Staying True at Crue Fest 2, Shoreline Amphitheater, 7/30/09

by hardrockchick [about 1 year, 1 month ago.]

Last week, I was given the opportunity to attend Crue Fest and interview one of the opening bands. While I’m not the biggest Crue fan, or any of the bands on the bill, really- I decided that it would be fun, plus I wanted to test out doing video interviews as a new feature for HRC.

Traffic was terrible, but we made it just in time to catch Charm City Devils, the band I would later interview, take the stage. Though the audience was still sparse at this point, they rocked the arena and got those who were there on their feet. CCD’s sound is very organic rock-n-roll. They’re the first band signed to Nikki Sixx’s record label. Their single, ‘Let’s Rock-N-Roll’, has striking similarities to ‘Highway to Hell’. They strutted their stuff on stage, telling the audience to please go spend $10 on their CD- hey, that’s what they’re there for, right?

Our comped seats were in 202, Row K. I’m not complaining…but damn I’ve become spoiled! I had third row seats for the last two shows I went to here- NIN/JA and Mayhem, so this seemed like I was a world away from the action. That said, it gave me a new perspective on the audience, and a definite appreciation for my luck with getting those great tickets before!.

We had peeled off out passes- pink Motley Crue ones- and went for a drink in the VIP bar. I didn’t even try to use the passes to get to the regular backstage area. Someone asked to take a picture of me- on account of my shirt- which kinda freaked me out but my friend Gina talked me into it. Probably a bad idea in hindsight.

We went back out to watch Drowning Pool. As a Texan, I was familiar with them from the early 2000′s, but then the singer died and there was a long hiatus before he was replaced. I got kinda sentimental seeing the state of Texas on the banner up there- WTF is wrong with me these days?! Their set was pretty fun- I only knew the last two songs- ‘Tear Away’ and ‘Bodies’- but they were actually kind of fun to hear live and especially because the crowd had filled out and they were going bonkers at this point.

This is when I realized that the people surrounding me when I have close seats may dress better, be less intoxicated, and more well behaved….but the party is really happening up in the 200′s section. It was fun to watch people climb into their seats, high five each other, and just generally look ecstatic to be there. However, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that I was missing important elements about the show from way up there- I couldn’t tell you what the band members even really looked like, if someone tripped or gave one member a weird look….I just can’t do it. I just have to be closer.

After the set we went back to the VIP bar just to have a place to sit away from the rowdy ‘regular’ crowd. It was during this re-entry that the guard checking passes said something that made me laugh- “flash your pink and you’re in”. Yes, the passes were pink, but….hahaha.

We didn’t go back out to see Theory of a Deadman as my interview with CCD was set for 7pm. I got a call promptly at 6:55, telling me to meet one of their people at the Lucky bar, giving me a physical description of himself.

We went over there, and I walk up to a guy who I thought fit the description- wrong guy, but got one of those funny, “I’ll be him if you want me to” responses. Another call, and I see Doctor Detroit, who greets us in a very charming way and escorts us out of the venue and into the bus area. Apparently Doctor Detroit, who has his name tattooed across his fingers, got this name from working with Crue, loving Dr. Feelgood (he was wearing a Dr. Feelgood shirt at that very moment), and being from Detroit. I love these kinds of characters.

These guys are traveling in a tour van- so we didn’t have a quiet bus to do the interview on and had to make due outside. The band walked up promptly in time for the interview, and we find a spot near the Gibson bus.

Now, I have my little Sony camera for Gina to film with, and it works just fine normally, but another crew with a legitimate setup were waiting to interview them right after me, so I kept it short. Theory of a Deadman’s sound reached out into the lot and made it a bit hard to hear them. Below you’ll find a barely edited video of the whole ordeal, because the mess ups are the funny part, right? They were really nice though, and I wish them the best of luck!

After we shut the camera off, we hung out with them a bit, where I did manage to pull some interesting Tommy Lee info out of them- apparently there is a tent set up in the backstage area with a Jagermeister drip. This area is called….’Tommyland’. Exclusive access is only granted to those who are gifted special wristbands. Interesting! I also found out that Vic the guitarist’s wife is/was a hardcore NIN fan- she even paid a visit to Mercer “before they were married”. That was awesome to hear!

