“Life is too short…buy the damn concert tickets.” I have lived by that quote for as long as I can remember. When I was a teen who predominately lacked funds, I would even save up my lunch money my parents gave me just so I could go to shows on the weekends.

Concerts and music have been a huge part of my being and influence in life. More specifically, rock music and every genre in between.

When I heard that the electronicore Detroit, Michigan born band I See Stars was coming to Bakersfield, I jumped at the opportunity to buy tickets. The only thing that gave me some doubt on how this show would turn out was where they would be performing. They would be playing at B Ryder’s, which is a sports bar off of White Lane and is relatively small.

The last time I was there, I saw the band Finch. Although their performance was amazing, I was utterly disappointed with how the bar/venue didn’t even move the chairs or tables near the stage. It ended up being hard to not trip over them because it was so packed with people.

However, I still hoped that the I See Stars show would be great and eventually ended up buying VIP tickets. The VIP tickets ensured that I would not only meet the band, but I would get to see a three song acoustic performance by Devin Oliver the lead singer, and Brent Allen the guitarist.

I honestly had no idea what to expect. I had only seen them live once before, way back in 2013 at the Rockin Roots festival outside on a sweltering 100-degree day.

When the day finally came as I was standing in line, my nerves hit me all at once and I realized I was about to meet a band I loved and admired. Despite my adoration for them, I was still weary on the performance to come.

The second the band walked in my friend Ana Lopez and I froze, we both felt like little high schoolers once again, too giddy to even form a complete sentence. Devin and Brent immediately made us felt like their longtime friends and asked us all to stand close around them while they are performing.

My friend Ana and I were arm’s length of the two band members, and Devin’s heavenly voice filled the air with his lyrics. People were singing along, and seemed just as shocked as my friend and I that we were so close in proximity to a band that we all shared a love for.

After the three acoustic songs, we were all allowed to hang out with the band and get our posters signed that were part of the VIP package.

I was able to talk to each band member and personally thank them for coming to Bakersfield to perform, but they kept telling us how thankful they were for having us be there to see them. The conversations I had with them is something I will never forget and I can’t even express how humble they all were.

Later that night, they went on stage to perform. Two more of my friends, Joanna Davis and Eric Rodriguez arrived and we all were right next to the stage.

I was more than impressed with their performance and how they each interacted with the crowd. Some songs they performed were ‘Ten Thousand Feet’ which is their most popular and ‘Murder Mitten’ amongst others from their newest album ‘Treehouse’ that was released in 2016.

During the performance, I even distinctly remember looking at the crowd and a seeing a buff guy in a salmon colored tank top who was singing at the top of his lungs.

He was head banging and singing every single lyrical word along with Devin. Even though I didn’t personally know the guy, I felt like he was a close friend. Rock concerts have a way of making you feel like you are part of a family, and I couldn’t help but smile even wider than I had been all night.

(5 out of 5)