#[its been a while by staind plays in the background]

[concerthopperblog]

The Rock Resurrection Tour featuring Skillet, Theory Of A Deadman & Saint Asonia

Saint Asonia is a Canadian American rock group consisting of members from previous bands such as Three Days Grace & Staind. The band formed in 2015 after Adam Gontier (lead singer & guitarist) left Three Days Grace a couple years earlier. In May 2015 the band released its first single “Better Place” after teasing it for a while. Saint Asonia was an opener on the main stage at the Rock On The Range festival while they debut their first single among other songs from their previous bands. Fast forward to 2022, Saint Asonia released not one but two EP’s called Introvert & Extrovert. During this particular concert, seeing this band was a first for me. I had no idea who they were until they started playing a couple songs from Three Days Grace, and part of me knew that this singer used to sing for them. I’m excited to see what this band has in store for the future.

Setlist:

“Better Place”

“Above It All”

“The Hunted”

“Never Too Late” (Three Days Grace cover)

“I Hate Everything About You” (Three Days Grace cover)

“I Don't Care” (Apocalyptica cover)

“Devastate”

“Let Me Live My Life”

I grew up listening to Theory Of A Deadman due to my parents love for Rock music. Theory Of A Deadman also known as Theory & TOAD debuted in 1999, I was only one when they started playing shows. The band has released 8 albums to date. Since they debuted, they have had 9 of their songs enter the top ten of the US Billboard Mainstream Rock charts. "Bad Girlfriend", "Lowlife", "Rx (Medicate)" and "History of Violence" have all been number #1 on the charts. The band’s music covers a variety of hard topics to talk about such as prescription drug addiction to Domestic violence. TOAD has also had a series of accomplishments with their history, TOAD has done many covers for many different WWE events taken place and were also featured on the WWE Wreckless Intent album. The band had a song alongside Skillet and many other bands on the Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon soundtrack. When the band came closer to closing out their set, one of their fans caught the attention of the singer Tyler Connelly with a giant poster. The band signed the poster that the fan handed them. I can’t wait to catch Theory Of A Deadman when they go back on tour again in the future.

Setlist:

“Ambulance”

“Bitch Came Back”

“Blow”

“Two of Us (Stuck)”

“Not Meant to Be”

“Dinosaur”

“Santa Monica”

“Hurricane”

“Wicked Game” (Chris Isaak cover)

“Lowlife”

“History of Violence”

“Friends in Low Places” (Earl Bud Lee & Dewayne Blackwell cover)

“Angel”

“Hate My Life”

Encore:

“Rx (Medicate)”

“Bad Girlfriend”

Skillet is a Christian Rock group from Tennessee with the current line up of John Cooper, Kory Cooper, Jen Ledger and Seth Morrison. The band’s name came from the encouragement of John’s pastor. He had encouraged John and other band members to start up a side project after their original bands disbanded. The name is meant to be funny. Since the band was made up from a diverse music background that the pastor felt like their name should be Skillet because he felt they were like “southern cooking, where you just toss a bunch of different things into a big ol' skillet and see what it turns out like.” The band had only been named Skillet for a month before getting an offer from a large Christian Rock record label. The band has released 13 albums to date. I was excited when Skillet finally took the stage. I love the energy that the band has to bring, you can just see the emotion on their faces unlike other artist’s. Before playing the third song of the evening, John attached smoke cannons to his arms and started shooting smoke out in the air. Skillet had Adam Gontier of Saint Asonia join them on stage for their song “Finish Line.” The band played a plethora of songs from their album Comatose to songs from their latest album Dominion.

Setlist:

“Feel Invincible”

“Rise”

“Surviving the Game”

“Legendary”

“Awake and Alive”

“Hero”

“Not Gonna Die”

“Whispers in the Dark”

“Psycho In My Head”

“Comatose”

“Finish Line” (With Adam Gontier)

“Monster”

“Rebirthing”

“The Resistance”

The Rock Resurrections tour is half way through their run. Don’t forget to check if they are coming to a city near you!

