"paris - the start of a new chapter"
17.2.2014 - Paris, France
After grabbing our things at the Artifact screening, we made our way outside and I quickly jumped in a taxi with Aurore to Le Zenith. Check-in for Adventures in Wonderland was 5pm and we arrived right on time. We checked in with Reni and were given our lanyard and ticket to the show. I was sure we wouldn’t get anywhere near the barrier because we arrived so late but by some divine miracle, the line I picked moved much faster than the others and we got a place on the left side of Jared’s catwalk. We were over the moon!
The support act came on at 8pm and went until around 8:30pm, with a huge banner with a triad projected onto it dropping and covering the stage when they finished. As 9:10pm rolled around, the lights went down and everyone screamed. They opened with Birth, which was good, but for me, nothing compared to how they used to open with Escape. Jared came out in his army-green Echelon jacket, sunglasses and a baseball bat and just wandered around the stage as Shannon and Tomo played their hearts out. I’m pretty sure Night Of The Hunter came next to get us all jumping like crazy, but don’t quote me on it. A few songs in and we got to This Is War – where the coloured balloons were launched into the crowd during the last chorus. The effect of them is great, but MAN they annoy me. Hitting me in the head, obstructing my view, hitting my camera out of my hand… I always pinch them to pop them when I can lol. Conquistador was next and that song got everyone going crazy – with rainbow confetti spraying out into the crowd at the end. Jared did a pretty long acoustic set including Buddha For Mary (to which after he said, “Well that made about 15 people happy”) Yes, I was one of them. They played the cover of Stay by Rihanna, which, in just personal opinion I don’t like. The song is fine, but I would much prefer to hear another MARS song rather than a cover. Closer To The Edge rolled around and as it always has, the white MARSfetti sprayed out into the crowd for seemingly forever. They said goodbye then came back out for Bright Lights; Jared wearing a snazzy gold sequined jacket. A nice touch is that they bring Shannon and Tomo to the centre of the stage for this song. I really love that, because it’s always so hard to see them from a distance. It was then time for Up In The Air so Jared picked a few people from the crowd and jumped around/danced/sparkled to the end of the show. Shannon came out and threw his drumsticks to the crowd and then everyone disbanded.
For those doing the M&G, we waited inside the venue and the table and photo backdrop were set up. We were given our posters then went and sat in front of the table ready for the guys. The AIW crew collected any gifts people had and as I sat there waiting, I remember thinking to myself “Please let Jared be wearing that gold jacket…” and when he walked out, ta-dah! One Mr Jared Leto in a gold sequined jacket. The guys were messing around a lot, especially Tomo and Shannon… joking and being ridiculous. Shannon took someone’s hat and put it on his head then paraded it for us like he was on a catwalk. Too funny. Jared was very curious about our thoughts on the new show style (no videos, losing all of the acrobats and extra things) We took a vote and more people said they like the new simplified style, personally, I liked the videos and things but each to their own. The guys gave us a very hilarious demo of people staring in awe at the video screens, Jared pretending to have a remote and click at it in a daze… All 3 of them with stupid expressions on their faces and laughing at themselves. Jared was also speaking about Shannon doing a VyRT and asked us what we think Shannon should do with it. Coffee was suggested a bunch of times, someone said a GoPro strapped to his head taking us on a bike trip around LA, and I suggested fashion with Shannon since he had been so excellent parading the hat. In the Q&A someone asked whether Shannon could sing... to which he replied "Coooome break me down...." in his best Southern-put-on voice. Jared laughed and said he needs to get Shannon to sing on the next album. He also said he'd written 3 new songs that would more than likely end up going pupblic. YAY!
After the Q&A we lined up to get our posters (or whatever we wanted) signed. It is the fastest thing in the world to be honest… though I will say, the guys did try and look up briefly at every person as they whizzed past. I put my poster down on the table at Shannon and he looked up at me as he signed his glyph, smiled and said ‘Thanks for coming’, then pushed it over to Tomo next to him. Tomo signed it then looked up and went to say ‘Thanks’ but instead (very loudly) yelled “SUGGGAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!” I was a little taken back, but I just smiled stupidly at him and said “Hi Tomo”. He shoved the poster to Jared and said to him “It’s sugaronmars”! as he did. I just smiled like an idiot and Tomo said “It’s great to see you again”. Such a sweetheart! I just love him for being so excited to see me :) Jared looked up and said something as he was signing my poster but I was in such disbelief from how amazing Tomo had just been to me that I honestly have no idea what Jared said. It was probably just “Thanks” or something I suppose.
Now with signed poster in hand, I re-joined the line and we went around again, this time for the photos. I had no idea what I would do for the photo which is unlike me, but I figured I’d just go with whatever happened. I got to being next in line and Emma said “Hello” to which I replied “Hi Emma” before she gently nudged me into the guys. “It’s sugaronmaaaaarrrrs!” Tomo yelled when I walked into the guys – I seriously don’t know what I did to deserve him being so lovely, but I grinned stupidly at him. I went and stood between Shannon and Jared, put my arms around them and said “cheesy grins” so they would at least give me some kind of stupid expressions. It was the fastest M&G photo I’d ever done and I didn’t have a clue what I’d done for it. I said Thankyou to the guys then walked off.
I went over to the merch man and was given my tote bag, wristband and t-shirt then we headed out of the venue and got on the metro just in time to get back home on the last train. I didn't end up going to bed until about 3am because I was on a massive MARShigh, and luckily I was doing it all again tomorrow! So until then.............