cover. He was so sweet (and really really tiny) and I just love how laid back the entire show was. I mean Cody from the main band playing, Set It Off, walked by me multiple times and every time I waved, he always smile or wave back. 

The As It Is guys came back out and I said hey to Ben again and he was like, "Oh yeah! You're the dog girl!" I told him how good the set was and he talked about touring and eating a lot of pizza so there was no confusion this was a pop punk show. We also took this photo where I look slightly disgusting. 

Foley then came out and we also took this 

Before this, the best show I'd seen was Say We Can Fly's tour with Kingsfoil just because of how tiny the venue was and how the members would just be walking around and you could actually have a conversation with them. I brought this up with Alex and he was saying that he loves things like this just because there isn't a barrier between fans and bands. All in all, I met one of my most favorite bands ever and have horrible post concert depression. 

standing outside your figurative door

  ♥ This weekend, my mom and I went to Brooklyn to see my ultimate role model, Tavi Gevinson (for the 5th time), and hear her conversation with Anna Collins on modern day feminism. Starting off, Tavi is one of the funniest people ever along with such a great understanding of feminism and how to talk about it. Afterwards, she held a signing that I of course went to and finally bought my Rookie Yearbook 3 (I just need Yearbook 2 to complete my collection) along with a sheet of super cute stickers (I have developed a new obsession with covering everything in stickers as you can tell by my nintendo DS and guitar, Duckie)

(stickers from The Pulp Girls)

When I actually met Tavi, her immediate reaction was "You made me that jacket!" (I handmade a denim jacket with a bunch of drawn badges that I gave her at a Yearbook 3 party) Also, at the party, I showed her my celebrity mood board I'd made of her for my FIT class and when she said she absolutely loved it, my professor gave me bonus credit. She told me she was super proud of me and we took my worst picture with Tavi in existence (I also find it funny that in every picture I've taken with her, I have a different hair color)

she did write a cute message in my yearbook 

♥OK so I am sure most are aware of my love for Patty Walters and the band As It Is (he's the lead singer of) but since I joined their street team, I got invited to their meet up before their show in New York- Sam and I bought tickets a few weeks ago and I'm so excited to actually meet this band with only five other people in the room. If you haven't heard As It Is and are a fan of pop punk, I would definitely recommend listening to them.

♥ My favorite band ever, All Time Low, have just released their next single off Future Hearts and I'm not really sure how I feel about it- when I showed it to Sam, she mentioned it sounded like Dirty Work and even though some of my favorite songs are off that album, it also had "Heroes", "I Feel Like Dancing'", and "That Girl" so that album is pretty infamous and a repeat of that doesn't sound amazing. I'm mainly a little iffy on it because it sounds quite a lot like their previous single, "Somethings Gotta Give", which was an extremely fun song but listening to an entire album of just that is definitely not what I want. "Kids In The Dark" doesn't make me any less excited for Future Hearts but I really would hate it if All Time Low make a Dirty Work repeat.

(also the greatest response to the SGG music video was definitely this)