02.17 Gary, IN @ Hard Rock Live 02.18 Green Bay, WI @ Epic Event Center 02.19 East Moline, IL @ The Rust Belt 02.21 Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom Club Stage 02.22 Detroit, MI @ Fillmore 02.24 Reading, PA @ Santander Arena 02.25 Boston, MA @ Roadrunner 02.26 Bangor, ME @ Cross Insurance Center 03.01 Rochester, NY@ Main Street Armory 03.03 Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre 03.04 Mt Pleasant, MI @ Soaring Eagle Casino – Theatre 03.05 Cincinnati, OH @ AJB Music Center 03.08 Pikeville, KY @ Appalachian Wireless Arena 03.10 St Louis, MO @ The Factory 03.11 Springfield, MO @ Shrine Mosque 03.12 Tulsa, OK @ Tulsa Theater 03.14 Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center 03.15 Dallas, TX @ The Factory 03.17 Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre 03.18 Omaha, NE @ Baxter Arena 03.19 Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom 03.22 Phoenix, AZ @ First Arizona Federal 03.24 Reno, NV @ Grand Sierra Resort – Grand Theatre 03.25 Wheatland, CA @ Hard Rock Live 03.26 Los Angeles, CA @ Wiltern

[runneldog]

about me MASTERPOST (08/15/2024)

Name: Zev Nicknames: Please do not refer to me as any other name besides Zev unless you know me outside of Tumblr (IRL) or I’ve given you special permission to call me otherwise.

Age: Thirty-one Birthday: September 26th Astrology Sign: Libra Chinese Zodiac: Monkey Power Animals: Wolves, coyotes, crows, ravens, owls, bears, spiders, and hawks. Gender: Agenderfluid - any pronoun is fine. Sexuality: Bi/Pansexual.

Disabilities: Are many and varied. Please be conscientious that I have severe mental illness as a result of trauma. If any behavior of mine bothers you, it may very well be related to a trigger or because of emotional dysregulation. That all said this is not an excuse for anything done wrong, so if I ever upset you, even if it seems small in hindsight, please DM me so we can have a dialogue. I view myself as a work in progress and feedback is necessary for my personal growth.

Pets: Currently, I have a wonderful dog named Ravioli. She is an Airedale Terrier/Poodle/Sheepdog mix and my best friend in the whole entire world (pics to come soon). Art Tags: Visual Art, and Writing! (Please be aware everything in these tags is old as of this current update. I am hoping to publish more things here moving forward).

Nationality: American Ethnicity: Persian-Jewish Race: Mizrachi Jewish/Middle Eastern- Not White. Please do not ever EVER refer to me as white. Religion: Agnostic/Jewish/Pagan Languages: Mainly English, some Hebrew, some Farsi.

Triggers/obvious things to tag: NSFW, suicide, suicidal ideation, self harm, heights, gore in general, animal abuse, Israel, antisemitism, bestiality, zoophilia, CSA, incest.

Fandoms: Fire Force, Persona, Avatar/Korra, Ginga, Warrior Cats, Pokemon, Digimon, Marvel, RWBY, Magic the Gathering, and lots of other nerdy things.

Music: A bit of everything, really! I have a strong lean towards the ‘rock’ umbrella, but since we’re in the year 2024 and genre is now dead, my tastes are diverse. If I had to pick one genre, however, I’m going all in on post-hardcore. Tag me with ALL your music recs!

Other Interests: Animal welfare (former veterinary technician), space, aquariums, the environment, animation of all kinds, DND/Roleplay, fantasy and sci-fi worldbuilding, video games, karaoke/live music, and writing.

--

If you want to know anything else about me, just ask! :)

If you need me to tag things and I haven’t for some reason, let me know, I will amend this!

My personal rants/stories are filed under the tag “Zev Vomits Words,” which can sometimes contain triggering subjects. Please read those at your own discretion.

If I ever overstep my boundaries with anything, message me. I would love to talk about it and be accountable for my actions.

DO NOT FOLLOW ME IF YOU’RE UNDER 18 or an “antishipper,” and for the love of all that is good on this planet, CATER YOUR ONLINE EXPERIENCE.

[amandagaelic]

Get to know me...if you want...

