• Blog,  Concerts

    2nd Time Seeing Alice Cooper

    November 28 2011 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: November 27, 2011
    • Location of Concert: Keith Albee Performing Arts Center in Huntington, WV

    I first saw Alice Cooper in August of 2011.

    The second time was just a few months later, in November.

    My cousin Zachary and I went to this show.

    It was just 20 minutes from where we lived so it was a no brainer.

    Like the first show and every time I’ve seen him since (I’m typing this in 2023 and have seen him many times and even met him once.) he and his band (Guitarists Steve Hunter, Orianthi, and Ryan Roxie, Bassist Chuck Garric, and Drummer Glen Sobel) are always great.

    Classic song after classic song.

    Great stage show.

    Great theatrics.

    I can’t say enough about Alice.

    Aside from his first two albums, I think every album he has released is awesome and he never does a bad concert.  EVER!!

    Rock on!!

    Set List:

    1. Tape:  Vincent Price Intro
    2. The Black Widow
    3. Brutal Planet
    4. I’m Eighteen
    5. Under My Wheels
    6. Billion Dollar Babies
    7. No More Mr. Nice Guy
    8. Hey Stoopid
    9. Is It My Body
    10. Halo Of Flies (w/Bass and Drum Solos)
    11. I’ll Bite Your Face Off (New Song)
    12. Muscle Of Love
    13. Only Women Bleed (included a short Guitar Solo by Orianthi at the beginning)
    14. Cold Ethyl
    15. Feed My Frankenstein
    16. Clones (We’re All)
    17. Poison
    18. Wicked Young Man
    19. Killer (Partial)
    20. I Love The Dead (Partial)
    21. School’s Out (included part of Pink Floyd’s Another Brick In The Wall Part 2)
    22. Encore:  Elected

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    Epitaph? Not Quite: Judas Priest/Black Label Society/Thin Lizzy Concert Review

    November 9 2011 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: November 8, 2011
    • Location of Concert: U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, OH

    This was supposed to be Judas Priest’s farewell tour, hence why it was called Epitaph.

    But luckily, it turned out not to be, because as I type this in 2023, they are still around making albums and touring.  I’m glad.

    However, last tour or not, this was a great tour and lineup of bands.

    A newer incarnation of Thin Lizzy opened.

    Classic members Scott Gorham (Guitar), Brian Downey (Drums), and Darrell Wharton (Keyboards) were there, along with new singer Ricky Warwick, who sounds uncannily like Phil Lynott (RIP).  The band was rounded out by Bassist Marco Mendoza and Guitarist Richard Fortus, who also plays in Guns N Roses.

    They played an awesome set of Thin Lizzy classics.

    Sadly, they’re only known for two songs in America, The Boys Are Back In Town and Jailbreak.  Both great songs, but trust me, they have sooooooooo many great songs.  Please do yourself a favor and seek out their music.  They rock.

    Next was Black Label Society, which is Singer/Guitarist Zakk Wylde’s band.

    They’re a very good band and Zakk is incredible, but to my ears, as well as my cousin Zachary’s who was there with me, they sounded terrible that night.  SOOOO loud and distorted.  The mix was awful.  I’m sorry but it was.  Again I love Zakk but the mix was awful.  I’m sure most of their shows sound great, but to our ears, they were not great on this night.  Maybe it was just where we were because I later heard an audio bootleg and they sounded fine.  I don’t know.

    Thank goodness that was not the case with Thin Lizzy or the headliner Judas Priest!!

    They went on a little after 10 PM and played until after Midnight.

    Tons of songs from almost every album they had released up to that point.

    Singer Rob Halford forever a commander of the stage and singing/screaming his head off like no other.

    Guitarists Glenn Tipton and newcomer at the time Richie Faulkner (replacing KK Downing, who left the band) playing phenomenally.

    Bassist Ian Hill and Drummer Scott Travis solid as a rock, like always.

    Priest are one of my favorite bands ever and I try to go see them every chance I get.

    They never let me down.

