Haven't blogged in a while, and I felt like making a list, so here's my top 5 favorite British comedies. Enjoy!
1. Monty Python's Flying Circus - an alltime classic, and the sketch comedy model for Saturday Night Live, Kids In The Hall, MadTV, and others that followed. The classic line-up of John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, and Michael Palin produced some of the best skits in comedy ever - who could forget the Parrot Sketch, the Lumberjack song, 'Nudge Nudge' and the Gumbys?
2. Fawlty Towers - another bit of comic genius from John Cleese and Connie Booth. Cleese is perfect as the long-suffering hotel manager, and plays off Prunella Scales as his wife extremely well, and of course Andrew Sachs as the porter Manuel is a classic character.
3. The Office - the original version by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant is better, in my opinion, than the American version. I think that Gervais plays the middle-manager with more ease and charm than Steve Carell. A modern gem!
4. Little Britain - another two-series sketch comedy show from creators Matt Lucas and David Wailliams, that created memorable characters like Marjorie Dawes the "Fat Fighters" lady, the team of Andy and his clueless caretaker Lou (unaware that Andy can get out of his wheelchair and cause chaos), and Vicky the delinquent teenager who always says "yeah but, no but" in every sentence.
5. Mr. Bean - although Rowan Atkinson's character doesn't say much, he does get into of amusing situations, enough to spawn a couple of motion pictures. Not my favorite, but I still get a few laughs from it.
Well that's all for now - have a nice night, and I'll blog later!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
You know what happens in Vegas...
I think I have a "vacation hangover" - I'm still getting back into the swing of things after taking my vacation week from work this week, and heading out to Las Vegas from last Sunday to this past Thursday. Here's a few tips, observations and musings from my trip:
1. Drinking lots of liquids is essential - I've been to Vegas in July twice now (first in 2000, and again this year) and the temps ranged from about 80 degrees for a low to 108-115 degrees for highs. I was surprised when I came out of a magic show at the Riviera casino on Monday night to see puddles on the ground from a very recent rainshower - they don't get a lot of rain out there in the Mojave desert!
2. If you want a good deal on show tickets, visit a half-price ticket booth the day of the show. I used one of these services on Weds. for Louie Anderson's show, and got a very good seat that was very close to the stage for about $30 - much better view than the VIP crowd got!
3. Cleavage in Vegas is EVERYWHERE - from the airport, to the casino floors, to the Strip, and almost everywhere in between - it's impossible to avoid (if you've been to Vegas before and you're a straight guy, you definitely know what I mean. There's a lot more good cleavage than bad, though).
4. Because I had stayed on Fremont Street and visited the Grand Canyon last time in Vegas, I tried to do new things this time around, like taking the Hoover Dam tour and catching a few shows.
5. I heard so much Spanish, Japanese, French, and probably a few other languages in Vegas that I feel like I almost learned some of these languages via osmosis.
6. The best deal for getting around Vegas is by using the double-decker buses on the strip - it's only $7 per person for a 24-hour pass. If your bus is too crowded, there's usually another one coming by in a few minutes.
7. Although I had heard that there was a 12% unemployment rate in Vegas, you could've fooled me, with all the construction going on as new casinos and shopping centers were being built, and plenty of people were on the strip passing out coupons and flyers for drink specials, tour discounts, and of course, information on girls "live 24-7 for your entertainment." (I heard one guy by the new Planet Hollywood casino being built on the strip say he gets $20 an hour just for passing out those little flyers!)
8. If you ever get bored in Vegas, you simply aren't trying hard enough to find something to do! This is the city that never sleeps - there's always something going on 24-7!
That's all for now - if you're heading out to Vegas in the near future, play it safe (oh, and bring plenty of sunscreen lotion too - you're gonna need it!) and have fun. You know what they say about what happens in Vegas...
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Minnesota Twins at the All-Star Break
It's my birthday today - another year wiser, I know!
My birthday usually falls around Major League Baseball's All-Star Break. With another American League win yesterday, I thought I'd look at the Minnesota Twins' progress at the break.
Although he tailed off a bit in the last few weeks, Joe Mauer's AL-leading batting average and career high 15 home runs shows how much the team missed him in April. First sacker Justin Morneau is on pace for a 40-homer season and another .300 batting average, and power production from OF/DH Jason Kubel, 3B Joe Crede and RF Michael Cuddyer have keep the Twins in most of their games.
