March 14, 2002
Hoobastank was opening for 311 at Hard Rock Live, and being as awesome as they are, they decided to have an acoustic show and a signing before the concert at a little CD store in Winter Park.
So we get there around 10 AM and find out you have to buy the CD from THAT store and keep the receipt in order to be guarnteed a good place for the performance and a spot in the signing line. Now my friends and I already have to CD but we made the 10 dollar sacrifice for Hooba of course.
So we leave, eat, and come back to the store at around 12:30 and no one has really showed up yet so we chill outside and wait for another friend of ours to show up. The whole thing is suppose to go down at 2 o'clock. While we were waiting in line we found out Doug has been sick so they would only be doing one acoustic song, but they would be having a question and answer and having a signing so it seemed like it would all equal out well.
Now before we knew it there was a huge line forming and we ended up being beside it, so when they opened the doors to let everyone in we were stuck in the middle. The store itself was tiny and the way they set it up no one would be able to see them perform except the 5 people right in front. So we couldn't really see well in the begining and they weren't letting us get into a good spot they were makin us stay in the back where your couldnt see jack. But we moved anyways and found a comfortable position. Now being so short I still couldnt see them when they waked in but i could hear and my friend was videotaping so i watched them perform through that. Doug stood on the stool and explained that he's been sick so they were doing just one song, and Q and A and then the signing.
They did Crawling In The Dark acoustic and you could not tell there was anything wrong with his voice. Chris was chillin outside during this i guess cuz only Markku, Doug and Dan were there in the stools.
So after they finhed the song they did a Q and A for a good half hour which was pretty cool. Doug and Dan stood on the stools and answered the questions for everyone. They were very funny and just chill guys.
So next was the signing.They cleared out the store and lined everyone outside.
The table line up went Markku Chris Dan and then Doug
They had posters for everyone to take and get signed if you wanted or you could get anything signed. i had the new Revolver and the guys hadnt seen it yet. So i gave it to Markku and him and Chris were like whats this. I was like the new Revolver and they were like we're in it and i was like well yeah sorta Doug has his own column but theres a group pic up front. And then Dan was like whats that I was like Revolver he wanted to know what issuse it was and I looked at the barcode and it was May/June 2002 he was like oh i didnt know we were in it. So they were all amazed by the Revolver and then we get to Doug. He makes me so nervous, but i go to him and i told him and Dan how I was workin on putting together there Official Fan Club and he got so excited and happy and shook my hand....and he was like thank you he was so nice :) Then I gave HIM revolver and HE was like whats this and I was like Revolver you have your own column and he was like Where am i so we show him and hes like oh weird lol he had no idea so after all that I asked Doug for a pic and i got one and i left very happy
BUT theres more
We went to put everything in the car and I realized I didnt take both posters So i used that as an excuse to go though the line again. our plan was to be last so we could get a group photo. so we get there and these two girls had the same idea but they were cool so double teamed them. I went through the line again but this time we just chatted and i told Markku and chris about the fanclub and Markku asked if i had a fan site and i was like YES and he was like thats very cool whast the addy and it told him Hoobastankupandgone.cjb.net and i guess they didnt like it cause it sounded like they were old and dried up but that is not the meaning lol but anyways we told him he should check it out and he went through all this trouble to write it down but i never did cause im dumb and i was too worried about the group pic. Sorry Markku
But anyhow they we're all standing around by this point so we went over to get the goup pic. and the two girls went before us. then after that i asked Markku if he wanted me to write down that addy and he told me to email it to them.
so were done and somehow i started talking to Doug because he was readiing Axis and i told him how they had put Doug Estrin instead of Dan Estrin and my friend brought up the fact that i had a website about JUST him and gave me this look..it was hot...but he asked for the addy and i was like Dougrobb.cjb.net and he laughed and said he would check it out (HOLLLA) but anyway my friend went out to tell him how big of a fan i was and all that embarring stuff and while she was taling he was flippin through the mag...and he just kept looking up and me and smiling and then finally he told me thank you for everything...and I left
The guys were fuckin awesome and Im hoping to see them again SOON.
