Long Live the Rock & Roll Kingdom

This Was War - 30 Seconds to Mars

2010-11-08T19:28:00.000-08:00

November 2, 2010 - The LC, Columbus, Ohio
Physical torture was what we had to endure for 4 hours just to catch a glimpse of Jared, Shannon and Tomo from the front row at the LC. I've been in the pit for dozens of shows like Chris Cornell, Gavin Rossdale, No Doubt and Smashing Pumpkins, but none were as intense as this one. A few years back we caught 30STM at the Newport and watched from the balcony. It was entertaining watching the swirling mosh pit below from the safety above, but this year I was ready to brave the pit from the front row. Technically we were in the second row, which meant we didn't have the comfort of the metal barrier wall to lean on, usually my saving grace for the long wait. Instead we were stuck standing on the slope of the railing base, which felt like doing calf stretches for 4 hours. In a rush to get to the show after work, we skipped dinner. I never drink at concerts if we have a great spot because I'm not about to fight the crowd to get to the bathroom, or fight the person who tries to steal my spot if I step away. So that means dehydration is about to set in at some point, mixed with possible fainting from a lack of nutrients, topped with hundreds of sweaty people in a hot and stagnant concert hall all of whom are pushing their weight upon me. I thought I would either pass out or be trampled to death in a stampede. Most likely both would happen.

I'm still a little confused why it felt like we were in a crowd of girls who should be at a Justin Bieber concert instead. I mean, how do they know who Jordan Catalano is? That should be left to my generation. I was about 15 when My So-Called Life debuted in 1994 with Claire Danes and Jared Leto as socially awkward, flannel shirt rockin' teens in high school. Jared played the singer of a band called The Frozen Embryos. His brother Shannon was also a part of this band. So really, 30 Seconds to Mars is 2/3rds of the Frozen Embryos. Although he only performed in a few episodes, in fact I think only 19 episodes ever aired before this cult classic was cut short, Jared had a voice that clearly needed to be explored beyond his acting career. So when I heard he had this band a few years ago, I couldn't wait to check them out. The angst from his screams may not be the type of music just anyone would listen to, but at the time I was going through some frustrating days at work and putting on headphones and blasting songs like A Beautiful Lie, was major therapy for me. The tone of his voice is such a beautiful mixture with the otherwise heavy metal sounds of the band. The album out numbered every single artist on my play list by the play count. I never did get the full album of their first release, but it didn't interest me as much. When This is War came out, I decided to take the risk and buy the full album as a Christmas gift for my Husband. The covers featured a photo from a selection of hundreds of fan faces, mostly unattractive photos. Really quite creepy. At least you could through that photo out and keep the raging tiger cover art. I'm not sure why the record label didn't insist it be a cover with Jared and the guys. Anyways, I was very pleased by the music on the new album. Kings and Queens was starting to become over played but the other songs had a great mixture of rock and requiem. Which by the way, I have not seen Requiem for a Dream. Night of the Hunter became one of my favorites. Jared's hairstyle became the constant topic on twitter as he would post photos with a Mohawk changing from brown to blond to pink each week. Changing his appearance is something he's done before after gaining like 100 lbs to play Marc David Chapman, John Lennon's killer in the movie Chapter 27. A strange but good movie.

The reason I haven't gotten to the review of the actual concert yet is because after all of that torture, I lost the battle in the war that Mars had released upon us in the mosh pit. We made it through about 5 songs before we had enough pushing, punching, kicking, screaming, and jumping for one night. I couldn't hold my camera still enough to get photos, and we were being tossed from our 2nd row position to 3rd and so on as the waves from the sea of people began to break. Jared is much tinier than most of the girls in the audience. I met him a few years ago after a show and was shocked he was so small...after loosing the weight from Chapter 27. So just one arm in front of my face blocked the entire view, let alone dozens of fist pumping arms. If my body had the proper nutrients in it to survive the night, I would most certainly deal with the possibility of getting a black eye either from an elbow or by pissing off someone around me. I'm not the type of person you would expect to start a fight, but if someone tries to steal my spot they better watch out. We weren't lucky enough to get served cups of water from security like the 14 year olds next to us were able to flirt up. The lights went down for a solo set and we began to violently push our way out of the crowd. The movement was like liquid filling in the gaps without hesitation.

Eventually we made it to the back of the crowd in search of water. I was so physically exhausted that I had to find a spot in the very back of the venue to sit down against a wall and catch my breath. By the time I caught it, it was impossible to find a decent spot to see the stage. We wandered to the merch booth and met David Boyd from New Politics then ventured up to the balcony. It was easier to see the stage from above, but the feeling was like watching a concert on TV. No power, no emotion, no nothing. Even after Jared tried to command the attention of the balcony crowd, the atmosphere was still dead like we were 30 seconds away from mars. Which is why I had a very angry reaction after reading a review in the Dispatch the following day. The author was obviously sitting in the balcony because the title simply stated that the band struggled to energize the restless audience. Was he freaking kidding me? I don't care if someone wants to share their opinion that they think the music sucks, but to give such an inaccurate portrayal of the environment made me want to wage war. Don't go to a show and sit in the balcony to write a review about the audience while the true fans are battling it out for one step closer to the edge. If you're going to write about the atmosphere, at least be a part of it like we were. The author also commented on how Jared struggled to engage the audience (balcony) because he kept screaming at them to get off their ass and rock out. If you haven't heard that one before, then you must not have ever been to a rock show. I think that's a requirement of all rock stars. We did miss out on Jared's leaps into the front row, or when he brought 2 dozen people up on stage for the Kings and Queens final encore.

