• Blog,  Concerts

    Clash Of The Titans Part 2: Slayer/Megadeth/Anthrax Concert Review

    October 13 2010 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: October 12, 2010
    • Location of Concert: Freedom Hall in Louisville, KY
    • Opener: Comedian Jim Florentine

    My cousin Zachary and I went to see 3 out of “The Big 4” of Thrash Metal bands.

    They called the tour American Carnage, but really, it was the Clash Of The Titans tour all over again, because these bands toured together with that tour name in the early 90s.

    Comedian Jim Florentine, also known as one of the hosts of VH1 Classic’s That Metal Show and in 2023 a YouTube show called That Rocks, did a stand up comedy set in between each act.  It was cool to see Jim.  I even met him briefly at the soundboard.  Cool guy.

    Anthrax started the show.  Singer Joey Belladonna had recently rejoined the band for the 3rd time, while the rest was the same as it had been for many years (Guitarist Scott Ian, Bassist Frank Bello, Drummer Charlie Benante, and Guitarist Rob Caggiano).

    It was a short but great set of classic Anthrax songs.  

    They’re always great live and it was great seeing Joey back in the band.

    Megadeth played next and they played all of their classic Rust In Peace album, plus other Megadeth greats.

    I honestly think Megadeth got the best crowd reaction on this night.

    They were awesome, as always.

    The lineup this time was founder Dave Mustaine (Vocals/Guitar), returning Bassist David Ellefson, Drummer Shawn Drover, and Guitarist Chris Broderick.

    Again, Dave has had a lot of lineup changes in Megadeth, but they’re always great.

    Slayer closed the night by playing all of their Seasons In The Abyss album, as well as other Slayer greats.

    It was still the original lineup at this point (Singer/Bassist Tom Araya, Guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, and Drummer Dave Lombardo).

    Sadly, this would be the last time I saw Jeff play in person.  He sadly passed away in 2013.  He will be forever missed.

    But anyway, Slayer were always great live (they ended in 2019) and if you were a fan, you knew what to expect and probably would not be disappointed.

    All these bands are favorites of mine.  And it was awesome to see them all together in one night.

     

    Slayer Set List:

    1. World Painted Blood
    2. Hate Worldwide
    3. Seasons In The Abyss Album (Tracks 3-12)-War Ensemble
    4. Blood Red
    5. Spirit In Black
    6. Expendable Youth
    7. Dead Skin Mask
    8. Hallowed Point
    9. Skeletons Of Society
    10. Temptation
    11. Born Of Fire
    12. Seasons In The Abyss
    13. South Of Heaven
    14. Raining Blood
    15. Aggressive Perfector
    16. Angel Of Death

    Megadeth Set List:

    1. Rust In Peace Album (Tracks 1-9)-Holy Wars…The Punishment Due
    2. Hangar 18
    3. Take No Prisoners
    4. Five Magics
    5. Poison Was The Cure
    6. Lucretia
    7. Tornado Of Souls
    8. Dawn Patrol
    9. Rust In Peace…Polaris
    10. Trust
    11. Head Crusher
    12. How The Story Ends
    13. Symphony Of Destruction
    14. Encore:  Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying

    Anthrax Set List:

    1. Caught In A Mosh
    2. Madhouse
    3. Antisocial
    4. Indians
    5. A.I.R.
    6. Metal Thrashing Mad
    7. I Am The Law

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Conventions

    I Met Mick Foley!!

    October 7 2010 / No Comments
    • Date of Event: October 7, 2010
    • Location of Event: Marshall University in Huntington, WV

    I got to meet wrestler/writer Mick Foley at Marshall University.

    He was there to promote and read some of his new book Countdown to Lockdown at the time.

    He also took pictures and signed his new book and other things for fans.

    I got him to sign that book and a DVD.

    Super nice and funny guy.

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    Aerosmith and Sammy Hagar Concert Review

    September 11 2010 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: September 2, 2010
    • Location of Concert: Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH

    I saw one of my favorite bands Aerosmith for the 2nd time in 2010.

    Another one of my favorites, Sammy Hagar and his band The Wabos, opened the show with a rocking set of songs by The Wabos, as well as Sammy solo tunes, Van Halen songs from his era, and Montrose songs, also a band Sammy was in.

    This was the 1st time I saw Sammy and he and his band did not disappoint.

    Aerosmith Guitarist Brad Whitford was watching from the side of the stage for most of the show and eventually was welcomed on stage by Sammy to help he and the band play the song “Mas Tequila”.  Brad even bowed with the band.  Really special treat.