Back to the venue to watch Godsmack. You know, I had heard a lot about Crue Fests not selling well, but this place was packed, and not with ‘meh, it’s a free/cheap ticket so I’ll check it out’ people, but with real fans. I know the look on the faces of these people- they were in heaven for this Godsmack set. I, on the other hand, was downward spiraling at this point. I’ll admit ‘Voodoo’ was cool, with choreographed pyro that went off to great timing for this seductive song. But the rest, I just couldn’t get into their stage presence. Even when the drum kit automatically moved up and over, and out came a second drum kit that the singer played for a very long extended drum duo. Even when they played a bit of Pantera’s ‘Walk’. I expected them to look different as well- from way up where I was, it seemed like they were pretty clean cut guys.

That set left me feeling weird, so we made one final trip to the bar, where we had a hilarious run in with this huge guy, who is apparently a bodyguard, and his friend- a ‘famous’ competitive eater. The bodyguard one was practically offended when we didn’t recognize the friend, and had never heard of his show ‘Man vs. Food’. So the guy was definitely not the host….if it was all a lie it was the weirdest attempt at a pickup fake story thing EVER. Guys- competitive eating = not sexy under any circumstance, especially to a girl with a past history of eating disorders!

Motley Crue hit the stage while we were back there. I have to say, they came out to Dr. Feelgood in the most unique use of stage space I’ve ever seen. They were in some kind of white room in the middle of the stage- everything was hospital themed. It was cool! That set up, that song; you couldn’t not get sucked up into the glamor of it all. They played the entire album to a ready and willing crowd, tearing up the stage. Vince Neal sounds really really good! Nikki Sixx seemed pretty dynamic, Tommy Lee was a bit less impressive than I expected, and Mick Mars confused the hell out of me…in a good way. I never realized he was so goth looking…kind of intriguing, but made me scratch my head at his fit with the others.

The back up singers/dancers were fun…but the high production show wore me out after awhile, as did the band banter. It was when they launched into the second ‘greatest hits’ portion of the set that I had an aha moment- kind of a dumb one, too, but here you go. I’m not mainstream. I always think I’m borderline- maybe I am- but because I surround myself with ‘music nerds’, I always feel like people are throwing out bands I’ve never heard of to me all the time, so maybe I’m only into popular music. But being at an event like this- you can just feel the easy lyrics, the simple riffs- the general dumbing down of art. There’s a place for it, don’t get me wrong! But by the end of the night I was ready to sink my teeth into something with substance. Also- where was the drum cage? And the tit cam! I wanted to see those notorious things in action!*

So, what’s the moral of the story?

-I’m a seat snob
-I’m a music snob
-I’m a jaded bitch
-I need a better videocamera

*yes, I realize that I just asked for substance and a tit cam in two adjoining sentences…

Genre(s): My Musical Adventures

2584Comments (1)2009-07-31+22%3A04%3A02hardrockchick

Thoughts on Albums: Behemoth ~ Evangelion

by hardrockchick [about 1 year, 1 month ago.]

Sometimes an album comes along at just the right time, and everything clicks. For me, Behemoth’s Evangelion sounds like how I feel right now. So I’ve been listening to it on repeat since I ‘obtained’ it last week. Don’t worry, I’ve already ordered my autographed copy.

There are many typical metal review words that could be used to describe this album, and they would all be true: It’s epic. It slays. It’s brutal. But, similar to my obsession with Mastodon’s Crack the Skye, this album goes beyond all ov that. Intentional or not, it takes the listener on a journey earmarked by departures from the black metal norm. It goes deep into my brain, affecting something primitive that I don’t quite understand.

I could tell you to pick your poison, pop in the album, and lean back against your speaker and let the music massage it’s way into your soul (or lack thereov) as it did mine (with a happy ending, ov course!), but here’s my track by track commentary if you so desire:

1. Daimonos:
The album begins with screams- and maybe a crying baby- and Nergal shouting a rallying cry. Heavy guitar enters the picture, along with the machine gun drums that almost never let up for the entire album. The track is menacing- if you are not into black/death metal, this will surely end your listening session with Behemoth. Seth provides a nice guitar solo towards the end that sings over the helicopter drums. I must take a moment to LOL that the guitarist goes by ‘Seth’ when the others are Nergal, Orion, and Inferno….

visual: the band are warriors heading into a battle

2. Shemaforash:
The second single from the album hits you in waves. Growls are followed up by guitar, over and over again. It’s a complete takeover ov every sense. While other bands might have made this song overwhelming, it is softened in a sense with classical elements- a slight hint ov opera voices and strings in the background, and the sitar at the end. If this song does not get your heart beating, there is something wrong with you. It has complimented my coffee every morning for the past 5 days.

visual: the charge into the fray

3. Ov Fire And The Void
The first single from the album has an unfair advantage as my favorite, since I’ve already seen it live twice, and know how it feels to pump my fist in the the air and toss my head around to it. It feels great by the way. It’s a bit slower and more dramatic than the first two. The drawn out guitar over the pounding drums is a wicked contrast. There are some pauses in the music that let you breathe and take it all in- a very important element.

visual: warriors standing in the battlefield surveying the land in their first victory.

