Soundgarden at Patriot Center (GMU)

Yup, you heard it right... SOUNDGARDEN is coming to the DC metro area this summer, specifically GMU's Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA on July 12th.

....and guess who's coming back to re-join and front the famous grunge band?? Starts with a "C" and rhymes with Lornell.

I absolutely cannot wait!...

Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 13th through Ticketfly.  The current ticket sales link from 930club's website is still not active.  I'll update this blog once that link is working.. so stay tuned and come back Friday.

Rock on, DC!
\m/
DCVince

.... photo above courtesy of wikipedia.org

Rockstar Mayhem Festival - Tickets on Sale NOW!

photo courtesy of lamusicblog.com

Prepare to experience ultimate heavy metal bliss!  Rockstar Mayhem Festival 2011 is upon us, with legendary artists Disturbed and Medgadeth to name a few performers this year.

Don't forget to grab tickets to this monumental event before they sell out!  Lawn seats a-plenty, but Pit and Seated ones are selling like hotcakes.

Click here for direct link to buy tickets.

I was a bit disappointed because the Outlaw Jam festival in Frederick MD, which headlines both Poison and Motley Crue, will be on the same day.  Fortunately, this 80's glam-rock duo will be performing at nearby Camden, NJ a couple of weeks prior, so I will be going there to feed this need.  But for now, I'll be head-banging to Dave Mustane's sweet guitar riffs when 'deth plays Symphony of Destruction on July 30th in sunny Jiffy Lube Live, VA!

Rock on, DC!
\m/
DCVince

Volbeat at Sonar in B'more!

photo courtesy of wikipedia.com

Volbeat will be at the Sonar in Baltimore on April 22nd.  Tickets are surprisingly still available and they are dirt cheap.

For the uninformed, Volbeat is a Danish metal band whose sound is extremely unique.  They caught my attention when I was browsing through pages of Savage Ink Tattoo magazine.  Soon thereafter, I got their Rock the Rebel, Metal the Devil album and I haven't looked back since.  Think of them like this: if Elvis Presley and a Mesa Boogie amp were to make love, their baby would be Volbeat!

See you all freaks out there!

Rock on, DC!
\m/
DCVince

Hell on Earth 2011 - Slayer, Zombie and Exodus

photo courtesy of wikipedia.com

Slayer, Rob Zombie and Exodus will be touring this summer in select North American cities.  The scheduled dates and venues are limited so if they are close by your area, go find a way to get there and enjoy the madness.

Slayer and Zombie haven't toured together since the '99 Ozzfest.   So, if you thought their performances tipped the insanity scale back then, imagine them now.  With a tour named "Hell On Earth," who knows what kind of crazy stage show they'll have!  Plus with both band's long history in metal music, I can't even begin to imagine what their set list will be.

photo courtesy of wikipedia.com

 

Dates/Venues are as follows:

Jul. 20 - Sovereign Center, Reading, PA
Jul. 22 - DTE Amphitheatre, Detroit, MI
Jul. 23 - Stage AE, Pittsburgh, PA
Jul. 24 - Heavy T.O. at Downsview Park, Toronto, ON Canada
Jul. 27 - MTS Centre, Winnipeg, MB Canada
Jul. 29 - Credit Union Centre, Saskatoon, SK Canada
Jul. 30 - Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB Canada
Jul. 31 - Rexall Place, Edmonton, AB Canada
Aug. 02 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Center, Victoria, BC Canada
Aug. 03 - Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC Canada
Aug. 05 - Rose Quarter Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR
Aug. 06 - WaMu Theatre, Seattle, WA

Pre-Sale tickets begin Thursday, 3/31, through Ticketmaster.  Public tickets available the following day.

Too bad the DC area isn't on this list...however, Reading, PA is!... and that place isn't so far a drive from here.

Rock on, DC!

