Sunday's Seven Snapshots vol.110

Example #1 why I'll never be "skinny":  These pancakes with bananas, strawberries, butterscotch, and vanilla ice cream were worth every single calorie.

Example #2 why I'll never be "skinny": my accompaniment to this month's Show Us Your Books link-up was Ben & Jerry's Phish Food.  No regrets.

I did mix in some exercise though...a lengthy walk along the harbour.

One of the special things about living here...you can exercise (with a walk along the harbour), then relax by reading a book with a view like this.

Taronga Zoo hosts a summer concert series called "Twilight At Taronga" at an outdoor amphitheatre.  My good friend, Kate, and I scooped up tickets when we saw the line-up this year.

This was the view to the side of the stage while the opening band was playing.  I'm not even kidding.  Sydney can be such a show-off sometimes.

JET!  I love this band so much.  They hadn't performed live in 7 years (until this summer).  I'd seen them a couple of times back in the States, and I saw them here before as well...there was something really fun and exciting to see them back together again.  The crowd was so pumped and sang along to every song.  This show sold out, and they are playing a second show tonight. 

Hope your week had some tasty treats, or a refreshing walk, or a good book, or time with a good friend, or seeing great live music.  Tell me if you did any (or all) of these things.

Hold My Beer

Why is it, when Alyssa gave a list of her "Back to Blogging" prompts, that the "hold my beer" moment is the one that I knew, without a doubt, that I could write?  Is it because I've had a lot of them?  Probably.  Is it because I've drank too much?  Probably.  Is it because I've had a lot of fun during some drunken debauchery?  Probably that too.

Here's a few things I love:  music, rock music, live music, and yes, beer.  I've been fortunate enough to see many of my favorite bands in concert, and believe me, there's been a lot of beer consumed at those concerts.

Stone Temple Pilots is one of those bands that I've seen at multiple gigs in different venues and at different times of their tenure.  The songs are fantastic, the band is always tight, the crowds are always good, and Scott Weiland was always one of the best of all front men.  I feel like I saw him at various stages of his drug addiction, but he still was always an incredible performer.

June 8, 2000 - STP returned to Houston, and a group of friends and I went.  I'd seen them before, and I loved the venue selected for this show.  It was a little smaller than where I'd previously seen them (holds approximately 2500).  The venue for this show was all general admission with a floor section and a back section that had an incline or rise to it. 

by artist Jermaine Rogers

For the opening band (and I don't remember who opened), I sat in the back section on the rise and many beers were consumed.  This was a common occurrence for my group of friends, depending on the opening act. 

We got to talking to this dad and his 13 year old son sitting next to us.  It was the son's first concert ever, and he was so excited to see Stone Temple Pilots. 

(I swear my "hold my beer" moment is coming..........)

Opening band ended.  More beer was consumed.  Lights go down.  Concert starts.  Everyone stands and is getting into the show.  The kid next to us is loving it.  He's so pumped.

Again, I lovvvvvvve live music.  I feel the adrenaline.  I absorb the environment.  I sing.  I dance.  I throw my arms in the air.  I sweat.  I shake.  I love it.  And, I like to be close and in the midst of it all.

At the time of this show, I was 26 years old (almost 27) and in my prime rock show music attending, concert going mode.  I was not going to stay in the back.  The band was pulling me forward.  If you are a fan of STP, check out this setlist that was played that night.

"Wicked Garden" kicked in, one of my favorites.  So, what did I do?  I said "hold my beer" and grabbed the hand of that 13 year old kid, and yelled "c'mon!"  (getting a nod of approval from his dad.)

I dragged that kid up into the middle of the mosh pit, and I just kept dragging.  He was jumping around, singing, going crazy, and his eyes were as wide as saucers with awe and excitement.  Eventually, I got us all the way up to the front of the stage, and he even slapped hands with Scott Weiland.  We remained there at the front barricade for the rest of the concert.

Not only was my concert experience amazing, but I'm pretty sure I gave this kid a story to tell about his "first concert ever".  At least, I hope so.  All because I put down my beer.

Now, if only Scott Weiland could've put down the drugs...........

A review I found about this particular gig:

With a healthy Weiland, STP an untouchable band

Join me with Alyssa and tell your best "hold my beer" moment...

Or...tell me one of your favorite concert experiences.

Significant Songs from Live Shows: A Jana and Erin Playlist

Last Thursday of the month means it's time for another playlist with Jana  and Erin - a playlist with a twist.  Often, we try not to choose themes that you've seen time and time again.  This month we've decided to highlight significant songs from concerts we've attended AND that concert was monumental to us for one reason or another. 

JANA:  1. "The Right Stuff" by NKOTB. New Kids and Tiffany was the first concert I ever went to. With my parents, sister, best friend at the time and we saw them at Westbury Music Fair. I was in 4th or 5th grade (roughly the same age as my daughter, incidentally, who just went to her first concert this past summer. We took her to see Weezer. So there's that). And my love of live music begins. 

