Top 5: live music etiquette

by hard rock chick [about 1 year, 9 months ago.]

For the audience:

1. Tall guys/gals in the back, please. And don’t use your 5 foot tall girlfriend as an excuse either. And girls- no tall ponytails or extravagant hats. They get in my way.
2. I came to hear the band, not you. I know you sing along to this song in the shower or the car, but this is a public place. Come on, mouth the words-it shows the band you know the words without screwing up their vocals. And please, if you want to chat with your friend, take it to the back.
3. Drunk dancing. is. for. dance clubs. If you bump into me one more time, you are getting an elbow in the gut. If you want more non confrontational techniques to eliminating the bumper, send me a personal note. I can’t share all my secrets here.
4. Cameras-we all love them. I take pictures, too, when it’s allowed. But to keep your cameraphone up in the air through the entire set is retarded. Do you want to see the show, or do you want to see pictures of the show?
5. DO NOT WEAR THE BAND’S T-SHIRT TO THE SHOW. Major faux pax. We all know you like them, why else would you be here? Concerts are supposed to be a catwalk for the masses, a reflection of the fashion of the fan conglomerate. Don’t make it generic by wearing a damn concert T. Wear it the next day to brag about how you went and they didn’t.

For the band (yeah, you have some, too. Don’t think that because you’re on stage you are immune from my critique):

1. Talk to us. We want to know you are there. But don’t talk too much…I want to maintain my idealized version of you, so don’t ruin it by being too normal or something.
2. Change your set list from show to show. I don’t care if you just change the order, I like surprises.
3. Move around. If I positioned myself on stage left, and the guitarist I love dearly is stationed on stage right, and never visits me, I’ll be mad. This includes moving in place. You are not a statue, you are a musician. I want to see you go crazy.
4. Eye contact. It makes me feel like you care that you are there, rather than wishing that you were still in some garage somewhere playing alone. It can be fake eye contact (looking at foreheads, the clock in the back of the room, etc.), just as long as you look up.
5. Encores. Hmmm….definition of encore: an extra or repeat performance, usually given by audience demand. The best encores are unexpected material- a cover song, something old that only real fans know, an acoustic song. Please, don’t save the song that is your number one single for the encore, which we all know that you are going to come back out and sing. And listen to the audience (I’m going to kick myself later for this)- if they don’t yell loud enough, don’t give it to them. They don’t deserve it. Make ‘em beg!

Genre(s): Top 5

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upcoming tickets sales alert

by hard rock chick [about 1 year, 9 months ago.]

set your alarms for 10a on Saturday to get:

Bjork @ the Shoreline Amphitheater on May 19th

set your alarms for 10a on Sunday to get:

The Shins @ The Warfield on April 18th

Ice Cube @ The Fillmore on April 27th

And keep in mind…

Morrisey tickets go on sale on 3/31!

Genre(s): Rockin' You Soon

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upcoming shows alert

by hard rock chick [about 1 year, 9 months ago.]

Thurs., 3/22: The Bravery at popscene

Fri., 3/23: Dirty Vegas DJ set at supperclub

Sat., 3/24: Killswitch Engage with Dragonforce, Chimera, and He Is Legend at The Warfield. Did you study your metal chart? It’s New Wave American Metal night.

Sun., 3/25: El-P at Mezzanine. I’ll be at this one.

Wed. & Thurs., 3/28-29: TV on the Radio at The Fillmore. A very critically acclaimed band.

Genre(s): Rock Out SF

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myspace find

by admin [about 1 year, 9 months ago.]

Having a bad day? Go take a listen to ‘Animal Battle’ by Saliva Slingers. Instant smile.

Genre(s): Myspace Find

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Rock ‘N Roll Fantasy Camp

by admin [about 1 year, 9 months ago.]

This isn’t your high school band camp. It’s Rock ‘n Roll Fantasy Camp.

The commercials for this are drilled into your head if you watch VH1 Classic for any period of time. So, like a good commercial does, it drove me to their site. And, I must say, it is on my list of things to do when I’m old and rich and bored. And all of my favorite rock stars are old and rich and bored and decide to do this.

