Last weekend was a blast with my daughters. We spent last Saturday at our local theme park, Adventureland. The girls and I, along with a roommate, arrived there about 10:45AM. We went on some pretty tame rides except for a couple of rollercoasters, had lunch and then went back to another area of the park. The rain started in about 3:15pm so we decided to head to the tent for the 4pm circus. We were hoping the rain would blow over. The circus was great. They had a magician that had an assistant who did these fantastic outfit changes. There was a woman who did some awesome rope and swing work. There was a horse trick. A guy who wakled inside a wheel and outside a wheel as it spun around. The finale was two motorcycles in a ball shaped cage. This is great stuff for a theme park circus. After the circus, the rain had mostly subsided and then quit. The roommate had to take off and as we were walking toward the front of the park we ran into a couple of ladies that work with the same company and go to my church. They had their daughters with them so the entire evening was spent letting the kids run around and go on all the rides they want to. It was quite fun for me, too, as the older kids wanted to go on the more exciting rides. I didn't tuck my girls into bed until 10:45pm. We almost closed that park down.
On Sunday, we celebrated my youngest daughter's birthday. She turned 8 a week before, but this was our first chance to celebrate. The oldest made the cake with absolutely no help at all and it turned out great. The big gift was a trip to the mall and some money to shop with. Paige loves to shop so this was the best gift she could have gotten. She bought a purse and some makeup to keep at my house. We also got some gourmet ice cream to take home to eat with the cake. She loved how we celebrated with her, so that felt good. She has such girly tendencies that as a dad it's hard to figure out what would really be exciting for her. The oldest is more obvious about what she'd like, which is nice and easy for me.
Two great days in a row and not much sleep, but it was definitely worth it.
I've been needing to do some other posting on here. I have some great political posts to put up and some more autobiographical things to post about. I hope to get some of that done in the next couple of days.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Toto In Altoona, IA
I went to Prairie Meadows to see Toto in a free concert tonight. The venue has VIP seating and an area you can set lawn chairs in. Those of us that want to stand and rock out are relegated to the far left of the seated area. I had a decent view of the side of the stage and the band did play to us a bit. I'd still have rather been down front trying to give back some energy to the band as they played their hearts out. The audience was mostly people my parents' age. So many gray haired 50-60 year old and they stayed seated through just about every song except Rosanna and Africa.
The band really put on a tight show. They tried to put some energy out there for the crowd and it was a crowd. This was a really good turnout. It took a lot of work to get people to stand, but the band worked the crowd. They opened with the rocker Falling In Between and then King Of The World from their new CD. I'm not sure of the title of the third song, but it was an older one and really good. They then went into the new Bottom Of Your Soul. This is a great song from the new CD Falling In Between. I love the lyrics "why is it always the ones that you love are the ones who will never come home...why is it all of the bridges we cross take their toll". What a powerful thought and a great way to put it.
There were some technical difficulties with one of the keyboards so while the techs figured it out the rest of the band was led into Hendrix's Little Wing by Steve Lukather. They just jammed this song out and it gave Steve an opportunity to show of some of his influences.
Make Believe got the band back into their set groove and they led directly into Hold The Line. This was the first time the crowd seemed to sing along. During other tunes you could see a few people mouthing the words, but you could actually hear them shout this chorus. The crowd sat back down for Stop Lovin' You, I'll Be Over You, and a tune I wasn't familiar with that really rocked.
The crowd was finally rewarded with another old favorite in Rosanna. The band really jammed this out with a keyboard solo leading into a guitar turn and even a few measures of a drum solo by the great Simon Phillips. These guys are phenomenal. They finished out their set with I Won't Hold You Back and Through The Fire.
After the band left the stage, an Africa chant started up behind me. It took just a few minutes, but Toto returned to the stage with Afraid Of Love and then the payoff, Africa. People were dancing in their aisles and singing along as Toto gave them what they wanted to hear.
Simon Phillips has played for everyone from Tears For Fears to Joe Satriani to Pete Townsend and Roger Daltry. This guy is a powerhouse on the drums and it just goes to show in a live situation why he is so desired in the studio. Tony Spinner is a talent I was unfamiliar with, but I did find out that he did some playing with Paul Gilbert of Mr. Big. He does a great job with guitar duties and even a vocal for Toto. Mike Porcaro is smooth as silk and equally as powerful on the bass. He makes everything look so easy with the complex rhythms that Toto utilizes. Greg Phillinganes sets up the mood of each song with some atmospheric playing, some horn punctuations, and some awesome piano all done on a very slick keyboard rack. Greg has such an accomplished record playing for George Benson, Christina Aguilera, Babyface, Anita Baker, The Bee Gees, The Carpenters, Mariah Carey, and host of others like Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Kenny Loggins and Stevie Wonder. His voice and playing were spot on. Speaking of voices, the man with the power and emotion, Bobby Kimball, was in fine form. He still hits the notes that put most singers to shame and makes it seem effortless. The master of ceremonies, Steve Lukather, is the heart and soul of Toto. The man can switch from style to style effortlessly while still letting his influences shine through. He is a true guitar hero. There isn't a weak link in this band. All are accomplished and the really cool thing is that they bring these talents together to make great songs. This isn't a band that is interested in cranking out 3 minute pop tunes, but a band that wants to hook you from beginning to end and take you through a range of emotions high and low.
Get the new CD Falling In Between. Get the new 25th Anniversary DVD. Go see the live show. They don't tour the US that much so do it while you can. I did and it was FREE!
The band really put on a tight show. They tried to put some energy out there for the crowd and it was a crowd. This was a really good turnout. It took a lot of work to get people to stand, but the band worked the crowd. They opened with the rocker Falling In Between and then King Of The World from their new CD. I'm not sure of the title of the third song, but it was an older one and really good. They then went into the new Bottom Of Your Soul. This is a great song from the new CD Falling In Between. I love the lyrics "why is it always the ones that you love are the ones who will never come home...why is it all of the bridges we cross take their toll". What a powerful thought and a great way to put it.
There were some technical difficulties with one of the keyboards so while the techs figured it out the rest of the band was led into Hendrix's Little Wing by Steve Lukather. They just jammed this song out and it gave Steve an opportunity to show of some of his influences.
Make Believe got the band back into their set groove and they led directly into Hold The Line. This was the first time the crowd seemed to sing along. During other tunes you could see a few people mouthing the words, but you could actually hear them shout this chorus. The crowd sat back down for Stop Lovin' You, I'll Be Over You, and a tune I wasn't familiar with that really rocked.
The crowd was finally rewarded with another old favorite in Rosanna. The band really jammed this out with a keyboard solo leading into a guitar turn and even a few measures of a drum solo by the great Simon Phillips. These guys are phenomenal. They finished out their set with I Won't Hold You Back and Through The Fire.
After the band left the stage, an Africa chant started up behind me. It took just a few minutes, but Toto returned to the stage with Afraid Of Love and then the payoff, Africa. People were dancing in their aisles and singing along as Toto gave them what they wanted to hear.
Simon Phillips has played for everyone from Tears For Fears to Joe Satriani to Pete Townsend and Roger Daltry. This guy is a powerhouse on the drums and it just goes to show in a live situation why he is so desired in the studio. Tony Spinner is a talent I was unfamiliar with, but I did find out that he did some playing with Paul Gilbert of Mr. Big. He does a great job with guitar duties and even a vocal for Toto. Mike Porcaro is smooth as silk and equally as powerful on the bass. He makes everything look so easy with the complex rhythms that Toto utilizes. Greg Phillinganes sets up the mood of each song with some atmospheric playing, some horn punctuations, and some awesome piano all done on a very slick keyboard rack. Greg has such an accomplished record playing for George Benson, Christina Aguilera, Babyface, Anita Baker, The Bee Gees, The Carpenters, Mariah Carey, and host of others like Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Kenny Loggins and Stevie Wonder. His voice and playing were spot on. Speaking of voices, the man with the power and emotion, Bobby Kimball, was in fine form. He still hits the notes that put most singers to shame and makes it seem effortless. The master of ceremonies, Steve Lukather, is the heart and soul of Toto. The man can switch from style to style effortlessly while still letting his influences shine through. He is a true guitar hero. There isn't a weak link in this band. All are accomplished and the really cool thing is that they bring these talents together to make great songs. This isn't a band that is interested in cranking out 3 minute pop tunes, but a band that wants to hook you from beginning to end and take you through a range of emotions high and low.
Get the new CD Falling In Between. Get the new 25th Anniversary DVD. Go see the live show. They don't tour the US that much so do it while you can. I did and it was FREE!