ERIN:  2.  "You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi.  I know.  It comes as no surprise that Bon Jovi makes an appearance on this list.  It was my first concert that I attended.  My mother took three 8th grade girls and one 7th grader to the Bon Jovi "Slippery When Wet" tour with Cinderella opening (who became another live favorite).  My love of Bon Jovi was cemented.

JANA:  3. "Big Talk" by Warrant. NKOTB was the first concert I ever attended; Warrant and Poison at Nassau Coliseum was the first concert I attended sans parents. Three of my friends and I went during the Cherry Pie tour and looking back, there were quite a lot of things that happened at that concert I didn't quite understand. Now I do. Warrant was DIRTY.

ERIN:  4.  "King of Rock" by Run DMC - The summer after 8th grade, I went to visit my grandparents in rural East Texas.  A concert was coming to the Oil Palace in Tyler, Texas ... a concert like this smaller Texas town had never seen - Run DMC with others (DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Public Enemy, and more).  My aunt and uncle took me, they sat in the back while I bounced and danced in the crowd.  My uncle claimed that my blond ponytail was easy to spot.  I loved the blend of sounds (and still do) that Run DMC brings, and King of Rock is especially foreshadowing since they are now members of the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.

JANA:  5. "Subdivisions" by Rush. This is my absolute favorite Rush song of all time. We might have used it in a post before but #idontcare. I saw Rush for the first time in 1991ish (mostly because Mr. Big was the opening act. Yes, I was that person but in my defense, I was 14) and despite being there for the opening act, I walked away a Rush fan. This was also the gateway concert for my love affair with outdoor concerts. Thank you, Jones Beach.

ERIN:  6.  "Crackerman" by Stone Temple Pilots.  My college roommate, Katy, dated a beautiful boy named Gregorio.  We piled into my white Honda Civic and drove from our university town to Houston for my first "live" experience with Stone Temple Pilots (1995ish).  It was an incredible show, even with Scott Weiland completely off his face.  Since his death from a deadly cocktail of drugs, this first STP is particularly poignant to me in my memories.

JANA:  7. "Tainted Angel" by Southgang. I saw these guys on New Year's Eve. In a bar. In Atlanta. When I was 14 (14 was a big year, evidently). It was pretty fucking cool.(Also, I might or might not have thrown this in because of Erin's love for Butch Walker. I'll let you decide).

ERIN:  8.  "Best Thing You Never Had" by Butch Walker. No, this ain't no Beyoncé song.  Jana mentioned my love for Butch, and my entry above talks about my friend, Katy...so, let me tell you about the time that Katy and I went to Vegas to "celebrate" her divorce.  The Wynn just opened, and we scored an amazing deal on a room.  We went to see the male dance revue, American Storm, and we had cocktails by the pool.  I told Katy that she needed to trust me - we were going to see Avril Lavigne at The Joint at the Hard Rock because there was this musician that was opening that I had to see...Mr. Butch Walker.  Seeing this song live is damn near close to a religious experience for me.  He's touring right now.  Seriously.  If you like live music, do yourself a favor and go see him if he's coming to a town near you. 

JANA:  9. "Ain't Going Down Till the Sun Comes Up" by Garth Brooks. I bought my husband, then-boyfriend, tickets to see Garth Brooks in Philly for his 20th birthday. Decidedly not a country music fan, I had a lot of trepidation going to the show. Turns out, I can be wrong. This still reigns as one of the best concerts I've ever attended. The man played for 3 hours WITH NO BREAK. It was incredible. Also at that concert, the guy selling "popcorn, peanuts, crack cocaine".   (Note from Erin: While watching this video as I was putting together this post, I got goosebumps.  His energy is infectious.  Garth is the bomb.  No shame.)

ERIN:  10.  "Between Angels and Insects" by Papa Roach.  Another time that I told a friend to "just trust me" and go to a show with me was to see Papa Roach.  Their first full album was out, and "Last Resort" was a single getting play.  I had the album (well, cd, but I still call them albums), and I wanted to see them live.  I convinced my friend, Shawn, to go with me because he likes rock shows.  When we left the show, we looked like someone had hosed us down with a garden hose.  We were soaked with sweat.  I am not sure I've ever lost that many calories in one show.  I picked this song because it was the one that I remember most for the crowd losing.their.shit when it played. 

JANA:  11. "Captain Jack" by Billy Joel. Returning the favor, the husband bought me tickets to see Billy Joel and Elton John. I had previously seen Billy during college but attending this concert was the fulfillment of a decade long dream. Dueling pianos at their finest. 

ERIN:  12.  "Here Is Gone" by the Goo Goo Dolls.  My two frontmen loves are Jon Bon Jovi and Johnny Rzeznik.  In 2003, they made this girl's dream come true by touring together.  And, the Goo Goo Dolls were touring to support my favorite album of theirs, Gutterflower. 

