First: There are probably a thousand memories I still deeply connect to the guys but I guess the first show I’ve ever went to is worth getting a submission.

I think it was late 2002 almost 2003 when I first heard about AFI. Ironically as it is, my ex introduced me to them, kept on telling me how fascinating they were etc…so I checked them out and I soon realized that she was indeed right – they were fascinating. There was something about them that was different from any other band I was listening to to that time. I HAD to see them live.

The bad thing? I was too young to that time and literally not allowed to drive anywhere as long as it was 10 m away from my house. I missed almost every AFI concert to that time and it made me sad beyond words. 2 Years later…I got my long awaited chance: Not long after I joined the schwarze segel community AFI announced a concert in Berlin. The only one in Germany…in a tiny club that just held around 300 people. First I was disappointed because it all seemed like I couldn’t go and quickly tried to forget about it which was definitly not easy since everyone kept talking about it. By the time I finally made a decision, the tickets were already sold out. This was probably one of the most depressing days in my life – I had missed AFI so many times already and it looked like I would never be able to see them. Desperate as I was I went on ebay…and luckily found someone who was selling his ticket. Unfortunately a lot of people were bitting for that ticket as well and instead of 10 € I paid around 101 € for my first AFI concert ticket. Once the auction was over I literally went down on my knees and thanked the Gods. I just had to organize my trip to Berlin, which lasted exactly 17 hours. <- This is were my submission got it’s name from after all.

A few weeks before the show would take place, I went to our train station and bought a ticket. I wanted the fastest but cheapest way straight to Berlin. After 5 minutes of explaining my problem to the woman that sold me the ticket and another 100 € lighter, my trip to Berlin was set although the woman did wonder why I just wanted to stay a few hours there but I didn’t mind her giving me weird looks. I was so happy that I didn’t even bother about the fact that I had school on that day or that my mum didn’t even know where I was going as long as I came home on the next morning. I told her I was going to meet a friend somewhere…I don’t remember my exact words but it was closer to my hometown as Berlin was.

With all those problems solved, I took 1 bag with myself that literally just consisted of nothing but some toothpaste, socks (Why the hell would you bring that?) and a book because I knew I wouldn’t stay that long in Berlin. I got into the ICE at around 12. It took me 3 1/2 (Hahahahah! don’t you think that was a sign? ) hour to get to the main train station. And my adventure had just begun to that time. I needed some time to get comfortable with the trainsystem in Berlin because that city is just so fucking huge that you just don’t know where to start at all. Luckily there was always someone around who would patiently explain something to me so that I wasn’t completly fucked. I had nothing but a crappy map that I had printed out at home earlier and as good as my orientation is: I still got lost somehow and ended up running down the same street at least two times until I realized that it was the wrong one. (and yes: I think I saw every alley and every tourist spot in Berlin on that day.) So I went back to my starting point and already thought about how horrible it would be if I didn’t reach the Magnet Club in time. I had just spent 200 € for the whole journey and I was out of money. I had no hotel room, no travelmate, not enough money on my cellphone to call anyone, I was hungry, I was thirsty and I was lost. For the first time since I had planned my whole journey, I was starting to doubt if all of this bullshit was worth seeing a band that would eventually play closer to me one day. And while I was just standing there and starting to get desperate again, I spotted two people wearing AFI shirts across the street. I didn’t think twice and just started to follow them – in a safer distance of course because I didn’t want them to think I was some scary freak from god knows where. And where else would those girls have gone if not to that AFI show? so I was even more surprised when they leaded me to a big building I quickly recognized as Universal – AFI’s label. Later I found out that the guys were supposed to be there at some point and the two girls had just went there because they could have met them. This was my first encounter with Kathy and Tanja without me even realizing it. Bless them.

Somehow I actually found the right way and after I had bought a pack of stupid oat cookies and a bottle of water to get me trough the rest of the day (I had not eaten ANYTHING at all) I’ve started walking down the road that would – according to the map – lead me to the street where the club was. I had already walked over 100 miles on one day and I was getting sick of it. Okay I was sick of everything in general. The endless traveling with the trains had worn me out as well and you can probably imagine the expression of pure relief on my face when I reached the club at around 5pm in the afternoon. A really heavy weight fell off of my shoulders in that moment and I was just so blown away that I missed that Smith had passed me. I just walked straight to a group of people and I recognized the girls from earlier. We all introduced ourselves and I had fun telling Kathy, Tanja, Kati, Laura, Dave and Maria how much trouble I had went through to be here with them. After all it was funny…and I forgot about it because I was just too happy to be here. And when Smith passed us a second time and Kathy started fangirling and telling us about the “Puget Smell” I knew this was really happening and not just a dream.

