OMG this is so frigging awesome!

Best musical since Dr. Horrible.

[Nostalgia] The Best of 1991-92

Inspired by a friend's discovery of an old mixtape, i dug out my shoebox full of old cassettes (which i refuse to get rid of even though i no longer own a tape deck (except for my old, dead Walkman which i also refuse to get rid of)) looking for a particular artifact from my youth. I found it:



Note that this isn't necessarily the *best* of 1991-92, but rather the best songs i managed to tape from the radio. Which is what we had to do back in the old days before the internet or digital music existed. (And yes, i did walk to school barefoot through three feet of snow uphill both ways.) It wasn't easy - queuing up the right spot on your blank, listening intently, ready to hit the record button at just the right instant. For a while i was obsessed with getting "clean" recordings, i.e. without the DJ talking over the intro, but that was just about impossible. Anyway.

The Best of 1991-92

Side A
1. Naughty By Nature - O.P.P
2. MC Shy-D - Shake It
3. O.P.P. (sunny days remix)
4. Grandmaster Slice - Thinking of You
5. Michael Jackson - Black or White
6. MC Hammer - 2 Legit 2 Quit
7. Ghetto Boys - My Mind's Playing Tricks on Me
8. MC Hammer - The Addams Family
9. O.P.P (another remix?)
10. Color Me Badd - Slow Motion

Side B
1. Michael Jackson - Black or White
2. DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince - You Saw My Blinker, Bitch
3. Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch - Wildside
4. Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch - Good Vibrations
5. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
6. Prince - Diamonds and Pearls
7. Paula Abdul - Vibeology
8. Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch - I Need Money
9. Vanessa Williams - Save The Best For Last
10. Maria


I also found another tape labeled "Popular Songs From 96.3 FM" (do you guys from back home remember 96.3?) containing many of the above plus Kris Kross, a lot more Color Me Badd, "Drop The Bass", and tons more.

Go ahead, pull them up on youtube - you know you want to :-)

Just call me Forgetful Jones

I've always been forgetful and sporatically absent-minded. Everything from putting the cereal box in the fridge and milk carton in the cupboard (doh!) to grabbing a stack of outgoing mail to drop in the box on my way out, getting in the car, and then realizing that the mail is still in my hand.

My morning routines have generally worked well enough, but after moving out here and enduring multiple instances of forgetting (or almost forgetting) things, i came up with a mantra to use every morning before leaving for work: "Wallet, Phone, Badge, Keys, Data.". ("Keys" refer to the spare house and car key i wear on a belt loop, just in case. "Data" is the flash drive i carry, containing music, working drafts, notes, etc.) Before heading out the door, i mentally say the words and verify that all five items are on me; many times i've found one missing - good thing i checked.

[Sidebar: Is "mantra" the right word? Maybe i mean to say mnemonic device. But isn't that where you take the first letter of each word to form another word? Like HOMES for the five Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior). Or the other way around, like Foxy Chicks Get Down After Every Beer for the order of sharps in a key signature (FCGDEAB). Oh, and before you say anything, that line was suggested by my high school band director - some things you can't unlearn. Anyway.]

Here's what happened this morning: I was in a rush to get out the door (flex hours => Neilam oversleeps every day). I'm heading up to the city after work for a concert (In Flames and All That Remains - both tier1 bands, i'm so excited!!), so i had a few extra items to remember (ticket, earplugs, camera, etc) plus a few quick errands (check tire pressure, hit ATM). In my rush to get going, i failed to use my mantra; i just grabbed everything and took off.

Somewhere between the gas station and bank i realized that i was missing my spare keys (i'd left them on the pants i wore yesterday). Not mission-critical, but i'd feel better if i had them - especially since i'll be up in the city tonight. Fortunately i was still close to home, so going back would only take an extra 5 minutes. Parked on the street, ran up the stairs to my third-floor apartment, pulled the keys from yesterday's pants, cliped them on, ran back out. Done and done.