JANA:  13. "Jesus of Suburbia" by Green Day. Perhaps the greatest song from American Idiot, and perhaps one of the most stellar shows I've attended. By the time we got to their concert at the Liacouras Center, we'd seen Green Day 3 times and this concert was about as close to perfection as you can get. 

ERIN:  14.  I couldn't decide what song/band I wanted to list next, and "Gone Away" by The Offspring came on, which instantly took me to a memory that I love, so there you have it.  One of my best gal pals moved to Italy.  I went to visit.  We went to see The Offspring in Milan.  It was an unforgettable experience to go to a concert surrounded by Italians all singing along in English with this SoCal pop punk band. 

JANA:  15. "Absolutely Still" by Better Than Ezra. Laugh if you will, but I love these guys. And I loved, LOVED seeing them at Power Plant Live in Baltimore. FOR FREE, Y'ALL. Of course it was on the hottest day Baltimore has ever had and my sweet tea crush melted but still. Awesome. There's something about going to see a once popular band but who wasn't really that popular and who's a little past their prime because you know all the fans are FANS. And they covered a Rush song.

ERIN:  16.  "Angel Eyes (I'll Never Let You Go)" by Steelheart.  Talk about seeing bands a little past their prime........I went to the inaugural Rocklahoma in 2007.  Glam bands, hair bands, hair metal, call them what you want.  My love for them will never die.  I was joined in a field smack in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma by others who still loved this music too.  We met people from different countries, different states, and different ages.  Many "big" names from this era were there (Poison, RATT, Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, Vince Neil, Dokken, more) - but, when the lead singer of Steelheart belted out this song and still hit those notes, it is safe to say that the crowd was blown away.

JANA:  17. "Enemies" by Shinedown. Going all the way back to two weeks ago when I attended Carnival of Madness. I can't even properly convey how I felt this concert in my bones. In my soul. Shinedown's music speaks to me like no other band's and to see them live...well, I can't quite process it all yet, never mind write about it. AND. As if the concert wasn't amazing enough, they opened up their set with Let's Go Crazy. The real Prince version. Not a cover. 

ERIN:  18.  "All out of Love" by Air Supply.  They started their career over 40 years ago playing in Sydney restaurants.  I saw them play at the Sydney Opera House.  Let me tell you, there is something to be said for any band that can stay together for 40 years (the duo claim they've never even had a fight) and can fill a room full of people who will sing all of their songs word for word back to them. 

We left out plenty that we wanted to add, but this is no longer about us...tell us about your live music experience and a significant song from a monumental concert in your musical journey.

Wacky ways to find new music

I was cruising around in the land of instagram.  I follow an Austin musician that has been in many of bands, he writes, he records, he has a podcast, he's just an all-around talent and I've been a fan for years.  I've met him a couple of times through a childhood friend of his, and he's super nice...so that helps too.  So, as I said, I was cruising around instagram and this pic pops up on my feed:

from johnnygoudie's instagram

I looked at it; I read the caption; I thought "hmmm...that girl looks familiar".  

My mind was connecting slowly because I was in bed about to set the alarm and go to sleep.  I thought "she looks like Holly" (my cousin's friend from high school).  

My brain keeps connecting slowly thinking "I know Holly went to Nashville and has tried to pursue music." 

Inner thoughts still coming: "I remember she sang at E's wedding and was really talented."; "When was the last time I saw Holly?  A few years ago, she colored my hair.";  "What has she been up to since?  Well, possibly still chasing the music dream."

So, I tagged "@levthemusic" and said "Holly, is that you?" - She replied "yea girl!"...

I started taking a look at her/her band's instagram (LEV) which linked me to a new video.  I looked at her band's website and facebook.  I read press and reviews. And, I got all silly proud of Holly.  (As I watched the video, I also thought "damn girlie!")

I met Holly 13-ish years ago.  Like I stated before, she is friend's with my cousin.  She was a beautiful girl with a contagious laugh.  We were bridesmaids together in that cousin's wedding.  But, I'm not going to try to pretend she's a close, personal friend of mine.  This cousin of mine...we're close...and I stay informed about her friends when I can.  That's why this was such a super fun way to stumble upon Holly chasing her dream in music.  Not through my cousin's updates, but through the wacky world of social media.

And...the video is all kinds of awesome.  It is creepy fantastic with a Gone Girl feel.  The song catchy, Holly looks like she could fit right into a movie set, and the male actor...well, his abs ain't so bad to look at either.  I see that LEV is playing regularly in the Texas circuit.  I'd love to catch them live and would definitely do so if I was still living there.  Check them out:

 

Did you watch the video?  What did you think??

Soundwave Music Festival 2015 - Day Two - My Music Experience

Continuing my Soundwave experience...

Day two had me arrive even earlier.  I purchased my phone recharger, I ate my pizza, I filled up my water bottle, and I headed to Stage 2 to find my position for the day.  My favorite live band was going to be here...I haven't seen them for over six years (after seeing them on a regular basis for 8 years prior)...I was going to get as good of a spot as possible.  This means I was going to stay at Stage 2 for most of the day.

