The Concert Thread

Anyone happening to go to the Psycho Las Vegas festival starting on 17 August? I'll be in California that week so will head to the festival on the Fri-Sun. Looking forward mostly to seeing to King Diamond, Gojira, Khemmis, Windhand, Wolves In The Throne Room. Steel Panther is playing separately on the Friday night in Vegas so I am tempted to leave the festival for a few hours to go catch them.
 
August 9th 2017, Metallica + A7X + Gojira

Absolutely an amazing show! I never had heard anything from Gojira before and they absolutely killed it live. Their drummer is superb! I listened to probably their entire discography in the car ride back today. Stranded has probably one of the best riffs I've ever heard. Flying Whales is also the greatest song title ever. Avenged Sevenfold was pretty bad though. M. Shadows could not sing in key with the rest of the band and every guitar solo played was very out of key too. They ruined The Stage for me, that was easily my favorite song by them and they butchered it. I will probably never see them again.

Metallica was amazing though! The mix was terrible during the first song Hardwired, but by the third song they figured it out and it was pretty good for the rest of the show. The setup they had for the stage was amazing too. The only negative thing I have to say is that the towers they had setup to film the show were pretty obstructive to the view. I'll probably have to just get GA tickets next time. One of my friends won Snakepit passes through the fanclub, I guess its FTTB but better as you wont get crushed. I might have to try my luck with that next time I go!

Also another positive about Metallica. Event Shirts. They had 6 event shirts for Seattle. I'm not sure if they do that at every show, but that was very cool. I only could afford two though.. I'll post pictures soon!

Edit: also Mix Master Mike should find a new profession. I have never face palmed so hard in my life. Never. Ever. Mix Soundgarden with Dj Snake & Lil John. Especially in the city in which Chris Cornell hailed from!
 
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Bloodstock festival was fantastic. I wish I'd been going for years now, especially considering the bands I've missed by not going. Overall it was a much better experience than the bigger festivals I've been to and the weather held out too, thankfully. I'll give a few comments about some of the bands I watched:

Battle Beast - these guys are like a combination of the most extravagant Classic Rock band and all the Power Metal stereotypes. It works a treat for the live show though even though I only recognized one song.
Testament - this was the sixth time I'd seen Testament. Last year I saw them twice and wasn't as impressed as I had been previously (they set a high standard though), partially because I don't like the new stuff much. This was much better though, helped by the mad crowd and a couple of surprises in the setlist.
Blind Guardian - they were the main reason I went to the festival and it was the third year in a row that I saw them. It was a bit odd seeing them sandwiched between two much heavier bands and they only got one hour. The were as flawless as ever though and threw a few rarities into the set.
Amon Amarth - awesome show, even better then last year's UK tour. They were probably the best band of the weekend for me.
Annihilator - I saw them about ten years ago supporting Trivium and wasn't that bothered, but I enjoyed them a lot more this time, probably because they had their own crowd. Jeff Waters seems like a cool guy too.
Municipal Waste - their music is absolutely crap but they are very entertaining live. One of the main crowdsurfing bands of the weekend with an attempt to break the world record of 462 in an hour.
Hatebreed - very heavy, aggressive and angry, but an excellent live band. The vocalist (I'm not calling him a singer) said they'd traveled 35 hours from the Czech Republic to get to Bloodstock and the crowd's reaction in the first song made it all worthwhile.
Kreator - another big highlight for me. They only got an hour unfortunately but they didn't waste any time talking and were super-intense for the entire set.
Ghost - a strange band to headline after so many heavy bands, but they went down well despite the negativity from the knuckle-draggers. It was the third time I'd seen them and the first time I actually knew any of their songs. They justified their place as headliners despite being a bit out of place.
Skindred - this is not a band whose music I like. They do a strange combination of reggae and Metal which, to me, sounds like crap yet works really well live. They were very entertaining and created a great atmosphere.
Arch Enemy - not my cup of tea musically, mainly because of the cookie monster vocals. I think the guitar work sounds great and I would probably love them if they used a nicer vocal style. They are really tight live though and Alissa Cookie Monster is a good frontwoman (or frontperson, to use a gender neutral term) in spite fof her horrible growling. The crowd seemed a bit downbeat compared to Skindred and what was to come next though.
Megadave - this was the eight time I'd seen Megadave live. In recent years they haven't been too great live and Mustaine's vocals are poor. However, it was a better performance than I'd seen them give a couple of years ago in Wembley Arena. The crowd reacted well to what was essentially a greatest hit set but they played more new songs than they had they previous show I'd seen them at.
Wintersun - this was such an awesome way to end the festival. I don't know Wintersun well but they have great music to play in a massive tent approaching midnight. I will be listening to more of their music.