I was on the freeway, halfway to work when i was hit with the uneasy feeling that i was still missing something. But this happens a lot, and i frequently re-mantra and pat pockets from the drivers seat just to make sure. And so i ran through as usual. Wallet - check. Phone - check. Badge...badge...oh bloody hell. Can you guess where my badge was? That's right, safely clipped onto YESTERDAY'S GODDAMN PANTS! ARGHHH!!!

I had about 30 seconds until the next exit during which time i debated whether or not to turn back. Again. I decided that the lost time sucks, but i didn't want to deal with the hassle of not being able to scan myself into buildings and feeling awkward all day. And you never know when you'll need your RSA key - which is why i keep mine clipped to my badge, so i'll always have it :-/

Sigh. Drove all the way back, parked in the same spot on the street, ran up the stairs, stormed through the door again, grabbed the infernal badge, ran back.

I made it to work just barely on time for our daily standup meeting.

Moral of the story: Never skip the mantra, or it might skip you. Or something.

Rally in San Jose

I marched in my first protest yesterday - i was in the San Jose arm of the amazing nationwide rally coordinated by Join The Impact. Here in San Jose we had 4 groups march from different meetup spots and converge upon our city hall from 4 different directions. Once we all poured into the courtyard we had some speakers, including city council members, a religious leader, and our vice mayor. Then we lined the streets, waving signs, chanting, and cheering as all of the cars drove by honking their horns in support. (I have to admit, after i left i took the long way home just so i could drive past & honk my horn :-) ).






It really was moving; seeing so many people come together in support. High energy; high emotion. And some amazingly creative signs; here are a few of my favorites:




Even more moving are the countless photo galleries and stories pouring in from all of the other protest locations across the country. Images from Seattle, Boston, San Francisco, and so many other cities where people just flooded the streets - overwhelming. Also inspiring are spots like my old home in Champaign-Urbana where tight groups held strong. Props to the crew back home for pulling this off! Check out their facebook event for some awesome photos; i especially like the sign which reads "Discrimination is *so* 1950s".

I've felt strongly about this issue for a long time, so i'm glad i can finally help do something about it. And this is only the beginning.

<soapbox>
Yes, it blows that Prop 8 passed. But maybe that was a much-needed wakeup call. I think too many people just sat back and assumed that it would fail. Until about a month before the election, i was one of those people. Then i saw the polls and freaked out; "What do you mean we're losing? This is CALIFORNIA! Who the fuck is actually supporting discrimination?" I know i'm not the only one who reacted to that - i started to get involved, and was encouraged by the support of so many individuals, community groups, politicians, and even a group of silicon valley business leaders (including open support from execs from Yahoo!, Google, Apple, and many others - check it out here).

But it wasn't enough, and maybe we were too late. Prop 8 passed, along with similar ballot measures in 3 other states, making a grand total of 37 with same-sex marriage bans written into their constitutions. This is not acceptable. But on the flipside, 2 states - Massachusetts and now Connecticut - carry equal marriage rights. This is a start.
</soapbox>

Don't worry, this isn't going to turn into a political blog. I'm sure i'll be writing a little about future events i get involved with, but the random silly stories and concert writeups will continue on as well (although i'm behind - Bloodwire & Claire Voyant were amazing last week, and i haven't even looked at my photos from Dragonforce yet).

This weekend in C-U, SJ, and a town near you

Hi everyone! For those who haven't already heard, there will be an awesome nationwide demonstration for equality this Saturday, November 15th. This is not just about Prop 8 in California; this is about joining together as a nation to voice that we will no longer sit back and tolerate discrimination.

If you live in Champaign-Urbana:

Virginia is involved with planning this one! Please join if you're interested & available.

Some info from Virginia:
Meet by the Alma Mater (Green and Wright) at 11:30am
We'll have posters, but feel free to bring your own as well.

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=35885873716


If you live in the San Francisco bay area:

I plan to attend in San Jose (10:30am in front of City Hall, downtown SJ); let me know if you'd like to come with.

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=35885873716

Or there is, of course, the one in San Francisco which i'm sure will be friggin huge ( http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=35885873716 ).

If you live elsewhere:

There are locations planned for every state, thus likely one in or near your area. Locations & details are listed out here:

http://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com/


Together, we can make a difference.

