It's actually getting cliché to open up Long Island show reviews saying how "big the scene has blown up here recently," but this really hit the spot. With 700 people over the legal limit, the Suffolk County fire marshal was forced to shut the down the show before the Used took the stage. There will be refunds and a rescheduled show. In other words, I saw Thrice and My Chemical Romance for free. It doesn't get much better than that. Especially since I didn't have to take such angry bias into this review because I hate the Used.

Story of the Year, another of the John Feldmann-produced groups (see the Used, Showoff, Mest, etc.), opened up on the stage in a spastic frenzy, dancing from each end of the stage to the other, playing ditties off their new release, due early in the Summer. I was looking forward to this band, but to my disappointment they played zilch off their only official release, Bigbluemonkey (EP). I know I'm taking the easy route with this comparison, but they seemed like a decent version of the Used, with the singer dropping from melodic to screaming and back. They closed with "In the Shadows" a frame of time after plugging Glassjaw, whose Daryl Palumbo happened to be at the show.

My Chemical Romance, thankfully, did not seem too inebriated during the course of their set (see interview for elaboration). They took the stage as "Romance" played over the PA, and blasted right into "Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us." While running through several songs off I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, they also played a new one called, "This Isn't a Fuckin' Fashion Statement, It's a Death Wish" with an opening riff that I think I creamed my pants over. They flawlessly closed with "Vampires Will Never Hurt You," a great five-minute dose of energy that had the crowd singing along and acted as the final injection for pumped-up preparation for Thrice.

Okay, before I begin with Thrice, I will admit that they disappointed me slightly - there just seemed to be something missing - BUT, they were still really good and acted beyond reasonable ability to pinpoint their talent in each song. "Betrayal is a Symptom" could not have been a better opener, with Dustin Kensrue screaming over the amazing fingering of Teppei Teranshini (lead guitar). I will, without regret, proclaim Teppei the greatest Asian guitar player, ever. As Used fans scrambled to get decent places on the floor for a band that wasn't going to play, I was able to listen to a fluid set that had Thrice play three new songs off The Artist in the Ambulance, and take the almost-radio friendliness of "Deadbolt" and smash it to pieces, beautifully orchestrating the stop-start fret-molesting that makes the song so great before closing out with "To Awake and Avenge the Dead" to many of the crowds' delight.

All in all you can't see a better lineup and get your money back after you enjoyed yourself like I did. When I send in my tickets soon, I'll feel like I'm cheating SOMEONE out of SOMETHING - now let's just hope a similar scene doesn't happen with Finch April 28th.