CONCERT

I'm a little late getting this one posted but what the hell. Me and 3 guys from the office here made the trip to Montreal to see Judas Priest and Anthrax at the Bell Centre. We drove up Tuesday and arrived around 9 pm just in time for some beverages before we headed off to bed. Early to rise and I'm not feeling the best. Seems I had a little too much to drink (dumbass). One day to spend in Montreal and I spend it feeling like absolute shite.

Anyway, after roaming around miserably in downtown for 8 hours we went to the concert. Not a sell out by any means but it was great. Anthrax kicked my ass all over the joint. I saw them open for Iron Maiden years ago on their Persistance of Time tour but I'd forgotten the shear energy these guy have during a show. Mostly did stuff from the Among the Living album and a few others from various other classics.

Judas Priest, what can I say, the metal gods indeed. Rob was just getting over a case of influenza but that didn't stop him from screaming out like a banshee. You could tell he was hurting a bit but besides that it was excellent. The only dissappointing thing, for me anyway, is that they didn't play "the Green Manalishi". The set consisted of all the same stuff they played at Ozzfest last year (same stage as well) except they added 4 new ones from the new album "Angel of Retribution", Awesome!

After the concert we (Mike) drove the whole way back to truro while we slept in the back seat. What a trooper.

CONCERT

Went to see the Rolling Stones last weekend in Moncton New Brunswick, haha. Imagine! Anyway, it was awesome. I'm not a Stones fan but I always said if they came close enough I would go see them, so i did. Went up the night before with my concert bud Travis and spent the night in a campground about 5.5 km away from the concert site. Drank some beer with a newfie in the next campsite and hit the sack rather early cause concert day was gonna be tiring. Next morning, after a huge breakfast, we packed up outr booze and headed for the campsite where all our Brookfield pals were staying. We were suppose to pay 40 bucks to get into their campsite but we thought sneaking in would be better, and it was. After I consumed a quart of rum we headed to the concert. I was very drunk when we got there and don't recall any of the opening acts (thank christ, cause they sucked ass). When the Stones came on it was very sobering and I remember the whole thing, haha. They were copmpletely awesome and I was a bit starstruck i think. The shear enormity of these guys is just amazing. Luckily, we were close enought that we didn't have to look at a big screen all night (did I mention that this concert has 85,000 people at it). After the show, Travis and I walked all the way back to our campsite (5.5 km) and needless to say we were ready for some sleep. I would so it all again tomorrow.

NEW COVER BAND!

I joined a new cover band a while back. I haven't played in a cover band for over 10 years so I had alot of tunes to learn. I've never played any of the new rock stuff that is out there like Nickelback, Matchbox 20 or Collective Soul. Actually the last songs I had to learn for a band like this was "Smells like teen spirit" and "Enter Sandman", they were new releases at the time, ha. Anyway, I'm enjoying it and making a bit of money at the same time.

I sold my drumset and ordered a new one over three months ago and the new one still hasn't arrived from the Tama warehouse. I think this will be the last Tama kit I purchase from them slow bastards. Luckily for me, I bought a Yamaha Electric drumset back in March so at least i got something to practice on.

MUSIC

It seems ever since Ozzfest last year I've been broadening my horizons quite a bit in the metal genre. My newest favourite band is a group from Scandinavia called WOLF. I wouldn't listen to them a few years ago because I thought their CD covers were the worst thing I had ever seen. DO NOT JUDGE A "CD" BY IT"S COVER. These guys rule and if you're into old school metal like Maiden and Priest you should be buying this shit. I read about them in BW&BK. They made the top 40 albums of 2004 or something and I'm glad I went out and bought it after than. "Evil Star" is the CD I bought and I've been collecting the rest of their catalogue ever since.

NEW JOB

The new job is awesome. It's been 2 months and I'm still likeing it, lol. It's also been about that lonjg since I blogged, oh well. Anyway, things are great from a career point of view.

I QUIT !!!!!!