-Neilam

p.s. If you haven't seen Keith Olbermann's video already, it is very much worth watching:

YES WE CAN!!!

Wow. Just, wow. My head is a jumble of thoughts right now; i'm so excited and pleased. I've voted in three presidential elections (in 3 different states, actually - MI, IL, and now CA), but this is the first time i was able to cast a vote for a candidate whom i actually *wanted* to send to the White House. After so many years of anger, frustration, and disappointment, i don't even have the words for how wonderful it feels to watch President Elect Barack Obama speak from downtown Chicago. Some of my friends are actually *in* Grant Park right now - i'm so jealous of you guys!

It keeps hitting me. I can start watching press conferences again! The State of the Union Address! Forget about his skin tone - he's young and optimistic, and i think we really need that right now. He's delivering a message of hope, and i *believe* him.

I finally have a leader whom i can proudly call *my* president.

Need some advice

I'm trying to solve a problem.

Tonight i was invited to go out with a few friends; head up to San Francisco for the night. I agonized over whether to go or not. Seems like every time i go to the city with people, i end up having zero fun. I just don't enjoy the bar/club scene, at least not as a single guy. I invariably end up wishing i'd stayed home, saved my money, spared my eardrums, and gotten a decent night's sleep instead.

But on the flipside, every time i turn down an invite to go out, i sit home feeling lonely, hating the fact that i'm "that guy" who could have been out with people, chose not to go, and then proceeded to feel sad.

Is there not a third option?

Segue. I hate it when someone complains endlessly about something instead of doing something about it. I especially hate when the person complaining is me; thus i'm trying hard to not be that person. Identify the problem, then find a solution.

What am i prattling on about? Well...ok, i just deleted a paragraph about social life and related nonsense. Allow me to skip the boolstrology get to the root, which is this: I don't want to be alone anymore. I'm not cut out to be a single guy; i really hate it, and i've never been any good at it. I'm surrounded by people who seem to have had no trouble with finding their partner in crime; i ought to be able to as well. The ideas i've tried have failed, so i need new ideas.

So here's the deal: If anyone is reading this and has any suggestions, i would love to hear them. I know that in the past i've tended to be resistant, responding with "Oh, i don't know" or "No, that'll never work." So this time, open mind. I'll try anything you suggest (within reason) unless i've tried it already and it didn't work out.

Thoughts?

Please help us defeat Prop 8

Hi!

Most of you know that i hate politics and i hate soliciting. The only reason i'm spamming you now is because this particular issue scares the hell out of me. Please read; i'll keep it short.

Earlier this year, the California supreme court ruled that same-sex marriages are legal. Yay for progress! But now we have Proposition 8 on the ballot which, if passed, would ban same-sex marriage by putting discrimination directly into the CA constitution.

Unfortunately the proponents seem to be winning, thanks to a successful campaign of scare tactics and lies (i'm not exaggerating). A lot of people are falling for this. Even worse, they're contributing a LOT of money which is funding a barrage of misleading ads.

I am asking you to please help us fight back, even if you don't live in California.

- If you live in CA, please vote NO on Prop 8 on Nov 4th.

- If you do not live in CA, maybe you could help spread the word by talking to friends or family members who do live here.

- I *really* hate to ask for money, but that seems to be making all the difference. If you could spare even a few dollars, every little bit helps. Donations are accepted at http://www.NoOnProp8.com/ .

- Feel free to add a banner to your blog or email signature; lots of nice banners can be found at http://keepmarriagelegal.com/ .


Lots of great info can be found at http://www.NoOnProp8.com/ , or feel free to ping me with questions or comments.

Thank you,
-Neilam

Seduced By The Opening Act

Amorphis with Samael & Virgin Black
10/12/2008 - Slim's - San Francisco, CA



I love surprises.

The atmosphere inside of Slim's struck me as soon as i passed through the doors. Gone was usual sea of bodies packed in like sardines; the venue's population was much sparser this night. The back half of the floor was set up with tables (!), and the place actually felt like a low-key bar with a dark and mellow tone set by the music. Oh, the music!

