The Radio, The Music, and The Concert That Changed Everything

I remember very clearly when my parents bought me a radio cassette player combo for my birthday. Unfortunately, I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but it must have been somewhere between 7 and 9 years old (1997-1999). Oh, I quickly learned how to record songs from the radio, started recording myself, and even made my own personal “Radio Magic” segments. Those were the days.

The Start of a Musical Obsession

Classmates started gifting me band albums for Secret Santa, and with my dad’s love for music and his collection of records, I was already sold. I wanted to listen to more bands, discover new music, and have the radio playing all the time.

Once a week, during the music requests segment on our national rock station Radio Tangra, I would call in three or four times using different voices, requesting multiple songs so I could headbang in my room, or you know record them. It’s safe to say this is how my love for music really began.

The Internet, Piracy, and The Golden Era of Music Discovery

Fast forward a few years-by the time I was 14-16 (2004-2006), we had a better house computer + cable internet (RIP dial-up and its demonic sounds). And that’s when I discovered pirating music (oops).

If you’re from my generation, you’ll remember these words for life:
📂 Rafter | Data | BG

There was this website, data.bg – a simple concept where every user could register, upload files, and make them public. Naturally, people started uploading tons of music, and oh boy, we downloaded like crazy. I even remember those old-school P2P waiting rooms where you’d search for a specific music video and sit in a queue for hours just to download it.

Then, we discovered torrents. Whole albums bundled together. Absolute game changer.

I became obsessed with finding users who were uploading “good music” so I could browse their accounts and discover new bands. Progressive metal, hard rock, nu-metal, rap, death metal-every day was a new discovery. That feeling of finding an amazing new band for the first time? Unmatched.

I was burning CDs like crazy so I could listen to them on my trusty Discman on my way to school (and during class, of course). Carefully curating massive music libraries, organizing everything into neat folders, and admiring my growing collection – it was a whole ritual.

But around 15-16, I realized something incredible: bands actually came to perform in my city.

Ill Niño 2007 – The Concert That Changed Everything

A little backstory first.

Back then, finding out about concerts wasn’t easy. If an event wasn’t huge, it was more of a word-of-mouth thing. Say what you will about Facebook, but one good thing about it is that nowadays, I can just follow promoters, bands, and the right people to never miss concert news.

But in 2007, things were different.

We were a bunch of kids hanging out on mIRC, most of us knew each other through different channels, and I believe all the planning for Ill Niño’s concert in Sofia happened in #ill_nino. The chat was buzzing-everyone was excited, making plans, and hyping up the show.

The Stranger Who Bought Me a Ticket

There are so many moving parts around this concert, and looking back, the people I met and the things that happened that day shaped a lot of my future.

One of those things was this one guy.

I can’t remember your username, but if you’re reading this – THANK YOU!! Also it would be cool to know, if we actually know each other IRL.

Here’s the deal.

I was 17 years old, broke, and my parents didn’t have much money either. The ticket for the concert cost 20 leva (or around 11 EUR / 14 USD), and for younger me, that was a lot. I was trying to save up by skipping lunch, but time was running out.

One day, while talking in the chat, I shared how I had two months left to save for my ticket. And this one guy just told me not to worry about it.

I was confused-what do you mean, “don’t worry about it”?

Then he explained: he could get me a VIP badge to enter for free.

VIP badge? Hell yeah, brother. Big business here.

But then, a few weeks before the concert, he messaged me:

“Hey, things aren’t looking great, and I won’t be able to get that VIP badge for you.”

I was crushed.

I knew there was no way I could save enough money in time.

But then, something magical happened.

He told me: “Don’t worry, I misled you. I know your situation, so I just bought you a ticket.”

WHAT.

Not only that, but he had “chester_19” (after consulting with my friend “AmyLee”, who somehow remembers everyone’s usernames) deliver it to me in person.

This was the first time I met “chester_19”, and he’s one of the people from back then I still see to this day. Even if it’s just once in a while at a bar or concert-every time we meet, it’s like no time has passed.

The Concert – And A Lifetime of Memories

Concert day, baby!

It was summer vacation, the sun was blazing, and a group of us met in front of the National Palace of Culture. I met so many mIRC chat buddies for the first time that day.

Shoutout to “m1k3_sh1n0da” – after consulting with “AmyLee” again (seriously, she’s like the archive of mIRC usernames), I remember we spent a huge chunk of that day together, from downtown to the concert hall.

Once we got to the venue, things got interesting.

The organizers-a mother and daughter who were very inexperienced-were struggling. The concert was delayed by over 3 hours due to various logistical nightmares. But we weren’t moving.

And that’s also where I met “AmyLee” for the first time in person. So thoughtful of her, because she had a pocket camera and snapped a selfie of us right then and there. That photo? A marvelous memory from that night.

Our beloved Vasko Katincharov (from Fracture TV Rock Show) wrote a detailed behind-the-scenes post about that night. If you’re curious, here’s his take:

🔗 Vasko’s Facebook post (just translate it, you know how 😉)

And then…

We finally saw Ill Niño live.

I probably shed a tear or two.
I headbanged.
I moshed.
I jumped.

All of which are things my knees won’t allow me to do anymore, but hey, good times.

How One Concert Created a Lifetime of Connections

After the show, I met up with “m1k3_sh1n0da” again, we squeezed the sweat out of our shirts (yeah, you probably didn’t need that visual, but here we are), and talked about how insane the concert was.

And here’s the crazy part-this wasn’t just a one-time thing.

A lot of the people I met that day? We still see each other at concerts.

It’s funny how that works. Some friendships fade, some stay strong, but the music always brings us back together. Years pass, life happens-we move cities, change jobs, get into relationships.. But the moment a band we love announces a show in town? It’s like a rallying call.

And just like that, we meet again. Sometimes it’s planned, sometimes it’s a total surprise-just turning around at a concert and seeing an old friend in the crowd, yelling “HOLY SHIT, DUDE! HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?!” over the deafening music.

Some of these guys took things even further-they travel across Europe chasing their favorite bands, hitting every possible show. Me? I’m more of a local gig guy, but I admire their dedication.

What I love most is that, even after all these years, when we do meet, it feels like no time has passed. We talk about the bands we’ve seen, the new ones we’ve discovered, and, of course, we still laugh about that chaotic Ill Niño concert back in 2007.

Music, Nostalgia, and the Beauty of It All

Younger Commodore had no idea back then, but that night – that concert – was going to shape so much of his future.

Getting a free ticket from a random but incredibly kind stranger.
Meeting people from a random IRC chatroom who would turn into lifelong friends.
Experiencing the disaster-level concert organization that turned into a legendary story.
Standing for three+ hours outside the venue, refusing to move, because we weren’t going anywhere.
Figuring out how the hell to get home with zero money after the show.

All these seemingly random things ended up shaping the friendships and experiences that still last to this day.

And that’s the magic of music.

Music doesn’t just give you memories – it connects people, keeps friendships alive, and sometimes, just sometimes, brings you back together in the most unexpected ways.

So yeah, my knees might not let me mosh anymore, but you’ll still find me at concerts – probably in the back, beer in hand, nodding my head to the music, waiting for that moment when I turn around and hear:

“HOLY SHIT, DUDE! HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?!”

Thanks for reading. Stay safe out there.

Commodore Bo, out.