Category Archives: Live Shows

Score. (Thanks to Matt @ AddictedToVinyl.Com

24 January, 2009 Brian Mc 1 Comment

I got a phone call today.

Yes I did.

It was from Matt, you know the guy that runs www.addictedtovinyl.com. He called me to tell me he got me something. A ticket to:

Earlier in the week I suggested that he try and score tickets to the Rock Hall Induction Ceremony as I thought he was a Rock Hall member or might have had better connections than I do. He said he would see what he could do and get back to me.

Well being that good friend that Matt is, he went this morning and waited in line at the Rock Hall and picked up a pair of tickets. One for him…one for me.

I owe him a Dr. Pepper or something…

Chances are he’ll just put them on eBay to make a profit and not tell me until I am waiting at Public Hall for him to meet me there. That is how he rolls, no… not really. He is a good guy regardless of how much he pays me to be his friend.

A big THANK YOU to you Matt. That was the best phone call I received all day.

The following was taken from RockHall.Com:
On April 4, 2009, the Induction Ceremony will take place in Cleveland for the first time since 1997. The 2009 Induction Ceremony will be broadcast live on Fuse TV.

The performer inductees are:
Jeff Beck
Little Anthony & the Imperials
Metallica
Run-D.M.C.
Bobby Womack

Early Influence Category Inductee:
Wanda Jackson

Sidemen Category Inductees:
Bill Black
DJ Fontana
Spooner Oldham

The 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame performer inductees were chosen by the 600 voters of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. Artists are eligible for inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twenty-five years after their first recording is released.

In addition to being honored at the April ceremony, each inducted artist is commemorated at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland Ohio, which serves as a monument to rock and roll’s impact on our culture. These inductees will be honored – along with previous year’s inductees and hundreds of other artists – with an exhibit and film that serve to tell the story of modern music.

For the latest information on ticket packages, special announcements and other events, sign up for the Rock Hall e-newsletter!

Live Shows, Music, Music Video, Punk, Review

Bouncing Souls – “Gasoline” – Song Review

21 January, 2009 Brian Mc 1 Comment

One of my favorite punk rock bands ever, the Bouncing Souls, recently have celebrated their 20th anniversary as a punk rock band. With such a high accomplishment in the music world the band thought they would celebrate their success by releasing material a little differently from the norm. They announced that on the first of each month for the entire year they will release a single. This might very well be the longest album you will ever hear seeing how they have decided to discharge the songs month by month.

About 16 years ago the Bouncing Souls released an album called The Good, The Bad, & The Argyle on their very own Chunksaah Records. Their DIY attempt proved that the band could do it on their own without help from major record labels. In remembrance of their DIY effort years ago the band will be releasing a song a month for the entire year of 2009 exclusively on their website for a mere $0.99 a song.

They also announced that every four months the songs released for this specific project would be pressed onto a 7” vinyl and available for sale on their website. This is indeed a great idea, now all I need to do is remember to visit the Bouncing Soul’s website at the beginning of each month.

The first song released, called “Gasoline”, is punk rock satisfaction from start to finish. The Bouncing Souls prove with this single that even if 20 years have passed they still are capable of pushing out great tunes. Greg Attonito sings of being bored yet sheltered from reality and screaming for an explanation or maybe just a distraction. After hearing this song I can not wait for the next installment.

The New Jersey punk rock band has always been a favorite of mine not just for their musical style but for also doing things themselves with limited help. They stayed away from the mainstream, chose to not be seen on corporately owned music television channels, and refused offers for assistance. Traveling in vans over big fancy tour buses may not be a luxury for anyone but feeling a sense of self accomplishment for 20 years sure is.

Check out the websites of the Bouncing Souls or their label Chunksaah Records to purchase “Gasoline” and be sure to remember to return to either site at the beginning of each month to grab their next single for the rest of the year. Also check back here on good ol’ brokenheadphones.com as I will be reviewing each song every month!

I’d offer you a sample of the song or a link where you could hear the whole thing, but for $0.99 you might as well just buy the song and help support the band!

