Another summer has come to an end. I always feel down whenever summer's over, as it's my favourite time of the year. Onwards we go, though.
I've mentioned many times about the news - as much as I try to avoid it, I somehow always end up hearing about everything that's going wrong in this world, from horrible tragedies to political madness. Then I just have to remind myself that 95% of what I hear, what we all hear is blown out of proportion, sensationalised to get ratings. To quote a famous saying, and also the title of a canny good Jamie Lenman song, "No News Is Good News" - I choose to put the mute button on, avert my eyes from all the dread, and to just live my life.
In my July blog I mentioned the passing of Chester Bennington, the singer of Linkin Park - I say this as a reminder that depression is a sickness, and not something to be taken lightly, regardless of what the media might want you to believe. I'm not going to name any names, but there was a time this month that someone close to me was swallowed up by that depression, and myself, friends and family found ourselves unable to reach that person. This isn't the first time that it's taken hold of that person, and I fear that it won't be the last, but this is why it's important to reach out. I can't stress it enough - if you're feeling depressed, talk to someone. Shutting people out is too easy to do, and while it may feel like it makes it all better, it really doesn't. Aye, it's hard to see the light when you're in that hole, but just remember - you're not alone. We all have times where a dark cloud hangs over us, but that cloud always eventually passes.
To better news now - things could be looking up on the job front. As I type this, I have a job interview lined up for September 1, I will let you know how that went in next month's blog. I also helped out my wife Nicole at her workplace on a couple of days towards the end of this month, setting up meals for the staff on their morning training sessions. It was very busy but it felt good to help out.
One of those days was August 21, which as most of you know was the day of the solar eclipse. One of Nicole's co-workers was kind enough to lend me a pair of special glasses to check it out, and while the full total eclipse wasn't visible in my area, I was still able to see a partial eclipse, it was quite a sight, but you don't need me to tell you that.
We also made the most of the warm weather this month by hitting a few beaches, including a couple we'd never visited before. Probably the most notable trip of this month was to the Roger Williams Park & Zoo in Providence RI - definitely a great place to visit with a wide variety of animals to see, and the park was very relaxing too.
We were also at Foxwoods Casino on August 4th to see Dashboard Confessional and The All-American Rejects play, both bands put on a good show, and Nicole was singing along to every Dashboard song, as she is a huge fan of them.
On the artwork front, I've been busy working on the first Fyfe & Sparkplug comic, as of this blog I have 7 pages ready to go. It's certainly a challenge and as I am planning to try and get this comic published, I really want it to be as good as it possibly can be.
I'll leave you with a bit of summer themed artwork, my Surf Club characters enjoying some waterslide action. See you in Autumn.
Showing posts with label Gigs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gigs. Show all posts
31/08/2017
31/07/2017
July 2017
Another July has come and gone once again - and something happened this month which wasn't something that personally happened to me, it was to a famous rockstar. Most of you reading this will know that I'm talking about what happened to Chester Bennington, the lead singer of Linkin Park - his death was tragic and shocking to hear about.
You might be wondering why I'm dwelling on the death of a celebrity, because I usually don't like to focus on the news, especially when it's about people dying, famous or not. The reason I am is because Linkin Park were one of my favourite bands as a teenager, and were one of the bands that got me into heavy rock music, along with Limp Bizkit and Slipknot. A lot of Linkin Park's music helped me get through my teenage and secondary school years, because I could relate to the lyrics and the heavy music. It's just a tragic irony that those same lyrics couldn't help the man who sang them with the passion and the fury that he had. RIP, Chester - I hope you're in a better place now.
On more personal matters, I've still had no luck on the job front, and as always I'm still looking. Helping around the house and doing the twice monthly side job has been keeping me busy though, as well as my artwork of course. I recently completed illustrating the second of the children's book series for our close friends, admittedly it took far longer than it should've because of my procrastination on it. I'll try and do better with the next book - it's just that circumstances get in the way.
A few blogs back, I mentioned how I was getting disillusioned with DeviantArt too - that's been the case again lately. I feel like there's been a lot of immature people trying to take advantage of me in order to get free art of their characters, or just posting stupid stuff on my pictures or profile just for the sake of attention. I have no time for people like that, and I'm sending out a warning now, anyone who continues to harrass me, or any of my friends that way, will receive an instant ban-hammer to the face. I'm not playing nice anymore.
On a brighter note, me and my wife have been making the most of the nice weather this month - as well as my bike rides, we took a few trips to state parks and beaches, and not surprisingly each place was canny packed. Also not surprisingly, we spent the 4th July week in Newport, the highlights of which were a play on a mini golf course with the in laws, and a sunset cruise around Narragansett Bay onboard the MV Gansett. We also went to a music gig at Mohegan Sun on the 29th, which was our first gig since the Deftones last August - the headline act this time was Kings of Leon, and they were absolutely spot on. The opening act, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, were canny tight too.
That's pretty much it for July. As always, I'll leave you with some artwork - this surfing scene, which was an entry for a summer themed art jam that I hosted this month. See you in August.
You might be wondering why I'm dwelling on the death of a celebrity, because I usually don't like to focus on the news, especially when it's about people dying, famous or not. The reason I am is because Linkin Park were one of my favourite bands as a teenager, and were one of the bands that got me into heavy rock music, along with Limp Bizkit and Slipknot. A lot of Linkin Park's music helped me get through my teenage and secondary school years, because I could relate to the lyrics and the heavy music. It's just a tragic irony that those same lyrics couldn't help the man who sang them with the passion and the fury that he had. RIP, Chester - I hope you're in a better place now.
On more personal matters, I've still had no luck on the job front, and as always I'm still looking. Helping around the house and doing the twice monthly side job has been keeping me busy though, as well as my artwork of course. I recently completed illustrating the second of the children's book series for our close friends, admittedly it took far longer than it should've because of my procrastination on it. I'll try and do better with the next book - it's just that circumstances get in the way.
A few blogs back, I mentioned how I was getting disillusioned with DeviantArt too - that's been the case again lately. I feel like there's been a lot of immature people trying to take advantage of me in order to get free art of their characters, or just posting stupid stuff on my pictures or profile just for the sake of attention. I have no time for people like that, and I'm sending out a warning now, anyone who continues to harrass me, or any of my friends that way, will receive an instant ban-hammer to the face. I'm not playing nice anymore.
