#Myles Kennedy and Co. Review

[themusicenthusiast]

Saturday, December 8th, 2018 – Myles Kennedy and Co. Treat Fans to an Expansive Set as the Year of the Tiger Tour Rolls Through Dallas

Photos by Jordan Buford Photography 2018 has been a banner year for Myles Kennedy, who has continued to build upon the illustrious career he has had by getting back in touch with his roots. Best known as the lead vocalist of Alter Bridge and his collaborations with Slash in the form of Slash feat. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators as well as some other projects Kennedy has positioned himself as arguably one of the most respected vocalists currently in the business. However, solo artist had never really officially been added to that juggling act – despite a planned album a few years ago that was ultimately shelved. It wasn’t until earlier in the year with the release of Year of the Tiger that Kennedy finally made his foray into that territory, an undertaking that was highly praised by fans and critics alike. His tour earlier in the year was a largely sold-out endeavor, loyal fans proving how much they enjoyed Kennedy and his works as they attended concerts that saw him performing his most intimate collection of songs to date in a bare-bones fashion, just he and  a guitar. For a while it seemed as if that might be the only run supporting the album, at least until the announcement of another round of the Year of the Tiger Tour, this one performed by Myles Kennedy and Co. Enlisting the help of a couple musicians (including percussionist Zia Uddin, an old band mate from The Mayfield Four era), Kennedy planned to amp things up significantly from his previous tour, providing everyone with a different experience from what they had previously gotten; and the fact that this outing was taking place in more sizable venues meant everyone who wanted the opportunity to see it would have the chance. The Dallas show on this Saturday night was taking place at Canton Hall, a mid-size venue that boasts around a thousand person capacity and was pretty full even before the lone opening act, Walking Papers, took the stage. The Seattle-based outfit made quite the impression on the spectators, their blues inspired brand of rock ‘n’ roll piquing everyone’s interest and they left having won over plenty of new fans in North Texas. There was no doubt about who everyone was there for, though. Many concertgoers sported Alter Bridge shirts, some even already having picked up a Year of the Tiger tour shirt, and all were anxiously waiting for the time that Kennedy and company would take the stage. By the time that happened the place was roughly three-quarters of the way full. The setup was a unique one for Kennedy, a stand with the sheet music placed directly to the left of the center microphone highlighting how out of his element these shows put him. It was used only for reference and even that appeared to be just occasionally, though it was clear many of these songs weren’t second nature to him like those of his longer running projects. Flanked by a bass player and Uddin, the trio hit the stage at 9:16 and promptly set to work on the 80-minute long set that they had planned.

The power trio made quick work of the first handful of songs, the format being more in line with what’s heard on Year of the Tiger, yet they still sounded different in a way. What Kennedy and everyone else accomplished in the studio with that is a remarkable blend of singer-songwriter and rock ‘n’ roll, with a host of other influences seeping in to the tracks as well. Something that is rather bare-bones but still packs a punch. Live, they were supercharged as the delicate nature and in-your-face approach collided with one another, yielding something that was heartfelt and sentimental but also energetic and commanding. “Devil on the Wall” demonstrated that well as it kicked things off. One of the most candid tracks on the album, it at first fit with the searching that it depicts (perhaps best summed up by the final line of the first verse, “…If there is a God, why did he take my father’s soul?”) before exploding into a massive rock number that affirmed that they meant business. Kennedy was as masterful as ever as he launched into the sizzling solo, earning some excited cheers as fans got a solid idea of the wide-ranging set that they were in for.

“Ghost of Shangri La” further proved that, specifically due to the intro it was given, Kennedy reaching for a slide before initiating it. By doing so Kennedy was able to showcase a side of his that’s seldom seen, his prowess as a guitarist growing even more impressive; and what resulted was undeniably country thanks to the twangy sound, yet it was also fused with a compelling mix of blues and soul, subtle as it may have been. It was absolutely gorgeous, that blend sounding more prominent than how it comes across on the recording, adding a new layer of depth to the highly emotional track. Afterwards, the more laid-back demeanor of this set became apparent. Don’t misinterpret that, the trio gave it their all, constantly, however, Kennedy did engage and banter with the onlookers more than is usually seen with his other projects, seeming to relish the more intimate setting. “Give it up…” he began, getting no further before fanfare filled Canton Hall. “Not yet,” he said with smile and chuckling at the strong reaction. It was Walking Papers he was asking everyone to make some noise for; and he chatted a little more with everyone as his band mates disappeared from sight.