I'm definitely going next year. The aim is to finish the PhD in time and use the festival as a long party. The Saturday and Sunday headliners were announced after Kreator on Saturday night: Gojira and Nightwish. I'd already predicted Nightwish and suggested Gojira as a possibility. Every year the organizers try to get Judas Priest but fail, but I think Helloween as Pumpkins Reunited could get announced when they've finished all their European dates this year. I'm hoping for Iced Earth, Epica and Delain too and I can also see the Cavalera Brothers doing their 'Return to Roots' thing.
 
Just heard a good interview with Mark Tornillo (singer for Accept) with Eddie Trunk. He says there are two reasons the US only has five cities in their upcoming tour to promote their new cd The Rise of Chaos:

1. Each of the US shows will be CD release parties where they play most of the new CD live in addition to the old material.
2. After Accept is through touring the rest of the world October 2017 to February 2018, they hope to play a full US tour like they did for Stalingrad.
 
Devin Townsend Project kicked ass. Performance-wise I have no complaints. Everything was played perfectly and Devin sounded better than ever.

Setlist is kinda lame though. None of the songs they played are outright bad, but Deadhead is the only truly incredible song. Devin also said he's sick of playing Ziltoid Goes Home, dunno why he plays it then. Lamest song in the setlist IMO. March Of The Poozers also isn't anything special. Also the show was kinda short. Barely 1h 15min of music, not counting Devin's (pretty funny) banter between songs. Also, Higher as the last song is lame. Great song, but it's fairly new and it's kinda lame to finish the set with it. Should've played Life instead.

I hope it's not just an act, but Devin is probably the most positive musician I've ever seen on stage.
 
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Devin Townsend Project kicked ass. Performance-wise I have no complaints. Everything was played perfectly and Devin sounded better than ever.

Setlist is kinda lame though. None of the songs they played are outright bad, but Deadhead is the only truly incredible song. Devin also said he's sick of playing Ziltoid Goes Home, dunno why he plays it then. Lamest song in the setlist IMO. March Of The Poozers also isn't anything special. Also the show was kinda short. Barely 1h 15min of music, not counting Devin's (pretty funny) banter between songs. Also, Higher as the last song is lame. Great song, but it's fairly new and it's kinda lame to finish the set with it. Should've played Life instead.

I hope it's not just an act, but Devin is probably the most positive musician I've ever seen on stage.
Cool. Very similar setlist to what I saw in Vegas, the only songs I didn't get were Supercrush and Deadhead (which were played at Red Rocks). I pretty much agree with what you've said about the setlist. Ziltoid Goes Home was such a bore, although Poozers was fun. Definitely agree about Higher being a lame last song. It was the same in Vegas. Should've been earlier in the set. I also wish he'd play Offer Your Light or Secret Sciences.

Btw, he's been ridiculously busy lately. It looks like he's been going nonstop touring since Transcendence came out. Good for him.
 
Purchased Mastodon tickets for their show in Wolverhampton in December. Kinda of a casual fan, but I thought I'd go seeing as though I've never seen them live.

My current schedule looks like this -

20/9 - Voodoo Six - The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton
14/11 - Alice Cooper - Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham
2/12 - Mastodon - Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
16/12 - Queen + Adam Lambert - Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham
22/3 - Steven Wilson - Symphony Hall, Birmingham

:)
 
Last night I saw Muse at Reading Festival. I've had at least a passing interest in them since 'Origin of Symmetry' was released in 2001 and I've always been curious to see them live, but never had the motivation to go to one of their own shows. It was definitely worth the wait as they played most of their older songs that I wanted to see in a spectacular show. They even had a guest appearance from Brian Johnson to sing 'Back in Black' with them!

I saw a few other bands too, most of whom are unheard of or of no interest to this forum: Architects (the token Metal band of the weekend), Fizzy Blood, Tired Lion, Don Bronco (secret set under the name The Prettyboys), Breaking Benjamin and Ash. I don't forsee there being much reason for me to go back to Reading Festival as Bruce Dickinson said that Maiden would never play there again. It's an odd festival though. You can get almost anything there, from techno to Hip-Hop to Metal (Gojira and Mastodon have played in the past couple of years). It's full of teenagers with glitter on their faces too. I have no idea why.

