Black Stone Cherry – 2017 – Black To Blues
By Eric | October 3, 2017 6:00 pm
Artist: Black Stone Cherry
Title: Black To Blues
Label: Mascot
Released: Sep 29, 2017
Packaging: Digipack
Pack-in DVD?
Release Type: Standard
Autographed?
Tracklist:
#Built For Comfort
#Champagne & Reefer
#Palace Of The King
#Hoochie Coochie Man
#Born Under A Bad Sign
#I Want To Be Loved
Review:
Topics: CD Collection | Comments Off on Black Stone Cherry – 2017 – Black To Blues
Tags: 2017, Black Stone Cherry, Digipack, Mascot, Standard
09/21/2017 Megadeth, Unearth (Rochester, NY @ The Dome Arena)
By Eric | September 25, 2017 10:15 am
Continuing my run of shows where I know I should see a band without being immersed in their catalog, I picked up my second of the Big 4 by seeing Megadeth. I’m not sure how Unearth got the opening gig for this – I didn’t know they were still playing out, and they didn’t do much more for me this go around than they did when I saw them in 2009 opening for Hatebreed. They were fine, but meh. Just not one of the metalcore bands I ever got interested in.
Met up with Scott and hung out in the back, as he was in the same boat as me, meaning we knew enough Megadeth tunes to be familiar, but not enough to be real fans. It was an excellent show however, the band sounded great, Dave Mustaine’s singing sounded good, and the crowd was pretty into it. This was simply one of those shows to kick back, watch, and enjoy!
Megadeth setlist:
Hangar 18
The Threat Is Real
Mechanix
Sweating Bullets
Conquer or Die!
Trust
Dawn Patrol
Poison Was the Cure
Take No Prisoners
She-Wolf
A Tout Le Monde
Poisonous Shadows
Tornado of Souls
Dystopia
Symphony of Destruction
Peace Sells
Encore:
Holy Wars… The Punishment Due
Hangar 18
Holy Wars
Topics: Concerts | Comments Off on 09/21/2017 Megadeth, Unearth (Rochester, NY @ The Dome Arena)
Tags: Dome Arena, Megadeth, rochester, Unearth
Nothing More – 2017 – The Stories We Tell Ourselves
By Eric | September 18, 2017 6:00 pm
Artist: Nothing More
Title: The Stories We Tell Ourselves
Label: Better Noise
Released: Sep 15, 2017
Packaging: Jewel Case
Pack-in DVD?
Release Type: Standard
Autographed? Autographed
Tracklist:
#Ambition ~ Destruction
#Do You Really Want It
#Convict ~ Divide
#Let Em Burn
#Ripping Me Apart
#Don’t Stop
#Funny Little Creatures
#React ~ Respond
#The Great Divorce
#Still In Love
#Alone ~ Together
#Go To War
#Just Say When
#Accept ~ Disconnect
#Who We Are
#Tunnels
#End ~ Begin
#Fade In ~ Fade Out
Review:
Topics: CD Collection | Comments Off on Nothing More – 2017 – The Stories We Tell Ourselves
Tags: 2017, Autographed, Better Noise, Jewel Case, Nothing More, Standard
09/12/2017 Overkill, Crowbar, Havok (Rochester, NY @ The German House)
By Eric | September 13, 2017 11:24 am
This was the second show in a row where I barely knew any of the material, but knew as a fan of heavy music that I ought to see these bands, including the opener.
I got to the German House just as Havok started their last song, but what I did catch was pretty good. They’re a straight up thrash band from Denver and I’d heard a number of good things about them. Wish I could have seen more of them. (Little did I know they’d come back with Killswitch and Anthrax a couple months later!)
Havok Setlist:
Unnatural Selection
D.O.A.
F.P.C.
Hang Em High
Claiming Certainty
Intention to Deceive
I’d been interested in Crowbar forever, thanks to Beavis and Butt-head, but also due to frontman Kirk Windstein guesting on Jasta’s podcast a couple of times and doing the two Kingdom of Sorrow records, plus being a part of Down. Despite all that, I never really delved into the Crowbar catalog all that much until recently. They’d played at the California Brew Haus the year prior and I couldn’t go, so I was glad to have made this one. Again, not really knowing much of anything inside and out save for All I Had I Gave, the set was entertaining all the way through. Jasta doesn’t call Kirk the Riff Lord for nothing… they had them in spades. And HEAVY. Damn. Good times.
Crowbar setlist (fairly certain):
I Am the Storm
High Rate Extinction
All I Had (I Gave)
To Build a Mountain
The Cemetary Angels
Walk With Knowledge Wisely
Plasmic and Pure
Conquering
Planets Collide
Like Broken Glass
So while I knew a little about Crowbar, I knew even less about Overkill, other than that they were considered in the second tier of 80’s thrash bands among others such as Exodus and Testament. There was a healthy turnout for them, and they were quite entertaining. Lead singer Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth has a very distinctive voice (and look!), and former Shadows Fall drummer Jason Bittner was playing with them as well. For knowing zero songs, I had a good time just watching the show from the back!
