Tuesday, July 22. 2008Photo Spread: The Hymns, Alkaline Trio, American Steel, The Fashion
Sunday, July 20. 2008CD Review: Testament, The Formation of Damnation TestamentThe Formation of Damnation Nuclear Assault Records I cant tell you how very long I have waited for this. Yeah I have all the other CDs that Testament has put out, but to have the band back together is beautiful. Magical even. To have Alex Skolnick back where he belongs on lead, the planets were aligned this year. "Formation" merges the many sounds of Testament flawlessly. From the classic thrash sound that Testament is known for on "More Than Meets the Eye" to the Chuck Bill's death metal vocals on the title track "The Formation of Damnation." The chemistry that was the original line up is still present on this release, although they are short Louie Clemente. "Leave Me Forever" about the only song that really stands out as something new style wise. Switching between a jazzy funkiness on the guitar to a thrash sound, it is a definite highlight on the album. I am so very much in love with this album, I have a hard time putting it to words. It inspires memories of the many times I have spent with the band over the years and to have them back with most of the original line up is amazing. Testament is currently on tour promoting the album as well as hooking up on the Masters Of Metal Tour with Motorhead, Heaven and Hell, and Judas Priest. Club Kingsnake will be catching them on a solo show at The Rave here in Milwaukee on August 1. Thursday, July 17. 2008Summerfest - Day 2
Rolling out of bed today it is our anniversary, and Brian and I plan to do it in true rock star style. I shoot a call into Jesse James Dupree's assistant to set up the interview have breakfast and head off to the tattoo shop to join my hubby. After our mutual inkings, we head back home to load up and trek back down to the lake front a mere 15 minutes from our home.
I'm not sure who had the brilliant idea to close streets and only allow traffic into the grounds from one direction, but personally I would like to slap them upside the head. The drive took over an hour for less than 5 miles. Traffic was horrible and being someone who actually knows the city well, I managed to get lost because of so many closed streets. We had planned to arrive an hour before Black Stone Cherry's set, but got there as they were preparing to load on the stage. I hooked up with Jesse's road manager and met with Jesse briefly. He didn't realize it was a video interview, and while he didn't mind the fact, he did want to wash the road off. Taking a round a bout way to Milwaukee on the back of his Harley, a shower was in order. So we kicked back and relaxed to the Black Stone Cherry set. I was really shocked with these kids. I wasn't expecting what I heard, I was expecting a more pop sound. There was almost a bluesy undertones to their music and the guitars just had an amazingly warm sound that filled up the air. For some reason sitting at the lake, with a warm breeze blowing and listening to "Rollin On" was probably one of the most relaxing moments I have had in a while. Mixing in blues, southern rock and classic rock sounds, these kids (and I do mean kids, the oldest is 23) have some impressive talent and a well rounded sound. They closed with an amazing cover of "Voodoo Child", which they managed to change up just enough to make their own while still keeping the original in your mind. I cant wait to see how this band grows over the years!I ran out to hit the real bathroom (I still can not use the back stage porta potty, just cant do it) and pick up some food. AHHH Mader's. A quick dinner and time for the sit down with Jesse. Unfortunately I did have to tear him away from the JJO girls for a few minuets and we found a quick room to sit down a chat. That interview will be posted shortly. I kept it fairly short as he was hitting the stage in a half an hour. For those who have never taken the time to see a Jackyl show, you are missing some good old fashion fun. Jesse is a true frontman who is there to entertain, be it the front row or the guys on stage behind him. Outrageous and outlandish, when he is fronting Jackyl he is the "Redneck Punk". Their show is tried and true and while little changes (except for the stories) the band puts on a phenomenal show. A few change ups, including a short "NIB" cover, they play their hits. The crowd overpowered Jesse's vocals on "Secret of the Bottle". And yes both the Johnson Red and the Stihl were there backstage. Yes Jesse did drop his drawers. As they cleared the photo pit I issued a look to my husband that meant only one thing. Get me my photo of Jesse and the Chainsaw and he did not disappoint. Closing