Peach Pit, Briston Maroney & Bnny @ Skyla Credit Union Amphitheater

Briston Maroney Setlist

Peach Pit Setlist

The Crap Facts
This is my 523rd concert.
This is my 16th concert at Skyla Credit Union Amphitheater.
This is my 120th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 144th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 323rd concert in the USA.
Bnny are the 609th band I've seen.
Briston Maroney are the 610th band I've seen.
Briston Maroney is the 400th different band I've seen in the US.

Peach Pit are the 611th band I've seen.

Babymetal, Black Veil Brides & Bloodywood @ Skyla Credit Union Amphitheater

Bloodywood Setlist

Black Veil Brides Setlist

Babymetal Setlist

The Crap Facts

This is my 522nd concert.
This is my 15th concert at Skyla Credit Union Amphitheater.
This is my 119th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 143rd concert in North Carolina.
This is my 322nd concert in the USA.
Bloodywood are the 606th band I've seen.
Black Veil Brides are the 607th band I've seen.

Black Veil Brides are the 250th time I've seen a band in North Carolina.

Babymetal are the 608th band I've seen.

Babymetal are the 200th different band I've seen in North Carolina.

Aquabats & Koffin Kats @ The Orange Peel

Koffin Kats Setlist

Aquabats Setlist

The Crap Facts
This is my 521st concert.
This is my 5th concert at The Orange Peel.
This is my 16th concert in Asheville.
This is my 142nd concert in North Carolina.
This is my 321st concert in the USA.
Koffin Kats are the 605th band I've seen.
This is my 2nd Aquabats concert.

Metallica, Pantera & Suicidal Tendencies @ Bank of America Stadium

It's so Dad Rock Central here, I thought I had gone to a Tool concert.  I love it.  Plenty of people my age here, and a lot of them have bought there kids.  It's awesome!

A couple of firsts in this show.  The first time I've seen a show in a stadium.  I've done festivals with a bunch of people there, but this is huge.  Bank of America Stadium holds 70,000 for the football.  Add how many people will be on the floor and this may be the biggest show I've ever seen.  Also this is my first Metallica show.  I remember them playing once in Vegas when I lived there, but they just have never been anywhere nearby for me to see.  I also went through a long phase where I was pissed that Jason Newstead wasn't in the band and all the Napster shit.  But here I am.  And this was the 2nd show I'd been to where I'd seen a sniper patrolling the venue (the other time was Punk Rock Bowling 19 - a year after Fat Mike said something stupid about the Route 91 Harvest shootings).  The sniper and spotter sat on top of the scoreboard at the Mint Street end of the stadium.

I'm deliberately there early to see Suicidal Tendencies.  It had been 26 years since I saw them at a Warped Tour back in Sydney.  That day Mike Muir came into the crowd and ended up next to me watching Pennywise.  He then dragged me into Pennywise's requested giant circle pit.  A great concert moment I'll never forget.  Though the venue was not half full, it didn't stop Suicidal playing like it was their show.  I watched the drummer come out early and greet all the fans close to the stage before doing all his stretches, and they got their deserved dues as they hit the stage.  Muir skipped his way around the arena, both on and off the stage, for the full 40 minutes.  The band also acknowledged the small mosh pit not far from where I was seated.  Yes, this old man sat in the stands (at the back of the lower level).  Great view of stage and crowd.  Institutionalized and Subliminal were highlights

Suicidal Tendencies Setlist

31 years was how long since I'd seen Pantera.  And that still remains one of the top 20 concerts I've seen.  I wasn't quite sure if it really was Pantera without Dime and Vinnie, but that stupid notion was put to rest even before a note was played.  Charlie Benante with his kick drums covered in portraits of the 2 Abbott brothers, and Zakk Wylde in his CFH leather vest that also paid tribute showed a respect that I thought was admirable.  Last time I saw them They didn't play Mouth for War or I'm Broken, so to get both in the first half of the set was amazing.  Again the stage, a huge circle in the middle of the field, was well used by the band, with Benante paying 1/2 the set far from me, and the 2nd half on another kit closer to us, and the other 3 stalking the stage, playing to everyone.  After a recorded version of Cemetery Gates, that showed a video tribute to the Abbott brothers, Pantera just killed an awesome 4 song streak, 5 Minutes Alone, This Love, Fucking Hostile and Walk was just amazing.  I just pity the folks that weren't there early enough to see it.  Not sure I have another 31 years to wait to see Pantera again.  I hope they come through Charlotte again soon.

