Well, another year is almost over. I was fortunate enough to hear over two dozen great local and national bands play live this year, and even chat with a few of the musicians after some of their shows. With that in mind, here's some of the best rock albums I listened to in 2012, listed alphabetically by artist:
Live at Wembley (CD/DVD) by Alter Bridge
I enjoyed hearing Alter Bridge play live at the MN State Fair last year, and this is a full-length concert performance from Wembley Stadium in London during the tour for their 3rd studio album. To some this is just Creed with a different singer, but I'd like to think that having Myles Kennedy on vocals and some guitar takes them in a different direction.
Recommended tracks: "Blackbird," "Isolation," "Rise Today."
Last Parade by Call Me No One
One of Sevendust guitarist/vocalist Clint Lowery's side projects from Sevendust, this turned out to be one of the more interesting albums of the year. Clint and Sevendust drummer Morgan Rose join forces to collaborate on a memorable album that really showcases their versatility. I can recommend this album on the song "World is Dead" alone which has an amazing guitar solo from Clint, one that I was able to hear as I walked past First Avenue in Minneapolis this summer as the band rehearsed before a Sevendust show.
Recommended tracks: "World is Dead," "Soapbox," "Last Parade."
New Tradition by Dark New Day
Clint's other side project released their second album in 2012. Although this seems like a rush job (even the band photo looks like it was PhotoShopped), there are enough good songs for devoted fans to enjoy.
Recommended tracks: "New Tradition," "Fiend," "Straightjacket."
Impact by Eye Empire
This is a double album version of the band's debut. If you think they sound like Sevendust or Dark New Day, it's probably because Clint Lowery's brother Clint and B.C. Kochmit from Dark New Day are in this band, and also because Sevendust members Clint, Morgan Rose and Lajon Witherspoon contributed performances to this album. It's a bargain buy, and even has a few bonus acoustic and live performances as well.
Recommended tracks: "Bull in a China Shop," "Idiot," "Moment."
Live and Inspired by Godsmack
Boston rockers Godsmack released their first live concert album, and included a bonus disc of four cover songs like a non-guitar recording of Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" and the first single, a cover of Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way."
Recommended tracks: "Alive," "Realign," "Nothing Else Matters."
Welcome to the Freakshow by Hinder
A circus theme seems to envelop the band in the album artwork and the music, but it's pretty standard pop-rock fare for their fourth album. Nothing outstanding, but well worth a casual listen.
Recommended tracks: "Save Me," "Freakshow," "Talk to Me."
The Crux by Hurt
Not a band on everone's radar, but they still manage to put out an album every few years. This one seems more like a concept album, and I think that even casual fans can appreciate this disc.
Recommended tracks: "Sally Slips," "Caught in the Rain," "How We End Up Alone."
HQ Live by Incubus
A treat for the fans, this is a double-live set of performances that were captured in a small setting, and also broadcast live over the Internet. Definitely worth checking out for anyone who's a fan.
Recommended tracks: "Drive," "Anna Molly," "Are You In/Riders on the Storm."
Celebration Day by Led Zeppelin
The full performance from 2007 at London's O2 arena, this double disc set is considered to be one of Zeppelin's best performances ever. With John Bonham's son Jason filling in for him behind the drum kit, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page don't miss a beat in this uplifting concert experience.
Recommended tracks: "Ramble On," "Kashmir," "Rock and Roll."
Human by Projected
Another Sevendust side project, this one by guitarist/vocalist John Connolly and bassist Vince Hornsby. Scott Phillips of Alter Bridge/Creed joins them on drums to produce a solid effort, one that I'd be glad to hear live in concert some day.
Recommended tracks: "Hello," "Watch It Burn," "Stella."
Bringing Down the Giant by Saving Abel
I was surprised to hear it was time for a new album by this band, and while it's not my favorite, there are still some enjoyable yet predictable tracks on this CD. Worth buying for dedicated fans.
Recommended tracks: "Bringing Down the Giant," "Me and You," "Michael Jackson's Jacket."
Amaryllis by Shinedown
Another solid outing by frontman Brent Smith and company. I'm glad to hear the lineup for this album is unchanged since the last time I saw them on tour in 2009. Not as strong as the Sound of Madness CD, but still with some tracks well worth listening to again and again.
Recommended tracks: "Adrenaline," "Bully," "Enemies."
Apocalyptic Love by Slash
Slash's second official solo record, this one with Alter Bridge's Myles Kennedy and the touring band from his first album (now referred to as "The Conspirators") instead of another all-star effort like his debut solo disc. The band delves into softer rock, pop and even jazzy numbers but Slash's guitar still rocks throughout.
Recommended tracks: "Standing In the Sun," "You're a Lie," "No More Heroes."
Delayed Reaction by Soul Asylum
The Minneapolis natives' first album in six years, which takes more of a pop turn than previous efforts. Now that Dan Murphy has since left the band, frontman/guitarist Dave Pirner is the only original member still left on the band, and he carries this album from beginning to end.
Recommended tracks: "Gravity," "The Streets," "I Should've Stayed in Bed."
King Animal by Soundgarden
The Seattle band's first studio album in over 15 years was well worth the wait! While the songs don't sound like their classic albums, the new sound fits in well with their classic tracks and takes them in a new direction that I'd also like to hear live someday (if their concert tickets are more affordable, that is).
Recommended tracks: "Been Away," "Taree," "Worse Dreams."
House of Gold and Bones Part 1 by Stone Sour
Jim Root and Corey Taylor depart Slipknot again for their side project Stone Sour. This album (which has part 2 coming out in 2013) is more of a concept album that tells a story. I enjoyed the disc, but wonder how the tracks associate with the second part.
Recommended tracks: "Absolute Zero," "RU486," "Taciturn."
Avengers Assemble by Various Artists
I don't normally listen to movie soundtracks, but this one was worth picking up on the hype surrounding Soundgarden's first single in fifteen years "Live to Rise." The album also features interesting B-sides by Shinedown, Rise Against, Buckcherry, Evanescence and others. Five Finger Death Punch also contribute a solid cover of Faith No More's "From Out of Nowhere."
Recommended tracks: "Live to Rise" by Soundgarden, "I'm Alive by Shinedown, "From Out of Nowhere" by Five Finger Death Punch.
Well that's all for now. Enjoy the weekend and I'll be back blogging again in 2013!
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Saturday, December 22, 2012
More Questions Than Answers
So here it is, three days until Christmas, and I've been feeling a little like Charlie Brown in the classic Peanuts animated holiday special. With the snow on the ground and cold temperatures outside, I've been keenly aware of the approaching holiday season, but it's taken me a while to get into the holiday mood.
I think it's partly because the month began on a sour note for most of us in the community. People in Central Minnesota and my hometown are still feeling the after effects of the shocking and senseless murder of a police officer, one that as of now has no suspect and no resolution. For me, my mind went back to the school shooting at my high school in 2003, one of those things that you think will never happen to your community until it does. Everyone I talked to in town the weekend after Officer Decker's death felt like they had been punched in the stomach, even if they didn't know the officer or his family. It's still going to take more time for this community to heal, although the outpouring of support from police officers from across the state and the country during his funeral service was encouraging.
This was soon followed by another tragedy, this time the school shooting in Connecticut. Another senseless act of violence that leaves so many people asking "why?" This also reminded me of the shooting this past summer in Colorado during a showing of the newest Batman movie, as well as the fact that one of my former grade school teachers was repeatedly stabbed and killed by one of her sons this summer.
I don't know any of the answers or solutions to these seemingly increasing acts of savage violence. I know that violence is at times glorified on TV, in movies and video games, among other things. However, I do think that perhaps we need to take a closer look at this, as well as maybe even requiring a psychological background evaluation before a person can buy a firearm. I mean, I have played some of the more violent video games like the Grand Theft Auto and Resident Evil series, but I have no aspirations to go out on a shooting rampage afterwards, because I can seperate make-believe from reality.
Well, I didn't mean to write a downer of an article so close to the holidays, but I felt I had to get this off my chest. Next week I'll have my annual review of the best rock albums I've listened to of 2012. Until then, have a safe and happy holiday week with your friends and family, full of lots of positive lasting memories!
I think it's partly because the month began on a sour note for most of us in the community. People in Central Minnesota and my hometown are still feeling the after effects of the shocking and senseless murder of a police officer, one that as of now has no suspect and no resolution. For me, my mind went back to the school shooting at my high school in 2003, one of those things that you think will never happen to your community until it does. Everyone I talked to in town the weekend after Officer Decker's death felt like they had been punched in the stomach, even if they didn't know the officer or his family. It's still going to take more time for this community to heal, although the outpouring of support from police officers from across the state and the country during his funeral service was encouraging.
This was soon followed by another tragedy, this time the school shooting in Connecticut. Another senseless act of violence that leaves so many people asking "why?" This also reminded me of the shooting this past summer in Colorado during a showing of the newest Batman movie, as well as the fact that one of my former grade school teachers was repeatedly stabbed and killed by one of her sons this summer.