with the ever classic "Lumberjack", the entire crowd went insane. My only disappointments (well kinda) were the fact that the mic was not loaded (his mic stand is a shotgun, and at previous outdoor shows I have seen him shoot it) and that they did not play "Rev it up and Go Go" from the new album being released by Jesse James and Dixie Inc. I really wasn't expecting to hear it, but a girl can dream. I have to say that this show was as good as the first, second and third Jackyl shows I have seen. The band still has amazing energy and still entertains the crowd. As we meander our way through the heavily imbibed attendees at the close of the night, we make it to our car at 11:45. We turn on our car at 11:50 after letting the heat out. We turn it off again at midnight. And we sit. Once again, the closed roads are our nemesis. We finally pull out of the parking lot at 12:45 am and arrive home at 1:30. Summerfest 2008 is over for us. While attendance was down this year (I would assume high gas prices kept a lot of our neighbors to the south away) it was still a respectable 831,024 for the 10 days. See everyone next year down there!Monday, July 14. 2008Photo Spread: Van's Warped Tour at Selma, Tx.Saturday, July 12. 2008Concert Review: Warped Tour at The Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Selma, Texas (Part 1)
Bonaroo, or Coachella, for me, constitutes a nightmarish scenario like a Seinfeld episode gone dark and demented. Camping for 3 days in the middle of nowhere, my fate controlled and decided by pimply faced kids in EVENT STAFF t-shirts, at the mercy of the elements sun, wind, and rain, and the ever present lines of people queuing up for basic amenities like drinking water, showers, and bathrooms, the whole idea gives me a case of the willies. When I was younger pup, in my teens and twenties, the idea would have appealed to me to no end, and in fact back then I traveled quite a bit, often camping out in my car. By the time I was in my mid thirties I was firmly of the opinion that basic amenities such as air conditioning, clean sheets, and soft pillows were a minimum for travel and since then my criteria have only tightened. Had it not been for the fact that Protest The Hero and Paramore were playing Warped I seriously doubt that I would have made the 5 hour trek down to San Antonio and back, but it had been 3 weeks since I covered a show, no better prospects were forthcoming and I was looking for any excuse I could to get out of the house. Besides it was a one day show, only a day trip, and even I am not too old and whiney for that. Luckily Mike over at Earshot Media has a few bands on the tour (he ALWAYS seems to have a few bands on the tour) and after a few emails I was hooked up. Continue reading "Concert Review: Warped Tour at The Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Selma, Texas (Part 1)" Friday, July 11. 2008Summerfest Day 1 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Summerfest is OVER! We survived the weekend, along with countless others.
Billed as the worlds largest music festival, Summerfest always has some variety of music for everyone. The biggest drawback with Summerfest to me is ALWAYS the crowds. Its a little early for any final numbers, but 2007 attendance was 892,005. Even with the horrible storms that have washed through the Midwest lately, I think over all attendance was still up there. Celebrating it's 41st anniversary, Summerfest is the pride and joy of the Milwaukee Lakefront. Sure it isn't SXSW, but it is amazing none the less. Food is as much a focus as the music. 40 plus restaurants litter the grounds. You can have everything from Alligator on a stick to Wendy's Hamburgers. My favorite place is always the Ethnic Gardens. I must have the Sauerbraten from Mader's. Two family owned roasted corn vendors are there, and if you eat at Robby's Roasted Corn, hip-hop star Speech from Arrested Development might very well be the person serving you. Even recently deceased comedian George Carlin added Milwaukee and Summerfest to to his resume, after getting arrested for those 7 dirty words he liked to say at the 1972 event. If I started to list the bands and musicians who have played both on the pay stage and free stages, I would be never finish. Needless to say, Summerfest caters to as many folks as humanly possible in 10 days. Hubby and I are actually celebrating our anniversary this weekend 13 years together and 5 years married. What is more romantic than a bit of metal and rock n roll to ring in the anniversary. This is probably still the coolest advantages of this site. We got their early and checked out the 9mm Solution set. Popular local band that I have written about many times in the past, it