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The Sound of Muzak: Porcupine Tree @ Sunset Station, 8/18/10

by hardrockchick [about 14 days ago.]

The first time I had even heard of Porcupine Tree was almost exactly one year ago. It was the final Nine Inch Nails show, and because I went straight from the airport to waiting in line, a guy near me let me put my things in his car. While getting my things after the show, we were discussing what was next for us, and he mentioned the next tour he was following was Porcupine Tree. Generally there is a lot of common territory in terms of bands that NIN fans are into, but this was new to me. So when the opportunity presented itself to check out the band, I jumped on it.

I had also never been to, or even heard of, the venue Sunset Station. Apparently it’s been there a long time. As you walk up, you pass a historic train and walk through a historic part of downtown that looks like the nicer parts of Mexico. And then as you walk up to the venue, it appears you can hear- and see- the entire show from outside the gates. Tucked into the shadow of the Alamodome, the venue is a giant carport of sorts, with a surprising amount of tiers and nooks and crannys to watch the show from.

I immediately noticed that the crowd was quite different from Sunday’s metal show. But while the crowd may have been smaller and skewed either much younger (C&C fans) or older (PT fans), you could sense the cultish dedication.

Whenever a press release uses the terminology ‘unclassifiable’ I become immediately skeptical. But after experiencing the set, I’d have to say that I agree. In the same vein as NIN, Opeth, and Pink Floyd, there are elements to Porcupine Tree’s music that make them a truly unique band. The vocals are in a mellower rock style, the guitar- sometimes psychedelic, sometimes metal, the drums- anywhere from jazz rhythms to blast beats. At times they had me in the palms of their hands, at others I was thinking about my to do list.

The band came out to wild applause. After playing their first song to an impressive projection with perfectly choreographed, almost too literal imagery, a few songs went without until it was picked back up again at the end. Immediately I started tripping out on 2 older guys in from of me, who were having the time of their lives. One was filming- and the film WILL come out horribly because he was banging his head the whole time singing along. The other was singing back up parts and holding the drinks, placing his friend’s straw in front of his mouth so he could take a sip at times while he filmed. Another guy jumped up and down and sang along the entire time. I always trip out watching people geek out on seeing their favorite band…it reminds me of the feeling I get when I see mine….and it’s been a while since that has happened and I’m starting to forget.

“Gracias”, singer/guitarist Steven Wilson would say between songs. “We’re not used to this weather….we’re from London, where we get one week of sunlight a year”. The crowd was silent, as if baffled by the idea. Wilson- despite his meekish John Lennon meets Evan Dando exterior- was as believable pulling off big riffs as sitting down at the piano. When the visuals came back for the end of the set, I drew comparisons to Tool as we were shown stop motion i-Robot figures. Then an emo girl with an iPod on the train tracks took me somewhere else, as did the showers of colorful pills.

Porcupine Tree appears to be one of those bands with a small but very hardcore fanbase, but is a bit perplexing for outsiders to get into. As the set ended, a certain demographic left.

And I was not far behind them. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t like Coheed and Cambria- though I know some people are crazy about them- but as soon as that lead singer’s shrill voice emerged from that mop of hair and the girls shrilly screamed back…I was done. There are just some voices that don’t agree with my ears.

Genre(s): My Musical Adventures

4053Comments (6)2010-08-20+00%3A44%3A31hardrockchick

Something To Die For: Lamb of God, Five Finger Death Punch, Hatebreed, 3 Inches of Blood @ Sunken Garden, 8/15/10

by hardrockchick [about 17 days ago.]

15 years ago, at age 15, I went to my first rock show sans parental supervision at Sunken Garden in San Antonio. It was to see Bush, The Toadies, and Hum. I remember waiting in line to get in and feeling like the youngest person there. I recall how people were dressed – frayed flannel shirts still dominated the maturing grunge fashion sense. I saw someone get busted for smoking weed and they took off and ran from the cops through the field. But most of all I remember that feeling when I saw Gavin Rossdale step out on stage. My naive ass decided I wanted to get closer, so I walked into the mosh pit, was promptly knocked to the ground, but luckily quickly lifted up by two guys. And thus began my quest for the closest non mosh pit spot, where I could drool over Gavin as I rocked out to ‘Machinehead’. I pretty much have never intentionally set foot in a mosh pit since.

The unique evening began as we pulled into the parking garage. The girls taking the money told us that my car smelled nice. “All of these boys’ cars stink!”. Ok…..as we approached the theater entrance, I started to remember things like a dream, especially the narrow walkway that was littered with bottles from people who had been waiting to get in. After a quick check in at will call where we picked up our VIP passes, we set off on our backstage adventures.

Due to conflicting posted start times, we missed 3 Inches of Blood, which really bummed me out. I had just seen all of the bands at Mayhem in San Francisco right before moving back to Texas. The final Mayhem show was the night before in OKC, so this would be a one off show. I thought it was interesting that this show would occur in San Antonio- a city where none of the bands are from- for what I would later find out would be Lamb of God’s final U.S. show for about 2 years.

We went in search of beer while Hatebreed set up. You have to buy tickets to then turn around and use for beverages- a system which I hate. But luckily the lines weren’t too bad, and a mere minutes later we were sipping a cold beverage while the guitarists for Hatebreed played their first notes as they breezed past us to walk onto the stage. I’m telling my friend about how Jamey Jasta does this cheerleader kick thing, so we’re giggling as we watch for that when this bee starts to dive bomb us. So I’m squealing and jumping around trying to get away from the bee when Randy Blythe walks up in front of us to watch the set. I elbow my friend in a fangirl moment, as the one Hatebreed song I dig comes on, ‘In Ashes They Shall Reap‘. It was cool to see that he was out watching most of the sets, even after having been on tour with these guys for the past month, rather than hiding out on the bus like many rock stars do.

