My first Staind concert was at Nottingham Rock City in UK, I remember being so excited. Staind were really the first band I've felt so attached to. I listened to some really heavy music when I was little Slipknot, KoRn and some of the newer metal stuff like Hatebreed but Staind had it all for me. I fell in love with the sound of honesty and Aarons lyrics really helped me to .. wind down and mellow out, for the 3/4 minutes however long the song was on for I felt like I was layed on a beach somewhere far far away from any comotion that was going on around me.
There was something unbelieveable about Staind that I couldnt quite get around, what have this band been through to get where they are. Where the hell does Mike's riffs come from? Why is Old Schools harmonised vocals giving me an orgasm? Why would I rather sit at home listening to Johns percussion fills than hang out with my friends and most of all why do Aarons lyrics seem so comforting. I havent been through nothing Aaron has so why do they help? I know a lot of Staind fans say that Aarons lyrics help, I never understood why until my first Staind concert.

It was after school one wednesday and I guess my Mum had got me and my partner tickets to see them, My partner Sadie really enjoyed listening to them, she kinda had to .. seen as though she liked spending time with me. I came home and sat in the living room whilst my Mum got ready and I had butterflies in my stomach. I was so nervous. We got in the car and I sat there listening to Tormented cause I guess they probably wouldn't play anything of this record and I was trying not to think about the concert and conceal my excitement. I remember getting lost and we stopped at a petrol station for directions when this like savior guy ran up and went " I bet your off to see Staind " ... I like .. nodded and then he starts waving his arms around in excitement telling us to follow him. We got there and my Mum was nervous about me and Sadie getting in, I guess Sadie was kinda small and to say we was the same age was just uncanny. I walked through the door and my Mum told me to text her let her know everything is okay, I text her the second I got in telling her all was all okay haha I was so nervous. I remember seeing a drum kit covered by a sheet and me and Sadie were rambling on about what song they would play first, she was innocently trying to be clever and said " Yeah it will be outside " all embarressed. I just laughed and muttered *Suffocate* its gotta be...
So the support band came on and they were amazing, if anyone went to the show Im sure you might remember " Panic Cell ". I was stood there with my mouth wide open and couldnt believe how amazing they were. When those guys had done that drum kit I thought was huge was taken off and Johns kit was just sat there looking like a bus, well to me it did. I remember the crowd being amazing, I went to get a drink and I think a bumped into a guy by accident, before I even had chance to apoligise he turned around to me offerering to buy me another drink and apoligising to me. I stood there waiting inpatiently, I was right it was suffocate, I was stood there mezmorized. Aaron didnt play guitar back then so he was moving around the stage slowly. Song after song I stood there and I took some photos and some videos, I remember they played "Open Your Eyes" my favoirte song off of Break The Cycle and in the second verse when Aarons starts singing louder and the lyrics change to talking about overpopulation, he looked straight in my eyes ... I think. Well it felt like it he did and It felt like he was talking to me, like he was staring at me and telling me to grow the fuck up and start doing things I had always felt never meant much to me. Really pursue my music, Care for my family, Stop drinking so much with friends that didnt no any better and try to introduce them to music. With that one line and stare I felt this rush of excitement and relief. Who needs heroin or drugs when I have this feeling. They played loads of old songs at that concert which made my night, I mean I love Its Been A While, Outside, So Far Away, Zoe Jane, and the softer side but I loved it when they played Crawl, that chorus is just well to catchy. I was humming it all the way home "and I crawl, while you spit " and then when he goes dead low to the "through you" bit .. I just made a low grumbling noise cause I couldnt do it lol.

The concert ended and Aaron ended the concert by telling the fans how much they mean to the band and that they will see us soon. Thats all I thought about for about 3 weeks.