Virgin Black were on the stage, bathed in warm red light, playing low and slow; rich melodies dripping with dark energy and emotion. Listening to the songs on their myspace page does NOT do justice to this amazing band. Their live show captivated me.




I'm not sure how to categorize these guys; doom metal, maybe, with elements of symphonic and black metal. Much of their music is dark and introspective; gothic landscapes painted with orchestration and choirs. But they also pick it up at times and rock hard. Rowan London performs lush vocals ranging from beautiful operatic singing to low shrieks and sustained growls, each style fitting the songs like a puzzle piece.




I was also intrigued by their guitarist, Samantha Escarbe; her face was covered by her hair for most of the set (even as she rocked out) adding a mysterious allure to her presence. (Also reminded me a little of Samara from The Ring). Solid guitarwork. I later found out that she and London are the founding members and primary songwriters of the band.


i think she's cute


I felt like i'd been transported to a faraway land. As their set ended and i faded back into reality, i knew i'd discovered another gem. I actually met London briefly after the set, but i was too rattled to say more than "Great set; i love your vocals!".



...

I don't have much to say about Samael, who took the stage next. Pretty good as an industrial metal act, but i had to dock points because of their faux drumming. Most of the percussion was programmed, but their synth guy had half of a drumkit (a snare, a few toms & cymbals) next to his keyboards which he'd peroidically wail on. LAME. I mean i'm down with electronica, but if you're going to have three guys playing guitars on stage, you should hire a touring drummer as well.




I was also annoyed because the afformentioned fight club started up under the guise of a mosh pit. News flash, assholes - if there are only 4 of you and everyone else is clearly pissed off at your assholery, then you need to take it outside. Moshing requires crowdsourcing; willing participants not only inside the pit, but also forming the circle wall and surrounding buffer. Since i wasn't really feeling the band anyway, i found a new perch at the bar and watched the rest of the set from there.

...

Amorphis rocked the house. Melodic death metal band from Finland, they're yet another act who manage to balance rich melodies and heavy riffing, with vocals split between singing and growling. Their vocalist, by the way, wears an impressive set of dreadlocks that hang almost to his knees. And he wields an old-shool, announcer-style microphone. Nice.




I only recognized a handful of their songs (the ones from "Silent Waters", their latest), but i really enjoyed the set, especially some of their older stuff. I actually picked up one of their EPs when i was in college (from the cheap-o bin at a cd shop in East Lansing); i did like it but didn't get into the band past that. Now, many years later, i end up picking up their latest album after randomly hearing a song on a sampler collection, liking it enough to want to see them play live, and being inspired by the show to go back and check out some of their stuff between then and now; funny how things play out sometimes.






...

Great night, all in all. Amorphis definitely fired me up the most, but i'm still haunted by Virgin Black. I listened to a lot of their music online today, and picked out a couple of albums to start with.

And thus ends the current leg of my 2008 concert marathon - 6 shows in 6 weeks. It's been a lot of fun, but rather exhausting, so i'm looking forward to having a few weeks off before my next show. Then again, Iced Earth is playing next week, and Apocalyptica the week after that; even though neither are tier1 bands (yet), both are rather tempting. Hmmm.

Weekend notes

This weekend: Great music, terrible food.

I posit that the quality of a Little Caesar's Pizza is proportional to its proximity to the Illich family (aka Detroit). In Michigan? Friggin awesome pizza. Champaign? Also good. Here in Cali? Fucking terrible. I will never go to the LC in San Jose again.

What's worse, i was craving Jimmy John's all weekend, but the only one in Cali that i know of is in Fresno - 3 hours away. That is, 3 of the dullest, most mind-numbing hours of your life. The cornfields on the drive up I-57 are downright exciting by comparison.

But enough of that, on to the music. Fired up Rock Band 2 on Saturday night. Last weekend was rough because it was my first time playing the sequal, so i had 40 new songs to learn to sing, about half of which i'd never heard before. But i spent time "rehersing" during the week (yay for youtube and metrolyrics), so this time was much better. Well, it felt a lot better at least; hopefully my voice *sounded* better as well.