I don't know any of the answers or solutions to these seemingly increasing acts of savage violence. I know that violence is at times glorified on TV, in movies and video games, among other things. However, I do think that perhaps we need to take a closer look at this, as well as maybe even requiring a psychological background evaluation before a person can buy a firearm. I mean, I have played some of the more violent video games like the Grand Theft Auto and Resident Evil series, but I have no aspirations to go out on a shooting rampage afterwards, because I can seperate make-believe from reality.
Well, I didn't mean to write a downer of an article so close to the holidays, but I felt I had to get this off my chest. Next week I'll have my annual review of the best rock albums I've listened to of 2012. Until then, have a safe and happy holiday week with your friends and family, full of lots of positive lasting memories!
Saturday, November 24, 2012
The Oddfathers Debut
About ten years ago, I worked in downtown St. Cloud, within walking distance of several restaurants and nightclubs. This also led my friends and I to see several great Minnesota bands at some of these clubs. One of the more memorable bands I remembered seeing was the Twin Cities based band Flipp. Fronted by Brynn Arens, this quartet was famous for playing loud rock, their flashy onstage personas, and for playing almost anywhere in the state. This past Tuesday, I attended the debut show by the Oddfathers, Brynn's new band, at the Pioneer Place on Fifth. While the flashy personas and glam rock were gone, the enthusiasm and energy were still the same!
The show kicked off at 7:30 p.m. with a quick set by the opening act, Minneapolis artists GlitterGun. They reminded me of some of the pop/rock acts in Flipp's heyday, especially with a female lead singer with bright hair extensions and lights in her mini-tutu. They are another new band, with their debut album coming out early next year. They're playful and fun, but definitely not a top 40 band, as you can tell from the following lyrics from their song "Sugar & Spice:"
I'm sugar and spice
I'm not so nice
I'd stab you in the back
with a frosting knife
After the customary set change break, a snippet of Godfather movie music filled the speakers before the red curtain parted, and the Oddfathers hit the stage. Decked out in mobster-style pinstripe suits, Arens, guitarist Casey Gooby, former Great White bass guitarist Krys Baratto and drummer Tom Cook started their set with songs from their debut EP. The set was more of a classic rock sound than Flipp's power pop/rock, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. They're a unique act, especially considering that they're only releasing their EP on vinyl - if I still had a record player, I would have bought a copy!
The set closed with the first single "Another Tear Goes Dry." Arens may not have the bleached white hair, flashy red suit or painted face that I remember from Flipp, but he still has the spiked (now gray) hair and facial contortions while playing the guitar that I have fond memories of. The only disappointment I had, besides not being able to buy their EP on CD, was the fact that only about 70 or so people attended the show.
If you're a fan of Flipp, Brynn or good Minnesota rock, give them a try when they play in your town, or look them up on Facebook. They're defninitely worth the effort!
The show kicked off at 7:30 p.m. with a quick set by the opening act, Minneapolis artists GlitterGun. They reminded me of some of the pop/rock acts in Flipp's heyday, especially with a female lead singer with bright hair extensions and lights in her mini-tutu. They are another new band, with their debut album coming out early next year. They're playful and fun, but definitely not a top 40 band, as you can tell from the following lyrics from their song "Sugar & Spice:"
I'm sugar and spice
I'm not so nice
I'd stab you in the back
with a frosting knife
After the customary set change break, a snippet of Godfather movie music filled the speakers before the red curtain parted, and the Oddfathers hit the stage. Decked out in mobster-style pinstripe suits, Arens, guitarist Casey Gooby, former Great White bass guitarist Krys Baratto and drummer Tom Cook started their set with songs from their debut EP. The set was more of a classic rock sound than Flipp's power pop/rock, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. They're a unique act, especially considering that they're only releasing their EP on vinyl - if I still had a record player, I would have bought a copy!
The set closed with the first single "Another Tear Goes Dry." Arens may not have the bleached white hair, flashy red suit or painted face that I remember from Flipp, but he still has the spiked (now gray) hair and facial contortions while playing the guitar that I have fond memories of. The only disappointment I had, besides not being able to buy their EP on CD, was the fact that only about 70 or so people attended the show.
If you're a fan of Flipp, Brynn or good Minnesota rock, give them a try when they play in your town, or look them up on Facebook. They're defninitely worth the effort!
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Guitars & Gratitude with the Fabulous Armadillos
This past Tuesday, the United Way that I work for hosted a special evening to thank some of our generous donors with a free concert featuring the local group the Fabulous Armadillos. As I helped with some of the preparations for this event, I found myself growing more and more eager for the night of the show to arrive. I had seen some of the members of this group perform many times at the Red Carpet in downtown St. Cloud as Slip Twister, but this would be the first time I'd get to experience the Fabulous Armadillos in person.
I helped with some set up tasks at the Pioneer Place that rainy night. Although I had to miss the social next door at D.B. Searle's, I did get to interact with some of our donors and a few old friends, including coworkers and even one of my grade school teachers. I was prepared to wait for any late arrivals just as the show was starting, until a coworker friend of me urged me to immediately join our group.
The eight-member group was quite impressive. Paul "Stretch" Diethelm was just as impressive on guitar as he was when I first saw him in Slip Twister when they opened for Jonny Lang at the Red Carpet back in the mid-Nineties. His Slip Twister bandmates, Mike Zeleny on bass and Jay O'Donnell on drums, were also great. Keyboardist Greg Armstrong kept the tempo even throughout the night, and horn players Mike Kreitzer and Patrick Thorn also kept the crowd going, particularly during a couple of memorable Chicago covers.
Pamela McNeill has a strong voice, which she showcased during the group's covers of Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and Journey tunes. I was amazed by the vocal range of singer Billy Scherer, as he went from singing tunes by Prince, Chicago, Joe Cocker and Kenny Loggins with seeming ease.
Concert attendees were invited to vote for five of their favorite songs for the Armadillos to play during the evening's show, and the number one vote-getter was Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline," which was performed beautifully not long after the mid-show break. The group closed out their lengthy set of popular cover songs with a grooving rendition of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." Needless to say, a particular Zeppelin-loving coworker of mine was in hog heaven! The band kept the audience, not to mention the fans who had already been dancing most of the night off to the side of the seating area, enthralled until the very last note and thank yous were finished.
I joined some of my friends and coworkers at D.B. Searle's after the show for "Dessert with the Dillos" and had some good conversations with friends and Stretch and Greg from the Fabulous Armadillos. I didn't have the endurance to stay for the entire after party, but after a long but very rewarding day, I was proud to have been part of such a wonderful experience. Makes me wonder what the next special event will be?
I helped with some set up tasks at the Pioneer Place that rainy night. Although I had to miss the social next door at D.B. Searle's, I did get to interact with some of our donors and a few old friends, including coworkers and even one of my grade school teachers. I was prepared to wait for any late arrivals just as the show was starting, until a coworker friend of me urged me to immediately join our group.
The eight-member group was quite impressive. Paul "Stretch" Diethelm was just as impressive on guitar as he was when I first saw him in Slip Twister when they opened for Jonny Lang at the Red Carpet back in the mid-Nineties. His Slip Twister bandmates, Mike Zeleny on bass and Jay O'Donnell on drums, were also great. Keyboardist Greg Armstrong kept the tempo even throughout the night, and horn players Mike Kreitzer and Patrick Thorn also kept the crowd going, particularly during a couple of memorable Chicago covers.
Pamela McNeill has a strong voice, which she showcased during the group's covers of Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and Journey tunes. I was amazed by the vocal range of singer Billy Scherer, as he went from singing tunes by Prince, Chicago, Joe Cocker and Kenny Loggins with seeming ease.
Concert attendees were invited to vote for five of their favorite songs for the Armadillos to play during the evening's show, and the number one vote-getter was Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline," which was performed beautifully not long after the mid-show break. The group closed out their lengthy set of popular cover songs with a grooving rendition of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." Needless to say, a particular Zeppelin-loving coworker of mine was in hog heaven! The band kept the audience, not to mention the fans who had already been dancing most of the night off to the side of the seating area, enthralled until the very last note and thank yous were finished.
I joined some of my friends and coworkers at D.B. Searle's after the show for "Dessert with the Dillos" and had some good conversations with friends and Stretch and Greg from the Fabulous Armadillos. I didn't have the endurance to stay for the entire after party, but after a long but very rewarding day, I was proud to have been part of such a wonderful experience. Makes me wonder what the next special event will be?
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Minnesota Twins 2012 Season in Review
Well, the third season of Twins baseball at Target Field has come and gone, and it's been a second consecutive disappointing season. It was nice to see a resurgence in the offense by Joe Mauer, Trevor Plouffe, a healthy Justin Morneau and new acquisitions Josh Willingham and Ryan Doumit, but again the main concern for this team is their starting pitching.
