Tag Archives: Festivals

I Lied. Well, Sort Of…

20 January, 2010 Brian Mc 2 Comments

I need to confess a couple of things…

Last year I said I was going to SXSW. Not happening. I want to, I really do but I can not afford the trip to and from one of my favorite cities in the world…Austin, TX. I will make it there one day and that is a promise. 2010 will not be that year.

I also said I retired from the Warped Tour. After years of going to the punk rock summer camp I announced that I was going to quit. Well…

…and I lied.

If Face To Face plays the Cleveland Warped Tour you can bet your behind I will be there. Andrew W.K. is a must see for me as well.

Live Shows

And So It Starts…

17 February, 2009 Brian Mc 1 Comment

Just started getting wind of what artists are planning 2009 tours. Some of the bands look to continue their success while others just have me scratching my head.

Here are some tours / festivals that I read about recently:

NIN touring with Jane’s Addiction
-This show best hit Cleveland if they know what is good for them… Having seen NIN last summer and looking forward to seeing them at Bonnaroo I think my 2009 would be complete if I were to see them even one more time live. According to Billboard.com, Trent Reznor confirmed that NIN would be taking a long break. Confirming this was a blog from Trent Reznor on NIN.com stating “I’ve been thinking for some time now it’s time to make NIN disappear for a while”. This tour is not NIN alone and will equally be as amazing thanks to Jane’s Addicition trying to regroup and perform. We shall see the outcome of this, all I can think of is how good of an idea is it having two of the most cherished bands of my time take stage.

Limp Bizkit Reuniting For A Tour
-Seriously? Is this a good idea? Perhaps. The band was very successful at the end of the 1990’s but soon fell apart. The Nu-Metal scene just was not meant to continue but I think it is great that the original line-up plans on gathering once again to perform. Does this mean new material? We shall see.

Fleetwood Mac
-I admit, I would totally go to this…if I could afford a ticket.

Rock On The Range – Columbus, OH
-This weekend event in Columbus looks like a true winner for all the metal fans. Slipknot, Motley Crue, Alice In Chains, Avenged Sevenfold and Korn share the excitement for many as these bands plus a handfull more play the weekend of May 16-17th at the Columbus Crew stadium. Having never seen AIC before I am highly considering this show…Matt?

Eric Clapton / Steve Winwood
-Former Blind Faith members decide to tour the US. Both previously played together at Madison Square Garden about a year ago. They are coming through Ohio, but no way will I dish out that kind of money for tickets. It is not that important to me. Both are amazing artists and I have respect for both but the wallet kind of stops me there.

No Doubt
-Please Gwin, please never do that solo crap again… I am really happy to see this band get out and tour again. I am not a huge fan, but I do appreciate their earlier material.

Blink 182
-These pop punkers announced just weeks ago that they were a band again and that means they will be going on the road soon.

Rancid
-They are putting the finishing touches up on their next release and will be hitting the road in support of it. I am very excited to see these guys live again.

The Greatful Dead
-This will be the bands first tour in 4 years. Mind you it is not the original Dead but it’ll do for all the hippies who need something to do this summer.

Phish
-Speaking of hippies, Phish is scheduled to tour in 2009 as well. I need to stop being a jerk…hippies have feelings too. I am sure I will check Phish out at Bonnaroo for a little bit just so I can say that I did.

***More will be added as I find out***

There are many other bands taking aim at touring this year but the previous were ones I just read about. I am still curious on what band will get back together this summer at one of the festivals like Cochella or the Virgin Mobile Festival. I would love to see Soundgarden reunite or even Faith No More play some shows… That would be insane.

There is one band I really hope to see this summer. They have been through a lot as one of their own was in a horrible accident. I speak of The Deftones. Recently the band decided to play some shows even though their original bassist can not be there with them. A statement was released on the band’s website in regards on how the band decided to play out again: “Chi always wanted to keep working and never slow down, which is why we feel confident in returning to the stage at Bamboozle in April. Chi would want it, and we want to make sure we’re keeping his legacy alive.”

With a Bonnaroo trip already planned this summer, I am wondering what other live shows I will be attending this year. I will of course be sure to share all my experiences with you all. I am sure I will stop at the Vans Warped Tour once again as I always enjoy myself there and may actually take up ((RAD))am’s offer on some Blossom shows.

Curious though… What shows are you all looking forward to? Are there any other great acts touring that I might have missed??? Let me know!

Live Shows, Music

Bonnaroo 2009 Plans

6 February, 2009 Brian Mc 1 Comment

Bonnaroo 2009 is on.

So after talking to my good friends Matt and Adam, the gentlemen I have attended the last two Virgin Mobile Festivals with, we agreed to switch up tradition a tad. This year we thought we would start off our summer with a bang by hitting up Bonnaroo 2009.

I just posted the Bonnaroo 2009 line up the other day and you can view that HERE. From what I saw I was overly excited. NIN, Beastie Boys, Coheed & Cambria, Elvis Costello, Snoop Dogg, Jenny Lewis…the list goes on. The biggest acts announced would have to be Phish who will be playing two sets (and I could care less) and also someone who I have wanted to see live for years, the boss, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band will be there.

Needless to say the line up is incredible. I still do not think it can top the 2006 line up with Radiohead, Beck, Tom Petty, and Ben Folds just to mention a couple, but it comes in at a close second. Of course that will be determined once I am on site at the farm grounds enjoying myself.

Last night while deciding if I could afford it I decided to check out nearby hotels. You see, I am what they call a metrosexual of sorts (nothing extreme) and I am ok with it. I don’t camp anymore and I need to look my best and smell my best daily. I admit it, I take care of myself. There is no way in hell I could camp out for four long hot days in a tent surrounded by 80,000 people most of which party until the sun comes up That is not my style. I need A/C, I need a soft bed, and most of all I need internet so I can update all you wonderful readers of my adventures.

Just thinking about my past adventures in 2006 made me want to go even more. I decided that this year would be a Bonnaroo year.

Before a ticket was even purchased, I found a hotel and booked it immediately. The hotel is about 40 miles south of the festival grounds and happens to be a Holiday Inn. In 2006 when I first went to Bonnaroo my friends and I stayed in a dump hotel called Executive Suites, it was gross. In 2007 when my friends and I went to Baltimore to see the Virgin Festival we found a Motel 6 to stay in. One of the beds was missing from the room and the other had a huge hole in it. At that moment I declared never again would I stay in a dump motel. Nothing but the best for me and my friends.

I know it is going to be hot, humid, hopefully not rainy, and also amazing. I look forward to being surrounded by all sorts of people and checking out a huge array of musical talent. I know that when there is nothing going on at one stage tent, that you can move on and find another. You can also visit the merchants inside Centeroo (gated area where the bands play) as well as venture out into the camping grounds to check out other vendors.

It’s a controlled environment even if many of the attendees are on not-so-much controlled substances. The main party starts around noon and sometimes goes all the way till 4am. There is a good vibe throughout the day that I can not wait to be surrounded in again. I also know that when it is late and I am tired I can go back to a hotel for the night and catch up on sleep well away from the partying.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow. Once the ticket is purchased we have 4 months until showtime!

If anyone else is planning on going, let me know.

Here’s some pics I took (well before I had a good camera) from the 2006 Bonnaroo: