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BHP Best of 2016

5 December, 2016 Brian Mc Leave a comment

It’s that time of the year again folks. Time to sit here and type out a list of bands that have impressed me one way or another. I am not keeping to a set number as it would take me forever to narrow it down.

A sincere thanks to everyone who’s ever visited this site – seriously. I know I tend to say that around the time I do my best of lists, but I really mean it. I almost called it quits earlier this year and reconsidered at the last minute.

This blog is very personal to me and even if more people find it while Googling how to fix their headphones, it is still fun to do. If I can turn someone on to a new band just by one post, then my job is done.

With that said, I plan on sticking around for a while.

I am sure I will add a few more as they come to me in the next couple of weeks (as I always do [up to 3 edits now]), but for now, here’s the list of the albums that really caught my attention in 2016:

[EDIT: The year is not over yet and I needed to throw in just a couple more…]

Chandeli’ers – Breaker
-This was the album that hit me in the right way. It was fun across the board and sounded like the Clash meets Elvis Costello. What more could you ask for?

Run The Jewels – RTJ3
-This album was not supposed to drop until 3 weeks into the new year, but El-P and Killer Mike decided to drop it on Christmas day for all to enjoy. I can not stop listening to it. I know I am not the only one either.

MakeWar – Developing a Theory of Integrity
-Hands down one of my favorite surprise releases of the year. This punk rock band has thrown together an album I will be listening to over and over for years to come.

Joe McMahon – Another Life
-This is another one of my favorite albums this year. McMahon shared with the world an outstanding collection of tunes that everyone needs to check out. His solo material is a lot different from his Smoke or Fire days and that is not a bad thing at all.

Bob Mould – Patch the Sky
-Mould recorded a masterpiece with Patch the Sky. If you have not had the chance to listen to this album, you are missing out. This album is perfect to listen to any day.

Jonathan Richman – Ishkode! Ishkode!
-I am kicking myself for not putting this on my list initially. Richman is one of the most prolific songwriters out there and put out quite the release. I loved how song his songs were fun at times while others were just complex and reached across borders. He really showcased his musical abilities on this release. This guy has been writing music for longer than I have been alive and still is able to put out quality albums.

Dinosaur Jr. – Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not
-I have been a fan of this band for over 25 years now, so it only makes sense that this release made my list. Oh, it also kicks so much ass. Lou Barlow singing on it made it that much better.

All Dinosaurs – Total Dissatisfaction
-Where do I even start with this one? It’s like listening to the Bronx, but better, and from Cleveland. I love this album so much that I literally just bought the LP from their bandcamp page. No lie.

Useless ID – State is Burning
-This band will always be one of my favorites and this release continued to keep me a fan. With a much more harder approach, they really killed it on this one. I also adored the nod to the late Brandon Carlisle of Teenage Bottlerocket.

Pulley – No Change in the Weather
This band was a huge favorite of mine in the late 90s and I thought they were done in the mid-2000s, but low and behold, they came back with an album that seemingly continued where they left off without missing a beat. “Sometimes” is such a great track.

Beach Slang – A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings
-James Alex (and former crew) have created a timeless album for music fans of all ages. Catchy yet poignant, the album has been on a weekly rotation to my ears since the album dropped. It may clock in at around 30 minutes, but it is a hell of a ride from start to finish.

Worship This! – Mint
-So what if these guys are my pals, their sophomore release blew me away. I can not say enough good things about this album. It is poppy, punky, and addictive. More people need to check this album out as these Akron/Cleveland boys really know how to make sweet jams. They are the next big thing in my mind and I love them all dearly.

Descendents – Hypercaffium Spazzinate
-Having one of my all time favorite bands release something new in 2016 was pretty rad. Having one of my all time favorite bands stick to their sound from start to finish and have no indication of slowing down made it that much better.

Nothing – Tired of Tomorrow
-I never thought I would like shoegazing. To be honest, I really never knew what shoegaze was until I heard this album and I am still not quite sure. Indie rock and neo-psychadelica mixed with plenty of distortion and emotion made for an album that I could not get out of my head for weeks. That’s a good thing.

Mean Jeans – Tight New Dimension
-Mean Jeans are probably one of the most underrated bands out there right now. This album further proved that. A modern-day Ramones-like banger. I loved it.

Bouncing Souls – Simplicity
-The Souls are like a fine cheese or wine to me. With age, this band seems to just get better. Their latest release was just full of punk rock fun. When I started singing along to the first song during my first listen, I knew I was going to love this album and play it over and over.

