USA vs Senegal @ Bank of America Stadium

Great day for it.  Cloud cover keeping the temperature down, great seats on the club level, and a crowd ready for some for football.  Here to see what the USA is up to coming into the World Cup.

I've never seen it so busy to get into Bank of America before any game, even Metallica for that fact.  But we made it into our seats just in time for the national anthems, the American flyover and then kick off.  It was an interesting line up for the USA.  I understand Pochettino is looking for his best starting XI, and you'd assume this was an indication, but I was surprised to see Weston McKennie & Brendan Aaronsen on the bench.

The US wasted no time in trying to stamp dominance as a beautiful inside pass from Pepi put a Pulisic break on the left, which lead to a inch perfect cross on the 6 yard box to Dest, and the US were up 1-0 within 7 minutes.  Crowd happy!  The US kept up the intensity on Senegal, and the pressing up front was impressive.  Not long after the referee pulled up Pulisic for an off the ball incident.  I missed it and they didn't show a replay on the big screen, so I'm not sure how serious it was.  It didn't phase Pulisic.  In the 20th minute, he took a nice pass from Pepi again.  This time though, he took a touch around the Senegal keeper and slotted it in for a 2-0 lead.  A great team goal that started all the way back with Matt Turner.  Surprisingly, it was the Senegalese crowd who then made the most noise.  Where did they come from?  It was a road that took the stadium aback, and seemed to be the boost the Senegal players needed.   A couple of defensive errors saw Senegal nearly get one back.  Turner made a good save denying Ndiaye.   Then another off Mane only a minute later.  That pressure paid off just before half time, when a Robinson mistake midfield, lead to a nice run from Mane, who scored Senegal's first.  2-1 at the half.

Wholesale changes to both teams at half time (being a friendly) saw both teams have a renewed push.  A good press by Tillman forced a mistake and it looked like his ball allowed Balogun to restore the 2 goal lead, only for it to be called offside.  Another Balogun goal was called back for a foul on defender.  Not a popular decision with the crowd, made worse when Tillman was monstered by Jackson, whose touch over debutant keeper, Grady, let to Mane bundling in his 2nd and bringing the score to 2-2.  It only took 11 minutes for Tim Weah to get down the right and put a cross in that Balogun finished.  And this time it counted.  US up 3-2.  And he could have had his 2nd moments after the restart, only to sky it over the crossbar.  In the 75th minute Balogun had a shot parried straight to McKennie, who hit a post, for it to bounce back to Balogun, who had a 2nd shot stopped by Senegal keeper, Diaw.  Can't quite put this game to rest, not the crowd at ease.

The US did hold on though.  A 3-2 victory and a good warm up for the World Cup in less than 2 weeks.  Overall it was a strong attacking performance, though a few defensive errors may be cause for concern.  Or happiness for us Aussies cheering on the Socceroos, with the US team in our group.  Time will tell.

USA 3 (Sergiño Dest - 7, Christian Pulisic - 20, Folarin Balogun - 63) defeated Senegal 2 (Sadio Mané - 44', 52)

Crowd: 57,741

Willie Nelson @ Skyla CU Amphitheater

I do love my job!  Tonight Willie Nelson and Family grace our outdoor stage and I get my spot at the top of the stairs to watch it all.

An older crowd braved the cloudy and humid conditions.  Even though / Because I wore my poncho all night, the rain stayed away.  A smaller than usual crowd for this venue, we were able to keep everyone off the lawn and into seats close the front.  

Opener Lily Meola gave her all to warm up the crowd.  I wasn't paying much attention to her, as I was actually working.  Her voice did handle a wonderfully true to its original Jolene cover, which did catch my ears.

Shortly after 8.45pm, with pretty much everyone in their seats, Willie & band graced our stage.    I missed the first song, running an errand, but was back for Stay A Little Longer.  Seated for the night, Willie did minimal crowd work, and plowed through his set.  Working Man Blues & Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys was a great 1-2 combination.  What I did notice is Willie no longer sings his songs, more talks through the words.  This was really noticeable in You Are Always on My Mind, but his voice shone for George On My Mind.  Me & Bobby McGee was well accepted by the crowd, as was Roll Me Up & Smoke Me When I Die.  With just over an hour on stage Nelson finished his 21 song set with It's Hard To Be Humble, before the band played a jam as he left the stage.

Certainly not the 3 hour energy driven show I got when I first saw Nelson in Vegas in 2003.  But if that's the difference between being 70 years old and 93, that's still a good show.  I will never take for granted seeing a legend such as Willie Nelson, even though my love for country music is pretty minimal.

Got to mention the crowd tonight.  What a dedicated fanbase!  Out in the poor weather, this older crowd had a great time.  And no one complained about climbing all the steps to get to seats, or the fact that our restrooms are about as far away from the front door as they can get.  Something our younger crowds could take not of.