In the end this concert was a blast. It's the pain and suffering to be a part of the show that makes it so memorable. Feeling the music resonate through me gives me the feeling of being alive and there for all of the action. It's the reason I pay so much to see so many shows. Why I stand for so long. Why I will be right back in the same spot for the next show, but maybe next time I'll grab a bottle of water. You might be a big sports fan, obsessed with a team like Ohio State or the Browns. You might turn on the TV every Saturday to watch hours of football. You might go to tailgates and spend hours standing around waiting for the game to start. You probably have dozens of friends who root for the same team, and you get to share that excitement with each other on Facebook all weekend long. I on the other hand sometimes make friends on musician message boards. I go to concerts and spend hours crammed into a crowd of people waiting for my band to rock the stage not a field. To me, the unexpected antics on stage are like a touchdown. Time to stand up, scream and sing along to the crowd anthems the band rallies. This is my O-H moment. Music is my sport, my game, my memories.

Concert Count: 180

Link to the Dispatch review:

Election Day with New Politics

2010-11-04T21:59:00.000-07:00

NOV 2, 2010
Can I just say how much I love this band?! I've heard of them for awhile now, but never really knew what they were about. It's the only thing 'political' you're going to be able to capture my interest with, so what better way to spend election day than in a mosh pit of people ready to rock the night away. New Politics opened for 30 Seconds to Mars, who we were there to see. They were the second opener, and after about 2 hours of waiting in what felt like a trash compactor filled with Jared Leto obsessed 14 year old girls and spiky haired punk rock guys, this band was the much needed mental escape from what was becoming a physical nightmare.

Lead singer, David Boyd, was just like he describes in the song Nuclear War, a walking psycho. At first we were scared by his crazy antics on stage, but quickly you start to fall into the trance that his break dancing, head spinning, back flipping, poping, scrawny spastic body is doing all across the stage. It was reminiscent of one of those auditions on So You Think You Can Dance. One where at first you think it is just some idiot trying to get on national TV, but then you see he actually can dance, not just thinking he can.

The sound of this band is a little hard to put my finger on, but that's a good thing. Soren, the guitarist and vocalist is also extremely talented as a singer. His voice reminds me more of the bands I typically listen to such as The Bravery, The Killers or Weezer. However it's David's high energy, rap like lyrics that model the Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine or the Flobots, that help set this band apart for me. These guys are from Copenhagen and relocated to Brooklyn to break into the American music scene. I'm so glad they did because I'm still waiting on some of my favorite European bands to make it to the states.

The energy of the pit for the entire set felt like we were stuck in the 90's with House of Pain's Jump Around. A drop of David's sweat flung directly into my eye, blinding me for a brief moment, but giving me something to laugh about after all of the rock shows I've been to. He also grabbed my hand for the fist pumping crowd anthem, Yeah Yeah Yeah, pulling me on top of the girls standing in front of me, but hey, that's rock.

My husband and I met David after we escaped from the War that 30 Seconds to Mars was creating in the mosh pit. He's a cool guy, and of course struck a pose for the camera. The anticipation of their next show is killing me. Thankfully they are back in town with Neon Trees in just a few weeks.

Download the song Love is A Drug for a great upbeat mix of The Bravery battle the Beastie Boys.

I would also like to mention that CB7 opened the show first and was a fun 80's style band channeling the likes of Depeche Mode. I wish I could've grabbed one of their CDs before they sold out because I can't find their music to download right now.

Concert Count: 179

http://www.newpoliticsrock.com/us/home

Supermassive Rock Show - Muse

2010-11-04T21:34:00.000-07:00

OCT 13, 2010
Muse puts on one bad ass live show. I was so close to skipping this show because the seats were so far away...and I hate to be more than 15 feet away from a stage. But this one certainly wasn't so bad. The laser and LED show was sweet. It gave you something tangible to work with from so far away. I saw Pearl Jam in the spring at Nationwide Arena and was miserable. There was nothing interesting at the show to see from a distance. Eddie was the size of an Ant. I couldn't feel the music in my body the way I would at a more intimate show. But Muse on the other hand surprised me. Anthems like Uprising and Supermassive Black Hole cranked through me. Trust me, I'd give anything to be up close for this show, but from a distance the world was transformed by lights. I do however need to change my alarm ringtone which is currently Undisclosed Desires before I begin to loath such a wonderful little beat.

Metric opened the show and was a great way to start the night. Gold Guns Girls is a fun one.

Save the Day - Train

2010-11-04T21:21:00.000-07:00

MARCH 29, 2010

The Train arrived in town again for a little good old rock and roll style. Pat Monahan is about the size of my arm, but he's got this aura about him that is hard to resist. He waltzes around stage like an episode of Dancing with the Stars, always in perfect rhythm. His lyrics are sometimes strange but will make you laugh and sing along with a smile as you realize just how ridiculous it is to sing about fried chicken. The man has pipes. He can channel Steven Tyler or Led Zeppelin in a way you couldn't imagine with classic covers. He brought a group of young girls, maybe 8 years old, to sing along to She's On Fire. We were in the front row, and he climbed on top of my friends, including my husband and then sang Marry Me to one of my friends in the front row. He also dove into the crowd for a little surf ride as the crowd tossed him lightly above. Train is just a fun show that allows you to feel the energy without feeling the hard core shoves from a crowd you might get with a hard rock alternative band.