On a brighter note, me and my wife have been making the most of the nice weather this month - as well as my bike rides, we took a few trips to state parks and beaches, and not surprisingly each place was canny packed. Also not surprisingly, we spent the 4th July week in Newport, the highlights of which were a play on a mini golf course with the in laws, and a sunset cruise around Narragansett Bay onboard the MV Gansett. We also went to a music gig at Mohegan Sun on the 29th, which was our first gig since the Deftones last August - the headline act this time was Kings of Leon, and they were absolutely spot on. The opening act, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, were canny tight too.
That's pretty much it for July. As always, I'll leave you with some artwork - this surfing scene, which was an entry for a summer themed art jam that I hosted this month. See you in August.
31/08/2016
August 2016
So, summer's at an end, and I can safely say that I've been making the most of the warm weather, as I have done for the majority of this summer - bike rides, beach time and going on trips with my wife Nicole.
On that note, we had another "rock and roll" weekend on the 6th and 7th, going to not one but two gigs at Mohegan Sun, my first time going to the arena there, and the biggest music venue I've ever been to, I have to say. The first gig was a double header, Counting Crows & Rob Thomas. I'd only heard one Counting Crows song before the show, and I was familiar with some of Rob Thomas' music as Nicole is a big fan of both his and his band Matchbox 20's music. Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of either artist, but I will say that Rob Thomas put a lot of energy and passion into his show, interacting with the crowd and getting everyone pumped, and his songs are very catchy - I think he should've been the headline act, because while Counting Crows were solid, they just weren't quite as memorable in my opinion. Still, it was a good night all round.
The second gig was the flipside, one of my favourite bands, and my second time seeing them, the Deftones. They had Spotlights and the infamous Swedish punk band Refused opening for them, Spotlights were pretty good with their heavy shoegaze-iinspired metal, I wasn't too sure about Refused though, while they were very loud and energetic (their singer had quite the stage presence), they jut didn't quite do it for me. However, Deftones absolutely killed it, they were every bit as awesome as when I first saw them back in '07, I couldn't fault them at all.
It wasn't just music shows we checked out at Mohegan Sun - on August 20 we checked out the TerrifiCon comic convention, my first comic con since San Diego back in 2010, and while this one was on a smaller scale, it was every bit as packed as San Diego, comic book stands, famous faces and cosplayers everywhere, and while it was a little overwhelming it was still a lot of fun.
We also celebrated two friends' wedding on the 27th (congrats to you both, you know who you are), it was a great party, and of course it brought back memories of our own wedding ceremony two months ago - I have to say, it was nice not being in the spotlight.
This month also saw the Olympics, which this year were held in Rio in Brazil - I caught some of it, though I really don't like how like everything else it seemed to get overshoadowed by all the scandal going on. It was also a little strange knowing that the previous Olympics were held in London back in 2012, back in my home country.
I seem to have been getting these reminders of my home country a lot lately, it's been 8 months since I left the UK, and I admit that this past month I've had moments where I've been missing my family a lot. The fact is, that is always going to happen, as anyone who's in a similar position will know, being far away from your loved ones is hard - but that's why I'm thankful for technology such as Skype, I can still easily keep in touch with them. I just hope that both me and Nicole will be able to go and visit them again someday.
On a brighter note, things are finally progressing with my immigration - they finally received my case, 5 months later, about time too, and just this past week I had my background check done up in Hartford, so now I am waiting for that to come through, and then hopefully it won't be much longer before I have my residency card and am able to apply for jobs. That's been on my mind too, wondering about whether I'll be able to cope balancing work and life, but the fact is, I won't know if I can until I'm living it. Ill keep you posted on this of course.
Last but not least, with summer coming to a close, I'll leave you with some summer-themed artwork - if this doesn't make you want to jump into the nearest pool, I dunno what will.
30/07/2016
July 2016
Warm weather, biking and travels were the order of the month for this July, and in all honesty I don't know where it went - life just seems to pass by much quicker in the States.
On the downside, I'm still no further forward with the social security/green card situation, and me and Nicole's lawyer just doesn't seem to be taking our case seriously - without a social security number I can't work or use Paypal and Ebay, which also means I can't do art commissions - so I really want this to be sorted, it's beyond ridiculous now. I've been living in the States for seven months now, and this really should've been sorted ages ago.
I'll say that again in a better light though - seven months living in the States. I miss my family back in the UK, even moreso since their visit in June, but I'm also still doing great despite that, and with the help and encouragement of my lovely wife, I've been trying new things - this month we both decided to start a diet, and I'm not joking when I say this is the first time I've ever tried a diet. In short, I've cut down on the sweet stuff and started eating more fruit, and it actually has made me feel better, why did I shun fruit most of my life?
On the same note, I've been continuing my bike rides to East Rock, and recently started doing a two-man bike ride each week with a recent new friend of mine - speaking of that, he and his wife (who is my wife's best friend) are trying to write a series of children's books, and they kindly asked me if I could illustrate the books for them - needless to say, I jumped at the chance, and I have been in the process of making the drawings for the first book for the last couple of months now. It's great to have the opportunity to do something like this, and I really hope it might lead somewhere - if not, it's still an experience.
On the travel front, I got to celebrate 4th July with my wife, my first time celebrating the occasion as a US resident - we spent that weekend in Rhode Island, glorious weather for it too, and we got to watch the fireworks over Newport Harbour - good times. We also went to another couple of gigs too - Hellogoodbye and Foreigner. Personally I'm not a huge fan of either band, but they both put on a good show - and any singer who can hold a high note for over a minute deserves a huge pat on the back (Foreigner's singer Kelly Hansen I'm referring to).
I'll leave you with some summery artwork, a quartet of lifeguard characters I came up with.
Till next time, and don't stay out in the sun too long.
31/05/2016
May 2016
Five months into 2016, and also five months living in the US, and the weather has certainly gotten a lot hotter in this past month, it's felt more like summer than spring most of the time. I've been making the most of the weather with getting out bike riding, mostly to and from East Rock - getting there is tiring, but seeing the view from the top on a sunny day is always worth it.
