Monday was a day of firsts.

When was the last time you heard of a concert happening at 4 p.m.? It was a new experience on so many levels.

Tucson usually doesn’t  get its proper fix of metal concerts. I’m Seeing Stars, In Fear and Faith, Parkway Drive and A Day to Remember put on a show while the sun was still up.

Due to a fluke in their booking, the lineup had 20 hours to get from Tucson to Oklahoma, making them move up their starting time.

The Aussies of Parkway Drive insisted on growling instead of singing; it seemed like they were trying to mimic the great Cookie Monster.

Never before had I seen “”polite”” moshing. A man in a wheelchair somehow found himself in the mosh pit and as people kept ramming into him and his chair, they apologized. That was definitely a first.

People were flailing every limb and smacking into each other, and some even had mouth guards to protect them from ruining their teeth during this “”fun.”” One guy had a deep split lip, with blood seeping down his chin.

Then the crowd surfers took flight. Somersaulting over people’s heads, logrolling across the width of the venue, losing shoes, money and hats, one by one people made their way to the front of the stage. It looked more painful than anything.

The moshing crowd was like a cage fight circus on steroids. I expected some flips or something, but it didn’t happen.

The crowd’s angsty hype was building; everyone was ready for the headliner. Finally the band’s banner was unfurled. Caricatures of the members gleamed with red eyes over the crowd. The stage was dark, and the cheering roared. The darkness was drawn out and milked the crowd of their applause.

A Day to Remember took to the stage, pumped and ready. They opened with “”Downfall of Us All,”” and immediately got the audience to interact with them. A Day To Remember hopped around the stage and brought up the audience’s energy level until everyone was hopping in unison. Whether it was new songs or old songs, true fans were screaming every word.

For it being a day concert, the sold-out show was successful. Upon leaving the venue, it was clear everyone enjoyed themselves as the last sounds of A Day To Remember rang in their ears.