This was my 5 time seeing Pat and Train. I met him a few years back after a solo show in Cleveland, which is what the last photo is from.

Imma Be Rockin - Black Eyed Peas

2010-11-04T21:03:00.000-07:00

FEB 16, 2010
The Black Eyed Peas are my favorite Hip Hop group. I'm normally all rock, but there sure is a hop in my step from time to time.

WNCI ran a $10 ticket special, so for that price I didn't care about being stuck in the nosebleeds. This show was so much fun. Amazing props and costumes. Will i. am's masks were robotic and mesmerizing. Tatoo flew across the arena on a Dark Knight style motorcycle in the sky. Fergie was Fergilicious. Will i. am did a little DJ mixing playing songs from Journey to Michael Jackson, getting the entire arena to sing along.

LMAFO and Ludacris opened the show.

For the Tenth Time - Howie Day w/ Colbie Caillat

2010-11-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

Steve and I went to our 10th Howie Day show. Jamie (his manager) invited us on the tour bus to say hi again. It was just the 4 of us, so we decided we wouldn't stay long. Always nice to say hi to them every year or so. I was hoping to see Jay Clifford again, since he's one of the featured artists on my Modern Material Indie Rock Collection. Gave the guys some CDs, so I hope they like the awesome bands I collaborated with for the project. Howie wanted to know why I didn't include him on the collection since 4 guys are from his tour management group. IF ONLY. I can't imagine how much harder it would be to get licensing for a major recording artist.

As for the show, everyone was great. Nice to hear Howie play classic solo songs, and with Jay Clifford.

The opener, Trevor Hall, was an awesome Island Jam dreadlock kind of a guy. Just what I was looking for before our trip to Riviera Maya in a few weeks.

Colbie Caillat was much better than I thought she would be. She's very pretty, looks a lot like my friend Jillian, and had on a great outfit. Her sound guy was the best singer of the night, covering No Woman No Cry.
Steve and I at our 10th Howie Day show. Jamie (his manager) invited us on the tour bus to say hi again. It was just the 4 of us, so we decided we wouldn't stay long. Always nice to say hi to them every year or so. I was hoping to see Jay Clifford again, since he's one of the featured artists on my Modern Material Indie Rock Collection. Gave the guys some CDs, so I hope they like the awesome bands I collaborated with for the project. Howie wanted to know why I didn't include him on the collection since 4 guys are from his tour management group. IF ONLY. I can't imagine how much harder it would be to get licensing for a major recording artist. As for the show, everyone was great. Nice to hear Howie play classic solo songs, and with Jay Clifford. The opener, Trevor Hall, was an awesome Island Jam dreadlock kind of a guy. Just what I was looking for before our trip to Riviera Maya in a few weeks. Colbie Caillat was much better than I thought she would be. She's very pretty, looks a lot like my friend and she had on a great outfit. Her sound guy was the best singer of the night, covering No Woman No Cry.

HELLA GOOD, No Doubt

2010-11-04T20:47:00.000-07:00

JULY 9, 2009
It's still a little weird to me that I once hated Gwen Stefani when I've had a bit of an obsession with her for the last 5 years. It's probably more about fashion, or the fact that she has a cool rocker husband who was the reason I first saw her perform with No Doubt 15 years ago. Her kid's name is Kingston, which what name can be cooler than that? L.A.M.B. is a kick ass fashion brand, which I wish I could afford more than just a long sleeve white tee left over from a sample sale at work. Harajuku lovers is a quirky adorable line with figurine fragrances that are probably too juvenile for my taste, but if it's Gwen's I want it. I once dressed up as her for Halloween in her Alice in Wonderland inspired costume. I also designed a tee for my own apparel collection inspired by that costume, and contributed a handful of items to a celebrity gift basket for her. I saw her Harajuku Lover's tour a few years ago, and then paid a pricey ticket to see No Doubt last summer in Indianapolis.

Instead of seats like my Live Nation ticket revealed, the pit area was general admission. Totally cool with me, however I thought I would get to sit for a majority of the evening, so I wore 4 inch platform heels. At least I stashed a pair of flip flops in my bag, which was also a mistake not to bring a small cross body bag. Instead it ended up on the beer soaked pavement being tripped on by dozens of people jumping around. My friend's young daughter was with us, and thankfully the security guard let her stand on a small ledge so she could see over the sea of people.

I had a new camera with me which captured these amazing shots. We were probably about 15 or 20 feet from the stage which is not bad for a stadium sized show. I'm still not understanding how Gwen was that in shape after having two children. She rocked her classic ND twisted knotted hair and midrif tops, a much different look than her ultra feminine solo style. Either way, she's still a cool chick, and someone I can actually respect and admire compared to any other female pop star out there.

The set was a trip down memory lane with so much energy and excitement. I was only disappointed by the lack of songs from her solo career, but hey, there were only 2 hours for her to cover an 84 song catalog by No Doubt. Tony and Adrian also rocked, and the LED video screen had a lot of great imagery and videos. Originally the band requested fans to upload videos of themselves singing "I'm Just A Girl" so they could play them during the song. Apparently it didn't work out the way they expected, so it was cut. I was very tempted to send in video of myself, but decided I'd rather not look like a fool to a crowd of thousands.