Brendan Harris has been playing his heart out at shortstop, and OF Denard Span has been contributing nicely since his return from the disabled list after an inner ear infection.
Starting pitcher Nick Blackburn should, in my opinon, be the ace of this staff - he's been putting in more and more quality starts lately, and has been one of the most consistent pitchers on the staff. Kevin Slowey has done well, and even callup Anthony Swarzak has been impressive in most of his outings.
In the bullpen, Matt Guerrier and Jose Mijares have consistently done well, and closer Joe Nathan has continued to show why he's one of the best in baseball. Newcomer RA Dickey has also done well most of the time in long relief.
Those are the highlights, now on to the lowlights:
1. Delmon Young continues to show why he's doesn't belong in the big leagues. He strikes out too often and only has 3 home runs - not the type of numbers the team had in mind when they traded for him. His outfield play has been inconsistent too.
2. Nick Punto is slumping at the plate again - he's terrific defensively, but his offensive shortcomings really show why the team would be better trading or signing an experienced second baseman, and putting Punto in the utility infielder's role.
3. Jesse Crain was atrocious in the bullpen before being demoted to Class AAA Rochester, and free agent signee Luis Ayala was another free agent signing mistake by the team. I found myself cringing far too often when I watched him pitch.
4. Scott Baker, the supposed ace of the pitching staff, has been less than impressive this year. He's giving up way too many homers, and hasn't had the consistency the ace of a staff is expected to have.
5. Francisco Liriano has to adjust to the fact that he's not the hard-throwing lefty he was before Tommy John surgery on his arm. He seems to get really flustered when things aren't going well for him on the mound, and just gets himself into trouble. He needs to trust his stuff if he's going to stay in the rotation.
6. Center fielder Carlos Gomez, like Delmon Young, has also shown this year that he's a not-ready-for-prime-time player. He swings at just about everything at the plate, and pouts and sulks in the dugout when things aren't going his way. He had a great game against Chisox hurler Mark Buehrle before the break, but he's not as good a hitter as he thinks he is. I can see why manager Ron Gardenhire has put him in a lot of games as a late-inning defensive replacement.
7. The Twins have a weak bench. Backup catcher Mike Redmond's batting average has been in the .220's lately, which is about 30-40 points higher than infielders Alexi Casilla, Matt Tolbert and Brian Buscher. They don't really have any experienced players in the minors that can supply the pop or timely hitting right now, either.
For a team that's one game above .500 and four games back of the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers, I think my assessment of the team is fair. I've been a fan of the Twins for a long time, and of course I want to see them do better. They can be very fun to watch during the race to the playoffs.
To improve this team, I think they need to get an established second baseman, like Freddy Sanchez of the Pirates, in exchange for Young, Gomez and/or some minor leaguers. I think the starting rotation is good, we just need to have a more consistent second half from Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, Glen Perkins, and Francisco Liriano. The bullpen is pretty solid, but they were over-used by necessity in the first couple of months.
Here's to a hopefully more productive second half of theseason for the Twins!
My birthday usually falls around Major League Baseball's All-Star Break. With another American League win yesterday, I thought I'd look at the Minnesota Twins' progress at the break.
Although he tailed off a bit in the last few weeks, Joe Mauer's AL-leading batting average and career high 15 home runs shows how much the team missed him in April. First sacker Justin Morneau is on pace for a 40-homer season and another .300 batting average, and power production from OF/DH Jason Kubel, 3B Joe Crede and RF Michael Cuddyer have keep the Twins in most of their games.
Brendan Harris has been playing his heart out at shortstop, and OF Denard Span has been contributing nicely since his return from the disabled list after an inner ear infection.
Starting pitcher Nick Blackburn should, in my opinon, be the ace of this staff - he's been putting in more and more quality starts lately, and has been one of the most consistent pitchers on the staff. Kevin Slowey has done well, and even callup Anthony Swarzak has been impressive in most of his outings.
In the bullpen, Matt Guerrier and Jose Mijares have consistently done well, and closer Joe Nathan has continued to show why he's one of the best in baseball. Newcomer RA Dickey has also done well most of the time in long relief.
Those are the highlights, now on to the lowlights:
1. Delmon Young continues to show why he's doesn't belong in the big leagues. He strikes out too often and only has 3 home runs - not the type of numbers the team had in mind when they traded for him. His outfield play has been inconsistent too.