Pantera, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

Pantera Setlist

Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

I had an hour between Pantera and Metallica, so I raced to the restroom, and as quick as I was, I then had no chance of getting either food or merchandise before Metallica started.  That said, I was hoping to pick up some vinyl but there were only tshirts for sale, and I opted not to add to my black tshirt collection.

With the sun finally set, and the stadium about 95% full (all the seats taken, but a fair bit of space left on the floor), Metallica walked around the stage greeting fans before getting up there to the sounds of AC/DCs A Long Way To The Top.  This began a great set, with the added bonus of the art of distraction.  Being so far back, there was plenty to see, but there wasn't even a drum kit on stage when the band walked out.  But all of a sudden there was a smaller than expected kit ready to go as the rest of the band got there other instruments.  Metallica then put on a well curated set.  Starting off with 3 classics: Creeping Death, For Whom The Bell Tolls and Ride the Lightning would have made a lot of old school fans happy (and there were a lot here).  A few songs I didn't know, including 2 off the new 72 seasons album, and just under half way in Kirk and Rob did an instrumental duo at our end of the stage.  It wasn't till the full band came back on that I finally saw the drums rising out of the stage in a different quadrant.  It still doesn't explain how the drums were rotated on the spot - which I never saw happen.  Fuel saw the flames introduced into the set, and Orion was dedicated to Cliff Burton, before the stadium filled with iPhone lights for Nothing Else Matters - which also saw rain fall for a couple of minutes (who's happy to be back under shelter now).  Fireworks and flames acted as the war field as One began.  This is what I was here for.  To me this is Metallica's best song.  And it did not disappoint!  Hair on the back of my neck and arms stood up as Hetfield angrily belted out "Darkness....imprisoning me...all that I see....absolute horror....".  Seek and Destroy showed how much the band liked performing, with Hetfield telling the crowd how he has the best job in the world.  He, and the rest of the band, certainly looked like it.  Master of Puppets was amazing and hard to believe that it could be topped.  But it was.  Easily!  Metallica's most successful song, I find, is the divider between old school Metallica fans (the ones that loved the thrashier stuff) and the more modern heavy rock fan.  But tonight, swelled by the good mix of both styles during the night, saw everyone go absolutely apeshit to the first notes of Enter Sandman.  Everyone knew every word and it was being belted out at maximum volume.  

Metallica, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

Metallica Setlist

What a performance!  Makes me a little sad that I'd never seen Metallica before, and I likely would not have gone with out he openers being Suicidals and Pantera.  But even as the 2nd most expensive concert I've been too, it was well worth the price of admission.

Side note: Played the boys some Pantera and Metallica in the car the next day.  I got the "hmm...that's good dad...can we listed to anything else?"

The Crap Facts
This is my 520th concert.
Bank of America Stadium is the 141st venue I've seen a concert at.
This is my 118th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 141st concert in North Carolina.
This is my 320th concert in the USA.
This is my 3rd Suicidal Tendencies concert.

This is my 2nd Pantera concert.

Metallica are the 604th band I've seen.

Metallica are the 200th time I've seen a band in Charlotte.

Marylin Manson @ The Fillmore

Love him or hate him...there is no denying Marylin Manson is a showman.  And at his age (he's marginally older than me), he's still got it.

I rolled in 10 minutes before kick off in a packed and extremely hot Fillmore.  Got my spot, stage left, out of everyone's way, before being sardined in as security cleared a path behind me.  