Willie Nelson Setlist

The Crap Facts

This is my 546th concert.
This is my 26th concert at the Skyla CU Amphitheater.
This is my 138th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 166th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 346th concert in the USA.
This is my 3rd Willie Nelson concert.

Local H & The Vandoliers @ The Underground

So I could either work outside at Ol' 60, or go and see a favorite band for the 8th time.  Like there was a choice!  It had been a busy week, with a lot of night shifts, and A being of town, but I missed a couple of Local H shows just after Covid (due to a soccer practice injury), so I want to see them every chance I get.  I'm also getting super hyped about the As Good As Dead reissue coming out soon.

Luckily I left the house early, because the Skyla show was sold out and getting to the venue took twice as long as a usual drive to work.  I walked in about halfway through the Vandoliers set.  I had never heard of them before but they put on a good show, and were having a great time doing it.  There sound is like that jiggy-punk of Flogging Molly.  Not really my thing, but I liked what I heard tonight.  The last 2 songs especially every Saturday Night and a cover of the Proclaimers 500 Miles had the crowd charged and ready for the night.

Only 20 minutes between sets make this old man happy.  Straight into Nothing Special was a start that the crowd wanted.  A good amount of people in the already-filling Underground were already singing every word (I was a bout 7 people from the front).  A raucous High Fivin' MF was the the 3rd song in.  And it was amazing.  Always special to see a band perform one of your all-time favorite songs.  Scott and Ryan looked into, just like 7 months ago when they opened for Everclear here in Charlotte.  After the song, Scott declared they were celebrating the 30th anniversary of an album (As Good As Dead) and would be playing tonight.  Stoked!  There is not a bad song on that album, and now I'm even more excited to receive my album sometime in June.  Eddie Vedder had the crowd in full voice and the perfect warm up for Bound For The Floor.  This song was special.  The crowd was at full voice, and the Stooges TV Eye snippet mid-song was so ggod.  

This is the 2nd time in a row I've seen Local H open for another band (though I did not stick around for the Toadies tonight).  45 minutes of pure excellence, but I'm greedy for more.  I need them to headline again soon (like when AGAD finally comes out).  Until then, I'll keep it copasetic.

Local H Setlist

The Crap Facts
This is my 545th concert.
This is my 13th concert at the Underground.
This is my 137th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 165th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 345th concert in the USA.
The Vandoliers are the 635th band I've seen.

This is my 8th Local H concert.

GWAR @ The Fillmore

I was going to come to this show tonight, but I got scheduled on to work, so I thought I was going to miss out.  What happened was I got cut about 15 minutes after GWAR's set started, so I was able to amble in and get myself a great spot side stage.  Before the show, one of the secondary GWAR Characters (inevitably one of the bad guys) was outside interviewing fans, mostly those that had been in for the meet and greet earlier.

I may have missed a few songs, but I got into the story straight away.  Gor Gor Strikes back I saw 5 months ago in Greensboro.  But there seemed to be more of characters in the story tonight.  I'm in Love (with a Dead Dog) featured "Kristi Noem" who, after shooting another innocent dog, was mutilated by the band. as the crowd fought to be drenched in her blood.  The same fate was given to trump during El Presidente.  I want to say they same thing happened to a "business man" during the set.  In the end, as Gor Gor gets his revenge on his captor, but suffers a sword through the brain during "Gor Gor", the rabid crowd is left to cheer the masterpiece theater that is GWAR.

I was tired and left before the encore (some Progressive dad energy, wanting to beat everyone out of the parking lot).  I wish I'd stayed as I missed the cover of Pink Pony Club (of course, they played that).  What was I thinking?  In true un-rock and roll thinking, a thought about the security team at the barried, who did one hell of a job catching crowd-surfers, all whilst under the deluge of GWAR's blood, and while getting into the music.  Also a big shoutout has to go to the clean up crew tonight.  They had their work cut out for them.

Gwar Setlist

The Crap Facts
This is my 544th concert.
This is my 32nd concert at the Fillmore.
This is my 136th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 164th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 344th concert in the USA.
This is my 3rd GWAR concert.

Alabama Shakes & Joy Oladokun @ ExploreAsheville.com Arena

Alabama Shakes Setlist

The Crap Facts
This is my 543rd concert.
This is my 2nd concert at the ExploreAsheville.com Arena.
This is my 19th concert in Asheville.
This is my 163rd concert in North Carolina.
This is my 343rd concert in the USA.

Joy Oladokun is the 633rd band I've seen

Alabama Shakes is the 634th band I've seen.

Bush & James and The Cold Gun @ Skyla CU Amphitheater

Bush Setlist

The Crap Facts

This is my 542nd concert.
This is my 25th concert at the Skyla CU Amphitheater.