2. Nick Punto is slumping at the plate again - he's terrific defensively, but his offensive shortcomings really show why the team would be better trading or signing an experienced second baseman, and putting Punto in the utility infielder's role.
3. Jesse Crain was atrocious in the bullpen before being demoted to Class AAA Rochester, and free agent signee Luis Ayala was another free agent signing mistake by the team. I found myself cringing far too often when I watched him pitch.
4. Scott Baker, the supposed ace of the pitching staff, has been less than impressive this year. He's giving up way too many homers, and hasn't had the consistency the ace of a staff is expected to have.
5. Francisco Liriano has to adjust to the fact that he's not the hard-throwing lefty he was before Tommy John surgery on his arm. He seems to get really flustered when things aren't going well for him on the mound, and just gets himself into trouble. He needs to trust his stuff if he's going to stay in the rotation.
6. Center fielder Carlos Gomez, like Delmon Young, has also shown this year that he's a not-ready-for-prime-time player. He swings at just about everything at the plate, and pouts and sulks in the dugout when things aren't going his way. He had a great game against Chisox hurler Mark Buehrle before the break, but he's not as good a hitter as he thinks he is. I can see why manager Ron Gardenhire has put him in a lot of games as a late-inning defensive replacement.
7. The Twins have a weak bench. Backup catcher Mike Redmond's batting average has been in the .220's lately, which is about 30-40 points higher than infielders Alexi Casilla, Matt Tolbert and Brian Buscher. They don't really have any experienced players in the minors that can supply the pop or timely hitting right now, either.
For a team that's one game above .500 and four games back of the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers, I think my assessment of the team is fair. I've been a fan of the Twins for a long time, and of course I want to see them do better. They can be very fun to watch during the race to the playoffs.
To improve this team, I think they need to get an established second baseman, like Freddy Sanchez of the Pirates, in exchange for Young, Gomez and/or some minor leaguers. I think the starting rotation is good, we just need to have a more consistent second half from Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, Glen Perkins, and Francisco Liriano. The bullpen is pretty solid, but they were over-used by necessity in the first couple of months.
Here's to a hopefully more productive second half of theseason for the Twins!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Sometimes I'm Saddened by Human Nature...
I haven't been on this site in awhile, but I heard some news the other day that disturbed me, so much in fact that I just had to write about it.
I found out via social networking that one of my friends from high school was on the local news the other day. Turns out he was harassed by some Somali kids after leaving a gay pride parade. What was my friend's crime, you ask? His so-called "crime" is that he is gay.
When I first heard about this, I was angered and disappointed - disappointed because these kids really should have known that this was improper behavior.
I have gay friends and relatives, and to me, their sexual preference doesn't even concern me one iota. I'm thankful to have been blessed with a very diverse family, so growing up I easily learned how to accept people of different races, cultures, religions and sexual preferences. To me, it's important to recognize and respect these differences, but deep down, the person's quality and character are what really matters most.
As of now, these kids have gotten off unscathed. I really hope they are sat down and taught the important lesson of just how painful and wrong discrimination is. Discrimination of any kind really aggravates me, and I really think my friend should have been able to go about his business in peace.
Well, I'll get off my soapbox for now - thanks for letting me vent. Have a safe & happy holiday weekend, everyone!
I found out via social networking that one of my friends from high school was on the local news the other day. Turns out he was harassed by some Somali kids after leaving a gay pride parade. What was my friend's crime, you ask? His so-called "crime" is that he is gay.
When I first heard about this, I was angered and disappointed - disappointed because these kids really should have known that this was improper behavior.
I have gay friends and relatives, and to me, their sexual preference doesn't even concern me one iota. I'm thankful to have been blessed with a very diverse family, so growing up I easily learned how to accept people of different races, cultures, religions and sexual preferences. To me, it's important to recognize and respect these differences, but deep down, the person's quality and character are what really matters most.
As of now, these kids have gotten off unscathed. I really hope they are sat down and taught the important lesson of just how painful and wrong discrimination is. Discrimination of any kind really aggravates me, and I really think my friend should have been able to go about his business in peace.
Well, I'll get off my soapbox for now - thanks for letting me vent. Have a safe & happy holiday weekend, everyone!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Twins Tradition Wall of Fame...and Shame?