    Then later on, Aerosmith played another rocking set.  Again, they are one of my favorite bands of all time, and I truly am a fan of everyone in the band (Vocalist Steven Tyler, Guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, Bassist Tom Hamilton, and Drummer Joey Kramer).

    Joey played one of my favorite drum solos ever that night too.

    Love all these guys.

    Great night.

     

    Aerosmith Set List:

    1. Eat The Rich’
    2. Train Kept A Rollin’ (Tiny Bradshaw cover)
    3. No More No More
    4. Love In An Elevator
    5. Falling In Love (Is Hard On The Knees)
    6. Livin’ On The Edge
    7. What It Takes
    8. Pink
    9. Last Child
    10. Cryin’
    11. Drum Solo
    12. Rag Doll
    13. Joe Perry Guitar Battle (He was playing guitar along to the video game of the Aerosmith version of Guitar Hero).
    14. Stop Messin’ Around (Fleetwood Mac cover)
    15. I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
    16. Come Together (The Beatles cover)
    17. Sweet Emotion
    18. Draw The Line
    19. Encore:  Dream On
    20. Walk This Way

    Sammy Hagar & The Wabos Set List:

    1. There’s Only One Way To Rock
    2. I Can’t Drive 55
    3. Top Of The World
    4. Space Station #5
    5. Rock Candy
    6. Bad Motor Scooter
    7. Best Of Both Worlds
    8. Three Lock Box
    9. Right Now
    10. Finish What Ya Started
    11. Heavy Metal
    12. Mas Tequila (w/Brad Whitford)
    13. Encore:  Why Can’t This Be Love

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    Mayhem Festival 2010 Review

    July 22 2010 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: July 21, 2010
    • Location of Concert: Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH

    My cousin Zachary and I went to this festival and boy what a show it was.

    KORN, Rob Zombie, Lamb Of God, and Five Finger Death Punch.

    All in one evening.

    FFDP started the show, although for some reason, we ended up not being able to get to our seats for awhile (I know it rained but nothing should’ve prevented us from being as late as we were to our seats.  They were under roof too.) 

    Either way, what we saw of FFDP was great.  I’ve been a fan since then as I type this in 2023.  They’re one of the bigger rock/metal bands now but they were just blowing up at the time.

    Lamb Of God played next.  Another band that is always great live and they’re sooo heavy.  One of the best at what they do.

    Rob Zombie was next.  My 2nd time seeing him at this point (I’ve seen him 5 times as of 2023.).  He and his band are always great and I love all of his albums.

    This was the 1st and only time I’ve seen KORN to date, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see them again.  I’ve just been busy as you’ve seen by these reviews.

    Anyway, KORN were amazing.  Again, great live band and for the most part, the albums I think are great.

    Great show.

    KORN Set List:

    1. Right Now
    2. Twist
    3. Here To Stay
    4. Did My Time
    5. Oildale (Leave Me Alone)
    6. Falling Away From Me
    7. Somebody Someone
    8. Let The Guilt Go
    9. Freak On A Leash
    10. Blind
    11. Shoots & Ladders (w/some of Metallica’s One at the end)
    12. Clown 
    13. Got The Life

    Rob Zombie Set List:

    1. What Lurks On Channel X?
    2. Superbeast
    3. Scum Of The Earth
    4. Living Dead Girl
    5. More Human Than Human
    6. Sick Bubble-Gum
    7. House Of 1,000 Corpses
    8. Never Gonna Stop (The Red, Red Kroovy)
    9. Mars Needs Women
    10. Thunder Kiss ’65
    11. School’s Out (Alice Cooper cover)
    12. Dragula

    Lamb Of God Set List:

    1. Intro Tape:  The Passing
    2. In Your Words
    3. Set To Fail
    4. Walk With Me In Hell
    5. Now You’ve Got Something To Die For
    6. Laid To Rest
    7. Red Neck
    8. Black Label

    Five Finger Death Punch Set List:

    1. Burn It Down
    2. Salvation
    3. No One Gets Left Behind
    4. Bad Company (Bad Company cover)
    5. The Way Of The Fist
    6. Never Enough
    7. The Bleeding

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    Seeing KISS On My Birthday

    July 1 2010 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: July 30, 2010
    • Location of Concert: Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH

    I got to see my favorite band on my 28th birthday.

    KISS!!

    I had not seen them in 10 years (I was busy seeing other bands.).

    Ace Frehley and Peter Criss were gone by this point, and Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer were there, along with original members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.

    They had released their first studio album since 1998 the previous year, Sonic Boom, which I loved and still do as I type this in 2023.

    It was great seeing my favorite band again, as it always is great.

    Lots of great songs.  Great stage show.  The best.

    Phenomenal way to spend my birthday, and with my Dad and cousin Zachary with me.