was their debut show for their new bassist, Chad Novell, who also puts time in with bands Strangeland and Orphonic Orchestra. Overall the sound of the band was much heavier this time around. The band was impressively tight for having only had Chad as a member for a few weeks. Standing in the wings watching I did almost think the singer Hobbes would be arrested. In his stage ensemble, he wears a toy 9 mm gun. Halfway through the first song, several of Milwaukee's Finest showed up on the back stage wings. Having been to enough 9 MM shows, I was simply hoping Hobbes noticed this as well from the stage and kept his jacket on. All went well however and no arrests happened. Unfortunately, we were unable to secure photo clearance for Black Tide, but I spose that's ok. They never showed up. I didn't catch the name of the band that covered for them, however I think if the crowd changed their name to Black Tide Sucks. You have to give the fill in credit, having already preformed on another stage, they made a trek to play before an angry crowd that got stood up and gave it their all. I do deeply regret that I missed their name being announced. With out the photo pass for Black Tide, Brian and I took this as a great chance to grab some dinner. When we arrived, we still didn't have any clearance for Five Finger Death Punch. Thankfully I managed to hook up with the road manager and get the OK needed for Brian to shoot. Had I remembered that Jeff had previously shuttled the band around in Austin I wouldn't have needed to panic, but it was all golden. I have to say, the guys in FFDP seemed to really enjoy Summerfest. 2 years working in the backstage area and numerous years just hanging (when I was younger I would actually attend all 10 days, good band or not) I have never seen a band so taken with the grounds. All the members were regularly wandering the park itself, and from what I saw, they gave 2 thumbs up to the roasted corn. Singer Ivan probably described it best, calling it our own personal Mardi Gras. Their set was amazing, but seemed terribly short for some reason. It really wasn't, but they just rolled through things at a steady pace, it didn't give you a chance to realize time was passing. Ivan has a great singing voice as well as the chunky growling. Best heard on "The Bleeding" its almost as if two people are singing, and I must add this song sounded amazing live. Another highlight of the set was "The Way of the Fist"which is probably my favorite song simply because of the lyrics in the chorus. Awesome songwriting there.Day one is down, the walk to the truck takes a mere 15 minutes. Our drive home is also a lot easier then one would expect for the Fourth of July. Time to go home, rest and do it all over again. Tuesday, July 8. 2008Concert Review: John Mayer and Colbie Caillat in Toronto
The Molson Amphitheatre. Toronto, Ontario July 7, 2008 The traffic en-route to the Molson Amphitheatre was terrible. It took me 40 minutes to travel 3 kilometres through downtown Toronto. It was only through the grace of the Live Nation rep that I was able to sneak into Colbie's set after the first song. Aside from the house guy I was the only photog shooting Colbie and for Mayer we added a photographer from the Toronto Sun. The photo pit was narrow and didn't stretch in all the way from either side of the stage. You picked your side and hoped you'd called it right. Clint's pearl of wisdom for the day: When shooting a guitar player (like John Mayer) in a situation like this I prefer to shoot from stage right. A right handed guitar player will generally face that way and you won't have the neck and headstock blocking their face. End Clint's pearl of wisdom (for what it's worth). Whatever side you pick you generally get screwed out of interesting angles and diverse shots. C'est la vie, I'm still shooting John Mayer and can take him off my "Bands to shoot before I die" list! With the show sold out in the extreme and the scalpers ticket brokers asking in the multiple hundreds of dollars for tickets I didn't end up with a review seat. So, I did my "three songs, no flash" from the best seat in the house and was escorted from the building. Made for an early night anyway...... except for the 90 minute drive home and the several hours spent looking at photos. I really need to train myself to wait until morning to look at my photos. Yeah, right. That'll never happen. I can't tell you what songs Colbie opened with, but I did jot down that John began his set with "Vultures" and "Waiting on the World to Change" from Continuum and closed out my time in the pit with "Clarity" off of Heavier Things. For gear heads, he had a Dumble "Steel String Stinger" in his backline along with his Two Rock John Mayer head. $20,000+ of amps and delicious tone....... drool. This cat really flies under the radar of the guitar hero world. Yeah, he's a pop star. But man can he play, and watch out when he starts channeling Stevie Ray Vaughn. If you haven't heard his live blues album as "The John Mayer Trio" you need to look it up. Click thumbnails to view full size images Thursday, July 3. 2008News: Austin Road Shows In July
