Strolling Sound

Something About A Carrot

2011-09-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

Accounts of memories: articles, memoirs, photographs; capturing what’s in the past…all things beautiful, leaving a trail of me for you…

Ever feel like you’re jumping as high as you can to reach that juicy delicious carrot dangling in front of you, but someone somewhere is laughing and yanking it back at the last second? The defeatist perspective maybe, but when I was a kid, before the internet and computers, when you had to use your telephone or write a letter to communicate with someone who didn’t live in your neighborhood (and that wasn’t very long ago, I’m only 29) I would write letters to cousins, friends, grandparents, simply because I liked to write. I would neatly address the envelope, seal it, cover it with cute colorful stickers, and then give it to my mother.

“I’ll mail it tomorrow,” she would say, but I always had that feeling in the pit of my stomach which made me feel like a little green goblin with insomnia that'd finally fallen asleep under a nice wooden bridge, only to be abruptly awoken by trampling feet. Angry, frustrated, and defensive the goblin urged me to shout “WHY DON’T I BELIEVE YOU, JUST MAIL IT, IT'S NOT THAT DAMN HARD!”

But the green goblin never managed to escape, and instead slightly hopeful I would skip off, daydreaming of some far off fantasy land. My mother would think it was cute and put the letter on top of the fridge, it wasn't really her biggest concern, she always had bigger things to worry about. Besides, I was just a little girl who'd probably forget all about it, and she would try to remember to get around to it...eventually.

Much to my dismay, but not to my surprise, several months later I would find it, sitting there covered in dust amongst a pile of miscellaneous papers and other items, un-read. I would open it, knowing it was now out-dated, the words left stranded to shrivel like a saturated sponge tossed into the hottest of deserts. I would mourn the death of those words which never got to live and were now irrelevant, reading the letter my soul would lose a little light, exhaled in an exhausted sigh. I guess the person this letter was intended for will never know I was thinking about them, they’ll never know the story I so carefully crafted about that day at school. Why couldn’t she just mail it? Most times I wouldn’t say anything, and if I did it was a small whiney whimper, said with the voice of a sadly defeated eight year old, “I thought you said you were going to mail it?”

Nonchalantly, like it wasn’t that big of a deal, she would respond “sorry honey I completely forgot, write another one and I’ll be sure to send it out this time, I promise!”

Yeah right, it was useless, why was it so impossible to get a stamp? You could buy cigarettes but you couldn’t pick up some stamps? In these times I gained my strength from knowing the day would come when I was no longer forced to depend on her, or anyone for that matter. But then I grew up, and into a real “career” and I realized…wait…now I'm depending on my employer...for my pay cheque, my car, my rent, my vacation, damn it! Who tricked me!

Are we ever really free? I guess free is a state of mind…a feeling of joy, passion, love, purpose…how you feel when you’re cruising down the highway, away from the world which picks at you, away from the world which demands of you, headed towards the mountains, music cranked, wind in your hair, arm stretched out the window floating like ocean waves in the wind. Or when you’re laying beside the love of your life, contently enjoying a moment on a beautiful sunny day as you gently sway in a backyard hammock, staring at the clouds in the sky and commenting on the way they look as they peek through the branches of the trees…these things make me smile, and no one can dangle those feelings in front of me, no one. That’s what makes me free…

Remember that one time...?

2011-08-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

So you think it’s the music that gets you hooked? Addicted like a junkie, you’d sell anything of value just to get your fix, yup, that’s the ticket, but not the kind you inject, smoke or ingest, but the ticket that gets you into an experience you can share with thousands of others, whether you actually talk to the guy standing next to you or not, you can look at each other during a remarkably stellar guitar solo, smile, nod your head, and you’ve said it all; creating a sense of community, unity and pride.

My first adventure attending a music festival was Rockfest 1999 at Nova Scotia’s Shediac Can-Am Speedway. There were over 25,000 people converging on the entrance to the festival, it was a 30-40 minute walk in the scorching hot sun from the main road (where our friend who wasn’t attending pretty much kicked our asses out) but it didn’t matter, we were just happy to be there. I remember feeling like I had come home, like this was where I belonged, I was 16 years old and little did I know this would be the beginning of a life enhanced and influenced by the power of music. The energy was so alive; it was happy, peaceful and alive. You know the feeling, being surrounded by thousands of people all excited about the same thing, it’s absolutely invigorating.