4. Transmigrating Beyond Realms Ov Amenti
Going into the second climax ov the album, I love the way Nergal audibly breathes before screaming into the beginning ov the song. And then the track ends with one ov the more demented screams I’ve ever heard.

visual: theater of war type screams by the warriors to scare the enemy away

5. He Who Breeds Pestilence
This song could trick a newcomer at the beginning…a slow build ov somber guitar is followed up by a complete massacre ov sound, and repeats this throughout. The desperately shouted “Give me a God!” pops out ov the song and punches you in the ear. The stark contrasts within this song- the changes in tempo- are maddening. It sounds like the most angry track on the album…and that says a lot.

visual: an all out massacre

6. The Seed Ov I
I can see this being the third single. The Zakk Wylde squealies mentioned in the production videos posted earlier this year are prevalent throughout this track. I love the guitar hook…it almost seems slightly out ov place within the album, but ends up being part ov what gives it character and makes it stand out from other death metal albums.

visual: stepping back from the battle, mustering strength to keep moving forward.

7. Alas, Lord Is Upon Me
I love the intro to this song. Ov all the tracks, this one makes me think more than it makes me feel. It’s the shortest on the album, and has a very abrupt ending.

visual: there’s a strong sensation ov floating or swaying, within this song, and then being attacked from all angles.

8. Defiling Morality Ov Black God
Any song with ‘Defiling Morality’ in the title is a win in my book. This song just never lets up. However, if I had to lose one track on the record, this would be it….it’s almost too much at the end ov the album, and I feel like it lacks a bit ov the character that the other songs do. Perhaps part ov that is stating the song title at the end…feels a little awkward.

visual: a sprint to the end

9. Lucifer
Love this track. It’s the longest one…go figure. It starts out like a scene from a film. It’s dark and dramatic- the chanting into the guitar into the screaming really gets me going. I wonder what film is sampled there- I enjoy hearing Polish even though Nergal sings in English. If I saw this song live it would be well complimented by pyro.

visual: celebrating a victory in the middle of a bloody battlefield, but still being left unsatisfied.

So there you go. Go forth and preorder this album now.

Genre(s): Thoughts on Albums

2570Comments (2)2009-07-28+23%3A17%3A52hardrockchick

Rock a la Carte: Dommin, Seventh Void, Kill Hannah @ Slim’s, Mini Mansions, Spinnerette @ GAMH, 7/27/09

by hardrockchick [about 1 year, 1 month ago.]

It never fails- I go over a week without a show, twiddling my thumbs, and then there are two I want to see on the same night. Lucky for me, my well-connected friend Umlaut took me as his plus one to both shows, so I got to have my cake and eat it too. Sort of.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, 7:30pm is too fucking early for a rock show. I’m barely out of work mode, I don’t have time to primp, and forget about eating. Good thing I only take 5 minutes to get dressed and I don’t eat. OK, maybe I take 10 minutes….

Umlaut had seen Dommin with me at Warped last month. He needed to see them in their natural habitat: a dark club, complete with their props- roses. Lots of them. The light was still peeking through the doors as they took the stage, but close enough. The roses that decorate their mics may be fake, but the ones that hang from the keyboards are real. I wonder who’s job it is to get those for every show. Is there a rose wrangler? The girls are screaming- the San Francisco Dommin contingency is growing. They were rewarded with dramatic rose tosses into the crowd- one by one between each song. It was the same set from Warped, only quieter (noise complaints have had an effect on Slim’s shows). Lots of thank yous were said at the end, as this was their last show of the tour.

Next up was Seventh Void, which features the vocalist and drummer from Type O Negative. Before you start thinking that they sound anything like Type O, or Dommin for that matter, they don’t. They are doom metal with a Southern injection- odd for guys from Brooklyn. While their performance didn’t blow me away, I liked the sound enough to check out their album. The last two songs of their set were infiltrated by the Dommin guys, in the typical end of tour antics that I love to catch. Bags of balloons and silly string were unleashed on the band while playing, complete with a sign reading something like ‘you have been Domminated’. Then the cymbals were removed from the drum kit by some members of the other bands on the bill. It was funny, but pretty disruptive for someone trying to evaluate a set…just sayin’!