While Hatebreed had taken a moment to thank the Armed Forces, it wasn’t until the Five Finger Death Punch set that I fully realized how in SF, bands rarely ever do anything like that. As Ivan Moody maneuvered the stage in his army vest and ‘America, Fuck Yeah’ attitude, I thought about how I’ve lost a few high school classmates in the war. Living in SF was like living in a foreign, anti-America country at times. So as I gazed out at the crowd, I thought about how many people in the crowd may have spent time in the war, and how this was a special night out for them. Apparently 5FDP had been fined the night before in OKC for swearing on stage and inciting a riot…what??? Remind me to never go to a show in OKC. At one point, Ivan had as many kids as he could find backstage and in the crowd come up on stage…and there were quite a few of them. While one little girl cried in her mom’s arms the whole time, the little boys puffed up their chests in pure excitement. Ivan walked off stage and took a sip of water and looked at Blythe, shrugged his shoulders, and said, “I love babies!”. Metal dudes….you think they are all tough and stuff but really they are mostly a bunch of nice, surprisingly shy guys. At one point, Blythe walked up to the soundboard in front of us, pretended like he was going to mess up all the switches, and turned around and gave us a devilish grin. I giggled for a long time about that.

For Lamb of God, we were told we had to go out front, but we found the perfect spot to watch people get massacred in the pit while still having a nice unobstructed view of the stage. As we perched, a girl next to us leaned over and asked my friend, “are you with the band?” This always makes me laugh. NO, I AM NOT WITH THE BAND!

After seeing LoG open for Metallica and on Mayhem, it was nice to see them play a full set. Earlier this year I was gunning for them to win the Metal GRAMMY in my writing as the Rock blogger for the awards show. They are a great live band- they aren’t showy at all, but create an engaging performance resting solely on astute musicianship, amazing energy and heavy, complex music. One of my favorite LoG songs, ‘Now You’ve Got Something to Die For’ came early in the set. While backstage we had watched Will Adler warm up while watching 5FDP, fingers moving at light speed. The other guitarist looked really familiar, but I didn’t realize until later that it was one of Between the Buried in Me’s guitarists filling in. Earlier this year I got punched in the face while watching them….not my favorite band. But I remember this particular guitarist being the only thing I liked about them.

At one point Blythe talked about how the last time they played in San Antonio, they had hung out with Dimebag Darrell, and the obligatory ‘Walk’ chords raged through the speakers. OK, so I know that’s kinda cliche or whatever, but I would have enjoyed the full song on this particular evening. It was, however, followed by ‘Redneck’. I was surprised that I hadn’t seen any bad pit injuries, when a girl teetered out of the crowd and collapsed. Later on as we were leaving, we saw her on a stretcher awaiting an ambulance. Yikes! The set ended at an early 10PM…leaving me wondering where the end of the tour party was, but one last meandering around backstage revealed a bunch of tired crew members ready to go home.

As we left Sunken Garden, I thought about how cool it was that 15 years later, live music is still my #1 passion. I hope it stays that way forever.

Genre(s): My Musical Adventures

4040Comments (2)2010-08-16+18%3A35%3A09hardrockchick

Nonconformist: Corrosion of Conformity, Righteous Fool, Iron Age, Dixie Witch @ Emo’s, 8/13/10

by hardrockchick [about 19 days ago.]

It didn’t dawn on me that it was Friday the 13th until it was too late.

With the way things in my life are going, I would have stayed at my middle of nowhere family compound had I realized that it was the infamous day of bad luck. But I had a full day booked in Austin, so off I went, fingers crossed. It began well- new hairstylist worked out (phew!), closed a bank account and transported a sizable sum of cash to my new bank without getting robbed, shopping therapy (money can’t buy happiness, but I sure keep trying lately!), and a yummy healthy dinner at an Asian fusion restaurant around the corner from Emo’s with a new friend who is going through a similar family tragedy right now. As we discussed how angry at life we are, we noticed this picture hanging across from our table:

Pretty much everything about that picture creeps me out.

Then it was time to go to Emo’s, and when we went to check in at the guestlist, I got hit with the ‘you’re not on the list’ line. Even though I had been asked to review the show and confirmed, somehow something got messed up. I showed the email on my phone to the door guy, but unlike in SF where the venue people recognized me and would generally let me in, I got shooed away. But since I drove an hour and a half for this, and had a guest in tow, I went ahead and paid our way in.

We caught the tail end of the Southern metal local trio Dixie Witch. As they wrapped up their set with the drummer jumping on top of his drums, I surveyed the scene. My body is still getting used to the heat…there’s a 40 degree differential between SF and Austin. 40 degrees! I haven’t learned yet how to dress for shows here…so I was bathed in sweat in pants, boots and my Orchid t-shirt. So between sets you can generally find me at the inside bar….I’ll have a shot of Jack and a shot of A/C…thanks!

I was worried we had missed Iron Age, which is one of my favorite newer bands. I’ve seen them a couple times before, but it felt different this time as a Texas resident again. It’s always good to have local bands that you know will bring it every time. I guess it’s like how some people feel about their city’s sports teams. Iron Age have a great energy about them; their hardcore meets thrash meets doom with a speck of Southern dishospitality creates a unique sound. My only complaint about them is, while completely capable, their lead guitarist just does not look like he fits in with the rest of the band. He’s so clean cut…..at least put a bandana on his head or something! Anyway, they open and close with their best tracks: ‘The Sleeping Eye of the Watcher’ and ‘Dispossessed’…like a perfect metal sandwich.

What followed kind of confused me, because Righteous Fool consists of 2 of the same 3 members as the current Pepper-less Corrosion of Conformity lineup does. I didn’t realize this. Righteous Fool has more of a Southern rock feel, and while Pepper CoC was Southern metal sounding, the original threesome lineup that would be playing tonight was more hardcore…thus my confusion. Being a child of the nineties, I was more into Pepper era CoC.

