Still Remains

Anthrax was amazing. But it was obvious that Lemmy is not Lemmy following his heart attack. I suspect that if Motorhead didn't have a new CD coming out that they would not be on tour. Motorhead's guitar player was obviously covering for Lemmy and not only talked over him but stood in front of him while playing some of his guitar solos. Speaking of guitar solos this "just over an hour show" featured a guitar AND drum solo. I have been waiting for 35 years to see this band and in the end I did not see the real Motorhead at all. I'm still happy that I went but I would never recommend this tour.

Friday night's show was probably the best show I've been to; the venue was perfect, the band my favorite, and the opener, The London Souls, was fantastic. State Radio played a great show with all of my favorites including Fall of the American Empire, Gang of Theives, Doctor Ron, and The Waitress. They even inreoduced two new songs. By the end of the concert one of my friends had Chuck Fay's setlist, another friend had a drumstick from Mad Dog.

This event did not disappoint. Friends and I drove from Maine to this show and the hours of driving and sitting in traffic definitely paid off. A friend that came had never heard any of their songs and absolutely loved the show. The Spill Canvas was amazing, as usual. Their shows never disappoint, no matter if they are the opener or the headliner. After the show TSC came out to greet the fans and I got an opportunity to meet them. :) The opening band 'Starting Over' had great energy. Thriving Ivory were amazing performers, as well. I will go to their future shows in the New England region. Amazing concert overall.

Webster Hall is proving to be one of the best venues for shows of this size and artists of this caliber. The crowd filled the space nicely, with enough room to get from place-to-place. Nearer to the stage, it's easy to have the "personal" music experience without feeling suffocated by those around you. CYHSY put on a charged and vibrant show with a set that drew the audience in and tapped into a bit of primal rage. A few songs got the crowd moving and thrashing, but swaying and head-bobbing were the popular moves for the night. Despite the pricey drinks at the bar, it's easy to enjoy a $5 beer if you find the guys wandering the crowd.

Six of us met for dinner at Kosar's, and then went to see Pete George. He was SO entertaining! From the moment he stepped on the stage, he had great energy, funny observations of life, and is a great guitarist! I see why he is The Rock Star of Comedy!! Loved all of the audience participation too! Be prepared to laugh until you cry with this guy!! We have already told all of our other friends, and plan on a larger group for next time too!!!

So going into the event my expectations were very high, after all I was going to see I Am The Avalanche (One of my favorite bands). I however didn't know it was going to be as awesome as it was. The crowd was rather small (I believe due to a block party happening out side of the Masquerade), but that did nothing but make it better. Vinnie (Lead Singer) and the band showed how awesome they were by cracking jokes, allowing a lot of crowd participation, and rocking everyone's freaking faces off! Nothing was left out of the checklist for a punk rock concert. There was mosh pits, a plethora of Stage dives (One of which was preformed by the drummer of Somos.), and an enthusiastic crowd. The opening bands Somas and Rust Belt Lights did an outstanding job as well putting themselves on my radar. Overall this night made for the best concert experience I ever had.

It is unfortunate that Edgar did not explain to the newbies what to expect before the show. I was glad to see the "kids" that Edgar added to the line-up. They were able to add animation to the show and like Edgar has said he can play with one finger what would have taken 5 hands some 40 years ago. Tangerine Dream used to stretch the limits of technology to achieve their sound. Today any kid with a computer can achieve their sound. So instead today's concert is an audio visual experience. It was delightful not to have to suffer through some mindless opening act and still the music was the star. One reviewer some 40 years ago asked if Tangerine Dream would be the end of rock music and unfortunately we have lived long enough to find out that the answer has been no. Today we seem to focus on personalities. I always went to a show for the music. Today's shows are long on personalities and short on the music. I suppose I sound like a jaded concert goer but I expect the music to take me somewhere. Normally I now expect to spend more time being shuffled around (and don't get me started on the so called "security"). So if you attended the concert to experience the music and the visuals - then no doubt you were suitably impressed. The concert was all about music - continuous music that was bridged from tune to tune - you had to be careful to applaud because no one signaled the end of a melody and seldom even made contact with the audience. So I had a wonderful time getting lost in the event and not wasting my time looking for queues or - heaven forbid - sing along opportunities. it has been slightly over 40 years since I interviewed David Gilmour. I was delighted there was a meet and great after today's show - I was equally impressed with Edgar's musings about the music (since Pink Floyd was a big influence on Tangerine Dream in their formative years). Anyway you need to see Tangerine Dream before you die. If you go to concerts for the music you will be delighted. The biggest surprise for me was the lack of people (not that I was particularly bothered). I am surprised that more folks didn't attend. This will go in my memory as one of the most unforgettable concerts I have ever been to (and I have been to a lot of concerts in my lifetime)

My wife and I were in Montreal for La Nuit Blanche, and I booked tickets to ECB's concert after listening to some of her songs on the net. In concert she was even better. Her arrangements of music from all over the shop - classic rock, standards, jazz and blues classics - were terrific, and the musical unity between her and her spectacular quartet of instrumentalists as wonderful to see and hear. We bought several of her CDs after the concert, and I would recommend catching her live work to anyone with the opportunity.

I had waited to go see The Cribs for over five years, and not that I finally turned eighteen, was off from school, and the show was somewhere without a 21+ requirement, I was finally able to see them live. They have been my favorite band for a really long time, so this was something I knew I had to go to. The preceding bands were fairly good, and the anticipation of The Cribs made every moment worthwhile. When they finally came on, it was not an awkward entrance, but very professional, as they just jumped in and began playing their music. Their energy is something that I have never seen in any other band of the same genre. It's difficult to explain, but it's very sincere and heartfelt, making every lyric in every song count. Made everything believable and human (which is often a quality lost in a concert). So great to see musicians with such passion and a real talent. After the show, me and a few other people stuck around to get signatures. To my surprise, and absolute joy, they came out to greet us and were very kind and altogether nice to us, fans. We were able to converse with them, which is something that any big fan would consider try to keep in their memories as vivid as it was in the moment. Needless to say, this wrapped up the night to be one the best nights of my life (couldn't even fall asleep). In summary, The Cribs put on an incredible show- just the right amount of old songs and new songs (including all my favorites), an energy that no other band has been able to pull off so well, and cared enough to come see their fans after the show. Ryan, Gary and Ross have proved to be the kind of talented people that are difficult to find these days. I have met several bands, but never have I seen such kindness towards fans as they displayed. A very mature image to leave with me, and all the others who I'm sure were not disappointed. Definitely left me wanting more. Well done, my friends.

I had only heard of Chicha Libre and Grupo Fantasma, so this was my first time seeing them live. Wow!! They were awesome! They had so many people dancing in the aisles and bopping their heads in their seats! Unfortunately, half of the the theater (Royce Hall) was empty!! It was so empty that they led all people (regardless of what seats you had purchased) to sit as close to the stage as possible. Although it was great being able to sit closer to the stage, It was also very saddening that it was so empty....not only sad for the bands, but also for those who did not get to experience their wonderful music! Not sure what happened...maybe not enough publicity was done for this show? I have been to Royce hall for a few shows within the last few months (Bebel Gilberto and Bajofondo), and a few in years past, and it has always been a full house. What a shame this was not the case on this night.