Great Bands You (prolly) Never Heard About (Pt6)

Great Bands You (prolly) Never Heard About (Pt 6):

Amanda Rogers

Wow, I haven't done a "great band" in two years.  I am slacking.   I meant to write this post a long time ago (shortly after the Jupiter Sunrise post) but it proved to be difficult for me for a couple reasons.  The first being that it is not my normal type of music...which is rock and metal.  Although I sprinkle in all types of music throughout my listening, it is often hard for me to describe why I like music that doesn't fit into my normal genre...I just feel like I don't have the words to give it the justice that it deserves.  The second reason is that I kept seeing different release dates across the interwebicon for Amanda Rogers' new solo album "Hope From The Forgotten Woods" and was waiting (somewhat impatiently) so that I could tie my post into the new album. (I like promoting the people that I like.)  I don't remember the exact dates or sites, but I remember seeing 'Coming year end 2009' and thinking that it must have just been delayed a little, it is only first quarter 2010.  Later I saw "Fall 2011"...and it still hadn't appeared.  Geez, it's like you can't trust random websites with accurate information.  I guess I am going to have to take to heart some advice I read (on the internet):

“The trouble with quotes on the internet is that it’s difficult to determine whether or not they are genuine”

- Abraham Lincoln

You are a wise man, Mr Lincoln.  OK, I know stuff happens...albums get delayed for many reasons (I'm thinking in your direction Brian "37 years to make SMiLE" Wilson) and this information wasn't even from Amanda's official site.  This has happened with other bands in the past and sometimes fans are just left wondering what happened.  During this Amanda Rogers performed and toured with a couple different band (The Sketchy Indians, and The Pleasants), but has now returned to her solo material and I am happy to announce that the long awaited Amanda Rogers' album "Hope From The Forgotten Woods" will be released this Friday - April 27th, 2012.  I wouldn't lie to you like the other guys - I actually have a pre-release copy of the album in my stereo right now.

OK, I know it is journalistic correctness to either continue calling her Amanda Rogers or Ms Rogers or something like that, but that seems repetitive and/or too formal for me.  I am going to skip to just calling her Amanda in this post...so when I say Amanda, know that I mean Amanda Rogers. Journalistic integrity be damned.*

I first heard about Amanda when she joined Jupiter Sunrise.  Admittedly, I was not thrilled with the prospect.  I had been enjoying JS for several years and didn't think they needed to change.  I was wrong.  When the band got into the newer songs which were written with piano as one of the integral part, I was hooked and realized the genius of Amanda.  She added a dimension that JS hadn't had before and it was wonderful.  It literally gave me chills at a couple parts.  Amanda's addition took the band from being a good but relatively standard indie band, up to the next level of depth and musical cohesiveness.  Unfortunately for music lovers (but fortunately for the individuals in the band) Jupiter Sunrise imploded.  But like a phoenix, Amanda has emerged from the ashes stronger and radiant.

I lover her piano logo...although it took me
about a yearbefore I realized the lid was a heart
with a dagger through it

Amanda is a singer/songwriter/pianist.  Amanda has a voice that can be strong and confident and frail and wispy when required...it is quite beautiful.  Amanda's lyrics flow nicely and can be very clever,  personal, and insightful. Her piano playing complements her voice very well - it doesn't overpower or get lost in the background.  She is a talented pianist that mixes various styles throughout her songs.  A favorite influence seems to be what my mind first identified as Ragtime, but more accurately would be called Tin Pan Alley along with early century jazz.  It is fun to listen to and gives some of the songs an Ol' Timey feel, but it is not overdone.  The components of Amanda's songs mix really well together...you can tell that they were written together as a single unit.  It has a very natural and organic feel that never feels forced.  I like listening to most music with good over the ear style headphones...but Amanda's especially because it feels like the harmonies and music wrap around me.  Being what she is, there are going to be inevitable comparisons to the other singer/songwriter/pianists of the day - Tori Amos, Regina Spektor, Fiona Apple, Sarah McLanlan, Kate Bush, etc...  Amanda Rogers holds her own against all of them...she just hasn't lucked into that "big break" yet.  She has her own voice and style.  If you have to compare, of those listed, Amanda seems closest (in my mind) to Fiona Apple in style, tone, and song writing...but Amanda is more subtle, slowly seducing the listener instead of Fiona's often blunt force.

Amanda's new album, Hope From the Forgotten Woods,  is a concept album written shortly after the end of Jupiter Sunrise.  Normally, Amanda's music and songs often have a bit of melancholy and bite to them, but this is the first time that you could actually call it dark subject matter.  The basic premise that I have determined is a story of a good woman in a abusive relationship who turns angry and vengeful...eventually manifesting as a serial killer, luring wicked men to her bed and their deaths.  But once you cross that line, can you ever truly come back?  On the first half of the album, Amanda does a great job of getting across the feelings of isolation, being trapped, and disillusionment of an abusive relationship.  The songs can be beautiful, heartbreaking, and haunting.  The second half the album is much more uptempo and confident as the protagonist takes control of her life and becomes a self-appointed executioner.  These songs are interesting and could be really fun if you didn't listen to the lyrics.  It does show off Amanda's variety in playing and vocals very well.

There are so many things to like about this album - the smokey vocals on songs like "All My Life", the rolling thunder piano of "Armageddon My Love", interesting lyrics like "I am the mother of my self-destruction", or the disquieting emotionalism of "What You Do".  That being said, I have always felt that Amanda doesn't make albums full of singles.  She doesn't (usually) have those super catchy songs that immediately grab your attention...but that is not necessarily a failure on her part. She does offer albums full of very good heartfelt songs that will stick with you.  When I first listen to an Amanda Rogers album, I think "it is good...but I am not sure how often I will actually listen to it."  And I am always wrong.  The albums are sleepers, small sections keep returning to my mind over the next few days and I will end up listening to the album over and over again.  With no songs being major standouts, I find that I end up listening to the entire album more and enjoying it in its entirety (instead of just skipping to the part I want to hear - because haven't we all bought albums because of one awesome song and then realized that the rest of the album is garbage).  With everything being good and so many different pieces to look forward to (and these pieces are always changing with my mood), I can listen to Amanda's albums over and over without becoming tired of them.  To me that is the hallmark of a great album.