    Judas Priest Set List:

    1. Intro Tape (Battle Hymn)
    2. Rapid Fire
    3. Metal Gods
    4. Heading Out To The Highway
    5. Judas Rising
    6. Starbreaker
    7. Victim Of Changes
    8. Never Satisfies
    9. Diamonds & Rust
    10. Intro Tape (Dawn Of Creation)
    11. Prophecy
    12. Night Crawler
    13. Turbo Lover
    14. Beyond The Realms Of Death
    15. The Sentinel
    16. Blood Red Skies
    17. The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown)
    18. Breaking The Law (Rob did not sing this.  He let the audience sing it.  It was a rush!!)
    19. Painkiller
    20. Encore:  The Hellion/Electric Eye
    21. Hell Bent For Leather
    22. You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
    23. Encore 2:  Living After Midnight

    Black Label Society Set List:

    1. Intro Tape:  New Religion
    2. Crazy Horse
    3. Funeral Bell
    4. Bleed For Me
    5. Suicide Messiah
    6. Overlord
    7. Parade Of The Dead
    8. Fire It Up
    9. Guitar Solo
    10. Godspeed Hell Bound
    11. Concrete Jungle
    12. Stillborn

    Thin Lizzy Set List:

    1. Are You Ready
    2. Waiting For An Alibi
    3. Jailbreak
    4. Massacre
    5. Emerald
    6. Killer On The Loose
    7. Rosalie (Bob Seger cover)
    8. Roisun Dubh (Black Rose):  A Rock Legend
    9. Cowboy Song
    10. The Boys Are Back In Town

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Conventions

    My Last WWE House Show to Date

    September 17 2011 / No Comments
    • Date of Event: September 16, 2011
    • Location of Event: Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington, WV

    While going through my archives preparing to type my reviews for this web site, I had forgotten about this WWE house show (non-televised event).

    I was thinking my last WWE house show was in March of 2011 (I’m typing this in 2023.).

    But I was wrong.

    Then I did remember some of the matches.  

    I remember Dolph Ziggler wrestling.

    I remember seeing Sin Cara wrestle.

    I also remember seeing Alberto Del Rio wrestle.

    I’m sorry I don’t remember much else, but I did find the results and have posted them below, courtesy of the great website thehistoryofwwe.com, along with my ticket stub.

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    1st Time Seeing Alice Cooper

    August 18 2011 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: August 17, 2011
    • Location of Concert: LC Pavilion in Columbus, OH

    I’m typing this in 2023 and I can say I’ve been an Alice Cooper fan for 25  years.

    I’ve seen him many times, have all his albums, and love all of it (except for his first two albums, they’re not that great).

    But this was the first time I saw him concert:  13 years after I became a fan.

    Yeah it took me awhile to see him, but thank goodness I finally did.

    He and his band, which have mostly been the same since I first saw him (Guitarists Ryan Roxie, Orianthi and Steve Hunter, Bassist Chuck Garric, and Drummer Glen Sobel at the time), have always been great.

    Alice always has great musicians around him anyways.

    And the songs are just beyond classic.

    I can’t say enough about Alice.

    He’s PHENOMENAL.  Still making great albums and doing great shows.

    Set List:

    1. Tape:  Vincent Price Intro
    2. The Black Widow
    3. Brutal Planet
    4. I’m Eighteen
    5. Under My Wheels
    6. Billion Dollar Babies
    7. No More Mr. Nice Guy
    8. Hey Stoopid
    9. Is It My Body
    10. Halo Of Flies
    11. I’ll Bite Your Face Off (New Song)
    12. Muscle Of Love
    13. Only Women Bleed
    14. Cold Ethyl
    15. Feed My Frankenstein
    16. Clones (We’re All)
    17. Poison
    18. Wicked Young Man
    19. Killer (partial)
    20. I Love The Dead (partial)
    21. School’s Out
    22. Encore:  Elected

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    I Finally Saw Steely Dan in Concert

    July 20 2011 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: July 19, 2011
    • Location of Concert: PNC Pavilion in Cincinnati, OH

    After being a fan for 13 years, I finally saw Steely Dan in concert.

    Steely Dan is comprised of founders Donald Fagen (Vocals/Keyboards) and Walter Becker (Guitar/Bass/Vocals) and they always have the best musicians in the world playing with them.

    Thanks to my brother Christopher, I became a fan of this band when I was still in high school.

    I love their albums and songs soooooooo much.

    And live, they deliver the songs to the fans very well.

    I’m sooooooooooooooooo glad I finally got to see them.