Blink 182 – California
-I can’t help it, I got sucked in to the new Blink and I know why… Matt Skiba. He was the perfect addition to reinvent this band.

The Avalanches – Wildflower
-16 years after their debut, The Avalanches came back with an all new release that very well probably took all 16 years to create. I know some of my pals were not digging this release fully, but I adored it. It probably helps that the likes of Danny Brown and Biz Marke helped make this album what it is.

Arms Aloft – What a Time to be Barely Alive
–This is the one album I really need to do a proper review on, but I keep getting sidetracked. I listen to it all of the time and it is freaking amazing. Punk rock from the 80s perfectly blended with punk rock from the mid 2000s is one way I can describe these fellows. The music is infections, the lyrics are fun, and from what I hear the band is pretty cool too. This kind of sounds like a review, but it is not. This is just me telling y’all that this album was impressive.

Signals Midwest – At This Age
-This is their third release and probably their most tied together, mature material I have heard them create. They have pushed their limits from a one time local band and are more or less prepping themselves for what’s next to come. I am proud of these dudes.

Arliss Nancy – Greater Divides
-This band really should be at Lucero levels by now. They are exceptional at what they do and it can be heard throughout their latest release.

Har Mar Superstar – Best Summer Ever
-Har Mar continues to put out incredible material with each release. This man is so talented that he drops albums that cover various genres and avoids any and all gimmicky sounds.

NOFX – First Ditch Effort
-After all this band has been though, it only makes sense that they dropped a more personal album. It took me a couple of listens to truly appreciate. Don’t worry, it’s still crass at times as well as hilarious, but man, that Tony Sly tribute song will put tears in your eyes.

Harvey Pekar – The Astral We
-This Cleveland hardcore band is just that… This album was insane yet intelligent, and I loved every moment of it.

The Falcon – Gather Up the Chaps
-I love that Dave Hause was on this album. I love that he had to play ska riffs knowing how much he hates ska because Brendan Kelly decided it was a good idea. This album was far from serious and a good time all around.

NOTE: I promise you, Red Scare did not pay me for putting so many albums on this list. They just had a hell of a year with releases… Toby, I take plastic btw.

I wanted to throw a couple of EPs on here as well:

Jonathan Richman & Tommy Larkins – That’s All We Need at Our Party
–Blue Arrow Records and the creative vinyl masters Wax Merge teamed up to put out an insane variant of this 7″. I was lucky enough to score #100 out of 100. It’s a thing of beauty plus the tunes on it kick ass. I love me some Jonathan Richman. I am sure there are a few left, so snag one if you can.

Throw Shade – Self-Titled
-I have talented friends who make beautiful music. This EP is absolute proof.

Nine Inch Nails – Not the Actual Events
-I really did not know what to expect from Reznor and crew with this EP seeing how I just lost interest in their material for the last 10 years. Man, was I pleasantly surprised. This EP brought me back to 90s NIN and I can not wait for their full-length to drop in 2017.

Bracket – The Last Page
-At just over 70 minutes, this is one long-ass song and it’s amazing. The track keeps it together for the listener and takes them on a punk rock voyage. My first listed was distracted thanks to my paying gig, but my second listen with headphones on was incredible.

Finally, I know this is a best of list, but it would not be right if I did not make mention of this:

RIP Dag House…
It goes without saying, sometimes you find yourself in the right situations by chance. Thanks to an amazing batch of pals who kept Dag House going for years. Not everyone gets to experience basement shows, and some of that could be by choice, but goddamn, if you are a music fan, basement shows are the best shows. Dag House threw together a hell of a rager for their last show, and I was happy to be a part of it. Thanks for the memories Dag.

2016 was a crazy year. If you’ve made it this far in my post, thanks for sticking around and being so rad. It is people like you and the bands above that keep me doing what I do. Be well.

Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, Documentary, Good Eats, Personal Entry, Tattoos, The Awesome

Melt Tattoo Family Reunion 2016

9 September, 2016 Brian Mc Leave a comment

If you asked me six years ago if I thought I would be sitting in a Melt Bar & Grilled with hundreds of people who share the same love and passion for carbs and cheese to the point they dedicated a part of their skin to showcase it, I probably would have believed you.

Back in 2009, Melt’s founder and creator, Matt Fish, announced a fun promotion of sorts: Get a Melt tattoo and receive 25% off of your Melt purchase for life.

My question to myself immediately was, “am I bold enough to get a permanent coupon?” The answer was a quick “yes.”