On top of that, my moment of triumph came towards the end of the night when fatigue claimed two of our players, leaving us with only three in the rotation. Before calling it a night, i wanted to attempt a power trio lineup with myself covering vocals and fake guitar. I daresey i held my own. I enjoyed the challenge of coordinating the two instruments, as well as the resulting praise from my friends. I did, of course, choose songs that i knew well enough to sing from memory so i could focus on the guitarwork:

The "Neilam Is An Attention Whore" setlist:
- Today (Smashing Pumpkins)
- Everlong (Foo Fighters)
- Don't Fear The Reaper (Blue Oyster Cult) (sadly, not enough cowbell)
- Wonderwall (Oasis)
- Creep (Radiohead)
- Livin' On A Prayer (Bon Jovi)

("I like to play...")

...

My recent buying spree has yielded a ton of new music to listen to, including Paramore's album "Riot!". I enjoyed the two songs of theirs i've played on Rock Band, and i figured it wouldn't hurt to have some more fun upbeat tunes in my collection for when i'm feeling punky & upbeat myself (hey, it happens once in a while). Hayley (their singer) reminds me a little of Avril Lavigne (and i mean that as a compliment - i like Avril).

So i had the album on in the car today and was totally blindsided by the song "Miracle". It's a simple enough tune, but the warm melodies just pull you in, and the lyrics kindof spoke to me:

"Now i've gone for too long
Living like i'm not alive
So i'm going to start over tonight
Beginning with you, and
I don't want to run from anything uncomfortable
I just want, no
I just *need* this pain to end right here"

Paramore - Miracle


I listened to the song at least a dozen times straight. I also love "That's What You Get" (embedded below), but i think "Miracle" may well have become "my" song.

Paramore - That's What You Get


...

And last (first?) but not least was Amon Amarth on Friday night - superior Viking death metal band from Sweden. They rocked hard; i really enjoyed their set, as well as Ensiferum's (their main support). However their second support act, Belphagor...i had a hard time taking them seriously. Which is pretty bad given that i can enjoy & appreciate a wide range of cheese metal that many people write off as a joke (e.g. Manowar). Great show overall, though. My photos didn't come out as well as my set from Bullet, but i got a few decent shots along with a couple of video clips (the sound quality on my digicam is surprisingly good).





...

Man, i've been trying to make these posts shorter, but right now i'm too sleepy to edit any more.

I so don't want to go to work tomorrow.

Metal Tuesday

First, i want to acknowledge that yes we're in a lot of trouble right now, but i don't have anything to say about the market/bailout/stupid-politics that hasn't already been said. So on to a topic which is heavy in a different way:

Today is METAL TUESDAY!! \m/ New releases from no less than THREE of my bands!

	Trivium - Shogun One of my white-tag bands; i've been eagerly awaiting this album for a *long* time!
	Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder Gods Viking death metal titans from Norway (i'm seeing them in concert this Friday!).
	Bleeding Through - Declaration The newest addition to my world, thanks to their awesome live show last week.

So i usually just order from Amazon or CM Distro, but since this is a special occasion (and we wants them now!) i decided to just hit a local Best Buy on my way to work.

I have to say, the Best Buy in Champaign is vastly superior. I've gone there on plenty of Tuesdays looking for a new album, and they'd always have a huge table covered with all of the new releases. Stacks of shiny new cds and dvds nicely lined up for easy browsing; you could march in, snag what you're looking for within 10 seconds, and be on your way.

The Best Buy here? Had no such table. Even worse, my cds were neither on the regular cd racks nor the "New Releases!" endcap (did i mention that Best Buy Champaign stocked both of those locations in addition to the big table?). I finally found a shelving cart tucked away in one of aisles and managed to dig through and eventually find what i wanted.

On the plus side, the cashier didn't ask for my phone number nor offer me 6 free issues of Sports Illustrated.