Lights behind a curtain let us see the shadows as the band walked on stage, and from the get go (Nod If You Understand) Manson was into it, as were the band.  High energy and 5 people really into performing.  It wasn't until Tourniquet that I knew a song, but still, I was so taken by the performance, it didn't matter.  Manson's shout outs to Charlotte between songs always got a rise out of the crowd, and a chance for the band to take a moment's breath.  Mobscene was great, as was The Dope Show.  Before which, Manson confessed to lying.  "Turns out I did like the drugs, and the drugs liked me."  When the first wahhing chords of Sweet Dreams rang out, the crowd went nuts, and then he finished the set with a raucous Beautiful People (my favorite Manson song).  Hot and sweaty, band and crowd needed a moment's break to catch there breath.  I moved to side stage right for the encore (old man needs to bail before the crowd).  2 slower songs calmed the crowd, but the heat was so thick, it looked like it was raining inside.

It wasn't Iggy Pop level energy (because nothing is), but Manson and band were into it.  And the crowd reflected the band.  This is my first time seeing him in a club (the other 2 times were festivals), but hey are performers who can adapt to the venue size and put on a great show regardless.

Marylin Manson setlist

The Crap Facts

This is my 519th concert.
This is my 31st concert at The Fillmore.
This is my 117th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 140th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 319th concert in the USA.
This is my 3rd Marylin Manson concert.

Sturgill Simpson @ Skyla Credit Union Amphitheater

So this is a first for me.  I'm seeing this show at work.  Does that count?  I asked Erik (old Vegas concert mate) and he said yes.  So it must be true.  I've been working in the box office part time at the Fillmore & Underground for a few years, but this is the first summer where we haven't taken a major trip, so I signed on to work the Skyla Amphitheater.  And here I am, ushering people to their seats, perfect view of the stage from 27 rows away.  I was actually here last night as well, but I was working the pit, and while I heard the whole show, I couldn't see the band, so that doesn't count.

I know nothing of Sturgill Simpson, except that he is one of those bands that carry a distinct following in the south.  Like Widespread, Jason Isbell, Dave Matthews - none like the other but they can pull a crowd in the south.

It was an experience to be in the venue as doors opened.  Watching excited people, dedicated fans, race to their spots, whether that be the pit, in the front of the lawn or to the merch stand to guarantee a poster of the night.  The feeling was infectious.  Anyway, in the hour and a half after doors opened, a near full house excitedly greeted Simpson, and they got a 3 hour show that all and sundry seemed to enjoy.

So like I said I don't know any Sturgill Simpson music but what I observed was last night had a rocking bluesy sound.  Tonight was a slower country/blues/twang feel to the music.  He did do a cover of Prince's Purple Rain, which was amazing, but I preferred what I heard last night.  However, his crowd loved it!  And if any fan had come both nights, they got 60 songs over 6 hours, and very few repeats.  And with that, I was impressed by the great vibe around the amphitheater.  People were really positive and having a good time.

While Sturgill Simpson is probably not someone I'd listen to, it was great to hear him, and see a great group of fans really enjoy themselves.

Sturgill Simpson Setlist

The Crap Facts
This is my 518th concert.
This is my 14th concert at Skyla Credit Union Amphitheater.
This is my 116th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 139th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 318th concert in the USA.
Sturgill Simpson is the 603rd band I've seen.

Napalm Death, Melvins & Weedeater @ The Underground

Of course I'm going to see the Melvins if they come to town.  What I don't understand is why doesn't everybody.

Eric and I got to the Underground just in time to catch the last few songs of Weedeater.  The Underground is already crowded, as we're assaulted by the heavy, sludgy sounds of Weedeater.  I'm not sure if the audience reaction had been bad before we arrived, or if sarcasm was ruling, but the lead singer basically told everyone to fuck off before plowing into their last song.