If you enjoy indie music and good singer/songwriters, I suggest checking out Amanda Rogers.  I think you will find her music refreshing, beautiful, heartfelt and intimate.  You can order her new album, Hope From the Forgotten Woods here (as well as her older stuff), or check out her YouTube channel for some sneak peeks and live performances here.  If you are lucky enough to see to get the chance to see her on tour...do it and know I am totally envious.

2020 update:   Support Amanda on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/amandarogers/

*For integrity's sake, I would like to say that Amanda Rogers sent me a copy of Hope From the Forgotten Woods for free...but I had planned on writing the post about her before that happened.  But feel free to think of that as bias if you want.

Karaoke as Promotion

I may not sing karaoke often (or well) but I listen a lot.

I've heard great karaoke, funny karaoke, horrible karaoke...and everything in between.  The great thing about karaoke is the variety of songs.  Sure, you hear a lot of the same stuff - Don MacLean's American Pie, Toby Keith's I Love This Bar, Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive, and Picture by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow (or worse yet the parody).  You suffer through...distract yourself with your drink or food.  But almost every time - there is at least one song that makes me think "Oh, what's this?" or ""Man, I forgot about this song."  Karaoke has inspired me to buy a lot of music and investigate a lot of artists and bands that I hadn't heard of before.

I think karaoke is great for introducing people to new music and reminding them of old songs.  My problem is that the place rarely has the song I want to sing - sure they will have thousands and thousands of songs but they always seem to be missing the exact song I want.  They'll have Harvey Danger - Flag Pole Sitta but not Little Round Mirrors, they will have Megadeth Trust, but not Symphony of Destruction.

Even worse (and I can't blame the venues since they have to buy the songs, but still it's disappointing), they don't have the obscure and small time bands that I think are awesome and would love to introduce to people.  I always wish that more small time and beginning bands would release karaoke versions of their songs for the fans to download and take to their local karaoke establishment.  I would love to have sing some Speed McQueen, Jupiter Sunrise, or 2 Skinnee Js.  There is tons of music that I would love to sing that most people haven't heard...and I am sure many others have some obscure song that they would like to share with the world.  I wouldn't worry about the quality, I've heard really awful renditions and later looked them up to see what it should sound like.  Any publicity is good publicity right?

Just and idea that I have had stewing in my brain for years...now get on it indie bands.

Hey....Gandalf, Nice Dress!

A while ago, my brother Kelly sent me a link to a newer band called Red Fang.  They are great.  Hard driving rock n roll with a southern flair.  Reminds me a lot of my favorite (now defunct) local band On A Pale Horse (seriously Junk Poet is still around but not these guys - ugh, what is the world coming to).

Album #2 - to be released
April 12, 2011

Their album is pretty awesome.  You can give it a whirl and order it from Amazon here.  They also have a new album coming out in two weeks on April 12, called Murder the Mountains.  I am very much looking forward to this album.

But even better - MidwesTix has just announced a Red Fang show in Des Moines!  May 24, 9pm.  House of Bricks.

Tickets on sale Friday from the MidwesTix website and will set you back $10.  Even though I haven't personally seen them live, from the videos on youtube, it definitely looks like it will be easy to get your money's worth in rock.

I will be there.  It's a Tuesday, but I suggest you skip the Biggest Loser, Glee, or Dancing with the Stars...or whatever crap you watch and get your ass down to HoB!  I am really looking forward to this show...if only they could get On A Pale Horse to open...but I am sure that amount of awesomeness would make people's heads explode (or at least pants to be soiled)!

This video is from Red Fang's first album...and is pure awesome.  I better start drinking now so I can have my suit of armor ready for the concert.

Worst Shows Ever #3

As a music lover, I've been to A LOT of shows - huge sold out stadium shows, tiny bar shows with a handful of people, awesome shows that lived up to and exceeded all expectations and shows that were great but for a reason I never could have anticipated.  But this isn't about those shows...this is about the AWFUL shows.  The shows that make you feel like you wasted your time and money...the ones that leave a pit in your stomach and may even make you dislike a band that you used to love.  Sometimes its the band, sometimes other factors but no matter what the cause these shows were terrible.  These are my top 10 horrible shows.*

3. Guns N Roses - Hilton Colosseum, Ames 2006

Douche Outfit

Guns N Roses was another band that took up much of my wall space when I was younger.  Unfortunately, GNR, well Axl,  started a slow slide to mediocrity nearly immediately.  Appetite for Destruction was awesome and GNR came off as pretty badass (as long as you ignored Axl's hairsprayed 'do in the Welcome to the Jungle video).  It's no wonder that the album has gone 18x platinum...every song is great.  GNR Lies came out and it was an OK holdover until the next album.  Then came Use Your Illusion I and II.  Musically, the albums were good.  Not as raw and brutal as Appetite but at least an album's worth of good songs between the two CDs (Get in the Ring was especially weak).

With the loss of Izzy as a member and song-writer the band and Axl specifically continued to decline.  You just knew something was wrong when Axl started wearing a kilt and an umpire's chest protector.  I never understood this...I think he was trying to be a trend setter or something even through his style of leather and a t-shirt was already awesome.  I mean you knew he was kind of a vain douche when he walked out of the St Louis show because someone had a camera and the Montreal show after Hetfield was burnt...but his outfits and behavior just became bizarre.  I saw Guns N Roses a couple times on the Use Your Illusion tour and each time it was a very good show.  I'm not sure if they are in my top ten favorite shows, but they are close (especially Omaha).  And then there was The Spaghetti Incident.  What a piece of shit.  When the band claims it to be not a real Guns N Roses album, you know it is going to be bad.

Seriously?  Everyone knows you are
balding, just accept it.