First band for the day was my second band viewed to incorporate classical instruments, a band from Finland - Apocalyptica.  They brought an impressive crowd for their 1:00 time slot.  The use of cellos and standing bass is a sight to see and a sound to hear.  This is not a display of musicianship that you'll see at your average music festival.  Even the banter from the Finnish boys talking about the Australian heat was entertaining.  Plus, the artwork for the band's backdrop is beautiful.  Everything about this set was beautiful.

Staying put at Stage 2, I could hear Stage 1's sets but not really see them.  Scottish band, Twin Atlantic, was next up on Stage 1.  They sounded good.  They also sounded really happy to be there.  I decided that I'm going to check out more from this band.  I liked what I heard.

As this band was playing, I realized I was being surrounded by a lot of under 18s.  The kids were here in full force.  Especially the females.  I learned why.  I knew what band was about to play.  I knew they had a strong female vocalist.  What I didn't know was how much these young girls worshipped her (and I learned why).

Tonight Alive was playing to their home crowd.  They were strong, tight, and entertaining.  The crowd was a ball of explosive energy and most of the girls around me knew every word to every song.  Led by the infectious, Jenna McDougall, she is a blend of early Gwen Stefani (before she was a glamorous fashionista) and Hailey Williams from Paramore.  She's got attitude, swagger, pipes, and a killer smile.  McDougall is that girl that guys want to be with and girls just want to be.  Leading the crowd in a chant encouraging those to refuse to live in fear of the judgement of others, this band seemed to be spreading a positive message to their young followers.  Hey, I'm not young, but I'm young at heart...and Tonight Alive earned a new fan.

Photos by Neal Walters Photo

All Time Low hit Stage 1 and took notice of the storm clouds rolling in.  They played a few songs before the force of the storm grew strong with rain and high winds.  As previously mentioned, their set was cancelled due to the quick onslaught of rain drenching their equipment.

I got to talking to my fellow fans at Stage 2.  The two girls next to me had come from New Zealand specifically to see Papa Roach.  The boy to my right had flown from Perth (think New York to LA).  My Papa Roach partners and I were not planning on losing our front row spot, so we braved the storm.  Fortunately, the toughest part of it passed in time for my Papa Roach boys to hit the stage.  Have I mentioned that this is my favorite live band?  I haven't seen them since moving to Australia.  The lead singer has gotten sober since I last saw him.  I'm not going to lie; I was worried his crazy stage antics wouldn't be there with sobriety in his life.  Jacoby and the boys still got it.  If you like rock music, if you like live music, you should see this band.  The adrenaline that pumps when they are on stage is electric.  The crowd was thunderous (and that was the crowd, not remnants of the storm), and the performance was powerful.

Oh........and I found myself in a crowd shot!  Since my hands aren't in the air, I'm guessing that was one of those times I was holding onto the barrier to avoid my ribs from crushing.  Awww, the dangers of a rock show.

After one hour of pure bliss for me, the never blissful Marilyn Manson took over Stage 1.  I saw Manson during the height of his career.  I'm glad I did because he hasn't been too strong lately.  I like his new material, and the two songs he performed live from his new album were probably the best he performed.  I know all about performance and shock rock, but I gotta admit that I wasn't impressed when he broke the beer bottle (on purpose) and cut his arm drawing blood, especially when the under 18 girl next to me said "That's uncool.  My best mate is a cutter."

Back to Stage 2 and back to me hanging on the front barrier because now I that I saw my favorite live band, I was going to see my favorite live guitarist - Slash with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators.  Good gosh almighty, this guy deserves every accolade, every praise, every identification as an icon and/or legend.  He exudes rock 'n' roll.  He exudes cool.  He still plays with passion.  His band is led by vocalist Myles Kennedy who is a talent in his own right.  He's not trying to be Axl or Scott Weiland, but when Guns 'n' Roses and Velvet Revolver songs are played, he does them justice.  In recent years, Slash has released three solo albums with Kennedy performing most of the vocals.  These songs hold up in set filled with 'Night Train', 'You Could Be Mine', 'Slither', and 'Sweet Child of Mine'.  The new material is great...but it's not GNR.  Nor, does Slash try to act like it is.  He's just Slash.  The crowd didn't mind.  It was loud.  It was rockin'.  When I got home, confetti that flew during 'Paradise City' fell out of my bra when I went to the shower.  I've seen Slash many times before (with GNR, Velvet Revolver, and solo), but I think my life is a little more complete by experiencing this set.

That's right; Slash gets two pictures because he's Slash!

After standing 9 hours at the front of Stage 2, I headed over to Stage 3 for Fall Out Boy.  The crowd was massive, and that's saying a lot because I left a massive crowd seeing Slipknot at Stage 1, and Smashing Pumpkins were playing at another stage as well.  FOB deserves their following.  They write catchy little tunes that you can dance to, and Patrick Stump's vocals are spectacular live.