I’ve been to a lot of festivals and there’s always something that wasn’t thought of or doesn’t quite go as planned, and this case was no exception…there were no free sources of water. Now of course vendors were selling it…at $2 a bottle (remember were talking 1999 here), but heat exhaustion was brewing and finally the bands had to demand that the festival managers provide fresh, free water or they would cease to play, and good on them, caring about their fans, that’s what I like to see! So the the problem was dealt with in the moment, as it should be, the show must go on!

Now luckily my friend and I didn’t have families who were too concerned about what we did in our spare time, no run of the mill Brady Bunch family would allow their 16 year old daughters to go on a weekend camping trip to an all age's music festival. We had a one man tent which we pitched in some gravel on the side of the road in the RV section…yeah…why we didn’t find the tenting area I have no idea, it’s not like we slept much anyway, we had no sleeping bags, no food, and no water; really we just had a few changes of clothing, some “goodies” and our smiling faces. Camping across the road from us was a group of VIP goers who had an amazingly huge, entirely stainless steel RV, complete with bathroom, refrigerator, and awning; to top it all off, the back of the RV was decked out with a very large Kiss tongue, complete with spikes of course. This group was in their mid to late thirties and they were a riot, they fed us (food and booze) all weekend, and most importantly…they got us into the VIP section (now, for any of you out there with minds in the gutter, and you know who you are, please note: no favors were completed in return for said food, liquor, or VIP access, these people were old enough to be our parents!). Two things you could easily get away with back in those days:
1) Talking your way (or your friends way) backstage or into VIP access, and
2) Convincing liquor and cigarette merchants you really are eighteen, proclaiming “You can trust me!”
Ahhh the good old days…wow I sound old…but anyway, this one solitary weekend would be the beginning of more than a decade of dedicated concert and festival attendance, complete with friends, memories, and copious clouds of tom foolery.

Some of the bands were Matt Good, Collective Soul, Big Wreck, Nazareth, Kansas, Styx, and ZZ Top amongst others. But of course it wasn’t always all about the bands; some shows and festivals are worth attending strictly for the sake of community, being a contributing factor to the building blocks which are always recreating the foundation of our music industry, to be a part of something which in your eyes is monumental. From sitting in circles in the grass passing around acoustic guitars (amongst other things) to watching a dirt covered speedway turn into a messy, wicked, Woodstock influenced mud pit during a large but brief thunderstorm, these ARE the good times.

I have always loved spontaneity; time spent is like a transaction with another person, you are exchanging bits of your life, passing moments back and forth. You can make a lifelong bond with another person simply by blowing up a raft and floating down the flooded roadways of your small home town in the middle of a record downpour, smiling, laughing, and singing as you merrily row along, amused as you watch the shocked and frantic faces of others running for cover.

My point is that it’s always the experience that matters most, when you go to a restaurant, when you go on vacation, when you go on a first date, therefore, the more bands and musicians aim to make their shows increasingly interactive, engaging, and outrageously contrasting in relation to past shows they’ve played, the more attention and following they are bound to create, what will they do next? But hey, that’s just my opinion as a fellow music lover.

"A rolling stone gathers no moss"

2011-06-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

"A rolling stone gathers no moss" is an old proverb dating back to the 1500's. Some think it means that if a person keeps moving, changing, growing, they will never lack creativity and will live a full life, which seems pretty positive and progressive. On the negative side (if there’s an up, there must be a down) a rolling stone is also said to be a drifter, a vagabond who never decides on anything, maybe this refers to a person who has no passion, purpose, or direction in life? The interpretations are numerous, but it's interesting to me to envision a single thought brought to form by one individual hundreds of years before, and the chain of events, the ripple effect that can create such a link in time.

I haven't been able to find any history behind the song "Rollin' Stone" (written by Muddy Waters) to confirm if it relates to this proverb, but there may be a link there, and in any case this song is what inspired Brian Jones (the original guitar player of The Rolling Stones, later replaced by Mick Taylor) to call the band “The Rolling Stones”. The lyrical innuendos referencing this saying are numerous and all seem to represent a peaceful yet sometimes sad feeling of freedom, independence, and discovery.

We’ve all heard in some form or another that change is necessary; season’s change, ways of thinking change, people change, and I believe stagnation makes life stale. My interpretation of this somewhat goes both ways, I think it's important to have a familiar stomping ground (or a home, whatever you want to call it) and to grow roots with the people you love and live with, to stay somewhat grounded, to encompass a strong social network. After all, I don’t believe humans weren’t meant to live solitary lives, we were meant to live in communities, with family and friends, neighbors and colleagues. And it's when were busy strengthening these roots that the moss slowly creeps in and grows over, and all the while we continue growing internally, being open to changing the way we perceive the world, the way we carve our thoughts, the foods we eat, music we listen to, clothes we wear, you get my point. I know it’s not something that’s way off in left field, after all this proverb has been around as far back as the 1500’s, but it was something that made me think, and I would be interested in hearing new age interpretations or variations of the saying.