Anything that was a cover from his other projects was done solo and acoustic; Kennedy treating the fans to a rendition of Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators’ “Standing in the Sun”. His stripped-down, more tender rendition placed the emphasis squarely on the lyrics, presenting the song in a new light. One of the best songs of the night was “Haunted by Design”. It received a total makeover from what is found on Year of the Tiger, the twangy tones ever present, though it was electrified considerably. “Come on,” Kennedy requested as they hit the bridge, proceeding to clap his hands, successfully getting the bulk of the crowd to join along. It was in the final minutes that the three of them let loose, the track concluding with a soaring guitar solo that was nothing short of epic. “How you guys holding up?! Is everybody good?!” Kennedy asked afterwards as he checked in on everyone, genuinely hoping everyone was enjoying what they were hearing. The cheers that answered his question clearly expressed they were.

Another special moment came when Uddin left his kit, but settled in at the forefront of the stage with a smaller percussive instrument in hand. The drummer remarked how awesome that Deep Ellum was, saying he loved that area of Dallas. That affinity quickly shifted to his band mates, whom he said surprised him by flying his son in from Argentina so he could spend some time with him and see the show. “We go way back. Decades; when dinosaurs roamed,” Kennedy quipped, mentioning The Mayfield Four. The pair briefly revisited those days with a more restrained version of “Eden (Turn the Page)”. For the audience it was just fun to hear something from Kennedy’s past, while he and Uddin reveled in that fleeting nostalgia, savoring those few minutes where it was just them reconnecting with something they had created together. That was the first in a string of covers, which included the lone song of the night that Kennedy had no hand in writing. Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” brought things back up several notches, the three-piece outfit pulling off that classic heavy metal sound quite well before things were toned back down for some Alter Bridge.

“Watch Over You” was almost expected. At the very least the balled-esque number fit with this format, and it allowed for a quintessential concert moment when Kennedy turned the final chorus over to the audience. “And who is gonna save you when I'm gone? And who'll watch over you when I'm gone?” Their collective voice was loud enough that it was audible; that entire piece being gorgeous beyond words. However, what was really unexpected was the inclusion of “Addicted to Pain”. That former song definitely translates into an acoustic setting. But “Addicted to Pain”, one of the most ferocious tracks in Alter Bridge’s arsenal, not so much. Yet there stood Kennedy performing the song all by himself, portraying another song in a different light as he adjusted the tempo accordingly, and it was stunning. Much of what was left drew from Year of the Tiger – the album being played nearly in its entirety. That included a rousing rendition of “Turning Stones”, which ended by conveying an overwhelmingly triumphant feeling; while the catchy title track of the record ultimately wrapped up the performance. As they hit the interlude Kennedy strolled up towards the edge of the stage, taking it all in as he surveyed the audience, extending one last thank you once it was all said and done and even throwing out a couple of picks to some people. The musicians weren’t gone but a minute or two before returning, answering the chant for an encore that had begun to build.

The most emotionally powerful songs of the night had been saved for last, “Mother” being a blistering number, the passion it exuded meant to portray that the matriarch of a family embodies and the selfless actions they often take. The 10-minute long encore then finished with the longest song from Year of the Tiger, “Love Can Only Heal” offering an inspiring message to patrons. The title says it all, the song practically imploring anyone who might need to hear it to not shut others out, that love is imperative; Kennedy putting every fiber of his being into that one, the sentiment resonating strongly with him and he was more impassioned than he had been all night as they finished what had been a spectacular night. Any fan of Myles Kennedy needs to see one of these shows. In some respects, it took the acclaimed singer and guitarist out of his element. The songs he penned for Year of the Tiger are his most diverse yet, and that was best appreciated in the live environment, where the intricacies are most noticeable. Sure, many of the songs do still possess that rock flare that is frequently associated with Kennedy; and his signature belting – which constantly sounds epic – is a hallmark of these tracks as well, but beyond that there’s so much more depth to them. He approached this solo venture the right way, choosing to explore a new path, his artistry benefitting from the unique material he crafted, standing out from his other projects.