As I saw members of Kill Hannah trickle on stage, I became doubtful of the enjoyment I would receive from their set. Dreads on one, some weird faux hawk mullet thing on another, business casual on yet another, and a hoodie on the singer. They were completely all over the map with style. And don’t even get me started on the lasers. Well, if I must: they have green lasers shooting out from the pegs of their guitars! WTF. Hi, I’m a gimmick, and I’m going to blind you with it! Their sound, electro pop rock, was such a departure from Seventh Void that I decided to spend the time in the bathroom fixing my lipstick and stopping to say hi to the Dommin guys.

Seriously, how did this tour get put together? I guess it’s for 18 year olds having an identity crisis- but the audience didn’t seem to entirely fit that demo. The headliner was Lacuna Coil, which we skipped, because….

It was time to move on to part 2 of the evening- off to Great American Music Hall! Man, walking into this venue sure makes you realize that Slim’s is kind of a dump in comparison. When the guy at the front door stamps my hand, he turns it over and smiles, “you’ve already been at Slim’s!” Yep! Mini Mansions are on stage. I really feel like I’m on some kind of genre tour as this band is poppy indie rock with a smidgen of psych for flavor. The sound here is so much better that, even though this band is a bit mellow for my liking, they were much easier to get into than the previous three just because I could get a bit absorbed into their sound. They did an interesting cover of ‘Heart of Glass’. I was told their bassist is from QOTSA (‘Mikey Shoes’).

I was a bit worried that Spinnerette would be a major hipster douchefest, but it turned out to be only partially so. Apparently the buzz hasn’t quite reached all of them yet. But the ones that were there were in full effect- drunken girl on girl arguments, drunken boy crowd surfing. The most noticeable thing about the crowd for this set was the Brody Dalle fangirls. I would have to say that she has cult status- hair, makeup, outfits, tats- all mimicked with precision. Oh- and the alcohol and slurring, too.

Spinnerette may have been my favorite performance of the evening, but it was by no means perfect. Perhaps it is not meant to be. Dalle has one of those powerful voices that makes me want to borrow it and try it on just to see what it must feel like to possess such a thing. However, she could really elevate her status if she just tightened up everything a few notches. The performance is a bit loosey-goosey; borderline bedroom performance level at times. The songs from the album soften a bit on stage, like a candy bar left in your pocket. Songs are randomly dedicated to people, and half-baked banter about drinking and the history of the theater fail to completely connect with the crowd.

That said, I appreciate that she’s kind of a mess. After the first song, she spit on stage. Just to the side, not on anyone- but this simple act that guys do all the time is a rarity to see amongst the female artist population. She takes swigs from her beer bottle- no girly wine glass here. I have to think that there is some balance to be had- where she keeps her rough edges but just tightens up the performance. Then she’d truly shine.

The set was on the short side due to limited material, ending with ‘Ghetto Love’. “I’m just a girl out looking for love”….

5 bands, 2 venues, 1 night. This was show number 50 for me for 2009. Damn…

Genre(s): My Musical Adventures

2566Comments (2)2009-07-28+09%3A26%3A34hardrockchick

rock and shop: kryonik design

by hardrockchick [about 1 year, 1 month ago.]

eBay store kryonik design is where I go for some of my hottest going out clothes- Lip Service, Pleaser, and Demonia brands that can be hard to find in stores. Pretty much everything is ‘buy it now’, and they always have lots of new items coming in.

Just use good judgment…some things are super hot:

…and some things are super not:

And they have guy’s items as well.

Genre(s): Things to Spend Money On

2435Comments (0)rock+and+shop%3A+kryonik+design2009-07-24+04%3A30%3A30hardrockchick

you should check out: black river

by hardrockchick [about 1 year, 1 month ago.]

Name: Black River

From: Poland

Shares DNA With: Technically, Vader and Behemoth…but sounds more like Black Label Society and Rob Zombie

Feels Like: A death metal spaghetti western

Key to Success: Um, just look at them! OK, they sound good, too.

Needs To Work On: An American tour

Genre(s): You should check out:

2431Comments (0)you+should+check+out%3A+black+river2009-07-24+04%3A15%3A50hardrockchick

Rockin’ You Soon: RevCo, Manson

by hardrockchick [about 1 year, 1 month ago.]