So for now, just keep puttin' one foot in front of the other, and have a listen to this…

3rd Annual Amherst Independent Music Festival

2011-06-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

The 3rd Annual Amherst Independent Music Festival takes place Saturday, June 18 at 2:00pm - June 19 at 2:00am in Amherst, Nova Scotia. This event is an amazing display of what people across Canada are doing to support local Original Music. There are musicians attending from all across the Maritimes (many of which I haven’t seen but am stoked to check out), and some musicians coming from as far as west coast B.C. Every year this event gets a little more attention and well deserved recognition, you can get all the details about this event on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amherst-Independent-Music-Festival-AIMF/122330967845283); stay tuned for photos, reviews, and hopefully a few interviews!

Action Man Adam

2011-05-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Check out this awesome comic created about a local Canadian guy looking for love in New Zealand.

http://www.actionmanadam.com/

Very Entertaining!

A little thing called Mr. Ear Worm

2011-05-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

“Freedoms just another word for, nothing left to lose” -Janis Joplin

It’s been days now and, over and over again this worm inadvertently dances through my head, cane and top hat in check. I can’t help but attempt to analyze the emotion it may have buoyed to the surface of many a mind, especially my own.

Is it true when you have nothing left to lose you are free; you can start from scratch, no obligations, no responsibility, no attachments…would you feel free? Recalling my past there was a time when I had nothing but two small bags of clothing and a few dollars in my pocket, no credit, no job, little pride and no intended direction, just a string of greyhound bus tickets to somewhere I’d never been. But I still had something to loose, I had a brother and a friend, they were my life line, and at the time I felt if I let go, one of us might drown, I had companionship left to lose. What if that weren’t the case, would I have traveled the world, maybe started a life of my own instead of feeling the necessity to remain with the herd, it was me that held those sheep together, they who clung to me, should have just cut the cord, sink or swim bitches. Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve, anyway, back to my point.

I suppose if you can let go of it all and truly have nothing left to lose you grant yourself the freedom to follow your heart, whether you do or not is a pivotal choice I think we all make at one time or another. But maybe it’s the misguided search for freedom that keeps some people trapped, lost in their own web. I sometimes think it’s what made my mother run away so often, from people and places, moving every six to twelve months, frantically looking for that escape route, chasing that delusional pot of gold, arms stretched out, over and over again just like that earworm, disregarding her heart for fear of what it might say. Comparable is the story of my brother, living on the streets for the past year you would think he had nothing left to lose, but oh he does; his struggle with alcohol, his need to cling to it like a baby to a soother, it’s easier to look away and never face those fears, bury them in the dirt, forget them there. If he could face his dismay he could overcome the need to hide behind the booze and maybe at least see the possibility of attaining some freedom. Then again, maybe to him, this life is freedom.

What would you do, where would you go, if you had zip, zilch, zero right now?

The power of a song, a story, a picture, so vastly indefinable, immeasurable, unpredictable, such a monumental ability to evoke meaning, to pluck at the heart strings within us. Music gets us through so many of the hills and valleys in life, maybe because we know someone, somewhere; can relate in some way.

Now, if I passed Mr. Ear Worm along to you, listening to Janis belt it out might just help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTHRg_iSWzM

Calgary bands...ready and willing.

2011-03-10T13:13:00.000-08:00

"Bloom" Performing Live 2011

Indie…the word many are using to describe fresh new local bands. The debate I hear a lot on the subject is the question of whether “Indie” is a specific sound, or whether it simply means independent original music free of a major label. I personally stand with the latter definition and use the word with this connotation in mind.

Mediums in technology have taken music promotion to a whole new level, instead of major record labels and form forcing promoters who know little about new music and the creative foot artists can set off on (with the liberty that comes from being independent), bands are taking control of their music careers using the internet as a key factor in promotion (Reverb Nation, You Tube, Twitter, Facebook, the list goes on). Along with touring and networking indie bands are also finding local studios to assist in the production of their albums.