Well, I quit my job last friday, how cool is that.  I've never done anything like that before, it's kinda scary.  Anyway, I've been here working for 8.5 years of my life and I've finally had enough.  Gotta move on I say.  If you knew what this company was like you would move on as well.  The "managers" of this office like to procrastinate a bit.  I put in for a raise on May 7/04 and they said it wouldn't be a problem.  Last thusday (payday) my raise still didn't show on my check.  To hell with them I say!  I will get a raise by leaving this god-forsaken place for another company that will appreciate what I do.  I'm moving on to bigger and better things.

 

MOVIE REVIEW - ANCHORMAN

This movie kicked soooooo much ass.  I love this guy, he freakin' kills me.  The weather guy was quite funny as well but I thought Will Farrell still owned the show.  Alot of people are saying that the weatherman stole the show but I tell them to "eat my ass".  I won't spoil anything for ya but I will say that the phonebooth scene and the flute solo were my favourite parts, you'll know what I'm talking about when you see it.  GET OUT AND SEE IT BEFORE IT'S GONE!!!!!!

OZZFEST 2004

Just got back from Mansfield. Such a brilliant show. My review won't be as detailed but here it is:

We were tailgaiting til about 12:30 and went in to catch Lacuna Coil. I don't care what anyone says, I really enjoy these guys and they put on a good show.

Lamb of God kicked some ass altho I spent some time at the "double kick" competition at the Tama tent during their set.

Hatebreed impressed the hell outta me. I was never really a fan but I think I might buy a CD.

Slipknot was insane. At this time we were about 15-20 feet away from the stage and we were getting crushed. People were chanting for water before they came on, we didn't get any. When they hit the stage it felt like all the air in my lungs was expelled because of the crushing of the croud. I've been to alot of concerts over the years but I have never witnessed anything like this in my life. My hat is off to the 12 year old that was beside me, he spent the first 2 songs with his head in my armpit. After 2 songs I had to slowly back away from the stage, I hate to admit that I'm old but i just couldn't take it, I was exhausted. We backed up a bit and watched the rest from there.

Black Label Society were tight and sounded great. Wish their time slot was a little longer since we missed the first 2 songs fetching water to replenish the system.

Superjoint Ritual were interesting. I have both their albums and I love the band but it seems that Phil was spending to much time trying to sell his new band to the audience. "Ain't this the best band you ever heard in the fuckin' world" he said at 1 point and their seemed to be some digs towards damageplan a few times as well. Oh well, they were great anyway.

Dimmu Borgir were very cool to see. I'm a new fan of these guys, I only own "death cult armageddon" so there was some stuff I didn't know and they were "wicked hard" as they would say in Boston.

Judas Priest ruled the roost for me. Rob still wails. Tipton and Downing still shred and Scott Travis just plain rulez! The set was a little slow paced at first (physically), Halford wasn't moving around much, but after they got rolling it just freakin' ruled!

Black Sabbath: for me, these guys shouln't have been on after Priest. I realize it's ozzfest but it just seemed like a step back. Alot of the adrenaline was sucked outta the crowd. They put on a great show tho. Ozzy seemed like he was in better shape, physically, than he was when I saw him last year but his vocals were not very good. I think maybe the sabbath stuff is too high for him to sing anymore. he sang Black Sabbath quite brilliantly tho. Something else that bothered me was that I could hear a guitar continuing the riffs behind a couple of the guitar solos. Now maybe it was just my ears playing tricks with Geezer's bass sound but it definitely sounded like a guitar, I was wearing earplugs so it's easier to pick stuff like that up....did anyone else hear anything like that????

That's about it for me. This was my first Ozzfest and hopefully not my last.

Items Purchased:
DVD - May (horror flick)
CD - Judas Priest - Metalogy Box Set
CD - Tad Morose - Modus Vivendi
SHIRT - Ozzfest 2004
SHIRT - Judas Priest
TOY - Pinhead Bobblehead
TOY - Alien Bobblehead
TOY - Timmay!!! talking stuffed toy (complete with operational wheelchair)