So we decided to throw a little tribute to The One-Gloved One into our set at the last minute. I had Dean?Dean!DEAN! run some video for us — the video didn’t turn out, but the sound was acceptable. So I did what I could for visuals. Enjoy!
Archive for the ‘Playing Live’ Category
Female-Fronted Metal: Post #2
Thursday, June 25th, 2009
Floor Jansen at 2007 Master of Rock. Photo by KaJaNa.
It’s time for another installment in my Female-Fronted Metal series. Last time it was Nightwish. Now it’s the now-defunct After Forever. Below, you’ll find the band’s wonderful cover of Iron Maiden’s “The Evil that Men Do.”
Now, I have to say - this band is not as good as the sum of its parts. They should be way better than they are. Floor Jansen has a monster set of pipes and possibly the best stage presence of any singer drawing breath (a brief aside: People “ooh” and “ahh” over that chick from the YeahYeahYeahs. I know it’s a different genre, but Floor absolutely destroys her on every level.).
The rest of the band can play just great. What they can’t do is consistently write awesome songs. That might be why there are no longer. That and, in my opinion, a keytar is a kiss of death! The band has a lot of skill and enthusiasm and they bring it full-force for this classic tune. Great chemistry among them. Just not, to me, the best songwriters.
Floor says she has something new in the works - I’m looking forward to it. She is a grade-A metal singer.
As for the video - I love it. It shows real musicians, and you can tell that they’re fighting hard like real musicians do. The guitarist is having a devil of a time with his Floyd Rose tremolo system, having to adjust and lock the collar down. Floor herself seems to be making adjustments to her in-ear monitor system. Overcoming challenges and still delivering. Love it!
Spinal Tap Moment #2
Thursday, June 4th, 2009A quick note about Spinal Tap Moments - they’re not in chronological order. Or logical order of any kind.
One spring, I snagged the band an out-of-town gig. We went to Prescott to play at a venue called Sundance’s Place. It’s near the town’s infamous Whiskey Row, once known as a slab of watering holes for grizzled hermits, cowboys and real outlaw bikers. Now, it’s pretty much the poser crowd - though it still gets lively.
I’ve been to Prescott many times, but never before stopped at Sundance’s. I was in for a treat. This is a real rock ‘n’ roll venue. People are there to hear loud music and get crazy.
I just didn’t realize how crazy. Let’s take a quick inventory:
1. During our entire set, an autistic guy was break-dancing on crutches!
2. A grizzled old rocker kept slapping me on the knee and wanting me to give him “the knuckles” or a high-five after every guitar solo.
3. A buxom drunkette stormed the stage and rubbed various parts of her anatomy all over Todd during one of my solos. Todd kept on playing and actually blocked her from stepping on his pedalboard. The proper course of action, of course, would’ve been to let me worry about the guitar stuff, drop out of the song, and give the lass the proper attention.
4. While leaping off the stage and onto the floor during one song, I mis-judged the awesome power of my quads and rocketed straight into the ceiling WITH MY HEAD. Yes, I might be your hero - but I’m sometimes the goat, too.
Now that is what we call fun!
Freebird! Play some Skynyrd!
Monday, May 25th, 2009If you’re in a band, especially one with the temerity to play guitar solos, someone is going to yell “Freebird” or “play some Skynyrd!” This is as certain as the sun rising, or as a frat boy yelling “wooooooo!” at a party.
Photoshop by Laura Rude.
Now, this probably funny the first three times. Everybody since then, though, is just not clever enough to come up with
something of their own.
And I promise this: The first time someone yells “Play some Immortal … something from the Sons of Northern Darkness album!”, I will jump off the stage. That person will then get a hug and a free Hung Dynasty CD.
And they weren’t even drunk …
Saturday, May 23rd, 2009Usually, when people are parked in front of the stage screaming and gesticulating, I guess they’re drunk. That means they’d be as nuts about the music no matter who was playing.
At Jughead’s last night, I thought for sure the dudes closest to the stage were
From a previous Jughead's show. Photo by Laura Rude.
just plastered. Turns out I was wrong. After the set, I gave them a few Hung Dynasty picks to say thanks for the enthusiasm (whether influenced by fermented beverages or not). We exchanged a few words, and they sounded stone-cold sober.
Heh. I guess we must’ve done something right. We busted out a few covers, which got people into sing-along mode.
A minor glitch: During the first song, I saw the sound guy run up onto the stage. I looked over my shoulder, and saw that some huge banner had falled off the wall, square onto Chris’ head. It was draped over him like a tent! But he kept on drumming, to his credit.
Seriously, that stuff doesn’t happen in the big leagues, which makes life in the musical nether regions a lot of fun!
Set List:
Rampage
Little Jeannie
Rage (which may get a name change)
Close the Deal
Be a Man
Seek & Destroy (Metallica cover)
What it Means
Stick it to the Man
Breakin’ the Law (Judas Priest cover)