Paramore was the opening band which we caught a few songs, however most of our time was spent searching for the will call booth which was on the complete opposite side of the entrance.

Here are a few pics for the few hundred I took that night.

Gavin Rossdale - House of Blues

2010-11-04T20:10:00.000-07:00

MAY 7, 2009
This has to be the most energetic and exciting show I've ever been to. I saw Bush 14 years ago, Institute 4 years ago, and now Gavin's solo tour. Best show yet. He played more Bush songs than from his solo record...Opened with the theme song of anything requiring adrenaline....Machinehead...which btw I heard an interview on the local radio where someone told him that Machinehead is the theme song of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Other amazing songs from the set list included Everything Zen, The People That We Love, Beauty and the Beast, Love Remains the Same, Glycerine, and final song of the encore was Comedown.

Steve and I found a spot in the front row, made friends with a fan, and were there for every screaming, headbanging piece of the action.

"I don't want to come back down from this cloud."

Long Live the 90's.

Concert Count

2010-11-04T18:03:00.000-07:00

I have recently been inspired to start blogging about concerts again after a recent article posted in the Columbus Dispatch. I may just have to transfer my personal Facebook photo album reviews over here since I seemed to have forgotten why I even created this blog.

I have added a few more shows to my concert count. Here is the list to the best of my memory...