The potential here is cosmic; how far each band goes ultimately depends on their individual dedication, perseverance, and hard work. It’s a tight knit community which appears to be taking on a positive, never give up attitude while working hard to provide mutual support at CD release parties, promotional events, and frequent exciting line-ups.

A lot of indie bands have been faced with a lack of venues which support and represent original music; being told they just don’t generate guaranteed revenue such as that sometimes provided by a cover band. However, things have improved slightly in the past few years and I think we really are on to something here, we will hit that mark in the sand, we just have to keep the momentum going, keep pushing that swing higher until it rolls over the bar at the top, repeatedly.

As of February 20, 2011 the Blind Beggar Pub began hosting an Original Music Showcase (http://www.blindbeggarpub.com/events_oms.php) which includes 30 local independent Calgary bands. There are 3 bands playing every Sunday with some great sponsors, prizes, and networking opportunities. The SteveyRae Show spoke with the first three bands last Sunday and will have interviews posted weekly at http://www.steveyrae.com/.

“Keep on rockin in the free world” – Neil Young

Check out the new Web Site!!

2010-09-01T11:06:00.001-07:00

http://www.wix.com/steveyraeshow/steveyraeshow

Seventh Rain take home $200,000 from Amp's 2010 Rockstar Competition

2010-08-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

http://www.myspace.com/7thrain
The winners of Amp 90.3's 2010 Rockstar competition Seventh Rain take home $200,000. Check them out on myspace!

"Cowtown" August 13, 2010 at the Ironwood Stage and Grill

2010-08-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

     The Ben Rose Wedding Band recently held the release of their new CD “Cowtown” at well known Calgary folk music venue The Ironwood Stage and Grill which feels alot like an auditorium that serves great food rather then a typical music venue; it consists of one large room focused around a large stage at the back, high ceilings, and a surprising amount of light. When I arrived there was only one small table left towards the front right of the stage, which of course I assumed was meant for me. The room was busy with chatter in anticipation for a relaxed evening of entertainment from a musician most of the audience had seen before and could familiarize with.

     The band features Ben Rose, a powerful singer with a prominent vocal range (and a great whistler I might add) accompanied by a full band including several back up singers. They played songs off the new album with a natural ease that lets you know these guys aren’t first timers. Ben’s father Chuck Rose (also a gifted musician) joined him on stage to harmonize and play harmonica on several songs, and maybe it’s just me, but a great harmonica player can make you forget anything that might be stirring in your head and truly exist in that moment. Half way through the show they introduced a professional burlesque dancer named Rica Shae, and in my experience unless you’re at an outdoor music event or festival where anything goes, this is definitely something rare to see. Rica Shae undeniably held the attention of the crowd and in the end was wearing nothing but nipple tassels and a bikini bottom. The band went on to perform classic pop and audacious folk beats from the new album such as, “Cowtown’s a Small Town,” which is an upbeat depiction of how Calgary can feel much like a small town.

     Prior to the show I had several questions I knew I had to ask Ben, “is the name reflective of the project, does a wedding band play strictly weddings, and do you play original tunes?” His response stated that yes they do play weddings, but they most definitely also play other venues and shows. Ben is an original singer/songwriter well known around Calgary, and states that it actually took him 10 years to finish this, his first official CD. He is extremely passionate about music in general; it is his full time job! His current project involves his own works along with rousing renditions of classic cover tunes. You can learn more about Ben, hear some tunes, or book him for your wedding / reception at: http://www.benrose.ca/.

On This Day...

2010-08-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

On this day in 1999 Kiss received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

Off the Dial

2010-08-11T09:42:00.000-07:00

Check out Off The Dial, its a great resource for music lovers; with CD Reviews, Upcoming gig dates, Interviews, Pod casts, and more!

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

2010-06-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

On This Day...

2010-03-19T07:48:00.001-07:00

In 1962 Bob Dylan released his self-titled debut album!

2010-02-10T14:01:00.000-08:00

Check out the Original Music Showcase hosted by the Blind Beggar Pub in Calgary just off of 50th and Macleod Trail SW. With sponsors from 90.3 Amp Radio, Kokanee, Axe Music, AB Records, and 3WestTV this event runs every Sunday starting February 28, 2010 at 7pm and continuing straight through until the Kokanee Awards party which takes place on Sunday May 23, 2010.
This original music showcase hosts 3 local bands each night that will compete for awesome prizes, publicity, studio time, and much, much more, not to mention an entry into the “Rockstar 2010 Competition.” The line-up includes an extensive list of local up and coming bands, many of which you are sure to have heard or seen around town (and if you haven’t…well, you need to get out more often).