After Thirteen and a half years, cornrows, and constantly changing line-up; Guns N Roses announced a new tour with a stop in Iowa.  After the Chinese Democracy album and tour being ever promised and ever delayed for a decade, I only gave about a 10% chance of the concert actually happening...My hetero life-pal CT, and I decided to order tickets on this hope even though with a $77 face-value and all the fees, they were closer to $95.  That is the highest I have paid for any by about 20%.  The date, over a year from on-sale date, kept approaching without cancellation...and my mind's percentage of the concert actually happening rose from 10% to about 60%  Finally, the date arrived and CT and I headed up to Ames....I was still only giving the concert 75% odds.  CT and I got there early so that we could grab a bite to eat beforehand.  We went to the relatively newly opened West Towne Pub and I ordered a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich with a side of the Buffalo  Fries.  The food was pretty good but the choice of Buffalo fries would come back to haunt me by the end of the night.

So close but so far...it was much colder than the day this was taken.

After our meal, we headed over to Hilton.  Parking lot was filling up but still plenty of spots with a good walk.  No problem, we grabbed a spot and started walking.  CT showed me his new Dr Marten boots along the way.  This decision would come to haunt Cam by the end of the night.  It was a chilly night (below freezeing...maybe around 25 degrees F) but we didn't want to be burdened with coats the entire show, so left them in the car and walked briskly to get to the doors...the doors hadn't been opened yet, but we were still early.  It was about a quarter to 7pm doors should open an hour before right?  I was shivering and just plain cold, but I could stand the 15-20 minutes until the doors opened and we were inside.  Seven o'clock came and still neither the doors or the crowd had moved.  It was a big crowd too.  Time seemed to go slower than normal because of the cold but finally the doors opened at about 7:20.  I got a rush of adrenaline to get inside but the crowd started to move very slowly.  They were giving everyone a good pat down before entering.  But without any direction or communication with the crowd (like "girls go to the left line") the whole process was incredibly slow and awkward.  CT and I weren't that far from the doors...if you've been to Hilton, we were on the front half of the bridge...maybe 100 feet, maybe slightly more from the doors. We finally entered Hilton at 8:10pm....ten minutes after the concert was set to start, and we relatively close to the front of the line.  It took nearly an hour to cover that 100 feet and finally get in the doors. I was freezing.  My teeth were chattering.

nope.

CT & I did a quick trip around the upper concourse and could not find any place that listed "Floor Access" were our tickets were located.  We grabbed the nearest arena worker and asked.  We were then basically informed that we complete idiots and didn't know how to follow directions because we were supposed to enter by a different 'special' door.  I was unsure how I was supposed to know this information...there were no signs any place, my ticket didn't say anything, and no communication was given to the crowd outside...plus I have had tickets on the floor of Hilton before and never once entered through a special door.  Thankfully, this lady quickly handed us off to another lady and the secondly lady was very nice, led us down the stairs and cut us to the front of the floor entrance line (you had to get wristbands) which was awesome because that line looked like it was also really long and slow moving.  By the time we arrived at our viewing area, we had missed one of the opening bands.  I don't remember who it was...Hometown Hero or something like that maybe?  I remember that all I could think of at the time was Homestar Runner.

Didn't really say rock show to me.
Photo Source.

After a lengthy switch over, the Suicide Girls took the stage.  Not sure why they needed the long switch-over, it just seemed that no one was really eager to take the stage.  It was vaguely entertaining, I suppose.  I guess I didn't see the point in semi-topless girls (nipples taped or pasties) being an opening act for a rock band.  It was fine but it didn't really do much to put me in the mood for Guns N Roses.  The fire baton and fire hula hoop were interesting but not spectacular.  I remember like the mohawk suicide girl because she taped her nipples in an upside down cross formation.  I thought that was funny.  I was pretty hilarious to see guys just starring at the stage and screens to see kinda-naked chicks.  It wasn't much that you couldn't see at your local strip club every night of the week, but guys were just transfixed.


The show has been going on the third hour and the crowd is getting restless and drunk.  Another lengthy stage switch over and up next was Sebastian Bach.  I was very glad for the long change over this time as the Buffalo fries had made my guts start to cramp and I knew I had to find a bathroom.  There happened to be only one small bathroom available to fans on Hilton's floor level...and it was very small - one urinal, one stool.  This was pretty poor planning as over a third of the crowd was on the floor.  There were staff at the stairs to the main concourse and it looked like a terrible time getting out and back through their security.  It was something that I didn't really want to mess with.  I got very lucky as I headed for the bathroom right as the Suicide Girls were leaving the stage.  After a short 5 minute wait...I heard that after Helmet the wait for the bathroom was like 30-40 minutes.  I made it into the bathroom and I was able to get situated on the stool just in time as the evilness of Buffalo fries unclenched my bowels in a torrent.  Seriously, it felt like I had a huge serving of Colon Blow and was pretty sure nothing remained in my stomach and intestinal track.  Thankfully the stool was clean...unlike the sink that was clogged with vomit and the floor that seemed to have a half inch of piss covering it. Nevertheless, shitting out your guts with a line of 30+ people yelling and beating on the door of an vomit-smelling bathroom is not a fun experience.  Sebastian Bach played a short but good set...it really got the crowd in the music for fun rock like GNR...unfortunately GNR wasn't next.

Most non-metal fans probably best know Helmet from Beavis & Butthead (If you saw these guys on the street, you wouldn't even know they were cool) or from The Crow soundtrack. I think Helmet is a great band...but they were not a good match for Guns N Roses.  Helmet is a very heavy and technical progressive rock band.  Guns N Roses is more balls out, drunk rock.  The two just don't mix that well.  Helmet would work very well with Tool, Primus, Dream Theater, or Sugartooth.  Heavy and a little plodding it is music that helps to have a heavy dose of appreciation for musicianship and something that you really have to listen to in order to get.  It is not easy music.  It is not something that drunk people waiting for Guns N Roses want to hear.  Unfortunately, the crowd was not into it at all.  More people yelling "Fuck You" than cheering and beer cups being thrown.  Not the reception most bands would look forward to.  I really enjoyed Helmet, I had been looking forward to seeing them for 15 years and would like to extend an apology from the state of Iowa for how the crowd treated you.  You did not deserve what you got.  Helmet played their 30 minute set and quickly tried to leave the stage, but the stage manager (or someone) motions them to keep playing.  They keep playing and the crowd gets more and more angry.  It was uncomfortable.  The band keep looking to the side and they kept getting motioned to keep playing.  They worked their way through another couple songs, looking down and not at the crowd the entire time because the crowd was so angry.  Helmet finally escapes...er exits.