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Waterstock 2006
Bigger, better, and still room for improvement! That would sum up my take on Waterstock 2006. The main bands Quiet Riot, Dokken, Cinderella, and Poison were the best lineup Waterstock has seen in its three forms. There is talk of next year being a two day festival. An attendance record was set this year and it was no surprise since Poison and Cinderella were bringing their 20th Anniversary show to Des Moines. The young bands Endeverafter and Lorenzo were also fantastic and hung around much of the day to get their names out by visiting with music lovers. Cover bands Cold Filtered and Night Train had a sizeable chunk of the crowd getting into familiar favorites with Cold Filtered doing some original tunes, as well.
The schedule was completely thrown off, but it may have been for the better. Where Endeverafter was supposed to play the side stage at 11:30AM, things were actually kicked off by Lorenzo on the side stage. Lorenzo came out to play a 30 minutes set and then were going to meet at the merch table. As soon as they got to the merch table, they were told to hit the stage for another 30 minute set. The second 30 minute set got cut short as Cold Filtered was hitting the main stage. They got out about a third of Little Thing For Your Little Sister so it was great that they got to get back up for a short time after Cold Filtered was finished. Lorenzo looked and sounded great. The first set contained a couple of clever cover tunes that helped this new band relate to people who had never heard of them before. The second set stepped up on the rock side of the band. Lorenzo is a 5 piece from Cincinnati, OH, with some great songs. A strong stage presence helped pull people up to the stage to see what they were all about. Lorenzo returned to the stage after Cold Filtered's main stage set for a repeat of what I would consider their 4 strongest tunes, which also happened to be in the second set. Keep an eye out for these guys as their CD Love Shape Bruise is available on Tuesday. Also, check their site out at www.lorenzolounge.com. The guys were very cool and hung around til the end of the day. I ran into the singer, Mark Lorenzo, after Poison was done playing. They were great about taking pictures, autographs, their merch was reasonably priced, and it was the songs that really drew people to them.
Lorenzo Set List
Drowned
Fallen
Always Something There To Remind Me
Hateful
Breakdown
Squeeze Box
2 A.M.
Walk
I Think About Sex
The Breaking
Scars
Naked And Wasted
Nothin' Left To Talk About
Little Thing For Your Little Sister
Walk
I Think About Sex
Nothin' Left To Talk About
Little Thing For Your Little Sister
I was very surprised that Cold Filtered played their first set on the main stage, but they seemed to have the audience to pull it off. As turned off by this band as I was after seeing them at Keyster's and opening for Ted Nugent, I must say that they have greatly improved. The addition of the second guitarist seems to be what put them over the top in my book. Their new drummer also made a sizeable difference with the much needed intensity that he plays with. Cold Filtered started out with a Tesla cover, but worked in some original stuff during their set. The singer seems to have more confidence and worked with the audience better. He also didn't sing like he was doubled over for the first few rows, either. His voice sounded good on the first set and the band seemed cohesive. The second guitar player, while filling out the sound, could use some stage time with the band as he was the only one not interacting much on stage. I'm sure that will come with more shows. As Cold Filtered played other sets throughout the day, there was only one issue that I and others began to notice. The singer, while having a good voice during their main stage set, could use some sort of vocal effect to fatten up his voice. Many of the covers they do are just out of his comfortable range where he tries to use a screaming voice with some falsetto. Have you heard Chris Cornell do Black Hole Sun? He sounds great during the entire song until he starts yelping the title in the end of the song. That just ruined my whole Black Hole Sun experience. Well, the Cold Filtered singer sounded like that on tunes that were in his upper register at times. It caused a lot of moments where he went a tad sharp. Overall, Cold Filtered entertained their fans and is certainly a band who has come a long way in a year and still has some room to grow. Check out their site for some original music, as well.
Night Train is just simply something I can't get into. A couple of guys from Cold Filtered put on wigs and leather pants to join others in a tribute to GNR. While there were many entertained, it's just not my thing. I know there is a huge debate on what makes a tribute band and how far bands can go in replacing members to keep using that name, but it's a different argument to make. Putting on wigs and trying to cop someone else's moves and play their music when you are in no way related to the band is acting. It might be good for VH1 movies, but certainly isn't my particular taste. I'm stating my own opinion here and like mouths, everyone has one. I didn't watch for long and I found this a good opportunity to hang out with other bands and their members.
Endeverafter blew away most everyone who caught them. I had people thanking me for encouraging them to come out early to support them. These guys look, act, and play the part of 80's rockers, but seem to have more going for them in the musical composition of their songs. Rhythmic breakdowns, extended guitar parts, and more intricate arrangements keep them from sounding too much like anyone in particular, but make for better music. They mostly played new songs from their CD which will be released August 8th, but played two from their website, Next Best Thing and Baby Baby Baby. Baby x3 is my favorite from the site and they encouraged the crowd to sing along as they closed with it. The guys even got some choreographed windmill guitar action going at the end of the song. I'm hoping they stick around for quite some time and that they are a part of bringing great rock tunes back in style as other bands have been on the verge of doing the last couple of years. These guys hung around most of the day with no rock star attitude and just made themselves available to everyone. They flirted with the girls, of course, but seemed to really be about seeing what people thought of their songs and doing the requisite PR for a young band. These guys seem level headed enough to really go a long way with their music. Just so you can imagine, I did read about one guy hearing someone near him say "you suck" when the band first took the stage, but quickly shut up as they rocked their collective ass off.
Endeverafter Setlist
Wanna Be Your Man
Bright Lights, Big City
All Night
Next Best Thing
Poison
Baby Baby Baby
In a surprise to me, Quiet Riot hit the stage before Dokken. In my humble opinion, that should have been reversed, but I'm not in charge of these things. Quiet Riot really knows how to work a crowd. CC DeVille and Rikki Rocket were seen enjoying the show from the side of the stage, too. They were getting a kick out of how good it sounded and some of the funny lines Kevin used in his lyrics. "So you say I got a funny face, well, F#CK YOU!" I've heard Kevin use it several times before, but it's just funny every time. That man still has the voice and energy that he has always had. Frankie was wearing a green outfit and playing drums as strong as ever. The nice thing about Frankie and Kevin is that they both use their instruments the same way and with the same intensity. Frankie is all over the kit and Kevin easily adds some vocal gymnastics to the melody lines. I love watching these guys perform and this year they have Alex Grossi back in the band as well as Sean McNabb, who played with Quiet Riot before and with Great White and House Of Lords. These two guys interact very well with Kevin and Frankie and really put on quite the show as well. I was fortunate enough to visit with Quiet Riot after the show and asked Kevin about the new CD. He said that it is completely finished and that they are targeting the end of August to try to get it out. I can't wait to hear it. Kevin said that the 70's influences are very strong on the CD with one song sounding like the Small Faces and bits of Humble Pie and Led Zeppelin really influencing their music. I overheard him talking to someone about how it was great to do 80's music in the 80's, but that's not really where they are at musically now. I'm very encouraged by this as I've always loved their music, but hearing Kevin's solo CD last year just really opened my eyes as to how much more they could be capable of. When I visited with Sean, just to see if I had things right, I asked if he had played in QR before and he mentioned doing so in the late 80's. This was the time period that Paul Shortino was singing for the band. I also mentioned to Sean that the last time I had seen him was when Great White was on the Poison tour a few years back and that I thought I had recognized him. I think he was glad someone actually knew part of his musical background. He and Alex were also kind enough to take pictures as were Kevin and Frankie. One of the guys I have met at concerts in Iowa and originally in Omaha, NE, brought a vest originally worn by Chris Holmes from WASP. Since Frankie played in that band for a while, this friend brought it to get signed by Frankie. Banali is great with fans of this caliber and asked to get back in touch via e-mail.
Quiet Riot Setlist
Put Up Or Shut Up
Slick Black Cadillac
Love's A Bitch
Mama Weer All Crazee Now
Red Hot Mama Red Hot (From Kevin's solo CD.)
Thunderbird
The Wild And The Young
Let's Get Crazy
Cum On Feel The Noize
Metal Health
Dokken had started playing while I was still chatting with the guys from Quiet Riot. I hadn't realized it until I started walking away from the merch tent, so I went back over to the VIP section to get a look. Dokken looked and sounded good, but I had been standing much of the day so I took a little time to grab a bite to eat. I listened and got most of their set list, but also spent some time visiting so I missed a few things. The set list, as much as I got while missing a few titles is as follows:
Dokken Setlist
Unchain The Night
Into The Fire
Dream Warriors
Kiss Of Death
(Another song here...)
Alone Again
Paris Is Burning
It's Not Love (included a bass solo)
(Another song here?)