The Bouncing Souls will be touring this year in celebration of their 20 year accomplishment including first time shows in South America as well as finally making an appearance in Alaska. Check out HERE for info on buying tickets (see below for tour dates).

One show to mention in particular that the band will be playing this spring is at the Harvest Of Hope Festival 2009 taking place the weekend of March 6-8. I will have more about this great benefit festival in a later post as I am working on interviewing some of the acts that are performing, including the Bouncing Souls. Stay tuned for that.

Bouncing Souls Tour Dates:

01.20.09 – Salt Lake City, Utah – Club Elevate at the Hotel
01.24.09 – Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club
02.06.09 – Mexico City, Mexico – La Capilla
02.07.09 – San Jose, Costa Rica – Latino Rock Cafe
02.08.09 – Panama City, Panama – Cancha De Futbal Femca Coca Cola
02.10.08 – Bogota, Colombia – Gotica
02.11.08 – Lima, Peru – Mao Bar
02.13.08 – Sao Paulo, Brazil – Hangar 110
02.14.08 – Rosario, Argentina – Willie Dixon
03.07.09 – Elkton, FL – St. John’s County Fargrounds – Harvest of Hope Festival
03.10.09 – Louisville, KY – Skull Alley w/ Dillinger Four
03.11.09 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre w/ Dillinger Four and AKAs
03.12.09 – Balitomore, MD – The Ottobar w/ Dillinger Four and AKAs
03.13.09 – Norfolk, VA – The Norva w/ Dillinger Four and AKAs
03.14.09 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade w/ Dillinger Four and AKAs
03.16.09 – Orlando, FL – The Social w/ Dillinger Four and AKAs
03.17.09 – Orlando, FL – The Social w/ Dillinger Four and AKAs
03.18.09 – St. Petersburg, FL – The State Theatre w/ Dillinger Four and AKAs
03.20.09 – Austin, TX – Red 7 w/ Dillinger Four and AKAs
03.24.09 – Honolulu, HI – Anna Bannana’s
03.27.09 – Fairbanks, AK – Wood Center Ballroom
03.28.09 – Fairbanks, AK – Pub

Visual entertainment time:

Live Shows, Movies, Music, Review

Year In Review: 2008

31 December, 2008 Brian Mc Leave a comment

I suppose today is a good day to do this as we all say goodbye to 2008 tonight, so here is my best/worst of 2008. Enjoy!

Best Live Show:

Without a doubt the best live show I saw this year was at the 3rd annual Virgin Mobile Festival. The Foo Fighters put on one of the best live concerts I have ever seen. Their stage presence was like none other as they shared the fun they had with the huge crowd that gathered to see them.

Runners up:

-Radiohead at Blossom
-Filter at the Hard Rock Cafe Cleveland
-NIN at the Virgin Mobile Festival
-Against Me! at the Warped Tour
-The Briggs at the Warped Tour

Worst Live Show:

I have to say the worst live show I saw (or didn’t see since we waited 45 minutes for him to take stage) was none other than Lil’ Wayne at the 3rd annual Virgin Mobile Tour. As much as I wanted to see him perform live for years now, his neglect for other bands pissed me off. After his entourage galloped across the stage for 45 minutes the young rap star took stage. I already had enough and left, missing the performance. The thing that ticked me off the most about Lil’ Wayne’s delay in performing was that he kept playing over his alotted time and took up some of the Black Key’s time, a band I really wanted to see more of. The Black Keys had to end their show early all because Lil’ Wayne felt it necessary to disregard others.

Runners up:

-Any emo/scenester band that played the Warped Tour 2008

Best New Albums:

Tom Gabel – Heart Burns – The Against Me! lead singer’s first solo release is a hit to my ears. This CD proves Tom Gabel has a long career in front of him to look forward to.

3OH!3 – Want – After seeing them live at the Warped Tour this summer I picked up the album and was immediately hooked with the crunk punk.

Tim Barry – Manchester – The lead man of Avail put forth an amazing release. I loved the folksy personal rock he dishes out on his 3rd release.

Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue – From start to finish, I am in love with this CD.