Last mention is a band that performed its last show together...ever.  Yep, this is the end for Conditions which kinda sucks because I just discovered them when checking out all the Soundwave bands.  They were really good, the very small crowd was very appreciative, but I was a little sad at the underwhelming feeling of a band calling it a day after 8 or so years.

This was MY experience.  The booking of bands is always so solid that I'm always going to miss some.  This year, I missed Godsmack, Judas Priest, Of Mice & Men, and more because of set time clashes between the five stages.  I ain't complaining.  I believe my weekend was packed full with great music, great crowds, and free water for two full days!

Anybody want to come to Australia and join me next year????

Want to read my other Soundwave posts?  Here they are:
 Friday Favorites - Soundwave Edition
Soundwave - Takin' Care of the Basics
Soundwave - The Music - Day One

Soundwave Music Festival - Day One - My Music Experience

More about my Soundwave experience...the important stuff...the MUSIC!

Day one, I arrived a little before noon.  I wandered a little to check out the lay of the land, where the five stages were located, looked at the merch, grabbed a beverage, and headed over to Stage 4.  I caught about half of Australian based band King Parrot's set.  Not really my sound.  And, I don't exactly appreciate band members calling people the "C" word because we don't know their music and aren't really getting into their set.  Hey.  I'm there.  I'm giving you a listen.  You could have gained a new fan for all you know.  I'd give King Parrot a miss.

I was there at Stage 4 waiting on Nothing More.  This Texas band has been together for a few years and has had some recent success with their self-titled album.  Their rock has stellar vocals and lyrics, guitar riffs, melodies, and more.  They are my kinda rock band.  I was thrilled to see them.  They have some crazy contraptions on stage built from bicycle chains, rebar, and other metal.  They use them throughout to showcase different ways to play percussion and a bass guitar.  The vocalist has such a powerful voice his neck actually turned red.  I'm not kidding.  I've never seen anything like it.  I don't know if his vocal chords strain so hard against his neck or what, but his neck turned bright red!  This band held my attention the entire 40 minutes they were on stage.  My personal favorite was the impassioned performance of 'Jenny'.

Next up on Stage 4 was Melbourne band, Ne Oblisviscaris.  I was completely unfamiliar with the band, but my friend wanted to see them.  This is the first metal band I saw this weekend that included classical instruments in their sound; this featuring a violinist.  The vocalist growls a little too much for my taste, but that's just me.  I like rock music.  But, I never claimed to be a fan of the hardcore metal growling scene.  Cool, if you are.  It's just not my taste.  That being said, I was glad I watched the set.  The crowd was into it.  The band fed off that energy, and the musicianship was impressive.

We headed over to Stage 1 to check out Japanese power pop band One OK Rock.  High energy with excellent stage presence and a fun way to learn Japanese (as they throw in some Japanese in their mostly English lyric songs).

I headed over to Stage 2 for Gerard Way.  The former lead singer of My Chemical Romance has released a solo album that sounds nothing like MCR.  It blends guitars and keyboards to create a sound closer to British new wave than emo rock.  I like it.  I can dance to it.  I like to dance.  I give credit to Mr. Way for using his stage platform to quickly bring attention to spreading love to all, especially the transgender community and raising awareness of mental illness and encouraging sufferers to get help.  Yes, serious topics for a music festival...but as he holds the crowd's attention, why not use it for some good?

From there, I visited the free water station, took a stroll, had some food, and took a seat in the stands.  I've seen Steel Panther several times before (Heck, I even saw them when they were Metal Skool - I think that's what they were called).  Seen it.  Done it.  Over it.  But, they brought in a big crowd as I watched from the seats. (The pic below also shows the set up of stages 1 and 2)

I admit it...I got lazy...and I was saving energy for day 2.  I stayed in my seat from this faraway view for the rest of the day.  The music was great.  From this place, I listened to Antemasque, Incubus, and Soundgarden.  Seeing 'Fell on Black Days' live was a moment, a big moment for me.  All three of these bands are impressive, no frills, no gimmicks, just straight forward rock music played well.

I left a little early (9:30ish), got on my train, and headed home for some shut eye to prepare for day two.

If you want to read my other Soundwave posts, here they are:
Friday Favorites - Soundwave Edition
Soundwave - The Basics

Anybody want to come to Australia next year and join me?

Soundwave Music Festival 2015 - My Experience

If you read my Friday Favorites a few days ago, you know that I was at Soundwave this weekend.  (If you didn't read them, shame on you! Go read them now, then come back and join us.) 

Let's get a few basics out of the way...