Tooth And Nail
In My Dreams
(Somewhere in here was Breaking The Chains.)
I did get the opportunity to meet Jon Levin briefly before the show and was able to have him sign Hell To Pay and take a picture. After the set, I met Don Dokken and he did the same. I also had to tell Don thank you for continuing to put out music. I've heard all the Don rumors about his attitude, hair, and whatever anyone else wants to say about him, but he was genuinely nice and grateful to those of us that asked for time. Many bands are content to rest on their laurels with past accomplishments, but I appreciate those that keep moving forward. I love new music. My friends tell me that I'm stuck in the 80's, but I don't really listen to a lot of old tunes. While I love the classics, I like to see what the bands are still up to and I am always trying to get ahold of the new stuff they put out. Dokken and many others have still been recording over the years so I keep supporting them.
Cinderella is one of the best live bands ever. Great songs. Superb showmanship. Excellent musicality. They play the hits, but it seems fresh every time just because they are timeless songs. The show started out with some sound difficulties on stage, but out front, they still sounded great. The sound problems were an irritant to Tom and Jeff was doing his best to help. Cinderella used a few lights and a little pyro during their show. They did some of their famous moves such as the swinging guitars. Tom played the sax for Shelter. Fred came out front to help on the harmonies for Last Train. They employed a keyboard player to the far left of the stage who has toured with them before. These guys really need to record a new CD. I know they have had their legal tangles, but Cinderella is too good a band to keep playing a greatest hits set and I hope they start moving forward soon. There is obviously so much creativity among these four that they really need to have the outlet as Cinderella.
Cinderella Setlist
Fallin' Apart At The Seams
Last Mile
Somebody Save Me
Night Songs
Hot And Bothered
Last Train (Fred stepped out for the harmonies.)
Coming Home
Gypsy Road
Nobody's Fool
Shelter
Encore:
Don't Know What You Got Til It's Gone
Shake Me
Poison just blows me away every time. They get away with playing familiar hits and cover tunes, but they do it with such energy that they will always have my support. Their classic opener Look What The Cat Dragged In immediately had everyone singing along and they rolled right into I Want Action and their cover of We're An American Band. Poison had to stop American Band after a fight broke out in the cheap seats. They started it from the beginning, though, once security had the troublemakers cleared out. Poison had the crowd singing along at every turn. They were energetic. The pyro was in place several times throughout. CC's solo was actually better played than at any time I've ever heard him. He truly seemed more humble with how well he was received and he looked like he was having a blast all night, including singing I Hate Every Bone In Your Body But Mine. It was the newest original song of the night. Rikki's drum solo was once again what every fan wants to see. They want rhythms they can get into, some cool effects, and above all a rising drum kit. Rikki is one of the best showman in the business. (I know. Nobody has touched Tommy Lee's showmanship, yet, but Rikki is still near the top in showmanship.) Bobby was smiling all night and had some great interaction with CC. CC was showing Bobby how he was almost out of picks on his mic stand, while Bobby seemingly wasn't going through enough. Bret and Bobby had some cool interaction, too, as they raced across the stage at one point. Bret and CC were totally in a groove together all night and seemed to really enjoy being on the same stage. Bret was the ultimate frontman (I'll say this until David Lee Roth reunites with Van Halen.) and was genuinely happy to be back at Waterstock and it must have felt great to bring the whole Poison show with him this year. Bret's voice was spot on all night and he had fun playing a little harmonica and some guitar. The guys just tore up the stage with familiar tunes. I'm hopeful that since CC has some problems worked out that he and Bret can get back to writing some great songs and getting them on CD in the near future.
Poison Setlist
Look What The Cat Dragged In
I Want Action
We're An American Band
I Won't Forget You
Ride The Wind
CC's Solo
I Hate Every Bone In Your Body But Mine
Something To Believe In
Your Mama Don't Dance
Let It Play
Fallen Angel
Rikki's Solo
Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Unskinny Bop
Nothin' But A Good Time
Encore:
Talk Dirty To Me
There is a subject that does need some addressing about Waterstock. I paid $125 for a VIP ticket. This was to include the possibility (they make it sound very likely) of meeting all the bands, free food, and four beer tickets. It also was to include better seating/standing and outhouses that were only to be used by VIP's. Well, I met and got pictures with two members of Cinderella and two members of Dokken. If I'd really kept my eyes peeled, I would have done the same with Fred Coury, but I missed that opportunity. CC and Rikki could be seen easily from where we were, but they didn't come to the fence to meet us. Lorenzo and Endeverafter spent a great deal of time with people in this area, but they and Quiet Riot were out for everyone to meet and greet, not just VIP's. After spending $125, I wasn't any better off than I was the last two years in this area. When KGGO ran Waterstock the first year, they had a tent that each band went to in order to meet the fans. This was something we all expected last year, but were let down when Lazer took over. Last year I was able to meet most of the bands on the left side of the stage as they came to the fence to sign for us. It wasn't an organized thing, but the bands took this opportunity on themselves to be available. I'd heard that last year the VIP's were able to roam around the entire backstage area even while the bands were eating and hanging out and this made for quite the VIP experience. This year a buffer (read fence) was put in place so that the bands could eat and have air conditioned tents in privacy and they could opt to engage the fans. While a few took this opportunity, no member of Poison came out to the VIP area and other band members did so at their own risk, but there was no encouragement from the promoters for the bands to interact since VIP's paid so much money. While we did get some free food, it was about two small meals worth. A burger, brat, or hot dog, a bag of chips, and a drink for $7 in meal tickets. That's two McDonald's meals worth where as VIP's got the shaft like everyone else at Waterstock. As for the beer tickets, I don't drink so my roommate got those. With as much food and drink as was left over, it would have been nice to have just opened this up to an all you can eat type of thing. Most people aren't going to gorge themselves at an outdoor event like this, but could use a little extra since the body uses up a lot of energy.
Here are my suggestions for the VIP's for Waterstock next year and even a some for general admission at Waterstock. Starting with the VIP area, keep the area the same size, but open it back up with the bands for interaction. Let the bands know this is happening and that you are only selling 50 or 60 VIP tickets. That's all. Do not have any more VIP's than 50-60. Let the bands know they are encouraged to take time for each VIP. Yes, you'll get the occasional crazy person with a VIP ticket, but for the most part people that pay that much are well behaved. We had no trouble on our side of the stage as opposed to the fighting that broke out in the General Admission side. Keep the food portion to an all you can eat type of thing without really saying that. Just let VIP's know that water and food are free to them and that they can't take it out of the VIP area. This will keep them from sharing it with friends outside of the VIP area. As for the beer, the thing they have in place is fine as 4 free beers are probably enough. The VIP experience needs to be worth the money shelled out and something hard to come by so that it will be highly valued. One last thing for VIP's, throw in a Lazer 103.3 or Waterstock T-shirt to commemorate the experience. Shirts are cheap and free advertising. When you have people paying $125 to purchase your concert package, throw in a freebie like this. (Yes, I know it's about that much to see Bon Jovi, Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and others, but this is an audience that you are poised to advertise to in a much bigger way, so add value at all opportunities.) As for the rest of Waterstock, lower the food and drink prices. Water that runs $2 a bottle for an 80 cent bottle is outrageous. Sure, charge a dollar, but water is something everyone must have readily and cheaply available at an outdoor show that lasts all day. Lower food prices. A burger you can get at BeBop's for $1.50 shouldn't cost $4 and not taste as good. Sure, charge $2 for it and still make a nice profit. The same goes with the hotdogs and pizza. It's a matter of economics and also treating your audience well. If you lower prices, more people can buy what you are selling. This will keep profits up and people happy. It also allows them to buy more of what you are selling. There were T-shirts, banners, tattoos, radio and Waterstock merch, as well as band merchandise that people would love to have purchased if it weren't for paying out more in food and water. I know I would have been able to do more than the Poison bandana and Cinderella key chain I purchased. My total cost was $190 for this event which included buying my roommate's ticket. That's about $90 more than last year for about the same experience. Make this more of a bang for my buck next year.
Overall, Waterstock truly rocks and I'm anxious to see what is in store for next year!