1. AEROSMITH ’98 • Columbus, OH
2. AEROSMITH ’99 • Columbus, OH
3. AFGAHN WIGS ’98 • Columbus, OH
4. AKON ‘07• Indianapolis, IN
5. ALANIS MORRISETTE ’96 • Toledo, OH
6. ALICE SMITH ’06 • Cincinatti, OH
7. THE ALTERNATE ROUTES ’05 • Columbus, OH
8. THE ALTERNATE ROUTES ’07 • Columbus, OH
9. THE ALTERNATE ROUTES ‘09 • Columbus, OH
10. AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 2 ‘03 • Columbus, OH
11. ANNA NALICK ‘06 • Columbus, OH
12. ARI HEST ‘05 • Columbus, OH
13. AUDIOSLAVE ‘05 • Columbus, OH
14. AUGUSTANA ‘07 • Columbus, OH
15. BAND OF HORSES • '10 • Columbus, Ohio
16. BARENAKED LADIES ‘00 • Columbus, OH
17. BECK • LOLLAPALOOZA ‘95 • Columbus, OH
18. BIG CITY ROCK ‘05 • Columbus, OH
19. BLACK EYED PEAS • '10 • Columbus, OH
20. BLESSID UNION OF SOULS ‘94 • Lima, OH
21. BLUE MAN GROUP ‘03 • Chicago, IL
22. BLUE MAN GROUP ‘06 • Columbus, OH
23. BOWLING FOR SOUP ‘05 • Columbus, OH
24. BRANDI CARLISLE ‘06 • Columbus, OHA
25. THE BRAVERY ‘07 • Columbus, OH
26. THE BRAVERY ‘08 • Columbus, OH
27. BUTCH WALKER '10 • Columbus, OH (Newport)
28. BUSH ‘96 • Toledo, OH
29. CAKE '10 • Columbus, OH
30. CB7 ‘10 • Columbus, OH (LC)
31. CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES ‘07 • Cleveland, OH
32. CHEAP TRICK ‘01 • Columbus, OH
33. CHER ‘00 • Columbus, OH
34. CHER ‘01 • Columbus, OH
35. CHER ‘03 • Columbus, OH
36. CITIZEN COPE ‘06 • Cincinatti, OH
37. CITIZEN COPE ‘08 • Columbus, OH (Newport)
38. CITIZEN COPE '10 • Columbus, OH (LC)
39. COLBIE CAILLAT '10 • Columbus, OH
40. COLDPLAY ‘05 • Columbus, OH
41. COOLIO • LOLLAPALOOZA ‘95 • Columbus, OH
42. COLLECTIVE SOUL ‘99 • Columbus, OH
43. COUNTING CROWS ‘99 • Columbus, OH
44. THE CRANBERRIES ‘99 • Columbus, OH
45. CHRIS CORNELL ’07 • Columbus, OH
46. CHRIS CORNELL ’09 • Cleveland, OH
47. CROSBY STILLS AND NASH May 4th ‘98 • Kent State, OH
48. CYNDI LAUPER ‘99 • Columbus, OH
49. CYNDI LAUPER ‘03 • Columbus, OH
50. CYPRESS HILL • LOLLAPALOOZA ‘95 • Columbus, OH
51. DAVE MATTHEWS • BAND KOKUA FESTIVAL ‘08 • Honolulu, HI
52. DAVE MATTHEWS • BAND KOKUA FESTIVAL ‘08 • Honolulu, HI
53. DAVE MATTHEWS BAND ‘08 • Columbus, OH
54. DEATH RAY TO SUNDAY PROJECT ‘08 • Columbus, OH
55. DEATH RAY TO SUNDAY PROJECT ‘08 • Columbus, OH
56. DEATH RAY TO SUNDAY PROJECT ‘08 • Columbus, OH
57. DEBRA COX • LILITH FAIR ‘99 • Columbus, OH
58. THE DIXIE CHICKS ‘06 • Columbus, OH
59. EMMYLOU HARRIS • LILITH FAIR ‘97 • Columbus, OH
60. EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY ‘07 • Columbus, OH
61. FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE ‘97 • Toledo, OH
62. THE FRAY ‘06 • Columbus, OH
63. THE FRAY ‘07 • Columbus, OH
64. GARBAGE ‘96 • Detroit, MI
65. GARBAGE ‘97 • Ft. Wayne, IN
66. GAVIN DEGRAW ‘05 • Dayton, OH
67. GAVIN DEGRAW ‘05 • Columbus, OH
68. GAVIN ROSSDALE '09 • Cleveland, OH
69. THE GOO GOO DOLLS ‘96 • Toledo, OH
70. THE GOO GOO DOLLS ‘07 • Columbus, OH
71. GRAHAM COLTON BAND ‘05 • Columbus, OH
72. GRINGO STAR ‘07 • Columbus, OH
73. GWEN STEFANI ‘07 • Indianapolis, IN
74. HOWIE DAY ‘04 • Cleveland, OH
75. HOWIE DAY ‘05 • Indianapolis, IN
76. HOWIE DAY ‘05 • Dayton, OH
77. HOWIE DAY ‘05 • Indianapolis, IN
78. HOWIE DAY ‘05 • Columbus, OH (LC)
79. HOWIE DAY ‘05 • Cleveland, OH
80. HOWIE DAY ‘08 • Grandville, OH
81. HOWIE DAY ’09 • Cleveland, OH
82. HOWIE DAY ’09 • Columbus, OH (Basement)
83. HOWIE DAY '09 • Columbus, OH (Newport)
84. HOWIE DAY '10 • Columbus, OH (Basement)
85. INCUBUS ‘07 • Columbus, OH
86. INDIGO GIRLS • LILITH FAIR ‘97 • Columbus, OH
87. INDIGO GIRLS • LILITH FAIR ‘99 • Columbus, OH
88. INSTITUTE (GAVIN ROSSDALE) ‘05 • Columbus, OH
89. JACK JOHNSON ‘ 08 • KOKUA FESTIVAL Honolulu, HI
90. JACK JOHNSON ‘ 08 • KOKUA FESTIVAL Honolulu, HI
91. JASON MRAZ ‘05 • Bowling Green, OH
92. JESUS LIZARD • LOLLAPALOOZA ‘95 • Columbus, OH
93. JEWEL • LILITH FAIR ‘97 • Columbus, OH
94. JOHN LAMB ‘05 • Harbor Springs, MI
95. JOHN LAMB ’06 • Harbor Springs, MI
96. JOHN MAYER ‘06 • Columbus, OH
97. JOSHUA RADIN ‘08 • Columbus, OH
98. JULIO INGLESIAS JR ‘00 • Columbus, OH
99. KATE VOGEL ‘04 • Cleveland, OH
100. KELLY CLARKSON ‘05 • Columbus, OH
101. THE KILLERS ‘07 (LEFT EARLY) • Columbus, OH
102. THE KILLERS '09 • Columbus, OH (LC)
103. KING LOUIS XIV ‘07 • Columbus, OH
104. THE KOOKS ‘08 • Columbus, OH
105. KYLE RIABKO ‘05 • Bowling Green, OH
106. LADY SOVEREIGN ‘07 • Indianapolis, IN
107. LISA LOEB • LILITH FAIR ‘97 • Columbus, OH
108. LISA LOEB ‘98 • Toledo, OH
109. LMAFO • '10 • Columbus, OH
110. LORI PARSLEY ‘06 • Columbus, OH
111. LOU BEGA ‘00 • Columbus, OH
112. LOUD LUCY ‘96 • Toledo, OH
113. LUDACRIS • '10 • Columbus, OH
114. MAE ‘07 • Columbus, OH
115. MATCHBOX 20 ‘01 • Columbus, OH
116. MATT COSTA ‘06 • Columbus, OH
117. MAT KEARNEY ‘05 • Columbus, OH
118. MAT KEARNEY ‘06 • Columbus, OH
119. MATT WERTZ ‘05 • Columbus, OH
120. MATT WERTZ ‘09 • Columbus, OH
121. MERIDITH BROOKS ‘00 • Columbus, OH
122. METRIC ‘10 • Columbus, OH
123. MICHAEL TOLCHER ‘05 • Dayton, OH
124. MICHAEL TOLCHER ‘05 • Columbus, OH
125. MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSTONES • LOLLAPALOOZA ‘95 • Cols, OH
126. MIKE GENOVESE ‘05 • Columbus, OH
127. MISSY HIGGINS ‘05 • Indianapolis, IN
128. MISSY HIGGINS ‘05 • Cleveland, OH
129. MISSY HIGGINS ‘08 • Columbus, OH
130. MORRISSEY ‘09 • Columbus, OH
131. MUSE ‘10 • Columbus, OH
132. NEW POLITICS ‘10 • Columbus, OH The LC
133. NO DOUBT ‘96 • Toledo, OH
134. NO DOUBT '09 • Indianapolis, IN
135. NICK ZUBER ’09 • Cleveland, OH
136. NICK ZUBER ’09 • Columbus, OH
137. OAR '10 • Columbus, OH (LC)
138. OK GO ‘07 • Columbus, OH
139. OUTERNATIONAL ’09 • Cleveland, OH
140. PARAMORE '09 • Indianapolis, IN
141. PAT MONAHAN (TRAIN) ‘07 • Columbus, OH
142. PAVEMENT • LOLLAPALOOZA ‘95 • Columbus, OH
143. PEARL JAM • '10 • Columbus, OH
144. PETE YORN ‘06 • Columbus, OH
145. PHILO ‘06 • Columbus, OH (Newport)
146. THE PRETENDERS • LILITH FAIR ‘99 • Columbus, OH
147. RILO KILEY ‘05 • Columbus, OH
148. SARAH MCLACHLAN • LILITH FAIR ‘97 • Columbus, OH
149. SARAH MCLACHLAN ‘98 • Toledo, OH
150. SARAH MCLACHLAN • LILITH FAIR ‘99 • Columbus, OH
151. SEETHER ‘05 • Columbus, OH
152. SHAWN COLVIN • LILITH FAIR ‘99 • Columbus, OH
153. SHERYL CROW • LILITH FAIR ‘99 • Columbus, OH
154. SINEAD O’CONNER • LOLLAPALOOZA‘95 • Columbus, OH
155. SLEEPING AT LAST ‘05 • Columbus, OH
156. SMASHING PUMPKINS ‘96 • Detroit, MI
157. SMASHING PUMPKINS ‘96 • Ft. Wayne, IN
158. SMASHING PUMPKINS ‘97 • Toledo, OH
159. SMASHING PUMPKINS ‘07 • Columbus, OH
160. SMASHING PUMPKINS Halloween ‘08 • Columbus, OH
161. SONIC YOUTH • LOLLAPALOOZA ‘95 • Columbus, OH
162. STEVEN FIORE ‘08 • Grandville, OH
163. SWITCHFOOT ‘05 • Columbus, OH
164. SWITCHFOOT ‘06 • Columbus, OH
165. TOSHI REGON ‘06 • Columbus, OH
166. THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS ‘05 • Columbus, OH
167. THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS ‘06 • Columbus, OH
168. THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS ‘10 • Columbus, OH (LC)
169. TRACY BONHAM ‘06 • Columbus, OH
170. TRAIN ‘01 • Columbus, OH (Germain)
171. TRAIN ‘06 • Columbus, OH (LC)
172. TRAIN ‘06 • Dayton, OH
173. TRAIN '10 • Columbus, OH (Newport)
174. UNKNOWN • Opener for Chris Cornell ‘08
175. UNKNOWN • Opener for The Killers ‘09
176. WATERSHED ‘06 • Columbus, OH
177. WHERE'S THE BAND '09 • Columbus, OH
178. THE WHIGS ‘07 • Columbus, OH
179. WILL BOWEN ‘04 • Cleveland, OH
180. WILLIE NELSON ‘04 • Traverse City, MI