This is my 135th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 162nd concert in North Carolina.
This is my 342nd concert in the USA.

This is my 2nd Bush concert.

Bush is the 10th time I've seen an English band.

Bush is the 50th time I've seen a band at the Skyla CU Amphitheater.
James & The Cold Gun is the 632nd band I've seen.

A Conversation with Kamala Harris @ Ovens Auditorium

 

The Hives & The Chats @ Citizens House of Blues

The Chats Setlist


The Hives Setlist

The Crap Facts
This is my 541st concert.
Citizens House of Blues is the 144th venue I've seen a concert in.
Boston is the 59th city I've seen a concert in.
Massachusetts is the 18 state I've seen a concert in.
This is my 341st concert in the USA.
This is my 5th Chats concert.
This is my 5th Hives concert.

The Hives & The Chats @ The Orange Peel

The Chats Setlist

The Hives Setlist

The Crap Facts

This is my 540th concert.
This is my 7th concert at the Orange Peel.
This is my 18th concert in Asheville.
This is my 161st concert in North Carolina.
This is my 340th concert in the USA.
This is my 4th Chats concert.

This is my 4th Hives concert.

Los Straitjackets with Deke Dickerson @ Neighborhood Theater

Los Straitjackets Setlist

The Crap Facts
This is my 539th concert.
This is my 13th concert at the Neighborhood Theater.

This is my 134th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 160th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 339th concert in the USA.
This is my 2nd Los Straitjackets concert.

Nine Inch Nails & Boys Noize @ Spectrum Center

What was almost a disaster of an evening turned into an incredible concert.

Free tickets from work were a blessing.  I had looked into buying tickets, but couldn't justify the price.  Seats in the lower bowl were over $200.  The last time I saw Nine Inch Nails, tickets were $40 and Soundgarden opened for them.  And the time before that was the $140 NIN/Jane's Addiction tour in Vegas.  But 2 days before work came through and we got some freebies up in the top deck.  Mike and I were there early and I went into the seats, with the stadium empty, and freaked out how high up we were.  I had to get back into the foyer to calm down.  We hung out while I tried to psych myself back inside.  Boys Noize started playing, so we walked back around to the seats.  That's when we were accosted by an angel.  A staff member was giving away tickets to fill seats in the lower bowl, and put us on an isle 6 rows back from the small stage in the middle of the floor.  I had already talked myself into leaving Mike there, and walking home.  But alas......we were about to see an amazing show.

Boys Noize DJed an hour.  The music was fine, but the old man in me thought it was only 1 song (and I should've been  DJ....ha!).  Trent Reznor slipped past us and onto the smaller stage right in front of us and started the set on his own, as the band joined one at a time (sans drummer) until they finished their 3rd song, Piggy right there in front of us.  The end of Piggy saw the Josh Freese kick into action with the drum attack of Wish on the main stage, as the rest of the band made their way up.  A frenetic start to the main stage was doubled with March of The Pigs.  Surrounded by a silk screen, and a cameraman who worked double time, Nine Inch Nails visually and sonically blew me away.  Copy of A was the pinnacle.  The multiple light copies of Reznor projected all over the stage was just perfection.  Never has a visual representation of a song been so suited to the music.  

Half way through the night, Reznor, Atticus Rose and Boys Noize cam back to the smaller stage in the middle of arena for another 4 songs, including the highly anticipated Closer.  I just spent the whole song being grateful to be there - I'd almost left before it started and I would've missed all this.  

Back on the main stage The Perfect Drug was a perfect song as was the double header to end the night.  Head Like A Hole was sung louder by the audience than the band in full throttle, only to be bought back down to earth by the haunting Hurt.  Just a dynamically different way to end a show.  This is the 5th time for me seeing Nine Inch Nails - over a 30 years period - and it's safe to say they are a great live band, who only get better each time I see them.  For the first show of 2026, I'm a little worried about how any other band can top that.

Nine Inch Nails Setlist

The Crap Facts

This is my 538th concert.
This is my 4th concert in the Spectrum Center.

This is my 133rd concert in Charlotte.
This is my 159th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 338th concert in the USA.
Boys Noize are the 631st band I've seen
This is my 5th Nine Inch Nails concert.

Spamalot @ Belk Theater

I love this show.  We saw it 3 times back in Vegas.  So when the opportunity arose for us to see it as a family, there was never a doubt.  I picked a Saturday matinee, because there was no soccer to interrupt us.  Boy was I glad!

All week Charlotte has been threatened with an ice storm.  Now it is due to start at 6pm tonight.  We ran to to Eric's (from soccer) family, who had scrambled to get tickets, as they were originally booked for Saturday night's performance, that has already been cancelled.