Last year's "ace" starter Carl Pavano went 2-5 with a 6.00 ERA in 11 starts this year, and never really looked healthy all year. With starter Scott Baker shelved all year with an injury and Francisco Liriano traded to the division rival White Sox during the season, the team tried many different starting pitchers this year, with mixed results. The one mainstay for next year's rotation appears to be Scott Diamond, who posted a 12-9 record with a 3.54 ERA in 27 starts. The rest of the rotation has are question marks, with Pavano and Baker not likely to be re-signed during the offseason and unproven starters Liam Hendriks (1-8, 5.59 ERA in 16 starts), Samuel Deduno (6-5, 4.44 ERA in 15 starts), P.J. Walters (2-5, 5.69 ERA in 12 starts) and Cole DeVries (5-5, 4.11 ERA in 17 games, 16 starts) all remain candidates at this point.
Another question mark for the Twins next year is their middle infield, particularly second base and shortstop. After the failed Tsuyoshi Nishioka experiment, the Twins plugged utility infielders Alexi Casilla (.244 avg, 1HR, 30 RBI and 21 SB in 106 games) and Jamey Carroll (.268, 1HR, and a career-best 40 RBI in 138 games) in at second base for most of the year. After shifting Trevor Plouffe from shortstop to third base following the disappointing play of now former Twin Danny Valencia, the Twins handed the everyday shortstop role to rookie Brian Dozier (.234 avg, 6 HR, 33 RBI and 15 errors in 84 games) before abruptly demoting him to Triple-A Rochester in favor of former Baltimore Orioles farmhand Pedro Florimon Jr. (.219 avg, 1 HR, 10 RBI and 7 errors in 43 games) late in the season.
The recent dismissal of coaches Jerry White, Steve Liddle,Rick Stelmasek and head trainer Rick McWane are somewhat of a shakeup. I'm comfortable with the reassignment of coaches Scott Ullger and Joe Vavra, especially since I never was a big fan of Vavra's approach to being a hitting coach. Now that Terry Ryan has removed the "interim" from his general manager title, I'd like to see him get down to business into making a team that can make a good playoff push. For this team to go from the first team in the majors to clinch a playoff spot in 2010 to being the worst in the American League each of the last two seasons is simply unacceptable for us diehard Twins fans. I'm hoping for a better performance next year, although I'm sure I'll go to at least a few more games at Target Field next year, simply because it's one of the best ballparks in the majors right now.
Last year's "ace" starter Carl Pavano went 2-5 with a 6.00 ERA in 11 starts this year, and never really looked healthy all year. With starter Scott Baker shelved all year with an injury and Francisco Liriano traded to the division rival White Sox during the season, the team tried many different starting pitchers this year, with mixed results. The one mainstay for next year's rotation appears to be Scott Diamond, who posted a 12-9 record with a 3.54 ERA in 27 starts. The rest of the rotation has are question marks, with Pavano and Baker not likely to be re-signed during the offseason and unproven starters Liam Hendriks (1-8, 5.59 ERA in 16 starts), Samuel Deduno (6-5, 4.44 ERA in 15 starts), P.J. Walters (2-5, 5.69 ERA in 12 starts) and Cole DeVries (5-5, 4.11 ERA in 17 games, 16 starts) all remain candidates at this point.
Another question mark for the Twins next year is their middle infield, particularly second base and shortstop. After the failed Tsuyoshi Nishioka experiment, the Twins plugged utility infielders Alexi Casilla (.244 avg, 1HR, 30 RBI and 21 SB in 106 games) and Jamey Carroll (.268, 1HR, and a career-best 40 RBI in 138 games) in at second base for most of the year. After shifting Trevor Plouffe from shortstop to third base following the disappointing play of now former Twin Danny Valencia, the Twins handed the everyday shortstop role to rookie Brian Dozier (.234 avg, 6 HR, 33 RBI and 15 errors in 84 games) before abruptly demoting him to Triple-A Rochester in favor of former Baltimore Orioles farmhand Pedro Florimon Jr. (.219 avg, 1 HR, 10 RBI and 7 errors in 43 games) late in the season.
The recent dismissal of coaches Jerry White, Steve Liddle,Rick Stelmasek and head trainer Rick McWane are somewhat of a shakeup. I'm comfortable with the reassignment of coaches Scott Ullger and Joe Vavra, especially since I never was a big fan of Vavra's approach to being a hitting coach. Now that Terry Ryan has removed the "interim" from his general manager title, I'd like to see him get down to business into making a team that can make a good playoff push. For this team to go from the first team in the majors to clinch a playoff spot in 2010 to being the worst in the American League each of the last two seasons is simply unacceptable for us diehard Twins fans. I'm hoping for a better performance next year, although I'm sure I'll go to at least a few more games at Target Field next year, simply because it's one of the best ballparks in the majors right now.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Stone Temple Pilots: Party Like it's 1992
When my brother Chris was growing up in the 90's, he got me interested in the alternative rock bands of the time. One such band was Stone Temple Pilots. He played their debut album Core and the followup Purple hundreds of times, so much so that the songs were ingrained in my head for a long time. A couple of weekends ago at a family get-together, I mentioned that I was attending STP's show at the Myth in Maplewood, and Chris and his girlfriend Katie mentioned they'd like to join me. Katie lives not far from the venue, and had never been there to a show, so it seemed like a perfect show for the three of us to attend.
I got off work early yesterday afternoon, and navigated my way around the typical Minnesota summer road construction to the correct detour exit. I found a Half Price Book store on White Bear Avenue and perused selections for a while before making my way to the local Best Buy and Barnes & Noble at the Maplewood Mall before meeting Chris & Katie at the local Chili's restaurant for supper.
We don't have a Chili's in St. Cloud, so I trusted the "regulars" Chris and Katie when it came to menu selections, as we sat at the bar and enjoyed good food and conversation. We arrived at the Myth about an hour before the show was scheduled to begin. I had to laugh when Chris and Katie, who are younger than me didn't get carded, but I got asked to see my ID immediately after they walked up to the security guard.
This was my third show at the Myth, and as the three of us decided to where to watch the music from, we noticed that there was room on the second floor, in an area I'd never seen open to the public before. We made our way up the stairs, and continued our chat before the opening act Crash Kings took the stage. They were an interesting trio, with frontman Tony Beliveau on vocals, piano, keyboards and synthesizer; his brother Mike Beliveau on bass guitar, and Tom Roslak on drums. This was the first rock band I'd seen live that didn't have at least one electric (or acoustic) guitar song during their set, but I thought they did a good job of keeping the crowd involved as they ran through their 45-minute set, including their hit single "Mountain Man."
My brother had seen STP's frontman Scott Weiland perform a couple of times in another band, Velvet Revolver a few years back, and he was telling me they played a few Stone Temple Pilots songs during those shows, just before STP hit the stage with a lesser-known song from their debut album Core. Weiland, brother guitarists Robert and Dean DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz were touring in celebration of their debut album's 20th anniversary, and Weiland commented early on in their set that they've been a band for so long that they can pretty much predict one another's antics on stage.
During the middle of the set, Weiland started a rambling tale of how the band first played in Minneapolis opening for the long-forgotten band Run Westy Run. The group then started a snippet of Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side," before launching into the rock radio hit "Interstate Love Song," followed by their mega-smash "Plush."
The band closed their 15-song set with the peppy song "Tripping On a Hole in a Paper Heart," followed up by an quick pair of songs "Unglued" and "Sex Type Thing" as their encore, just as the clock struck eleven. While Chris, Katie and I agreed that it wasn't a perfect set, it was a good way to start off a weekend. I later learned as we made our way to our cars just how many people had filled the Myth, as I saw quite a few concertgoers heading to their cars parked at the nearby Maplewood Mall's parking lot. When we originally got to the show, we were kind of expecting a younger audience, but realizing the band had been around for 20 years, I guess a bunch of them were there to party like it was 1992 all over again.
I made my way home last night around the detours, realizing that I'd seen 19 national acts play live so far this year. I'm not sure if I'll get to any more concerts this year, but if not, I'd have to say that finally getting to hear Stone Temple Pilots play live would be a perfect exclamation point on a great year of concerts in 2012.
I got off work early yesterday afternoon, and navigated my way around the typical Minnesota summer road construction to the correct detour exit. I found a Half Price Book store on White Bear Avenue and perused selections for a while before making my way to the local Best Buy and Barnes & Noble at the Maplewood Mall before meeting Chris & Katie at the local Chili's restaurant for supper.
We don't have a Chili's in St. Cloud, so I trusted the "regulars" Chris and Katie when it came to menu selections, as we sat at the bar and enjoyed good food and conversation. We arrived at the Myth about an hour before the show was scheduled to begin. I had to laugh when Chris and Katie, who are younger than me didn't get carded, but I got asked to see my ID immediately after they walked up to the security guard.
This was my third show at the Myth, and as the three of us decided to where to watch the music from, we noticed that there was room on the second floor, in an area I'd never seen open to the public before. We made our way up the stairs, and continued our chat before the opening act Crash Kings took the stage. They were an interesting trio, with frontman Tony Beliveau on vocals, piano, keyboards and synthesizer; his brother Mike Beliveau on bass guitar, and Tom Roslak on drums. This was the first rock band I'd seen live that didn't have at least one electric (or acoustic) guitar song during their set, but I thought they did a good job of keeping the crowd involved as they ran through their 45-minute set, including their hit single "Mountain Man."