Righteous Fool was not for me. After a short break where they swapped guitarists, I moved in a bit and for the next hour watched mosh pit mayhem in a cloud of weed smoke bathed in sweat. Sweaty mosh pits just look rougher, and I forgot that standing near the perimeter put me in a splash zone of sorts. I’m ok with getting pushed on accident now and then, but when it’s by a dude who transfers sweat on you going in and out of the pit…..ewww. Despite a sign warning against moshing and crowd surfing and stage diving, punks of all ages sporting shirts ranging from Motorhead to Enslaved to denim vests with CoC and Pantera patches pushed, slammed and dove their way through the set. CoC played a fairly straightforward set, each member in their own zone, looking as happy to be playing their reunion set to the medium sized Emo’s crowd as the larger draws they may have had back in the day.

By the end of the evening, I started to feel a little more at home in Austin again, even if I am getting the same comment I get at metal shows I’ve been to all over the place: ‘you don’t look like you fit in here’. I take that as a compliment.

Genre(s): My Musical Adventures

4034Comments (0)2010-08-14+22%3A04%3A35hardrockchick

Just Another Manic Monday: Black Cobra, Howl, Eagle Claw @ Emo’s, 8/9/10

by hardrockchick [about 23 days ago.]

While this is technically my second show to write about after moving back to Texas, it was my first metal show in what will become my new scene.

My new scene….

I really kind of hate that phraseology, but that’s what it is. And while I spent a lot of time kind of dancing around the SF music scene, it’s not until you leave it that you realize you were a part of it. And it’s not something you can just drop yourself into, either. The only thing that makes it is time, and after five years of living in SF’s venues, and three and half years of writing about my experiences, things had become so familiar. From the spaces to the bouncers to the bartenders and security; the other bloggers and photographers and musicians who go see other musicians play. It took me years to find ‘my spot’ at every venue. And now I’m starting over….

…in the live music capital of the world.

The day began by driving to San Antonio and then to Austin, because that’s how you run errands when you live in small town Texas. Then I met one of my best friends from middle school for a nice sushi dinner, because I am having mega withdrawals after leaving California. My friend and I had an intense conversation about tragedies occurring in our lives right now while we dined over Texas spins on rolls (hamachi, cilantro, avocado, jalepeno = yum; tuna, pineapple, cilantro, avocado not so much). While my friend’s musical tastes are not metal- she followed around the Disco Biscuits- she graciously became my +1 for a while so I didn’t have to walk into the show alone.

I entered the venue by flashing my passport to the man with the guestlist, as if fully declaring ‘I’m not from here’. My TX driver’s license hasn’t arrived in the mail yet. Granted I spent a fair amount of time at Emo’s in college, this will most likely become my home away from home now. I may have been born in Texas, but HRC was born in San Francisco….which now that I’m back is giving me a bit of an identity crisis. But it ended up being very fitting that my first show in my new scene would be seeing a San Francisco band….easing me into the transition. And on 8-9-10, no less.

I’m looking around at all the unfamiliar faces as we grab drinks at the bar. Everyone looks so naked here….in SF everyone is bundled up all the time. I found myself oogling a lot of tattoos since they were so exposed on this 90-something humid night. The first band was finishing up, and I could see my friend wincing from it being so loud, so I went and asked the bartender for earplugs. He pointed behind me, and we found there is a machine to dispense them…nifty!

Local band Eagle Claw played their doom-leaning set in the dark with projections very reminiscent of Metalocalypse behind them. I think I will be seeing a lot of this band as an opener- their calendar is loaded with local shows. This reminded me of how local bands here play A LOT compared to SF local bands. And I don’t mind that at all….I followed around the Dethklok/Mastodon tour, even to Austin, last year.

Sitting outside between sets, I was admiring all of the posters that adorn the fencing around Emo’s. My poster collection currently sits in storage…I miss being able to see them all on my walls.

I saw Howl around the corner at Red 7 at SXSW and really liked them. It was so cold that day that thinking about it made me shiver in the heat of the indoors. I told my friend that this girl on guitar will blow her mind, and as the set began, she nodded in enthusiastic agreement before she ducked out to leave me to enjoy the rest of the show on my own. Howl were even better than I remembered; frontman Vincent did less entertaining banter this time, exchanging it for crowd admiration. For a Monday night, there was a pretty impressive crowd- and he commented that they had just come off of some really bad shows. I love seeing a band feel rewarded up there on stage. Texas is a big fucking state, and to come down here you have to really want to do it- it’s not on the way to anywhere else.

As I was bathed in the heavy melodies of Howl, it hit me how much I have missed going out to see shows. I mean- I had seen over 70 for the year before I left SF. I think about it all the time, but it just really hit me then. I never forget how it sounds to be at a show, or how it looks, or unfortunately how it smells (SF – weed…Austin – sweat and Jack Daniels). But it’s how it feels to be there that is the part I often forget, and is what I must be chasing as I attend so many. It’s being part of the crowd, the vibrations, the heat, the realization of creativity and performance….it’s that feeling of being at the right place at the right time. And on top of that I feel very me….something I have to file away a lot right now.

After declining two offers for drinks from guys- something that NEVER happened to me in SF- I spent the break between sets people and tattoo watching while Black Cobra set up. The last time I saw them was opening for Mastodon on the huge, majestic stage of The Fox Theater, and it was probably my favorite set of theirs of the many times I’ve seen them. But they do just fit so well on the small stage of a dive club. It’s like they get angrier every time I see them. These two spend so much time on the road that I’m sure they are at no loss for things to get angry about. It was good to see them get such a warm reception in Austin. I got chills when Jason leaned into the mic and said, ‘We’re Black Cobra, from San Francisco’. I realized I had started to pretend I was back in SF last year, at the now closed Annie’s Social Club, and Makh is standing near me banging his head along to the set.

People ask me all the time why I listen to metal- especially right now as I’m reconnecting with old friends. There’s a lot of pain in this world, and metal captures that for me. It helps me feel it, rationalize it, and move on. And Black Cobra did that for me on this evening.

Driving an hour and a half home after a show that lets out at 1:30am may suck, but it’s worth it to continue to do what I love. Plus, I took my new hot rod to 100 for the first time, to the heart-arresting beat of Frost’s drums.