Weedeater Setlist

Not since before the boys were born (actually it was the night before I found out we were having twins) have I seen the Melvins play with 2 drummers, but Cody is back with the band again, and the Melvins are ready to play.  Buzz looked like he was in a good move (I've never seen him use all of the stage so much).  Steve McDonald was his usual effervescent self, making it hard to determine where you should be watching - who was having the best time on stage?  The double drum opening of Billy Fish was spectacular.  It's a shame Dale and Cody weren't on risers because, even at 6"2, I was having trouble seeing them.  That mirrored rhythm is a sight to be seen....and heard.  Honeybucket was the best, as always.  It's a favorite all time song of mine, and I'd have happily come along just to hear that song.  So Fast.  So offbeat.  So Nonsensical.  So Good.  This is my 11th time seeing the Melvins, and while I don't know song names (or keep up with their extended catalogue of work) every show is a good one.  Dare I say this is one of the best I've seen.

Melvins Setlist

I've confessed to being there for the Melvins and was still in an amazement daze when Napalm Death hit the stage.  Their extremely heavy style is not one I've really been into, ever, but am always happy to give a band a listen to.  What I didn't realize was that they are English, and Barney Greenway's Birmingham accented talking voice just doesn't come close to to the sound of his singing voice.  He was into it from the start, lapping around the stage, singing like a man possessed.  Napalm Death aren't for me, and we (2 old guys with kids that need to get up for school in the morning) left after about 5 songs.  Everybody else in there were just getting warmed up, and I feel those die hard fans weren't about to be disappointed.

Napalm Death Setlist

Writing this review happens at the same time the Melvins announce another tour, this time playing with Redd Kross (again) up in Asheville in October.  I feel a road trip coming on.

The Crap Facts

This is my 517th concert.
This is my 12th concert at The Underground.
This is my 115th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 138th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 317th concert in the USA.
Weedeater are the 601st band I've seen.

This is my 11th Melvins concert.

Napalm Death are the 602nd band I've seen.

Savannah, GA

A nice sleep in before heading over to Spread Bagelry to try and relive some Montreal breakfasts.

A late-ish start to the day but it is not long before we are headed over to the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum.  The former William Scarborough house is now home to this neat museum and garden showing the vessels used around the area over all periods of time.  Most fascinating is that this has been the sole purpose of this building for the last 30 years.  From 1878 to 1962 it was a school for African American children.  It had to be abandoned after 1962 as the Board of Education let the place go to ruin.  The Historical Society took over in 1972 helped restore the building, which the museum took control of in the mid 1990's.

2 blocks away is the SCAD Museum of Art (attached to the Savannah College of Art and Design).  A lot of modern art goes well over my head, and tis museum was a 50/50 split as to what I liked and what I thought wasn't great.  I really liked the colorful Ken Gun Min embroidery-woven paintings.  That and the black and white photos of Zanele Muholi.  Some really distinct African portraits, but the best being the black Mary sculpture, shrouded in a white cloth.  Really outstanding.

How Deep Is The Ocean by Ken Gun Min, SCAD, Savannah, GA

Umkhuseli (The Protector) by Zanele Muholi, SCAD, Savannah, GA

After a snack lunch we drive the 30 minutes out to Tybee Island.  We park and walk along the beach, and the pier, as well as a few beachside stores.  We probably spent 2 hours here.  Nice enough, but will never live up to our beloved Litchfield Beach.  On the way home we drive into Old Fort Jackson.  It takes a few moments to realize no one is here, because the fort is closed for the day (it's past 5.30pm).

A quick change in the hotel and we walk the half mile up to Public Kitchen.  There's an hour and a half wait, so we go looking elsewhere.  We walked back towards the middle of town, and found an Asian Noodle Bar.  As we were seated we got the text to say a table was available back at Public Kitchen, so we bailed and raced back for a nice, fancier meal.  It didn't disappoint.  Really great food and a great last meal in Savannah.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped for dessert at Leopold's Ice Cream.  A Savannah institution, this 106 year old store has an hour long line even at 9pm.  We decided to wait and see what the fuss was all about.  Don't get me wrong, it was some good ice cream, but not wait in line forever good.