My brother had seen STP's frontman Scott Weiland perform a couple of times in another band, Velvet Revolver a few years back, and he was telling me they played a few Stone Temple Pilots songs during those shows, just before STP hit the stage with a lesser-known song from their debut album Core. Weiland, brother guitarists Robert and Dean DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz were touring in celebration of their debut album's 20th anniversary, and Weiland commented early on in their set that they've been a band for so long that they can pretty much predict one another's antics on stage.
The band closed their 15-song set with the peppy song "Tripping On a Hole in a Paper Heart," followed up by an quick pair of songs "Unglued" and "Sex Type Thing" as their encore, just as the clock struck eleven. While Chris, Katie and I agreed that it wasn't a perfect set, it was a good way to start off a weekend. I later learned as we made our way to our cars just how many people had filled the Myth, as I saw quite a few concertgoers heading to their cars parked at the nearby Maplewood Mall's parking lot. When we originally got to the show, we were kind of expecting a younger audience, but realizing the band had been around for 20 years, I guess a bunch of them were there to party like it was 1992 all over again.
I made my way home last night around the detours, realizing that I'd seen 19 national acts play live so far this year. I'm not sure if I'll get to any more concerts this year, but if not, I'd have to say that finally getting to hear Stone Temple Pilots play live would be a perfect exclamation point on a great year of concerts in 2012.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Buckcherry: All Lit Up Again
Buckcherry is one of those bands whose songs you hear all the time played over a concert venue's speakers during set changes, but until last night, it was a modern rock band that I'd never got to hear live in concert. When I heard they were playing at the casino in Walker, I decided to attend - it was a good excuse to drive up to northern Minnesota on a beautiful Friday afternoon, anyway.
I headed up north right after work that afternoon, basking in nature's beauty during most of the drive. The show didn't start until 8 pm, and there were no opening acts, so I had plenty of time to catch a bite to eat and enjoy the slower, laid-back pace a bit before the show. The concert was held in a large tent outside the casino, with reserved seats in front and the general admission area consisting of basically standing room behind the seats near the sound board.
Promptly at 8 p.m. Buckcherry hit the stage. Although frontman Josh Todd and guitarist Keith Nelson are the original members still in the band following their early 2000s breakup, I thought the band did a good job of keeping the crowd entertained throughout. It's been said that Todd is now sober, but it didn't stop him from singing about the temptations of days past in songs like "Rescue Me," "Lit Up," and the regular set closer "Crazy Bitch." They stretched over a dozen songs into just under 90 minutes onstage, with Todd taking time out to explain to the crowd some of the inspiration behind writing the songs "Lit Up" (inspired by one of his first jobs) and "Crazy Bitch" (think of a young Madonna as her career started to take off).
Normally, the casino offers a free slot play coupon, but after a long day, I decided to bypass this option, deciding instead to grab a late supper and catch the Vikings highlights on the tube at the hotel after the show. It was my first show at Northern Lights in 2 years, and I have to say, they definitely do a good job of keeping rock fans happy!
I headed up north right after work that afternoon, basking in nature's beauty during most of the drive. The show didn't start until 8 pm, and there were no opening acts, so I had plenty of time to catch a bite to eat and enjoy the slower, laid-back pace a bit before the show. The concert was held in a large tent outside the casino, with reserved seats in front and the general admission area consisting of basically standing room behind the seats near the sound board.
Promptly at 8 p.m. Buckcherry hit the stage. Although frontman Josh Todd and guitarist Keith Nelson are the original members still in the band following their early 2000s breakup, I thought the band did a good job of keeping the crowd entertained throughout. It's been said that Todd is now sober, but it didn't stop him from singing about the temptations of days past in songs like "Rescue Me," "Lit Up," and the regular set closer "Crazy Bitch." They stretched over a dozen songs into just under 90 minutes onstage, with Todd taking time out to explain to the crowd some of the inspiration behind writing the songs "Lit Up" (inspired by one of his first jobs) and "Crazy Bitch" (think of a young Madonna as her career started to take off).
Normally, the casino offers a free slot play coupon, but after a long day, I decided to bypass this option, deciding instead to grab a late supper and catch the Vikings highlights on the tube at the hotel after the show. It was my first show at Northern Lights in 2 years, and I have to say, they definitely do a good job of keeping rock fans happy!
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Halfway Jam 2012
Last year I attended the 3-day Halfway Jam outdoor classic rock festival in Royalton, MN for the first time, and had a blast! This year I decided to return again after finding out that Queensryche was one of the headliners. I'd enjoyed Queensryche's show at the casino in Walker 3 years earlier so I thought it'd be another fun time. After I'd bought my tickets, however, I learned that their lead singer Geoff Tate was suddenly out of the band in the middle of their 30th anniversary tour. Despite rumors and uncertainty, however, the band pledged to be at Halfway Jam. I wondered how this would affect the overall concert experience.
I got to the first day after a busy day at work just as the first national act, Bang Tango, hit the main stage. Despite a sudden downpour during the set, the band played an impressive set. The same was true of the following act Trixter. They played an energetic set winding down with their hit "Give it To Me Good."
As darkness began to set in, most of the festival attendees swarmed the side stage to catch local favorites Blimp play some classic Led Zeppelin covers. Stacy Bauer channeled her inner Robert Plant perfectly, and the crowd was riled up enough for the evening's headliner, southern rockers Jackyl to hit the stage.
I remember my brother playing Jackyl's debut CD constantly as a youth, and a lot of those hit songs like "When Will It Rain" came back to me instantly when the band played on stage. Despite a recent wrist injury, frontman Jesse James Dupree performed admirably, closing with the hit "Lumberjack," in which Dupree successfully sawed a stool in half with a Stihl chainsaw, one of the rare rock songs where a chainsaw doubles as a musical instrument. Immediately afterwards, Dupree fired off a blank round into the air from a shotgun that happened to be tied to his mike stand. I got to chat with the band afterwards and admit to Dupree that I didn't realize his mike stand was loaded!
The second day, after helping out at the library book sale during the annual Cold Spring summer festival, I returned to Halfway Jam to catch the southern tunes of Blackfoot. The southern rock theme continued with the next act, the distinctive Molly Hatchet. I was impressed by their music, and got to compliment the lead singer after their set.
It was fitting that a local Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band was on the side stage before and after Friday's headliner 38 Special took the stage, because one of their singer/guitarists is Donnie Van Zant, brother of Skynyrd's late member Ronnie Van Zant. 38 Special started rocking into the night and continued the fun for over an hour. In addition to their own hits like "Second Chance" and "Hold on Loosely," the band also covered the Skynyrd classic "Rebel to Rebel," a fitting tribute to Donnie's brother.
The next day I arose, a bit groggily, in time to help out my library book sale on the final, but very successful day. Before I knew it, it was time to catch Enuff Z'Nuff sing "Fly High Michelle" and other hits from their catalog at Halfway Jam on a bright sunny Saturday.
I enjoyed hearing Lynch Mob axeman George Lynch's killer guitar riffs during the next set. His expert playing him reminded me of the skilled playing of Eddie Van Halen that I had witnessed live a couple of months earlier. I wasn't too fond of the next band, Stryper, because of the religious aspect of their band, but they played some great covers of songs like Black Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell" and Judas Priest's "Living After Midnight." They were the only main stage opening act to have an encore, their single "To Hell With the Devil."
As I made my way to the front of the general admission area, I happened to have a long, detailed conversation with a Queensryche 'superfan' who was also disappointed by Tate's departure from the band. She filled me in on some inside information, including the reason why original guitarist Chris DeGarmo left the band years earlier.
After the Jammin' Idol winner performed (she did well, my only complaint was that she sang a pop song during a rock festival), Queensryche with new singer Todd La Torre hit the stage. I was impressed with his vocal range, he really could hit the high notes. I enjoyed watching the band play classics like "Walk In The Shadows," "Take Hold of the Flame," "Warning," and "Jet City Woman," but during certain songs I couldn't help thinking "Where's Geoff?" I later learned that this was the band's first-ever public performance with Todd La Torre behind the mike for Queensryche, so I was witness to a bit of rock & roll history in the making.
As I drove around a few showers on the way home that night, I reflected on another successful Halfway Jam. While I wasn't a big fan of most of the main stage acts, I still had fun nonetheless. I got to hear new music, talk to some friends, fans and a few of the band members, so that alone was worth the ticket price. If the experience is as enjoyable next year, I'll probably be back again. Third time's the charm, right?
I got to the first day after a busy day at work just as the first national act, Bang Tango, hit the main stage. Despite a sudden downpour during the set, the band played an impressive set. The same was true of the following act Trixter. They played an energetic set winding down with their hit "Give it To Me Good."
As darkness began to set in, most of the festival attendees swarmed the side stage to catch local favorites Blimp play some classic Led Zeppelin covers. Stacy Bauer channeled her inner Robert Plant perfectly, and the crowd was riled up enough for the evening's headliner, southern rockers Jackyl to hit the stage.