That's not to say I haven't been doing any of my responsibilties around the house, something I've had to adjust to since me and my lovely Nicole tied the knot - I might not yet have a job but I do try to keep active, whether it's helping around the house, doing something creative, or going out and about as I just mentioned. I'm not the type who just sleeps all day and does nothing, and I never want to be that way.
The wedding ceremony is creeping up, it's less than 2 weeks away as I type this - I'm ready for the stress of the planning and the anticipation of it to be over, but at the same time I also can't wait to see my family again when they fly over for it, as I've said many times now, and of course both me and Nicole are looking forward to the ceremony and reception, it will all be worth it when we can stand on that beach with our family and friends looking on as we pledge our vows to each other.
On a more louder note, me and Nicole had a "rock and roll weekend" from the 20th to the 22nd May, we went to not one but two music gigs, both at the Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket - the first was an 80s rock covers band called Aquanett, they were really impressive; the second was 3 Doors Down, a rock band very famous in the US, they were solid and put on a really good show - both bands were a hit.
On the artwork front, I recently brought my "Snow Sam" comic series to an end - that isn't the only comic series I have decided to pull the plug on, sort of. After 10 years I have decided not to make any more short "A Monster Thing" comics, but don't panic, as I will be continuing the main story comics. My reasons? I just don't have any ideas for short comics anymore, plus as I've also already mentioned, I don't have as much time to work on artworks as I used to, and that time will get even less once I get more established in the US, so some things have to give I'm afraid - but the comics are on my DeviantArt page if you want to check them out, and if you already have, then I hope you enjoyed reading them.
I'll leave you with this fiery looking scene - all the best till next month, and I think I can hear wedding bells in the air...
That's not to say I haven't been doing any of my responsibilties around the house, something I've had to adjust to since me and my lovely Nicole tied the knot - I might not yet have a job but I do try to keep active, whether it's helping around the house, doing something creative, or going out and about as I just mentioned. I'm not the type who just sleeps all day and does nothing, and I never want to be that way.
The wedding ceremony is creeping up, it's less than 2 weeks away as I type this - I'm ready for the stress of the planning and the anticipation of it to be over, but at the same time I also can't wait to see my family again when they fly over for it, as I've said many times now, and of course both me and Nicole are looking forward to the ceremony and reception, it will all be worth it when we can stand on that beach with our family and friends looking on as we pledge our vows to each other.
On a more louder note, me and Nicole had a "rock and roll weekend" from the 20th to the 22nd May, we went to not one but two music gigs, both at the Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket - the first was an 80s rock covers band called Aquanett, they were really impressive; the second was 3 Doors Down, a rock band very famous in the US, they were solid and put on a really good show - both bands were a hit.
On the artwork front, I recently brought my "Snow Sam" comic series to an end - that isn't the only comic series I have decided to pull the plug on, sort of. After 10 years I have decided not to make any more short "A Monster Thing" comics, but don't panic, as I will be continuing the main story comics. My reasons? I just don't have any ideas for short comics anymore, plus as I've also already mentioned, I don't have as much time to work on artworks as I used to, and that time will get even less once I get more established in the US, so some things have to give I'm afraid - but the comics are on my DeviantArt page if you want to check them out, and if you already have, then I hope you enjoyed reading them.
I'll leave you with this fiery looking scene - all the best till next month, and I think I can hear wedding bells in the air...
30/04/2016
April 2016
I must sound like a broken record when I keep saying how fast time seems to go these days, but it's true - I can't believe that it's been 4 months since I made my move Stateside, and already two months since and me and my wife Nicole tied the knot.
On that same note, it's now less then 2 months until our big ceremony in June, and while we're looking forward to it, it's also been a headache trying to plan it, even moreso for Nicole, and as anyone who's ever planned a wedding will know, it's not easy, but I've reassured her, reassured us both that it'll all come right. I'm also still hoping that my family can make it over despite the hurdles of passport applications and booking flights.
This month's seen some warmer weather, which gave me the push to finally venture out for a few bike rides, which not only gave me some much-needed exercise and fresh air, but also helped me get used to some of the local area. All of my rides were to a local landmark called East Rock, a small mountain that overlooks the city of New Haven, and while the walk uphill to the summit is exhausting, it's always worth it for the view of New Haven and the surrounding area from the top, and on a clear day you can even see Long Island in the distance - it's pretty much my "to-go" place now, much like Deerness Valley Way was back in the UK. (Still miss that place.)
On the music front, I bought a much-anticipated album that came out this month, "Gore" by one of my favourite bands, Deftones, and I was not disappointed - if you haven't heard them before, their music is best described as "heavy yet beautiful". They're playing at Mohegan Sun in August, and me and Nicole decided to book tickets to go and see them - can't wait.
Speaking of gigs, we finally got the chance to go to a gig together for the very first time (also my first American gig) - it just so happened that on 3 April, the 80s rock band The Cult were playing at Foxwoods Casino, and it was absolutely free, so we jumped at the chance. I'd only heard one Cult song before the gig ("She Sells Sanctuary"), so I wasn't sure what to expect, but they put on a great, solid show, and the venue was canny packed too. There was one funny moment during the show when The Cult's guitarist called out the security for being too rough with the crowds - needless to say he got a lot of cheers from the crowd. Both me and Nicole enjoyed the gig, we would definitely go see The Cult again.
We also had an interesting bit of travel on April 18 - the school where Nicole works asked her to represent them at an event held at a school down in the town of Mount Laurel in New Jersey (it would be my second trip to NJ, first visit was to Atlantic City back in 2011), and she asked me to accompany her, along with her parents. It was a very eventful 5 hour drive down to NJ, with some direction confusion and lots of sights of the "Garden State", but we got there in the end. We were put up in a really cool business-style hotel, and while I wasn't able to attend the event myself, I was able to keep myself occupied with planespotting (our hotel was close to Philadelphia Airport, so plenty of incoming air traffic). Nicole also found the event really interesting, which was great.
