It seems still quite unreal that we have been to this concert in a venue as small as the Magnet Club in Berlin, where I saw AFI for the first time. I was convinced I would never see them at such an intimate show again (if we don’t count the radio concert, which was something completely different, in a way. xD), but luck was on our side when we tried to get tickets. Here my sincere thanks to Laura, who managed to get tickets for the two of us.

The trip to the US had been planned already long ago, we just had to see AFI on the Download festival in San Francisco, since it was their only show since their tour in May. We decided to combine it with a few days in New York, a cruise around Northern Cali and in the last minute, a trip to LA!

We flew from New York to LA and got a car to drive to SF with it the following day. The weather was fantastic, our excitement ready to burst through the roof. We had a quick stop at the venue and said hi to Jessie, who had come all the way from Florida and was waiting there for half a day in the queue. Laura and I decided to see the city instead and picked up a friend, who stayed in LA as well. We went to see the Hollywood-sign, the stars on Hollywood boulevard, the Chinese theater and Beverly Hills, where we parked our car as if one of the beautiful houses there was ours, haha.

The show was amazing. There was probably everyone you would normally see hang out with the AFI guys, it was surreal. You just could not miss Jeffrey Star’s pink hair, haha. AFI were in a great mood, just so relaxed and amongst friends and DFers.. Even though they ended the set with Miss Murder, they played a bunch of unusual songs, much to our delight.

Some of the remarkable moments were Davey’s two (!!) stagedives (one in unison with Nils) and the long funny debate on what to play next. Everyone practically screamed for their own favorite song and in the end ..but home is nowhere was chosen.

After the show we went to talk to Fritch so he might give us some touristy tips for San Fran. Psst, cable car and Alcatraz! (though we didn’t do the latter, sorry, Fritch..) Janice, our AFI mommy, let us stay at her place for the night, which was more than generous. I can’t thank her enough for that! It was great to rest for the night before we drove all the way to San Fran, in eleven hours, taking our time to enjoy the scenery, have dinner and take pictures.

There would be much more to tell, about the Download, our amazing time in NorCal.. but I think it’s enough for now. Right now I’m not listening to AFI at all, but the way they have helped me through a dark phase in my life, the way they have been inspiration and most of all, good times with friends, touring with them, amazing intimate shows as well as big shows, all the crazy, wonderful, nerve-racking, tiring, but also joyous and overwhelming moments, I owe them all to AFI and they will forever be special to me. Where would I be without them and without all the friends I found through them? I don’t even want to imagine..