I remember my brother playing Jackyl's debut CD constantly as a youth, and a lot of those hit songs like "When Will It Rain" came back to me instantly when the band played on stage. Despite a recent wrist injury, frontman Jesse James Dupree performed admirably, closing with the hit "Lumberjack," in which Dupree successfully sawed a stool in half with a Stihl chainsaw, one of the rare rock songs where a chainsaw doubles as a musical instrument. Immediately afterwards, Dupree fired off a blank round into the air from a shotgun that happened to be tied to his mike stand. I got to chat with the band afterwards and admit to Dupree that I didn't realize his mike stand was loaded!
The second day, after helping out at the library book sale during the annual Cold Spring summer festival, I returned to Halfway Jam to catch the southern tunes of Blackfoot. The southern rock theme continued with the next act, the distinctive Molly Hatchet. I was impressed by their music, and got to compliment the lead singer after their set.
It was fitting that a local Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band was on the side stage before and after Friday's headliner 38 Special took the stage, because one of their singer/guitarists is Donnie Van Zant, brother of Skynyrd's late member Ronnie Van Zant. 38 Special started rocking into the night and continued the fun for over an hour. In addition to their own hits like "Second Chance" and "Hold on Loosely," the band also covered the Skynyrd classic "Rebel to Rebel," a fitting tribute to Donnie's brother.
The next day I arose, a bit groggily, in time to help out my library book sale on the final, but very successful day. Before I knew it, it was time to catch Enuff Z'Nuff sing "Fly High Michelle" and other hits from their catalog at Halfway Jam on a bright sunny Saturday.
I enjoyed hearing Lynch Mob axeman George Lynch's killer guitar riffs during the next set. His expert playing him reminded me of the skilled playing of Eddie Van Halen that I had witnessed live a couple of months earlier. I wasn't too fond of the next band, Stryper, because of the religious aspect of their band, but they played some great covers of songs like Black Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell" and Judas Priest's "Living After Midnight." They were the only main stage opening act to have an encore, their single "To Hell With the Devil."
As I made my way to the front of the general admission area, I happened to have a long, detailed conversation with a Queensryche 'superfan' who was also disappointed by Tate's departure from the band. She filled me in on some inside information, including the reason why original guitarist Chris DeGarmo left the band years earlier.
After the Jammin' Idol winner performed (she did well, my only complaint was that she sang a pop song during a rock festival), Queensryche with new singer Todd La Torre hit the stage. I was impressed with his vocal range, he really could hit the high notes. I enjoyed watching the band play classics like "Walk In The Shadows," "Take Hold of the Flame," "Warning," and "Jet City Woman," but during certain songs I couldn't help thinking "Where's Geoff?" I later learned that this was the band's first-ever public performance with Todd La Torre behind the mike for Queensryche, so I was witness to a bit of rock & roll history in the making.
As I drove around a few showers on the way home that night, I reflected on another successful Halfway Jam. While I wasn't a big fan of most of the main stage acts, I still had fun nonetheless. I got to hear new music, talk to some friends, fans and a few of the band members, so that alone was worth the ticket price. If the experience is as enjoyable next year, I'll probably be back again. Third time's the charm, right?
Friday, July 27, 2012
Soul Asylum at the Paramount
When I was in college, it was hard not to turn on MTV and see a Soul Asylum video being played. I got to see the band three times in St. Cloud about a decade after their heyday. With the 2005 death of their bass guitarist Karl Mueller from throat cancer, the band's appearances have been limited, so when I heard they were returning to St. Cloud to play at the Paramount Theatre last Saturday, I decided to attend to see how much had changed.
The band had just released their new CD, Delayed Reaction, that week, the band's first disc in six years. The show started with the first song from the new disc, "Gravity," an uptempo pop-rock song that got the crowd's attention. It was good to see frontman Dave Pirner and guitarist Dan Murphy back in action, alongside new drummer Michael Bland, Winston Roy filling in for ex-Replacements bassists Tommy Stinson, and Thomas Barbarella on keyboards. Even Mueller was there in spirit, as the drum head facing the crowd was a picture of him covered in mayonnaise, paint and other gooey substances from the cover of the band's 1989 EP Clam Dip and Other Delights.
The band had just played two shows in Minneapolis the previous two nights, one on Thursday at the 7th Street Entry and one on Friday at First Avenue's main room. Pirner admitted to the crowd that he was in a much better mood at the Paramount, and even shrugged off forgetting some of the lyrics to their single "Misery."
The band played about ten songs, took a twenty-minute intermission (one of the band's first intermissions in its history, according to Pirner), then returned for another ten songs. The house lights barely went down before the group returned to the stage for five encore songs, all festive and faithful covers of songs by other artists, including a fiesty rendition of Steve Miller's "Space Cowboy."
Althought the band didn't play too many of their classic hits, it was good to hear some of the newer songs interspersed with the familiar tracks "Black Gold," "Somebody to Shove," "Stand Up and Be Strong" and "Runaway Train."
I wasn't familiar with any of the new music, so I made a point to pick up the new disc after the show. As I familiarized myself with the ten power pop songs on Delayed Reaction, I remembered how everyone at the show was enjoying the performance, and hoped that the band would make another return to the historic theater.
The band had just released their new CD, Delayed Reaction, that week, the band's first disc in six years. The show started with the first song from the new disc, "Gravity," an uptempo pop-rock song that got the crowd's attention. It was good to see frontman Dave Pirner and guitarist Dan Murphy back in action, alongside new drummer Michael Bland, Winston Roy filling in for ex-Replacements bassists Tommy Stinson, and Thomas Barbarella on keyboards. Even Mueller was there in spirit, as the drum head facing the crowd was a picture of him covered in mayonnaise, paint and other gooey substances from the cover of the band's 1989 EP Clam Dip and Other Delights.
The band had just played two shows in Minneapolis the previous two nights, one on Thursday at the 7th Street Entry and one on Friday at First Avenue's main room. Pirner admitted to the crowd that he was in a much better mood at the Paramount, and even shrugged off forgetting some of the lyrics to their single "Misery."
The band played about ten songs, took a twenty-minute intermission (one of the band's first intermissions in its history, according to Pirner), then returned for another ten songs. The house lights barely went down before the group returned to the stage for five encore songs, all festive and faithful covers of songs by other artists, including a fiesty rendition of Steve Miller's "Space Cowboy."
Althought the band didn't play too many of their classic hits, it was good to hear some of the newer songs interspersed with the familiar tracks "Black Gold," "Somebody to Shove," "Stand Up and Be Strong" and "Runaway Train."
I wasn't familiar with any of the new music, so I made a point to pick up the new disc after the show. As I familiarized myself with the ten power pop songs on Delayed Reaction, I remembered how everyone at the show was enjoying the performance, and hoped that the band would make another return to the historic theater.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Partied With the Rock Stars
I have to admit that July has been a great month for me so far. I was humbled by the kind acts and treats from my coworkers the week before my birthday, I got to enjoy a few days last weekend enjoying the beautiful scenery of northwestern Minnesota, and endured the heat, humidity and lousy Minnesota Twins pitching with my brother at Target Field on my birthday last Sunday.
When I was searching online for fun things to do during my birthday month, I saw that one of my favorite bands, Sevendust, was playing at the legendary First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis a few days after my birthday. Remembering all the great times I'd had at their shows six times before, I immediately bought a ticket. I was suddenly a bit giddy with anticipation, looking forward more to this show than to my milestone birthday!
I arrived in downtown Minneapolis on Thursday and found a spot in a parking ramp near Target Field, so close that I could see the seventh inning stretch festivities on the Target Field displays from my car. As I walked downtown, I strolled by First Avenue just in time to hear a great track called "World is Dead" from Sevendust guitarist Clint Lowery and drummer Morgan Rose's new side project Call Me No One being rehearsed. I knew right then and there that I was in for a great night!
I arrived early enough to grab a sandwich and bottle of water and enjoy them outside of Target Field just as the Twins gave the game away to the Orioles. Before the disappointed crowd could exit en masse, I decided to head down to Nicollet Mall and lose myself in a good book or two before heading to the show.
A few hours later, I arrived back at First Avenue just as the first few dedicated fans began lining up outside. While I considered myself a Sevendust "veteran" going to my seventh Sevendust show, I met a few more loyal fans outside the arena, including one who was going to his 36th Sevendust concert that night.
Before too long, the doors opened and I met up with my new acquaintances after buying a VIP pass so I could attend the meet and greet and the after show a few blocks down the road at the Pourhouse. I had never heard of the opening acts Black Oxygen and 3 Pill Morning, but was looking forward to hearing new music. I chatted with some more Sevendust fans as we took our spots front row center before the show.
Shortly before 6:30 p.m. the first opening act Black Oxygen took the stage. Their look and sound reminded me of "nu-metal bands" like Puddle of Mudd and Hoobastank, but I liked some of their originals and made a mental note to find out more about them in the near future.