For those wanting to make the trek Willie Nelson and crew will be holding their annual July 4th picnic tomorrow down at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Selma. Those that pass out in their cars will be in for a rude awakening come the following morning however as the parking lot is set to be the main stage for Van's Warped tour which starts bright and early at noon on Saturday. Look for club kingsnake to be there working the main stages. Hot bands to watch out for will be Protest The Hero, Reel Big Fish, and The Briggs. They're a band, they're a cartoon, they are Dethklok and the will be bringing the popular Adult Swim cartoon to life over at the Austin Music Hall on Sunday, July 6th. Also on the bill are Chimaira and Soilent Green, this show was moved from La Zona Rosa due to "overwhelming demand". If metal is just not your thing you can boogie on over to Stubb's and catch KC and The Sunshine Band (no joke!) also on July 6th. Todd Rundgren, taking a break from The New Cars, will be doing a show over at Antone's on July 19th. Bring your copy of Hermit of Mink Hollow on vinyl and maybe he will sign it. La Zona Rosa really heats up towards the end of the month with Alkaline Trio on July 21st, Good Charlotte on July 23rd, the Wolf Parade plays on July 25th. Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters will be over at Stubb's on July 26th. August sees a big flurry of road shows right off the bat. The Backyard, in it's final season, hosts 311 & Snoop Dog for 2 nights on August 2nd and 3rd. Also on August 2nd is Less Than Jake over at La Zona Rosa followed by The Faint on August 11th. If your August 2nd isn't busy enough Stubb's has Bullet For My Valentine with Bleeding Through and The Cancer Bats on the same night. South African rockers Seether plays Stubb's on August 8th, something I am looking forward too. Wednesday, June 25. 2008Podcast: Interview with John Spiker of Filter
Genre: Alternative / Rock / Industrial Hometown: Los Angeles, California http://www.myspace.com/filter1 Thursday, June 26 8:00 p.m. The Guvernment 132 Queens Quay East, Toronto, Ontario (subject to change) It's been a long 6 years since we had anything new out of Los Angeles based industrial metal band Filter but now that the DeLeo brothers have gone back to Stone Temple Pilots and the Army of Anyone gig is on hiatus, Richard Patrick and his bandmates are back with a new album and a new tour. I had a chance to talk about the tour and the album with Filter bassman John Spiker, whose filling in for Frank Cavanugh while he serves a tour in Iraq. Filter is midway through a tour that have seen them over in the war zone with Operation Myspace, then Europe and finally North America. Starting the North American leg of the tour in Austin they will be swinging through Toronto tomorrow giving our own Clint Gilders a chance to review and shoot the show. To listen to the interview, click the link below. Jun 26 2008 8:00P Guvernment Toronto, Ontario Jun 27 2008 8:00P Woodstock in Beauce Montreal, Quebec Jun 28 2008 8:00P Town Hall Buffalo, New York Jun 30 2008 8:00P Gator’z Toledo, Ohio Jul 01 2008 8:00P WLUM Summerfest Milwaukee, Wisconsin Jul 02 2008 8:00P Music Mill Indianapolis, Indiana Jul 03 2008 8:00P The Machine Shop Flint, Michigan Jul 05 2008 8:00P Balloon Field Des Moines, Iowa Jul 07 2008 8:00P Bluebird Theater Denver, Colorado Jul 08 2008 8:00P Avalon Theater Salt Lake City, Utah Jul 10 2008 8:00P Sunshine Theater Albuquerque, New Mexico Jul 11 2008 8:00P Tempe Marketplace Phoenix, Arizona Jul 12 2008 8:00P The Roxy Theatre Los Angeles, California Jul 27 2008 8:00P Altamont Fairgrounds Altamont, New York Technorati Tags: Filter,John Spiker, Richard Patrick, interview, podcast Continue reading "Podcast: Interview with John Spiker of Filter" Thursday, June 19. 2008Bonnaroo: Reflections
I crawl from my tent at 8:30 am the monday following Bonnaroo to a ghost town of sorts. Within the field of discarded shade canopies, chairs, blankets and coolers, the few remaining campers are solemn and withdrawn. There is water in the shower trailers today. Yesterday I washed by cupping my hands under the meager trickle from the nozzle and carefully dousing my body with the precious fluid. Those who arrived after me wouldn't even be that lucky.