\m/

DCVince

Unity Tour 2011 - 311 and Sublime w/ Rome

photo courtesy of 311.com

When: July 29, 2011
Where: Jiffy Lube Live
Info: Doors open at 6:30PM
Tickets: Go on sale, Fri, 3/25 (thru Livenation)
 

photo courtesy of wikipedia.com

 
See you all freaks out there!
Back to back in Bristow. Next day, Rockstar Mayhem Festival!

Rock On, DC!
\m/
DCVince

Glam-A-Gedon 25 (Updated!)

Open Up and Say Ahh.... cuz Dr. Feelgood is here!!!!

Yup, you heard it right here.  After, on what feels like a gajillion years, Poison and Motley Crue will be touring this year.  And they are doing it together and as a band; not a solo Bret Michaels or Vince Neil act, but with their original band members!  Yes, Nikki Sixx will be there.. Yes, Tommy Lee.. Yes, Rikki Rockett and C.C. Deville too!  This is crazy!

The tour name "Glam-A-Gedon 25" is named after Poison's 25th anniversary.  Motley Crue will be entering their 30th year in the music industry.  It's amazing how buying those two albums felt like it was just yesterday...

There's a bunch of logistics that need to get ironed out with Bret Michael's schedule conflicts, but there WILL be a joint co-headlining tour!  Lets just hope they come here to the DC area.  Anyway, from what I hear, tickets go on sale March 18th.  I dont even think there's a website for it yet.

I'll be posting more info once they become available.. so stay tuned!

Updated (3/1/11) - TOUR DATES after the jump....

The dates for the trek are as follows (more shows to be added):

May 29 - Pryor, OK - Rocklahoma
Jun. 07 - Dallas, TX - Gexa Energy Pavilion
Jun. 09 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center
Jun. 10 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
Jun. 12 - Albuquerque, NM - Hard Rock Pavilion
Jun. 14 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl
Jun. 15 - San Francisco, CA - Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Jun. 17 - Phoenix, AZ - Desert Sky Pavilion
Jun. 18 - Las Vegas, NV - [to be announced]
Jun. 19 - Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Amphitheatre
Jun. 21 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
Jun. 22 - Maryland Heights, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Jun. 24 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center
Jun. 25 - Milwaukee, WI - Bradley Center
Jun. 26 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
Jun. 28 - Toronto, ON - Molson Amphitheatre
Jun. 29 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
Jul. 01 - Tinley Park, IL - FMB Amphitheatre
Jul. 02 - Noblesville, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center
Jul. 03 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
Jul. 05 - Hollywood, FL - Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena
Jul. 06 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times Forum
Jul. 08 - Biloxi, MS - Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Jul. 09 - Pelham, AL - Verizon Wireless Music Center *
Jul. 10 - Atlanta, GA - Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood
Jul. 12 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Jul. 13 - Hershey, PA - Star Pavilion at Hersheypark
Jul. 15 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
Jul. 16 - Camden, NJ - Susquehannna Bank Center
Jul. 19 - Mansfield, MA - Comcast Center
Jul. 20 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Jul. 22 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
Jul. 23 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Jul. 24 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE
Jul. 27 - Cheyenne, WY - Frontier Days **
Jul. 29 - Youngstown, OH - Covelli Centre
Jul. 30 - Frederick, MD - Outlaw Jam 2011
Jul. 31 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
Aug. 5 - Tomah, WI - Fort McCoy

* July 9 - Motley Crue and New York Dolls Only
** July 27 - Motley Crue Only

Looks like the closest one in the area is Frederick.  Hope they add more...say RFK stadium? :)

Rock on, DC!
\m/
DCVince

M3 Rock Festival 2011

Here we go....

photo courtesy of iconvsicon.com

More info on M3Rockfest here: http://www.m3rockfest.com

It's only February, but with Rockstar Mayhem Festival and this M3 Rock Festival.. its looking like 2011 will be an awesome year for metal music in DC!

Rock on, DC metalheads!
\m/
DCVince

Rockstar Mayhem Festival 2011

Trivium...
Godsmack...
In Flames...
Testament...
Machinehead...
MEGADETH..

and

...DISTURBED!!!!!!

holy sh*t! July 30, 2011... Nissan Pavillion (wait.. its Jiffy Lube Live now)

Can't wait!!more info here: http://www.rockstarmayhemfest.com/

Rock the Motherf**k On, DC Metalheads!!!