Genre(s): My Musical Adventures

4017Comments (0)2010-08-10+18%3A57%3A43hardrockchick

Tangerine: Robert Plant & the Band of Joy @ Stubb’s BBQ, 7/26/10

by hardrockchick [about 1 month, 7 days ago.]

I woke up with the sun on Monday morning. It trickles in my windows as it rises over the hills that surround my new home.

I now live in the middle of nowhere.

But today, I would drive to Austin- a place where I am much more comfortable- to see a living legend. I don’t quite feel ready to start being HRC again, but seeing Robert Plant for my first show back here felt like it should be part of my story.

I fumbled for my phone lying next to me, and turned on ‘Tangerine’. It’s one of my favorite songs of all time, and it’s been showing up on the setlist. I saw that it had been played at the last show, so I figured chances were slim to hear it that night. But I laid there with my eyes closed and willed it to be played. My soul needed it.

Me and my new hot rod cruised to Austin in the rain, which I also willed away before the show. Cue ‘The Rain Song’. Stubb’s is an outdoor venue with a dirt floor, and that does not mix well with rain. Luckily the sky cleared and it actually made the evening a pleasant temperature, which was great for me, since my body is still adjusting from San Francisco’s chilly summer evenings.

The show was sold out, but I was lucky to snag tickets online for way below face value the day before. The line wrapped around Stubb’s by the time we arrived. While I would have normally waited in line for this show, I took the leisurely approach tonight, grabbing dinner at the soon to close Jaime’s Spanish Village across the street and a drink at my old favorite, Club de Ville. It felt so good to be back in Austin.

Walking into the packed Stubb’s, we grabbed a spot on a bit of an incline so that I could see over the crowd. A mere minutes after arriving, the crowd cheered and I could see those golden locks emerge on the stage.

As they launched into the first song, and Plant lifted the mic stand sideways and tossed his hair, I thought it fortunate that I could not see every detail of his aging frame. So for the rest of the show, I projected 1969 era Plant onto that stage.

Led Zeppelin is a band that means a lot to me. It’s not just about their dark, blues-laden rock that founded the genre that I love. It’s not just about the band dynamic: where the perfect voice met the perfect guitarist, bassist, and drummer. It’s not just about the songs that have been with me in meaningful moments throughout my life- from first hearing about the band through the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ reference in Wayne’s World, to buying IV as one of my first CDs and immediately falling in love with ‘When the Levee Breaks’, to the many times I’ve listened to ‘No Quarter’, ‘Dazed and Confused’, ‘Kashmir’, and ‘Tangerine’ and stared off into the distance and thought about life. It’s not just about a rock ‘n’ roll mystique they had that has been lost in current music, maybe forever. It’s not just about the era they represent; a time I feel like I should have been alive for, like Pamela Des Barres without the sex. To me, Led Zeppelin is about that feeling that music is supposed to give you. It’s a realization, an awakening…it’s passion and intensity; Led Zeppelin is the sound of love to me.

Band of Joy, which was the name of Plant’s pre-Zeppelin band with Bonham, has an album due out this Fall. So while the first song played- an unfamiliar track presumably from the album- I looked around at the crowd. Mostly middle aged couples surrounded me, out for a rare date night to see a musician that impacted their youth. While the Americana music fit the profile of the crowd, you could almost hear the collective willing of them for a Zeppelin song as he launched into song two. I experienced this same feeling when I saw him and Allison Krauss perform at Golden Gate Park a couple years ago.
The Band of Joy material definitely appeals to the same audience who are fans of his work with Krauss. While I don’t mind it, I will fully admit that I was there to hear the few Zeppelin songs that would make it into the setlist.

Cover songs peppered the set, and first were ‘Angel Dance’ (Los Lobos) and ‘House of Cards’ (Richard Thompson). And then, Plant mentioned pulling out songs from the past 40 years, and it took a second to recognize ‘Misty Mountain Hop’, which had been heavily folk-ized. I was not a fan of this version of the song; it lost it’s bite, and felt like it never took off. I kept telling myself that this was an age appropriate version, both for him and perhaps the audience, and let my brain fill in the gaps.

The sun was setting on the summer day. I was handed a giant Foster’s can of beer to drink, which was so comical I couldn’t stop thinking about it through the next song. I literally had to drink it with two hands like a sippy cup.

And then I heard it. The first two strums of the guitar for ‘Tangerine’.

There aren’t many people in this world that I’ve met that understand the place I go to when I hear the perfect song live. I’m just wired differently. There’s something chemically that becomes altered in me, I can feel it. Perhaps it’s a feeling of ownership of the moment; that I’m hearing the song I most wanted to hear, that somehow made it onto the setlist for that particular evening. Misty-eyed, I listened intently, hanging on every note. ‘Tangerine’ tells so much in so few words. In that moment, all was right in my world. And this was made even better because I was holding the hand of someone I care for the entire time.

Measuring a summer’s day,
I only find it slips away to grey,
The hours, they bring me pain.

Tangerine, Tangerine,
Living reflections from a dream;
I was her love, she was my queen,
And now a thousand years between.

Thinking how it used to be,
Does she still remember times like these?
To think of us again?
And I do.

(From the Houston show)

I could have left then and been happy. ‘Houses of the Holy’ was given a heavy country bent. ‘Gallows Pole’ became very folksy. Surprisingly one of the songs that most channeled a Zeppelin vibe was the somewhat bizarrely chosen cover of Low’s ‘Monkey’. A cover of Townes Van Zandt’s ‘Harms Swift Way’ fit nicely with the vibe of the other songs.

(From the Tulsa show)

For the encore, the back to back dose of ‘Thank You’ and ‘Rock and Roll’ could best be described as teases. Nearing the end, Plant unleashed the upper register of his voice at moments, making us ache for times past. The set closed with ‘And We Bid You Goodnight’.

