Earlier tonight I was talking to my good friend Josh about the new Matt Moore single. The song is great, but it reminds me of Breaking Benjamin. Josh and I are always rapping about music, so I had him listen to it. He responds, “It has some Breaking Benjamin esque to it.” Right?! I couldn’t have said it better myself. Then we started talking about BB live, and I realized I had never told Josh the story about the first time I saw them in concert.
This goes way back, so some of the memories are fuzzy. But I will never forget this concert and what happened that night. This is what I remember…
I’ve always liked BB. Their first album Saturate was amazing. The’ve released several albums over the years, but nothing beats their debut artist album. When they announced they were coming to Indianapolis, I couldn’t wait to see them live. They were playing at The Vogue, one of my favorite live music venues. It’s small, dark, dirty… The perfect place to see a rock show.
When I see a band, I always like to be up close. I got there a few hours before doors, and was first in line. When the doors opened I went straight to the front preparing for a night of rock music. Next to me was a young kid and his dad. They were having a good time, but when BB went on, the entire crowd starting pushing their way to the front. It wasn’t safe up front. That’s happened to me a few times, but this time, the guy beside me came to the rescue. He wrapped his arms around his son and me to protect us from the crowd.
After the show, I asked for a set list. I have a ton of setlists from shows I’ve seen, and to get one from BB was special. Then the drummer tossed me a drumstick. Sweet! People started leaving, and as the room began to empty, I went around back by their bus hoping to catch a glimpse of these guys before they took off. A few minutes later, a voice behind me says, “I am going to need that back.” I turn around and it was the drummer. He wanted to sign it!
Before he signed it, he invited me on the tour bus. The rest of the band and some groupies were already on the bus partying, and they offered me a beer. Sure! Benjamin Burnley, the lead singer, hence the name Breaking Benjamin, tossed me a can of Budweiser. We hung out, talked for a bit, and they eventually said I had to leave. I mean, they are rock stars and the bus was full of ladies! I get it. But, versus just tossing me to the curb, everyone in the band signed the drumstick. Ben and Chris Lightcap, the drummer, walked me to my car.
When we got to my car, they thanked me for being such a big fan and hugged me before heading back to the bus. It was a night I will never forget. To see one of my favorite bands live, to get a setlist and a drumstick, and to get the chance to spend quality time with them. It was incredible.
I saw them again a few years later at the Old National Centre. Josh was actually at that show, too. They have a new single out titled “Red Cold River” and I can’t wait for them to release a new album. They are such a good band.
Josh, thank you for inspiring me to write this blog post. That is a story that I haven’t told in a while, and I am glad to have it here on my blog for others to read. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Breaking Benjamin in a while, I suggest checking out their new single and their album Saturate. Enjoy!