The second opening act, 3 Pill Morning, then followed, and included a few songs from their newly released second album Black Tie Love Affair. The Minnesota natives did a good job of getting the crowd warmed up for the headliner Sevendust.
After another set change, Sevendust amped up the crowd with the song "Inside" from their seventh studio album "Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow." It was great to hear the band perform with great energy, especially on classic tracks like "Black," "Denial," and "Splinter." It was also nice to hear songs like "Waffle" that I hadn't heard in a while in their sets. One of my favorite Sevendust songs is the ballad "Angel's Son," and I said a silent prayer to my late Uncle Felix as Lowery began the familiar opening chords on electric guitar.
It was a fast 14-song set, packed with hits from all of their studio albums, closing with the popular encore song "Face to Face." As the house lights went up and my new-found friends and I had time to decompress, we took time to savor the great music we'd just heard before heading to the after show party just a few blocks over.
About an hour after Sevendust finished their set, the gang joined the VIP concert-goers on the second level of the Pourhouse. I was standing by the door chatting with new friends as the band entered, so I got to shake hands and congratulate each of them on another outstanding show. I also got to chat with each band member individually, express my interest in their side projects Call Me No One and Projected (by guitarist John Connolly and bassist Vince "Vinny" Hornsby) and even get a few photo ops with Clint, John and frontman Lajon Witherspoon before deciding to call it a night.
The band is playing a few shows, including today at Rockfest in Cadott, WI, and then will be taking a break before getting back together to start recording their ninth studio album. I still don't understand why Sevendust isn't as popular as similar metal bands like Disturbed and Godsmack - they make great music, their concerts are memorable and affordable, and they treat their fans like royalty. All the more reasons for me to catch them at their next show in town!
Sevendust set list:
1. Inside
2. Denial
3. Bitch
4. Black
5. Waffle
6. Driven
7. Splinter
8. Praise
9. Angel's Son
10. Suffocate
11. Forever
12. Pieces
13. The End is Coming
14. Face to Face
When I was searching online for fun things to do during my birthday month, I saw that one of my favorite bands, Sevendust, was playing at the legendary First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis a few days after my birthday. Remembering all the great times I'd had at their shows six times before, I immediately bought a ticket. I was suddenly a bit giddy with anticipation, looking forward more to this show than to my milestone birthday!
I arrived in downtown Minneapolis on Thursday and found a spot in a parking ramp near Target Field, so close that I could see the seventh inning stretch festivities on the Target Field displays from my car. As I walked downtown, I strolled by First Avenue just in time to hear a great track called "World is Dead" from Sevendust guitarist Clint Lowery and drummer Morgan Rose's new side project Call Me No One being rehearsed. I knew right then and there that I was in for a great night!
I arrived early enough to grab a sandwich and bottle of water and enjoy them outside of Target Field just as the Twins gave the game away to the Orioles. Before the disappointed crowd could exit en masse, I decided to head down to Nicollet Mall and lose myself in a good book or two before heading to the show.
A few hours later, I arrived back at First Avenue just as the first few dedicated fans began lining up outside. While I considered myself a Sevendust "veteran" going to my seventh Sevendust show, I met a few more loyal fans outside the arena, including one who was going to his 36th Sevendust concert that night.
Before too long, the doors opened and I met up with my new acquaintances after buying a VIP pass so I could attend the meet and greet and the after show a few blocks down the road at the Pourhouse. I had never heard of the opening acts Black Oxygen and 3 Pill Morning, but was looking forward to hearing new music. I chatted with some more Sevendust fans as we took our spots front row center before the show.
Shortly before 6:30 p.m. the first opening act Black Oxygen took the stage. Their look and sound reminded me of "nu-metal bands" like Puddle of Mudd and Hoobastank, but I liked some of their originals and made a mental note to find out more about them in the near future.
The second opening act, 3 Pill Morning, then followed, and included a few songs from their newly released second album Black Tie Love Affair. The Minnesota natives did a good job of getting the crowd warmed up for the headliner Sevendust.
After another set change, Sevendust amped up the crowd with the song "Inside" from their seventh studio album "Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow." It was great to hear the band perform with great energy, especially on classic tracks like "Black," "Denial," and "Splinter." It was also nice to hear songs like "Waffle" that I hadn't heard in a while in their sets. One of my favorite Sevendust songs is the ballad "Angel's Son," and I said a silent prayer to my late Uncle Felix as Lowery began the familiar opening chords on electric guitar.
It was a fast 14-song set, packed with hits from all of their studio albums, closing with the popular encore song "Face to Face." As the house lights went up and my new-found friends and I had time to decompress, we took time to savor the great music we'd just heard before heading to the after show party just a few blocks over.
About an hour after Sevendust finished their set, the gang joined the VIP concert-goers on the second level of the Pourhouse. I was standing by the door chatting with new friends as the band entered, so I got to shake hands and congratulate each of them on another outstanding show. I also got to chat with each band member individually, express my interest in their side projects Call Me No One and Projected (by guitarist John Connolly and bassist Vince "Vinny" Hornsby) and even get a few photo ops with Clint, John and frontman Lajon Witherspoon before deciding to call it a night.
Sevendust set list:
1. Inside
2. Denial
3. Bitch
4. Black
5. Waffle
6. Driven
7. Splinter
8. Praise
9. Angel's Son
10. Suffocate
11. Forever
12. Pieces
13. The End is Coming
14. Face to Face
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Rock Concert Review: Van Halen at the Xcel Energy Center 5/19/12
Driving home from work one day last week, I was flipping around the radio dial when one of the classic rock deejays announced that Van Halen had cancelled or postponed over 30 shows on their tour. I panicked briefly, until the deejay said that the cancelled/postponed dates wouldn't take effect until July. I breathed a sigh of relief then, realizing that my concert at the Xcel Energy Center was still on!
I listened to a lot of the classic Van Halen hits in high school and college when I first started listening to rock n' roll, and as I've followed the band through the years, I realized that they are the epitome of the rock and roll soap opera. A friend of mine saw the band in Fargo about 8 years ago with Sammy Hagar on vocals, and while I do like some of the music the band made with Sammy, I still consider those albums the "Van Hagar" era of the band. I was thrilled to hear that "Diamond" David Lee Roth was back at the mike with Van Halen, and snapped up a concert ticket months ago.
I decided to head to St. Paul on Saturday afternoon, navigating my way around light-rail construction on University Avenue on my way to visit relatives. I saw my Aunt Maryann and cousin Libby briefly in March before rushing to a work event, so I made time for an extended visit with them before the show last weekend. It was the first good conversation I'd had with them since Maryann's husband, my dear Uncle Felix's funeral in January. It was great to share some great memories of a truly remarkable human being!
Shortly after 6 p.m., I made my way to a parking ramp by the Xcel Energy Center just as the doors began to open. I rode a quiet elevator up to the club level, picked out a concert T-shirt and put my feet up enjoying my dinner before the show was scheduled to begin. The opening act, pop/funk/R&B group Kool and the Gang began shortly before 7:30 p.m. The band's lineup has changed a lot since their heyday in the Eighties, as only two of the eleven performers onstage were still in the band from their original lineup. The group closed their set with their biggest hit, 1980's "Celebration" after an hour of inspired music.
As more people filtered in to the arena, the house lights went down again and Van Halen hit the ground running with their hit single "Unchained." I'd heard rumors that the show cancellations and postponements were due to infighting in the band, but I sure didn't see any animosity onstage, as David Lee Roth and guitarist Eddie Van Halen were grinning often throughout the show.
I was impressed by how well Eddie's son Wolfgang Van Halen filled original bassist Michael Anthony's shoes during the show. (Don't worry, Michael Anthony fans - Mike still has a gig playing bass in Sammy Hagar's band Chickenfoot.) Wolfgang roamed around the stage, deftly avoiding Roth's shimmying and signature jumping leg kicks, playing bass like a seasoned veteran.
One concertgoer I talked to during the show expressed distaste for the fact that Roth skipped some lyrics, talked over lyrics that were usually sung, and even improvised other lyrics. I noticed that, but I told her that was just what Roth always does. I was just happy to see him playing with the band in a highly energetic performance.
Towards the end of the set, Eddie Van Halen showed me why he and Slash are the two most impressive and proficient rock guitarists I've ever seen play live in person. Eddie played a thrilling solo incorporating elements of the instrumental songs "Eruption" and "Intruder" as the crowd stood mesmerized by his guitar playing. At one point Eddie even sat on the steps leading to Alex's drum riser deftly holding his axe with his left hand while tapping out notes in rock n' roll Morse code with his right hand.
After thrilling the crowd with hits like "Hot For Teacher," Beautiful Girls," "Ice Cream Man" started by Roth on acoustic guitar, "Panama" and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love," the house lights went down for just mere momens before the band closed out two hours of music with their 1984 hit "Jump." As the stage became filled with confetti blown around it, I thought to myself, "wow! Now THAT was a great show!!"