We got Uptown (too) early and went and had lunch at Cowbell.  It was perfect warming food for the freeze that was happening outside.  We had some time to kill afterwards, but opted to wait in the foyer of the Belk Theater, just to escape the cold.  We also had the obligatory finding of Mrs. Y, B's 3rd grade teacher.

And the show.  Just as funny as I remembered.  The full version, not the 90 minute scaled down Vegas version.  Casting was great, and how can you not like Monty Python and the Holy Grail set to music.  Mom & B loved it as well.  L could take it or leave it.  I think he is a musical non-lover.  He's rather of been anywhere else (again).  

It's important to me to give the boys these experiences, something that is not the norm, and hopefully expand their interests.  We left in a great mood, only to drive home through the start of sleet.  Spamalot did the right thing by cancelling their Saturday night and Sunday shows.  While we only ended up getting .25 inch of ice, in Charlotte that is Armageddon.  We're just not prepared for it, as shown by the kids getting 3 days off school for it, and to have people out on the road would just be dangerous.

Fechez la vache!

Aziz Ansari @ Ovens Auditorium

Again, I struggle to write a review of a comedy show.  Needless to say - it was funny.  Not quite as good as the first time we saw Ansari, which was fall out of your seat funny, but funny nonetheless.  I can't write down specifically what was said, as it would never do the stories justice, but A&I had a great laugh and would be happy to see Ansari any time he came through town.

Jared Freid & Lauren Polli @ Fillmore

GWAR, Helmet, Dwarves & Blood Vulture @ Piedmont Hall

As my las scheduled show of the year, I've picked GWAR at a new city to see a concert.  It's only just over an hour up the road, and I got a cheap ticket off Groupon, so, as tired as I weas, I jumped in the car and headed north.

I caught most of Blood Vulture's set.  A hard rock band with an 80's vampire vibe.  I feel that it was an odd combination for GWAR, but who on this line up isn't.  Not really my thing, but they did a job as the first of 4 bands.

Blood Vulture Setlist

Dwarves are one of those bands that I've wanted to see, but they've neve been where I have (except last years Punk Rock Bowling where they played a side show with the Queers, that I kick myself for not going to).  After some problems with sound a the beginning, Dwarves ripped through a 30 minute set of 15 songs of pure punk, anger, sarcasm and humor.  The bass player, Rex Everything, looked familiar.  I finally worked out it was Nick Oliveri of Queens of the Stone Age.  He was having a blast on stage.  I really liked this show, but you know it would've been better in a smaller venue on a shorter stage (like New Bomb Turks).  I hope the chance to see them again comes around.

Dwarves Setlist

Helmet being on the bill was definitely a draw, and probably the reason I drove to Greensboro for the show.  I took my spot, close to the front in front of singer Page Hamilton, and proceeded to have my ears ripped off (even with earplugs in).  This set had a lot of songs I didn't know, but when something came of that I knew, it was sonic perfection.  Wilma's Rainbow was 5 songs in and got the whole crowd moving.  Unsung was as brilliant live, as it was the first time I ever heard it. And then to end the night the trifecta of Milquetoast, Give It and the fucking awesome In The Meantime just left me wanting more.  50 minutes, and I felt the audience was just getting into its stride.  Helmet don't know how to put on a bad show. 

Helmet Setlist

It's been 11 years since I saw GWAR at Riot Fest.  I'm not sure I'd say I was a fan of the music, but the theatrics are stellar.  Tonight's show was about Gor Gor, the dinosaur GWAR found as an egg, raised as one of their own, taken from then, and his travel back to them.  So funny.  I'm not sure if this really counts as being at a GWAR show, as I was standing in front of Grodius Maximus, but never got covered in any stuff constantly spurting from the stage.  I don't really know GWAR's songs but I picked up on Sadaam a Go Go, Cracked Egg and Fuck This Place.  But it was the story of Gor Gor that was front and center.  His appearances from the egg, as a baby, as a teen to a full grown dinosaur was a feat in itself, pulled off fantastically.  The irony of the crowd singing along to America Must Be Destroyed as the final song of the main set was not lost on me.  A 3 song encore was perfect for what the crowd wanted, as a messed up crowd poured out of Piedmont Music Hall.

GWAR Setlist

Again, I struggled to get motivated to go to this show, but I'm glad I made the effort.  Dwarves were a great find.  Helmet was a powerful as always.  And GWAR is definitely the most I've laughed at a heavy metal show.

Balsac The Jaws Of Death

Beefcake the Mighty

Grodius Maximus

The Crap Facts
This is my 537th concert.
Piedmont Hall is the 143rd venue I've seen a concert at.
Greensboro is the 58th city I've seen a concert at.
This is my 158th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 337th concert in the USA.
Blood Vulture is the 629th band I've seen

Dwarves are the 630th band I've seen

This is my 6th Helmet concert.
This is my 2nd GWAR concert.