The previous night I had sat at the camp site with my travel mate Carrie and reminisced about my Bonnaroo experience while the festival's final act, renown jam-band Wide Spread Panic, drifted over to us from the distant "What Stage". Click thumbnails to view full size images
Bonnaroo began for me with a email from photographer Carrie Musgrave a scant three weeks before the festival. Did I want to go, would I drive? I said yes, and spent the next 20 days buying camping gear and wondering what I was getting myself in for. What I got myself in for was one of the most wonderful experiences I've ever had. Bonnaroo the festival began in 2002 as a small hippie jam band festival featuring the likes of Wide Spread Panic, The Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh, Les Claypool, and Gov't Mule. It has grown tremendously in the ensuing 6 years but the ethos has remained the same. A peaceful, accepting tent city of 80,000 erected overnight on 700 acres in rural Tennessee with a diverse group of musicians providing the soundtrack for the whole thing. As early as the first day it became apparent that the most important commodities at Bonnaroo were water, shade, and sleep. Water was easy to come by, but you could make a friend instantly if you could offer cold water. Shade was in shorter supply for the general 'Rooer. "This Tent", "That Tent", "The Other Tent" offered shaded viewing areas in front of the stages and there were a few trees scattered throughout the site. All of this shade was greedily consumed by the hot and dusty concert goers. The third commodity, sleep, was irrevocably tied to the shade. With My Morning Jacket and Kanye West performing until sunrise a tent is no a place to sleep after the music is over and the Tennessee sun begins beating down. As early as the first day men and women were sprawled out on the floor of the XBox 360 tent, in the Fuse TV barn, and under the trees in the hope of capturing what was violently ripped from them at sunrise. Click thumbnails to view full size images
Sleep where/when you can was no more evident than when at 5:00 AM Sunday morning Carrie spotted a girl, who most likely imbibed in a little too much of one substance or another, sleeping on the ground next to the Garnier Fructis table by the shower trailers. After checking her vitals Carrie left her to her slumber. As I made an early morning trip to the port-a-lets I was pleased to see that someone else had covered her in the Day-Glo green Garnier table cloth. Carrie had remarked that maybe she really wanted to be at the front of the line for a shower in the morning? At no time during the festival did I witness any violence or even anger. What I saw was security (labeled "Safety" on their shirts), allowing the concert goers to do what they wanted so long as it was not endangering themselves or those around them. People slept, danced, sang, ate and drank where, when, how they wanted. For 4 days a beautiful utopia sprang up in rural Tennessee. My neighbours to the East are up now too. As I began to disassemble my camp I put some on some water to boil. It's the camp stove coffee I plan to make and share which has helped us to bond over the weekend. The neighbour on the other side wonders if I have any jumper cables. These were the last supply to be packed and among the most important. The coffee klatch would also require a boost before their drive home to Virginia. A girl strolls by and asks if we'd like to update our voter information and if we might be able to give her a ride to New York. Another nearby camper asks if I have any water. I'm glad to share what we have left. About this time I receive a text message from home that my 2 year-old has peed on the toilet for the first time. This is the strange afterglow of Bonnaroo. Edit: I found this photo on my camera this morning (June 20, 2008). It was taken as we sat in our camp listening to the aformentioned Wide Spread Panic set and my last photo of Bonnaroo.