The schedule was completely thrown off, but it may have been for the better. Where Endeverafter was supposed to play the side stage at 11:30AM, things were actually kicked off by Lorenzo on the side stage. Lorenzo came out to play a 30 minutes set and then were going to meet at the merch table. As soon as they got to the merch table, they were told to hit the stage for another 30 minute set. The second 30 minute set got cut short as Cold Filtered was hitting the main stage. They got out about a third of Little Thing For Your Little Sister so it was great that they got to get back up for a short time after Cold Filtered was finished. Lorenzo looked and sounded great. The first set contained a couple of clever cover tunes that helped this new band relate to people who had never heard of them before. The second set stepped up on the rock side of the band. Lorenzo is a 5 piece from Cincinnati, OH, with some great songs. A strong stage presence helped pull people up to the stage to see what they were all about. Lorenzo returned to the stage after Cold Filtered's main stage set for a repeat of what I would consider their 4 strongest tunes, which also happened to be in the second set. Keep an eye out for these guys as their CD Love Shape Bruise is available on Tuesday. Also, check their site out at www.lorenzolounge.com. The guys were very cool and hung around til the end of the day. I ran into the singer, Mark Lorenzo, after Poison was done playing. They were great about taking pictures, autographs, their merch was reasonably priced, and it was the songs that really drew people to them.
Lorenzo Set List
Drowned
Fallen
Always Something There To Remind Me
Hateful
Breakdown
Squeeze Box
2 A.M.
Walk
I Think About Sex
The Breaking
Scars
Naked And Wasted
Nothin' Left To Talk About
Little Thing For Your Little Sister
Walk
I Think About Sex
Nothin' Left To Talk About
Little Thing For Your Little Sister
I was very surprised that Cold Filtered played their first set on the main stage, but they seemed to have the audience to pull it off. As turned off by this band as I was after seeing them at Keyster's and opening for Ted Nugent, I must say that they have greatly improved. The addition of the second guitarist seems to be what put them over the top in my book. Their new drummer also made a sizeable difference with the much needed intensity that he plays with. Cold Filtered started out with a Tesla cover, but worked in some original stuff during their set. The singer seems to have more confidence and worked with the audience better. He also didn't sing like he was doubled over for the first few rows, either. His voice sounded good on the first set and the band seemed cohesive. The second guitar player, while filling out the sound, could use some stage time with the band as he was the only one not interacting much on stage. I'm sure that will come with more shows. As Cold Filtered played other sets throughout the day, there was only one issue that I and others began to notice. The singer, while having a good voice during their main stage set, could use some sort of vocal effect to fatten up his voice. Many of the covers they do are just out of his comfortable range where he tries to use a screaming voice with some falsetto. Have you heard Chris Cornell do Black Hole Sun? He sounds great during the entire song until he starts yelping the title in the end of the song. That just ruined my whole Black Hole Sun experience. Well, the Cold Filtered singer sounded like that on tunes that were in his upper register at times. It caused a lot of moments where he went a tad sharp. Overall, Cold Filtered entertained their fans and is certainly a band who has come a long way in a year and still has some room to grow. Check out their site for some original music, as well.
Night Train is just simply something I can't get into. A couple of guys from Cold Filtered put on wigs and leather pants to join others in a tribute to GNR. While there were many entertained, it's just not my thing. I know there is a huge debate on what makes a tribute band and how far bands can go in replacing members to keep using that name, but it's a different argument to make. Putting on wigs and trying to cop someone else's moves and play their music when you are in no way related to the band is acting. It might be good for VH1 movies, but certainly isn't my particular taste. I'm stating my own opinion here and like mouths, everyone has one. I didn't watch for long and I found this a good opportunity to hang out with other bands and their members.
Endeverafter blew away most everyone who caught them. I had people thanking me for encouraging them to come out early to support them. These guys look, act, and play the part of 80's rockers, but seem to have more going for them in the musical composition of their songs. Rhythmic breakdowns, extended guitar parts, and more intricate arrangements keep them from sounding too much like anyone in particular, but make for better music. They mostly played new songs from their CD which will be released August 8th, but played two from their website, Next Best Thing and Baby Baby Baby. Baby x3 is my favorite from the site and they encouraged the crowd to sing along as they closed with it. The guys even got some choreographed windmill guitar action going at the end of the song. I'm hoping they stick around for quite some time and that they are a part of bringing great rock tunes back in style as other bands have been on the verge of doing the last couple of years. These guys hung around most of the day with no rock star attitude and just made themselves available to everyone. They flirted with the girls, of course, but seemed to really be about seeing what people thought of their songs and doing the requisite PR for a young band. These guys seem level headed enough to really go a long way with their music. Just so you can imagine, I did read about one guy hearing someone near him say "you suck" when the band first took the stage, but quickly shut up as they rocked their collective ass off.
Endeverafter Setlist
Wanna Be Your Man
Bright Lights, Big City
All Night
Next Best Thing
Poison
Baby Baby Baby
In a surprise to me, Quiet Riot hit the stage before Dokken. In my humble opinion, that should have been reversed, but I'm not in charge of these things. Quiet Riot really knows how to work a crowd. CC DeVille and Rikki Rocket were seen enjoying the show from the side of the stage, too. They were getting a kick out of how good it sounded and some of the funny lines Kevin used in his lyrics. "So you say I got a funny face, well, F#CK YOU!" I've heard Kevin use it several times before, but it's just funny every time. That man still has the voice and energy that he has always had. Frankie was wearing a green outfit and playing drums as strong as ever. The nice thing about Frankie and Kevin is that they both use their instruments the same way and with the same intensity. Frankie is all over the kit and Kevin easily adds some vocal gymnastics to the melody lines. I love watching these guys perform and this year they have Alex Grossi back in the band as well as Sean McNabb, who played with Quiet Riot before and with Great White and House Of Lords. These two guys interact very well with Kevin and Frankie and really put on quite the show as well. I was fortunate enough to visit with Quiet Riot after the show and asked Kevin about the new CD. He said that it is completely finished and that they are targeting the end of August to try to get it out. I can't wait to hear it. Kevin said that the 70's influences are very strong on the CD with one song sounding like the Small Faces and bits of Humble Pie and Led Zeppelin really influencing their music. I overheard him talking to someone about how it was great to do 80's music in the 80's, but that's not really where they are at musically now. I'm very encouraged by this as I've always loved their music, but hearing Kevin's solo CD last year just really opened my eyes as to how much more they could be capable of. When I visited with Sean, just to see if I had things right, I asked if he had played in QR before and he mentioned doing so in the late 80's. This was the time period that Paul Shortino was singing for the band. I also mentioned to Sean that the last time I had seen him was when Great White was on the Poison tour a few years back and that I thought I had recognized him. I think he was glad someone actually knew part of his musical background. He and Alex were also kind enough to take pictures as were Kevin and Frankie. One of the guys I have met at concerts in Iowa and originally in Omaha, NE, brought a vest originally worn by Chris Holmes from WASP. Since Frankie played in that band for a while, this friend brought it to get signed by Frankie. Banali is great with fans of this caliber and asked to get back in touch via e-mail.
Quiet Riot Setlist
Put Up Or Shut Up
Slick Black Cadillac
Love's A Bitch
Mama Weer All Crazee Now
Red Hot Mama Red Hot (From Kevin's solo CD.)
Thunderbird
The Wild And The Young
Let's Get Crazy
Cum On Feel The Noize
Metal Health
Dokken had started playing while I was still chatting with the guys from Quiet Riot. I hadn't realized it until I started walking away from the merch tent, so I went back over to the VIP section to get a look. Dokken looked and sounded good, but I had been standing much of the day so I took a little time to grab a bite to eat. I listened and got most of their set list, but also spent some time visiting so I missed a few things. The set list, as much as I got while missing a few titles is as follows:
Dokken Setlist
Unchain The Night
Into The Fire
Dream Warriors
Kiss Of Death
(Another song here...)
Alone Again
Paris Is Burning
It's Not Love (included a bass solo)
(Another song here?)
Tooth And Nail
In My Dreams
(Somewhere in here was Breaking The Chains.)
I did get the opportunity to meet Jon Levin briefly before the show and was able to have him sign Hell To Pay and take a picture. After the set, I met Don Dokken and he did the same. I also had to tell Don thank you for continuing to put out music. I've heard all the Don rumors about his attitude, hair, and whatever anyone else wants to say about him, but he was genuinely nice and grateful to those of us that asked for time. Many bands are content to rest on their laurels with past accomplishments, but I appreciate those that keep moving forward. I love new music. My friends tell me that I'm stuck in the 80's, but I don't really listen to a lot of old tunes. While I love the classics, I like to see what the bands are still up to and I am always trying to get ahold of the new stuff they put out. Dokken and many others have still been recording over the years so I keep supporting them.