The Weather:
It's the end of summertime in Sydney, and we were definitely feeling the heat on Saturday and half of Sunday.  Temps were pushing the high 30s (high 90s, close to 100 for my Fahrenheit peeps).  Then, a storm rolled in on Sunday afternoon with buckets of rain falling on us and high winds.  A band (All Time Low) had to be stopped, their equipment got messed up (well, they actually said something else, but I'm trying to be polite for my PG rated readers), and had their set cut short.  They handled it like champs singing one of their songs a capella and leading the crowd in a clap-a-long/sing-a-long of 'We Will Rock You'.  Many people ran for the hills (or covered areas), but I was holding firm in my front row spot on the barrier waiting for my favorite live band who was scheduled to play next (more about them soon).  The temperature dropped about 15 degrees (25 degree F drop)...I was soaking wet...I admit it; I was shivering.

before & after the storm

Takin' Care of Things:
I made a few wise decisions.  One of these choices was takin' care of my feet.  I've had these Air Jordans for a very, very, very long time.  They took care of me this weekend.  My feet were comfortable.  No pain, no aches, no blisters.  Ain't nobody got time for that.

Second wise decision: takin' care of hydration and taking full advantage of the 'Free Water' stations.  I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate the Soundwave folks providing these stations.  In that heat, you need to hydrate.  Instead of trying to suck every last dollar out of the crowd, a row of taps are provided to fill up water bottles.  Also, if you're up front at the barrier (like I was on the second day), volunteers and security guards are constantly handing out free cups of water.  Really, I can't say enough how much I appreciate this service.  Think about it.  I probably drank no less than 20 bottles of water over the two days.  At $4 each, that would be $80 more to spend over the weekend. 

After the first day of limiting my phone use, I spotted a tent advertising a way to recharge my phone.  I decided I needed to be takin' care of my phone, and this portable recharger was the way to do it!

I saw a mob of people hanging at this pizza food truck all day during the first day (Happy As Larry).  I wanted the pizza, but I didn't want to wait.  I was smart on day two.  I knew I was going to be standing in one spot all day long...and I knew I needed some food to give me strength for that task, so I decided takin' care of the hunger was a good way to start the day.  So, I spent the best $13.50 I'd spent all weekend and had this as soon as I got there.

At the start of day one, I was hot and thirsty.  I had yet to discover the free water stations.  I thought I needed some adult beverages to quench my thirst.  After paying $8 for the cider and $12 for the frozen margarita, I decided takin' care of my funds was a better idea, and the free water was a better option.  I wasn't there to drink; I was there to see good music.

Next, the important stuff...the MUSIC!  You've done enough reading today; that post starts tomorrow.

Friday Favorites Five x2 vol.3 - Soundwave edition

This week's list of favorites is dedicated to Soundwave - my favorite Australian music festival.  I've lived in Australia for six years, and this will be my fifth Soundwave to attend.  It is a rock fan's festival.  Sure, there are critics.  A lot of the criticism I read seem to be from those that love to find something to whine and gripe about.  My opinion is: if you don't like the line-up or the festival, then don't go.  Bitching and complaining over and over and over again is tiresome.  You can never, ever make everyone happy.  With a mix of grunge to power pop, metal to punk, plus industrial, alternative, shock, and rap rock, I think this festival is as good of a annual rock festival as a rock fan could ask for.  Bands come from the US to Japan, Sweden to Mexico, Scotland to Canada, and mix it up with some homegrown Aussie rock. Soundwave Sydney is this weekend, and I'm ready!

 1. Favorite guitarist ever: Slash - After previously playing Soundwave a few years ago, he's back this year with the uber-talented Myles Kennedy again singing lead vocals.  His solo stuff is solid and his live shows are sprinkled with Guns 'N' Roses and Velvet Revolver songs as well.

2. Favorite shirt purchased at a Soundwave: this Social Distortion shirt

3. Favorite headliner show that I wasn't expecting to be my favorite: Avenged Sevenfold - Last year, Green Day was closing the show on the main stage while A7X were co-headliners. I was happy with my decision to see the rock show that M.Shadows and the boys gave, complete with lots if pyro!

4. Favorite band on the 2015 line-up that I hadn't listened to before Soundwave introduced them to me: Nothing More. I bought their entire album and enjoy every single song. I'm getting there early to see these guys.

5. Favorite grunge era band that is still going strong: Alice In Chains - with two of the original members dead from drug overdoses, you might be skeptical that this band could still hold it's weight. I've seen them at two separate Soundwaves and was reminded that some of their songs will always remain the best of this era. Plus, their new stuff is good too.

6. Favorite single song performance to see at Soundwave: Nine Inch Nails closed out Soundwave a few years back, 2009 maybe. They ended with the hauntingly brilliant song "Hurt".

7.  Favorite band that I've seen at Soundwave that I'm ready to come back to SW: Shinedown - The vocals, the musicianship, the songs are all stellar.  Last time, they played to a small but mighty crowd on a small stage.  They need bigger stage, bigger crowd.

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8.  Favorite way to mix it up with the kids these days: Fall Out Boy - Slipknot and Smashing Pumpkins will be playing on different stages at the same time as FOB.  That's right.  I'll be bouncing and jumping and singing-along with the kids and FOB.