    Set List:

    1. Modern Day Delilah (New Song)
    2. Cold Gin
    3. Let Me Go, Rock ‘N’ Roll
    4. Firehouse
    5. Say Yeah (New Song)
    6. Deuce
    7. Crazy Crazy Nights
    8. Calling Dr. Love
    9. Shock Me
    10. Guitar & Drum Solos
    11. I’m An Animal (New Song)
    12. 100,000 Years
    13. Bass Solo
    14. I Love It Loud
    15. Love Gun
    16. Black Diamond
    17. Detroit Rock City
    18. Encore:  Beth (the band played the song acoustically)
    19. Lick It Up
    20. Shout It Out Loud
    21. I Was Made For Loving You
    22. God Gave Rock And Roll To You II
    23. Rock And Roll All Nite

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    Loudest Show I’ve Seen: Alice In Chains Concert Review

    April 20 2010 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: April 19, 2010
    • Location of Concert: Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington, WV
    • Opener: Shooter Jennings

    My friend Jamie and I went to see Alice In Chains in Huntington, WV.

    Shooter Jennings (the son of Waylon Jennings) opened the show with a pretty good set of songs.  Musically, he’s all over the place, but good stuff though.

    I think Jamie was there to see Shooter more, which is fine.

    But I was there to see Alice In Chains.

    They had regrouped a few years before this with a new Co-Singer/occasional Guitarist William Duvall taking the spot held by Layne Staley, who sadly passed away in 2002.

    The rest of the band was still Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter Jerry Cantrell, Bassist Mike Inez, and Drummer Sean Kinney.

    They had released the favorite album of the year previous to this year, Black Gives Way To Blue.

    They played a number of songs from it, plus plenty of AIC classics and deep cuts.

    They were phenomenal, but as I type this in 2023, I can still say as I said then and since then that this was the loudest show I’ve ever seen.

    I almost always wear ear plugs to shows (I did this night), and I’m saying that my hearing has never quite been the same since this show.

    Maybe it was a culmination of all the shows and music I’d heard leading up to this night, but still, it was the loudest show I’ve ever seen.

    Great, but loud.

    Alice In Chains Set List:

    1. All Secrets Known (New Song)
    2. It Ain’t Like That
    3. Again
    4. Check My Brain (New Song)
    5. Them Bones
    6. Dam That River
    7. Rain When I Die
    8. Your Decision (New Song)
    9. Got Me Wrong
    10. We Die Young
    11. A Looking In View (New Song)
    12. Rotten Apple
    13. Heaven Beside You
    14. Sickman
    15. Grind
    16. Angry Chair
    17. Man In The Box
    18. Encore:  Acid Bubble (New Song)
    19. Would?
    20. Rooster

    Shooter Jennings Set List:

    1. Last Night Radio 11:01 PM
    2. Wake Up!
    3. Triskaidekaphobia
    4. Don’t Feed The Animals
    5. Lights In The Sky
    6. Summer Of Rage
    7. Black Ribbons
    8. When The Radio Goes Dead

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    I Finally Saw AC/DC

    April 14 2010 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: April 13, 2010 (Rescheduled from October 6, 2009)
    • Location of Concert: Freedom Hall in Louisville, KY
    • Opener: A Local Band I do not remember the name of.

    I FINALLY saw AC/DC.

    I was supposed to see them in 2009, but for some reason, the show got postponed for the following year.

    Luckily, it still happened because I was worried that it would not happen.

    I got to see the Back In Black lineup of Brian Johnson (Lead Vocals), Angus Young (Lead Guitar), his older brother Malcolm Young (Rhythm Guitar), Cliff Williams (Bass), Phil Rudd (Drums).

    What can I say?  It’s AC/DC.  One of the biggest and best rock bands ever.

    They always deliver the goods.

    Classic song after classic song.

    Great stage show.

    Everything you would want as a fan they give you.

    I love AC/DC.  Period.

    Set List:

    1. Rock ‘N’ Roll Train
    2. Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be
    3. Back In Black
    4. Big Jack
    5. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
    6. Shot Down In Flames
    7. Thunderstruck
    8. Black Ice
    9. The Jack
    10. Hells Bells
    11. Shoot To Thrill
    12. War Machine
    13. High Voltage
    14. You Shook Me All Night Long
    15. T.N.T.
    16. Whole Lotta Rosie
    17. Let There Be Rock
    18. Encore:  Highway To Hell
    19. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Conventions

    My 2nd TNA Wrestling House Show

    April 11 2010 / No Comments
    • Date of Event: April 10, 2010
    • Location of Event: Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington, WV

    I went to my 2nd TNA Wrestling house show (non-televised event) in 2010.