As construction progresses on the Twins' new outdoor stadium, a few marketing plans have been announced to get fans more involved in Target Field. One such plan is the unveiling of the Twins' Tradition Wall. For only $245, you can have your name alongside every player who's ever put on a Twins uniform in a wall of eight eight-foot-high glass panels (you get a "commemorative glass replica" for another 80 bucks).
While this may be fun to have your name alongside Twins greats like Harmon Killebrew, Kirby Puckett, Tony Oliva, Bert Blyleven, Cesar Tovar, Torii Hunter, Frank Viola, Johan Santana, Jim Kaat and many others, I wonder what the Twins fans would have to say about having their names to much less notable Twins like Sal Butera, Terry Felton (0-16 lifetime record), Bombo Rivera, "Disco" Dan Ford, Steve Lombardozzi, Tom Herr, Wally Backman, Chip Hale, Steve Carlton (who was well past his prime when the Twins had him), Eric Bullock, Kelvin Torve, and many other infamous players? Any thoughts? Other than this, I hope the stadium construction goes well - it'll be great to have outdoor major league baseball back in Minnesota!
While this may be fun to have your name alongside Twins greats like Harmon Killebrew, Kirby Puckett, Tony Oliva, Bert Blyleven, Cesar Tovar, Torii Hunter, Frank Viola, Johan Santana, Jim Kaat and many others, I wonder what the Twins fans would have to say about having their names to much less notable Twins like Sal Butera, Terry Felton (0-16 lifetime record), Bombo Rivera, "Disco" Dan Ford, Steve Lombardozzi, Tom Herr, Wally Backman, Chip Hale, Steve Carlton (who was well past his prime when the Twins had him), Eric Bullock, Kelvin Torve, and many other infamous players? Any thoughts? Other than this, I hope the stadium construction goes well - it'll be great to have outdoor major league baseball back in Minnesota!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Star Trek - the reboot or: When Kirk Met Spock
Growing up in the Eighties, I became a sci-fi fan pretty quickly. In the early Eighties, it seemed like boys were either Star Wars fans or Star Trek fans. While I became a die-hard Star Wars fan, I also grew to like the original Star Trek series too - I used to watch the old episodes on reruns, and I remember having class parties in grade school where we watched the first two films and seeing the third and fourth films with my cousin Nathan at the old Har Mar Mall movie theater in St. Paul. When I heard that J.J. Abrams (one of the creators of the TV hit show "Lost" and director of the movie Cloverfield) was directing the new Star Trek film, I decided to check it out, and see how true the film was to the beloved memories I had of the classic TV show.
The film begins with a battle between a massive Romulan ship and the U.S.S. Kelvin, a Federation starship that is soon captained by James T. Kirk's father. Kirk's dad sacrifices his life to save hundreds of crewmembers, including those of his wife and as-of-yet unborn son, with a suicide journey into the belly of the awe-inspiring CGI-created Romulan vessel.
Flash-forward a few years later to an unidentified stretch of open road in Iowa, where we find the young James T. Kirk cruising down the highway in his uncle's "borrowed" red Corvette, blasting Beastie Boys music on his thrill ride. This sequence shows one of the first (but definitely not the last) of Kirk's quests for adventure.
We also get to see a young Spock growing up on his home planet of Vulcan (played by Zachary Quinto, best known as the villain Sylar on TV's "Heroes"). Quinto does a nice job of balancing his logical, rational Vulcan side while also showing us his more vulnerable, emotional human side during the film.
Moving ahead a few years, the reckless, impulsive Kirk gets into a confrontation, after which authority figure Christopher Pike (played by film veteran Bruce Greenwood) sits the wild child down and advises him to follow in his father's footsteps and join Starfleet. This was a touching sequence, and I appreciated how it struck up the relationship between Pike and Kirk.
As the film goes on, we see how Spock and Kirk advance in rank in the Federation, and their first meeting, and several encounters thereafter, are anything but friendly. It was interesting to see how these personalities clashed, but Abrams did bring out enough of their similarities and motives for the audience to see the groundwork for the friendship that would later bond these characters.