The following day we got to do a little more exploring, I briefly checked out the town of Moorestown with Nicole's parents, before we all got together and stopped at a picturesque park in Mount Laurel. After that, we headed back to Connecticut, with the drive being far less stressful this time round - on the way we stopped off to check out the Palisades Mall in New York State, a pretty cool place that reminded me a lot of the Metro Centre back in the UK - it's probably the only shopping centre that has an indoor rope course, a ferris wheel and a carousel. All in all, it was a pretty eventful trip.
There was more travel near the end of this month, and for a very special reason - April 23 was my wife's birthday, and I treated her to a new dress, a hand-drawn card, a pair of animal brooches and a copy of The Cult's greatest hits CD, in honour of our first gig together. To mark the occasion we travelled to the town of Mystic, a place we've been to many times, and visited the Mystic Seaport for the first time, a maritime museum themed as a harbour town from the old days, with old-skool shops and an impressive selection of boats on display, some of which we could walk onboard - it was very reminiscent of Beamish Museum, with its old-world look and feel. The highlights for me were getting the chance to build my own boat in a small workshop, and exploring the "Charles W. Morgan" whaling ship. Definitely a great place to visit overall.
We also stayed the night in a Holiday Inn, and I kid you not, our room included a jacuzzi, and we certainly made the most of it. It ended up being quite a late night too, as we paid another visit to Foxwoods Casino, where we stumbled across a live band playing covers of 80s rock, and they absolutely killed it. Nicole is a huge fan of 80s rock, it's almost as if they knew it was her birthday. It was a great weekend, simply put.
Ending with some artwork, as always - here's a sloth to brighten up your day.
On that same note, it's now less then 2 months until our big ceremony in June, and while we're looking forward to it, it's also been a headache trying to plan it, even moreso for Nicole, and as anyone who's ever planned a wedding will know, it's not easy, but I've reassured her, reassured us both that it'll all come right. I'm also still hoping that my family can make it over despite the hurdles of passport applications and booking flights.
This month's seen some warmer weather, which gave me the push to finally venture out for a few bike rides, which not only gave me some much-needed exercise and fresh air, but also helped me get used to some of the local area. All of my rides were to a local landmark called East Rock, a small mountain that overlooks the city of New Haven, and while the walk uphill to the summit is exhausting, it's always worth it for the view of New Haven and the surrounding area from the top, and on a clear day you can even see Long Island in the distance - it's pretty much my "to-go" place now, much like Deerness Valley Way was back in the UK. (Still miss that place.)
On the music front, I bought a much-anticipated album that came out this month, "Gore" by one of my favourite bands, Deftones, and I was not disappointed - if you haven't heard them before, their music is best described as "heavy yet beautiful". They're playing at Mohegan Sun in August, and me and Nicole decided to book tickets to go and see them - can't wait.
Speaking of gigs, we finally got the chance to go to a gig together for the very first time (also my first American gig) - it just so happened that on 3 April, the 80s rock band The Cult were playing at Foxwoods Casino, and it was absolutely free, so we jumped at the chance. I'd only heard one Cult song before the gig ("She Sells Sanctuary"), so I wasn't sure what to expect, but they put on a great, solid show, and the venue was canny packed too. There was one funny moment during the show when The Cult's guitarist called out the security for being too rough with the crowds - needless to say he got a lot of cheers from the crowd. Both me and Nicole enjoyed the gig, we would definitely go see The Cult again.
We also had an interesting bit of travel on April 18 - the school where Nicole works asked her to represent them at an event held at a school down in the town of Mount Laurel in New Jersey (it would be my second trip to NJ, first visit was to Atlantic City back in 2011), and she asked me to accompany her, along with her parents. It was a very eventful 5 hour drive down to NJ, with some direction confusion and lots of sights of the "Garden State", but we got there in the end. We were put up in a really cool business-style hotel, and while I wasn't able to attend the event myself, I was able to keep myself occupied with planespotting (our hotel was close to Philadelphia Airport, so plenty of incoming air traffic). Nicole also found the event really interesting, which was great.
The following day we got to do a little more exploring, I briefly checked out the town of Moorestown with Nicole's parents, before we all got together and stopped at a picturesque park in Mount Laurel. After that, we headed back to Connecticut, with the drive being far less stressful this time round - on the way we stopped off to check out the Palisades Mall in New York State, a pretty cool place that reminded me a lot of the Metro Centre back in the UK - it's probably the only shopping centre that has an indoor rope course, a ferris wheel and a carousel. All in all, it was a pretty eventful trip.
There was more travel near the end of this month, and for a very special reason - April 23 was my wife's birthday, and I treated her to a new dress, a hand-drawn card, a pair of animal brooches and a copy of The Cult's greatest hits CD, in honour of our first gig together. To mark the occasion we travelled to the town of Mystic, a place we've been to many times, and visited the Mystic Seaport for the first time, a maritime museum themed as a harbour town from the old days, with old-skool shops and an impressive selection of boats on display, some of which we could walk onboard - it was very reminiscent of Beamish Museum, with its old-world look and feel. The highlights for me were getting the chance to build my own boat in a small workshop, and exploring the "Charles W. Morgan" whaling ship. Definitely a great place to visit overall.
We also stayed the night in a Holiday Inn, and I kid you not, our room included a jacuzzi, and we certainly made the most of it. It ended up being quite a late night too, as we paid another visit to Foxwoods Casino, where we stumbled across a live band playing covers of 80s rock, and they absolutely killed it. Nicole is a huge fan of 80s rock, it's almost as if they knew it was her birthday. It was a great weekend, simply put.
Ending with some artwork, as always - here's a sloth to brighten up your day.
31/10/2015
October 2015
The clocks have gone back, the days are shorter, the nights are longer, and the temperature's dropping - Autumn is well and truly here, and October has been very up and down for me - as well as very, very quick.
I'm still waiting for things to happen on a certain front, and the wait is getting to me a bit, but I'm just hoping that it will all happen eventually, as I have been doing for most of this year. I also had some very sad news in the last half of this month - I'm not going to go into detail about it here.