(From a different show)

As we filed out of the venue, I couldn’t stop thinking about how seeing this set actually just made me lament the fact that I never got to see Zeppelin live. I wish I could have felt the energy in the room when they played, to let the notes seep into my skin and look at them with love in my eyes.

The next day, as I drove back through my small town and out to my parent’s house, I started getting that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Dread. The previous night’s affairs had distracted me from the reality that is my life, but here I was to face it again. It’s a feeling that makes me afraid to experience the good, because it makes coming back to the bad so much worse.

The hours, they bring me pain.

Genre(s): My Musical Adventures

4007Comments (3)2010-07-28+04%3A01%3A51hardrockchick

Schism: Tool, Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine @ Bill Graham Civic Center, 7/12/10

by hardrockchick [about 1 month, 21 days ago.]

schism (skzm, sz-)
n.
1. A separation or division into factions.

As I watched my couch- the last piece of furniture to go on Craigslist- leave my apartment this morning, I thought about what home means.

I also thought about all the things that happened on that couch. Some of my best work was written while sitting on it.

Tonight would be my final show in SF before moving back to Texas. And I couldn’t have chosen a better send off than Tool.

I can remember listening to Undertow in 1994 and and thinking it was scary. We used to love listening to it in the car on our traditional roadtrips on the backroads of small town Texas late at night. Inevitably we would forget the end of the album, only to be scared when ’69′ would come on. In fact we created this whole mythology around ’69′, including a stop on one of the backroads that we named after the song where someone in my friend group swore there were once animal sacrifices. One time we told everyone to meet out there for a party….and this was purely done word of mouth day of- before cell phones!

Since I’m now unemployed, I was able to go early and wait in line with my NIN friend Flower. She got there around 1p, and I arrived around 3…which is nothing compared to the time we’ve spent waiting in NIN lines. We were about 30 people back, which seemed like we would probably get rail no problem. It was fun to do the line thing again, that shared experience and excitement is something special.

But you never know; so as time neared we went through the usual nervous jitters. We each went to a different security line, and I chose poorly…but Flower got in and we ended up with an awesome spot on the left side of the stage.

Before long we were treated to nearly a full set from Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine. It was a perfect final opener for me….I watched so many shows where Jello was either in the crowd with me, or a special guest, or have seen him perform during my time here. The crowd was a bit mixed on his music and politics, though.

There is really no way to describe the feeling I get when I am merely minutes away from seeing a great band from a great spot. I’m not a fan of this venue, but when you’re close, the venue doesn’t usually matter. Tool had a photo policy like Danzig’s a few weeks ago- no phones were even allowed to be visible. But at least I know great pictures are incoming from Ray, who I was able to say goodbye to from the rail, just like it should be.

When the band came on stage, I was dazzled by being so close to Adam Jones and that we had an unobstructed view of Maynard. The visuals, the volume- it all wrapped me up into the experience. And then there was the crowd, crushing me from behind. I tried to take it like a big squeeze goodbye, but that quickly turned into an uncomfortable mess. I know from prior rail experiences that you just need to ride it out for the first few songs…but this was pretty unrelenting. I should have know considering the female to male ratio was very off balance. At one point, I thought I might fold in half vertically…not the best feeling.

Adam Jones’ tech

But damn was it worth it. The visuals alone are worth the price of admission….which is part of why I respect Jones so much, since he creates a lot of them. And I will never talk shit about Bill Graham Civic again; the sound was perfect. Militant Maynard was maniacally moving to the music, swigging from a bottle of his own wine (Sensei? That’s the good stuff). And Danny Carey peering out from behind that huge kit….I was able to watch his precise timing and sense the strong jazz influence. Occasionally I could peek over at Justin Chancellor, generally when he was perfectly lit up by lights on the floor, crouched down fiddling with something; making me want to grab my phone and take a picture.

I didn’t quite get the whole religious experience feeling last time I saw Tool, but this time I did. It was mostly a function of where I was both physically and mentally, but I think it was also because I further understood a notion about watching the band perform that only caught me off guard last time. There is a certain efficiency of motion in each member’s performance, an effortlessness that seems almost unreal. And then there are the drugs, and the crowd partakes in lots of them, making the pit into a sea of crazy eyed fanatics. The music and the visuals definitely evoke that type of experience…with the glowing eyes of the faces pulsating to the music, and the screens moving ever so slightly to make you question what you saw.

You also question what you hear sometimes. Each song takes on a life of its own. Even though I would say I’m pretty familiar with Tool, I would get lost in the music. But that’s the best thing; that’s how you know it is live.

The setlist was fantastic. With extended solos and a teaser of another song or two, Maynard even turned his megaphone to the crowd at one point for people to sing along. The short drum solo was followed by a funny keyboard solo by Maynard.

Standing there at the rail, with the guitar tones washing over me and Maynard’s voice meandering into my ears, I thought about that notion of home again. They say home is where the heart is, and my heart is with the music….at shows like this. And even though I will not have a home of my own anymore in the next 24 hours, I can always go to a show and feel in my element again.

After the show, the floor had some hair and blood on it. That’s when you know it was good.

So there you have it. My final piece for HRC before moving into the ‘beyond’ part of my bio line ‘…chronicles her musical adventures in San Francisco and beyond.’ I’ve truly enjoyed being a tiny blip in the SF music scene these past three and a half years, and look forward to new adventures in Texas at some point in the future.

And you can tell Rolling Stone magazine that my last words were…..I’m on drugs! I dig music. I’m on drugs!

Genre(s): My Musical Adventures

3995Comments (6)2010-07-13+17%3A07%3A34hardrockchick

18 and Life: Mayhem Fest: Korn, Rob Zombie, Lamb of God, Five Finger Death Punch, Hatebreed, Chimaira, 3 Inches of Blood @ Shoreline Amphitheater, 7/11/10

by hardrockchick [about 1 month, 22 days ago.]

Dear 18 year old me,

I’m writing you from 12 years in the future, where everything and nothing is the same, and your life is about to come to one of those defining full circle moments.