Sunday @ 10am:

Revolting Cocks @ The Fillmore, 9/23/09

Marilyn Manson @ The Warfield, 9/28/09

Genre(s): Rockin' You Soon

2428Comments (0)Rockin%27+You+Soon%3A+RevCo%2C+Manson2009-07-24+00%3A38%3A17hardrockchick

rock out SF: Spinerette, Dommin, Black Cobra, Giant Squid

by hardrockchick [about 1 year, 1 month ago.]

My weekly recommendations:

Friday/July 24: Mickey Avalon, Snoop Dogg @ Shoreline
Saturday/July 25: Joe Buck Yourself @ Thee Parkside
Sunday/July 26: Mika Miko @ Thee Parkside
Monday/July 27: Dommin @ Slim’s & Spinerette @ GAMH
Tuesday/July 28: seriously nothing
Wednesday/July 29: also nothing
Thursday/July 30: Black Cobra, Grayceon, Giant Squid @ Thee Parkside or Crue Fest 2 @ Shoreline

Genre(s): Rock Out SF

2426Comments (0)2009-07-24+00%3A33%3A11hardrockchick

Deranged Rap Night w/ Cage, Yak Ballz @ GAMH, 7/17/09

by hardrockchick [about 1 year, 1 month ago.]

It’s Definitive Jux night at GAMH- one of the only hip hop labels that I can call myself a fan of anymore. Home to El-P, Def Jux is the stomping grounds for rappers still interested in the art of their craft- fast rhymes, killer beats, and edgy messages- not the bling and the bimbos and the brands.

Yak Ballz is onstage when I entered my favorite venue. The crowd, albeit small, was jamming along to the point where I wondered why I hadn’t heard of this guy before. So I’m not a fan of his name, but he was pretty good. Hailing from Queens, this Persian MC paced the stage delivering his rhymes with sci-fi overtones. Album sold!

Though Cage is joined by a ‘guitarist’, it wasn’t long between sets. Cage, also known as Chris Palko, occupies a space in the hip hop spectrum somewhere between Eminem and Mickey Avalon. He’s had a truly fucked up life, which you may be able to see soon as it is rumored that Shia La Beouf will play him in a biopic on Cage’s life.

Cage demands that it be darker in there- it’s already very dark, which is why you don’t see any pictures here. The crowd is a bit mellow, which could be from a combo of the dark room, the slower nature of his songs, or perhaps its the content of the songs. I like my guys a little crazy… well Cage is a lot crazy. Like as in he introduced one song like this: “This is a dancing song. I remember my prom…oh wait, I wasn’t at prom, I was strapped to a bed at Stony Lodge”. And you know it’s a true story and you’re like, ‘whoa’. Kinda hard to put your hands up in the air to that. Just take a look at this video (directed by Shia…guess he’s a fan).

Crazy face. It was too dark in there to really see it, though, which is a shame because he’s pretty easy on the eyes. He stage dove/fell into the audience three times, and spoke quite a bit even though we were a little quiet.

The main drawback of this show for me was the fact that it was being filmed. The videographer was on stage, often blocking my line of site, for the entire time. I find it incredibly distracting every time I encounter this at a show.

The album sounds really good live- highlights for me were “I Found My Mind in Connecticut”, “I Never Knew You”, and “Hell Oh”. Cage is what rap is supposed to be like. No matter how rock and metal I get, I’ll never leave behind that part of me who craves a really good head bobbing rap track.

The set was dark both figuratively and literally, leaving me kind of disturbed when I left the show. Good thing I encountered some tranny hookers by my car to lighten my mood.

Genre(s): My Musical Adventures

2420Comments (0)2009-07-20+02%3A59%3A36hardrockchick

2 Days of Pure Mayhem @ Marysville and Mountain View, 7/10-11/09

by hardrockchick [about 1 year, 1 month ago.]

As I sit here in my new bachelorette pad, sore from moving and scared for what the future holds, I somehow have a smile on my face. I’m pretty sure it’s because I’m still high from the last two days, and I didn’t even take any drugs.

It all started Friday morning at 11am, when Umlaut picked me up (and we immediately spotted a truck with ‘metal only’ spray painted on the back) to meet photoray, who graciously drove us to and from Marysville, a 2+ hour trek beyond Sacramento into the depths of hell. I added my ‘woman’s touch’ to the roadtrip by bringing along a selection from the local patisserie. The guys laughed.