9. Favorite accessible promoter: AJ Maddah - This guy gets A LOT of grief; people complain about all sorts of things and blame him for the world's problems sometimes.  But, you know what?  In this world of social media, he is SO accessible to the ticket buyers, fans, and bands.  He answers questions on twitter from what bands are booked, to how tickets can be purchased, to what items are allowed to be brought into the premises (many of the questions asked can be found on Soundwave's website).  He issues set times and allows feedback from the fans and makes adjustments when feasible.  On the day of the event, he acts on issues from over-inflated prices of water to out of hand security guards to reacting to the current craze of selfie sticks and their interference with other fans (see below).  Suggestions get made on social media (like a place for older patrons or injured or disabled patrons to have a break during the day) and creates a "Comfort Zone" tent based on the requests.  Plus, he is a real rock fan.  He gives props and kudos to the bands as they perform.  I applaud this guy.  As I said before, you're never going to make every single person happy all the time.

10. Favorite live band that I finally get to see at Soundwave: Papa Roach! - I started seeing these guys live when they released their very first big hit "Last Resort"...and I kept seeing them again, and again, and again.  I was never disappointed.  The energy is electric, and I've missed them.  Sunday, we will be reunited!

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Want some more Friday Favorites?  Check this out:

List #15 - Live Music Shows

A few years ago, I made this crazy attempt to list all the live music shows I've seen. I tried to include only rock/pop acts (with a few notable country crossover artists...even though that's not necessarily "my thing"...but I am from TEXAS after all!).

AC/DC ~ Aerosmith ~ AFI ~ Against Me ~ Airbourne ~ Air Supply ~ Alice Cooper ~ Alice in Chains (w/new singer) ~ Alien Ant Farm ~ All American Rejects ~ Alter Bridge ~ American Anthem ~ American Hi-Fi ~ American Pearl ~ Anberlin ~ Anthrax ~ Avenged Sevenfold ~ Avril Lavigne ~ Axe

Baby Animals ~ Bang Tango ~ Beautiful Creatures ~ The Bellamy Brothers ~ Beth Hart ~ Better Than Ezra ~ Beyoncé ~ Biffy Clyro ~ Big Head Todd & the Monsters ~ Billy Idol ~ Black Crowes ~ Black Eyed Peas ~ Black Label Society ~ Black Stone Cherry ~ Blindside ~ Blink 182 ~ Blue October ~ BON JOVI ~ Boston ~ Bowling for Soup ~ The Bravery ~ Breaking Benjamin ~ Bret Michaels (solo) ~ Britny Fox ~ Bruce Springsteen ~ Bryan Adams ~ Buckcherry ~ Bullet for My Valentine ~ Bulletboys ~ Bullets & Octane ~ Burden Brothers ~ Bush ~ Butch Walker

The Calling ~ Camp Freddy ~ Cheap Trick ~ Chelsea Smiles ~ Chlorine ~ Cher ~ Chevelle ~ Cinder Road ~ Cinderella ~ CKY ~ Clay Aiken ~ Cold ~ Collective Soul ~ Counting Crows ~ Cowboy Mouth ~ Crazytown ~ Creed ~ Crooked X ~ Crosby, Stills, & Nash ~ The Cult ~ The Cure ~ Cyndi Lauper

Damn Yankees ~ The Darkness ~ Dashboard Confessional ~ Daughtry ~ David Allan Coe ~ David Lee Roth (solo) ~ Deadsy ~ Deep Purple ~ Def Leppard ~ Default ~ Deftones ~ Depeche Mode ~ Destiny's Child ~ Dexter Freebish ~ Dilana ~ Dio ~ Dirty Penny ~ Dokken ~ Dolly Parton ~ Don Dokken (solo) ~ The Donnas ~ The Doobie Brothers ~ The Doors (w/Ian Astbury) ~ Dope ~ Downset ~ Drowning Pool ~ Duran Duran

Eagles ~ Eddie Money ~ EndeverafteR ~ Enrique Iglesias ~ Enuff Z Nuff ~ Erasure ~ Eric Johnson ~ Eric Sardinas ~ Eve 6 ~ The Exies

Fall Out Boy ~ The Faint ~ Faith No More ~ Faster Pussycat ~ The Films ~ Finger Eleven ~ Firehouse ~ Flickerstick ~ Foo Fighters ~ Foreigner ~ Forever the Sickest Kids ~ The Fray ~ Fuel

Garbage ~ Garth Brooks ~ George Michael ~ George Strait ~ Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova ~ Girlschool ~ Godsmack ~ Goo Goo Dolls ~ Goudie ~ Great White ~ Green Day ~ Greg Allman ~ GWAR ~ Gwen Stefani ~ Guns N Roses

My girls and me at a music festival (and Camrin with the awesome photobomb!)