We had a great 3 days in Savannah.  Good weather, good food, great history lessons.  Having said that, I'm not sure we'd head back there, unless we were taking someone who has never been.  I feel like we saw all we needed and probably don't need to experience it again.

Savannah, GA

We couldn't be this close to Bluffton and not catch up with Nat, so she came down and had brunch with us at Little Duck Diner.  We put our name down as she left her place and we got the call up just as she arrived 45 minutes later.  This place is jumping, and the food excellent.  The little ducks in the drinks are a nice little touch.

L,M,Nat&B, Ellis Square, Savannah, GA

L is not feeling the best (his arm is still sore, and allergies are rampant), so he heads back to the hotel while A,B& I head over and purchase tickets for the Old Town Trolley.  This jump on jump off trolley will take us to various sights around town, with commentary, and we can get out and explore as we please.  We get on at Franklin Square and the trolley takes us through the middle of town and then south to Madison Square, where we get out to see the Sorrel-Weed House.  Back on to the next stop, in the middle of Forsyth Park, after we have driven around the edge of the park.  Great spot to get out and just wander.  WE walked to the next stop for the trolley to pick us up and take us on to the Cathedral of ST John.  This beautiful old Catholic Church stands out in a beautiful city.  We spent some time inside before getting back on the trolley to ride out the rest of the afternoon.  We skipped the next 7 stops, opting just to enjoy the scenery and take in the history.  The trolley took us back down to the river, past the Pirate House and the Colonial Park Cemetery, before we got off near Chippewa Square.  L was ready to meet us then, so he walked up to meet us, we got ice cream and then walked back down towards the river to wander the stores and stalls, and find a spot for dinner.

Me, A & B, Cathedral of St John, Savannah, GA

Cathedral of St John, Savannah, GA

Cathedral of St John, Savannah, GA

We went back to the hotel before dinner and saw one of the coolest sights.  A fully stacked cargo ship was coming into port and cruised by our window.  It is ridiculous how enormous these things are.  We're on the 6th floor of the hotel and the shipped dwarfed us.  It was massive.  I can't fathom being in the middle of the ocean on one of these giant ships, just absolutely packed with goods to be imported.

Dinner was on the river at Graffito Pizza.  A really good pizza and fresh food.  We decided on beignets for dessert so walked down to Huey's.  This topped of a great, fulfilling day.  We're exhausted!  Sleep comes easily tonight.

Savannah, GA

This Spring Break we drove the boys down to Savannah for 3 nights.  It's a town that the boys and I have never been to, and A hasn't been there in over 25 years.

It's a long drive as the end of the 26 slowed down and the 95 was a crawl all the way in.  We come in over the bridge, with a great view of the city, and down to the riverfront to check in at the Cotton Sail Hilton.  We have a great view, right on the river.

We unpack and are straight into town.  Just 2 blocks away is the City Market and we stop at the Cafe at City Market for a late lunch.  Nothing exceptional about this place, except that it didn't have a wait to be seated.  After lunch we wandered aimlessly as far away as Oglethorpe Street.  We weren't sure what we were looking at, just soaking in the old town and it's beauty, but that will change tomorrow.  We ended walking along the river before taking a break before dinner.

The boys spotted Orale Tacos during our walk, so that is where we ended up for dinner.  A good meal, and fun to watch the boys practice their Spanish with the waiters.  While the boys were exhausted after dinner and went back to the hotel, A & I wandered around for another hour or so.  What we mostly found is that Savannah is a town for people who like to drink...a lot.  Holy drunkity drunk drunks!

Looking forward to tomorrow when we'll get a proper tour of the town.

Kraftwerk @ Ovens Auditorium

So what do you do on a St Patrick's Day Monday?  Go and see the German pioneers of EDM, of course!

I don't know much about Kraftwerk, but if a band is doing a 50th anniversary tour, they've go to be doing something right.  Right?  I'm still not sure.