\m/
DCVince

Rockstar Uproar Festival

Avenged Sevenfold with Portnoy on drums

Wow....

Cant even explain how much kickass this concert was! Stone Sour, A7X and Disturbed...

I'll write a more comprehensive review once I get down from my personal cloud of insane blissfulness and back into reality.

Rock On!
\m/
dcvince

Review: Styx, Foreigner, Kansas... Oh My!

It was Saturday night, amidst severe thunderstorm warnings all over the area, we ventured to Nissan Pavillion (wait.. its Jiffy Lube Live now... sorry). With all the lightning and severe weather, and given that they didn't sell out, all the lawn people got let in the 300's section of the pavillion! AWESOME!

Show was fantastic! Arrived there just in time for "Carry on My Wayward Son", Kansas' last encore song. Picked up some beers, and got some seats and prepped for STYX. Mr. Roboto medley, a few newer songs and Lady later, it was time for their encore... and they closed out with everyone's jukebox favorite... RENEGADE! great set and performance guys!




Next came Foreigner.... and all I can say is wow! Their new lead singer has definitely given them much needed energy and has energized the band! Their guitarist, one of the co-founder, may look old, but dude can still rock a stratocaster!

Cold as Ice, Head Games, Hot Blooded, even Dirty White Boy was played and the crowd went insane! But I wasn't waiting for those songs. Not even the worldwide hit "I Wanna Know What Love Is" got me excited...It was the encore last song, the finale.. JUKEBOX HERO. Yes, it is one of the most recognized songs of all time, but this tune has always been in my soul even when I was little wee lad. I even played the song in my band a couple of years ago, when we practiced covers to play out at bars. The song had a place in my heart... and when they played it that muggy night, it was nothing short of AWESOME!

As a fan of heavy metal and hard rock, these bands barely fit in the genre I listen to. However, with each band's history its impact on the music industry, there is no denying that these guys have touched people through their music. And, by watching the crowd as Styx played Lady.. or as Foreigner played Hot Blooded, it really was a rude awakening for me. Yes RUDE. All this time I always made fun of musicians that I did not like... on how they suck and they're not talented. However.. what I'm forgetting is that the reason why I like what I do is because the songs envoke an emotion in me. But these same emotions can't be envoked by the same music for everyone. At the concert, Ladies in their 50's were jamming to Styx, which means their songs has brought memories of the past. While I always talk about Zeppelin or Hendrix and how its influenced music...I'm forgetting how some of these other bands (like the ones that played tonight) has influenced the masses in other ways.

Only time will tell if the likes of Kings of Leon and all these "crappy"bands will influence the future generation. Will a teenager who, 30 years from now, go out to see Kings of Leon and scream if they play 'Sex is on Fire'? I doubt it. But really, I dont know the answer. What I know is this (taken from my first blog post):

... music has always been the vessel for my life's journey.

And we all have our own journeys to take, which means we all have a choice in what music will help us get through the good and the bad in life.

Great concert..

Rock On, DC!
\m/
DCVince

RockStar UPROAR - Disturbed, A7X, etc...

Yup... nuff said.. got my pre-sale tix this afternoon...

See yall punks there!

Rock 'on, DC!
\m/
DCVince

Review: DC101 Chili Cookoff... and STP

The DC Metro trains were crowded... Cloudy gray Saturday afternoon...Cold breeze that hints rain is definitely on its way...No worries, I braved and ventured out to RFK stadium. Nothing (including rain) was stopping me from attending the "kickoff" to the DC area's summer lineup of concerts; the DC101 Chili Cook-off. To top that, the lineup was not to be missed. We have both Alice in Chains AND Stone Temple Pilots playing the same venue. Both bands are respective headliners so to have them both play at the same concert was indeed exciting!

photo courtesy of dcvincephotography.blogspot.com

The train ride to the stadium was reminiscent of good old Redskins days. RFK stadium was the Washington Redskins' home before they moved to Landover a few years ago. Even the walk from the Stadium-Armory Metro stop to the RFK main gate brings back Redskins memory of scalpers and food/merch vendors.