Hank III ~ Heart ~ Hed Pe ~ Hey Monday ~ H.I.M. ~ Hinder ~ Hole ~ Hoobastank ~ House of Lords

Ian Moore ~ Incubus ~ INXS (w/Micheal Hutchence and then later w/JD Fortune) ~ Iron Maiden

Jackopierce ~ Jackyl ~ Jane's Addiction ~ Jerry Cantrell (solo) ~ Jet ~ Jet Black Stare ~ Jetboy ~ Jimmy Barnes ~ Jimmy Eat World ~ Joan Jett & the Blackhearts ~ John Corabi ~ John Mellencamp ~ JON BON JOVI (solo...radio station private show!) ~ Jonny Lang ~ John Butler Trio ~ Josh Todd (solo) ~ Journey (w/Steve Augeri & Arnel Pineda) ~ Judas Priest (w/Rob Halford & w/Ripper)

KC and the Sunshine Band ~ Keith Urban ~ Kelly Clarkson ~ Kenny Loggins ~ Kid Rock ~ The Killers ~ Kings of Leon ~ Kings X ~ KISS ~ Kittie

LA Guns ~ Lacuna Coil ~ Lenny Kravitz ~ Lifehouse ~ Limp Bizkit ~ Linda Perry ~ Linkin Park ~ Lit ~ Live ~ The Living End ~ LL Cool J ~ Loverboy ~ Lyle Lovett ~ Lynch Mob ~ Lynyrd Skynyrd

Marilyn Manson ~ Maroon 5 ~ Marshall Tucker Band ~ Matchbox 20 ~ MC Hammer ~ Meatloaf ~ Megadeth ~ Melissa Ethridge ~ Metal Skool ~ Metallica ~ Methods of Mayhem ~ Michael Anthony (solo) ~ Michael Jackson ~ Midnight Circus ~ Mike Ness (solo) ~ Mike Tramp (solo) ~ The Misfits ~ Motley Crue ~ Muse ~ My Chemical Romance

One of my prized possessions ~ a pic of Nikki Sixx staring lovingly into my eyes...

Nashville Pussy ~ Neil Diamond ~ New American Shame ~ Nickelback ~ Night Ranger ~ Nine Inch Nails ~ No Doubt ~ Noiseworks ~ NSYNC

Oasis ~ The Offspring ~ Oleander ~ Orgy ~ Our Lady Peace

Panic Channel ~ Pantera ~ Papa Roach ~ Pat Green ~ Pearl Jam ~ Pink ~ Placebo ~ POD ~ Podunk ~ Poison ~ The Poor ~ Power Station ~ Pretty Boy Floyd ~ Priestess ~ Prince ~ Public Enemy ~ Puddle of Mudd ~ Pushmonkey

Queensryche ~ Quiet Riot ~ The Quireboys

Ratt (w/Stephen Pearcy & w/Jizzy Pearl) ~ REO Speedwagon ~ Revolution Theory ~ Richie Sambora ~ Ricky Martin ~ Rob Zombie ~ Robert Earl Keen ~ Rolling Stones ~ The Romantics ~ Run DMC

Saliva ~ Sammy Hagar ~ Saving Abel ~ Scorpions ~ Screaming Jets ~ Scott Stapp (solo) ~ Sebastian Bach (solo) ~ Sevendust ~ Shinedown ~ Silvertide ~ Sixx AM ~ Skid Row (w/Sebastian & w/Johnny Solinger) ~ Slash ~ Slaughter ~ Social Distortion ~ SR71 ~ Steel Panther ~ Steelheart ~ Stevie Nicks ~ Sting ~ Stone Temple Pilots ~ Stone Rider ~ Stone Sour ~ The Strokes ~ Stryper ~ Styx (w/Dennis DeYoung & without) ~ Sugar Ray ~ Sum 41

Tantric ~ Taylor Swift ~ Ted Nugent ~ Tenacious D ~ Tesla ~ Theory of a Deadman ~ Third Eye Blind ~ Three Days Grace ~ Tiger Army ~ Toadies ~ Todd Snider ~ Toilet Boys ~ Tommy Lee ~ Train ~ Trans Siberian Orchestra ~ Trapt ~ Tuff ~ Twisted Sister

U2 ~ Union Underground ~ Unwritten Law ~ The Used

Vallejo ~ Van Halen (w/David Lee Roth & w/Sammy Hagar) ~ Vanilla Ice ~ Vayden ~ Velvet Revolver ~ Vertical Horizon ~ Vince Neil (solo)

Warrant (w/Jani Lane & w/Jamie St. James) ~ WASP ~ White Lion ~ White Stripes ~ Whitesnake ~ Whitney Houston ~ The Wildhearts ~ Willie Nelson ~ Winger

Y&T

ZZ Top

311 ~ 3 Doors Down ~ 30 Seconds to Mars

I'm sure I'm forgetting some. I guess you could say that I like live music.  Oh...the memories, but there's more to come...my life will always have live music!  And, your valuable lesson for today is:

Photo from here