I was tagged by my friend @pandigirl19 who already knows me but likes me anyway. :)

• Nickname: When I was young, I went by Mandy, but I left that behind when I left IN. Now, if I had a nickname, it would probably be Gaelic (or Mama or Babe, depending on who’s talking to me). 

• Zodiac: Aquarius, full stop.  

• Height: 5′ 4 3/4″ (although my driver’s license says 5′ 5″, so)

• Last Movie: Theater = Instant Family (with the kiddo); PPV at home = Bohemian Rhapsody (for the 2nd time)

• Last Thing I Googled: "how to disarm a suicide vest”...I mean, its just research for my next MacGyver fic, no reason for it to ping the FBI watch list...right? *ahem*

• Favorite Musician: Gah, that’s like picking a favorite child! I’ll go to my grave saying Led Zeppelin, but old-school Staind, Snow Patrol, Coldplay, and Mumford and Sons will always be on my playlists.

• Song Stuck In My Head: "The War” by SYML. It’s been on every MacGyver-story playlist since I started writing MacGyver fanfic.

• When I Started This Blog: Gosh. I have no idea. I’m sure it says on here somewhere. Let’s go with...2015-ish.

• Do I Get Asks: Rarely, but that’s because I stick to the shadows unless I’m posting a story. I love to answer asks, though.  

• Blogs Following: I mean, if it’s whump-centric, I follow it. Or if it’s a favorite show. Or a favorite character. Or just something that inspires me when writing. Or makes me happy. Or makes me feel I’m not alone. To date, I follow something like 500 and have like 75 followers, so.

• Amount of Sleep: Since my daughter was born, I’ve suffered from insomnia like whoa. A good night means I got 4 hours of sleep. I can go on an ugly run of 2-3 hrs/night for about a week, then crash hard for a 9-10 hour night on the weekend when the *bleeping* alarm doesn’t go off. 

• Favorite Color: Blue. Always blue.

• What I’m Wearing: Jeans, blue Converse, gray sweatshirt

• Dream Job:  Novelist, storyteller, someone who creates worlds you can climb inside to get away from real life for a little while.

• Dream Trip: Italy with my hubs. We’ve been to England, Scotland, and Ireland w/ our kiddo, so Italy is next on my dream list.

• Favorite Food: Baked chicken or grilled steak. Or any kind of sushi. I’m a carnivore, what can I say?

• Play Any Instruments: Not a chance. I do sing, though. A lot. And loudly, if you ever happen to be in the car with me.

• Languages: Speak English, but I can write some basic Gaelic (can’t speak it, though, without sounding hopelessly American).

• Favorite Songs: Right now, I’m kind of stuck on Seventeen by Welles, City of Angels (piano version) by 30STM, Waves by Dean Lewis, Blood Spilling by Rocstrong, Last Man Standing by People in Planes, and This Night by Black Lab...but, honestly? ‘Favorite’ is a pretty loose term around here.

• Random Fact: I have 6 tattoos, all of them Celtic, some of them in Gaelic.

• Describe Yourself As Aesthetic Things: Music in the background at all times, blue and gray, Cabernet, hugs, words swirling endlessly, lyrics to fit any conversation, tears for any occasion, head-back-mouth-open laugh, many silver rings, earl gray tea, INFJ

Because I don’t really know anyone here that well, I’ll cast a bit of a net...if you’ve already done this, I apologize that I didn’t see it. @thisgameissonintendo, @whumpgalore, @thethistlegirl, @bisexualstokes

[this-is-for-the-record-blog]