You’re about to graduate high school and leave that small town you hate. I’m about to move back there.

You probably have a White Zombie or Korn CD within arm’s reach right now. Last night I had the members of those bands nearly within arms reach.

You’ve got rock star dreams; you’re not sure exactly what you want to do, you just know it will involve music. I’ve still got those dreams, and still don’t know exactly what I want to do.

I’ve driven south of San Francisco 3 times since deciding to move away, as if I’m making practice runs for my roadtrip home that will commence in a couple days. This time I’m on my way to Shoreline for Mayhem Fest, home of many great music memories from SF, including 2 of my all time favorite ones- Trent Reznor at Bridge School and being backstage at NIN/JA.

The VIP will call was the most ridiculous line I’ve waited in at a show. An hour later I finally got my pass, though my ticket was mistakenly a lawn ticket. It didn’t matter for the second stage part of the day, though, so off I went to catch some bands I’d never seen before.

I thought the will call debacle had caused me to miss 3 Inches of Blood, but I walked up just in time. They are one of those bands I’d just missed every time they came through for some reason. I enjoyed their throwback thrash ways.

I would have enjoyed it more though had this happened over a month ago. As I watched the parking lot bands, in the blazing heat alone, I realized that right now I am not in a place to have fun in these kinds of conditions. It is not the place for someone who doesn’t feel 100% healthy and happy. Normally the crowds don’t bother me, nor would the heat. But today everything bothered me.

Off to the other side of the lot to see Chimaira, I tried to find a close spot out of harm’s way. I know nothing about this band, so I was surprised when I recognized some of the songs and ended up enjoying the set. They were definitely one of the heavier sounding bands of the day. So it was fitting when this dude came from behind and pushed me out of his way, only to encounter another dude immediately after who was not so easily push-out-of-the-way-able. In fact, this dude simply scolded him, didn’t like the response he got in return, and then punished the pusher by punching him in the face twice right in front of me, so that the guy fell back onto me. It was like being in the middle of a boxing ring….which was kinda badass to be honest once I realized I wasn’t hurt. I took a moment to remember how the last time I saw Korn- 10 years ago- was the only time I ever punched a girl in the face. She deserved it.

I stayed put while the other stage had a band play and waited for Hatebreed. I’ve been to more than one show that Hatebreed has played but had never actually watched them before. The crowd was insane. Say what you will about Jamey Jasta- I will say that his high kicks highly perturb me- but he does have some ability to do the whole instruct the crowd to do things bit without seeming desperate and annoying. Perhaps it’s because they are all very willing participants. At one point there was a pit going around the soundboard that was pretty insane.

I left the set a bit early so I could get my pass sorted out, and just happened to run into my friends Jeff, Darrell, and Hetal out of that entire mass of people. So weird! A quick hello/goodbye and I was off to the much more comfortable backstage patio of Shoreline.

Soon after, the main stage bands began, so I watched Five Finger Death Punch from some seats out front. I saw them late last year, shortly after Zoltan had disappeared for a while and mysteriously reappeared with little explanation. I’m not super into their music, but they do put on a good show. At one point, the drum set raises up high in the air….but that’s all it does. I’m sure Joey Jordison was rolling his eyes in his dressing room. They did a cover of ‘Bad Company’ that was pretty good.

When I went backstage this time, I was sitting in the courtyard by the dressing rooms for most of the rest of the evening when the bands weren’t on stage. This is where I had some of my most surreal moments.

18 year old me: In 2 years you will watch this film that will change your life. Almost Famous will help you understand yourself, and on this particular evening, you will have your own version of one of your favorite scenes from the film. When Penny Lane and William Miller arrive at the Riot House, and they are walking down the hall past all of these hotel rooms filled with musicians, and William is all wide eyed at everything he sees in the rooms, and Penny is in her element…..that was me last night.

One of my favorite guitarists was walking around warming up on his guitar and we exchanged smiles. Rock stars traveled from tour buses to dressing rooms on Segways, little dirt bikes, and bicycles. My favorite rock star couple walked right past me, and I was pleased to later see the wife watch from the side and dance around a bit to the songs instead of seeming bored like many rock star wives I have seen. I was introduced to Joey Jordison, and shook his cornstarch covered hand while seated, which was good because I was able to pretend he was tall. I saw a couple musicians in their skivvies as they came offstage or made mid set costume changes. I even ran into a comedian I had seen open for Dave Chappelle before. It was all very innocent, but very exciting to me.

I watched Lamb of God from the side platform, which gives you a great view of the crowd and the band. I love watching the crowd from this angle, but my favorite part might be that I can see the drummer so well, and Chris Adler is an amazing drummer. The only other time I had seen LoG was opening for Metallica, so in that weird ‘in the round’ stage set up. Another funny thing about watching from here was that for the first part I stood behind two Oompa Loompas who were rocking out. It kept making me giggle, especially when they stood up to leave and offered me a seat, and high fived me. Or low fived, I guess.

Between sets, I was able to witness a conversation where I learned so much. You see, when I’m the only girl in a group I always become ‘one of the guys’, affording me the opportunity to understand the male species a little more. This conversation had to do with online dating and male strategies for doing so- casting a wide net, weeding girls out based on quotes and picture angles, and the best part- sites for sugar daddies, sugar mommas, and the most efficient one: seekingarrangement.com. Once upon a time not long ago, I decided that I should probably go out on a normal date. So I signed up for Match, and was very specific in my profile as to what I’m NOT looking for. Guess what my inbox filled up with? Dudes I was NOT looking for. I promptly canceled my membership and resumed my life of solitude. This conversation confirmed that I will never be an online dater.

Watching Rob Zombie from the platform allowed me to completely geek out. Having seen Zombie numerous times over the years, this was my first time from backstage and I loved seeing how all of the production stuff worked. The stage hands who are the giant monsters, the set and costume changes, the dance moves from a different angle. I always have tons of fun at a Zombie show, and tonight was no exception as I danced along by myself up there while a bunch of other musicians gazed upon the spectacle. There were several new set elements and costumes, but no dancers still…I miss that part.