Purchasing tickets at the gate was a breeze. We arrived just in time to hear Cage the Elephant playing their annoying "Aint No Rest For The Wicked" in the background. I hate that song.. would be good if only they didn't overplay it on the radio.

Beer tickets were $7 a pop and buys you one drink (3 for $20). Some random dude gave us 4 beer tickets on our way in saying he's leaving and just handed it to me... SWEET! After the ID line and the actual beer line, it was just enough time for settle in a good spot for Alice's performance.

photo courtesy of wikipedia

"Them Bones" sounded amazing... what an opening song. William Duval is no Layne, but is one hell of a vocalist that fills in Staley's humongous shoes just fine. We Die Alone... Man in the Box... Would... I was speechless. Wow! I closed my eyes to start to feel the bass kick on my chest and feel my fingers vibrate from the bass guitar. As I opened my eyes, the gray skies finally decided to give us some drizzle, which eventually turned into rain. But who cares! It didn't matter...AIC sounded phenomenal thanks to Jerry Cantrell who has NOT skipped a beat. As co-founder, the legendary guitarist provided the necessary backbone and consistency the band needed after the tragic death of its beloved frontman. I really wished I saw AIC one more time before Layne's passing. He is surely missed but never forgotten. But to DuVal's credit, he rocked the place! Closing with Rooster was epic; it really showcased Cantrell's songwriting skills as well as justified DuVal's capability to step in as the new face of Alice in Chains.

Then...more beer line, port-a-potty line, drenched shirt from the rain, a couple of STP shirt merch purchases and a philly cheesesteak later, we decided to hang back from the crowd so that we can make a quick exit (avoiding the dreaded Metro ride home after a stadium event). Then Weiland and the gang got on stage for their legendary performance. "One time a thing occurred to me... what's real and what's for sale..." Great song to open. I have not seen STP since they got back together in 2008 so this was like seeing them all over again! Coincidentally, STP is releasing their new album tomorrow so dont forget to pick up a copy. "It isn't you, isn't me...search for things that you can't see....going blind, out of reach....somewhere in the Vasoline!" Band sounded amazing, except there was something a bit off.... and it wasn't the mix, nor the guitars, nor the drums

... it was Weiland. Maybe he had one of those days... but he just did not sound right.

photo courtesy of wikipedia

Wicked Garden and a few new songs later, I decided not to pass judgment on how "he's lost it." Then they played Creep and Plush back to back.... Sad to say but that was when his vocal range really showed its cracks. I was shaking my head with disappointment. I even began to hear the crowd boo him just a bit. I told myself that perhaps its the rain, or he's in one of those funk. Any excuse to put his legendary status back on track. Yeah, that's it.. it was the rain... it really has to be. This guy has been clean for months, he should sound amazing... I was wrong.

No matter what reason I told myself, fact is, the band played awesome. Scot Weiland just wasn't himself that day, at least not to me. Perhaps they utilized his new vocal range on this newer stuff since those sounded great. But when he sang the old classics such as Interstate Love Song, it just wasn't the same Mick Jagger-esque Weiland.

Overall, the concert was awesome! The bands played great. The venue was awesome (thanks DC101 for using the lot instead of the stadium, which provided more space), beer was overpriced (but hey, its a concert), and surprisingly the Philly cheesesteak I had was tasty good (don't really remember the food vendor). Thanks DC for another successful Chili Cook-Off!

On a gloomy Saturday, even with a few missed notes by Weiland, I still saw bright sunshine. A bright future for DC concert goers. And the fact that summer concerts in DC has now been given its proper intro.

The metal Gods have spoken.. so I welcome you, Oh, Live Metal/Rock music!.. Welcome to the DC area! I'll see you metalheads tomorrow at the 930 club for Flyleaf.