Being the type of guy who acts now and asks later, I set up an appointment as soon as I could with my favorite tattoo artist, Mr. Ronnie Castro, and got a hand-sized Melt-inspired tattoo right on my forearm for the world to see.

Initially, I wanted to take the NOFX Never Trust a Hippie album cover and alter Jesus to be holding a grilled cheese, but my tattoo artist was thinking of something a little bit more traditional. Sometimes I wish would have gone with what I initially wanted, but I do love what he came up with:

I waited for my tattoo to heal fully before making it up to the Lakewood location to sign up for the tattoo club causing my membership number to increase some. For anyone who has ever gotten a tattoo, I am sure you can understand why I waited. No one wanted to see a scabby mess, especially when it is going to be showcased on the restaurant’s Melt Tattoo Family website page.

I was presented with tattoo member #47. At least I made it into the top 50, right?

Hell, this tattoo is what got me my in to the Cleveland Man vs. Food episode:

As of today, there are over 500 members. Talk about dedication folks. With locations in Cleveland, Columbus, and most recently in Akron, it only makes sense that this one time promotion has turned into a following of sorts.

Last night, Fish and crew wanted to show their appreciation and love to all of the Melt Tattoo Family members by hosting the first ever Melt Tattoo Family Reunion.

Open to the first 200 members (plus 1 guest) to RSVP, the private event had a free appetizer buffet, photo booth, opportunity to be filmed for an upcoming Melt documentary, and best of all, a one-of-a-kind Derek Hess print. They also offered a healthy discount on drinks and food too.

Arriving just after the event’s start, I waited in a decent sized line to get checked in and secure my Hess poster (photo to follow once I take one, it is a sweet print).

From there, I snagged some free eats and found a spot up at the bar to camp out at. The free eats I speak of were beyond generous-sized offerings and consisted of most of the appetizer menu items including fried pickles, mac and cheese bites, and even s’mores bread pudding.

As I waited for my Dude Abides sandwich, I sipped on a couple of Melt City Lights and just looked at all of the people in there. Everyone was happy, having a good time, and all had something in common with me. They all felt inspired enough to put something permanent on their skin not only to achieve a discount, but to show support to a man and the company he created.

I started up a conversation with a couple sitting by me just to hear their story. They were married for 25 years, loved Melt, and the husband got a tattoo and the wife plans on one soon. They found Melt when they were looking for a restaurant in Cleveland with a good beer list. They found the beer list that intrigued them and then they found the food. Hailing from Canton, the couple drives to the Independence location frequently to enjoy a meal before having a night out and prefer it over the new Melt in Akron.

Before heading out, I decided to get my ugly mug on camera for the documentary they were filming. It was kind of cool to be able to stand there and just explain why I got the tattoo and what it means to be in a family like this.

Fish and I chatted a few times throughout the night and he just looked so happy. Can you blame him? His comfort food idea has turned into a cheesy empire with thousands of adorning fans.

Tattooed or not, people love what Fish has built up over the last 10 years. Here’s to 10 more years of cheesy goodness.

Personal Entry

Still Here…

25 April, 2015 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to let you all know that I am still around. I would like nothing more than to post things on my site for you all to check out but have some changes in ordinary life I must attend to:

I reenrolled in school and am now studying hard almost every night. I anticipate to graduate in July 2016.
I landed a new role at the paying gig in an area I have been wanting to get into for years now.
Most importantly, my pre-wife and I are expecting a baby boy in June. We have been scurrying around trying to get things ready the the arrival of our first-born.

I promise I will try and post things here when I have some quiet time, but I know that is not going to be nearly as easy as it was a couple months ago.

To the bands and labels that continue to send me material to check out, keep them coming please. I promise to share when I can.

Until then, I need to get back to my 7-page paper. It is not too terrible, I have Ninja Gun acting as my soundtrack right now…

Enjoy the day.

Akron, Babble Blog, Cleveland, Good Times, Personal Entry, The Awesome, The Suck

“Ohio I’m leaving, Ohio I’m gone …”

19 May, 2012 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Never thought I would actually be able to sing the following Avett Brothers lyrics and have them actually hold true to my heart:

“Cleveland, I ain’t never felt nothing so strong
Been believing the words to my songs
Ohio I’m leaving, Ohio I’m gone”

For those of you who may not have heard yet, I have taken a job promotion within my company and will be relocating from Cleveland to Las Cruces, New Mexico, within the next 3 weeks. This decision was the most difficult thing I have ever made in my life and it just killed me to come to a decision with such little time.