Sonically, the music is utterly compelling, every single track providing something different. The twangy sounding songs may sound out of character but they’re not out of place, instead allowing Kennedy to break out of the mold most see him in and showcase the versatility he’s capable of. That was thoroughly on display this night as he and his band mates tweaked some of this original material, fleshing it out so that it worked even better for the live setting, or the different reinterpretations that Kennedy had prepared for some of the more well-known songs from his career. In the end all of that worked to make him even more impressive, the patrons seeming to be more enamored with Kennedy than they were when they stepped in to Canton Hall this night. Indeed, everyone stuck around until the end, remaining steadfast even as Myles Kennedy and Co. took a gracious final bow, wild cheering and applause letting them know how they had done and ushering the musicians off the stage. It was something special. Something that got more to the core of who Kennedy is as a person; and along with that insight was a legitimate, enthralling show. This leg of the Year of the Tiger tour is nearly over, with dates in Helena, MT, Spokane, WA and Seattle WA on December 13th, 14th and 16th, respectively, being all that’s left. More info on those events can be found HERE. Make a point to see one if you’re in the area, as you’ll be glad you did. And for anyone who doesn’t yet have Year of the Tiger, preview or purchase it in iTUNES or GOOGLE PLAY. Set List: Full Band 1) “Devil on the Wall” 2) “The Great Beyond” 3) “Ghost of Shangri La” Solo 4) “Standing in the Sun” (Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators cover) Full Band 5) “Blind Faith” 6) “Haunted by Design” 7) “Nothing but a Name” Duo 8) “Eden (Turn the Page)” (The Mayfield Four cover) Full Band 9) “The Trooper” (Iron Maiden cover) Solo 10) “Watch Over You” (Alter Bridge cover) 11) “Addicted To Pain” (Alter Bridge cover) Full Band 12) “Turning Stones” Solo 13) “World On Fire” Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators cover) Full Band 14) “One Fine Day” 15) “Year of the Tiger” Encore 16) “Mother” 17) “Love Can Only Heal”

[popentertainmentmusic]

HALLELUJAH: LEONARD COHEN, A JOURNEY, A SONG (2022)

Featuring Brandi Carlile, Eric Church, Judy Collins, Sharon Robinson, Regina Spektor, Rufus Wainwright, Nancy Bacal, Steve Berkowitz, Adrienne Clarkson, Clive Davis, Shayne Doyle, Susan Feldman, Rabbi Mordecai Finley, Glen Hansard, Dominique Issermann, Vicky Jenson, Myles Kennedy, John Lissauer, Janine Dreyer Nichols, Amanda Palmer, Larry 'Ratso' Sloman, Joan Wasser, Hal Willner and archival footage of Leonard Cohen, John Cale, Bob Dylan and Jeff Buckley.

Directed by Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine.

Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics. 115 minutes. Rated PG-13.

“It was [the] trajectory that made me interested in exploring the song. I cannot think of another song that had a comparable experience. Anything that's up in that altitude, songs like ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ or ‘Imagine,’ people got right away that those were important songs. They were big hits. Obviously, their meaning changed over time, but there was this huge splash and then everybody was aware of them. ‘Hallelujah,’ when Leonard turned in the album the song was on, his label rejected it. Columbia didn't put the album out. Then when it came out on an indie label a little later, nobody noticed the song. The review in Rolling Stone was a nice review, but it didn't mention ‘Hallelujah.’ So this song starts not just under the radar, but way off the radar. No one knew it was there. It's the fact that it [appeared] slowly but surely. It was never a hit. It was never one thing where everybody discovers this song. It was a gradual build of momentum that kind of snowballed, in fact, from different covers and different versions and different uses.”

This was the explanation that music journalist Alan Light gave me in 2013 when we were discussing his then-new book The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley & the Unlikely Ascent of "Hallelujah," which was an in-depth examination of the slow rise of the song to iconic status.

The new documentary Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song was inspired by that book (Light is one of the producers of the film as well as one of the consultants about the subject), although it takes a slightly different tack than the tome. Light made a point to make the narrative about the strange journey of the song, not spending more than a chapter or two of its time specifically on the creator. (“The book could have gotten too top-heavy as a Leonard and Jeff [Buckley] co-biography,” Light explained to me at the time.)

While the film does explore the strange path that the song took to becoming a musical standard, the film is more of a straight biography of singer-songwriter Cohen which periodically swerves into different directions about other uses of the tune.

And you know what? That’s okay. Leonard Cohen’s life is endlessly fascinating. I’m all in, either way.

Which is not to say that there is not enough just in the one song. “Hallelujah” was an ongoing work in progress for years, with the songwriter tinkering with the lyrics long after he had originally recorded the song. In fact, he supposedly had written 180-some verses of the song over the years.

It seeped into the public consciousness slowly. First off, Bob Dylan took to occasionally covering the song in concert. Then former Velvet Underground member John Cale did a reworked version on a Leonard Cohen tribute album. It was that version that led to the recording which may have opened the floodgates – singer Jeff Buckley’s recording of the song on his debut album Grace was based on Cale’s version, he had never heard the Cohen original.