Rock On, DC!
\m/
DCVince

Primal Fear at Jaxx Nightclub

Are you ready? No, really... are YOU? Are you ready to throw your devil's horns up in the air as you remember Ronnie James Dio (R.I.P.) reminding us that he, not Gene Simmons, came up with the iconic sign of heavy metal. Are you ready to sing along to one of the most accoladed bands of this century? Are you ready to bang your head, as dueling guitar solos, high octave vocals, and the distinct power metal sound blasts through amps and stacks of speakers with decibels surpassing deafening levels? Are you ready for pure eardrum-piercing awesomeness handed to you by the gods of metal?

Are you...... ready...... for...... Primal Fear!!!

photo courtesy of primalfear.de

As Lauryn Hill so melodically puts it.. "ready or not, here I come, you can't hide" Yes, they're are coming to Jaxx Nightclub at Springfield, VA tomorrow, May 21 2010, and there's nothing any of us can do about it. Well... there is one; show up to Jaxx and enjoy pure power metal goodness!

Primal Fear, a German metal band who has captivated a worldwide following for the past decade, will be headlining tomorrow with acts from Brutallion, A Sound of Thunder, Cypher Lock, Metal Mike and Havok graciously opening. Watch out for Havok! Their sound is Thrash metal at its roots, which is really, its finest. And with local band, A Sound of Thunder, this is definitely a must-see concert for all you metalheads out there like myself! Coincindentally, A Sound of Thunder is raising awareness and money towards the "West Memphis Three" case. Their story was actually featured on Motorhead's site. If you would like to read more and contribute, please go here. More info on the West Memphis Three, here.

At $22.00 (advance) / $25.00 (door) , this is one hell of a cheap concert! Advice.. opt for the VIP pass for $50.00, which entitles you to a pre-show meet and greet with Primal Fear. Doors will be opening at 7:30 and show starts at 8:00pm. With this concert, and Saturday's Chili-Cook-Off with Stone Temple Pilots and Alice in Chains, it's getting more and more difficult to contain myself from all the metal/rock music coming to DC!

Rock on, DC Metalheads! Rock on! Good time's a'comin' to DC!
\m/
DCVince

2010 DC101 Chili Cook-off

photo courtesy of dc101.com

And the countdown begins for the 2010 DC101 Chili Cook-off, which will be held this Saturday, May 22, at the RFK Stadium grounds, easily accessible via the Metro Train blue line Stadium-Armory stop (lets keep our fingers crossed for minimal metro delays this weekend). The annual event usually signifies the beginning of unforgettable summer concerts in the DC Area and really isn't your typical chili cook-off cookout. Premiere bands such as Stone Temple Pilots and Alice and Chains will be headlining, with a collection of new rock acts like Anberlin, Switchfoot, and Caged Elephant gracing the stage earlier that day. I'm not a fan of these opening bands, but I guess I'll be tasting the chilis during their sets.



I believe there are four ways to get tickets; RFK box office, win them from the station, at the gate, or through ticketmaster (where you basically pay double just to cover "service fees"... I'm going to write about this live nation / ticketmaster insane monopoly shtick at a later time). Anyway, the cost of getting them at the gate is almost the same as the ticketmaster route, so I'll be opting to get them there. As far as weather, I hear there's a chance of some rain this weekend, but rain or shine, who cares...I'll be there. Hey, its the start of the summer concerts in DC, right? I wouldn't miss this for the world! Some items prohibited at the event include backpacks, umbrellas and cameras with detachable lenses, which means I'm going to have to settle for my point and shoot camera to photograph the show. If you need more info on the event such as a list of prohibited items, parking info, band start times, etc... please go here.

Doors will be opening at noon, with the first band playing around 12:45pm. I'll see you crazy DC music lovers out there... and really look out for an awesome line-up of concerts in the area this summer. I'm already excited for the 98rock M3 festival in June and that's a good month away!

...rock on! \m/
DCVince