I weighed all the pros and the cons over and over and realized that I needed this adventure even if it meant leaving everything I love behind. I feel terrible about moving on, but I do not want to not go on with life and one day wonder “what if”. I want to just take that huge risk and see what happens and say that I did it.

For 35 years, Cleveland and Akron have been my life. Raised in a suburb in the middle of both cities, I was privileged enough to meet a ton of people who I have the pleasure of calling friend. From the days of sitting curbside at a Dunkin Donuts to the warm nights in the Coventry courtyard, I really was lucky to be surrounded by such cool and remarkable people. I loved going to the Metros daily and will never forget the times I had at “The Office”. I could not have had a better childhood.

Throughout the years, we all grew up, some of us took our own journeys and risks, but I stayed put and called Cleveland and Akron home. To be honest, I was so ok with that. I am Cleveland blood, this is my town.

As I continued growing up, I met more people and became involved in the ever important Cleveland / Akron music scene, not as a band performer, but as someone who fully appreciated it. I loved my involvement with everything I did and cherished all of the memories that were created on a nightly basis. I am so lucky to say that I had that.

Without going into too much detail, I will just say this: The Cleveland/Akron music scene rules right now and is it better than ever was. I am so sad to leave it all behind, but you all know you I will be doing all I can to stick around, even if I need to do it via the Internet. No way in hell am I going to not keep updated, some of these local bands are too important to not continue to keep tabs on.

The people…my friends. Cleveland and Akron are full of the greatest people I will ever meet. I know you will all welcome me back with open arms if and when I make it back on Ohio soil. Trust me on this, I will be thinking about Ohio on a daily basis for the rest of my life. Thank you to everyone out there who I have met for being so damn cool.

Obviously I am going to miss the locally owned shops and restaurants. I just hit up Square Records last night and know nothing like that store will exist where I am moving to. Music Saves and Blue Arrow, I seriously am going to miss the shit out of as well as the greatest comfort food on Earth, Melt. Pizza will never even compare to Luigi’s. I drool at the thought of one of their salads right now… There are so many other places I can talk about, but I am getting sad just thinking about it. I just hope I can score some Great Lakes beers out in the desert.

Sure, there will be plenty of new places for me to experience in my move to a new city, but it will not be the same. Anyone from Cleveland and Akron who reads this knows exactly what I am talking about. Cleveland and Akron are not that bad and I question why so many people hate it and say they are stuck in it. I’m glad I was born and raised here.

Do I even dare get into Cleveland sports??? I will miss that so much and you can bet your ass I will remain a fan of Cleveland teams until the day I die. That is a promise. Browns for life.

I really should wrap this thing up. Before I finish though, I just wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you out there who has spoken to me one way or another, shared a beer or a smile, rocked out along with, or just stopped here on this blog to see what was on my mind. Without you all, I know I would not be the man I am today, and this site would not be going on 4 years. Being surrounded in so many amazing people just adds fuel to my amazing life.

Special love to my greatest friends ever who rock out in bands like The Facials, Worship This!, Signals Midwest, Beat Kids, Harvey Pekar, Annabel, All Dinosaurs, Sidekicks, and of course Narcoleptics X5 (RIP). These bands that I surrounded me around with are full of some of the most amazing people I will ever know in my life and I will miss the shit out of all of you.

Props to places like It’s A Kling Thing House, Dag House, Now That’s Class, Grog Shop, Agora (I hope you make a sweet come back), Odeon (you too), and all the other places I have seen a show at.

AddictedToVinyl.com, aka Matt, and his amazing new fiancé Annie (congrats!!!!), thank you for everything you have ever done for me. The same love goes to all the good people who used to slave away at 92.3 including Patt The Producer and Nard.

I plan on continuing my blog, that is for sure, but it will never be the same. I will be sure to try and visit and who knows, maybe one day I will plant my feet back in northeastern Ohio. Only time can tell.

I leave June 8th and hope I get to see many of you before I pack up and drive cross county. I know Las Cruces will be good to me, but nothing like the cities I grew up in.

I am scared as hell but excited to see what happens in the next chapter of my life. Thank you people of Cleveland for all you have done for me. I can not help but say “Cleveland Rocks” and mean it with all of my heart. Akron, you rule too.