I have a few weeks without any gigs (how will I cope?) until the end of next month, then it gets busy again.

26/09 Evergrey, Camden Underworld
02/10 Alter Bridge, Royal Albert Hall
24/10 Metallica, O2 Arena
26/10 The Iron Maidens, Reading
01/11 Delain, Camden Koko
12/11 Toseland/Skarlett Riot, Oxford
14/11 Helloween, Brixton Academy
19/04 Epica, Kentish Town Forum
09/08-12/08 Gojira/Nightwish, Bloodstock Festival

Any any potential Iron Maiden shows.
 
Well, more tickets for Metallica in Birmingham were released today. And I got one. And I'm fucking over the moon.

27/9/17 - Voodoo Six, The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton
22/10/17 - A Conversation with Bruce Dickinson, The Lowry, Manchester
30/10/17 - Metallica, Genting Arena, Birmingham
14/11/17 - Alice Cooper, Arena, Birmingham
4/12/17 - Mastodon, Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
16/12/17 - Queen + Adam Lambert, Arena, Birmingham
22/03/18 - Steven Wilson, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

:)
 
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9-28: Accept (really excited; missed them last time since they skipped TX; this time they are only playing five US cities and Houston is 1 of them!)

Accept has canceled this show! They claim after Harvey flooded Houston that hotel rooms are scarce now and they will return next year for a full US tour.

Damn!
 
Clutch will be touring the US with Devin Townsend as support:


Nov. 29 Cone Denim Entertainment Center Greensboro, NC
Dec 1 House Of Blues Myrtle Beach, SC
Dec 2 Jannus Live St Petersburg, FL
Dec 3 Revolution Fort Lauderdale, FL
Dec 5 Backyard Stage @ St Augustine Ampthr St.Augustine, FL
Dec 6 Vinyl Music Hall Pensacola, FL
Dec 8 Varsity Theatre Baton Rouge, LA
Dec 9 The Aztec Theatre San Antonio, TX
Dec 10 House Of Blues Houston, TX
Dec 11 Gillioz Theatre Springfield, MO
Dec 13 Bourbon Theatre Lincoln, NE
Dec 15 Limelight Eventplex Peoria, IL
Dec 16 Marathon Music Works Nashville, TN
Dec 27 Upstate Concert Hall Clifton Park, NY
Dec 28 Starland Ballroom Sayreville, NJ
Dec 29 The National Richmond, VA
Dec 30 The International Knoxville, TN
Dec 31 Express Live Columbus, OH

@MrKnickerbocker
 
Man...I love Clutch, but after the most recent show I'm just straight-up Clutch'd out. They are an amazing live band and I love the tunes (especially the new ones), but until a few more albums come to pass I feel like I've seen the show.

Also, Peoria's a good 3 hour drive for me and I definitely don't need to be doing that in December.
 
Clutch will be touring the US with Devin Townsend as support:


Nov. 29 Cone Denim Entertainment Center Greensboro, NC
Dec 1 House Of Blues Myrtle Beach, SC
Dec 2 Jannus Live St Petersburg, FL
Dec 3 Revolution Fort Lauderdale, FL
Dec 5 Backyard Stage @ St Augustine Ampthr St.Augustine, FL
Dec 6 Vinyl Music Hall Pensacola, FL
Dec 8 Varsity Theatre Baton Rouge, LA
Dec 9 The Aztec Theatre San Antonio, TX
Dec 10 House Of Blues Houston, TX
Dec 11 Gillioz Theatre Springfield, MO
Dec 13 Bourbon Theatre Lincoln, NE
Dec 15 Limelight Eventplex Peoria, IL
Dec 16 Marathon Music Works Nashville, TN
Dec 27 Upstate Concert Hall Clifton Park, NY
Dec 28 Starland Ballroom Sayreville, NJ
Dec 29 The National Richmond, VA
Dec 30 The International Knoxville, TN
Dec 31 Express Live Columbus, OH
I might be in New Orleans 9th-16th December. I've been looking for any tours in the US to go to and this has been the only decent looking one (apart from Katy Perry in Orlando) but the Baton Rouge show is too early and I don't want to go to Tennessee.
 
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