Cinderella is one of the best live bands ever. Great songs. Superb showmanship. Excellent musicality. They play the hits, but it seems fresh every time just because they are timeless songs. The show started out with some sound difficulties on stage, but out front, they still sounded great. The sound problems were an irritant to Tom and Jeff was doing his best to help. Cinderella used a few lights and a little pyro during their show. They did some of their famous moves such as the swinging guitars. Tom played the sax for Shelter. Fred came out front to help on the harmonies for Last Train. They employed a keyboard player to the far left of the stage who has toured with them before. These guys really need to record a new CD. I know they have had their legal tangles, but Cinderella is too good a band to keep playing a greatest hits set and I hope they start moving forward soon. There is obviously so much creativity among these four that they really need to have the outlet as Cinderella.
Cinderella Setlist
Fallin' Apart At The Seams
Last Mile
Somebody Save Me
Night Songs
Hot And Bothered
Last Train (Fred stepped out for the harmonies.)
Coming Home
Gypsy Road
Nobody's Fool
Shelter
Encore:
Don't Know What You Got Til It's Gone
Shake Me
Poison just blows me away every time. They get away with playing familiar hits and cover tunes, but they do it with such energy that they will always have my support. Their classic opener Look What The Cat Dragged In immediately had everyone singing along and they rolled right into I Want Action and their cover of We're An American Band. Poison had to stop American Band after a fight broke out in the cheap seats. They started it from the beginning, though, once security had the troublemakers cleared out. Poison had the crowd singing along at every turn. They were energetic. The pyro was in place several times throughout. CC's solo was actually better played than at any time I've ever heard him. He truly seemed more humble with how well he was received and he looked like he was having a blast all night, including singing I Hate Every Bone In Your Body But Mine. It was the newest original song of the night. Rikki's drum solo was once again what every fan wants to see. They want rhythms they can get into, some cool effects, and above all a rising drum kit. Rikki is one of the best showman in the business. (I know. Nobody has touched Tommy Lee's showmanship, yet, but Rikki is still near the top in showmanship.) Bobby was smiling all night and had some great interaction with CC. CC was showing Bobby how he was almost out of picks on his mic stand, while Bobby seemingly wasn't going through enough. Bret and Bobby had some cool interaction, too, as they raced across the stage at one point. Bret and CC were totally in a groove together all night and seemed to really enjoy being on the same stage. Bret was the ultimate frontman (I'll say this until David Lee Roth reunites with Van Halen.) and was genuinely happy to be back at Waterstock and it must have felt great to bring the whole Poison show with him this year. Bret's voice was spot on all night and he had fun playing a little harmonica and some guitar. The guys just tore up the stage with familiar tunes. I'm hopeful that since CC has some problems worked out that he and Bret can get back to writing some great songs and getting them on CD in the near future.
Poison Setlist
Look What The Cat Dragged In
I Want Action
We're An American Band
I Won't Forget You
Ride The Wind
CC's Solo
I Hate Every Bone In Your Body But Mine
Something To Believe In
Your Mama Don't Dance
Let It Play
Fallen Angel
Rikki's Solo
Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Unskinny Bop
Nothin' But A Good Time
Encore:
Talk Dirty To Me
There is a subject that does need some addressing about Waterstock. I paid $125 for a VIP ticket. This was to include the possibility (they make it sound very likely) of meeting all the bands, free food, and four beer tickets. It also was to include better seating/standing and outhouses that were only to be used by VIP's. Well, I met and got pictures with two members of Cinderella and two members of Dokken. If I'd really kept my eyes peeled, I would have done the same with Fred Coury, but I missed that opportunity. CC and Rikki could be seen easily from where we were, but they didn't come to the fence to meet us. Lorenzo and Endeverafter spent a great deal of time with people in this area, but they and Quiet Riot were out for everyone to meet and greet, not just VIP's. After spending $125, I wasn't any better off than I was the last two years in this area. When KGGO ran Waterstock the first year, they had a tent that each band went to in order to meet the fans. This was something we all expected last year, but were let down when Lazer took over. Last year I was able to meet most of the bands on the left side of the stage as they came to the fence to sign for us. It wasn't an organized thing, but the bands took this opportunity on themselves to be available. I'd heard that last year the VIP's were able to roam around the entire backstage area even while the bands were eating and hanging out and this made for quite the VIP experience. This year a buffer (read fence) was put in place so that the bands could eat and have air conditioned tents in privacy and they could opt to engage the fans. While a few took this opportunity, no member of Poison came out to the VIP area and other band members did so at their own risk, but there was no encouragement from the promoters for the bands to interact since VIP's paid so much money. While we did get some free food, it was about two small meals worth. A burger, brat, or hot dog, a bag of chips, and a drink for $7 in meal tickets. That's two McDonald's meals worth where as VIP's got the shaft like everyone else at Waterstock. As for the beer tickets, I don't drink so my roommate got those. With as much food and drink as was left over, it would have been nice to have just opened this up to an all you can eat type of thing. Most people aren't going to gorge themselves at an outdoor event like this, but could use a little extra since the body uses up a lot of energy.
Here are my suggestions for the VIP's for Waterstock next year and even a some for general admission at Waterstock. Starting with the VIP area, keep the area the same size, but open it back up with the bands for interaction. Let the bands know this is happening and that you are only selling 50 or 60 VIP tickets. That's all. Do not have any more VIP's than 50-60. Let the bands know they are encouraged to take time for each VIP. Yes, you'll get the occasional crazy person with a VIP ticket, but for the most part people that pay that much are well behaved. We had no trouble on our side of the stage as opposed to the fighting that broke out in the General Admission side. Keep the food portion to an all you can eat type of thing without really saying that. Just let VIP's know that water and food are free to them and that they can't take it out of the VIP area. This will keep them from sharing it with friends outside of the VIP area. As for the beer, the thing they have in place is fine as 4 free beers are probably enough. The VIP experience needs to be worth the money shelled out and something hard to come by so that it will be highly valued. One last thing for VIP's, throw in a Lazer 103.3 or Waterstock T-shirt to commemorate the experience. Shirts are cheap and free advertising. When you have people paying $125 to purchase your concert package, throw in a freebie like this. (Yes, I know it's about that much to see Bon Jovi, Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and others, but this is an audience that you are poised to advertise to in a much bigger way, so add value at all opportunities.) As for the rest of Waterstock, lower the food and drink prices. Water that runs $2 a bottle for an 80 cent bottle is outrageous. Sure, charge a dollar, but water is something everyone must have readily and cheaply available at an outdoor show that lasts all day. Lower food prices. A burger you can get at BeBop's for $1.50 shouldn't cost $4 and not taste as good. Sure, charge $2 for it and still make a nice profit. The same goes with the hotdogs and pizza. It's a matter of economics and also treating your audience well. If you lower prices, more people can buy what you are selling. This will keep profits up and people happy. It also allows them to buy more of what you are selling. There were T-shirts, banners, tattoos, radio and Waterstock merch, as well as band merchandise that people would love to have purchased if it weren't for paying out more in food and water. I know I would have been able to do more than the Poison bandana and Cinderella key chain I purchased. My total cost was $190 for this event which included buying my roommate's ticket. That's about $90 more than last year for about the same experience. Make this more of a bang for my buck next year.
Overall, Waterstock truly rocks and I'm anxious to see what is in store for next year!
Monday, June 12, 2006
Woman, Party, Tattoo, Steak, Waterstock...
What an awesome weekend. We had a small party Friday night, I got a new tattoo on Saturday, and got to take someone out to the Lone Star for steak on Saturday, too.
A couple months ago a friend from about 17 years ago got in touch through namesdatabase.com and classmates.com. I got the message the morning it was sent and responded in about 10-15 minutes. Soon we were e-mailing and catching up on the lost years. She was a friend that I worked with and there were a few occasions that it could have become more, but it didn't and we lost touch. It was interesting timing for her to contact me. Long story short, she came up for a visit and it was just great. We listened to music, watched some TV and a couple movies, went for a walk at 2AM one night, and just generally hung out and had a great time. She returned home yesterday and we are already trying to plan another visit.
The party only consisted of about 20 people total. We are trying to find ways to get it back to what it was before we moved. We are going to try to hype one for July.
The new tattoo is something that my oldest designed. I will have a picture online before long. I had originally thought about getting a cross with a cloth draped over it with each of my daughters' names on it. The only hard part would be the balance as Brittany is a longer name than Paige. When I presented this dilemma to the girls, Brittany sat down and designed a heart with a banner across the thick part with her name and a banner across the smaller part with Paige's name. It was sheer brilliance. I got it done Saturday on my right shoulder. Great artwork, shading, and an additional design of making the T's in Brittany crosses by Ink Tattoo in Chariton, IA. I will have some web information for them up soon, too. Two guys named Robert run the place and I'm impressed.