You really don’t want to miss out on this event, after all this is a competition and you can be sure the energy will be high and the bands will be rockin top notch. You can get all of the info at: http://blindbeggarpub.com/events_oms.php

Seven Shots from Sober with Long Story Short

2010-02-03T17:16:00.000-08:00

Come down to the Blind Beggar this Friday February 5th and check out what is sure to be an epic show. Long Story Short includes band members Jesse Oddan ( Lead Guitar / Vocals ) Josh Schneider ( Bass Guitar / Backup Vocals ) and Greg Sutherland ( Drums / Backup Vocals ). This will be there first show but is sure to be a high energy experience, these guys have been delivering tickets for the last few weeks and are dedicated to making this a memorable first show. Check out their myspace page at: www.myspace.com/bandlongstoryshort

Headlining the night is Seven Shots from Sober with Brian Gibbs (Guitar/Vocals) John Vertz (Bass), and Mark Rossi (Drums/Backing Vocals). You can check out thier myspace page at: www.myspace.com/sevenshotsfromsoberab

This is sure to be a great night!
Cheers!

On this day...

2010-02-02T12:54:00.000-08:00

The time passed since his death may be greater then the time Sid Vicious (born Simon John Ritchie) was alive, dying 30 years ago at the young age of 21 on February 2, 1979. And as so many rockstars we’ve seen come and go at such a young age he is obviously one of those who’s memory can never be entirely eroded with the passing of time.

Starting off as a busker playing the tambourine alongside Johnny Rotten, Sid was propelled into musical groups starting with "The Flowers of Romance" and of course making his mark with the "Sex Pistols" until their break up in January of 1978. Vicious then embarked on a solo project working with musicians such as Mick Jones from the Clash, original Sex Pistols bass player Glen Matlock, and several others. The Sex Pistols manager Michael McLaren once stated, “If Johnny Rotten is the voice of punk, then Vicious is the attitude.” It was recognized by musicians that worked with Sid, music critiques, and even by Sid himself that he really wasn't that great of a bass player, although he did constantly work to improve, it really was his charisma, image, and attitude that carried him to punk rock stardom.

At what point it all spun out of control remains Sid’s legacy. His life settled into a downward spiral following the events which occurred on the tragic evening of October 12, 1978 which led to the stabbing and death of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. Sid was charged with her murder and when confronted spewed several stories from admitting to stabbing her to stating she fell on the knife. Speculative information reveals that to no surprise it may have been a drug deal gone wrong leading to confrontation and ultimately Nancy’s death, but of course this will always remain only that, speculation.

Sid was released on bail February 2, 1979 while he awaited trial for the murder of Nancy. That night Sid’s mother oddly enough purchased heroin in celebration of Sid being released on bail. Because Sid had detoxed in jail it didn’t take much for him to overdose, he died that night in his bed. It was later admitted by Sid’s mother that she knowingly gave her son enough heroin for him to overdose stating, “There was no way that Sid would have been able to cope with life behind bars.”

The following note was found in the pocket of Sid’s jacket succeeding his death:

“We made a death pact, and I have to accomplish my part of the deal. Please bury me next to my baby. Please bury me with my leather jacket, jeans and motorcycle boots. Goodbye. With love, Sid.”

The Rumors are true...The Warehouse and the Underground closed for good!

2010-01-28T11:20:00.000-08:00

Wow...after suspension of their liquor license last week owner of the Warehouse Chris Hewitt confirms that after 26 years of providing Calgarians with a hub for music of all genres the doors of the Warehouse and the Underground have officially closed for good. It seems the AGLC has had issues with the business for the past several years and decided to spring an unexpected suspension on the club on a Friday night forcing the club to turn away patrons for the weekend. Upon suspension of their license they were informed that this would also affect their business license and that they would no longer be zoned appropriately to be a night club, on top of that the age of the building would in no way pass a building inspection without extensive repairs. Owner of the Warehouse Chris Hewitt makes the following statement:

There has obviously been much speculation after the surprise suspension of our liquor licence last weekend by the liquor board but I'm sorry to have to officially confirm all the rumours. The Warehouse and The Underground are closed permanently as of today.

After nearly 26 years in operation as a private club, the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission began having an increasing number of issues with the business in the last 2 years. Despite a great deal of dialogue with them, they saw fit to surprise us with a visit last weekend and suspend our licence at 8:45 PM, a mere 15 minutes before opening on a Friday night and clearly at a time when there was nothing that could be done about it. It is certain that they were aware of the severe financial impact this would have on the business but their stance is that they acted "as soon as they were able to do so".