    Set List:

    1. Dizzy’s Bidness (Cannonball Adderly cover)-The Miles High Band played this song to introduce Donald and Walter onto the stage
    2. Aja
    3. Black Friday
    4. Hey Nineteen
    5. Your Gold Teeth
    6. Black Cow
    7. Time Out Of Mind
    8. Green Earrings
    9. Show Biz Kids
    10. Bodhisattva
    11. Dirty Work (The Embassy Brats sing this song)
    12. Home At Last
    13. Neighbor’s Daughter (Lee Dorsey cover-Walter talks and introduces the band during this)
    14. Josie
    15. Peg
    16. My Old School
    17. Reelin’ In The Years
    18. Encore:  Kid Charlemagne
    19. Last Tango In Paris (Gato Barbieri cover-The Miles High Band plays this as Donald and Walter exit the stage)

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    70s and 80s Classics: Motley Crue/Poison/New York Dolls Concert Review

    June 27 2011 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: June 26, 2011
    • Location of Concert: Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH

    This was another great show my cousin Zachary and I saw.

    The New York Dolls opened the show.

    They included original members David Johansen on vocals and Sylvain Sylvain on guitar.

    They played some songs from their most recent albums, plus songs from their cult classic first album.

    Some people may know of David as an actor and as Dexter Poindexter of the 1980s with the hit song “Hot Hot Hot”.

    Very good band and please seek out their music.  Highly influential, but never got past cult status.

    I’m glad we saw them.

    Then Poison played. 

    This was the second time I had seen them.

    Still all original members (Bret Michaels on Vocals and some Guitar, CC Deville on Guitar, Bobby Dall on Bass, and Rikki Rockett on Drums).

    This band was one of the kings of the late 80s/early 90s and are always at the top of their game.

    I wish they would make more new music (nothing since 2007, although Bret continues to make solo music), but when they play live, they’re always great and a lot of fun.

    Then Motley Crue closed the show.

    Again, all original members (Vince Neil on Vocals, Mick Mars on Guitar, Nikki Sixx on Bass, and Tommy Lee on Drums).

    This was my 5th time seeing Motley (8 as I type this in 2023).

    They’re one of my favorite bands of all time.

    The last time I saw them in 2009, Tommy could not play the drums because he had an accident, so it seemed to me that he had something to prove this time and played extra hard. 

    Some give them crap live, especially Vince because of him skipping every other word on a lot of the songs, but it’s never bothered me and he’s always sang enough to satisfy.

    I’ve always had a great time seeing them, and I love their albums.  All of them.

    Again, great time.  Zachary had a great time too.

    I don’t have a lot of pictures to show, and they’re not great, but again, this was a disposable camera, so unless you were super up close, they were never that great.

    Motley Crue Set List:

    1. Wild Side
    2. Saints Of Los Angeles
    3. Live Wire
    4. Shout At The Devil 97
    5. Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)
    6. Primal Scream
    7. Home Sweet Home
    8. Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)-also featured some of the Cee Lo Green song Fuck You
    9. Drum Solo
    10. Guitar Solo
    11. Looks That Kill
    12. Dr. Feelgood
    13. Too Young To Fall In Love
    14. Too Fast For Love
    15. Girls, Girls, Girls
    16. Smokin’ In The Boys Room
    17. Kickstart My Heart

    Poison Set List:

    1. Look What The Cat Dragged In
    2. Ride The Wind
    3. We’re An American Band
    4. Your Mama Don’t Dance
    5. Guitar Solo
    6. Fallen Angel
    7. Unskinny Bop
    8. Drum Solo
    9. Every Rose Has It’s Thorn
    10. Talk Dirty To Me 
    11. Nothin’ But A Good Time

    New York Dolls Set List:

    1. Looking For A Kiss
    2. Dance Like A Monkey
    3. Cause I Sez So
    4. Talk To Me Baby
    5. Kids Like You
    6. Pills
    7. Trash
    8. Personality Crisis
    9. Jet Boy

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Conventions

    I Went to a Wrestling PPV!!

    April 18 2011 / No Comments
    • Date of Event: April 17, 2011
    • Location of Event: U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati,OH

    My cousin Zachary and I went to a TNA Wrestling PPV event in Cincinnati, OH.

    It was called Lockdown.

    This was a lot of fun.

    We both had ringside seats.

    We got to see Kurt Angle wrestle Jeff Jarrett in a steel cage (in fact all of the matches at this PPV were in a steel cage, hence the title Lockdown).  Kurt actually did a moonsault right off the top of the cage, which was AWESOME to behold.

    We got to see one of our favorite wrestlers Scott Steiner wrestle in a tag team match, which was cool.

    We got to see Sting vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Mr. Anderson, which was really cool.  Especially when my favorite wrestler ever, Hulk Hogan, came out to ringside to interfere.