Another wait and a couple of the Suicide Girls come out and do a quick routine.  I downgraded my expectations of seeing Guns N Roses to about 40%.  I am pretty sure this second SG show was unplanned, I think it was a spur of the moment decision to try to calm the crowd.  I think the injection of boobs did help slightly but the crowd remained cantankerous.  I am not sure about the reserved seats, but it was getting ugly down on the main floor where it was general admission standing room.  A bad vibe was just spreading throughout everyone...there were more than a few fights on the floor and more curse words used than regular words.  As the Suicide Girls left, one of them proclaimed "Guns N Roses will be out very shortly!"  It was now about 11:30pm.

GNR didn't show up very shortly.  Time passed slowly.  The whole coliseum smelled like body odor and spilled beer.  You could literally see the crowd sink into drunkeness.  After hearing people talking about rioting and rushing the stage CT and I started to head towards the back of the arena away from the main gathering of the crowd.  We also found a place to sit for a while.  As I mentioned earlier CT had some brand new Dr Marten boots...which are great, but standing for almost 6 straight hours (so far) in brand new boots is not a treat.  I am sure his feet were sore and swollen the next day.  My feet were sore and I was wearing comfy and well padded shoes.  Time kept passing - there was no communication with the crowd and the crowd was becoming downright surly.  I was glad we were now close to the exit as it felt like a riot could break out any moment.  As midnight and 12:30am came and went, I downgraded my chances of actually seeing Guns N Roses to about 10%.

12:45am...I couldn't believe that the Hilton staff hadn't shut down this show yet.  It was getting very unsettling...and I was worried what was going to happen when beer stopped flowing.  I was about ready to say "Let's go home" when the lights finally dimmed.  Axl and crew finally took the stage.

Bumblefoot - mocking Slash because he can't
match Slash.

I have said it many times before.  It was a good Guns N Roses concert, but had it started 2 or 3 hours earlier it probably would have been great.  Axl sounded good and it was the first time everyone was hearing most of the Chinese Democracy stuff.  Visuals and effects were great.  And even for starting at nearly 1am, GNR put on a full 2.5 hour plus show.  I think if Axl had come on stage and apologized for the show being late, I think it would have put the crowd in a better frame of mind to enjoy the show.  He did make some half-assed apologies like "Sorry but no one ever said rock and roll knew how to tell time," which just pissed me off more than helping.  It wasn't very rock and roll to stand for hours waiting for a band to show up for their own concert...a concert that you spent nearly $100 in tickets for.  So without a real apology, I felt angry for a good half hour or so of the set...which made it hard to enjoy.  There was a couple other things Axl said about "what did you want to go home and sleep?" and stupid stuff like that and my answer was that yes I did.  I wanted the concert to start at the proper time because I had already been up since 6am and worked for 9 hours before coming to your show...and I had plans the next day too.  I think he was trying to make everyone see it as a cool thing that the show was lasting past 3:30am, but it just seemed cocky and insincere to me.  Seriously, I know you are a rock star but I stood around for hours waiting for you...you are no longer that good.  But other members of the bands acted like idiots too.  I especially remember "Bumblefoot" putting on a top hat and brushing the hair in front his face and mocking Slash.  Really?  You are mocking the guy who's music you are making a living playing?  Oh and PS - Bumblefoot - your opening to Welcome to the Jungle sucked and several solos sounded not so great.  You may be talented but you were not Slash this night, you seemed more like a bratty child who makes fun of someone because you can't compete.  There were other things throughout the show where the current members tried to make themselves outshine the people they replaced...unfortunately, this just made them stand out as "Not Guns N Roses" more than anything.  Instead of a band it made it seem like a bunch of individuals on stage.  There was no chemistry and no real energy from most members...it seemed like a job to these guys instead of a love for music.  All that said though, the music was good and for that I give Axl some congratulations...you just need to get the rest of your shit together.


*These are off the top of my head, I am sure that I could go through my stubs and find more.  I don't think I left out any major suck-fests though.

Sponge Worthy?

Last night, 90s rock band Sponge played the House of Bricks.  I think I may have seen them live at one of those big, outdoor, all day concerts...so I had never really seen Sponge.  I've always enjoyed Sponge.  I remember when they first came out that there was a lot of comparisons between Sponge and Bush...and somehow you couldn't like both.  I never bought into that and I enjoyed both, but initially liked Sponge more. 

1994 - Rotting Pinata

Rotting Piñata was such a great album with guitar riffs that wormed their way into your brain and got stuck there.  The upbeat riffs just made you want jump up and down and Vinnie's vocals added depth and intrigue to the frenzied feeling.  The two big hits - Plowed and Molly (Sixteen Candles) are both incredible songs and it seemed like you couldn't escape them for a while as they were on all kinds of movie soundtracks and compilations.  But they are far from the only good songs on the album.  Nearly every song is great and worth a spin.

1996 - Wax Ecstatic

Wax Ecstatic was a worthy follow-up.  It had everything I liked about Rotting Piñata but with a little deeper feel overall.  Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina) was a great single and I was always disappointed that it didn't get more respect from people.  Then when Have You Seen Mary was released, I remember hearing many people say that they were just trying to copy the Black Crowes.  I can see the comparisons especially with the slide guitar and the slower pace that people weren't used to (although there were plenty slower songs on each album, this was just the first single).  Maybe if this song had been released before BC's She Talks to Angels or further apart people would have given it more of a chance.  I must admit that when the Have You Seen Mary video first came out that I had a little bit of a hetero man-crush on Vinnie.  Check out the video around the 2:48 mark.  I so wanted to be the tall, skinny rock god with suit, slicked back hair, and gold tooth.