I bought a last minute ticket and headed over to Ovens because it had been over a month since I'd seen a show.  And I need live music - I can feel it.  I'm panicked because I have nothing for certain coming up until May.  Anyway at 8pm (on the dot), 4 guys walked on stage, stood behind what looked like 4 desks and proceeded to "play" for the next 2 hours.  I say "play" because, for all I know they pressed a button, and then everything was done for the night.  As for the music, it's not my thing, but I can see where this was revolutionary at the time.  I'm glad I was there, like when I saw Daft Punk, but I'm not sure I'll ever hear another Kraftwerk song again.  Visually, it was stunning.  A video choreographed to every song and Kraftwerk's suits blending in with said videos.

At first it felt like I was in a German Contemporary Art Museum watching a video.  Everyone around me seemed interested art students, and as if they knew what was happening.  I had no idea what was going on.  But I did grow into it.  The Man Machine was familiar to me.  I really liked Neon Lights.  Geiger Counter and Radioactivity were a good follow up and Robots near the end was a good song.

Again I had a good night, but maybe not a great night.  Not what I'd usually see, but glad I went to my one and only Kraftwerk show.

Kraftwerk, Ovens Auditorium

Kraftwerk, Ovens Auditorium

Kraftwerk, Ovens Auditorium

Kraftwerk Setlist

The Crap Facts
This is my 516th concert.
This is my 5th concert at Ovens Auditorium.
This is my 114th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 137th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 316th concert in the USA.
Kraftwerk are the 600th band I've seen.

Grand Cayman Island

A quick swim in the morning and then brunch at the hotel's Catalina restaurant proceeded our outing for the day.  We had booked a 3 hour tour with Captain Marvin's.  They picked us up from the hotel, we registered at their office, and then headed over to the harbor, where about 20 of us cruised out for the afternoon, and stopped in a shallow-ish (9ft deep) part of the harbor.  We then had 40 minutes to swim around and enjoy the coral and see the fish and the occasional sting ray.  I couldn't get comfortable breathing and was out of the water pretty quickly.  A, on the other had, who had never snorkeled before, was a pro.  She barely come up for breath and had to be dragged last back on the boat.  From there we went over to a sand bar known as Sting Ray City.  It's an area where sting rays have been coming for years, as fisherman used the shallow water to dispose of fish waste.  We got in the waist deep water, and were allowed to hold a sting ray that the guide caught for us.  Way out of my comfort zone, but amazed that I had the opportunity to do this.  Something I will remember for ever.  Onwards to the north-east point in the harbor, where, once anchored, we were able to sit in the water and hold starfish.  A half hour ride back to the dock, as A & I relived the experience of today, as the sun headed towards twilight.  Once we were back at the hotel, a quick change saw us walk up towards the Kimpton, and have dinner at Coccolobo.  Tacos right beside the ocean, in this unwalled restaurant was the perfect ending to our quick trip away.

The Snorkeler, Cayman Islands

Me & a Stingray, Cayman Islands

A & I, Stingray Bay, Cayman Islands

We got up early the next morning to get just a couple of more hours by the Caribbean Sea.  But mid day came and we were packed into a taxi back to the airport.  We gave ourselves a bunch of time, not knowing what customs and immigration would be like, but we were through so quick we were able to get on an earlier flight.  Making sure we were back in plenty of time to pick up the boys from their DC trip.

Cayman Islands!  I hope we'll be back.

Grand Cayman Island

The other great part of this trip is that it coincided with my birthday (a 2nd in the Caribbean for me). We spent day 2 on Seven Mile Beach after a morning walk at said beach. Lunch was sushi and cocktails bought to us at our lounge chairs, because it was too much effort to go the 50 feet to the restaurant and order there. A had dinner booked tonight at Aqua at Camana Bay. A quick cab ride and we were seated by the water and enjoyed a magnificent seafood meal. Our Italian waitress told us how easily it was to get a visa for the island, as the population can not keep up with the hospitality demand. We met people from England, Ireland, Kashmir and the Philippines as well. I wish I knew about that 25 years ago when we were travelling.

Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands

Grand Cayman Island

When the opportunity arose that the boys were headed for DC with their school trip, A & I booked a few days in the Cayman Islands, so that we could have our first vacation alone since the boys were born. We dropped them at school at around 6.30am, and were boarding our flight before 9am. We had been tossing up between Montreal (we'd been last summer, but wanted to see how amazing it might be in the winter) and Grand Cayman (to sit on the beach). Grand Cayman came out the winner, and I'm so glad.

We landed, went through customs, got a cab, pre-checked in to the beautiful Hotel Indigo, and were on the beach eating lunch before 1pm. While eating lunch, our room became ready, so we went up and unpacked, then headed back to the beach club to claim a spot by the ocean under a couple of umbrellas. Eventually we headed back to the room and then up to the hotel's 10th floor, to Pom-Pom, where we had a great dinner looking over the beach as the sunset.

View from our Hotel Indigo room

Charlotte FC v Atlanta United @ Bank Of America Stadium

 

So now for 3 out of 4 seasons, we have hit the home season opener for Charlotte FC.  This year it's a mid-afternoon kick off and the weather was hot, unlike last season when we were scrambling for anything to keep us warmer.

We are sitting in the lower deck, down by the corner flag, so to sit with the Martins, who have their season tickets there.  Although down one end, still a great view.  Atlanta must have won the toss, as Charlotte was attacking towards the supporter's end in the first half.  The first half was pretty quiet and evenly poised.  People were barely back in their seats when Biel opened the scoring 4 minutes into the 2nd half.  A long ball down the middle was headed into the path of Zaha.  He looked like he was winding up to shoot, but at the last second was blocked off ,but found Biel in space inside the box who slotted the ball past Guzan.  Within 5 minutes, another long clearance was poorly dealt with by Atlanta.  Agyeman took off down the right and blasted a ball at Guzman.  The keeper could only parry the ball up, and Zaha was following throughout.  He didn't hit the volley cleanly, but put in the corner past Guzan.  Charlotte 2-0.  For the rest of the game Charlotte matched Atlanta and chances were few and far between for both teams.   Charlotte held on for the win and left the fifty odd thousand fans going home happy.  Let's hope they can keep the momentum continuing all season long.

Charlotte FC 2 (P. Biel 49', W. Zaha 54') defeated Atlanta United 0
Paid Attendance: 51,002

The Get Up Kids @ The Underground

I saw the Get Up Kids back at Riot Fest in 2014.  Never heard of them, but checked them out.  The show was fun, so to see them in a small club, and they were going to play the same album - Something To Write Home About - was a no brainer.

Anyway, Monday night came around, my concert mate bailed, and I didn't particularly want to go.  I forced myself as I hadn't been to a show yet this year.

The Underground was 3/4 full and the band kicked off just as I got into a great spot overlooking the stage (in front of the raised bar).  I never followed up with their music after Riot Fest so I was unfamiliar with the set yet again.  It was a good show, but just didn't catch my attention this time.  You could see the crowd of 30-40 somethings reliving their youth and having a blast, but their sound. a poppier-punk, was not really my thing.  After they finished playing their album, a 8 song encore was cut short by me after Stay Golden, Ponyboy.

Listen, not my favorite show, but far from the least favorite, and I'm glad I went.  Push myself back into live music after a 2 month break, hopefully inspires me to go to more shows, and stuff that I wouldn't normally see (Gary Clark Jr & Kraftwerk are 2 shows coming up that spring to mind).  Get Up Kids had a good crowd on a Monday night in Charlotte, and played a show that the crowd wanted to see.  WHo know, maybe I'll go back for the promised 50 year anniversary.

Get Up Kids Setlist

The Crap Facts

This is my 515th concert.
This is my 11th concert at The Underground.
This is my 113th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 136th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 315th concert in the USA.
This is my 2nd Get Up Kids concert.