August 2019 Concerts
I'm apparently picking up speed since I only saw three shows in June & July, and I saw three just in August! This puts me at 15 concerts and 25 bands for the year. I've also bought six CDs at shows, or seven if you count the Rodrigo Y Gabriela album I got along with my ticket.
Coming up, I've got tickets for four shows in September alone, plus my radio station's annual concert, so barring something disrupting my planned schedule I'll make it to 20 gigs by the end of September.
13. For my first show of the month, darlox and gieves picked up M and I and drove us down to meet Carol and John for dinner before we all packed into one vehicle (props to John for buying premium parking!) and headed to Blossom on Sunday, August 4 to see a nostalgia show featuring Heart with support from Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. We were able to dodge the clouds of cigarette and pot smoke from the aging hippy types (we were definitely bringing down the median age of the crowd) to stake our some turf on the lawn. Alas, we got there too late to see Elle King play the first opener.
So, Joan Jett. During one of the three nights of All-Star festivities (I forget which and am too lazy to look it up in my notes) Joan Jett and the Blackhearts played two of their most famous songs from a mini stage on Progressive Field. I didn't really count it as a concert because it was so brief, but it was very high energy and fun. I wish that Joan Jett had showed up at Blossom, because they pretty much were the cliche of an old band phoning in a boring show. Based on that set, I wouldn't bother with them again.
Thankfully, Heart was much better. Sure, it was a nostalgia show, but we knew that going in, and the Wilson sisters still have the chops that Joan Jett failed to demonstrate. Great vocals, good guitar, a set list that was deeper on hits I recognized than I recalled, and a few pretty sweet covers. I probably don't need to see them again, but I'm glad I saw them once. We all had a good time.
14. My friend and colleague Faith told me a while back "I saw this band called Summer Cannibals open for someone a while back and they killed it and you need to come see them headline their own show when they come back." In the face of that kind of recommendation how could I not? I joined Faith and herpdaddy for my first show ever in the super hot and steamy Mahall's Locker Room (aka, the basement room) on Tuesday, August 13, and you know what? Faith was absolutely right. The classic four piece from Portland completely tour it up for a brief 45ish minute set that made me wish there was a pit to slam dance in. I had a good time and happily bought a copy of the new album "Can’t Tell Me No " to support the cause. Regrettably, the album, like their older ones I had checked out previously, was not nearly as kick ass as the live show. If they ever figure out how to make the albums equal the show, watch out!
A band called Leggy opened up. I caught the last 1/3 of so of their set, and I enjoyed it as fast, loud but not particularly distinctive rock and roll.
15. Last year John and I saw the Iron Maidens, and we agreed that should the opportunity arise to see the real deal we would take it. This summer, that happened, so he and I and darlox drove down to Pittsburgh on Saturday, August 17 to see Iron Maiden at PPG Paints Arena. It had been 16 long years since I I saw them at Blossom with Mötorhead & Dio opening (wow, before I even had this journal), and it was about time. We had a nice dinner and then caught a lift up the hill to the hockey arena.
First, we had to sit through an unannounced British power metal band called The Raven Age. Honestly, I have nothing bad to say about them. If I was a 17 year old metal head (and there were plenty of those at the show, many with their parents) I'm sure I'd dial up their album on a streaming source and listen to it. However, metal is one musical genre where my taste is firmly stuck in the 1980s, so to me it was just a nice appetizer for the main event.
And what a main event it was. Bruce Dickinson's voice may not quite be where it was in 2003, but other than that it was pretty much just as great as it was back then. Heck, it might have been better, because the stage design crew brought it. From a full-sized model Spitfire to kick off the show with Ace's High to the huge metallic Icarus to the giant Balrog-like Eddie closing out the show, and of course 10 foot high Trooper Eddie, the sets were incredible. The set list was basically all the hits and the the triple guitar attack was in fine form. Did I mention Bruce had a flamethrower for Icarus, because reasons. 17/10, I would do it again. I bought my first concert t-shirt in well over a decade (probably more like 15 years), which means that I now have a good black metal t-shirt to wear to future shows and talk to metalheads about. I approve.