There has been one clear highlight this October - I went to a gig for the first time in 6 years, to Northumbria University in Newcastle, to see the band Fightstar for the third time, I previously saw them twice back in 2006. To be honest, I felt like I was the only person there who didn't have any company, but that was all forgotten once the bands started playing. Supporting Fightstar were Making Monsters, a female-fronted metal band from Ireland, whose singer Emma had one hell of a scream/growl on her; and Arcane Roots, an alternative metal band from the south, who had a very distinctive sound, not least because of their singer Andrew's high vocal range - both bands were terrific. There was an awful moment during Arcane Roots' set however - as they started playing, a lass in front of me fainted, and she had to be taken to one side by the event staff. I'd never seen someone faint before, it was canny distressing - I hope the girl's recovered since.
Now onto the main event - Fightstar were absolutely stellar the first two times I saw them, and they were exactly that this time, too, it was like they'd never been away (they'd been on hiatus for the last 5 years and only recently reunited). They played a mix of songs from all their albums, including some from their new album "Behind The Devil's Back". It also came full circle for me, as Fightstar's singer Charlie's brother Will joined them on stage to play guitar on some of the songs - Will was the singer in his own band Brigade, who I saw supporting Fightstar the first time I saw them.
For me personally, the highlight was probably when they played "Deathcar", the place pretty much erupted - but each and every song was brilliant, and I could tell the band were just having a blast on that stage.
It got better too - after the gig, I bought Making Monsters' EP "Attention" (which is excellent), and briefly spoke to their singer Emma who was at the merch table. I'd actually waited outside the venue to meet up with Fightstar after the previous gigs to get pictures and autographs, and I originally wasn't going to this time, but as they say, old habits die hard, so I waited with a bunch of other eager fans outside in the cold, and about an hour and a half later, they popped out, and I was able to get a photo with Charlie and Fightstar's bassist Dan (if either of you see this, many thanks again for that, and your set was absolute killer).
It was great getting to see Fightstar again, and experiencing live music again after so long - you really can't appreciate just how much work goes into putting on a gig and undertaking a tour unless you participate or you're either in a band or part of their road crew.
I'll leave you with some Halloween themed artwork featuring a couple of "polter-pests" - whether you're celebrating Halloween or not, hope you've had a good October.
PS: Click here to see my pics from the Fightstar gig.
I'm still waiting for things to happen on a certain front, and the wait is getting to me a bit, but I'm just hoping that it will all happen eventually, as I have been doing for most of this year. I also had some very sad news in the last half of this month - I'm not going to go into detail about it here.
There has been one clear highlight this October - I went to a gig for the first time in 6 years, to Northumbria University in Newcastle, to see the band Fightstar for the third time, I previously saw them twice back in 2006. To be honest, I felt like I was the only person there who didn't have any company, but that was all forgotten once the bands started playing. Supporting Fightstar were Making Monsters, a female-fronted metal band from Ireland, whose singer Emma had one hell of a scream/growl on her; and Arcane Roots, an alternative metal band from the south, who had a very distinctive sound, not least because of their singer Andrew's high vocal range - both bands were terrific. There was an awful moment during Arcane Roots' set however - as they started playing, a lass in front of me fainted, and she had to be taken to one side by the event staff. I'd never seen someone faint before, it was canny distressing - I hope the girl's recovered since.
Now onto the main event - Fightstar were absolutely stellar the first two times I saw them, and they were exactly that this time, too, it was like they'd never been away (they'd been on hiatus for the last 5 years and only recently reunited). They played a mix of songs from all their albums, including some from their new album "Behind The Devil's Back". It also came full circle for me, as Fightstar's singer Charlie's brother Will joined them on stage to play guitar on some of the songs - Will was the singer in his own band Brigade, who I saw supporting Fightstar the first time I saw them.
For me personally, the highlight was probably when they played "Deathcar", the place pretty much erupted - but each and every song was brilliant, and I could tell the band were just having a blast on that stage.
It got better too - after the gig, I bought Making Monsters' EP "Attention" (which is excellent), and briefly spoke to their singer Emma who was at the merch table. I'd actually waited outside the venue to meet up with Fightstar after the previous gigs to get pictures and autographs, and I originally wasn't going to this time, but as they say, old habits die hard, so I waited with a bunch of other eager fans outside in the cold, and about an hour and a half later, they popped out, and I was able to get a photo with Charlie and Fightstar's bassist Dan (if either of you see this, many thanks again for that, and your set was absolute killer).
It was great getting to see Fightstar again, and experiencing live music again after so long - you really can't appreciate just how much work goes into putting on a gig and undertaking a tour unless you participate or you're either in a band or part of their road crew.
I'll leave you with some Halloween themed artwork featuring a couple of "polter-pests" - whether you're celebrating Halloween or not, hope you've had a good October.
PS: Click here to see my pics from the Fightstar gig.
25/04/2012
Gigging it
Recently it was a bit of an anniversary - on April 11 it was 6 years since I went to see Fear Factory at Newcastle University, and it got me thinking about all the gigs that I've been to - so I'm gonna share them with you.
09/12/2004 - The Mad Capsule Markets - Newcastle University
It took me until I was 18 to get to my first proper gig - I'd been a fan of these Japanese punk/metal/techno noiseniks for a couple of years at that point, and when I heard they were coming to Newcastle, I had to be there. Because it was my first gig, it was a bit nerve-wracking being in the venue with so many people, and my clothes choice was a disaster too (baseball cap and tracksuit jacket, I didn't know any better), and I also didn't manage to get a decent spot in the crowd. All the signs of a gig newbie.
I ended up enjoying it though, it was definitely a first - TMCM were a blast from start to finish, playing mostly stuff from their albums OSC-DIS, 010 and their then new CiSTm K0nFLiqT, and there wasn't one bad song.
Support bands:
Deadpad - uninspiring local industrial band.
McQueen - decent all girl rock band with a shade of Foo Fighters in their sound; bought their "Like I Care" EP at the gig.
19/03/2006 - Fightstar - Newcastle University
Early '06 was when I got into Fightstar, and having been very impressed by their debut album "Grand Unification", I was definitely up for seeing them live.
I made sure to arrive in the queue much earlier this time in order to get a spot closer to the front, which I did - I was canny unprepared for the all the moshing going on! I did have better clothes this time, though.