I've been to several steak places in Des Moines and still keep going back to Lone Star. I've been to Jesse's Embers, Cummin's Steakhouse, and Colton's. Jesse's Embers has a bit more formal atmosphere, the cut I had was the New York Strip, and the cost for the same meal at the Lone Star, including drink, dessert, salad and baked potato was about $10 more. Cummin's has a wonderful atmosphere with tall booths, lower lighting, and a salad bar. The food was delicious. It's also a bit pricey, though, for the same meal as Lone Star. Colton's reminded me of the Lone Star when they had the bucket of peanuts. The menu wasn't as filled out as the Lone Star, but the food is similar. The atmosphere was noisy and I didn't see any booths in the room I was seated in. The cost was about the same as Lone Star, but the steak just wasn't as good. Colton's is no longer in Des Moines, I believe. The Lone Star just has them all beat so far, but there are more steak places to try.
There is a huge concert coming up Saturday in Waterstock. I have the link to the Unofficial Waterstock site to the left. There is a message board there and they answer some questions you may have about the event. Lazer 103.3 has a site that also includes some similar information. Poison, Cinderella, Dokken, and Quiet Riot are the 4 headlining acts with Endeverafter and Lorenzo a couple of regional acts that are on major labels. Night Train, a Guns N Roses tribute band, will be there as well as local band Cold Filtered. I will be there for the entire event and I have a VIP ticket that allows backstage access all day long. It's going to be huge. I have several friends going and I recommend everyone attend for a great time.
I'm hoping, but doubting, that I will get to see the Cinderella show at Clear Lake with Endeverafter. I haven't found anyone else from the area going, so I'm posting this on here in case anyone wants to carpool. Should be an awesome show like Cinderella is famous for.
I'm still reliving last weekend in my mind and looking forward to next weekend for more memories in a different vein.
A couple months ago a friend from about 17 years ago got in touch through namesdatabase.com and classmates.com. I got the message the morning it was sent and responded in about 10-15 minutes. Soon we were e-mailing and catching up on the lost years. She was a friend that I worked with and there were a few occasions that it could have become more, but it didn't and we lost touch. It was interesting timing for her to contact me. Long story short, she came up for a visit and it was just great. We listened to music, watched some TV and a couple movies, went for a walk at 2AM one night, and just generally hung out and had a great time. She returned home yesterday and we are already trying to plan another visit.
The party only consisted of about 20 people total. We are trying to find ways to get it back to what it was before we moved. We are going to try to hype one for July.
The new tattoo is something that my oldest designed. I will have a picture online before long. I had originally thought about getting a cross with a cloth draped over it with each of my daughters' names on it. The only hard part would be the balance as Brittany is a longer name than Paige. When I presented this dilemma to the girls, Brittany sat down and designed a heart with a banner across the thick part with her name and a banner across the smaller part with Paige's name. It was sheer brilliance. I got it done Saturday on my right shoulder. Great artwork, shading, and an additional design of making the T's in Brittany crosses by Ink Tattoo in Chariton, IA. I will have some web information for them up soon, too. Two guys named Robert run the place and I'm impressed.
I've been to several steak places in Des Moines and still keep going back to Lone Star. I've been to Jesse's Embers, Cummin's Steakhouse, and Colton's. Jesse's Embers has a bit more formal atmosphere, the cut I had was the New York Strip, and the cost for the same meal at the Lone Star, including drink, dessert, salad and baked potato was about $10 more. Cummin's has a wonderful atmosphere with tall booths, lower lighting, and a salad bar. The food was delicious. It's also a bit pricey, though, for the same meal as Lone Star. Colton's reminded me of the Lone Star when they had the bucket of peanuts. The menu wasn't as filled out as the Lone Star, but the food is similar. The atmosphere was noisy and I didn't see any booths in the room I was seated in. The cost was about the same as Lone Star, but the steak just wasn't as good. Colton's is no longer in Des Moines, I believe. The Lone Star just has them all beat so far, but there are more steak places to try.
There is a huge concert coming up Saturday in Waterstock. I have the link to the Unofficial Waterstock site to the left. There is a message board there and they answer some questions you may have about the event. Lazer 103.3 has a site that also includes some similar information. Poison, Cinderella, Dokken, and Quiet Riot are the 4 headlining acts with Endeverafter and Lorenzo a couple of regional acts that are on major labels. Night Train, a Guns N Roses tribute band, will be there as well as local band Cold Filtered. I will be there for the entire event and I have a VIP ticket that allows backstage access all day long. It's going to be huge. I have several friends going and I recommend everyone attend for a great time.
I'm hoping, but doubting, that I will get to see the Cinderella show at Clear Lake with Endeverafter. I haven't found anyone else from the area going, so I'm posting this on here in case anyone wants to carpool. Should be an awesome show like Cinderella is famous for.
I'm still reliving last weekend in my mind and looking forward to next weekend for more memories in a different vein.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
June Update
Lots of stuff going on...
The softball team returns to action this Thursday. After two weeks of no games, still no practices scheduled.
TV excitement going on... The Apprentice season finale was obvious. Sean was an easy winner and a good choice. Last Comic Standing has returned to NBC. Hopefully, it will do the ratings to keep it on NBC instead of moving the rest of the season to the Comedy Channel. Simple Life has returned. I still have to watch the Sunday episode. Supergroup has been fun to watch on VH1. Sebastian Bach and Ted Nugent are just great TV. The new Brady show on VH1 has picked up where the last one left off and it's the same old conflict, which is still entertaining. The Ultimate Fighter is winding down and I'm anxious to see who wins. The UFC 60 didn't surprise me so much. Matt Hughes is a great fighter and Royce Gracey is a legend, but I fully expected Matt to win. Since the shows I'm interested in are winding down, I've been watching WWE RAW the last couple of weeks again. I'm anxious to start watching the ECW on Sci-Fi soon. I'm watching the burn off episodes of Freddie, Joey, Rodney, and Blue Collar Comedy as long as they are running them. They will be missed as they were opportunities for some great TV if given room to grow.
Lots of political things going on. Immigration laws are already on the books. Quit grandstanding and just enforce the law. It's so much simpler and it's what an overwhelming majority of Americans want. It's not a racial issue. It's a matter of upholding the law. Primaries are taking place for the races in the fall. I'm rooting for the farthest left candidates possible so the Republicans can just walk right back to work. Less government and lower taxes. Vote for those two agendas and enjoy your freedom. Iran better do what we ask. It's that simple. Iraq has come a long way, baby! They are so far ahead of how we got our own country rolling. Congratulations to our troops for the great job they are doing and to the Iraqi people for sticking to their desire for freedom and working toward it. Gas prices are still going at the market rate. I'm just hoping that the market allows prices to drop ASAP. It's not that bad for a guy like me, but imagine if you do a lot of traveling. It's gotta hurt. Thankfully, the economy is rolling right along and unemployment is minimal. It's great to see what can happen when you allow people to keep more of their own money. This economy would not be rolling as it is without that.
Musical things are going on, too. So many great groups and I'm still discovering more. I've had the time of my life this last several months discovering so many new bands. It makes me feel young knowing this stuff before most people and introducing such great bands to my friends. I have a list at the bottom of this post of bands you should be checking out. Let me know what you think.
Well, time for the list as I think I covered just about everything! Click on the band name and check them out. Most of them have some great tunes on their site and some videos for your entertainment pleasure.
Babylon Bombs
Bang Circus
Bastardz
Bombay Black
Bullets And Octane
Crash Midnight
Dr. Sin
Endeverafter
Evick
Gemini Five
Hardcore Superstar
Juliette And The Licks
Lorenzo
Miss Crazy
Naked Beggars
Prima Donna
Radiovipers
Rocktopuss
Sister Sin
Soulphood
Toxic Twist
TSAR
Vains Of Jenna
The softball team returns to action this Thursday. After two weeks of no games, still no practices scheduled.
TV excitement going on... The Apprentice season finale was obvious. Sean was an easy winner and a good choice. Last Comic Standing has returned to NBC. Hopefully, it will do the ratings to keep it on NBC instead of moving the rest of the season to the Comedy Channel. Simple Life has returned. I still have to watch the Sunday episode. Supergroup has been fun to watch on VH1. Sebastian Bach and Ted Nugent are just great TV. The new Brady show on VH1 has picked up where the last one left off and it's the same old conflict, which is still entertaining. The Ultimate Fighter is winding down and I'm anxious to see who wins. The UFC 60 didn't surprise me so much. Matt Hughes is a great fighter and Royce Gracey is a legend, but I fully expected Matt to win. Since the shows I'm interested in are winding down, I've been watching WWE RAW the last couple of weeks again. I'm anxious to start watching the ECW on Sci-Fi soon. I'm watching the burn off episodes of Freddie, Joey, Rodney, and Blue Collar Comedy as long as they are running them. They will be missed as they were opportunities for some great TV if given room to grow.