I, like most people lost track of Sponge at this point.  I know they had several members quit and be replaced and I kind of thought they had broken up.  Then a few years ago, I heard that they released a new album but I forgot to buy it.  I did not realize that Sponge had kept at it for all these years.

 <--- 1999's New Pop Sunday

2003's For All the Drugs in the World --->

 <--- 2005's The Man

2007's Galore Galore --->

2009's Hits and B-Sides

So much Sponge that I have never heard.  I am not sure if I could really call myself a fan any more.  However, when I heard that they were playing a local show, I was very excited to see them.  I even bought an advance ticket, something that I almost never do for club shows because all the extra fees that ticket outlets charge usually make it not worth it.  I didn't buy it because I thought it would sell out, I bought it so that if I had future doubts, I would still force myself to go.  This ended up being a wise decision as I ended up feeling pretty terrible the day of the show and was not looking forward to going at all...but since I already had a ticket, I had to go.

Plus Sized Sebastion

Seeing a once popular band, years later, in a small club is always a calculated risk.  It could be great.  I have seen several shows where my interest in the band was re-piqued, and it was a surprising and entertaining night.  Some times seeing an ex-star still plugging along is inspiring - you can tell that they are really into the music and just love playing and that it isn't always about fame and money.  But these shows can also be completely horrible.  These are the shows where the band looks and sounds bitter, unhappy and disappointed with life.  These shows can ruin completely ruin a band for you.  I have seen even more of these shows.  Rarely a show can be a mixture of the two.  Take Sebastion Bach in the early 2000's: he was totally over-weight and hard to recognize.  It actually gave me a headache with my brain trying to comprehend SB's voice coming out of this person...but  if you closed your eyes the magic was still there and it was a good show.

I wasn't sure what to expect.  Surely, Vinnie couldn't be the ultra-slim rock god of yesteryear.  I was just hoping they sounded decent.  I arrived a little before 7:30pm.  I figured that I was going to be very early but with the way that I felt, I didn't trust myself at home...sit on the couch and I would probably be asleep.  Again, I get lucky.  The show happened to be an early start all ages show that started at 5pm.  I saw a couple songs from the third and final opening band and Sponge took the stage a little bit later.  Vinnie definitely looked older but he still looked pretty darn good...maybe not quite as skinny but still one of the thinnest people I have seen.  I'm guessing drugs...but don't know and don't care, that is really not my business.  As long as he puts on a good show.

Sponge came swinging with Wax Ecstatic and Molly (Sixteen Candles)...it was great and the crowd was pretty into it.  Jumping around, dancing, singing along.  I was surprised that they blew two big hits right off the bat but I think that it ended up getting the crowd more into the show than if they had just played one.  I then got a little worried when Vinnie replied to a shouted question of "Where have you been?" with "I've been here, you can find me every night in any bar in every town, USA."  Maybe he was a little bitter?  But he quickly got back in to the show.  Then it was some time for some newer songs (by which I mean "not from the first two albums").  Everything they played was pretty good, definitely something that I would be interested in.  They then pulled out Have You Seen Mary and then the Speed Racer theme.  They played the Speed Racer theme for a CD Compilation called Saturday Morning Cartoons' Greatest Hits.  It was an OK album if you liked cartoons and they did a fine job, but it was not a song that I would expect in a Sponge live show.  It was OK, but it didn't really fit.  A few more newer songs and then asking the audience what they would like to hear.  I expected everyone to yell "Plowed" and I think the band did too...but six different songs were yelled out and only one of them were Plowed.  I don't think everyone was trying to be the ironic hipster fan yelling out the most obscure songs...I think they actually wanted to hear these songs because they connected with them.  Vinnie himself looked a little surprised at the variety and you could tell that they weren't really prepared to plan most of them.  They ended up playing Plowed and the crowd went wild, after the normal version he slowed it down and played the chorus several times with a lot of audience participation.  It was nice, but I am glad he did it after the normal version instead of ruining the song.  Sponge then played Destroy the Boy off their new EP.  

The new EP

It was a short show clocking in at barely an hour.  I am not sure if that is their normal set, or if they cut it short because it was an all ages show that had to end at 9pm.  Sponge played until about 9:20 with the owner watching the minors closely and then very quickly escorting them out.  A short, but highly intense and energetic show.  Definitely worth the $15.  I was a little disappointed in the size of the crowd.  I know it has been 15 years since they were big, but I thought more people would turn out.  I blame the lack of promotion for the crowd...I've talked to several people today that said they loved Sponge and would have liked to go...but they never heard about.  The only reason I knew was because I randomly happened to be checking the bars website a couple months ago about another show.  I bought Sponge's new EP and a t-shirt at the show.  I figured that I witnessed a great show, so I figured I would help support them...and hopefully they would come back again despite the only medium sized crowd.   The EP is good and also contains bonus track of Plowed and Molly (Sixteen Candles).  If you are in Dubuque, you can check them out tonight...and I would suggest you do.

Worst Shows Ever #6

As a music lover, I've been to A LOT of shows - huge sold out stadium shows, tiny bar shows with a handful of people, awesome shows that lived up to and exceeded all expectations and shows that were great but for a reason I never could have anticipated.  But this isn't about those shows...this is about the AWFUL shows.  The shows that make you feel like you wasted your time and money...the ones that leave a pit in your stomach and may even make you dislike a band that you used to love.  Sometimes its the band, sometimes other factors but no matter what the cause these shows were terrible.  These are my top 10 horrible shows.*

6. Deadfront - every post-Jim show

Deadfront was a local Des Moines band in the late 90's.  Much like previous entry Secretly Drowning, they will probably be a future "Great Bands You (prolly) Never Heard About."  The late 90s were a time before Slipknot struck fame and in Des Moines there were basically two pools of talent - one being Slipknot, the other being Deadfront.  To me, it seemed a little like Seattle a decade earlier where all these talented people that had played in many, many bands had coalesced into a few super groups like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden.  There was an almost electric feel in the air where you could just sense that something was going to happen.