I left the arena amongst a throng of happy people, the cool winds blowing me toward the parking ramp on my way home. I cranked up KQRS, thrilled that they were playing a block of Van Halen songs that I'd just heard live just minutes ago! I made it home through the thunder and rain in the early hours of Sunday morning with what I'd call a "Van Halen hangover!" If these guys resume their cancelled/postponed dates with the same enthusiasm and energy that I'd witnessed Saturday night, I'd definitely see them again if the tour came back to Minnesota again!
Van Halen set list
1. Unchained
2. Running With The Devil
3. She's The Woman
4. Romeo Delight
5. Tattoo
6. Everybody Wants Some
7. Somebody Get Me A Doctor
8. China Town
9. Hear About It Later
10. (Oh) Pretty Woman
11. Alex Van Halen drum solo
12. You Really Got Me
13. The Trouble With Never
14. And the Cradle Will Rock
15. Dance The Night Away
16. I'll Wait
17. Hot For Teacher
18. Woman In Love
19. Beautiful Girls
20. Ice Cream Man
21. Panama
22. Eddie Van Halen solo - including portions of the instrumentals "Eruption" and "Intruder"
23. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
24. Jump (Encore)
I listened to a lot of the classic Van Halen hits in high school and college when I first started listening to rock n' roll, and as I've followed the band through the years, I realized that they are the epitome of the rock and roll soap opera. A friend of mine saw the band in Fargo about 8 years ago with Sammy Hagar on vocals, and while I do like some of the music the band made with Sammy, I still consider those albums the "Van Hagar" era of the band. I was thrilled to hear that "Diamond" David Lee Roth was back at the mike with Van Halen, and snapped up a concert ticket months ago.
I decided to head to St. Paul on Saturday afternoon, navigating my way around light-rail construction on University Avenue on my way to visit relatives. I saw my Aunt Maryann and cousin Libby briefly in March before rushing to a work event, so I made time for an extended visit with them before the show last weekend. It was the first good conversation I'd had with them since Maryann's husband, my dear Uncle Felix's funeral in January. It was great to share some great memories of a truly remarkable human being!
Shortly after 6 p.m., I made my way to a parking ramp by the Xcel Energy Center just as the doors began to open. I rode a quiet elevator up to the club level, picked out a concert T-shirt and put my feet up enjoying my dinner before the show was scheduled to begin. The opening act, pop/funk/R&B group Kool and the Gang began shortly before 7:30 p.m. The band's lineup has changed a lot since their heyday in the Eighties, as only two of the eleven performers onstage were still in the band from their original lineup. The group closed their set with their biggest hit, 1980's "Celebration" after an hour of inspired music.
As more people filtered in to the arena, the house lights went down again and Van Halen hit the ground running with their hit single "Unchained." I'd heard rumors that the show cancellations and postponements were due to infighting in the band, but I sure didn't see any animosity onstage, as David Lee Roth and guitarist Eddie Van Halen were grinning often throughout the show.
I was impressed by how well Eddie's son Wolfgang Van Halen filled original bassist Michael Anthony's shoes during the show. (Don't worry, Michael Anthony fans - Mike still has a gig playing bass in Sammy Hagar's band Chickenfoot.) Wolfgang roamed around the stage, deftly avoiding Roth's shimmying and signature jumping leg kicks, playing bass like a seasoned veteran.
One concertgoer I talked to during the show expressed distaste for the fact that Roth skipped some lyrics, talked over lyrics that were usually sung, and even improvised other lyrics. I noticed that, but I told her that was just what Roth always does. I was just happy to see him playing with the band in a highly energetic performance.
Towards the end of the set, Eddie Van Halen showed me why he and Slash are the two most impressive and proficient rock guitarists I've ever seen play live in person. Eddie played a thrilling solo incorporating elements of the instrumental songs "Eruption" and "Intruder" as the crowd stood mesmerized by his guitar playing. At one point Eddie even sat on the steps leading to Alex's drum riser deftly holding his axe with his left hand while tapping out notes in rock n' roll Morse code with his right hand.
After thrilling the crowd with hits like "Hot For Teacher," Beautiful Girls," "Ice Cream Man" started by Roth on acoustic guitar, "Panama" and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love," the house lights went down for just mere momens before the band closed out two hours of music with their 1984 hit "Jump." As the stage became filled with confetti blown around it, I thought to myself, "wow! Now THAT was a great show!!"
I left the arena amongst a throng of happy people, the cool winds blowing me toward the parking ramp on my way home. I cranked up KQRS, thrilled that they were playing a block of Van Halen songs that I'd just heard live just minutes ago! I made it home through the thunder and rain in the early hours of Sunday morning with what I'd call a "Van Halen hangover!" If these guys resume their cancelled/postponed dates with the same enthusiasm and energy that I'd witnessed Saturday night, I'd definitely see them again if the tour came back to Minnesota again!
Van Halen set list
1. Unchained
2. Running With The Devil
3. She's The Woman
4. Romeo Delight
5. Tattoo
6. Everybody Wants Some
7. Somebody Get Me A Doctor
8. China Town
9. Hear About It Later
10. (Oh) Pretty Woman
11. Alex Van Halen drum solo
12. You Really Got Me
13. The Trouble With Never
14. And the Cradle Will Rock
15. Dance The Night Away
16. I'll Wait
17. Hot For Teacher
18. Woman In Love
19. Beautiful Girls
20. Ice Cream Man
21. Panama
22. Eddie Van Halen solo - including portions of the instrumentals "Eruption" and "Intruder"
23. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
24. Jump (Encore)
Saturday, April 21, 2012
A Little Respect
In these days of constant contact, social media, texting and blogging, it's easy to get inundated with constant updates and friend requests. I try to catch up on social media a few times a week, but I always make sure it's after work hours and when I have the time to spare.
Scattered among the many emails I receive each week are friend requests on social media. Usually if it's someone I know from work, school or is a relative that I'd still like to stay in contact with, I'll accept their request. If it's someone I don't know or who is a "friend of a friend" I ignore the request. There are some friend requests I've sent to others that I've never heard back from too, but it's a waste of my time and theirs to bug them about it. I know my friends and they know me, and if someone doesn't want to be my friend, I'm OK with that - I'm not going to annoy someone and beg to be their friend, because that's a tactic that really comes off as being desperate and pathetic.
Another occasion where I'd ignore a friend request is from a person that I simply don't care to interact with any more. A few weeks ago I got a social media request from a former coworker. At the time I started that job, I gradually became friends with that person. However, the work relationship soured over time because the person in question was a supervisor who, in my opinion, did next to nothing to manage a coworker who was so blatantly disruptive to the work environment that the overall morale just continued to suffer with each passing day.
When I left that organization, my confidence in that person and their associated management team was shattered. I had no respect left for that person, so when they sent me a social media invitation, I quickly ignored it. Trust and respect are earned, not given out automatically, and like anything worth attaining in life, these qualities are something that should be worked on constantly to improve and not destroy relationships.
Well, that's my two cents for this rainy April morning, so until next time, take care!
Scattered among the many emails I receive each week are friend requests on social media. Usually if it's someone I know from work, school or is a relative that I'd still like to stay in contact with, I'll accept their request. If it's someone I don't know or who is a "friend of a friend" I ignore the request. There are some friend requests I've sent to others that I've never heard back from too, but it's a waste of my time and theirs to bug them about it. I know my friends and they know me, and if someone doesn't want to be my friend, I'm OK with that - I'm not going to annoy someone and beg to be their friend, because that's a tactic that really comes off as being desperate and pathetic.
Another occasion where I'd ignore a friend request is from a person that I simply don't care to interact with any more. A few weeks ago I got a social media request from a former coworker. At the time I started that job, I gradually became friends with that person. However, the work relationship soured over time because the person in question was a supervisor who, in my opinion, did next to nothing to manage a coworker who was so blatantly disruptive to the work environment that the overall morale just continued to suffer with each passing day.
When I left that organization, my confidence in that person and their associated management team was shattered. I had no respect left for that person, so when they sent me a social media invitation, I quickly ignored it. Trust and respect are earned, not given out automatically, and like anything worth attaining in life, these qualities are something that should be worked on constantly to improve and not destroy relationships.
Well, that's my two cents for this rainy April morning, so until next time, take care!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
CD Review: Van Halen's A Different Kind of Truth
Besides going to see Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
in 3-D last week, I also picked up Van Halen’s new CD A Different Kind of
Truth, planning to familiarize myself with their first new music in almost
fifteen years before going to their concert in St. Paul this May.
The new CD starts off with the first single “Tattoo.” While
the “tattoo, tattoo” chorus seems a little corny, Eddie Van Halen’s signature
guitar licks save this song. I’m starting to enjoy this song the more I listen
to it. The next song “She’s The One” I took a liking to much quicker, because
it’s a fast-tempo song that’s similar in
pace to most of their classic songs from the late Seventies and early Eighties.
While Eddie Van Halen’s son Wolfgang can’t quite replace
original bass guitarist Michael Anthony’s sound, his bass playing meshes well
with the thirteen songs on this disc. In fact, when I close my eyes and listen
to this CD, a few songs sound just like they could’ve come off one of their
classic albums from over three decades ago!