As we got closer to our destination, I realized that it’s been a while since I’ve been out of the city. What’s all this green stuff? Cows! Real houses…..trucks….whoa. When we stepped out of the car into the dusty lot, the heat hit us like a hot towel. It was going to be a long day.

Our early arrival time of 1pm allowed us to miss all traffic, but it left us twiddling our thumbs a bit. Little interest in the opening bands + the heat drove us to sip water and people watch. I was shocked by the amount of Manson shirts….I thought this would be a Slayer crowd for sure. There was about equal representation of Manson, Slayer, and many of the other bands as well.

The first band we watched were locals Skinlab. Heavily dreaded like a dirty version of Rob Zombie, the highlight of this set for me was watching this dude go back in forth through the mosh pit in a Luche Libre mask. Now, this had to be fucking HOT. But it became like a game of Where’s Waldo. Otherwise, I didn’t find anything too special about their set.

It was pushing 3p, and it was time for a beer. We walked around and glanced at the selection of merch booths, when my jaw dropped at a ‘Fuck Michael Jackson’ t-shirt. A little soon for that, methinks…don’t miss the other racist shirt next to it.

After wandering around some more, including backstage (boring), I think I caught snippets of Black Dahlia Murder and Job for a Cowboy, none of which held my interest. But that was all about to change.

I’ve been a fan of Behemoth for a while now, but this was my first time seeing them. I was standing at the soundboard, which is FAR away for me….but it didn’t reduce how incredibly amazed I was. I had high expectations, having watched the production videos they have been releasing in preparation for their upcoming album. Their black and white face paint glistened in the sun, like a demented version of KISS. Their energy soared through the crowd- incredible intensity unmatched by most bands. They’ve got the danger vibe for sure. Towards the end of the set, they leave the stage, and Nergal comes back out wearing this medieval Transylvania mask thing, and the others have blood that starts to run from their mouths and heads. I believe my comments after this set were “Wow”, and “I’m watching this from closer up tomorrow”.

youtube find:

Next I went to the main stage to watch Bullet For My Valentine. I went into this completely unfamiliar with them, but had heard good things caveated by ‘despite the name, they are not an emo band’. While it’s a bit difficult to go from Behemoth to this, I thought they were pretty good. Many of their songs transition well from hard & fast to hard & slow, which is a delicate thing to pull off. They have good energy, and I’m a total sucker for those accents.

youtube find:

Then I ran back out to the side stages for Cannibal Corpse. Despite being a super heavy, dangerous set, I haven’t laughed that hard at a metal show…maybe ever. Vocalist George Fisher has the best interludes into songs. Like: “This song is about shooting blood from your cock”. Or, “You know how I said this was the last song? I LIEEDDDD!!!!”. Plus, the man has the most ridiculous helicopter headbang I have ever seen. I mean, he has a huge neck, and when he does this his face blurs into something otherwordly. And he does it so fast that it really looks like his head might come off. Brutal. They were super fun to watch, from the safety of the soundboard, after years of seeing their crazy album covers and being a bit afraid of ever going to one of their shows. It was also funny to be called a geek for clapping at the end of Cannibal Corpse songs.

After this we took a break in the VIP tent and watched Killswitch Engage on the TVs. Once I saw the tuxedo shirts I knew it wasn’t for me. When we walked backstage before Slayer, I saw the Behemoth guys sans makeup eating in catering. I knew what they looked like from the production videos….but whoa…I like the makeup thing but they really don’t need to be hiding that. Especially Orion (if you ever somehow read this, I apologize for staring, but I just couldn’t help it….)

ANYWAY, I had a pit ticket, but Umlaut had an extra seat….and since it was Slayer I thought I’d skip the pit. I could have survived, though, as it looked pretty tame. This was my second time seeing Slayer, and it was much better than the first. They brought some pyro with them, which is always a nice touch. They sounded great….though people were sitting all around me. It’s hard for me to write about this set because it was totally overshadowed by the next night’s….

Went backstage again, where I stared at Orion some more and also spotted Chris Vrenna and Ginger Fish running around. I was the only Manson fan of the group I had been tagging along with all day, so I went out into the pit when they hit the stage.