Wednesday, June 18. 2008Concert Review: Pearl Jam at Bonnaroo
Bonnaroo, Manchester, Tennesee June 14, 2008 I can say that previously a concert has never moved me close to tears. June 14 was the night that changed. Pearl Jam embraced the spirit of Bonnaroo and performed an extended two and a half hour plus set that ebbed and flowed through some of the greatest music of this generation. As the lights shone over the assembled throng for the first time frontman Eddie Vedder remarked that he no idea of the scale of this event until this moment. Then "Black" flowed over the crowd and the show rose to a new level for me. Later, Eddie introduced Victoria Williams' "Crazy Mary". This was a song they originally recorded for Sweet Relief: A Benefit for Victoria Williams and among my favourite songs of all time. Next Eddie performed "No More" after talking about his friend Tomas Young (subject of the recent documentary Body of War) and his recent decline in health related to a pulmonary embolism and subsequent infection. I photographed Tomas in Texas earlier this year and my heart and prayers go out to him, his family, Eddie and anyone close to him during this terrible time.
The marathon set closed with "Alive" (also from Ten) and a cover of Jimi Hendrix's cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower". Later that night, and throughout the festival I heard of similar reactions from other festival goers. They may have been moved by a different song, or felt a different emotion, but the common thread was that Pearl Jam came to Bonnaroo and joined with a multitude of like minded individuals and created something beautiful and powerful. Monday, June 16. 2008Concert Review: Rancid at La Zona Rosa, Austin, Tx.
Hometown: Albany, California http://www.rancidrancid.com Rancid Concert Photos Friday, June 13th, 2008 La Zona Rosa(Austin, Texas) Also: Ill Spent Youth, Lower Class Brats "Hey - Can you get me in - PLEASE?" I looked up and some blond in a little econo-box pulled up at the stop sign had caught sight of my PRESS badge as I made my way through the heat to La Zona Rosa. "No darling - I don't have the legs for it". I pointed down to the scarred up pale pegs providing my propulsion as she chuckled and drove off up the street, stopping to banter, barter and haggle with the scalpers in the next block. It was another sold out show, another day of oppressive heat, and another band from my past in another Direct Events venue. As I headed through the entry gate and had my ticket scanned Jeff and the guys running the door security offered me a sandwich from a tray they had scammed from the Jimmy John's sandwich guys. I had run out the door without dinner so I greedily accepted and wolfed down one of the bready morsels. Continue reading "Concert Review: Rancid at La Zona Rosa, Austin, Tx." Sunday, June 15. 2008Concert Review: Kanye West at Bonnaroo
Bonnaroo, Manchester, Tennesee Early June 15, 2008 At the last minute Kanye's 8:15 (June 14) Which Stage set was moved to a late-night 2:45 AM (June 15) on the larger What Stage. What a mistake that was. Kanye didn't bother to start his set until 4:25 AM. Toward the end of the interminable wait flotsam and jetsum began raining on the stage to the chants of "Bullshit!, Bullshit!". One carefully aimed projectile (a water bottle I suspect) made considerable contact with a video screen hanging toward the front of the cheesy plywood set and caused some damage (blue and red pixels). Here's the only shot that is deserving of being included in this review after this fiasco. Oh, don't even get me started on Kanye's terrible acting and pitchy singing. Concert Review: The Cure at the Austin Music Hall, Austin, Tx.