John 5 getting ready to go on stage taken through the gap in the platform above

As I mentioned before, it had been a decade since I had seen Korn. People love to pick on this band, but I’m not afraid to say that I still love their first couple albums, and am currently really liking the new song, Oildale. I think Jonathan Davis is a great front man. I started out watching this set from the soundboard, where some chick did something bad and got dragged away, and then a certain member of a certain local band nearly stood on top of me for the second time in two months….my superpower in invisibility! Then I moved to the other side and watched from behind one of the giant oil rigs, behind the pyro guy who was jamming out pushing buttons. It looked like that was a really fun job to have. The stage props made my view a bit obstructed, but when I have the opportunity to watch a band like this I take it. It was cool to watch Ray Luzier play on that giant kit, and see the crowd go apeshit when Davis came out with the bagpipes.

Afterward, I hung out at the Jagermeister sponsored after party for a bit, where I did a shot of terrible tequila and watched the metal guys kinda awkwardly pounce on the few girls that were around. It was a funny way to end an already bizarre evening.

The parking lot was cold and near empty by the time I returned to my car. As I rounded the bend and saw SF all lit up at night, I realized this would be my last time to return to the city as an inhabitant. Weird.

Well, 18 year old me….I’m not sure you would be happy with 30 year old me. You will have many great times and great memories ahead, but there will also be many dark times. And while your journey will be long and winding, it will bring you back to the same place you are now, with the same questions you have now. But perhaps that is life.

Genre(s): My Musical Adventures

3977Comments (4)2010-07-12+18%3A58%3A12hardrockchick

Fan’s Addiction: Jane’s Addiction @ The Roxy, 7/2/10

by hardrockchick [about 2 months, 1 day ago.]

When I made the decision to move home on account of my mom’s illness, I wanted to have one last crazy weekend in LA as a send off. It just so happened that this coincided with a Jane’s Addiction club show at The Roxy, and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

When something tragic happens in your life, one of the first things you think about are some of your best memories. And some of mine were spent following the Nine Inch Nails and Jane’s Addiction tour around last year. Not only do I have some of my best music memories from those shows, but what came from that whole experience were several new friends.

I drove past The Roxy on my way into town, and saw the line of fans waiting to get in. While there were some tickets given away by the band through twitter and such, it as a first come, first served show. I asked a girl later on that night how long she had waited, and she said she had been there since 6am. This show was about the fans; and with all that I’ve done with this site and what not, that is the most important word for me. I’m a fan, and no matter what happens, it’s always about the music.

The show was special for Jane’s because they recorded their first album at The Roxy. I hadn’t been there in three years or so, but it is a fun little space that holds about 400 people. While part of me wanted to squeeze my way up to the front, because of my NIN/JA friendships, I was able to sit at a VIP table with two of my best girlfriends with little passes dangling around our necks. I never take anything like that for granted, and am humbled at what interesting things writing HardRockChick has led me to.

The show began with a circus sideshow-esque reveal of several ‘freaks’: a sword swallower, a wolf boy, a guy who could put sharp things through his skin and not bleed, and a rubber boy. It created a great ambiance for the show, as we oooo’ed and ahhhh’ed and gasped, especially at the guy who stuck himself with things.

Then another full circle NIN/JA moment occurred: Tom Morello sat near us in VIP. Many of you readers know that he is one of my all time favorite musicians, not only for his skills but for what he stands for in general. I mustered up some courage (alcohol helped) to chat with him a bit, and while I did kind of fangirl out he was really really nice to me.

Normally, I’ll have a drink or two at a show, but I never really just let loose because I am essentially writing the piece in my head as the night goes on. This time, I just had fun. And while this means that the details are fuzzy and I have a pretty epic hangover today (Goldschlager and Jagermeister….blahhhhhh), I really had a great time with my friends, which is more important to me now than anything else.

The show started with two girls dangling above the stage by the skin of their back. Crazy! Then out pops Dave and the music began. It was weird to see Duff playing with them- he’s all kinds of amazing but such a different presence in comparison to Eric. I got totally lost in the set. The energy in the room was amazing- being at the back I could really feel it. It truly seemed like a fan show- everyone knew the words and were having a great time. We were standing on the seats in the booth dancing along. Music is such great medicine; for the 45 minutes or so that they played, I didn’t once think about anything else going on in my life. I often think of my life in snapshots in time, and from this night it would be standing in that booth with my friends singing ‘Ocean Size’.

“Some people tell me home is in the sky”

I know I have dark days ahead of me. I know I’m really emotionally fucked up right now, which is causing me to do things I wouldn’t normally do (I’ve developed a habit I’ve deemed xanaxting- I apologize to those that have been affected). I feel guilty for taking these three weeks to live my life before going to my mom. But I do know that in moments where I will need to think of something good, that in this evening I created some amazing memories with friends and a band that I love.

Genre(s): My Musical Adventures

3966Comments (0)2010-07-03+22%3A44%3A13hardrockchick

Bringer of Death: Danzig, All Shall Perish @ The Regency Ballroom, 6/27/10

by hardrockchick [about 2 months, 6 days ago.]

You could easily separate those leaving Pride from those going to Danzig as I walked along Van Ness.

Once in line, I robotically told security as I let them examine my things ‘no, I don’t have any gum or pens or food’ when the guy looked at me and said, ‘I know, I’ve seen you here a lot before’. Sobs. Not for much longer. Then he explained to me that artist rules tonight meant that absolutely no cameras were allowed and if I wanted to use my cell phone I had to go into the lobby. In fact, there were signs posted everywhere.

Actually I lied. I stuck sticks of contraband gum in my bra. Such a rebelle, I am.

Will call revealed that my name wasn’t on the list for the second time this weekend. As I text my contact and wait in the corner for a response, the will call guy starts to feel bad for me and decides to just take my name and let me in. Being sick facilitates my damsel in distress face.