Lots of political things going on. Immigration laws are already on the books. Quit grandstanding and just enforce the law. It's so much simpler and it's what an overwhelming majority of Americans want. It's not a racial issue. It's a matter of upholding the law. Primaries are taking place for the races in the fall. I'm rooting for the farthest left candidates possible so the Republicans can just walk right back to work. Less government and lower taxes. Vote for those two agendas and enjoy your freedom. Iran better do what we ask. It's that simple. Iraq has come a long way, baby! They are so far ahead of how we got our own country rolling. Congratulations to our troops for the great job they are doing and to the Iraqi people for sticking to their desire for freedom and working toward it. Gas prices are still going at the market rate. I'm just hoping that the market allows prices to drop ASAP. It's not that bad for a guy like me, but imagine if you do a lot of traveling. It's gotta hurt. Thankfully, the economy is rolling right along and unemployment is minimal. It's great to see what can happen when you allow people to keep more of their own money. This economy would not be rolling as it is without that.
Musical things are going on, too. So many great groups and I'm still discovering more. I've had the time of my life this last several months discovering so many new bands. It makes me feel young knowing this stuff before most people and introducing such great bands to my friends. I have a list at the bottom of this post of bands you should be checking out. Let me know what you think.
Well, time for the list as I think I covered just about everything! Click on the band name and check them out. Most of them have some great tunes on their site and some videos for your entertainment pleasure.
Babylon Bombs
Bang Circus
Bastardz
Bombay Black
Bullets And Octane
Crash Midnight
Dr. Sin
Endeverafter
Evick
Gemini Five
Hardcore Superstar
Juliette And The Licks
Lorenzo
Miss Crazy
Naked Beggars
Prima Donna
Radiovipers
Rocktopuss
Sister Sin
Soulphood
Toxic Twist
TSAR
Vains Of Jenna
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Memorial Day Recap
It was great to have a 3 day weekend with my daughters. I didn't have to take them back to their mom's until Monday morning, so we made the most of our time together. Saturday was the day to celebrate Brittany's birthday. She turned 11 the weekend before. Her little sister made the chocolate fudge cake that Brittany had picked out the night before. The cake was great and after we served that, Brittany got the one gift she truly wanted this year...a KC Chiefs jersey. Yes, I'm raising her right as a Chiefs fan. She wore the jersey Saturday, Sunday after church, and since I washed it that night she wore it again Monday. I'm glad she likes it. She also got a gift card from her grandparents for a bookstore in the area. We went shopping at the store that afternoon and she was able to get three books that she was anxious to read. She was on page 30 at one point in the car on the way home Monday. Brittany made dinner on Sunday. I had purchased some chicken breast and she was anxious to see if she could cook it. I laid out some seasonings and she made the best chicken breast I've probably ever had. She used some cinnamon, honey, and a touch of basil. It was first fried in butter to brown it a on both sides. It was then baked in butter for about 20 minutes as the corn on the cob and mashed potatoes were being made. I hope she does that again soon. We played outdoor as much as we could. It kept taking breaks to rain on us all weekend so during the sunshine we made up a volleyball/ping pong style game in the driveway. It was great to at least have some time outside in spite of the weather. Every extra minute with the girls this weekend was just great. We watched movies, made popcorn, and did about every other kind of goofing off we could think of indoor. I'm anxious to see them again this weekend and hope to take them to see X-Men!
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Spoke Too Soon
Well, it's official. The team I play with in church softball doesn't care if we win or lose. There isn't but one player who showed up for practice on Sunday. During the two Monday night games, the first we expected to lose to an upper level team, they showed that a little practice could do some good. We only lost 15-8, but could have done better. We could have even planned out ahead of time to field the best team possible for all upper level games. During the second game, our coach even gave the team a runner that was obviously out. He didn't step on second when he was going to go for a double play. I caught this and got the ball, stood on second, and then tagged the runner. That should have been an out, but he said the runner could stand since he missed second base on the play. I caught that he missed second and did what I was supposed to do for the out. Even the umpire called her out after seeing the play I made. Instead, our coach said it was all in fun and let her stay on second. It didn't affect the inning, thankfully. At that point, I realized that even the people leading the team don't care if we win or lose. We were the home team and after that inning, the game was over and we had won it 8-7. We had played 60 full minutes and by the time we would have batted since we were up, it would have been 65 minutes. Instead, they opted to play yet another inning which brought the outcome of losing 11-8. My first pitch, I made it obvious that I didn't care in that last inning. I threw it about 15 feet high and about 6 feet short of the base. If you ask our catcher, the assistant coach's wife, she will tell you that I didn't even try in pitching. They were behind by one and scored 4 runs. I gave them two of the runs by walking a batter. I figured if my team really cared, they would come back in the bottom of the inning and show me they wanted to win. Instead, we didn't score any runs and the game was over with two losses for the evening. I handed the other team that game on purpose by serving up wild and flat pitches. If anyone on my team asks, they will get this same explanation. I don't walk batters and it was obvious that I gave them their inning. I was so disgusted that the team didn't want to walk away with a win, gave a call to the other team, and throughout the evening showed a lack of any practice or desire to practice.
I've never played anything to lose, unless that was the object, of course. I wasn't taught to play to lose, I was taught to play to win. Life is about winning, not just getting along. I wish that others who paid to play this season wanted to get their money's worth as I do. I wish other's realized that life is about winning in all areas, not just some. I'm tempted to call it a season and ask for my money back for the other half of the season. I'm tempted.
I've never played anything to lose, unless that was the object, of course. I wasn't taught to play to lose, I was taught to play to win. Life is about winning, not just getting along. I wish that others who paid to play this season wanted to get their money's worth as I do. I wish other's realized that life is about winning in all areas, not just some. I'm tempted to call it a season and ask for my money back for the other half of the season. I'm tempted.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Live In KC
Derek and I left for KC about 3pm. We got away a tad late, but it was all good since we had tickets for seats. Apparently, it's unusual for Live to have seats instead of general admission. I would have been fine either way, but was glad for a place to sit. Overall, it was a very professional show. This is Derek's favorite band and I like a few of their songs, but it was cool to see a bit of what Derek sees in this band. I'm glad I went.
I wasn't my typical concert self at this show since it's really not my style of music, but Live certainly pleased their fans. They did all the songs I knew, several new ones, and apparently a lot of fan favorites. They didn't talk between songs except to mention the new CD or to say thanks, but they certainly looked like they were enjoying what they do. I think we got a few extra songs out of the band since the crowd was good. The Uptown Theater seems to be built in such a way that they could hear their fans quite well as they were very appreciative.
The best part of the night for me was the opening act. Michael Shapiro and his backing band rocked. They have some great songs in more of a heartfelt, heartland rock vein. My favorite song, I'm Not Alone, even had some rhythm guitar in the vein of .38 Special. We hung out after the show to see if Derek could meet Live. Since we figured it would be a while, we were fortunate enough to meet Michael and his band. They are great guys from the Portland, Oregon, area. Michael is from Las Vegas originally, I believe. We got the 5 song EP that was available and they autographed it for us. I've had it in the CD player since and it's a CD I highly recommend. I hope the next CD that should be out soon is as good as this and that Shapiro's career only grows. We need more artists like this with such great songs. Catch his band opening for Live for the next few shows or catch them if they are in your area. You will be glad you did.
I wasn't my typical concert self at this show since it's really not my style of music, but Live certainly pleased their fans. They did all the songs I knew, several new ones, and apparently a lot of fan favorites. They didn't talk between songs except to mention the new CD or to say thanks, but they certainly looked like they were enjoying what they do. I think we got a few extra songs out of the band since the crowd was good. The Uptown Theater seems to be built in such a way that they could hear their fans quite well as they were very appreciative.
The best part of the night for me was the opening act. Michael Shapiro and his backing band rocked. They have some great songs in more of a heartfelt, heartland rock vein. My favorite song, I'm Not Alone, even had some rhythm guitar in the vein of .38 Special. We hung out after the show to see if Derek could meet Live. Since we figured it would be a while, we were fortunate enough to meet Michael and his band. They are great guys from the Portland, Oregon, area. Michael is from Las Vegas originally, I believe. We got the 5 song EP that was available and they autographed it for us. I've had it in the CD player since and it's a CD I highly recommend. I hope the next CD that should be out soon is as good as this and that Shapiro's career only grows. We need more artists like this with such great songs. Catch his band opening for Live for the next few shows or catch them if they are in your area. You will be glad you did.
