Live Music

[schild]

Gwar is pretty awesome live.

I posted about this in another thread, but VNV Nation is playing with And One in Phoenix on June 22nd. I've seen those two bands play together before (at Club Nation in DC) and it's a fucking great show.

[Righ]

Most recently I have seen Porcupine Tree three times. Once in the UK and twice in the USA. Cambridge, England was good, NYC was fantastic, and Philly was very good, but the Electric Factory sound sucks. Only thing I have tickets for right now is Rush in Philly (Camden) but I'm sure I'll find something before that.

[Phildo]

Tragically, I saw the Romantics play a free show last weekend.  Why are they famous?  They were so bad, we left before Loverboy went on.

[schild]

Yea, the Romantics are pretty much the bottom of the barrel. Are you just going to see bands because you can? :P

[Phildo]

All part of the Florida Music Festival!  Technically the same show as the Killer Robots, but different stage on the opposite end of the block.  Seven Mary Three and Flogging Molly were the headliners on various nights.

[Chimpy]

How could you possibly leave without seeing loverboy?

Seeing them now must be like gaping at a car accident, sad but somehow enjoyable in the sadness.

[Moaner]

I have a ticket to go see Skinny Puppy this Saturday.  I don't know what I think about the new album, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see them live. 

[Sky]

Going this weekend to see Steely Dan with the old lady. I'm not a big fan, but it's one of her very favoritist, and I'm a good mate (bought her tickets for her birthday). I hope we can get up to see Dickey Betts on saturday, she's gotta work and it looks like rain...but he rocks and it's freeeeeee.

Might still be able to score tickets to the Allmans at SPAC. Stupid SPAC still has tickets left in blocks of four, everything else is sold out (I don't do lawn). The crappier part (in a way) is that buying four tickets for the Allmans will still be cheaper than two tickets to Tom Petty (who we went to see because Derek Trucks Band and Allmans were opening). Concert pricing/availability/noodles is insane. Too many pre-sales, auctions, and goddamned reserved private seating these days.

[Sky]

How could you possibly leave without seeing loverboy?

Seeing them now must be like gaping at a car accident, sad but somehow enjoyable in the sadness.

I'm so tempted to get tickets to see White Lion, Ratt and Poison. It's like all the bands I disliked in the 80s in one show...

[Chimpy]

Might still be able to score tickets to the Allmans at SPAC. Stupid SPAC still has tickets left in blocks of four, everything else is sold out (I don't do lawn). The crappier part (in a way) is that buying four tickets for the Allmans will still be cheaper than two tickets to Tom Petty (who we went to see because Derek Trucks Band and Allmans were opening). Concert pricing/availability/noodles is insane. Too many pre-sales, auctions, and goddamned reserved private seating these days.

No Kidding on ticket prices.

To get a decent seat for The Police at this point, you have to buy a certain number of tickets, and then they are like 200 bucks a pop. If I had 200 bucks I might think about spending it to see them, but not in Wrigley Field.

I paid 25 bucks a ticket for Metallica n Guns N Roses, and that was for seats just off the infield with an unobstructed view. It's just not sensible that ticket prices would go up as much as they have and still sell out.

[Righ]

I'm going to go see Dick Dale on Thursday. Yeah baby.

[voodoolily]

Oh holy shit he's still alive?

[Phildo]

A friend told me he still puts on a pretty good show, although his singing's supposedly gotten really bad.

[schild]

Lordi is playing with Hatebreed (and a bunch of other 'mehhhh' bands') at Ozzfest 2007 which is coming to Phoenix. I'm gonna get to do some violent fucking moshing at that show. I'll probably be "the old guy."

[Bunk]

One has not truely moshed unless you had hair halfway down your back, and when the bigger guy behend you in the pit would push up behind you your hair would get caught between your back and his chest, and you'd be stuck staring at the ceiling to avoid ripping your hair out. Man, I miss those days. And my hair.

[schild]

I've been in pits straight edge hardcore shows that would make metalheads run crying back to their mommies. Long Hair needs to stay the hell out of the pit. It's a death warrant.

[Righ]

Oh holy shit he's still alive?

Despite some close shaves, he is. He's survived cancer, lion attacks and a serious infection from polluted water. Thanks to a little help from the success of Pulp Fiction, he's probably been more successful in the last 15 years than he was in the 60s. Should be a good gig.

[Sky]

I've been in pits straight edge hardcore shows that would make metalheads run crying back to their mommies. Long Hair needs to stay the hell out of the pit. It's a death warrant.

I disagree.

Our local bar was a crossover bar, metal some nights, hardcore some nights. I used to date a girl who worked there (she was punk...soo hot), so I ended up getting into a lot more hardcore stuff than I'd otherwise have been exposed to. That place had a literal pit of concrete sunk about four feet down in front of the stage and it was the most brutal place on earth. Steel railings going up another three or four feet. There were stairs, but they were kind of a 'front row', non-mosh area where people congregated and were impassible. So you got in and out by going over the railings, you literally had to climb out or dive in.

I miss that place, though I'm too old now to want to get destroyed (and destroy) like that anymore. It was always way more brutal after I was a skinhead, in my experience. When I had long hair I also had a larger group of friends at shows. It's all about who you know or who you're with (like dating the hot chick at the bar who all the punkers know).

I'm so much more peaceful now, my old self should time travel to now and kick my ass :P

[Selby]

Man, I miss those days. And my hair.

So did I.  So I said "fuck it" and grew it out again.  18 months on and we're still not done yet!