Deadfront:Nemesis = so good

Deadfront consisted of Jim Root (guitarist for Slipknot and Stone Sour), Aaron Peltz (vocalist for On a Pale Horse & Downthesun), Shawn Economacki (bass for Stone Sour), Danny Spain (drummer for Downthesun), among a couple other guitarists that rotated in and out.  It was a great line-up of guys that had great chemistry and a great sound together.  DF brought a heavy, tight sound that always had the crowd jumping, churning, and banging their heads.  It was always a high energy and very satisfying show.

My brother Kelly,  and I went to every Deadfront show that we could.  We probably saw them nearly 100 times in the Des Moines area over 3 years, and drove to Cedar Rapids to see them play several gigs there (we totally rocked out with DF in the East Side Maid-Rite!).  99% of all Deadfront shows were incredible...but something happened in January 1999.

We drove to Cedar Rapids to see Deadfront play Big Dogs (I think it might have been called 3rd Street Live at this point, but it will always be Big Dogs to me).  The night started off very awkward with Jim Root coming out and talking to Kelly and I before the show.  This happened often, but tonight was different - Jim was upset and crying.  He had just got the call asking him to join Slipknot.  He wasn't sure what to do - since Slipknot was a signed band just finishing up their debut album and heading out on tour it was a huge opportunity for him, but at the same time he was really good friends with all the rest of the Deadfront guys and they had been through a lot together and worked really hard as a band.  Jim did not want them to feel that he was jumping ship and just abandoning them.  Jim is a very nice guy, so the decision was tearing him up inside.  We were honored that Jim asked our advice and we told him that he had to follow his dream - if he wanted to be a professional musician accepting the Slipknot gig was his best shot.  Deadfront was a possibility but Slipknot was a sure thing.  Although it was pretty awkward for Kelly and I to be giving Jim advice like this (what did we know?) it was better than the times when he was questioning his chances of making it as a musician and asking what kind of college classes he should take.  The show sounded horrible.  I don't think that the band had a soundcheck since everyone was upset.  All the guys were distracted and the atmosphere on stage was really tense.  All understandable since everyone had just learned that their band was disintegrating around them.  The whole show was more than a little uncomfortable for everyone involved.  But this was not the worst Deadfront show.

Jim left, and Shawn left soon after to be a tour roadie for Slipknot.  The remaining guys decided to try continuing and replaced Jim with their sound tech, Matt Sepanic.  Matt was a decent guitar player but it is really hard to fill Jim's shoes.  Jim had been playing for something like 15 years at this point and had long agile fingers.  Jim could play amazing music without even trying.  During their first show with the new line-up Kelly and I both cringed as Matt tried to play Jim's solos.  It did not sound good.  Chunky, clumsy, awkward and strained.  We left disappointed because it was not the same...it was like an amateur cover band trying to play Deadfront.  But this was not the worst Deadfront show.

We figured that with a little practice, Matt could get up to speed and the band could be back to an almost normal state and playing tight, totally kick ass shows again.  The band decided to take another route.  Instead of getting Matt to play the guitar parts correctly or finding someone that could, the band decided to add a DJ to the line-up.  The DJ then proceeded to scratch all through the solos and more difficult guitar sections...as well as throwing in random stuff throughout the songs.  This helped cover up Matt's inept guitar playing but it also sounded terrible.  It muddled Deadfronts sound and made it seem like a pile of noise instead of well written hard rock songs.  It was impossible to ignore and completely ruined everything that I liked about Deadfront.  This was the worst Deadfront show.  I could not believe that the band that I had enjoyed so much  for the previous three or four years had made such judgement errors and degraded so noticeably.  DJs were in style at the time, so I could kind of see what they were thinking but the execution was so poor that it just seemed to be a jump on the bandwagon type thing.  Let this be a lesson to all bands - adding a DJ to your band is a poor choice 99 times out of a 100.  Deadfront wasn't the first nor last that I had seen ruined is such fashion.

Deadfront played a couple more shows at local rock festivals but I could not bring myself to go.  It was the first time I willing passed on Deadfront.  The guys in Deadfront finally called it quits and went on to different projects.  I miss Deadfront, but I really wish that they hadn't tried forcing it longer than they should have.  Sometimes you need to realize that it is better to end at the right time than keep pushing into mediocrity.  I know it is hard, but retire a legend and preserve your legacy (hint, hint - Axl Rose).

*These are off the top of my head, I am sure that I could go through my stubs and find more.  I don't think I left out any major suck-fests though.

Music & Derby Notes

You may remember me talking about Ben Karis-Nix about a month ago during my Jupiter Sunrise is a great band you never heard of post.  He is on tour in Europe at the moment and offering his last EP as a free download for a limited time.  I've had it for quite a quite a while...and it is pretty decent.  More electronic than rock but the poetry of his lyrics are still there.  I encourage everyone to download it here.  The EP contains an alternate version of Steal Me, the video I embedded previously.  Free music...and no guilt about being a pirate.

On a Pale Horse, which is one my favorite local band and which I have previously mentioned here. Is playing a benefit concert on Grand Avenue outside House of Bricks on July 10th.  This is important for a couple reasons.  First, it is the first time in two years that Pale Horse has played a show (they broke up summer of 2008) and the first time this particular line up has played together in three plus years.  Second, it is to help raise money for two year old Bradley Allen who was been diagnosed with a rare brain cancer and is continually undergoing treatment.  Pale Horse is playing the second day of a two day event to help out Bradley and his family.  Please click to find out more about Bucks4Bradley.  Pale Horse is an awesome homegrown rock band...check them out for the last time (hopefully not).  Lots of other bands for your entertainment too.