    We got to see two feuding factions (Fortune and Immortal) face off.

    That’s just some of the highlights.

    I took lots of pictures, but as I type this in 2023, I cannot find them, but I know they are somewhere I can find them at.  Once I do, I’ll post them to this review.

    Until then, I’ll just post my ticket stub, as well as the front and back cover of my DVD I bought of the PPV later on that year.

    This was a great event to see in person.

     

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Conventions

    I Saw Edge and Christian Wrestle!!

    March 21 2011 / No Comments
    • Date of Event: March 20, 2011
    • Location of Event: Charleston Civic Center in Charleston, WV

    I went to a WWE house show (non-televised event) a few days before their huge PPV Wrestlemania.

    I got to see The Big Show and Kane tag together and what was billed as a singles bout (Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio) turned into a tag team match of Edge and Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio and Brodus Clay.  Edge and Christian won, making the fans happy, myself included.

    That’s about all I remember of it, but I have found the results and posted them below, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com web site, as well as my ticket stub.

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Conventions

    My 3rd TNA Wrestling House Show

    February 19 2011 / No Comments
    • Date of Event: February 18, 2011
    • Location of Event: Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington, WV

    I went to my 3rd TNA Wrestling house show (non-televised event) in Huntington, WV.

    At this point, TNA Wrestling was coming to my area a lot, which was great to see.

    I’m sure I have pictures of this event, but until I can find them, here are my memories (I’m typing this in 2023.).

    I remember Kurt Angle and Beer Money (Robert Roode and James Storm) wrestling Jeff Jarrett, Jesse Neal, and Shannon Moore in the main event and that Kurt and his team won.

    Mick Foley was there too and managed Crimson earlier in the show.

    I was also able to get Mick’s and Beer Money’s autographs that night (they were doing signings in an intermission).

    Sorry I don’t have a ton of memories but again, it was fun.  Wrestling shows are always fun to go to.

    However, I did find the results and am posting them here, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com web site, as well as my ticket stub.

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    Avenged Sevenfold/Stone Sour Concert Review

    January 26 2011 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: January 25, 2011
    • Location of Concert: Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington, WV
    • Openers: Hollywood Undead and New Medicine

    My cousin Zachary and I went to see Avenged Sevenfold and Stone Sour in concert.

    New Medicine and Hollywood Undead opened.

    I don’t remember a ton from them, but they were good to start the night.

    Stone Sour, which was the biggest reason why I wanted to go to this show, played next.

    I think every album they’ve released is great and it was great to see them play live.

    Singer Corey Taylor, also of Slipknot, is a great singer/songwriter/frontman.

    I love Slipknot but I love Stone Sour too.  They’re a little more hard rock, and not quite as heavy and intense as Slipknot is and I like that too.

    As I type this in 2023, Stone Sour is on a indefinite hiatus (Corey is still in Slipknot and has a solo career now too.) but hopefully they will someday return.

    Now to the headliner:  Avenged Sevenfold.

    I’ve been a fan of theirs since college, but I still don’t quite worship them like a lot of people do.

    But I definitely like them and they’re a huge band.

    They put on a big rock show and give the fans what they want.

    Can’t ask for anything more.

    Avenged Sevenfold Band Members:

    • M. Shadows (Lead Vocals)
    • Synyster Gates (Lead Guitar)
    • Zacky Vengeance (Rhythm Guitar)
    • Johnny Christ (Bass)
    • Arin Illejay (Drums)

    Stone Sour Band Members:

    • Corey Taylor (Lead Vocals)
    • Jim Root (Guitar-also is in Slipknot)
    • Josh Rand (Guitar)
    • Shawn Economaki (Bass)
    • Roy Mayorga (Drums)

    Avenged Sevenfold Set List:

    1. Nightmare
    2. Critical Acclaim
    3. Welcome To The Family
    4. Danger Line
    5. Buried Alive
    6. So Far Away
    7. Afterlife
    8. God Hates Us
    9. Bat Country
    10. Unholy Confessions
    11. Encore:  Fiction
    12. A Little Piece Of Heaven

    Stone Sour Set List:

    1. Mission Statement
    2. Reborn
    3. Digital (Did You Tell)
    4. Hesitate
    5. Say You’ll Haunt Me
    6. Made Of Scars
    7. Bother
    8. Through Glass
    9. Hell & Consequences
    10. 30/30-150

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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