Concert Review: A Day To Remember (Red Hat Amphitheater)

A Day To Remember
BY MAUI CABRAL

A true Day To Remember in Raleigh. Tuesday July 2nd, we went back to high school. From band t-shirts to hall passes to go to the restroom.

A Day To Remember
The day was HOT. 90s plus. Perfect for dehydration and rockin' out. The doors opened and waves of people rushed to Merch tables and bars as we spent a hour in the heatwave getting ready for the openers to hit the stage and start the head banging.

Pain Of Truth
Pain Of Truth opened. New York in the house! With a beautiful style of New York metal. We were quickly escorted back outside as we listened to them play, and set up for the next group.

Four Years Strong
Four Years Strong. The humidity kicked in full effect. As we sat there setting up and fine tuning our cameras by the main gate, we were building up a wild sense of anticipation for A Day To Remember. With 10 minutes left on the clock for us to run our way into the pit, I rain to a hotdog stand to grab what seemed to be like a winning lottery ticket... Water!

Four minutes remaining, we had moved our way into through the venue gates again. This time, we had to wait because we were not allowed the first song for photography due to awesome cannons of confetti. Here we go!

The intro to “Sticks & Bricks” comes on and BOOM! Confetti showers for everyone! As I stood there jamming out in front of fellow photographers, anxiety kicked in. I smiled from ear to ear as this was my first time seeing one of my favorite childhood bands. 30 seconds left. I tucked my camera into my arms and adjusted me knee brace. It's time to RUN into the barricade. This is the moment we’ve been waiting for.

A Day To Remember
The intro to “All I Want” played. We made it up front and I lock eyes with the lead singer Jeremy. With smiles and a point he signals me with a peace sign and points to a stop on stage, I run for it, dodging crowd surfers, security, and fellow photographers. Getting a few up close pictures of him pointing at me. This was a super wide-eye moment for me. Did this just really happen!? Phew! 2 more songs!

Taking some awesome pictures of the band we continued. I sang, Head banged with the crowd for 2 or 3 seconds with permission of security. Hyping everyone up, it was time for “2nd Sucks.” Let’s freakin GOOO!

A Day To Remember
The lights dimmed, a bit darker then before and something sparked in my brain saying Pyro time and boy was I right! Jeremy walks over and signals me again! It’s TIME! Breakdown comes in and he’s perfectly lined up in the middle of the stage. Kneels down and the pyro began & so did some of the best/favorite images of my photography career.

Following "2nd Sucks" was "Paranoia," which happens to be one of my favorite songs. I was 16 in high school all over again for 3 minutes and 20 seconds. Yet, I was not alone. The crowd behind me sang just as loud as the speakers in front of us! Three songs passed and here comes “I’m Made Of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?” Time for us to get out of the pit, run back to our cars and come back in to the venue. Covered in sweat, I ran back to the merch table to grab my tour shirt and back for some waters.

A Day To Remember
It was time to get my A Day To Remember experience. Running into a few local pals, we jammed out! Dreads everywhere, head banging, and being around people that shared the same music growing up and enjoying the freedom to use the bathroom as we pleased! No more hall passes required!

Security guard noticed me and took me back up front to the pit and Said “Enjoy” as I gave him a high five and said “Thank you!” I listened to songs of my childhood in Raleigh. For a moment I felt like I was in Queens New York at a skateboard park about to 360 Flip some stairs. It was nostalgic.

This music brought me home & truly was A Day To Remember!

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JOSH "MAUI" CABRAL

Hey! I'm Maui. Originally from Queens, New York, now making Raleigh, NC my new home. I'm a touring photographer and Nomadic Motorcycle Rider, obsessed with seeing the world through different lenses!

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