Muse Setlist Oct 10

2010-10-12T07:13:00.001-07:00

Coming Soon! The Indie Rock Collection

2009-06-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

Sorry that my blog posts have fallen way behind the schedule that I wanted to keep. However, I've been busy with few new things for Modern Material that promise to be way better than reading about my thoughts on music and style!

Over the last 2 months I have found 30 amazing indie rock bands and singer/songwriters to collaborate on a Gift With $10 Purchase from Modern Material. All sales of $10 or more will receive a download card or code for all 30 songs absolutely FREE! I am really excited to be able to offer this promotion, because I know how excited I get any time I get even 1 song for free! A few months ago I bought tickets to see No Doubt for almost $100 per ticket! That's the most I have ever paid for a show, but to have the chance to see Gwen so close was worth it. But what really made my day was when I got an email with a code to download No Doubt's entire catalog for free! 84 songs total! Several of my ND CDs skipped on every song, so it was a great benefit for me! Anyway, I decided it was finally time to see what I might be able to pull together for a promotion.

I used to dedicate much of my free time to several artist street teams in the past. I love to promote indie bands, and be current on music before they become rock stars. It only seemed obvious to me that I tied together my rock inspired brand with rock music. Unsure how to tackle this project, I found help from a few friends in the industry and then started contacting bands, managers, or indie labels about the promotion. I received so many positive responses that things moved so much faster than I anticipated. It has also been a lot of work on top of getting a booth ready for a big weekend festival in a few weeks.

Things are finally wrapping up, and I plan on having everything ready to launch by June 15th. The website will feature artist profiles and preview clips of each song. Discover great independent music coming from L.A. to N.Y.C, many states in between, and even Canada.

Get ready to Shop. Rock & roll.

- a n n i e -

CHRIS CORNELL - SCREAM

2009-04-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

There is something new in the world of rock and roll, created by an old favorite from the 90's. I'm talking about rocker Chris Cornell and his new album Scream, produced by hip hop master, Timberland.

It certainly is a departure from the sound of Cornell's bands, Soundgarden and Audioslave. Long time fans seem to have rather mixed reviews about the new album. Many seem to love the new sound, and others seem to think he "sold out", giving into the powers of the record label industry. I myself think the new album is rather brilliant. I bought a ticket months ago to Cornell's Cleveland House of Blues show. It was going to be my 3rd show (counting one Audioslave concert and one solo gig). From nearly 2 decades of his music, Audioslave produced several songs that will forever stand the test of time in my opinion. I really liked his last solo album, Carry On, but I never seemed to connect to it for some reason. My friend Jamie was truly the hard core Cornell fan, always anxious to catch a show. When the Scream tour was announced, I was certainly excited to go, but it wasn't reaching the top of my must see shows. I knew a new album was coming out, and truthfully that worried me. With only a month between the release and the show, I didn't think I would have enough time to ever get acquainted with the music, let alone have it resonate with me. But after getting a code for a free download of the entire album for purchasing a concert ticket, all of that changed.