Derby reminder for tomorrow night.  Mid Iowa Rollers will be skating in Hy-Vee Hall at the Bad Girls Ball.  The DM Derby Dames last weekend was a good time.  The Dames have a much needed week off, so MIR will have to be your derby fix. I hope to have a more detailed post on the Derby Dames soon.  If you are looking for something to do Saturday night, check it out.  Stop by and say hi, I'll be in the stands.

More posts with actual content next week.

Before I Sucked - Classic #2

I wrote this on myspace before I had an actual blog. Links and pictures added for your convenience.

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Burn Vegas Burn (attempt 2) Current mood:Fired Up! So you want to go to Vegas for a week in January? This is how my trip got started in mid-December. I didn't hesitate long to answer as I knew Vegas would be much warmer than Iowa. It was a little bitter-sweet as it I was also offered to have my girlfriend fly out for a nice vacation...unfortunately it was the same day that I realized that it must be over with the girl that I had been seeing. Oh well, it is still a free trip to Vegas. I knew this wasn't going to be the whirlwind, busy all the time trip that the last one was. Cinnabon should be outlawed. Okay Cinnabon is delicious, everyone knows this...unfortunately everytime I am in an airport with a Cinnabon I only have 15 minutes to my next flight and the line is all the way down the hall. It has been years since I have enjoyed the yummy goodness of a Cinnabon but that smell tortures me every time I fly. I therefore propose a ban on all Cinnabons. If I can't have one, you shouldn't be able to either. Welcome to warmth (or freezing cold if you live there). We arrive in Vegas with few difficulties (besides lack of Cinnabon) and it was 55 degrees. It was -4 degrees when I left Iowa. It felt so good. We check into our hotel and there's the local Vegas weathermen complaining about these "below average temperatures." I couldn't help but laugh. It was also supposed to rain all week starting Tuesday...and it did sprinkle one day at 4am and then rained the day we left (as Vegas mourning our leaving is my guess) but other than that it was brilliant blue skies and mid-fifties all week. The locals didn't like it though - they were all bundled up in big down coats and gloves. I even saw a ski mask one day. Meanwhile I was wearing short sleeves but usually had a jacket in case it got windy...and even then I was sweating sometimes (hopefully because my body wasn't used to this warm weather and not because I am fat). No Lenny for you. Vegas is kind of dead in January, not much in way of concerts and events (I guess Miss America was there and I met a few contestants...but I couldn't really care less about it as an event)...but Lenny Kravitz was playing the night we arrived. Unfortunately by the time we got there, got checked in, got set up for the trade show (World of Concrete? Exciting!), and grabbed a quick bite to eat...the concert would have been nearly over and I am not paying $70 for 15-20 minutes. I was sad to have missed it. Hooker Trading Cards. Since there wasn't a whole lot to do, I ended up walking the strip some. I started a new collection of Hooker Trading Cards, since I gave them all away from last time. I was pretty surprised when 90% of the ones I collected were different from last time. I figured they used the same cards for years. I was impressed with their initiative for variety. You wouldn't want the hooker trading card business to stagnate. Todd Goldman Sucks. We stopped at an art gallery featuring Todd Goldman. I can't tell you how much he pisses me off, he doesn't have an original thought in his head. EVERYTHING is stolen from someone else. I knew I had seen a few ideas that he ripped off before but as I looked at all his prints, posters, and originals...almost every one I could place elsewhere. Like the one showing a lady smoking and it says "Smoking Kills...but at least you look cool." That T-shirt has been around for years and was not designed by Todd...just because he painted/copied it (exactly) but made the teeth yellow, does not constitute an original work in my mind. Especially one selling for $8500. Todd Goldman, you are not Andy Warhol. You are a talentless vampire feeding off lesser known artists. Rum Jungle Picture Source Mmmm Food. What I really love about Vegas is all the different and interesting restaurants. I am pretty sure you could eat at a different, cool, kick-ass restaurant every day of the year without repeating (well you could if you could afford it). Since I wasn't paying, I was more than happy to go out to a bunch of fancy restaurants but the guys I was with weren't always up for it (wusses) but I had to eat with them since I don't have a company credit card and they do. We did go to a couple good places. Rum Jungle - this is a restaurant/club in Mandalay Bay. We got their early (for Vegas) around 8:30pm so the place was completely dead and they didn't have the dancers in the cages yet. Oh well, it was still a cool place...and the food was awesome. We got the Fire Pit. Which is a bunch of different meats cooked on skewers over an open flame and then the come and slice you off a big chunk to try and you can have as much as you like. Stuff like Jamaican BBQ brisket, Jalapeno & mango chicken, Salmon with mango salsa, Italian sausage, chicken wrapped in apple bacon, etc... It was all fantastic. But my favorite ended up being the pineapple rice and caramelized plantains that they brought us to start. I could have just eaten that all day long. It ended up being like a 7 course meal and I was stuffed by the time we left. Highly recommended. Other places we tried: Bahama Breeze - it is a restaurant close to the convention center where the show was. I ordered a filet mignon and although there was nothing super fancy about it, it was cooked perfect and delicious. It came with garlic mashed potatoes and a single onion ring...of course this onion ring was about 7 inches in diameter. No idea where you get an onion like that but it was very tasty. Recommended. Hard Rock Cafe - I'd eaten here before but everyone else wanted to stop. I was hungry for a burger, so that's what I ordered. It was horrible...it was one of the worst burgers I have ever had (until Friday night). It was dry and tasteless and even the bun and topping seemed limp and boring. I've had better burger at Wild Dingos here in Des Moines just a week prior. NOT recommended. Jack-in-the-Box - we stopped at one of these late Friday night about 2:30am...just for a quick bite. Not being that hungry, I wanted just a small hamburger but to make it easy I just ordered a number 1 combo. I figured number 1 must be their best and most popular. It was a huge black angus burger...way more than I wanted which would have been fine if it tasted okay. It didn't. I didn't like it at all...and the fries were gross. NOT recommended. Nora's Italian Restaurant - this is a place way out of the way in Vegas...more of a local eatery than a tourist trap restaurant. It was good, it's Italian so I always find that hard to mess up. Their fried calamari appetizer was pretty good (although dipping sauce