    This time, I got to meet two of the biggest wrestlers in the company, one of whom is one of the greatest of all time.

    I met Kurt Angle (legit Olympic Gold Medalist in wrestling in 1996) before the show.  He was doing a meet and greet outside the venue (the weather was pretty) and he signed a DVD, 8×10, a wrestling program, and I got my picture taken with him.  I’ll never forget that.

    I later got to meet Jeff Jarrett.  He was taking pictures with fans inside the ring.

    I met one of the female wrestlers that night too (Velvet Sky-she signed my program too).

    Eric Bischoff (former boss of WCW) was also there and cut a heel promo, although he actually did go outside the ring at one point to retrieve a camera for a fan that they dropped on the floor.  Cool to see him.

    That’s mostly what I remember and that Kurt and Jeff teamed together in the main event and Kurt took pictures with fans in the ring too.

    I’ve posted the pictures of me meeting them and my ticket stub, along with the results I found, courtesy of the great website thehistoryofwwe.com below.

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    1st Time Seeing Rob Zombie

    November 26 2009 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: November 25, 2009
    • Location of Concert: LC Pavilion in Columbus, OH
    • Openers: Captain Klegg & The Night Creatures and Nekromantix

    My best friend from college, Jamie McClintic, and I went to see Rob Zombie in Columbus, OH.

    This was the 1st time I had seen Zombie and it would not be my last (I’m typing this in 2023 and I’ve seen him 4 times, and a little bit of a 5th time).

    I really like all of his albums (he was soon going to release his 4th solo album Hellbilly Deluxe 2) and live, he always brings it.

    I got to see his PHENOMENAL guitarist John 5 (John Lowery) for the 1st time too at this show.  John has played with sooooo many people (currently playing with Motley Crue in 2023 and is a solo artist).  He can play any style of music there is.

    Zombie’s band was rounded out by Bassist Piggy D, who is still with him, and Drummer extraordinaire Tommy Clufetos.

    Very fun show and what can I say?  Zombie rules!!

    Set List:

    1. What Lurks On Channel X?
    2. Superbeast
    3. Super-Charger Heaven
    4. Living Dead Girl
    5. Demon Speeding
    6. More Human Than Human
    7. Sick Bubble-Gum (New Song)
    8. House of 1,000 Corpses
    9. Drum Solo
    10. Never Gonna Stop (The Red, Red Kroovy)
    11. Scum Of The Earth
    12. What? (New Song)
    13. American Witch
    14. Thunder Kiss ’65 (w/John 5 Guitar Solo
    15. Encore:  Demonoid Phenomenon
    16. The Lords Of Salem
    17. Encore 2:  Dragula

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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  • Blog,  Concerts

    Cruefest 2 Review

    August 15 2009 / No Comments
    • Date of Concert: August 14, 2009
    • Location of Concert: Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH

    This was the second year of Cruefest, a festival started by Motley Crue in the previous year.

    It only happened in 2008 and 2009 (I’m typing this in 2023.).

    But I went to both years and it was a lot of fun both times.

    This time, Motley played all of their Dr. Feelgood album, plus other Crue classics.

    Sadly, Tommy Lee could not play the drums due to an injury (Morgan Rose of Sevendust stepped in for a few shows), but Tommy was still there to pump up the crowd some, played some cymbals on the song Girls, Girls, Girls, and played piano on Home Sweet Home.

    Otherwise, it was another fun Motley show.

    Godsmack played right before Motley and honestly, I think they stole the show.  Godsmack are always amazing live and they truly stole the show this night.

    Drowning Pool, Theory Of A Deadman, and Charm City Devils played too and all were solid.

    There was apparently but I don’t remember it, and if it was there, I either didn’t see any of those bands or I got there later.

    Either way, a fun night.

    Motley Crue Set List:

    1. Dr. Feelgood Album (Tracks 1-10-Dr. Feelgood
    2. Slice Of Your Pie
    3. Rattlesnake Shake
    4. Kickstart My Heart
    5. Without You
    6. Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)
    7. Sticky Sweet
    8. She Goes Down
    9. Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
    10. Time For Change
    11. Guitar Solo
    12. Wild Side
    13. Saints Of Los Angeles
    14. Shout At The Devil 97
    15. Encore:  Home Sweet Home
    16. Girls, Girls, Girls

    Godsmack Set List:

    1. Straight Out Of Line
    2. Re-Align
    3. The Enemy
    4. Awake
    5. Keep Away
    6. Speak
    7. Whisky Hangover
    8. Voodoo
    9. Drum Solo Duel
    10. Whatever 
    11. I Stand Alone

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

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