The Black Keys – Attack & Release – Blues rock at it’s finest thanks to a very important duo of musicians.

Ninja Gun – Restless Rubes – Folky punky goodness. I love these guys.

Enter Shikari – Take To The Skies – I was drawn to this CD from the uniqueness of the techno meets hardcore genre bash.

She & Him – Volume One – Very classic album featuring the very beautiful sounding (and looking) actress Zooey Deschanel.

Gaslight Anthem – The 59′ Sound – Great New Jersey band that imitates what Bruce Springsteen might sound like if he were younger these days. I can listen to this CD over and over and not grow tired of it.

Albums I Was Not As Impressed With As I Thought I Would Be:

Metallica – Death Magnetic

Guns N Roses – Chinese Democracy

Portishead – Third

Gnarls Barkley – The Odd Couple

Still Scratching My Head At:

Vampire Weekend – S/T – Still not sure if I like these guys…

Worst New Album:

Gavin Rossdale – WANDERlust

Best Movie:

The Dark Knight (enough said)

Runners up:

-Pineapple Express
-Son Of Rambow
-Wall-E

Worst Movie:

Strange Wilderness – Honestly from a Happy Madison film I expected more. I think I laughed once.

Runners Up:

-The Love Guru (can you say Austin Powers w/ a beard? Justin Timberlake was humorous though…)
-Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (I expected more from this movie, way more)

Memorable Events Of 2008:

I hit up the 3rd annual Virgin Mobile tour once again with my pals Matt and Adam. I am proud to say it was my third time being there, and both my friend’s second. This year we stayed in a pimp hotel with free breakfast and free internet (no ghetto hotels for us this year). Adding to the three of us was T.J. of Viva La Mainstream. We all had a great time spite my GPS taking us for a tour in the projects of Baltimore. You can read about my adventures of that event HERE.

My friends Sam & Ryann tired the knot which lead to a wedding reception full of friends. It was nice to get to see some folk who I have not seen in a while.

I met Derek Hess, a Cleveland artist, twice as he was promoting his book with Kent Smith called Please God Save Us. I have been a huge fan of Derek Hess since I was a kid and was psyched to finally meet him. I owe the opportunity to Matt over at Addicted To Vinyl.

Even if the Browns sucked this year I was at that Monday night game where they spanked the Giants. I went with my brother and I must say that was a game I was glad I witnessed. The energy that night from all the fans added to the excitement of the Browns kicking ass.

I got to explore NYC with my wife and good friends Morgan, Molly, and Megan. We need to go back to explore more but I must say I will never forget that trip. I even have an Ol’ Dirty Bastard Cupcake tattoo as a permanent souvenir.

While in the midst of the NYC trip my wife and I decided to put down the bottle. Since the end of March my wife and I have been alcohol free. We feel great and are happy with our decision.

In October my wife and I met up again with the wonderful Morgan for an incredible adventure in her hometown of Austin and then to San Francisco. Great times in both cities with memories that will last a lifetime. I met new friends too in both cities all who shared some pretty awesome moments with.

And of course, I started this site! Thank you to all who drop by to read what I post. It means a lot to me to hear all the positive feedback. Starting this site has introduced me to some really cool bloggers out there as well.

Saying Goodbye In 2008:

RIP Grandpa Paul – A wonderful person who will be missed dearly passed just before J-Day. Thank you all for your kind words during that difficult time.

Saying Hello In 2008:

We adopted Zeus, an abused Boston Terrier in April. He is the newest and most loving member of our family. Don’t worry, Sweet Lou is still the coolest dog in the world, but Zeus is a close 2nd!

Looking Forward To In 2009:

The Watchman

9 (Tim Burton movie)

The Cleveland Browns 2009 Season (I am a die-hard fan for life you know…)

The 4th Annual Virgin Mobile Festival

The 2009 Van’s Warped Tour

I was looking forward to the Musink Festival featuring Social Distortion and Motorhead w/ tattoo artist superstar Kat Von D but recently learned that it was canceled due to the crap economy… That would have been a sick show.