Unable to argue, we closed for the weekend and then met with Calgary Police and City officials on Tuesday. They informed me that the loss of our liquor licence affected our business licence by association and that our premises would no longer be zoned correctly to be a nightclub as it had always been designated as a private club/ restaurant in accordance with our special status, originally administered in 1984. As the liquor board was forcing us to apply for a different class of licence, the private club tag would no longer be suitable for our usage. Applying to have the premises re-zoned would be a 7 week waiting period with no guarantee of success and a staggering series of costs associated with the process as well as an endless list of inspections that a building the age of The Warehouse would simply never pass.

All of these factors combined at a very difficult time for the club as a new lease was also in the process of being negotiated with a new landlord. His goal was to revitalize the building and he was open to having The Warehouse be a part of that process but requested some serious renovations to bring the room up to date. There would also have been an enormous jump in the monthly lease cost.

When faced with all of these issues, there was only one clear and unfortunate decision to have to make. With so many unanswered questions, resistance from every form of bureaucrat imaginable and a need for far more money than the club will ever have, The Warehouse has had to call it a day.

Clearly this is very distressing for everybody involved but there were simply no options. There will be a massive hole in the Calgary nightlife now, no matter how anybody felt about the club. After countless numbers of amazing live shows and DJ events, few clubs will ever boast the kind of history that The Warehouse had been making for over 2 1/2 decades. Almost everybody in the city had been there at least once and many of you had been there dozens of times.

There are far too many people that I would need to thank individually after so many years at the club. I can say that the business never would have survived for 26 years without the hard work and dedication of all the staff, management and promoters involved. Equal thanks is owed to all of you for coming out and supporting the many concerts and events week after week. The club's notoriety reached far beyond the edge of our city and we were all a part of that.

I had an amazing time at the club. Most of my adult life had been spent DJing, managing and owning The Warehouse. In 11 years there, it certainly contributed a great deal to the person I am today. I met good people, heard great music and had countless wonderful nights. I'm honestly not sure what will happen next in the club scene for me, if anything at all, but I can't say for certain that I will never try it out again... just not for a while.

If any of you are ever looking for a little bit of The Warehouse spirit and feel like some good live music or just a few drinks, you're welcome to come down and visit me at Dickens Pub any time.

Chris Hewitt

Motley Crue - The Dead Of Winter Canadian Tour - with special guests Joe Perry Project and Airbourne

2010-01-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

I'm sure some fans out there would say this was one of the greatest shows they had ever attended; I can see the passion in the way their arms flail in the air whilst they so proudly adorn there 80's style hair and outfits. However, not actually ever being a fan of the band, but an overall lover of all music, it was a great event to attend and was everything I expected it to be.

As the saddledome slowly filled up Australia's Airbourne took the stage to start off the night. They had great energy and definitely knew how to rock their long dreads, they seemed to connect with eachother and perform in sync. Airbourne...AC/DC reborn...their sound so strongly resembled that of a young AC/DC that you could have literally closed your eyes and imagined them on stage.

Next up was the Joe Perry Project...which is evidently called this for the reason that it really is all about Joe Perry, obvious by the focus of the spotlight remaining on him throughout most of the show. He played lead guitar as well as some back-up vocals while his lead singer graciously fell into the background. It's a pretty strange sight to see a lead singer pick up a tambourine while the guitar player takes the mic for a song, but he rocked that tambourine, and that clearly takes integrity. They played several Aerosmith songs which were average at best without Steven Tyler.

And finally Motley Crue took the stage, and well...were Motley Crue. Vince Neil rocked the high notes just as you would expect him too and they played alot of old material which the crowd loved. Drummer Tommy Lee probably provided the most memorable part of the show when he decided it was time to get some of the spot light by running out into the crowd and doing a few shots with some of the fans.

Overall an okay show, not one that will stand out by any means as I look back on concerts and live shows I've attended in past.

Music for relief in Haiti

2010-01-27T18:11:00.001-08:00

Check out Music for relief, a compilation of unreleased music by Linkin Park, Dave Matthews Band, Peter Gabriel, Alanis Morissette, Slash, The All-American Rejects, Hoobastank, Kenna, Enrique Iglesias and Lupe Fiasco, donate whatever you can and 100% of the proceeds will go to aid those effected by the earthquake in Haiti.

Grohl Singing Creed

2010-01-22T11:34:00.000-08:00