Finally - Softball Practice
We played again last Thursday night. We won the first game 7-6 and got beat badly in the second 28-11. I played Left Centerfield the first game for a few innings and pitched the second game. The second game was played against a team in the Upper division so we were outmatched badly. They scored 10 runs each of the first two innings and had two guys that could slam it out of the park. It's not fun to be matched up that way, but I guess we play each Upper team once this season. We will play one team in the Lower and one in the Upper tomorrow night as well.
I did get a certain bit of satisfaction in the second game. There was a girl who came to the plate and had half of her front foot over the batter's box line when I pitched the ball. The rules state that both feet must start completely inside the batter's box. During the swing, you can stride as big as you want as long as your foot is at least touching the line. If your foot comes completely out of the box, then you are automatically out. If your foot is half out when the ball is pitched, though, it's either a strike or a no pitch. I made the umpire aware of this so he'd call a strike on the girl, but he didn't know the rules enough to enforce something like that. The guy who pitched for the other team claimed to be an ASA certified umpire and wanted to argue about what I said the rules stated. I'm not sure if he thought I was talking about the swing or before, but the foot print I pointed out made it obvious that I was talking about her beginning stance and I was not asking for an out, although the strike would have made her out. The call stood as the umpire didn't know the rules and the girl was on first. Later in the game, a league rep heard about the dispute and brought out a rules book. He came over to me to explain that a swing could take you to the line, over the line, but you can't step out of the batter's box. I had to reiterate that this was not the rule I was talking about but the initial stance when the ball was pitched. He turned a few pages back and said that I was absolutely right about the rule, but that he had never seen it enforced for the men's league. I told him that it's not only an issue of following the rules for fair play, but it's also a safety issue. Pitchers tend to pitch away from the batter if they are crowding the plate in a recreational league so as not to hit the batter or risk that. We had a girl who crowded the plate during a practice last year and when I pitched the ball where it should be, she hit it on her hands and it bounced back and broke her nose. I certainly don't want to see that happen in a game, either. He went to the other dugout and as far as I know explained the rules over there. The guy who wanted to argue with me didn't even look me in the face when the teams walked by each other to say "good game". I'm not sure if it was embarrassment for being wrong as an "ASA Certified Umpire" or what, but I was satisfied that I do know the rules and was right about the rules and the guy that wanted to argue was corrected.
Now, during that particular night, our assistant coach made everyone aware that we will start having regular practices on Sundays. Our coaches won't make it and a few others work weekends, but I hope that those that want to will take advantage of this. We are paying to play and many of us would love to get our money's worth from the season. By this time in the season last year, we had all taken so many more swings, made so many more plays, and I believe it helped us to have a decent season. This year we have many new players and it would be good for everyone to step up their game so we can quit splitting the night with one win and one loss. A winning season is always a fun season. After being 10 games into the season, it's about time we started practicing.
I did get a certain bit of satisfaction in the second game. There was a girl who came to the plate and had half of her front foot over the batter's box line when I pitched the ball. The rules state that both feet must start completely inside the batter's box. During the swing, you can stride as big as you want as long as your foot is at least touching the line. If your foot comes completely out of the box, then you are automatically out. If your foot is half out when the ball is pitched, though, it's either a strike or a no pitch. I made the umpire aware of this so he'd call a strike on the girl, but he didn't know the rules enough to enforce something like that. The guy who pitched for the other team claimed to be an ASA certified umpire and wanted to argue about what I said the rules stated. I'm not sure if he thought I was talking about the swing or before, but the foot print I pointed out made it obvious that I was talking about her beginning stance and I was not asking for an out, although the strike would have made her out. The call stood as the umpire didn't know the rules and the girl was on first. Later in the game, a league rep heard about the dispute and brought out a rules book. He came over to me to explain that a swing could take you to the line, over the line, but you can't step out of the batter's box. I had to reiterate that this was not the rule I was talking about but the initial stance when the ball was pitched. He turned a few pages back and said that I was absolutely right about the rule, but that he had never seen it enforced for the men's league. I told him that it's not only an issue of following the rules for fair play, but it's also a safety issue. Pitchers tend to pitch away from the batter if they are crowding the plate in a recreational league so as not to hit the batter or risk that. We had a girl who crowded the plate during a practice last year and when I pitched the ball where it should be, she hit it on her hands and it bounced back and broke her nose. I certainly don't want to see that happen in a game, either. He went to the other dugout and as far as I know explained the rules over there. The guy who wanted to argue with me didn't even look me in the face when the teams walked by each other to say "good game". I'm not sure if it was embarrassment for being wrong as an "ASA Certified Umpire" or what, but I was satisfied that I do know the rules and was right about the rules and the guy that wanted to argue was corrected.
Now, during that particular night, our assistant coach made everyone aware that we will start having regular practices on Sundays. Our coaches won't make it and a few others work weekends, but I hope that those that want to will take advantage of this. We are paying to play and many of us would love to get our money's worth from the season. By this time in the season last year, we had all taken so many more swings, made so many more plays, and I believe it helped us to have a decent season. This year we have many new players and it would be good for everyone to step up their game so we can quit splitting the night with one win and one loss. A winning season is always a fun season. After being 10 games into the season, it's about time we started practicing.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Mother's Day Weekend
Although it was short, Mother's Day weekend was very good. The girls had fun mostly indoor due to the weather, but they did get outside a bit. We played games, watched movies, and grilled out again. To top off the day we called my mom and wished her a happy Mother's Day. I hope that made her day.
One of the hard parts of being a single dad so far away from family is the holidays. It could be Mother's Day, Easter, Christmas, Father's Day, Thanksgiving, or even a Memorial Day or Independence Day when you have certain plans you'd love to share with family. I always miss my girls when they aren't here for one holiday or another, but I also think about my parents. I grew up in a great family and didn't realize it until several years of being out on my own. I treasure each moment with them and miss them dearly.
My Sunday with the girls was cut short since I needed to have them back to their mom's at noon. I hope to make up for it Memorial Day weekend, but we shall see. It was a nice quiet day when I returned and I got a lot of TV watched.
Last night was a good night. I had downed two hamburgers that I fixed with barbecue. Not ten minutes later, my roommate calls asking if I've eaten supper. Of course not, I said. He was out getting things to clean his grill with and wanted to see if I was interested in a steak. Oh, yea, was I interested in a steak! He brought home rib eyes about an hour later that were in a Jack Daniels marinating bag. They marinated for quite some time while he cleaned the grill and got it going. We didn't eat until several hours after I'd had those burgers so it worked out fine. It was fantastic food. I even made some potatoes to go with it. I had to stay up a bit later, but it was quite worth it.
Today was an interesting day. I love my job and do a great job at it. After two years there, I may be ready for some more challenges there and hope to see what is around the corner.
Tomorrow is the Live concert. I'm off work at 2pm and Derek and I hope to hit the road by 2:30pm. Should be a good show. This is his favorite band so I'm anxious to see what it's all about. They have a few good songs and I will have a full report up later this week with pictures, too.
One of the hard parts of being a single dad so far away from family is the holidays. It could be Mother's Day, Easter, Christmas, Father's Day, Thanksgiving, or even a Memorial Day or Independence Day when you have certain plans you'd love to share with family. I always miss my girls when they aren't here for one holiday or another, but I also think about my parents. I grew up in a great family and didn't realize it until several years of being out on my own. I treasure each moment with them and miss them dearly.
My Sunday with the girls was cut short since I needed to have them back to their mom's at noon. I hope to make up for it Memorial Day weekend, but we shall see. It was a nice quiet day when I returned and I got a lot of TV watched.
Last night was a good night. I had downed two hamburgers that I fixed with barbecue. Not ten minutes later, my roommate calls asking if I've eaten supper. Of course not, I said. He was out getting things to clean his grill with and wanted to see if I was interested in a steak. Oh, yea, was I interested in a steak! He brought home rib eyes about an hour later that were in a Jack Daniels marinating bag. They marinated for quite some time while he cleaned the grill and got it going. We didn't eat until several hours after I'd had those burgers so it worked out fine. It was fantastic food. I even made some potatoes to go with it. I had to stay up a bit later, but it was quite worth it.
Today was an interesting day. I love my job and do a great job at it. After two years there, I may be ready for some more challenges there and hope to see what is around the corner.
Tomorrow is the Live concert. I'm off work at 2pm and Derek and I hope to hit the road by 2:30pm. Should be a good show. This is his favorite band so I'm anxious to see what it's all about. They have a few good songs and I will have a full report up later this week with pictures, too.
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