We killed most of the time with talking to each other and listening to the guys through the doors when they did their Soundcheck. I was so excited about the upcoming show that nearly forgot that I had to call the guy who sold me the ticket on ebay. He had planned on visiting the same concert, hence why he had promised me to bring the ticket and I was really getting nervous because he wasn’t showing up at all. I wanted to have a good spot in the club and combined with the whole chaos with the tickets that was happening to that time I was in a bad mood once again. Here and there you could hear people fighting and complaining. There were so many people from so many different countries waiting outside that it was a natural thing to happen and let me tell you…the whole organisation was ridiculous. Finally, 30 minutes before the show started the seller from ebay arrived and immadetily bullied his way through the mass of people that were currently all trying to get inside the club. He came back smiling broadly and handing the ticket to me. I thanked him at least 20 times before I hurried inside as well. Sadly the front row had already been occupied by a couple of crazy english people but I was fine with the second row because…hell the club was really TINY. Not even half of the people were inside the club and it was already stuffed and getting hot but there was no way that I would be leaving my spot.

And then it started…I just remember getting shivers down my spine as soon as I heard the thunder like drums of Miseria Cantare kicking in. I completly forgot to mention that I had gotten my first AFI tattoo just a few weeks before I traveled to Berlin. I lifted my arm up in the air, flashing my “Nothing from Nowhere”, showing my dedication and screaming along those words I knew by heart. “LOVE YOUR HATE. YOUR FAITH LOST. YOU ARE NOW…ONE…ONE OF US.” one by one the guys entered the stage and once Davey started singing and pumping his fist up in the air we just felt provocated enough to do the same. I think we were even louder than the guys themselves. This was so different to any over concert I’ve been to and that easily made it one of the best, memorable and influential gigs I’ve ever been to. They were even to you and you were so close to them that you could have reached out and touched them. I must admit: I suck with words and I can hardly explain the energy that got exchanged between the fans and the band. I also completly forgot about the set list but there were a lot of old goodies they never played again on their future shows I went to. I just remember “The Despair Factor” – one of my all time favourites. Davey dedicated it to us with “This is for our faction.”…and I think if you check several websites you’ll find a few videos from that show. It was amazing…breathtaking. As said: I hardly have words. Everyone who visited the same concert probably knows what I mean. To this day we’re always talking about “our tiny club gig” and speculating if they might do it again in the future. With AFI you never know…this is one of the many reason’s why I love them.

You may ask how I got home at all and why the hell this is called 17 hours: I ended up sleeping in the train station because my train was not leaving at around 5 am in the morning and I calculated it before: I spend exactly 17 hours in Berlin minus the time it took me to get back home.  I was sweaty, I was probably smelling horrible, I had spent 203 € on just one concert and I had to brush my teeth on the toilet in the train because the awful taste in my mouth nearly drove me insane. A friendly woman from the train service team gave me a sandwhich that literally saved me from starving. While I was looking out of the window as the scenery passed by, I knew that this one concert had changed my life. Better: AFI had completly changed my life and showed me that it can be worth it to take a risk once in a while. Quickly after that I joined my own band and…well changed my life to the better. I’m a happier person now and I can gladly say that those four guys from CA are a damn good reason I decided to become a better person. I’ve never cared about the shitload of money I had spent. Or how horrible it had been to get lost, without a proper meal and no one there to help me out. Because this one little trip lead me to my closest friends. Friendship is a damn strong bond and I guess the guys just transfer all those emotions and feelings on their fans somehow. I love my DF/AFI family and I’m thankful to have them in my life now.

Thank you Davey, Hunter, Jade and Adam…you mean more to me than I could probably put in words. Thank you for the places you showed me, the memories you gave me and the people you lead me to. Those things can’t be bought with money.

PS: Nope, my mum still doesn’t know…I’m planning on telling her in…let’s say 10 years from now

PPS: Yes, I’ve missed my chance to meet the guys after the show because I left too early but I’ve met them countless times on the next shows. But I guess those deserve their own submission…

by Jimmy – myspace.com/akiraofficial