Overkill Setlist:
Mean, Green, Killing Machine
Rotten to the Core
Electric Rattlesnake
Hello From the Gutter
In Union We Stand
Goddamn Trouble
Wrecking Crew
I Hate
Shine On
Electro-Violence
Ironbound
Thanx for Nothin’
Encore:
Horrorscope
Elimination
Fuck You (The Subhumans cover)
Topics: Concerts | Comments Off on 09/12/2017 Overkill, Crowbar, Havok (Rochester, NY @ The German House)
Tags: 2017, Crowbar, German House, Havok, Overkill, rochester
08/25/2017 Eyehategod, Cro-Mags, Escuela (Rochester, NY @ Montage Music Hall)
By Eric | August 28, 2017 3:49 pm
I’d heard about both of these bands for years and years. Cro-Mags are one of the most influential hardcore bands ever, and in terms of sludgy metal, no one seems to be more revered than Eyehategod. Between Phil Anselmo wearing their shirt in the I’m Broken video, and Randy Blythe always repping them, they’ve always been in the consciousness. Having no real background with either band, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
I only got there in time to see the last opener, Escuela, a band from Ithaca with a female lead singer who hit it pretty hard – they were perfect openers for this. Cro-Mags were next, and there were a lot of old hardcore dudes that went off… it’s always cool to see the people that are lifers get all into it. I barely know We Gotta Know and Hard Times, so the rest of it was an education.
Cro-Mags setlist (guessing based on other sets):
World Peace
Show You No Mercy
Malfunction
Crush the Demoniac
Street Justice
Signs of the Times
Right Brigade (Bad Brains cover)
Attitude (Bad Brains cover)
It’s the Limit
Life of My Own
Don’t Tread on Me
We Gotta Know
Hard Times
Hard Times
The education continued when EHG hit the stage. Slow and sludgy was the name of the game, and knowing a full zero songs, I just kinda hung back and watched them do their thing. It’s not my favored genre by any stretch, but I can now say I saw them, and had the opportunity to check out something I normally wouldn’t. Besides, live metal is live metal!
Eyehategod setlist (guessing based on other sets):
New Orleans Is the New Vietnam
Lack of Almost Everything
Jack Ass in the Will of God
Parish Motel Sickness
Left to Starve
Blank / Shoplift
Medicine Noose
Ruptured Heart Theory
Agitation! Propaganda!
Sisterfucker (Part I)
Sister Fucker (Part II)
Serving Time in the Middle of Nowhere
Take as Needed for Pain
Methamphetamine
Peace Thru War (Thru Peace and War)
Run It Into the Ground
Topics: Concerts | Comments Off on 08/25/2017 Eyehategod, Cro-Mags, Escuela (Rochester, NY @ Montage Music Hall)
Tags: 2017, Cro-Mags, Escuela, Eyehategod, Montage Music Hall, rochester
Will Hoge – 2017 – Anchors
By Eric | August 21, 2017 6:00 pm
Artist: Will Hoge
Title: Anchors
Label: EDLO
Released: Aug 11, 2017
Packaging: Cardboard
Pack-in DVD?
Release Type: Standard
Autographed?
Tracklist:
#The Reckoning
#This Grand Charade
#Little Bit Of Rust
#Cold Night In Sante Fe
#Baby’s Eyes
#(This Ain’t) An Original Sin
#Through Missing You
#Anchors
#Angels Wings
#17
#Young As We Will Ever Be
Review:
Topics: CD Collection | Comments Off on Will Hoge – 2017 – Anchors
Tags: 2017, Cardboard, EDLO, Standard, Stereo, Will Hoge
08/16/2017 Guns N Roses, Live (Buffalo, NY @ New Era Field)
By Eric | August 17, 2017 3:12 pm
Not In This Lifetime indeed. Much like most of the known universe, I got hooked on GNR by seeing the Paradise City video in constant rotation on MTV when I was 8 years old. Being a bit too young to see them in their heyday, plus all of the ensuing drama, I didn’t think I’d ever see any “real” incarnation of GNR. So when they announced the tour, they hit Toronto and I wasn’t going to be able to make that work – but then the 2nd leg was released with a Buffalo date on it, well, it was a no brainer. I went wild and spent big bucks to get a GA Pit ticket down front – when am I going to see GNR again? As the show got closer, Sara hit me up to join her and her co-workers in taking a limo bus! So this show, and now tailgating super-close to the gates, and I don’t have to drive? Count me in.