Regarding moshing, I've been in both worlds.  Some pits were worse than others.  I'd say the roughest I've ever been in was a Slayer pit, but that's pretty much expected when you go to one of their shows.  Surprisingly Bad Religion was pretty nasty too.

[Sky]

Slayer pit was brutal. At that bar I mention above. I got bruised ribs, I don't count normal cuts and bruises as injuries (still don't, really).

My hair is actually too long for the first time in maybe 13 years. Past the halfway down my back mark, thinking about getting a chop up to shoulder length. So tough to find a place that can cut long hair right, though. Funny because I was bald and clean-shaven when I started working here, now I'm a wookie.

[penfold]

I saw Ozzy on Tuesday, and what a great concert it was too. He sang only one tune from the new album, the rest were greatest hits; Bark At The Moon, Mama Don't Cry, Warpigs, I Don't Know, Crazy Train and finished with Paranoid. Zakk Wylde did a 10 minute+ solo which just blew me away, as did his playing on all of Ozzy tunes. His sound and setup was just awesome, and I don't think I've seen better playing at any live event.

http://showbiz.sky.com/showbiz/picture_gallery/0,,50001-1271355,00.html

Some good pics there.

Black Label Society did the warm up and even though I was hearing most songs for the first time I still enjoyed it. Props to Zakk for playing the entire evening too.

[schild]

VNV Nation with And One in just under 48 hours. Going to be frickin awesome.

[Hokers]

How could you possibly leave without seeing loverboy?

Seeing them now must be like gaping at a car accident, sad but somehow enjoyable in the sadness.

They played at one of the 4th of July festivals around here a few years ago and we thought it was a fun show.  This year we are going to see Kansas and or Rick Springfield (for the girl).

Next weekend it is off to Milwaukee for Summer Fest, highlights being Shiny Toy Guns and Goo Goo Dolls.

[UD_Delt]

Anyone in the crowd really into Jazz? I'm a passing fan and on a lark this year we decided to head to Chicago during the Jazz festival just to check it out.

The only artist on the list I'm really familiar with is Medeski, Martin and Wood.

Anyone have suggestions on any other must-see artists from the list?

http://www.jazzinstituteofchicago.org/Home/2007ChicagoJazzFestival/tabid/175/Default.aspx

[Sky]

Zakk is the Man. I saw him back in 90 at the Cow Palace in Frisco with Ozz. He's the shredtastic monster without being clinical like so many shredders. It's too bad his southern rock stuff didn't move units, it was really good, too. He's way more talented than he seems (and he seems very talented), but the metal stuff is what sells for him.

Delt, I don't like Jazz much, but MM&W should be really good with Scofield. He's a good guitar player iirc.

In my own Live Music update, we hit the box office rather than buying online and got good tickets to a few shows. George Thorogood, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Brian Setzer Orchestra's christmas show. Should be getting tickets to ZZ Top and Heart (not the same show) in the next week. Been a great summer for music...still a free Buddy Guy show coming up, and he's my current favorite touring artist.

[Righ]

Anyone have suggestions on any other must-see artists from the list?

http://www.jazzinstituteofchicago.org/Home/2007ChicagoJazzFestival/tabid/175/Default.aspx

It starts out with Herbie Hancock. Christ. Go see Herbie Hancock. I believe that Randy Brecker is in the Mingus Big Band at the moment. That would be worthwhile.

This weekend I am going to an "art rock" festival. Mostly progressive rock, but a rare US gig by veteran space rock madmen Hawkwind. First US performances of La Maschera Di Cera and Pure Reason Revolution too. Not sure whether I'll stay for jazz-rock-opera-fusion Frenchies Magma on Sunday... cos Hawkwind have lined up another gig just down the road.

[Sky]

Just got some nice grandstand seats (covered in case of rain) for Skynyrd. Big score of last week was 5th row center for Heart. Woohoo!

[Righ]

As mentioned above, last weekend I went to NEARfest and saw a bunch of very cool bands. Hawkiwind, La Maschera Di Cera and Pure Reason Revolution were brilliant, Magenta, Indukti, IZZ, and Nebelnest were also very good. Robert Drake was amusing, I missed Robert Rich cos I was hungry, and skipped out on Magma to go see Hawkwind (again) in a bar six miles away.

[schild]

Just got some nice grandstand seats (covered in case of rain) for Skynyrd. Big score of last week was 5th row center for Heart. Woohoo!

How much was the time machine? I'm in the market.

[Sky]

Just got front row for ZZ Top.

Schild, maybe you can build a time machine with all those shitty synthesizers you seem to enjoy.

[voodoolily]

We just found out about this apparently awesome band Bliltzen Trapper that is also apparently in Portland. We haven't seen them, but likely will if given the chance.

[schild]

Just got front row for ZZ Top.

Schild, maybe you can build a time machine with all those shitty synthesizers you seem to enjoy.

I did once. I ended up in 1978 at a Kraftwerk show. It smelled like stale nachos. I had to bail.

For some reason, time machines made out of Synthesizers only take you to Kraftwerk shows. The possibility of that happening was not something I had considered in my original blueprints.

[Sky]

I guess it beats Hill Valley.

[Sky]

Last minute tickets to go see Buddy Guy again next Wednesday in Albany at the Egg. Great venue for him, intimate and great acoustics.

[Tale]

Sorry I don't know where else to put this.

Today I have had this new song, Suburban Knights by Hard-Fi, on high rotation. AFAIK it's only on MySpace so far. I loved their first album (which was critically acclaimed and big in the UK), they are influenced by The Specials, and this is the first taste of their new material - I'd describe it as a big singalong anthem to be played in summer with the car windows down.

it should autoplay if you click here