Helmet @ The Senate

I came across this show just by luck.  Saw it on Facebook only 3 days before the show.  I'd never been to the Senate and made the hour and a half drive down to Columbia to catch another Helmet show.  I loved the concept, 30 songs in 30 shows celebrating 30 years as a band.  Could only lead to a good night.

The Senate is a smaller, flatter version of my oft visited Fillmore here in Charlotte and while not quite half full the sound was great for the crushing Helmet.  Without a word to the crowd Helmet plowed through 5 songs before I pulled out the earplugs to hear Give It.  Wilma's Rainbow (everyone knew what was coming with the opening) & Milquetoast were excellent and Helmet hadn't lost their intensity since I last saw them at the Visulite 4 years ago.

Page had some great banter with the crowd, telling stories of a turgid past, meeting famous Columbian's Hootie & The Blowfish, and Panther-heckling after his 49er's destroyed us the Sunday before.

The encore was insane.  Unsung was rip-your-ears-off brutal.  While Hamilton expressed his desire to play Crisis King, I was glad they went with Just Another Victim instead.  And In The Meantime, what can I say.  This may the 3 best minutes in rock.  That swirling build up, to the pounding post-intro, and then Hamilton's scowling vocals that haven't wavered since the original recording.  It is the perfect song to keep you pumped for the long drive home, but not help your vocal chords as you try to match the venom at the top of your lungs.

I do need to get some better earplugs though.  After this show, and my next one being Dinosaur Jr at the Neighborhood Theater, I need to salvage the last of my hearing after all these years.

The Crap Facts:
This is my 462nd concert.
The Senate is the 126th venue I've seen a concert.

This is my 2nd concert in Columbia

This is my 4th concert in South Carolina.

This is my 265th concert in the USA.
This is my 5th Helmet concert.

Melvins & Redd Kross @ Visulite

I'm excited for this show.  9th Melvins show and for some reason Redd Kross has never come across my ears.  Not sure why.

I was pleased with the turnout as well.  A Thursday night in Charlotte and the Visulite is 3/4 full.  From the moment the band walked on stage, especially bass player Steve McDonald, in his white sequined shirt and white suit, you knew fun was the order of the night.  Redd Kross play some fun pop rock and look like they're having the time of their lives while they're doing it.  The 3 songs I remember liking by name were Switchblade Sister, Peach Kelli Pop and Party Underground. 

Not long after their hour warm up, Steve (new suit) and Dale, both pulling double duty, strolled into position with Buzz in his most elaborate muumuu.  As always Melvins were on fire from the start.  Sesame Street Meat opened the set and Queen got the crowd moving.  A solid set which sent me above and beyond when they did Hooch and Honey Bucket back-to-back.  Honey Bucket is a top 30 song of all time for me, and it's only the 2nd time I've seen them play it live.  It was enough to make my week.  The set finished off with the rest of Redd Kross coming back on stage to play their Standing In The Front Of Poseur and Kiss' Deuce - with the McDonald brothers in full Kiss hair-flicking mode.

Buzz Osborne - The Melvins @ The Visulite

I'm not sure the Melvins know how to put on a bad show.  This has been my favourite since seeing them at the Casbah in San Diego in 2010 when Big Business was incorporated into the group.  Tonight's show was definitely helped by the fantastic Redd Kross opening.  A fitting opener that the crowd loved.

The Crap Facts:
This is my 461st concert.
This is my 11th concert at Visulite.

This is my 86th concert in Charlotte

This is my 97th concert in North Carolina.

This is my 264th concert in the USA.
Red Kross are the 535th band I've seen.
This is my 9th Melvins concert

ZZ Top & Cheap Trick @ PNC Pavilion

Right show, wrong venue!  I am usually reluctant to see shows at the PNC Pavilion because I don't like to be far away, and I bought this ticket at the last minute because how many times do you get to see ZZ Top and Cheap Trick together.

Cheap Trick came on, and while I was on an isle seat, in the middle section of the arena, in an isle to myself, I felt myself looking towards the big screen instead to the stage too often.  Still Cheap Trick put on a great show.  As good as 4 years ago at Carolina Rebellion, but just not the same atmosphere.  The first half of the set was songs I wasn't familiar with but once they played The Flame it was song after another that I was into.  Dream Police was a highlight, a b-side Never Had A Lot To Lose was a surprise and Surrender bought the house down.  And to think, this is just the opening band.

ZZ Top have some fans.  Actually a ton of fans!  And they were out in full force for this show.  Some wearing t-shirts older than some of my oldies.  And they got a great show.  I'm not too familiar with a lot of ZZ Top's catalog but there is an air of familiarity with a lot of songs.  Gimme All Your Lovin' was the first one I new (5 songs in) and the dislike of the huge venue comes in here.  Dusty Hill and Billy Gibbons have some wonderfully subtle, little choreographed moves, which are lost in the big venue.  9 years at the House of Blues in Vegas these moves were met with a thunderous reception, here the reception is from only those up front and eventually those that may catch it on the big screens.  That said, the set was fantastic and the crowd were in awe the whole time.  The Sharp Dressed Man and Legs double to finish the set had the crowd in a frenzy.  I left after the La Grange and Tush encore, only to hear Elvis' Jailhouse Rock as I walked back to the car.  A great night, that I think would have been mind blowing in the Fillmore, or even the smaller amphitheater uptown.  But glad I got to see these 2 legendary bands again.

The Crap Facts:
This is my 460th concert.
This is my 3rd concert at PNC Pavilion.

This is my 85th concert in Charlotte

This is my 96th concert in North Carolina.

This is my 263rd concert in the USA.
This is my 2nd Cheap Trick concert.
This is my 2nd ZZ Top concert.

ZZ Top are the 150th time I've seen a band in Charlotte.