Acoustic, Akron, Alt Rock, Austin, Cleveland, Country, Festival, Folk, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Garage, Good Times, Got Local?, Hardcore, House Show, Indie, Kent, Listing It Up, Live Shows, Metal, Music, Personal Entry, Pop, Pop Rock, Post-Hardcore, Punk, Review, Rock, SXSW, The Awesome, The Suck

Best Of 2011 According To BHP

27 December, 2011 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Well it would appear that 2011 is coming to an end. With that said, it’s time for a “Best Of…” Broken Headphones 2011 edition.

There were a ton of amazing releases throughout the year as well as live shows that I was able to attend. Below is just a various list of bands that caught my attention, be it a recording or live show, over the past 12 months.

I should add that some of my favorite releases were from local Akron/Cleveland acts. I am not just dropping their names because we are pals or anything, they all worked hard and put out some excellent releases. If you have not heard of any of them, you really should check them out.

I may have missed a band here or there, but the following were the ones that stood out over the rest.

Albums of the Year:

Seahaven – Winter Forever

*Hands down this is one of my favorite albums to drop this year. They just have this indie punk rock sound that is ever so likable – trust me on this. The first time I listened to it, I was hooked. I see big things happening with this band in the near future.

Nothington – Borrowed Time

*This is another album I favored over the rest this year. Catchy lyrics layered over wholesome punk rock is what this album is all about. To make matters even better, they kick ass live. They are coming back to Cleveland next month and I can not wait to see them again. Listening to this band brings me band to the punk rock 90s I grew up on.

All Dinosaurs – Paranoid Indigenous

*So maybe the music was released in 2010, but the LP dropped this past Spring so I consider it a 2011 release. This Cleveland act is beyond fun to listen to plus they put on one of the best live shows ever. They are funny, quote 80s movies and are in it for the fun. It helps they are also all super cool dudes. If you are a Cleveland native, you should already know how amazing this band is.

Dave Hause – Resolutions

*I was a little late checking this album out as it was released in early 2011, but am glad I did not pass it up. Hause (The Loved Ones) is an amazing musician and proves it in this killer solo release. With help from his friends, he put together one hell of a release. Do me a favor, if you like music, listen to this.

Living With Lions – Holy Shit

*Words can not really describe how impressed I was when I heard these guys. All I know is I will have this album playing regularly for a long long time.

Deer Tick – Divine Providence

*The boys in Deer Tick changed it up a bit and put forth a bitching rock album that I really dug.

Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong

*Oh Dawes…you’ve done it again. What a solid release. You guys are on your way to being huge. Keep it up.

Those Darlins – Screws Get Loose

*The girls and Lynwood dropped a impressive follow-up to their debut this year and I adore it. Still kicking around the country-punk attitude, the foursome toyed with a more indie / garage rock sound and did a fine job doing so.

Old Man Markley – Guts n’ Teeth

*This self-proclaimed “New Grass” band was one of the more fun releases I had have the pleasure of checking out this year. I can not wait to see what happens next with these guys and gals.

Banner Pilot – Heart Beats Pacific

*Impressive release by a great punk rock band. They need to play Cleveland soon.

White Wives – Happeners

*This was the surprise release of the year for me. Featuring members of Anti-Flag, this album is far from a pop-punk rock album. On the lines of indie rock, White Wives needs to be heard.

A.A. Bondy – Believers

*This guy really outdid himself. You really have to check it out for yourself to realize why I appreciate it so much. It’s a really beautiful release to listen to.

Bon Iver – Bon Iver

*Not normally something I would listen to, but holy shit – it rules.

The Black Keys – El Camino

*Yeah yeah yeah… The former Akron, OH boys once again put out a release I admit I love. I do not love the fact that the next time they hit Cleveland, they will be playing an arena. It is safe to say they made it big time. Let’s hope they don’t screw it up.

Signals Midwest – Latitudes & Longitudes

*And yet another local act. These guys are a big deal though…to me at least. The dropped a really good record. For serious.

EPs of the year:

Luther – Siblings & Sevens

*Folk / Punk / Rock awesomeness. I was caught off guard by this band. They rule. Sadly they had to cancel their Cleveland show after the band was involved in an accident in Chicago. Luckily no one was seriously injured. I can not wait for their full-length to drop.

Harvey Pekar – Thirty Ghosts

*Dear Harvey Pekar (the band), thank you for existing.

Worship This! – Demo

*I normally do not mention bands that I am really good friends with the members, but I adore this band. That’s all I have to say about that.

Two Hand Fools – Believeland

*These guys better get signed in 2012 or else I am going to fight someone. Another Cleveland act with plenty of talent.