was a little weak). Recommended if you want to get away from the strip. The Burger Bar - a place specializing in burgers where you can choose from like 80+ different toppings. You can also get a burger with white truffles and other fancy toppings that cost like $269. I'll pass on that one. I got a Classic American Cheeseburger...and it was amazing. I never had a burger be so perfect, between the cooking and the balance of toppings and seasonings...it was just really great and made up for the other two burgers I had. Sexpresso - a coffee shop where all the waitresses are in lingerie. I hate coffee but want to stop for the experience but no one else wanted to take the time. No Fatburger...since I first went to Vegas I have wanted to go to Fatburger but something has always come up to ruin my plans. This trip I had it firmly in my schedule to eat their Saturday night before I went to a concert but with the change of hotels and other confusion going on I ran out of time. Next time Fatburger, I promise! (I will be so happy if they greet me with "Welcome to Fatburger, home of the Fatburger. Can I take your order please?") Cirque du Soleil. I really wanted to see Cirque du Soleil KA which is the one where the stage turns vertical and they are all hanging from ropes while performing. I thought that sounded really cool but it was not to be, KA was not performing all week. So I had to choose another one, the other guys I was with decided they would like to see one too, so we chose Zumanity. It was close to our hotel (or WAS close) and it was the one with boobs. Boobs are good. I am always up for boobs. It was a good show, the girls in the fish bowl were awesome, the hula hoop girl was great, the contortionist guy was cool and creepy...I just wish there was more Cirque du Soleil feats of impossibility rather than joking around with the crowd. I would recommend it because it was really good...I just hoped for a little more. Might have been better with a girlfriend since it was supposed to turn you on. I did manage to entertain others in line waiting to pick up tickets when the lady said "You do realize that this show contains nudity, sexuality, and lewd language?" and my reply was "Of course, that is why we chose this one." FIRE! So why we were at the trade show on Friday, I get a text from my brother telling me that our hotel was one fire...well he didn't know it was our hotel, he was just joking around asking if I lit the Monte Carlo on fire...so it was pretty strange. After I confirmed with him that yes it was on fire, I turned to the other two guys with me and said "oh by the way, our hotel is on fire." They didn't believe me at first but went to look out the convention center windows and yep there was the black smoke. A quick internet check by one of them confirmed it. You could tell one of them started stressing out. I was like "let my stuff burn. I have nothing irreplaceable, plus the hotel will pay me back." But the others were a little more worried. It made the last day of the trade show go really fast and made me sing many songs during the slow times like "The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire" and "Burning down the house." I don't think they appreciated my song stylings. Anyhow we quickly made new reservations at the Hilton Vacations which was right by the convention center (this is why Zumanity was no longer close to our hotel...our hotel was on fire). After the show we drove past the hotel and I took a few pictures with my cell phone. I found the whole thing fun and interesting. I had never been involved with a major fire before (and no I didn't start it...well as far as you and the police know, I didn't). Still hours later, the whole place was surrounded by fire trucks and cops...you couldn't get near it. Since we didn't know when we were going to be able to get our stuff, my company was kind enough to buy us some jeans and a shirt for the night (we were going to Zumanity that night)...I ended up getting a pair of jeans at the Marc Ecko Cut & Sew shop. They have a skull on the pocket which I both love and think is a little cheesy. I really like the Cut & Sew line of clothes, which came as a little bit of a surprise since I hate the Ecko Unlimited line. I would suggest them. So anyhow, we went to Zumanity and by the time it was over they were letting people back into their rooms to get their stuff. It was about 2am. So we headed over to the hotel. I was a little surprised because it was only about 14 hours after the fire. I figured in the very least that they would wait 24. The hotel had people all over the place, so you couldn't get into any parts of the hotel that were closed off or damaged. They had people escort you up to your rooms and wait (outside the door) while you packed. Then you had to fill out all this paper work saying that you picked up your stuff and if anything was missing or damaged. All my stuff was there and fine but I wonder how many people tried filing false claims? It definitely made the trip interesting...I think the fire was my favorite part of the trip. Oh and thanks for all the messages asking if I started it! Geez...you start one field on fire when you are young and all of a sudden you are an arsonist! Actually what cracked me up was when the president of our company called and asked if we were dead yet. Ha ha...you can't get rid of me that easy! Social Distortion and a lack of sleep. I went to go see Social Distortion at the House of Blues. Truthfully, I hadn't listened to them in years but I have always enjoyed them. It was a good show. There was a young girl (around 16 or 17 by the looks) who turned to me and said "I can't believe how many old people are here!" I am sure she thought I was younger than I am. I turn to her and say "You think a band that has been playing for 30 years may have picked up a fan or two along the way? Just because you have only been listening to them for a year or two (maybe) doesn't mean everyone else hasn't liked them for a lot longer. I started listening to them in like 1990 or '91 and I felt late to the party then." I felt a little bad because I think I came off kind of harsh...but really did she think the world revolved around her that much? Anyhow, I get out of the show around 1am and there is a message for me. Our flight has been canceled so instead of leaving around 9am, we now leave at 6am and have to leave for the airport at 4am! I still need to pack. I get home around 1:30am and quickly pack and get maybe an hour of sleep before I have to wake up. Normally I wouldn't have tried sleeping at all but with the fire and everything and being up super late that night...I needed at least a little. So our original flight was canceled where we would go from Vegas to Denver to Des Moines...our new earlier route went from Vegas to LA to Denver to Des Moines. Leaving 3 hours earlier and arriving 3 hours later than we were originally supposed to. Suck! It all ended up okay though...but I was exhausted for the next couple days. This isn't as nearly in-depth or funny as the recap I wrote the other day...but stupid myspace server error lost that one. If you have any questions though, feel free to ask. Michael