Cranked up the first few tracks of Trivium in the car and absorbed the rest at work...MAN it's a great album! Even better than "The Crusade", i think. I'm really digging the new Amon Amarth as well. I'm inclined to agree with the reviews i've read which mention that you're not likely to find any surprises on an Amon Amarth album, but they're so good at what they do that it doesn't matter. I think each album has sounded even richer and catchier than the previous one, and they've even started throwing in some nice guitar solos. Also for this album they invited guest musicians for several of the tracks, including Apocalyptica (heavy metal cello players).

I'm saving Bleeding Through for the drive home.

\m/

Bullet For My Valentine - 9/25/2008

Bullet For My Valentine, with Bleding Through & Black Tide
9/25/2008 - The Warfield - San Francisco, CA



I almost don't have the words. This was by far my best concert since Arch Enemy & Dark Tranquillity back in May. Kickass music, awesome audience, some pleasant surprises - just a great night overall. This is the kind of live show that i live for.

...

(Be forewarned, this may be long-winded; feel free to skim and/or just look at the photos (but do click on the little images to see their larger counterparts)).

So i've been hitting a lot of concerts this year, and right now i'm in the middle of a 6-week marathon with one show after another - fun but tiring. I felt like i was running out of steam last week at Children of Bodom/Black Dahlia Murder. Great bands, and they both played really well, but the show just felt par to me; i wondered if i'd taken on too much. But Bullet & co completely fired me back up! I did everything right, i think, and a lot of factors just came together nicely.

I managed to arrive at the venue exactly on time (instead of way early) - i walked through the door just as Black Tide was starting up. I saw them open up for All That Remains back in February and was only whelmed by these kids (yes, kids - their ages range from 14 to 19); i mean their guitarwork was great, but the vocals just bugged me.

So pleasant surprise #1 of the evening - i really enjoyed Black Tide's set! Maybe it was low expectations, or maybe Gabriel's voice has developed after 8 more months of puberty. And again, their music always has been good - solid tunes in the vein of old-school thrash. Whatever it was, i'll take it; good show, guys!





...

Fun sidebar: There's always pre-recorded music played between sets as the crews teardown/setup the stage for the next band. The tunes (chosen by the crew, i'd assume, or maybe the band) tend to run in same genre as the bands on the bill. At my shows this means a healthy mix of metal (both old and new) with maybe some Alice In Chains or AC/DC thrown in.

Tonight there was something different. After Black Tide's set, i heard something oddly familiar start up...the unmistakable intro of the song i made my own in the world of social dance. It was Michael Jackson's "Thriller". And there i was with nobody to lindy with :-( Even so, i had to fight the impulse to bust out some dance moves (it helped that the floor was concrete and thus no good for moonwalking). After "Thriller" came "Billy Jean" - turned out to be one of his singles collections; fortunately the soundchecks drowned out some of the lame ballads, and the crew was done by "Pretty Young Thing".

...

Bleeding Through was next. I've always liked their singles (and i saw them play in 2004 with Arch Enemy and Cradle of Filth), but they never caught my attention enough to buy a cd. I was a little anxious that their hardcore style would attract hardcore fans who would proceed to mosh improperly and ruin the floor for the rest of us (this happens at a lot of my shows).

Pleasant surprise #2 - i thoroughly enjoyed Bleeding Through as well! Their songs really fired me up, and the mosh was quite acceptable (i stayed out of the pit, mostly, except to use it as a travel conduit).





Midway through their set, Brandan announced that there would be a special guest joining on vocals for their next song...Robb from Machine Head! (Robb is from Oakland; i'm guessing he still lives here & is friends with the band). Nice!


Two screamers, no waiting!

So straight hardcore acts do nothing for me, but these guys also bleed (pun intended) thrash metal and even some industrial into their sound which makes for some interesting music. These elements translate really nicely into their live show; high-energy, aggressive, heavy rhythms, strong stage presence anchored by Brandan (screamer), Brian (lefty lead guitarist), and Marta (cute keyboard player).





Also, i think Jona (their other guitar player) looks a lot like Charlie from Lost. Anyone else see the resemblance?


"You All Everybody!"


Awesome set from Bleeding Through. Congrats, guys - you've been promoted to tier2 solid.

...