Hometown: Crawley, Sussex http://www.thecure.com The Cure Concert Photos Sunday, June 8th, 2008 Austin Music Hall(Austin, Texas) The heat was overwhelming and the sweat rolled off my brow as Gary Miller and I reached the door of the Austin Music Hall. Any hope of a cool refreshing breeze was quickly quashed when the doors opened and we were hit by an outbound rush of air that felt like a 15 million watt blow dryer. If it was anyone but The Cure I probably would have turned around right there and sought out cooler climes, but since I have followed the band since Boy's Don't Cry I knew if I bailed I would have to turn in my official Robert Smith eyeliner kit, my prozac, and have to stop wearing black in public, so like a trooper I pushed on. Queuing up with the other photographers in the hall, the time came and as a group we tried to push our way through the mass of hot, sweaty Cure fans, packed elbow to elbow in an effort to get close to the stage. Relying on Gary's huge frame to act as a ram we finally emerged at the pit. Ditching my bag in the corner and gearing up, the photographers all sat about swapping lies. I was surrounded by a bunch of Canon-heads, and the chatter eventually de-volved into a Canon v. Nikon argument for which I was woefully un-supported. I was glad when the time came to enter the pit. Continue reading "Concert Review: The Cure at the Austin Music Hall, Austin, Tx." Saturday, June 14. 2008Photos: B.B. King at Bonnaroo
by clint gilders - clubkingsnake staff
Manchester, Tennessee June 14, 2008 ![]() B.B. King was honored today at Bonnarroo. The 82 year-old Blues Icon was awarded the key to Manchester, Tennessee (the town surrounding Bonnaroo) before performing to a welcoming crowd. Click thumbnails to view full size images
Concert Review: Metallica at Bonnaroo.
Bonnaroo. Manchester, Tennesse. June 13, 2008 The last time I saw Metallica live was in 1990. It was the day I met my wife. Since then Metallica (in it's current iteration) had faded from my life. The Bob Rockification of the band and the resulting move to a more mainstream sound just doesn't do it for me. BUT.... when I was offered a trip to Bonnaroo the fact that Metallica was headlining Friday night was pretty much the reason I said yes. This is a choice of headliner from far in left field. Bonnaroo is/was a hippie jam-band fest. But what a way to expose a whole new demographic to metal, or they could fail miserably. After shooting Steel Train and Umphrey's Mcgee at the Sonic Stage and watching a bit of Willie Nelson I headed to the camp for a snack and a little rest. 8 o'clock rolled around and I started the long walk to The What Stage in a light but determined rain. The What Stage is the big stage at Bonnaroo and the crowd assembled for Chris Rock's performance was impressive. From my initial vantage point Chris was but a speck on the stage. Slowly but surely I move with the flow of the crowd and made my way toward the stage. My ascent was aided by the exodus of Bonnarooers exiting after Rock's set finished.
The opener "Creeping Death" is my favourite Metallica song to see performed live. Fans in the know chant "Die! Die! Die" in unison and to hear this is an experience not to be missed. From that into what could be argued as their first crossover hit "For Whom The Bell Tolls". The set was a delicious sample of Metallica's greatest recordings. It was amazing to witness James ask for a show of hands from those who'd never seen Metallica before. Estimates put it at 80%+ of those in attendance raising their hands. What elevated this beyond a tired greatest hits review was the energy and interaction of the band. James, Kirk, and Robert roamed the stage like caged animals. Each member ventured to it's cavernous reaches and engaged the crowd. The interaction between the members was also refreshing. This is a Metallica that I haven't seen in a long time. From Kirk and James trading licks at the front of the stage, Robert's vomit inducing spins and James kneeling in front of his amp coaxing forth beautiful feedback they look like they are having fun every minute of the show. I don't know if this show was wasted a large percentage of 'rooers but I loved every minute of it. Setlist: Creeping Death For Whom The Bell Tolls Ride The Lightning Harvester of Sorrow The unforgiven And Justic For All No Remorse The Memory Remains Fade To Black Master Of Puppets Whiplash Nothing Else Matters Sad but True One Enter Sandman ----- Encore: Last Caress So What! Seek and Destroy Friday, June 13. 2008Concert Review: Bonnaroo Day 2 - Adele and That Guy From SouthBy