Fightstar were absolutely spot on, of course they played mostly "Grand Unification" songs, but also slipped a B-side or two in there. Most memorable moment was the finale of "Palahniuk's Laughter", where they had members of support band Reuben join them on stage.
This gig was also my first experience of autograph hunting - braved the cold outside for a while with a few others to attempt to meet with the band, and it paid off - got my pictures took with Charlie Simpson (singer), Al Westaway (guitar) and Omar Abidi (drums), as well as all of their autographs. Quite a way to end the night.
Support bands:
Brigade - featuring Charlie Simpson's bro Will on vocals, they were playing as I came in, and I was pretty impressed. Bought their album "Lights" not long afterwards.
Last Days of April - somewhat bland Swedish indie rock.
Reuben - this was the gig that got me into this band. I'd only heard one song by them previously, which I thought was good, but they completely blew me away live. I've since bought almost all of their albums.
11/04/2006 - Fear Factory - Newcastle University
The aforementioned gig, another highly anticipated one - TMCM and Fightstar are heavy, but Fear Factory are a lot heavier. Couldn't wait to hear FF's industrial metal grooves live, and they certainly did not disappoint, they were on fire throughout, and because this was part of their "15 Years of Fear" tour, they pulled out all the big hits such as "Descent", "Martyr", "Self Bias Resistor", and climaxed in style with their signature song "Replica".
I also got to meet up with the band's singer Burton C Bell afterwards, really down-to-earth dude.
Support bands:
Misery Index - very heavy death-metal sounding band, even though the sound was a bit muddy, they weren't bad at all.
Breed 77 - a metal band from Gibraltar who inccorporate flamenco into their sound, pretty good, and they had some catchy stuff.
30/08/2006 - King Edward/Red Method/No Libido - The Sportsman, Bishop Auckland
An all-local trio of bands this time round - I had a personal connection to this one, as I was schoolfriends with the lead singer of Red Method, he invited me to come and see his band play.
King Edward were alright, they had some nifty tunes but they didn't really stand out. Red Method on the other hand were brilliant, they played catchy yet heavy post-hardcore, and despite the small crowd there was some crowd-surfing attempted!
However, I thought the best of the trio was No Libido, a female-fronted punk band who had some very mosh-worthy tunes - bought their EP from them that night.
I'm guessing none of these bands are around anymore, but maybe that's how some of them are meant to be - short-term highs.
09/10/2006 - Fightstar - Northumbria University
Having enjoyed the first Fightstar gig so much, it was only natural that I had to go and see them again, and they were just as brilliant as they were first time round. Notably different was the venue, it was a little bigger than the university, which made it even better. Also got to meet up with the band a second time.
Support bands:
The Receiving End Of Sirens - solid American post-hardcore, I liked the dual vocalist set-up they had going on.
Oceansize - alternative/prog rock, they had some good moments, but some of their songs dragged in a bit too long. Also, their singer didn't do himself any favours by insulting some of the crowd.
13/03/2007 - Deftones - Newcastle Academy
Had to pull a few strings to actually get to go to this one, and I had to catch a bus at stupid o'clock to get back home from it - but it was worth it, because there was no way I was going to miss this band.
Found out the hard way just how crazy those mosh-pits can get - I was at the front, right in the middle, and when the Deftones came on and ripped straight into "Be Quiet and Drive", I almost got crushed. I had to clear out of the way in the end, but I didn't let that uncomfortable experience ruin the gig for me.
It goes without saying that the Deftones were amazing from start to finish, they played most of their classics such as "My Own Summer", as well as stuff from their then current album "Saturday Night Wrist". They finished off in explosive style with "7 Words".
Let's just say that my attempt to get their autographs didn't go to plan, however.
Support bands:
Mnemic - French/Belgian/Scandinavian industrial metal band, similar to Fear Factory, and also pretty good.
27/05/2007 - Biffy Clyro - Newcastle University
Anyone who knows me well will know that I'm a huge Biffy Clyro fan, and at the time of this gig I'd gotten into them over the last few months, so of I course I had to see them live. I wasn't alone this time either, my brother Chris tagged along too, and this was his first gig.
Biffy are known for being an awesome live act, and they were exactly that - the amount of energy they put into their performance pretty much blew my socks off. They had originally been going to play mostly songs from their then latest album "Puzzle", but because the release had been delayed, they instead played a handful of old faves such as "Justboy", and "Questions and Answers", though they did play one or two "Puzzle" tunes as well. Best moment was when, to mine and Chris' surprise, they played a song that neither of us expected to hear - "There's No Such Thing As A Jaggy Snake", which is Chris' fave Biffy song. Awesome finale too, with "Glitter and Trauma".
Didn't bother to go after autographs, myself and Chris just wanted our hotel beds after that - but we were exhausted for good reason.
Support bands:
Frank Turner - ex-Million Dead singer, it was just him and his guitar, and he was brilliant, his voice really hit hard, and his songs tell quite some stories. Got his autograph and spoke to him after the gig, really cool down-to-earth fella.
yourcodenameis:milo - I'd heard about this Newcastle band before the gig, but didn't know what they sounded like - wish I'd heard them sooner, because their heavy, space-rockish sound blew me away. Bought their latest album there and then.
09/08/2007 - Eddie & the Hot Rods - Crook Football Club
I remember watching an episode of TOTP 2 a while back, and a band called Eddie & the Hot Rods were featured on it, playing their hit "Do Anything You Wanna Do" on the show way back in 1977. Didn't think I'd actually get to see that same band play in my hometown, but they did.
It's a funny story as to how I actually ended up at the gig - someone I know from my karaoke days (who out of respect will remain nameless) is actually friends with the band, and he helped to get them the gig in Crook. Anyway, he told me about it, so I got a ticket and went along.
Now, to be honest, I'm not really a huge fan of 70's rock, I prefer more modern, later stuff - but I did enjoy the gig, the band really put their all into it, and their singer Barrie Masters might have been in his 60's, but he sure didn't look or act like it. Of course, "Do Anything You Wanna Do" was the standout for me.
I actually spoke to the band and got their autographs, they were a canny bunch - and they even popped into my then local for a drink!
Support bands:
I didn't catch the support band, but apparently I didn't miss much.