Pearl Jam - Riot Act - Album Review

Riot Act is the seventh record from the alternative rock band and is the first Pearl Jam record I purchased upon release in 2002. It was a few months after the albums release that I saw the band live for the first time, my first major concert. The concert was at the Irvine Medows Amphitheater, the last time the band would play the beautiful outdoor venue and is a venue that sadly was just recently torn down. Riot Act contained the bands most politically driven work and offered a very gloomy and angsty sound. After the release of Binaural the band had played the Roskilde Festival, where nine Pearl Jam fans were trampled to death and 30 others injured during the bands rainy, muddy set. This led to the band questioning continuation as a band and ultimately became the factor for why they quit playing festivals for the next 7 years. Seemed everything the band did from then on had more purpose and meaning especially when it came to social and political issues. Also, republican governor of Texas George W. Bush would be elected for president of the United States who manipulated the country into a war in the middle east after the tragic events that took place in New York on September 11 2001 and finally Dee Dee Ramone, bassis for the Ramones and Layne Staley singer of Alice in Chains and Mad Season both died in 2002 of an overdose to heroin. All of this played a role in the writing and production on Riot Act. The record would mark the first album produced by Adam Kasper, producer for Soundgarden and is also the first record with organist Boom Gasper who gets a big spotlight on the tracks “Love Boat Captain” and “I Am Mine” and was the last record with major label Epic Records.

With the band out of the spotlight completely now and many of the 90s bands disbanded the genres of new metal (Slipknot, Korn, Disturbed, System of a Down, Deftones) emo/pop punk (AFI, Green Day, Taking Back Sunday, My Chemical Romance, The Used) and post grunge (3 Doors Down, Staind, Puddle of Mudd, Seether, Creed, Nickleback) were dominating the radio. Pearl Jam didnt seem to fit the mold anywhere and nor did they want to, but after some time staying away from music videos on MTV, a silence they broke with the release of Yield in 1998, the band made a pretty big return offering 4 music videos from Riot Act that actually featured the band members and this time produced in a similar fashion as the record live raw and seemingly uncut. The videos feature the band paying the respected song live in a room and even the audio was captured in live form rather than the typical conceptual lip sync video you normally see. Pearl Jam would also partake in published interviews for the first time in 10 years with the release of this record. Some background behind the records concept, the name Riot Act comes from an English statute of 1715 which provided that if 12 or more persons assemble unlawfully and riotously, to the disturbance of the public peace, and refuse to disperse upon proclamation would be considered guilty of a felony. Being a very political record that stands against the President and the current policies, in a very tumultuous way, the records title would have likely been named after this Act, however an act that was implemented here domestically in the United States after 9/11 was the Patriot Act an Act of Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush. With its ten-letter abbreviation (USA PATRIOT) expanded, the full title is “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism”. The Act led to a lot of racial profiling and seemed to legally allow the FBI to wrongfully accuse individuals based on these racial profiles, which went against the 14th amendment in the US Constitution. The band may be calling this Act that president Bush signed as riotous or the patRIOT ACT. Either way the band is rioting in protest against the government on this record and for good reason. The records cover art was an artistic photo taken by Jeff Ament which features two skeletons wearing crowns appearing to be a king and prince. Two monarchs who lie dead smoldering in a tomb. A kingdom now just dusted ruins of what was. Based on the records themes Its safe to assume this fallen kingdom depicted had crumbled due to the greed, corruption and deception of its leadership and that tge skeletons may represent presidents Bush senior and Bush Jr.

Like the last couple records from the band each member brought songs to the table and collaboratively contributed to the writing process. The songs again here are more structured like their previous two records. Many times in the past, despite a couple records in the mid 90s, the band would redo parts over again when they feel mistakes were made in the recording of the songs or when they feel they could perform better with a second or third take, with this record many times the band would do one take and not overthink it. The record has a live soundscape and went through very little editing in the production department and written last minute and recorded in a very natural way, much like the bands No Code and Vitalogy records. If errors were made they were left in and would be apart of the final cut. Much of this record experiments with many sounds and styles like folk rock, and art rock. After the turn of the century organ and keyboards were a big instrument in music especially in the alternative rock genre. Bringing Boom Gasper into the band and incorporating him on their old songs in the live setting really opened the band to a much more dynamic sound and new styles. The guitars on the record are very textured. At times Mike McCreadys guitar tremolo effect mimics a Hammond Organ’s Leslie rotary speaker. Other times is soaked in tube driven distortion, delay and reverb. McCready and Stone Gossard really seems to be channeling guitarists Jimi Hendrix, John Fogerty,  Larry Parypa, Joe Strummer, Pete Townshend, Johnny Marr and Jimmy Page.