I won't go into the plot and spoil the movie for those of you who haven't seen it yet, but I will say that actors Karl Urban (Eomer in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy), Simon Pegg (best known for his comedic roles in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz), Anton Yelchin (Hearts in Atlantis) and John Cho (American Pie, and the Harold and Kumar flicks) are impressive in filling the roles of Dr. McCoy, Scotty, Chekov and Sulu, respectively. Pegg brings his trademark wit and humor to the Scottish engineer's role, Urban channels the late DeForest Kelley's cowboy swagger in his portrayal of "Bones" McCoy, and it was fun hearing Yelchin say "wessels" for the first time - brought back memories of Star Trek IV. I also have to say that Eric Bana (Munich, Ang Lee's Hulk movie) as the Romulan commander Nero and Leonard Nimoy also are welcome surprises to the film.
While certain things like the Enterprise's transporter room, the massive Romulan warship and the spacesuits have been updated for today, Abrams and co. still managed to keep classic details from the TV show intact, like the Starfleet badges, hand phasers, Uhura's distinct comlink, and even the green-skinned lady. Throw in the classic TV show theme music at the end, and you have a great summer flick that's worth re-watching. That's all for now - until later, live long and prosper!
The film begins with a battle between a massive Romulan ship and the U.S.S. Kelvin, a Federation starship that is soon captained by James T. Kirk's father. Kirk's dad sacrifices his life to save hundreds of crewmembers, including those of his wife and as-of-yet unborn son, with a suicide journey into the belly of the awe-inspiring CGI-created Romulan vessel.
Flash-forward a few years later to an unidentified stretch of open road in Iowa, where we find the young James T. Kirk cruising down the highway in his uncle's "borrowed" red Corvette, blasting Beastie Boys music on his thrill ride. This sequence shows one of the first (but definitely not the last) of Kirk's quests for adventure.
We also get to see a young Spock growing up on his home planet of Vulcan (played by Zachary Quinto, best known as the villain Sylar on TV's "Heroes"). Quinto does a nice job of balancing his logical, rational Vulcan side while also showing us his more vulnerable, emotional human side during the film.
Moving ahead a few years, the reckless, impulsive Kirk gets into a confrontation, after which authority figure Christopher Pike (played by film veteran Bruce Greenwood) sits the wild child down and advises him to follow in his father's footsteps and join Starfleet. This was a touching sequence, and I appreciated how it struck up the relationship between Pike and Kirk.
As the film goes on, we see how Spock and Kirk advance in rank in the Federation, and their first meeting, and several encounters thereafter, are anything but friendly. It was interesting to see how these personalities clashed, but Abrams did bring out enough of their similarities and motives for the audience to see the groundwork for the friendship that would later bond these characters.
I won't go into the plot and spoil the movie for those of you who haven't seen it yet, but I will say that actors Karl Urban (Eomer in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy), Simon Pegg (best known for his comedic roles in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz), Anton Yelchin (Hearts in Atlantis) and John Cho (American Pie, and the Harold and Kumar flicks) are impressive in filling the roles of Dr. McCoy, Scotty, Chekov and Sulu, respectively. Pegg brings his trademark wit and humor to the Scottish engineer's role, Urban channels the late DeForest Kelley's cowboy swagger in his portrayal of "Bones" McCoy, and it was fun hearing Yelchin say "wessels" for the first time - brought back memories of Star Trek IV. I also have to say that Eric Bana (Munich, Ang Lee's Hulk movie) as the Romulan commander Nero and Leonard Nimoy also are welcome surprises to the film.
While certain things like the Enterprise's transporter room, the massive Romulan warship and the spacesuits have been updated for today, Abrams and co. still managed to keep classic details from the TV show intact, like the Starfleet badges, hand phasers, Uhura's distinct comlink, and even the green-skinned lady. Throw in the classic TV show theme music at the end, and you have a great summer flick that's worth re-watching. That's all for now - until later, live long and prosper!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Deja vu all over again?
I had the old quote "it feels like deja vu all over again" attributed to Yankees great Yogi Berra last Sunday night on my way back to Northern Lights Casino in Walker, MN en route to a Queensryche concert. I had just been to the same casino the week before for an awesome concert by Staind and Rev Theory. I stayed at the same hotel, and window-shopped at Reed's Sporting Goods store in downtown Walker again before the show, too. I kind of had that feeling of deja vu, but that was OK, because I really enjoyed this concert too!
I figured that there would be a lot of dedicated fans going to the show, which i first realized as I stopped at a red light next to the casino. Pulling behind me at the light was a car with a vanity plate that read "Q RYCHE." When I got into the casino, I saw a lot more people wearing Queensryche t-shirts, including one guy who was carrying an LP of the band's first album.
