Interpol & White Rabbits @ The New Joint

Got in early enough to catch the White Rabbits, but was not overly enthralled with them.

One observation for the night - the downtown hipster bars must've been empty tonight because I have never seen so many skinny jeans, sports jackets, vests and paper boy caps in Las Vegas in one night.

I know only a few Interpol songs, but had heard they put on a good show, so here I am to see what all the fuss is about. It was pretty much a straight forward rock show. Obviously the songs I knew were preferable, with Narc, PDA and Slow Hands being the highlights. Otherwise there was nothing exceptional that would make me race back to see them again.

The Crap Facts:

This is my 304th concert.

This is my 8th concert at The New Joint.

This is my 100th concert in Las Vegas.

This is my 100th concert in Nevada.

This is my 112th concert in the USA.

White Rabbits are the 376th band I've seen.

Interpol are the 377th band I've seen.

Alice In Chains, Deftones & Mastodon @ The New Joint

I cant believe it's been 17 years since I last saw Alice In Chains - and 11 since I'd seen the Deftones so I was really looking forward to tonight's show.

To start though it was Mastodon, who I've seen twice before and really like. Except for the sound, they played a great set. It's a shame their set was so short though only - 35 minutes. Still Mastodon ripped through some great songs - Crystal Skull being my favorite.

It wasn't long before the Deftones hit the stage, and they did so at full speed. The band were in fine form and all looked like they rather be nowhere else. Fur and Summer were incredibly awesome! And to be 30 feet from the stage was great. Strangely the Vegas crowd did really get into it - though this is something that happens a lot in this town. I must make an effort to see the Deftones again soon - their energy is unsurpassed by any band I've seen in a while.

It was mixed emotions about seeing Alice In Chains tonight. Obviously to see them with out Layne is not for the "purists", hence I couldn't get Amy to come tonight, but still they have so many great songs that still need to be heard. So I went with an open mind. Just like the Horden in 93, AIC opened with a white screen across the front of the stage and different members of the band walking on - only their shadows showing. The hit of the first drums of Them Bones and the curtain dropped and the band were in full force. This was the last show of a quick 1 month tour through the US and while I'd read some not so flattering reviews, those people should have been at this show. AIC was smart enough to know that people want to hear the old stuff and put just a few new songs in the set. Every song better than the last. And as for William Duval - he is a more than suitable front man - even for Alice In Chains. His voice is spot on and anyone who may have had reservations would have left with a different opinion. Great show!

The Crap Facts:

This is my 303rd concert.

This is my 7th concert at The New Joint.

This is my 99th concert in Las Vegas.

This is my 99th concert in Nevada.

This is my 111th concert in the USA.

This is my 3rd Mastodon concert.

This is my 2nd Deftones concert.

This is my 2nd Alice In Chains concert.

San Diego, CA to Carlsbad, CA

The night after the Melvins I woke up and had one of my migraines (my first for over 6 months). I took my time driving up to Carlsbad, driving via all the beach towns and the coast along the way. I had plans just to hang on the beach for the afternoon, but the headache and cool weather put the kybosh to that. Instead I checked into the West Inn & Suites to try and sleep off the pain, so I can hang out with Naags & Baden tonight, and get to the Hoodoo Gurus at Solana Beach tonight. The nanna nap helped.

I woke up feeling better, though kind of that hangover feeling I have after a migraine.  I called Amy in the late afternoon.  She was having a ultrasound appointment today about the baby.  I think my nerves about this was what may have caused the migraine.  And, as it  and turns out, rightly so.  We are about to become parents to TWINS!  Holy shit!  In the space of 2 years we have gone to not going to have children, to trying, to almost giving up, to parents of two.  What a change!  This should bring some wild reactions once people know we are pregnant.  I think I had an inkling that this was going to happen, because I wasn't really surprised when Amy told me.  With her mum being a twin, and my nan, (not to mention Amy's doctor joking about it when we first found out - boy that next conversation will be an interesting one), it seemed natural when she told me.  Interesting times ahead.

Naags came around around 6pm, and I couldn't contain myself.  He became the first person to know we were pregnant, let alone with twins.  Poor guy, shock had kicked in for me and I think I said fuck n front of Baden about 30 times.  We headed down towards the beach to have dinner at Vigilucci's Steak & Seafood. Great restaurant overlooking the water. Unfortunately fog stopped us from watching the sunset (growing up on the east coast of Oz, I am still fascinated by watching the sunset over the water - instead of rising). Was a great meal and good to do the annual catch up with Naags. As per my usual migraines I was completely wiped out after dinner and headed back to the hotel and missed the Hoodoo Gurus. Oh well, next time!

Still was a productive weekend. Another great Melvins show, a catch up with an old school mate, and the revelation that I'm gonna be a father of 2.  Except for all the driving it was a relaxing weekend. I'll have to go back to work to recover.

Melvins & Totimoshi @ The Casbah, San Diego

Road Trip!

Got out of work half an hour early and made my way for 5 1/2 hours down the I-15 to San Diego for a weekend of rock and catching up with an old friend. The drive down was smooth except for traffic around Yermo because of that f*&ken ridiculous fruit checkpoint on the freeway. California has no better way to employ 30 people than to cause traffic on a major freeway?

Anyway I arrived at my close-by accommodations, Motel 6 at the airport at about 9pm. Just enough time to relax a few minutes and then walk around the corner to the Casbah - the scene of tonight's rock. I have no idea what time the bands start, but hopefully I hadn't missed anything. Got to the venue in enough time to have a beer before Totimoshi came on stage. I new nothing of this band but is seems they are the crew for the Melvins - using the drum set all ready to go. These guys are great. A perfect fit musically for the Melvins (take note Pixies). Totimoshi ripped through about 45 minutes of unknown-to-me rock which impressed the early crowd.

Instantly I am a big fan of the Casbah. It is a small venue (no more than 200 people) and great access to the bands. I just wish they had of got the air conditioner to work earlier. It's not particularly hot, but with the humidity, I can not stop sweating. Between bands 2 of the Melvins briefly lingered with the crowd before finally a door opened and Buzz walked on stage. The rest of the band arrived, walking through the crowd to the stage, in some sort of turquoise-bedazzeld-Gladiator outfit and the the twin drum attack set the crowd alight. Melvins powered through their set and it is amazing to watch them, especially the intertwined 2 drummers. I know plenty of Melvins music, though not the names of songs, and there were plenty that I recognized tonight (though in 5 shows they've never played my favorite - Honeybucket). The set was awesome, and the Pinhead (Ramones) cover was wild. I was supposed to come down a few months back, but left it too late to get a ticket. I am very happy that I got my finger out and got down for this one.

The Crap Facts:

This is my 302nd concert.

The Casbah is the 81st venue I've seen a concert.

This is my 2nd concert in San Diego.

This is my 8th concert in California.

This is my 110th concert in the USA.

Totimoshi are the 375th band I've seen.
This is my 5th Melvins concert.
Melivins are the 1st band I've seen in 4 states.