Riot Act opens up with “Cant Keep” a song that reminds me of Led Zeppelin’s “Poor Tom” with its rumbling drum beat and triad of guitars, slowly building with a gloomy, melodic, atmosphere like an impending storm. The song was originally written on ukulele by Eddie Vedder, but then transposed into the full band version. Many of the songs on Riot Act feature alternate tunnings like on the experimental and rhythmically unique love song “You Are” written by drummer Matt Cameron. The track features a guitar played through a drum machine giving a sound similar to The Smith’s “How Soon Is Now”, “All or None” a bittersweet, somber and folky tune and the dark and moody spoken word of “Bu$hleaguer” all feature varied tunnings. A few of the songs have a live, warm and acoustic rich ambiance to them like the tracks “I Am Mine”, “Bu$hleaguer”, “Cant Keep”, “All or None” and “Thumbing My Way” a song played by Jeff Ament on the upright bass. The track “Save You”, the fuzzy and grungy Mudhoney inspired “Ghost” and “Get Right”, and the blues stomping, bar rocking “1/2 Full” are some of the heavier tracks on the album; in fact “Save You” got so intense in the studio during the recording of the song, drummer Matt Cameron lost his headphones. He was able to finish the recording of the song by watching bassist Jeff Ament’s fingers as he played the bass. Cameron said “It was me watching Jeff’s fingers and hoping I was in time, you know? There’s a breakdown of just me and Jeff. I hit a cymbal, moved my head, and the headphones went flying.”  These songs capture a very Vitalogy era Pearl Jam while the song “Green Disease” has a drum driven pacing that reminds a bit of “Reviewmirror” from VS. and “Cropduster” is a midtempo rocker that contains a pounding tambourine and has a riff and rhythm very similar to Skid Rows “Into Another”, a band that also just so happens to have a song called “Riot Act”. Experimentation with vocals and harmony is more present this time around like on the tracks “Help Help”, and “Bu$hleaguer” as well as the track “Arc” is an experimental track that features layers of Eddies vocal harmony and is a tribute to those who died at Roskilde. Eddie’s vocals for the most part on this record are very subdued and laid back. Hes very much the mumbler hes always been but a bit more calm and centered even on the more energetic songs a sound and vocal style very similar to The Boss Bruce Springsteen especially on one of Eddie Vedders first acoustic written songs, “Thumbing My Way”.

Lyrically, much of the records messages revolve around love, loss and the struggle to stay positive after mournful events such as the September 11 attacks and the accidental death of nine fans during Pearl Jam’s performance at the 2000 Roskilde Festival, with a big emphasis on the theme of love and seeking positive leadership. The track “Love Boat Captain” a song that promotes love as an answer in a time of anger, grief and mourning and mentions those 9 fans who died when Vedder sings “Lost nine friends we’ll never know… two years ago today”. The song “Ghost” is about TV adds and their manipulative agenda and expresses how true love never fails. Vedder said “Love is one resource that the corporations aren’t going to be able to monopolize.” Empirical tracks like these as well as “Cropduster” a song about a self centered egoist, addresses the idea of Darwinism v Creationism and the optimistically determined and inner spirited waltzing “I Am Mine” were born from tragedy and in response to political angst and personal struggles. The words “We’re safe tonight” in “I Am Mine” are a reminder that the band and their audience or America in general will make it through ok, a hopeful notion in response to the Roskilde tragedy and 9/11. Also in the song Eddie writes “And the meaning it gets left behind. All the innocents lost at one time.” could refer to either Roskilde or 9/11. Eddie said “There’s been a lot of mortality…It’s a weird time to be writing. Roskilde changed the shape of us as people, and our filter for seeing the world changed.” Themes of exile, war, peace, friendship, past, greed, politics, changes and love as higher salvation, similar subjects found on their previous record Binaural but are presented with a bit more explicitness and passion here. “You start feeling like, ‘What do I have to say? What is my opinion?’ Then I realized I did have an opinion. Not only did I have one, but I felt like it was formed by processing a lot of information and having good influences.” Vedder said. Bassist Jeff Ament also added “I think the time’s right to turn our voice up a bit… And Ed did it in a great way, with humor and a mystical, magical approach. It isn’t just, ‘We’re pissed off, and fuck you! Riot! Anarchy!’ Cos I don’t think that’s the method. At least at this point.”