11/11/2007 - Biffy Clyro - Newcastle Academy
Just like with Fightstar, I just had to see the Biffy again - and I know they say lightning doesn't strike twice, but it did in this case, because they were just on fire throughout. They also had a more elaborate light-show this time, which really added to the atmosphere. They played a lot more "Puzzle" songs this time round, while still slipping in the classics too. There were many highlights including a beautiful rendition of "Machines" with just the singer Simon Neil, his acoustic guitar, a spotlight and loads of fans (me included) singing along. I recall they ended it with "Glitter and Trauma" again.
I did decide to autograph hunt this time - and it took another fan banging on the tour bus window to get the band to come out and see us! They were good about it though, and not only did I get their autographs but I got pictures with all three of them too. All in all, it was a crackin' night.
Support bands:
The Matches - American pop-rock band all dressed in matching red outfits - didn't think too much of them, even though they were canny energetic.
¡Forward, Russia! - similar to the Matches, though a little more off-kilter. Aside from one song, and though they also dressed in matching outfits, they weren't really that memorable.
22/05/2009 - Eddie & the Hot Rods - Crook Football Club
The Hot Rods decided to return to Crook for another gig 2 years after the first one, so I thought I might as well go and see them again - and it was more or less the same as last time, a good solid performance, with a mix of originals such as "Telephone Girl" and covers such as "Born To Be Wild". However, I heard afterwards that they probably wouldn't be coming back in the future, because apparently the sound operator made such a poor job with the mixing (this happened the first time too). It's a shame, but at least I was able to see them both times.
Somehow, I ended up going into two local pubs with my friend who's friends with the band, plus the band themselves - ended up having an interesting chat with the Hot Rods' singer Barrie Masters. It was a bit of a surreal, but interesting experience on the whole.
Support bands:
Propaganda - a cover band, who I didn't really think very much of - however they did cover a couple of Biffy Clyro songs, which was a plus.
So there you have it, that's all the gigs I've been to - no idea if I'll ever get to another one any time soon, but if I do, you'll hear about it here.
09/12/2004 - The Mad Capsule Markets - Newcastle University
It took me until I was 18 to get to my first proper gig - I'd been a fan of these Japanese punk/metal/techno noiseniks for a couple of years at that point, and when I heard they were coming to Newcastle, I had to be there. Because it was my first gig, it was a bit nerve-wracking being in the venue with so many people, and my clothes choice was a disaster too (baseball cap and tracksuit jacket, I didn't know any better), and I also didn't manage to get a decent spot in the crowd. All the signs of a gig newbie.
I ended up enjoying it though, it was definitely a first - TMCM were a blast from start to finish, playing mostly stuff from their albums OSC-DIS, 010 and their then new CiSTm K0nFLiqT, and there wasn't one bad song.
Support bands:
Deadpad - uninspiring local industrial band.
McQueen - decent all girl rock band with a shade of Foo Fighters in their sound; bought their "Like I Care" EP at the gig.
The Mad Capsule Markets, Newcastle University, 09/12/2004
19/03/2006 - Fightstar - Newcastle University
Early '06 was when I got into Fightstar, and having been very impressed by their debut album "Grand Unification", I was definitely up for seeing them live.
I made sure to arrive in the queue much earlier this time in order to get a spot closer to the front, which I did - I was canny unprepared for the all the moshing going on! I did have better clothes this time, though.
Fightstar were absolutely spot on, of course they played mostly "Grand Unification" songs, but also slipped a B-side or two in there. Most memorable moment was the finale of "Palahniuk's Laughter", where they had members of support band Reuben join them on stage.
This gig was also my first experience of autograph hunting - braved the cold outside for a while with a few others to attempt to meet with the band, and it paid off - got my pictures took with Charlie Simpson (singer), Al Westaway (guitar) and Omar Abidi (drums), as well as all of their autographs. Quite a way to end the night.
Support bands:
Brigade - featuring Charlie Simpson's bro Will on vocals, they were playing as I came in, and I was pretty impressed. Bought their album "Lights" not long afterwards.
Last Days of April - somewhat bland Swedish indie rock.
Reuben - this was the gig that got me into this band. I'd only heard one song by them previously, which I thought was good, but they completely blew me away live. I've since bought almost all of their albums.
Charlie Simpson of Fightstar, Newcastle University, 19/03/2006
11/04/2006 - Fear Factory - Newcastle University
The aforementioned gig, another highly anticipated one - TMCM and Fightstar are heavy, but Fear Factory are a lot heavier. Couldn't wait to hear FF's industrial metal grooves live, and they certainly did not disappoint, they were on fire throughout, and because this was part of their "15 Years of Fear" tour, they pulled out all the big hits such as "Descent", "Martyr", "Self Bias Resistor", and climaxed in style with their signature song "Replica".
I also got to meet up with the band's singer Burton C Bell afterwards, really down-to-earth dude.
Support bands:
Misery Index - very heavy death-metal sounding band, even though the sound was a bit muddy, they weren't bad at all.
Breed 77 - a metal band from Gibraltar who inccorporate flamenco into their sound, pretty good, and they had some catchy stuff.
Fear Factory, Newcastle University, 11/04/2006
Me and Fear Factory singer Burton C. Bell
30/08/2006 - King Edward/Red Method/No Libido - The Sportsman, Bishop Auckland
An all-local trio of bands this time round - I had a personal connection to this one, as I was schoolfriends with the lead singer of Red Method, he invited me to come and see his band play.
King Edward were alright, they had some nifty tunes but they didn't really stand out. Red Method on the other hand were brilliant, they played catchy yet heavy post-hardcore, and despite the small crowd there was some crowd-surfing attempted!
However, I thought the best of the trio was No Libido, a female-fronted punk band who had some very mosh-worthy tunes - bought their EP from them that night.
I'm guessing none of these bands are around anymore, but maybe that's how some of them are meant to be - short-term highs.
King Edward, The Sportsman, 30/08/2006
Red Method, The Sportsman, 30/08/2006
No Libido, The Sportsman, 30/08/2006
09/10/2006 - Fightstar - Northumbria University
Having enjoyed the first Fightstar gig so much, it was only natural that I had to go and see them again, and they were just as brilliant as they were first time round. Notably different was the venue, it was a little bigger than the university, which made it even better. Also got to meet up with the band a second time.