Coming up, I've got tickets for four shows in September alone, plus my radio station's annual concert, so barring something disrupting my planned schedule I'll make it to 20 gigs by the end of September.
13. For my first show of the month, darlox and gieves picked up M and I and drove us down to meet Carol and John for dinner before we all packed into one vehicle (props to John for buying premium parking!) and headed to Blossom on Sunday, August 4 to see a nostalgia show featuring Heart with support from Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. We were able to dodge the clouds of cigarette and pot smoke from the aging hippy types (we were definitely bringing down the median age of the crowd) to stake our some turf on the lawn. Alas, we got there too late to see Elle King play the first opener.
So, Joan Jett. During one of the three nights of All-Star festivities (I forget which and am too lazy to look it up in my notes) Joan Jett and the Blackhearts played two of their most famous songs from a mini stage on Progressive Field. I didn't really count it as a concert because it was so brief, but it was very high energy and fun. I wish that Joan Jett had showed up at Blossom, because they pretty much were the cliche of an old band phoning in a boring show. Based on that set, I wouldn't bother with them again.
Thankfully, Heart was much better. Sure, it was a nostalgia show, but we knew that going in, and the Wilson sisters still have the chops that Joan Jett failed to demonstrate. Great vocals, good guitar, a set list that was deeper on hits I recognized than I recalled, and a few pretty sweet covers. I probably don't need to see them again, but I'm glad I saw them once. We all had a good time.
14. My friend and colleague Faith told me a while back "I saw this band called Summer Cannibals open for someone a while back and they killed it and you need to come see them headline their own show when they come back." In the face of that kind of recommendation how could I not? I joined Faith and herpdaddy for my first show ever in the super hot and steamy Mahall's Locker Room (aka, the basement room) on Tuesday, August 13, and you know what? Faith was absolutely right. The classic four piece from Portland completely tour it up for a brief 45ish minute set that made me wish there was a pit to slam dance in. I had a good time and happily bought a copy of the new album "Can’t Tell Me No " to support the cause. Regrettably, the album, like their older ones I had checked out previously, was not nearly as kick ass as the live show. If they ever figure out how to make the albums equal the show, watch out!
A band called Leggy opened up. I caught the last 1/3 of so of their set, and I enjoyed it as fast, loud but not particularly distinctive rock and roll.
15. Last year John and I saw the Iron Maidens, and we agreed that should the opportunity arise to see the real deal we would take it. This summer, that happened, so he and I and darlox drove down to Pittsburgh on Saturday, August 17 to see Iron Maiden at PPG Paints Arena. It had been 16 long years since I I saw them at Blossom with Mötorhead & Dio opening (wow, before I even had this journal), and it was about time. We had a nice dinner and then caught a lift up the hill to the hockey arena.
First, we had to sit through an unannounced British power metal band called The Raven Age. Honestly, I have nothing bad to say about them. If I was a 17 year old metal head (and there were plenty of those at the show, many with their parents) I'm sure I'd dial up their album on a streaming source and listen to it. However, metal is one musical genre where my taste is firmly stuck in the 1980s, so to me it was just a nice appetizer for the main event.
And what a main event it was. Bruce Dickinson's voice may not quite be where it was in 2003, but other than that it was pretty much just as great as it was back then. Heck, it might have been better, because the stage design crew brought it. From a full-sized model Spitfire to kick off the show with Ace's High to the huge metallic Icarus to the giant Balrog-like Eddie closing out the show, and of course 10 foot high Trooper Eddie, the sets were incredible. The set list was basically all the hits and the the triple guitar attack was in fine form. Did I mention Bruce had a flamethrower for Icarus, because reasons. 17/10, I would do it again. I bought my first concert t-shirt in well over a decade (probably more like 15 years), which means that I now have a good black metal t-shirt to wear to future shows and talk to metalheads about. I approve.