Queensryche has been known for concepts, like their concept albums Operation Mindcrime I &II, and their new CD American Soldier. The concert was also a concept of sorts, as it was announced that the band would be performing "suites" of music from their 1986 album Rage for Order, the new album American Soldier, and the 1990 classic Empire.
Shortly after 7 pm, the band erupted into their first of seven songs from Rage for Order. I wasn't too familiar with this album, but I enjoyed hearing classic songs like "Walk In The Shadows" and "I Will Remember," as well as rockers like "Neue Regel" and "I Dream In Digital" during the first set of music.
Shortly after "I Will Remember," guest vocalist A.J. Fratto jumped on the stage, encouraging the crowd to get on their feet during the intro to the song "Sliver," the first of seven more songs from the American Soldier set. It was cool watching the video screen as the band played and getting to listen to true stories of war from American soldiers during the set. Although most of the songs were heavy in tone and emotion, the band did mellow out a bit, as lead singer Geoff Tate's youngest daughter Emily joined him onstage for duet vocals during the song "Home Again."
After a few more minutes, the band returned to the stage to crank out "Best I Can," the leadoff track from the classic album Empire. I got to hear some of my Queensryche favorites like "Jet City Woman," "Anybody Listening?" and "Silent Lucidity" during this set, as well as deeper album cuts like "Hand On Heart" and "One and Only." After a brief rest and a little bit of crowd love for drummer Scott Rockenfield, the band performed Empire's title cut as a one-song encore to a grateful audience who were witness to a truly amazing concert experience!
I had a lot of fun at the show. I enjoyed the music, got to meet some new friends and die-hard Queensryche fans, and even ran into an old friend from high school at the casino gift shop as we waited for the arena doors to open before the show. I was also glad after talking to a friend who had attended the Queensryche show the night before at the Myth in Maplewood, MN that the set lists for both nights were different in terms of song order and selection. Too bad there's not another show at Northern Lights this weekend - then I'd really feel like deja vu all over again!
I figured that there would be a lot of dedicated fans going to the show, which i first realized as I stopped at a red light next to the casino. Pulling behind me at the light was a car with a vanity plate that read "Q RYCHE." When I got into the casino, I saw a lot more people wearing Queensryche t-shirts, including one guy who was carrying an LP of the band's first album.
Queensryche has been known for concepts, like their concept albums Operation Mindcrime I &II, and their new CD American Soldier. The concert was also a concept of sorts, as it was announced that the band would be performing "suites" of music from their 1986 album Rage for Order, the new album American Soldier, and the 1990 classic Empire.
Shortly after 7 pm, the band erupted into their first of seven songs from Rage for Order. I wasn't too familiar with this album, but I enjoyed hearing classic songs like "Walk In The Shadows" and "I Will Remember," as well as rockers like "Neue Regel" and "I Dream In Digital" during the first set of music.
Shortly after "I Will Remember," guest vocalist A.J. Fratto jumped on the stage, encouraging the crowd to get on their feet during the intro to the song "Sliver," the first of seven more songs from the American Soldier set. It was cool watching the video screen as the band played and getting to listen to true stories of war from American soldiers during the set. Although most of the songs were heavy in tone and emotion, the band did mellow out a bit, as lead singer Geoff Tate's youngest daughter Emily joined him onstage for duet vocals during the song "Home Again."
After a few more minutes, the band returned to the stage to crank out "Best I Can," the leadoff track from the classic album Empire. I got to hear some of my Queensryche favorites like "Jet City Woman," "Anybody Listening?" and "Silent Lucidity" during this set, as well as deeper album cuts like "Hand On Heart" and "One and Only." After a brief rest and a little bit of crowd love for drummer Scott Rockenfield, the band performed Empire's title cut as a one-song encore to a grateful audience who were witness to a truly amazing concert experience!
I had a lot of fun at the show. I enjoyed the music, got to meet some new friends and die-hard Queensryche fans, and even ran into an old friend from high school at the casino gift shop as we waited for the arena doors to open before the show. I was also glad after talking to a friend who had attended the Queensryche show the night before at the Myth in Maplewood, MN that the set lists for both nights were different in terms of song order and selection. Too bad there's not another show at Northern Lights this weekend - then I'd really feel like deja vu all over again!
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