Cherry Cola Champions – EP

*I remember the first time I saw these guys live. I was not into them during their first song, and once their second song started, I was blown away. Looking forward to seeing what this duo has up their sleeves next year.

The Awesome:

-Going to SXSW and seeing bands such as The Dead Milkmen, Flatliners, Dead To Me, Eyehategod, and tons others at various venues in Austin, TX earlier this Spring. It was one hell of an experience to see so many bands cramped into such an amazing city. Sadly when you have that many bands, you tend to miss out on some great sets by amazing bands. Regardless, it was just awesome. Plus…I saw Dale Watson play at Ginny’s. That right there made my trip.

-Hanging out with Ninja Gun for a few days. These guys are some of the best dudes I know. They wanted to play shows on the East coast and I was able to lure them to Kent to play a show in September. We all enjoyed hanging out so much that they kicked it for a couple more days where I took them up to Melt for some cheesy deliciousness.

-Getting Dave Hause to play a house show in Akron. After seeing that Dave Hause was not playing a show in the Cleveland area just 2 weeks ago, I threw him the idea of a house show and he and tour mate Cory Branan were totally down with the idea. The result was a show to remember with Hause and Branan trading off songs all night long.

-Hanging out with friends, new and old, at the Inner Sanctum Pier show on the E. 9th pier. More people could have showed up, but regardless, I had a killer time that sunny day and got to watch Pat The Producer turn into a human tomato.

-Hanging out with Rise Against and doing some charity work them at the Malachi House in Cleveland. The guys were super cool to hang with and really did not have that “rock star” attitude built from success. Props to 92.3 for making that happen.

-Making the trip back to Austin, TX early November and attending Fun Fun Fun Fest. I got to see some of my favorite bands all in one weekend including Murder City Devils, Hot Snakes, Hum, Slayer, Eyehategod, The Damned, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, and Russian Circles. This was one of my favorite festivals of all time. It was a festival I had wanted to attend for a a few years now and I decided to go for it. I am so glad I did.

-It’s A Kling Thing House & Girley House. Both houses put on some amazing shows in 2011 with local acts as well as touring bands. Seeing Jeff Rowe over the summer as well as Mixtapes just a month or so ago in a basement is as good as live shows get for this guy.

-Daytrotter’s Barnstormer Tour. What a great evening of music that was. The show was in a freaking barn. Yes, I do not remember much as the beers were going down like water, but I know I had a blast with some pretty special people.

The Suck:

-Ben Weasel’s SXSW blowout. Sadly I was on the other side of town watching Cleveland’s very own Ringworm in a ghetto ass bar. Don’t ask me why I skipped out on seeing Screeching Weasel live, I was under the influence of many ice cold Lone Star beers. Honestly, I am kind of glad I missed Weasel acting like a little girl on stage.

-Danzig’s Fun Fun Fun hissy fit. One of the main reasons I wanted to go to Fun Fun Fun Fest was because the Danzig Legacy was playing it. I was stoked to finally see Danzig sing some Misfits songs with Doyle on stage. Instead I witnessed a diva take the stage late and get their set cut as they played past curfew. I only heard two Misfits songs and left with a bad taste in my mouth. People can think what they want about Danzig and that night. I was in the crowd watching heater being pulled on stage as well as the side of the stage tarped up so that little Glen would not get cold. It was over an hour until the stage met his needs and the dude was fully aware of the curfew. I will say that the two Mistfits songs had me feeling like a kid all over again. Shame I could not witness the entire set that he had planned. Lucky for me Ted Leo did a TV Casualty set the next day and made up for the Danzig drama.

-Seeing NOFX over Those Darlins. I regret that decision a lot. Two of my favorite bands played the same night and I had to choose one over the other. The good news was that I got to see and meet Old Man Markley. Sorry Darlins, I will not miss you next time you all hit up Cleveland. Please forgive me.

-Atari Teenage Riot’s Cleveland show getting cancelled. I was stoked to see these guys and was prepared to lose my hearing that night. Hours before the show, their promoter cancelled the show. Needless to say, I was pissed.

-92.3 and 107.3 changing formats. Cleveland is a lost cause with radio now that both those stations were yanked.

Wrapping it up…

2011 ended with a bang for this music lover. Thanks to all my friends from all over who made this year extra special for me. You all know who you are. From letting me crashing on couches to allowing bands to play in their basements you helped make this year what it was. Also to everyone who attended shows with me and shared the same passion I have for music, thanks.

Happy holidays everyone and thanks for taking a part out of your day to visit this site.

Ok 2012, let’s see what you have in store.