Finally it was time for Bullet For My Valentine! I've been wanting to see these guys for a looong time. I almost saw them back in 2005 at Rob Zombie & Lacuna Coil, but they were kicked off the tour before the Chicago date. I wasn't familiar with them at the time but the band caught my attention shortly thereafter and slowly grew into one of my tier1 favorites. I missed a few of their subsequent tours because of logistics (namely the 3+ hour drive to Chicago from Champaign). They did come right into San Jose this spring, but it was as part of an 8-band emofest which i decided wasn't worth the overhead.

So i was buzzing with anticipation when the house lights finally went down. The intro music started up, the guys slipped onto the stage one by one, then launched into the title track from their latest, "Scream Aim Fire". The floor exploded into motion, and i found out how good the night was about to get.






I absolutely loved their set. My favorite shows are the ones where i know most (if not all) of songs on the setlist, and this was definitely the case here. I knew they'd play most of my favorites, but the one song i *really* wanted to hear was "Hand of Blood" which they rocked towards the end of the night, to my elation. The setlist (not quite in this order) included:

- Scream Aim Fire
- 4 Words To Choke Upon (the four words, btw, are "Look...at...me...NOOWWW!")
- Suffocating Under Words Of Sorrow (one of my absolute favorites!)
- Eye Of The Storm
- Disappear
- Tears Don't Fall (wonderful singalong)
- Hit The Floor
- Waking The Demon
- Deliver Us From Evil (which Matthew wrote when he was going through some personal issues and trouble with his vocals (had to cancel shows and go through surgery))
- Hearts Burst Info Fire (such a wonderful warm song; i was surprised at how quickly it hooked me the first time i heard it).
- Hand Of Blood (yay!)
- Creeping Death (!)

Yes, that's right. For their final song of the night they covered "Creeping Death" by Metallica. Oh hell yeah! I couldn't have asked for a better closer! All of Metallica's old stuff rules, but "Creeping Death" is one of my personal favorites. It really does warm the heart to see so many new bands embracing (and paying tribute to) old Metallica - Trivium with "Master of Puppets", Black Tide with "Hit The Lights", Bullet with "Sanitarium" and "Creeping Death". And even more important that the next generation is keeping thrash alive. Death to nu-metal! Long live *good* metal!



(i love the shoulder-to-shoulder jam)
...

I enjoyed (and participated in) the mosh for the first time in a long while. Why? Because these kids are awesome. A far cry from the usual big shirtless assholes who seem to use concerts as an excuse to wail on each other. I mean really, if all you want to do is hurt people, join a fight club or enter into the bloody UFC. But Bullet clearly draws a much different audience. I hate to use the term "Hot Topic crowd", but i haven't seen this many young kids at a show before, all prettied up and amped for the band the way only teenagers can be.

And really, that's what it's all about. I felt these amazing surges of energy as song after song washed over me, and looking around i saw that my peers were feeling the same thing. It was *so* *much* that it just had to be expressed physically. I don't even want to call it moshing - it was old school, thrashing at its finest. Not three guys hitting each other and pissing off everyone around them, but the entire front of the floor jumping, bouncing, crashing through waves of movement, feeding off of the music and each other, loving every minute of it.





...

A few thoughts on the band's style. Bullet For My Valentine are sometimes classified as "emo" or "metalcore". This is quite inaccurate. Sure, maybe they have a few emo qualities. And maybe they do employ the some of the smooth riffing and catchy hooks of metalcore. But there's so much more to this band. I mean successfully rocking old Metallica is a proving ground all its own, but their metal underpinnings flow through all of their songs. Guitar solos. Good balance between clean vocals and screaming. Delicious melodies. And great songwriting, charged with emotion.

I heart this band. Every time i play one of their albums, it hits me all over again. And finally seeing them live has cranked them up yet another notch. Maybe even another candidate for my white-tag list.





...

My night belonged to Bullet, of course, but the bill was still 3 for 3 which is a rare gift (and even better as a surprise). This show has revitalized me; prepared me to take on my concert calendar for the next few weeks and, indeed, through the rest of 2008. Rock! \m/