Campers can be all levels of experience. $9500 buys you 5 days of shoulder rubbing with true, bona fide rock stars. Apparently you even get to eat with them. It all culminates with a Battle of the Bands at the House of Blues. Can I play the tambourine with Trent Reznor one day? That would be sick.

Genre(s): Rockin' Things To Do

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I’m With the Band, by Pamela Des Barres

by admin [about 1 year, 9 months ago.]

Miss Pamela. What a life.

For many years, I have thought I was born in the wrong decade, that I should have come of age in the ’60s. Now I know that what I really want is to have grown up in the ’60s in LA as Miss Pamela.

I’m With the Band will have you ending each chapter saying “wow”. At the same time, Pamela is easy to relate to, from describing teenage crushes to painful heartache. She describes her encounters with music icons and actors who were on the road to superstardom: Frank Zappa, Mick Jagger, Keith Moon, Jim Morrison, Jimmy Page, Waylon Jennings, and Don Johnson. Really.

I really can’t say enough about this book. It’s a must read for any girl who loves rock music.

Genre(s): Rock Lit

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300

by admin [about 1 year, 9 months ago.]

I feel like I had been waiting to see 300 for about 300 years. I heard about it way back, when a teaser trailer was put up featuring the track ‘Just Like You Imagined’ by NIN, and it was all over our fan forum. Yeah, we’re nerds like that.

So, despite lukewarm reviews, I really enjoyed the film. Seeing it on IMAX is a must. That year of post production made for an absolutely stunning film, but what really nailed it for me was the score.

Done very much in NIN spirit, it was gritty and loud. Tyler Bates is a masterful composer. If the images weren’t enough to do it for you, the sound sent you over the edge. Like the Persians in the movie.

Genre(s): Rock Reels

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Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey

by admin [about 1 year, 9 months ago.]

I love it when something that is perceived by the masses as low brow culture is turned into a cerebral undertaking.

Sam Dunn, anthropologist/metal fan did just that with his documentary, Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey. Not only is this fun to watch, but it accomplishes many things for metal fans.

1. Learn why you do what you do. Why do the frontmen of the uber masculine metal groups often appear ultra feminine? What’s up with the rock n roll hand sign? What’s the Devil’s Note?
2. Metal history. You outta know it. If you thought electronic music was complicated, look at all of the types of metal!
3. Be proud about loving metal. Use the knowledge you gain from this documentary to tell the next person who disses GWAR to kiss your ass. You’ll see that you’re not alone- while American mainstream music may shun metal, many other countries are still embracing it.

Watch it!

Genre(s): Rockumentaries

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Hip Hop is Rock ‘n’ Roll

by admin [about 1 year, 9 months ago.]

This NYT article discusses how Grandmaster Flash an The Furious Five is the first hip hop to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Funny how this occurs right as “everyone” is declaring that hip hop is dead.

What does this mean for music? Basically, that our definition of rock ‘n roll has changed. Perhaps it’s less about the category or genre that the music sounds like, and more about its spirit. ‘The Message’ probably had the same emotional impact as ‘What’s Going On’ and ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland, Ohio, began inducting members in 1986. Inducting Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five not only caused controversy due to genre bending, but also because there are allegations that voting is rigged. Here we go with Rolling Stone guys trying to be hip on hip hop. Rock ‘n roll has its own ballot counting scandal.

Genre(s): Rock in the News

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The Devil’s Rejects

by admin [about 1 year, 9 months ago.]

So, I’m a little behind times with this review, but hey, I’m the only one I know that likes a good horror film. But I can’t bring myself to see one in the theater by myself.

If House of 1000 Corpses didn’t convince you that Rob Zombie can make a damn fine horror film, then The Devil’s Rejects certainly will. A seventies style slasher with cleverly placed classic rock tunes and another terrific Tyler Bates score.

Watch this and you’ll see:

Genre(s): Rock Reels

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