I was able to walk up to the extreme right end of the rail, around a bunch of really docile people. I had braced myself to be a bit let down by this set- reading the Europe tour setlists revealed they were heavy on the new tracks, which I’m not totally in love with. I had also heard a lot about Manson being so fucked up that it has been affecting his performances, that he’d gained a lot of weight, etc…

Only four of the eleven songs were new, the rest were essentially the hits. I was a bit far away, but Manson did seem a little wonky. I think this was more due to this being the first show of the tour, and they were working out some kinks. He sounded great though. And it’s great to see Jeordie on guitar. This set also was majorly overshadowed by the following night, so I’ll leave it at this- I’m all for Manson’s theater, but the stage assistants shtick had me rolling my eyes…more on this later.

It was great to see Manson again….it was the one band from the whole day that I grew up with….I don’t care what people say about that.

youtube find:

The drive back was long. Photoray is the man.

I woke up to a text that my partner in crime wasn’t able to make it, so I sadly made the trek to Mountain View by myself. As I got closer, I couldn’t help but think about all the amazing things that happened last time I was at Shoreline for NIN/JA. Le sigh…walking in I started to doubt my outfit, I was already getting harassed, but it was so hot the day before and I just got these cute little shorts…..fuck ‘em. There were some really angry protesters out front having a heated argument with some Slayer fans. I love starting out shows like this.

Haha- lookie what I found:

I got inside and went to find a schedule when I heard a faint bassline waft through the air. 3pm was too early for Behemoth, no? I speed walk to the second stages to see that they had just come on, so I weave my way through the crowd to the rail on the side. This was a much better angle for me. They play so fast, with so much intensity, they really live up to their name. The faces they make- screaming, mouths opened, eyes agape- it’s as if they are about to attack the crowd and massacre them with their instrument weapons. I secretly wished for ‘Wish‘…but that would have been too perfect. I can’t wait to hear the entire new album- I’ve heard great things.

youtube find:

An unfortunate thing occurred during this set, where I watched a kid that came over the barrier get into it with a security guard, and get hauled off behind the stage where he got the shit beat out of him. Someone next to me filmed it….seemed pretty much like an abuse of power if you ask me.

I roamed around for a bit, coming back for Black Dahlia Murder, where I made fun of the neon guitar and singer’s ‘heartburn’ tattoo on his stomach. I watched bits and pieces of Job for a Cowboy, too. Someone actually came up to me and said “you look bored” to which I replied “I don’t like this band”. Can’t like them all.

I went backstage to check out the scene, which was much better than Marysville. I saw Chris Vrenna’s wife, Carrie, whose book I’ve read. Haha. I watched the Bullet For My Valentine set from the side of the stage. The sound sucks, but it’s cool to watch the crowd’s reaction and see the band work from this angle.

Back out again for Cannibal Corpse….which was one of the crazier crowds I’ve seen. Trying to get to the soundboard we almost got sucked into the pit, which was moving around the crowd and growing like a living organism. A trash can was thrown near me, a shoe flew through the air- Umlaut kept count of all of the inanimate object action. Once again, I was entertained by song introductions like “this one’s for the ladies…it’s called ‘Fucked With a Knife’!”, or “thanks for the phone!!!” when apparently a cell phone made its way on stage. Or, “if you don’t buy the album by the end of the day…you DIE!!!!”.

Someone’s youtube of the Cannibal Corpse pit:

I was excited to go check out my third row seats, a lucky draw from the Mayhem presale. I decided to check out Killswitch Engage today. The set made me feel bad. When I’m that close to a band that definitely walks around and looks at everyone, and I’m sitting there with a confused look on my face trying to find something I like about them, I get this feeling that I should feign happiness. The guitarist in particular kinda freaked me out. Running around in a cape, boxers, that tuxedo shirt and New Balance shoes, and written on his arm ‘I’m with stupid’ with an arrow pointing up…..I dunno, man. Then he made some comment about wanting to smell all the 18 year old girls in the crowd…..ewwww. Can I killswitch engage Killswitch Engage? Thanks.

P.S. The new Manson bassist is a KSE fan.

Seeing Slayer this close was, to put it simply, very cool.

You know you are close at a Slayer show when:
-you can hear Kerry King’s chains clanking as he walks
-you can see one of the Slayer kids air drumming along to some of the songs
-you can see the Slayer wives/GFs dancing around and mouthing the words….which was super cool considering I’ve seen a lot of rock star SO’s stand there and look bored WTF….

I think that because this was a seated show, the Slayer set really did feel almost like a satanic mass. There was something formal and organized about it, but yet so evil at the same time….it was a great vibe. I was pretty let down by the kids next to me, who had been going off for BFMV and KSE, sat down for all but ‘Raining Blood’.