So we get on the bus, get to the stadium, and hang out for quite awhile. We all split and meandered in – I wandered down front as I was fairly interested to see Live. I’d never seen them, save for seeing Ed Kowalczyk at KRockathon a couple years ago, and besides an Audioslave cover (I Am The Highway) in tribute to Chris Cornell, it was an all-killer no filler radio hits setlist. One super curious note – two full drum kits and two drummers! Apparently usual drummer Chad Gracey had suffered an arm injury and wasn’t 100%, so they recruited Robin Diaz (who’s played with a bunch of people, including Theory of a Deadman, Daughtry, Candlebox, Smashing Pumpkins, etc.). They sounded great and obviously a lot of people were enthusiastic about seeing them. Our Lady Peace had been opening a couple of the other dates on this tour and probably would have had an even better reaction, but no matter.
Operation Spirit
I Am The Highway
Live Setlist
————
All Over You
Operation Spirit
Pain Lies on the Riverside
The Dolphin’s Cry
Selling the Drama
I Alone
Lakini’s Juice
I Am the Highway (Audioslave cover)
Lightning Crashes
Now it was time for GNR. The pit filled in pretty solidly by this time, I camped out on the left hand side, and the band came out to the opening strains of It’s So Easy. The setlist was pretty varied, and even with Duff and Slash back in the band, there were three Chinese Democracy songs in the set also. I frankly wasn’t going to care too much what they played, but they did play a bunch of the deeper cuts I like (Mr Brownstone, Double Talkin Jive, Used To Love Her, My Michelle). They too did a tribute to Chris Cornell, playing Black Hole Sun in addition to a couple other covers. The band sounded fantastic, Axl didn’t hit every single note, but was perfectly fine. I don’t have a super thorough review for this one, other than to say that the whole night and the whole set was a ton of fun, and having the core three dudes playing these songs (I know, I know, where’s Izzy?) in such a huge stadium show environment was a blast!
Double Talkin Jive / Better / Estranged
Used To Love Her / My Michelle / Wish You Were Here
Black Hole Sun
GNR Setlist
———–
It’s So Easy
Mr. Brownstone
Chinese Democracy
Welcome to the Jungle
Double Talkin’ Jive
Better
Estranged
Live and Let Die
Rocket Queen
You Could Be Mine
New Rose (with “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory intro)
This I Love
Civil War
Yesterdays
Coma (with band introductions)
Slash Guitar Solo (with ”Johnny B Goode” jam in the middle)
Speak Softly Love (Love Theme From The Godfather)
Sweet Child O’ Mine
Used to Love Her
My Michelle
Wish You Were Here(Pink Floyd cover)
November Rain (“Layla” piano exit-intro)
Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover)
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (with Only Women Bleed intro)
Nightrain
Encore:
Patience (Melissa Intro)
The Seeker (The Who cover)
Paradise City
Topics: Concerts | Comments Off on 08/16/2017 Guns N Roses, Live (Buffalo, NY @ New Era Field)
Tags: 2017, Buffalo, Guns N' Roses, Live, Slash
Sick Of It All – 2016 – When the Smoke Clears
By Eric | August 1, 2017 6:00 pm
Artist: Sick Of It All
Title: When the Smoke Clears
Label: Century Media
Released: Nov 4, 2016
Packaging: Cardboard Sleeve
Pack-in DVD?
Release Type: Standard
Autographed?
Tracklist:
#When the Smoke Clears
#Black Venom
#Doomed Campaign
#Blood & Steel
#Fortress
Review:
Topics: CD Collection | Comments Off on Sick Of It All – 2016 – When the Smoke Clears
Tags: 2016, Cardboard Sleeve, Century Media, Sick Of It All, Standard
Save Ferris – 2017 – Checkered Past
By Eric | August 1, 2017 6:00 pm
Artist: Save Ferris
Title: Checkered Past
Label: Withyn
Released: Mar 3, 2017
Packaging: Digipack
Pack-in DVD?
Release Type: Standard
Autographed?
Tracklist:
#Anything
#New Sound
#Golden Silence
#Do I Even Like You?
#Goodbye Brother
Review:
Topics: CD Collection | Comments Off on Save Ferris – 2017 – Checkered Past
Tags: 2017, Digipack, Save Ferris, Standard, Withyn
John Prine – 1976 – Prime Prine – The Best of John Prine
By Eric | August 1, 2017 6:00 pm
Artist: John Prine
Title: Prime Prine – The Best of John Prine
Label: Atlantic
Released: Jan 2, 1976
Packaging: Jewel Case
Pack-in DVD?
Release Type: Standard
Autographed?
Tracklist:
#Sam Stone
#Saddle In The Rain
#Please Don’t Bury Me
#The Great Compromise
#Grandpa Was A Carpenter
#Donald And Lydia
#Illegal Smile
#Sweet Revenge
#Dear Abby
#Souvenirs
#Come Back To Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard
#Hello In There
Review:
Topics: CD Collection | Comments Off on John Prine – 1976 – Prime Prine – The Best of John Prine
Tags: 1976, Atlantic, Jewel Case, John Prine, Standard