However, I’ve already missed Toxic Holocaust, who I like a lot. Grrrr.

All Shall Perish, from Oakland, come out growls blazing. While I immediately decide it’s not necessarily my kind of metal, I latch onto the drummer, Adam Pierce, right away. Apparently he is very new. Anyway, new drum talent to keep an eye on. There was this guy on the opposite end of the rail from me that was just going INSANE…he knew every squeal and looked like he was going to pop screaming along down there. I think I watched him as much as everyone on stage.

Setup for Danzig involves a lot of really stressed out looking people, many rolls of various colors of electrical tape, and security meetings galore. I roll my eyes. Part of why I think I’ve never been able to really get into Danzig is because his reputation preceded him. I mean really, is being a camera nazi the way to go these days? It’s silly. I watch the oversized setlists posted on the walls in large print and watch everyone spoil the surprise by reading it.

But then the lights go down and each member dramatically comes on stage- Glenn last of course- and he’s bouncing around like a madman. It’s my first time seeing him, and honestly I’d have to say it felt similar to when I saw Prince.

Let me explain. Both are highly caricatured individuals who when you finally see them in the flesh it’s like your eyes won’t match the image in your head and the real person together properly. Also, both are undoubtedly amazing performers. And last but not least, both have some sort of ability to make a certain segment of women want to tear their clothes off, and this is something that I’ve never understood even after much contemplation.

Where I’m standing, Danzig’s powerful vocals aren’t reflected well in the PA, but the guy behind me seems to think he can fill in just fine. The crowd is going insane, and this is magnified as Glenn constantly walks close to the edge of the stage and touches their hands and gives them water. Everyone is singing along; crowdsurfers are flying over the rail, and more often than not, someone is getting busted with a camera.

I don’t think I had ever seen Tommy Victor play guitar before, and I thought he was quite good. In fact I would often have to focus on him as Glenn kept spitting up these disgusting gobs of phlegm and it was just pure gross. It also just pissed me off every time he would spot a camera and alert his crew so that they could go chase down the person. He wasn’t subtle about it at all.

Highlights for me were ‘Twist of Cain’, ‘Her Black Wings’, ‘Thirteen’, ‘Bringer of Death’. As soon as I heard the first few chords of ‘Mother’, I bailed. Not only am I still sick of that song from the ’90s, but it doesn’t sit right with me right now with everything that is going on in my life. As I carved my way out of the crowd, the people looked at me like I must be crazy, leaving during his biggest hit.

Tell your children not to walk my way….

Danzig Setlist The Grand Ballroom at the Regency Center, San Francisco, CA, USA 2010

Edit this setlist | More Danzig setlists

Genre(s): My Musical Adventures

3962Comments (1)2010-06-29+04%3A10%3A43hardrockchick

I Know I’ll See You: A Place to Bury Strangers @ The Blank Club San Jose, 6/25/10

by hardrockchick [about 2 months, 7 days ago.]

What follows will not be my best effort writing about APTBS. For that, try this one.

My mind keeps going “I’m ok I’m ok I’m ok….everything’s going to be ok“. But my body disagrees. I can’t really pinpoint what is wrong because it changes at every moment…..but it is surely from stress.

But there was nothing that would stop me from seeing A Place to Bury Strangers, especially because I would be taking my dear friend Umlaut to see them for the first time before I leave the Bay.

We didn’t leave until after 10, knowing that they wouldn’t be on until midnight. But we were still there in plenty of time for me to have guest list drama and catch an opener I didn’t like. It was my first time at the Blank Club, a smallish room with a stage in the corner and some booths along the side. The stage is adorned with sparkly blue streamers and a formal looking black canopy….kind of an interesting festive formality to APTBS’s aesthetic.

It was too easy to just walk up and stand front and center for the set. The crowd followed our lead and filled in behind us. I hear a girl say in a valley accent, ‘I don’t know much about them, except they have really heavy guitar and it, like, sounds really good.’ Actually, that kind of sums it up.

I introduced myself to Oliver as he was setting up, letting him know I was the girl who asked him the weird questions on the phone the day before.

As I was standing there waiting for them to come on, I felt excitement take over my general lack of feeling normal. And as soon as the set started and I was brought into the zone, all felt right with the world. Early on in the set there were two songs that fit so perfectly into the rest that I thought maybe I had suffered brain damage and couldn’t remember the names of the songs…..but the setlist would later reveal that they must be new songs.

I’m watching how close Oliver’s guitar comes to our heads as I groove into ‘Missing You’….’Deadbeat’…’To Fix the Gash’. The fog keeps coming at me and I notice the chalky aftertaste. Then during ‘Ego Death’, I started to notice I was getting a bit of tunnel vision. I knew the strobes were about to be turned on, and to avoid a dramatic faint in front of everyone, I went to the back of the room. However, as soon as I turned around I knew that faint was coming whether I liked it or not. As soon as I opened the door to the bathroom and the light hit me…..I don’t know, but I woke up on the floor 10 seconds or so later.

Occasionally I have fainting spells; it doesn’t even freak me out that much anymore. In fact, as I opened my eyes and saw the ceiling, Oliver’s word’s from our phone interview floated into my head…..’out of body experience‘. Indeed. As I washed my face and waited for the color to return, I found it ironic that I could hear the vocals to ‘Ocean’ perfectly.

“Walked four miles on your heart,
I don’t like
I don’t love
Fall down and fall apart, I could scream and you won’t hear
Touching skin, ruby lips
In a dream, in a kiss
Can’t see the night, and not your eyes, and you don’t notice
That it’s love that holds you, you can never let it go
That it’s love that controls you, you can never let it go
Let it go…”

Even though I was missing my favorite part of the show- the destruction- I could see it in my mind’s eye, and there’s something about knowing a band’s set that well that’s pretty cool.

I walked back into the room to see the climax of ‘Ocean’, which featured some great in air axe collisions between Oliver and the new bassist, Dion. It was better than dueling banjos.