Many of the lyrics on Riot Act Eddie wrote last minute before recording and were written raw on a typewriter. Eddies lyrics can be seen in their typewriter form errors and all in the bands liner notes. Riot Act is Pearl Jam’s most politically direct and forward record up to its point. Its a record of protest and at times seems to attempt to change society for the better with songs like “Green Disease”, “Bu$hleaguer” and “1/2 Full,” being politically driven songs about a world lead by disconnected politicians and business men, and point out social classes, big corporate CEO business profits, the destruction of capitalism and President George W Bush’s influence on the country at the time. Vedder said, “I have to admit this record came out a bit one-sided, but I think we as a country need to understand why we’re involved in the Middle East. This hollow patriotism frightens me.” Singer Eddie Vedder said that Riot Act‘s lyrics “represent my state of mind these days. I’m optimistic yet disillusioned, hopeful yet frustrated.” “1/2 Full” reprises some lyrics and themes from their song “Porch” when Eddie sings “There’s ain’t gonna be/No middle anymore/It’s been said before.” The track “Save You” is an angry track that expresses the frustration of watching some one you care about waste their life away. The song may reflect the struggles with drug addictions that led to the fatal overdoses of Dee Dee Ramone, Layne Staley and John Entwistle in 2002. Eddie commented on the song that “One thing I’ve learned about addiction in the last few years is that having seen other folk go through it, and really not having done that, with heroin which can grip you that intensely. I didn’t have a complete understanding and a lot of times it was easy to come to the conclusion that you place blame on the person or accuse them of weakness or ask, “Why couldn’t Kurt [Cobain] keep it together?” There was always that in the back of your mind.” The song “Thumbing My Way” is a song about walking wounded with a broken heart but has hope for something positive down the road. Sometimes you hope for anything to come along and pick you up when you are down.

Finally Riot Act is one of my favorite Pearl Jam records, definitely in my top 5 and maybe from a bias stand point, but i truly think the band was very driven and inspired in a very deep way at the time even if it was being channeled from some dark places, a spark had ignited in the band. Where Eddie faced severe writers block on Binaural, Riot Act came at the perfect time when Eddie had a lot to say because he had a lot he was feeling. I love the diversity on Riot Act from experimentation to the rich folky art rock tunes to angsty moody garage rock vibe. It brings to mind an older more angry Pearl Jam. The record is like Vitalogy meets Yield. The angsty rebellion of Vitalogy meets the maturity and melodic drive of Yield. Its a record with determination for hope, love and positivity during a bleak and hopeless time. With the heavy collaboration in song writing on Riot Act, many songs were cut from the record. Songs like the Social Distortion inspired “Down”, as well as the folky Neil Young meets Phil Ochs “Last Soldier”, “Undone”, “Other Side”, and “4/20/02” a song written in tribute to Alice In Chains lead singer Layne Staley after his tragic heroin overdose. The date reflects the day Eddie Vedder had heard the news of the singers death. A spoken word song “Im Still Here” similar to “Im Open” sounds like it may have been more of the story behind Black or his recent divorce with ex wife Beth. Their cover of Sonics’ “Dont Believe In Christmas was recorded at this time too. If you like Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, The Rockfords, Soundgarden, Skin Yard, Brad, Wellwater Conspiracy, Hater, Candlebox, Three Fish, Mother Love Bone, Neil Young, Our Lady Peace, 3 Doors Down, Pete Yorn, The Doors, The Who, The Walkabouts, The Wallflowers, Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, Stone Temple Pilots, Seether, Green River, Mudhoney, Seven Mary Three, Credence Clearwater Revival, Skid Row, Electronic, Sleater Kinney, Bruce Springsteen, The Clash, Led Zeppelin, or John Lennon you will love this record. If you voted for Bush youll probably hate it. My favorite songs are “Love Boat Captain”, “I Am Mine”, “Thumbing My Way”, “You Are”, “1/2 Full”, and “All or None”.

[5sostfln]