This CD is chock full of a lot of energy and enthusiasm from
everyone in the band, and I enjoyed reading the lyrics from each song. A few
lyrics by original frontman “Diamond” David Lee Roth even had me laughing out
loud. One particular noteworthy track, the speedy number called “Bullethead” , a song I would assume addresses road rage, has
the following lyrics:
My karma
just ran over your dogma
I can feel
your pain….
How many
roads must a man walk down
Before he
admits he’s lost -
Do you
really drive this way
Just to piss
me off?
I’ve only
listened to this CD 3 or 4 times so far, but it’s growing on me with each
listen. Songs like “Blood and Fire” and “Stay Frosty” remind me of classic Van
Halen tracks (I’ve heard that they often use early samples and demos when
starting new songs, so I’m not surprised. "Stay Frosty" sounds like it could be the long lost twin or B-side of the classic acoustic-based "Ice Cream Man" from their debut album ), and it sets a good foundation for
hopefully even more new music down the road. I’m also looking forward to hearing many of
these songs smattered among their classics live in concert in three short
months!
That’s all
for now, so until later, have a great day!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Jar-Jar in 3-D?
I've been a big fan of Star Wars since I was about eight years old. I had about 40-50 of the Kenner action figures, a Hoth playset, and a couple of hand-me-down toys, a Rebel laser gun that made the sound of a dentist's drill when you pressed the button on the handle (provided you had batteries in the toy), and an Imperial TIE fighter. I read the Marvel comics stories of Luke, Leia, Han, C-3PO and the rest of the cast of characters religiously too.
Although I'm not a huge fan of the recent prequel movies, there are a few parts that are important in the overall story's evolution. When I heard that Episode I: The Phantom Menace was being re-released in 3-D, I was skeptical, given the announced changes George Lucas had already made to some of his movies for the Blu-ray release (which I've mentioned in an earlier blog post), but being the Star Wars geek that I am, I decided to give it a try last weekend.
The last 3-D movie I saw in a theater was James Cameron's epic Avatar, which was filmed for 3-D. I thought it would be interesting to see how this Star Wars film was retrofitted for 3-D a decade after its original release. To my surprise, it was better than I expected it to be. Not every aspect was set in 3-D, so it's not too rough on those who have a hard time watching 3-D films. There are certain characters or items onscreen that are set in 3-D, and others that are not. A few times some of the 3-D items in the foreground or items in the background seemed a little blurry, but thankfully that didn't last long. All of the subtitles and the traditional opening crawl are in 3-D, which I expected.
The movie itself is probably my least favorite of the six Star Wars films, given the propensity of the silly Gungans, especially Jar-Jar Binks, who is reviled by a lot of Star Wars "purists." The Jedi fight scenes with Darth Maul are rather sharp in this release, and the digital Yoda, which was corrected for the Blu-ray movie versions that I have yet to watch, is an improvement over the out of place puppet that Frank Oz used in the original release of this film.
When I got to the theater, I noticed a lot of families and kids in attendance, so I'd say it's a good family film for a weekend if you don't mind spending the extra cash on the 3-D glasses and the usual theater fare. I don't know if I'll see the rest of the prequel films in 3-D (I might at least wait until I've seen the Blu-ray versions first), but I might come back to see how Boba Fett, Lando Calrissian, the creatures in Jabba's Palace, and some of the Rebel/Empire battles are fitted for 3-D decades after they first wowed fans.
Until next time, have a great day & hoping all is well!
Although I'm not a huge fan of the recent prequel movies, there are a few parts that are important in the overall story's evolution. When I heard that Episode I: The Phantom Menace was being re-released in 3-D, I was skeptical, given the announced changes George Lucas had already made to some of his movies for the Blu-ray release (which I've mentioned in an earlier blog post), but being the Star Wars geek that I am, I decided to give it a try last weekend.
The last 3-D movie I saw in a theater was James Cameron's epic Avatar, which was filmed for 3-D. I thought it would be interesting to see how this Star Wars film was retrofitted for 3-D a decade after its original release. To my surprise, it was better than I expected it to be. Not every aspect was set in 3-D, so it's not too rough on those who have a hard time watching 3-D films. There are certain characters or items onscreen that are set in 3-D, and others that are not. A few times some of the 3-D items in the foreground or items in the background seemed a little blurry, but thankfully that didn't last long. All of the subtitles and the traditional opening crawl are in 3-D, which I expected.
The movie itself is probably my least favorite of the six Star Wars films, given the propensity of the silly Gungans, especially Jar-Jar Binks, who is reviled by a lot of Star Wars "purists." The Jedi fight scenes with Darth Maul are rather sharp in this release, and the digital Yoda, which was corrected for the Blu-ray movie versions that I have yet to watch, is an improvement over the out of place puppet that Frank Oz used in the original release of this film.
When I got to the theater, I noticed a lot of families and kids in attendance, so I'd say it's a good family film for a weekend if you don't mind spending the extra cash on the 3-D glasses and the usual theater fare. I don't know if I'll see the rest of the prequel films in 3-D (I might at least wait until I've seen the Blu-ray versions first), but I might come back to see how Boba Fett, Lando Calrissian, the creatures in Jabba's Palace, and some of the Rebel/Empire battles are fitted for 3-D decades after they first wowed fans.
Until next time, have a great day & hoping all is well!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
A Celebration of Life
I spent the better part of Tuesday this week with family
remembering one of my favorite relatives, my Uncle Felix, who passed away from
renal failure a month before his 73rd birthday. The event program
declared the occasion was a Celebration of Life, and I heartily agree with that
sentiment.
On the first Thursday of the New Year I went to visit my
Uncle in the hospice care facility he was at. I’d been warned by my mom who had
seen him the week before that he wasn’t physically the man I’d remembered, and
that his once-hefty frame was now pretty much skin and bones. I still went to
visit him anyway, knowing that it was the right thing to do after all the times
he was such a generous host and chauffeur all the times I went to visit them
and wanted to have fun in the summer time with their son Nathan at places like
Valleyfair, the State Fair, racing go-karts and the old Science Museum, to name
a few.
Even though the pain meds kept him very sedated and lymphoma
had taken his eyesight, I still took comfort in getting to see Uncle Felix one
last time, thanking him for all the great memories over the years. He was an
avid fisherman, and would spend many a nice spring or summer day at the lake
with us in Cold Spring. He kept almost every fish he caught, and I vaguely
remember that he even had some kind of silly sing-song kind of lyric that he’d
say to our cats who would curiously peer into his fish bucket, hoping anxiously
for a treat. Fishing just won’t be the same without him!
The Monday morning after my visit, I was on my way out the
door for the day when I answered the phone to find my Aunt Maryann, Felix’s
wife, calling. She called to inform us that Felix had passed away quietly the night
before. I knew that this ordeal was very rough on her, but I was happy that the
tone of her voice suggested that she’d accepted the fact and made peace with
it. She told me that the services would be the following week, because some of
the relatives from out of state wanted to attend and would be making the long drive to Minnesota.
Last Sunday, Aunt Maryann called again, and asked me to be
one of the pallbearers at the ceremony. I was honored to do so, and instantly
accepted. I thought it would be a great way to pay my respects to a favorite
uncle.
After arriving at the church and some last minute-tinkering
with my dress suit, I started meeting other relatives on Mom’s side of the
family. Felix and Maryann’s daughter Libby was coordinating the music program,
and informed me that I’d also be doing one of the readings during the ceremony,
along with my cousin Marge. I was surprised, but still accepted this new
responsibility without problem. That’s what I got for not checking my emails
the night before, I guess!
As people filed into the church hall, I got to catch up with
a few family members, some that I’d just talked to earlier in the week, and
others that I hadn’t seen in years. Eventually, I took my place in the front
row, sandwiched between my Uncle Rudy (of all of Grandma Haider’s ten children,
she always used to say that she prayed for Rudy the most) and my cousin Libby.
Some of the musicians Libby has performed with from time to time were playing the
opening song, and would accompany her later in the morning. Another friend of
hers, contemporary and gospel singer Robert Robinson, also lent his remarkable
voice to a few selections.
I made it through my Bible reading without flubbing my lines
or tripping once I left the podium, and was then able to relax and enjoy the songs
and remembrances of Uncle Felix. One of his relatives relayed a fishing story
that my Mom later realized might have been during one of Felix’s many trips to
Cold Spring, a somewhat embarrassing tale of a fish that might just have been
caught out of season!
Returning to the church for conversation and good food
afterwards, Libby brought out Uncle Felix’s “RIBS TODAY” sign into the lobby.
Felix was a great cook, and get-togethers where he made his famous barbeque
ribs were always memorable! He used to go around to various locations in the Twin Cities selling his ribs during his retirement, hence the sign. In his honor, I sampled a few ribs from the buffet
table, filling my plate before sitting down to reminisce with family members.
Before long, it was time to go. I’d wished I had more time
to catch up with some more family members and some of Felix’s friends,
especially Felix and Maryann’s son Nathan, who I hadn’t seen in probably fifteen
years, but I figured I would get in touch with them again once their lives were
back to normal.
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