I was a little confused when I first started playing the music. It wasn't anything even close to what I was expecting. The electronic sounds started pumping through my iMac speakers and until I heard the deep vocals of Chris Cornell, I wasn't sure what was playing. It was so different and I was instantly drawn to it. My first reaction was that it sounded more like Kanye West and reminiscent of Justin Timberlake. Quickly I started hearing the Timbaland influence and looked up the album to confirm the collaboration. I'm really not a huge fan of hip hop, but there are certainly many songs that are especially enjoyable for a night of dancing that rock and roll just can't offer. Scream just makes you want to get up and dance, have a great time, and step away from the darker and depressing sounds of rock and roll. I started listening to this album, over and over for days at work and in the car. Suddenly, the concert couldn't come soon enough.

Last Monday I left work early to make the 2 1/2 hour drive up to Cleveland in the pouring down rain. Our plan was to grab a quick dinner at the House of Blues and then be granted early entrance for the show. The bartender said the line had already formed so she boxed up our dinner to eat in line. By the time we got our food, there were already a few dozen fans waiting in the crusty back entrance. An hour later we entered the theater, and were able to find a place about 4 rows back from the stage. The crowd quickly filled in, making for a rather uncomfortable space, with people bumping, shoving and pushing, and it was still hours until Chris Cornell would even take the stage. Jamie and I started talking to several people around us, getting into long discussions about our favorite show, LOST, or having debates on who was the bigger Cornell, Pearl Jam, or Gavin Rossdale fan. Long live the 90's grunge bands. The Outernational opened the show. They were pretty good, and I need to remember to look them up on myspace. Then finally the erie electronic voice started to introduce Chris Cornell the way it does on Scream. I think a lot of people were afraid that the new sound would dominate the show. In a way I was hoping it would. I expected to hear several favorite Soundgarden and Audioslave songs as well. The night rocked on until the next day began. 31 songs graced the set list, giving a full range of music from the past and present. Classics such as Hunger Strike from Cornell & Eddie Vedder's Temple of the Dog, acoustic sets of Like a Stone, Fell on Black Days, and Doesn't Remind me. One of my favorite songs from Scream, Never Far Away, had me screaming at the top of my head. And the 90's anthem from my high school years, Black Hole Sun, closed out the show and ended with a bizarre elevator music style outro set to Black Hole Sun. The only song missing was my personal all time favorite song, Be Yourself, which is the song that wakes me up every single morning on my Blackberry.

The crowd was feeling every single song. Packed like sardines, we were a little weary of a few random drunk guys wanting to start a mosh pit. Fortunately most of the people surrounding us were cool enough to prevent the crazies from pushing everyone. We became protective of our space and nobody would allow newcomers to weasel their way in front. There was one obnoxious guy who kept pushing my foot around trying to find a pic thrown into the crowd. He's lucky I didn't break his finger with my heel which was in severe pain from the 6 hours spent standing. He found a pic only to somehow lose it a few minutes later and continue to bitch about it for an hour. Why he spent more time whining about the pic rather than watching the show, I do not understand. I already had a pic from the last show, so it seemed pointless to me to waste my time looking for one on the ground. A few rows up in front, 3 young boys around 10 years old caught Cornell's attention and one of them scored his black leather jacket which he tossed into the crowd. He was very interactive with the crowd, even accepting a request from a girl in front of us who wrote Loud Love on a piece of paper and passed it up on stage. And at some point he invited another girl up on stage to sing Happy Birthday to her friend. I managed to get a few decent pictures, but not too many since the lighting was low and the crowd was pushy. During the encore break, Jamie and I decided to leave our spots up front to make our way to the back. The feeling was completely different, and I'm glad we endured the noisy crowded group up front because it's not the same to rock out with the mellow fans in the back. And like Cornell mentioned during the show, you just have to stand up and kick it at a rock concert. Then just like Cinderella at the ball, the clock struck midnight and it was time for us to scurry back to our carriage which meant another hour standing and waiting for the Valet to retrieve the car.

SET LIST (Cleveland, OH 4.13.09):
Part of Me
Time
No Such Thing
You Know My Name
Burden In My Hand
Pretty Noose
Hunger Strike
Preaching The End of the World
Loud Love (By Request)
Outshined
Show Me How to Live
Ground Zero
Never Far Away
Billy Jean
What You Are
Rusty Cage
Heavens Dead

Acoustic:
I Am the Highway
Can't Change Me
Seasons (with entire band)
Fell on Black Days
Like A Stone
Doesn't Remind Me

Cochise (with strobe lights)
Watch Out
Scream
Let Me Drown
Spoonman -Good Times Bad Times- Spoonman

Encore:
Enemy
The Day I Tried to Live
Black Hole Sun

With only 2 hours of sleep, a large Redbull, and my iPod playing Scream, I powered my way through another day designing accessories. It took several days to recover from the fatigue, but it was worth every minute. I hope everyone gets the chance to listen to this album. The last I checked, it was still available on iTune's for $7.99. The album is also designed to listen to as a whole. Each song has an intro and outro that flows into each other. Certain songs are a little choppy at the beginning or end if listening out of order. This is my only negative comment regarding the album because I often like to make playlists to mix it up.

Fans of Chris Cornell should also follow him on Twitter. He has been making dozens of tweets each day, reminding you that he is just a normal guy taking photos of himself in the mirror or stuck at the airport trying to find a cup of coffee.