New Releases In 2009 I Look Forward To:

Rancid

Lil’ John (no, I am not kidding, it may be one of the more entertaining releases of 2009)

Third Eye Blind

Avett Brothers

The Postal Service

Nate Ruess (from the Format)

Andrew Bird

Well that about sums it up for me. I am sure I have missed a lot but I did this without much thought and very quickly. If there is someone or something I missed let me know!

I would love to hear about your best/worst of 2008. Maybe you agree with me or disagree. Perhaps you know of an album I should have checked out and missed.

Happy New Years to you all! Have a safe evening and I will see you in 2009!!!

80's, 90's, Live Shows, Music, Outlaw Country, Punk

Warped Tour Line Up 2009 Looking Amazing…

19 December, 2008 Brian Mc Leave a comment

While checking out Punknews.org this evening I could not help but get excited for the Van’s 2009 Warped Tour. The successful punk rock festival created by Kevin Lyman looks to be getting back to it’s punk roots this year. This will mark the 15th year the festival has been running.

The line up announced so far:

Anti-Flag, Bad Religion, Big D and the Kids Table, Bouncing Souls, Chiodos, Flogging Molly, Lights, NOFX, P.O.S., Shooter Jennings, TAT, The Devil Wears Prada, Thrice, Underoath and Westbound Train. Also listed to perform are Less Than Jake, Silverstein, Senses Fail, Streetlight Manifesto, The A.K.A.s, The Ataris, Alexisonfire, Black Tide, Dance Gavin Dance, Escape the Fate and Gallows.

Can you say awesome? WIth Bad Religion, Flogging Molly, NOFX, and Shooter Jennings listed I am going to be there for sure. In fact I may try to hit the Cleveland and Columbus shows… maybe even Pittsburgh!

I have has the pleasure of reviewing and photographing the Warped Tour in 2007 and 2008. I hope again to be able to cover the festival as each year is all so entertaining.

My reviews of both years on Blogcritics.Org:

Warped Tour 2007 Review

Warped Tour 2008 Review

Something that got my attention too was the announcement by Kevin Lyman on NotMTV.tv that there would be some changes at the next installment of the Warped Tour including 40 minute sets, less stages with only one major stage, and ticket prices staying hopefully around the same price. By the looks of the line up too it looks as if he is making a point to actually have a more punk oriented festival in 2009..

Here is an interview with the creator of the longest running festival ever thanks to NotMTV.tv:

For more info on the Warped Tour check out:

Warped Tour Official Website

Warped Tour on Twitter

Warped Tour Schedule

Box Set, Concert, DVDs, Emo, Indie, Live Shows, Metal, Music, Music Video, New Release, Rock

Coheed & Cambria Neverender Box Set

13 December, 2008 Brian Mc 2 Comments

For all you Coheed & Cambria fans:

Neverender was the landmark event where for the first time ever, Coheed and Cambria performed all four of their concept albums in entirety over four nights. Now for the first time, you can re-witness this incredible journey through an amazing box set containing not only a DVD and audio CD of each night’s performance, but also a must-have photo book and documentary DVD that captures the journey leading to this spectacular event. In addition, the limited edition deluxe NEVERENDER: CHILDREN OF THE FENCE EDITION box set also contains a collectible dragonfly.

Set includes:

– 4 Live DVDS
– 4 Live CDs
– 1 Documentary DVD
– 10 x 10 hardcover photo book
– Custom metal dragonfly keepsake piece 7.5 x 5.5

Plus if you pre-order before 12-16-2008 your name will be printed in the special “Children Of The Fence” section of the book. If that is not enough, the first 3000 pre-ordered box sets will be signed by the band.

The box set is scheduled to be released on 03-03-2009.

I may have or may not have pre-ordered one… I am a pretty big fan of them you know…

…and for the record this is one performace I wished came a little closer to my home so I could have see it live in the flesh. I kick myself for not making arrangements to travel to see it. It is one of those one in a life time things I missed out on, but with good reason. I am a working man you know. I am just glad they are releasing the DVD so I can at least say I saw it, even it I was not there.