Support bands:
The Receiving End Of Sirens - solid American post-hardcore, I liked the dual vocalist set-up they had going on.
Oceansize - alternative/prog rock, they had some good moments, but some of their songs dragged in a bit too long. Also, their singer didn't do himself any favours by insulting some of the crowd.
Fightstar, Northumbria University, 09/10/2006
Me with Fightstar's Charlie Simpson
13/03/2007 - Deftones - Newcastle Academy
Had to pull a few strings to actually get to go to this one, and I had to catch a bus at stupid o'clock to get back home from it - but it was worth it, because there was no way I was going to miss this band.
Found out the hard way just how crazy those mosh-pits can get - I was at the front, right in the middle, and when the Deftones came on and ripped straight into "Be Quiet and Drive", I almost got crushed. I had to clear out of the way in the end, but I didn't let that uncomfortable experience ruin the gig for me.
It goes without saying that the Deftones were amazing from start to finish, they played most of their classics such as "My Own Summer", as well as stuff from their then current album "Saturday Night Wrist". They finished off in explosive style with "7 Words".
Let's just say that my attempt to get their autographs didn't go to plan, however.
Support bands:
Mnemic - French/Belgian/Scandinavian industrial metal band, similar to Fear Factory, and also pretty good.
Deftones' Chino Moreno, Newcastle Academy, 13/03/2007
27/05/2007 - Biffy Clyro - Newcastle University
Anyone who knows me well will know that I'm a huge Biffy Clyro fan, and at the time of this gig I'd gotten into them over the last few months, so of I course I had to see them live. I wasn't alone this time either, my brother Chris tagged along too, and this was his first gig.
Biffy are known for being an awesome live act, and they were exactly that - the amount of energy they put into their performance pretty much blew my socks off. They had originally been going to play mostly songs from their then latest album "Puzzle", but because the release had been delayed, they instead played a handful of old faves such as "Justboy", and "Questions and Answers", though they did play one or two "Puzzle" tunes as well. Best moment was when, to mine and Chris' surprise, they played a song that neither of us expected to hear - "There's No Such Thing As A Jaggy Snake", which is Chris' fave Biffy song. Awesome finale too, with "Glitter and Trauma".
Didn't bother to go after autographs, myself and Chris just wanted our hotel beds after that - but we were exhausted for good reason.
Support bands:
Frank Turner - ex-Million Dead singer, it was just him and his guitar, and he was brilliant, his voice really hit hard, and his songs tell quite some stories. Got his autograph and spoke to him after the gig, really cool down-to-earth fella.
yourcodenameis:milo - I'd heard about this Newcastle band before the gig, but didn't know what they sounded like - wish I'd heard them sooner, because their heavy, space-rockish sound blew me away. Bought their latest album there and then.
Biffy Clyro, Newcastle University, 27/05/2007
09/08/2007 - Eddie & the Hot Rods - Crook Football Club
I remember watching an episode of TOTP 2 a while back, and a band called Eddie & the Hot Rods were featured on it, playing their hit "Do Anything You Wanna Do" on the show way back in 1977. Didn't think I'd actually get to see that same band play in my hometown, but they did.
It's a funny story as to how I actually ended up at the gig - someone I know from my karaoke days (who out of respect will remain nameless) is actually friends with the band, and he helped to get them the gig in Crook. Anyway, he told me about it, so I got a ticket and went along.
Now, to be honest, I'm not really a huge fan of 70's rock, I prefer more modern, later stuff - but I did enjoy the gig, the band really put their all into it, and their singer Barrie Masters might have been in his 60's, but he sure didn't look or act like it. Of course, "Do Anything You Wanna Do" was the standout for me.
I actually spoke to the band and got their autographs, they were a canny bunch - and they even popped into my then local for a drink!
Support bands:
I didn't catch the support band, but apparently I didn't miss much.
Eddie & the Hot Rods, Crook Football Club, 09/08/2007
11/11/2007 - Biffy Clyro - Newcastle Academy
Just like with Fightstar, I just had to see the Biffy again - and I know they say lightning doesn't strike twice, but it did in this case, because they were just on fire throughout. They also had a more elaborate light-show this time, which really added to the atmosphere. They played a lot more "Puzzle" songs this time round, while still slipping in the classics too. There were many highlights including a beautiful rendition of "Machines" with just the singer Simon Neil, his acoustic guitar, a spotlight and loads of fans (me included) singing along. I recall they ended it with "Glitter and Trauma" again.
I did decide to autograph hunt this time - and it took another fan banging on the tour bus window to get the band to come out and see us! They were good about it though, and not only did I get their autographs but I got pictures with all three of them too. All in all, it was a crackin' night.
Support bands:
The Matches - American pop-rock band all dressed in matching red outfits - didn't think too much of them, even though they were canny energetic.
¡Forward, Russia! - similar to the Matches, though a little more off-kilter. Aside from one song, and though they also dressed in matching outfits, they weren't really that memorable.
Biffy Clyro, Newcastle Academy, 11/11/2007
Me with Biffy Clyro's Simon Neil
22/05/2009 - Eddie & the Hot Rods - Crook Football Club
The Hot Rods decided to return to Crook for another gig 2 years after the first one, so I thought I might as well go and see them again - and it was more or less the same as last time, a good solid performance, with a mix of originals such as "Telephone Girl" and covers such as "Born To Be Wild". However, I heard afterwards that they probably wouldn't be coming back in the future, because apparently the sound operator made such a poor job with the mixing (this happened the first time too). It's a shame, but at least I was able to see them both times.
Somehow, I ended up going into two local pubs with my friend who's friends with the band, plus the band themselves - ended up having an interesting chat with the Hot Rods' singer Barrie Masters. It was a bit of a surreal, but interesting experience on the whole.
Support bands:
Propaganda - a cover band, who I didn't really think very much of - however they did cover a couple of Biffy Clyro songs, which was a plus.
Eddie & the Hot Rods, Crook Football Club, 22/05/2009
So there you have it, that's all the gigs I've been to - no idea if I'll ever get to another one any time soon, but if I do, you'll hear about it here.
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