FASHION SET LIST:

Chris Cornell - SCREAM by Modern Material featuring Forever21 rings

My Concert Count: 151
Rating: 5 Stars

www.chriscornell.com

THE KOOKS

2009-03-28T19:35:00.000-07:00

I chose to write my first post on a band who is on the top of my list for the moment. There may be posts where I decide to feature a more well known band, simply because I want to. Even though some of these bands have signed major record deals, they still are hidden gems in the American music industry in comparison to music tycoons like U2 or high rising artists like The Fray, who were once my undiscovered indie gem years ago.

British Rock is the most influential music genre for Modern Material. One band I just can't stop listening to is The Kooks. It's feel good music that will brighten up my day or help wake me up on my long commute to work every morning. A few years ago my friend Jamie had me listen to a few songs off the 2006 album, Inside In / Inside Out. But it wasn't until she took me to a show at Newport Music Hall in Columbus, OH, this past fall. I thought I would enjoy the show, but expected to only know the few songs I heard on CD101. Somehow I thought I knew almost every song they played that night, but I really just think the music was so uplifting it had a familiar feel. I remember being disappointed when I pulled out my camera and realized I forgot to put a memory card in it. As a designer and music fanatic, I crave the perfect photograph as a memento from each show. So the ones on my Black Berry just didn't cut it.

Jamie and I were having her husband drive by and pick us up at the Newport, so she told me it was time to go before the show was over. Normally I refuse to leave a show until the lights come on. We thought we'd just miss the encore song, but as we stood outside in the cold, with no ride in sight, I could hear the happy sounds from the inside seeping out the doors. I felt like a kid in a candy store, crying for more candy. And then it was over. The crowd filled the street, and we realized we would have to hike a few blocks to catch our ride. The following day I bought both albums on iTunes, Inside In/Inside Out and Konk. I have this rule where I won't buy an entire album on iTunes because I would rather have the physical CD and packaging to admire. But I didn't feel like driving a few miles down the road to find a music store. I wanted the damn candy.

The Kooks are composed of singer/guitarist Luke Pritchard, lead guitarist Hugh Harris, bassist Max Rafferty and drummer Paul Garred. This UK rock band has made waves from across the pond. With songs like She Moves In Her Own Way and Mr. Maker, the Kooks resemble a modern day version of The Beatles. The steady upbeat beats and vocals could make way for a new British Invasion. The quieter, more mellow songs like Seaside, One Last Time, Shine On and Sway still have this undeniable power to make you move along to the rhythm, tap your foot, drum on your steering wheel or mouse, and sing along.

Quoted from The Kooks website..."If it doesn't make you feel good, then what's the point?" says Luke. "There's too much drab shoe-gazing sh*t around. I hate all that cack. You've to push through it. That's where you get great songs."

There are currently no tour dates in the US. Check out their website for updates.
The Kooks Official Web Site
The Kooks MySpace

FASHION SET LIST. With each new post or review, I intend to include my fashion set list, which is a collection of clothing, accessories, and beauty products that along with the music review, inspire me as I look for the next great design for Modern Material. This week is titled European Rock Royalty, likely to be a regular category featured in this blog. Dominated by black & white with blush accents, ornate chain link details, and floral elements, this set is classy and elegant yet says rocker chick without screaming it.

THE KOOKS - European Rock Royalty - by Modern Material on Polyvore.com

- a n n i e -

Shop, Rock & Roll

2009-03-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

I decided it was finally time to create a weekly blog to feature new music material from up and coming musicians. I would consider myself a bit of an indie music junkie, anxious to discover new music and support the indie community. With attendance at over 150 concert performances and past dedication to musician street teams, I decided it was time to incorporate my passion for music with my commitment to develop her own product line.

I hope to turn Modern Material into a weekly online destination for shopping, music & fashion for the indie lifestyle. The weekly music & style review is designed to connect shoppers to hot new music and bring music fans to a trendy little place to find rocker influenced apparel and accessories.

Featured artists will most likely be from genres including Indie Rock, Alternative Rock, British Rock, Acoustic Rock and Signer/Songwriters. However, there are always exceptions when music moves you.

My plan each week is to choose a song or album to review and stream music from the blog. I will be searching for new artists to interview and share their music and fashion style. Relevant information such as album releases and tour dates will be noted. Photos and links to their MySpace page or web site will be accessible to encourage new fans to to join their communities. A fashion “set list” inspired by their music will also be created. These fashion sets will not be limited to the Modern Material brand. They will be reminiscent of style guides found in every fashion magazine, to inspire a new look.

If you are a musician or manager interested in having your music featured on Modern Material, please see my contact information on www.modern-material.com. If selected, you will be notified of the date your blog feature will be slated to appear. A banner with your band will appear on the home page of modern-material.com the week of your highlight. The only request is that you share a reciprocal link or banner to the Modern Material home page with your fans.

I am also open to suggestions to check out your favorite indie musician. I spend all day listening to indie radio stations online, and have a long list of my favorite new artists. I love to catch shows at intimate venues as frequently as possible. The excitement of seeing and hearing one of your favorite bands up close and personal is amazing. And leaving a show with a new CD from an awesome opening act is even better.

Click over to the web store and find some rock and roll flair to wear to you next concert.

MODERN MATERIAL web boutique
Shop, Rock & Roll.

- a n n i e -