Manchester, Tennessee. June 13, 2008 I got about 5 hours of sleep lastnight. My internal clock has me waking up at 6 or 7 whether I like it or not. I did try real hard to get back to sleep but then some joker a few spots over decided to share some Vanilla Ice with us. So at 8:30 it's a about a million degrees and I roll out of my tent. Coffee? Coffee? Did you know they have coffee in tea bag form? I didn't until just before coming here. What a godsend. A couple of gallons of joe, a cold shower and the world is a better place. After the 11:30 press briefing I decide to chill at the camp site for a while and made the acquaintance of our neighbors (Hillary and Dana from Virginia) who generously offered me the use of their shade tent. If you've been to Bonnaroo you know that, most days, shade is something you could charge for though few would. A little shade, some conversation and the Drive By Truckers drifting in from the Which Stage. Hillary happens to work for Dark Star Orchestra's management. I only mention this because it was Dark Star Orchestra's late night set which we also listened to from our campsite. The chance of getting near "This Tent" to catch Tegan and Sara seemed slim so I wandered over to "The Other Tent" to see Adele. On my way I spotted someone who looked familiar but I couldn't place him. Then I saw his "I love Bob Saget" T-shirt and asked "Hey man were you at SouthBy wearing a Kriss Kross shirt?" I'm always amazed when at events this size I run into people I know. Ok, back to Adele. Adele is the latest UK Soul/R&B export in the vein of Amy Winehouse and Duffy. She's not as dangerous as Winehouse but not as plastic as Duffy. A nice in between. Adele herself described her music as "Slow and Dramatic" because she's ".. a drama queen.." and that there's not much "..room to dance to them...". I don't know she had me and much of the audience swaying, and even dancing a little bit. "Day Dreamer" and "First Love" and a cover of Bob Dylan's "Make you Feel My Love" were the standouts for me. As I left "The Other Tent" after Adele's set the skies began to look ominous and I made a mad dash for the media trailer to get my poncho and write this. More later.... Photos: Vampire Weekend at Bonnaroo, oh and Burlesque-aroo
Here are a few photos from Vampire Weekend's performance at Bonnaroo 2008.
Here are some Burlesque dancers I saw at the Sonic Stage
Thursday, June 12. 2008Concert Review:Bonnaroo Day 1 - Backroads and BB King
Manchester, Tennessee. June 12, 2008 Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. June 10, 5:00 AM EST. I leave my house. 7:30 PM CST we're in Nashville, Tennessee. We consists of Carrie Musgrave and myself. Carrie offered me the opportunity to piggyback on her media pass so I of course jumped at the chance. Short notice be damned. In Nashville we took a walk on Broadway and had a beer at BB King's Blues Club. Really, we were just too tired to do much. Had a good night's sleep though, and took our time getting to Bonnaroo. The guest campers (which we are among) are given a super secret backroads route to our check-in point and we had a blast driving through the bible belt. Even the smallest of towns seemed to have 5 or more churches. We circled back when we spotted a mock graveyard condemning abortion. Thump, thump, thumpers..... The lineup on Asbury road was incredible. How thankful am I that we weren't going that way? I'm shooting bands now. What Made Milwaukee Famous, Superdrag, Back Door Slam, Grand Ole Party, Nicole Atkins and MGMT among them. More soon.....
News: Bonaroo Gets Underway; Black Crowes Announce Austin Show
Not that I won't be keeping busy here myself. Tomorrow I will be doing a podcast interview with Filter bass player John Spiker and then following up later with a concert shoot with Rancid down at La Zona Rosa. In other Austin concert news, at The Cure show at the Austin Music Hall on Sunday, there were posters announcing a Black Crowes gig at the hall on November 22nd. Also recently announced are a Bullet For My Valentine show over at Stubb's on August 2nd and then Seether at Stubb's on August 8th. Austin favorites The Toadies will be doing a show at Stubb's on September 3rd. Technorati Tags: Austin, Bonaroo, Stubb's, La Zona Rosa, Austin Music Hall, Rancid, Filter, Black Crowes, Toadies, Seether
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