Being that close to Kerry King kinda takes your breath away. The man is scary, simple as that. But it was watching Tom Araya’s crazy faces that will forever be burned in my brain. I did not stop moving for the entire 60 minutes. Here’s another album I can’t wait to hear…I’ve heard it’s really amazing!

Hail satan!

Manson’s set started with a bang as he walked right over to where our seats were, and where all the photographers were, and peeked around the curtain and made a funny face. Hope someone caught it.

Now that I was thisclose to the stage, I can tell you that Manson hasn’t gained any weight- he looks really good actually. And I’m pretty sure that the pretty young thing sitting on the side of the stage was Stoya.

There were some pretty significant changes from the night before- not sure if this means that they are switching things up from night to night, or if they just got all the kinks out of the first show, but either way this version was much better. Manson was in quite a mood, hanging on Jeordie and the new bassist Andy Gerold, toying with the crowd, “Do you want to be called San Francisco or Mountain View? Let’s call it Marilyn Manson town”, and enjoying his assistants bringing him beer and such, taking a sip, and spitting it out and throwing it at the crowd. And then there was the point where he walked over by my seats and I got to run up and hold onto his hand for a quick second. Don’t worry, he was wearing a glove.

There wasn’t one thing about this production that felt even mildly shocking…there were just mild, weird theatrics, but mainly things were focused on the music. He cut himself out of a white box thing during ‘If I Was Your Vampire’, and wore a white shroud for ‘Sweet Dreams’. Did I mention that I could go without these assistants bringing him drinks and patting him down with a towel? Cause I really could.

It was awesome to watch Jeordie play guitar, and after my twitter comments the other night about how most guys can’t pull off playing a flying V, he somehow does it. He’s also much more animated in this role- I mean, he’s not jumping off speakers and shit, but he’s not as dangerously mellow as when he plays bass. Though I’m still glad I got to see him on bass at last year’s Warfield show, since I didn’t get to back in the day.

I danced around like a crazy person for the whole set. It was therapeutic. I still think it’s a weird fit to see Manson after the rest of these bands, but I’ll take it. Next time I’d like to hear more Portrait, though…

My night ended on a funny note involving one of the bands….and that’s all I’ll say about that.

Hmmm….Mayhem will be in San Antonio when I’m home for a wedding….hmmmmm……

Happy HRC w/ Manson in the background:

Genre(s): My Musical Adventures

2413Comments (8)2009-07-13+10%3A12%3A35hardrockchick

Semi-industrial w/ 16 Volt, Cyanotic/Rabbit Junk, and We Got This Far @ DNA Lounge, 7/9/09

by hardrockchick [about 1 year, 1 month ago.]

Walking into DNA, I could tell it would be a bit of an atypical night. A curtain lined the back of the room, and when I peeked my head around to see what was going on, there were seats and tables set up. Kinda odd, but the crowd was sparse and it ended up fitting the night well.

We Got This Far was on stage- a two man group comprised of a guitarist/vocalist and a very unique bassist. He has a perma- smile and plays very differently- there was a lot of tapping the fret board instead of picking at the strings. It was pretty entertaining to watch. I quite enjoyed their music- it’s like psychedelic industrial with an injection of electronica. They were unfortunately plagued with a few technical difficulties, but as they are local I would definitely go check them out again.

This was followed by a combined performance of Cyanotic and Rabbit Junk. The whole idea of a combined performance was a bit odd to begin with. I could have done without the rabbit junk….the emo singer meets flying v sneakers wearing guitarist just didn’t do it for me. Cyanotic tries to be Ministry a bit, which is both a compliment and a complaint. At least they look the part. The pulsating beats got the crowd pretty pumped….there may have been few of them, but they slammed into each other all the same.

Before 16 Volt came on, someone was walking around trying to sell their shirts. I don’t know why, but this really bothered me. Please….keep it to the merch table.

16 Volt is very Skinny Puppy/Ministry influenced as well…Eric Powell, the man behind the band, has worked with SP’s Ogilvie in the past, and also worked on the Repo! The Genetic Opera soundtrack, which Nivek Ogre was a part of. However, I had another aesthetic complaint about the guitarist- who I realize is from KMFDM, but a trucker hat? Really???

That said, I thought their performance was pretty good, I just couldn’t get over the feeling that something was missing. Perhaps that is the problem when you sound a bit too much like your inspiration, compounded by a small audience in a big space. There was a level of excitement that felt somehow out of reach given the circumstances.

And then there was this Manson-esque signage, which I thought was weird considering I’d be seeing him the next two nights: