August 11th, 2001

Klub Phenomenon with 40 Below Summer, Ill Niņo, and Cry For Dawn

But at 1:00 the band was supposed to do an in store at Media Play in Rockford and we were there waiting for them... but there was some confusion and they showed up but the store was not set up for them. So the in store never happened. But their tour manager took my name and told me that I'd be on the list at the door and that my friend Chelsea and I would get in free. Then Chelsea got there and heard about the confusion. But then Bill did get off their brand new tour bus (sadly they only have it until the end of the tour) just to say hi to us.

So we went to the club really early and sat outside by the bus. Then, Nate got off the bus and came over and sat on the ground with us and talked for a while. If you remember from my last experience, I gave Nate a necklace. He all of a sudden pointed out the fact that he still had it and that he never takes it off. I felt so special. He left after a little while though. But, Kevin showed up and talked about how he really needed to take a shower. Andy popped out wearing fake breats. It was so funny. I wish I would have gotten a picture of it. Anyway, Bill came by and talked for a while. Then he left to get something to eat with one of the guys from Ill Niņo at a nearby gas station. Kevin came by again for a little while. But then Chelsea and I left for a little while. We came back just in enough time to stand in the line to get in. When the doors opened I felt so cool when we got to the ticket window and I said that we were on the list. Actually, we were the first ones on the Factory 81 guest list. So that was cool. We went up and stood in front of the stage, but then we noticed Kevin by the side of the stage. So we went and talked to him. Most of the conversation was about the squeaky chair that he was sitting in. We then hugged Kevin and went back by the stage. We then saw Nate by a huge fan. So we went and hugged him and talked to him. After the show we got up on stage to talk to Kevin. Chelsea gave him a bracelet that she had made. We talked to him for a while about Tim Burton movies. He let us play with his little good luck charm that he carries in his case for a while (a toy of Lock from Nightmare Before Christmas). We then asked him if we could see the inside of the tour bus and he told us that we should go outside and find Nate or Andy and tell them that we had permission to go on the bus. Before leaving the building, we hugged Kevin and Bill. Then on our way out to the bus we met a nice guy named Chris from a band named Dizneyfist (from New York). When we got by the bus we found Nate and we hung out with him and a few of the members of Ill Niņo for a while. Then Nate took us onto the bus. Andy was already on the bus. So we hung out with them for a while. Andy gave us each a bottle of water since we were sweating to death. Then I looked at my watch and noticed that it was time that we left. So we hugged Nate and Andy goodbye and left. Another great night with F81!

-Kat