Since then, the song has been used in multiple different ways. Anytime there is a huge celebration someone sings it. Anytime there is a great tragedy, someone sings it. It has been used at sporting events, at weddings, at funerals. It is a staple on TV music reality competition shows. It has been recorded in dozens of holiday albums – even though other than the title and some religious imagery there is nothing even the least bit “Christmas-y” about it. It was even used in Shrek.

While it is undoubtedly Leonard Cohen’s best-known song, it is not necessarily Leonard Cohen’s best song. (And this is coming from someone who loves the song.) Therefore, the film Hallelujah does the public service of opening up significantly more of Cohen’s body of work to fans who may know only the one song.

It also gives us a fascinating ride-along on the very unusual pathway of Cohen’s career. He started as a poet and acclaimed novelist who didn’t even start in music until his 30s, at which point he was probably a little old, a little rich, and a little well-dressed for the hippy summer of love lifestyle he was entering. Still, Cohen was an unusually thoughtful and philosophical man with a sterling sense of language, a man who was able to sustain a career for over 40 years without once having a real hit single.

He was the type of man who would put his life on hold for six years just to take a spiritual retreat at a Buddhist monastery. He was a man who lived in the same home for decades, even when he could afford to move someplace much nicer. He was the kind of man who was so unworried about the material that he didn’t even notice that his manager had stolen all of his money. And he was the kind of man who when that happened, he just hit the road for the first time in decades, touring for years and not only making back all the money he lost, but also revitalizing his career to the point that when he died in 2016, he was probably more respected as an artist than he ever had been.

“Hallelujah” was a big part of the story, but it was not the whole thing. The movie Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song tells even more of that story. After all, as the guy himself said in his song “Anthem,” “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” The world is a better place because this movie is letting in the light.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2022 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: July 1, 2022.

[ghostcultmagazine]

Check out our weekly news show! We cover the major stories of the week in heavy music, rock, and metal news, and what the most important bands are doing in streaming, new albums released, and a look at our mailbag, and more! Written, co-produced, and hosted by our Chief Editor Keefy: (https://ift.tt/2LlAx1W). Shot, edited and co-produced by Omar Cordy of OJC Photography (https://www.instagram.com/ojcpics​​). NMF narration by Scott Sommer (https://ift.tt/3uOPzT0). Theme song by Salted Wounds (https://www.instagram.com/saltedwoundsnyc​). Fight riff by Fahad Syed (https://www.instagram.com/fahanzi​​). #getvaccinated #wearyourmask #ripjackterricloch Sign up for our weekly email newsletter! No spam ever! https://ift.tt/3tqBMkh #musicnews #rocknews #metalnews #interviews #newmusicfriday Interviews with Per Wiberg, Skye of Sumo Cyco, Ol Drake of Evile, Myles Kennedy, 5 Minute Reviews: Rob Halford Book review, Tool's Lateralus turns 20 years old, RIP Jack Terricloth, Wolrd Inferno - Friendship Society, Irving Plaza reopens soon, Motley Crue - The stadium Tour update, Faith No More European Tour, Riot Fest, Louder Than Life, Full Terror Assault Fest, Metal in The Mountains, Bottle Rock Napa with Guns N Roses, new fear Factory song, Blackberry Smoke, Corey Taylor - Slipknot - Stone Sour, Iron Maiden + Brewdog - Hellcat Beer, Machine Head new single preview, 7seconds classic album reissue, Nightwish wins an award in Finland, US Air Guitar Eastern Finals, Rings of Saturn loses their singer, Atreyu's funny new video, Lindsay Schoolcraft launches a Patreon community, Happy Birthday Trent Reznor, Black Emoji, Queensryche2021 - Scott Rockenfeld news, Magnetic Eye/Blues Funeral Records Day of Doom live stream, Overt Enemy merch drop and more! 0:00​ Intro 0:25 ICYMI - Features This week 1:31 The News Rundown 10:22 Who Rules At Streaming 10:44 New Music Friday 13:23 Mailbag - Overt Enemy merch drop 14:00 Outro Gear we use: Set up A: Sony A7 III - https://amzn.to/3tQm422 Tamron 17-28 - https://amzn.to/3ePrlTd Tamron 28-75 - https://amzn.to/3fqCjgY Desview Mavo-P5 Monitor- https://amzn.to/33LlTub Manfrotto Befree Travel Tripod - https://amzn.to/3hxbL0e Set up B: Canon 80D - https://amzn.to/3ye8WqV Sigma MC-11 - https://amzn.to/3brZdU2 Sigma 18-35 - https://amzn.to/3tLlEd7 Tokina 11-16 - https://amzn.to/3bty9Uk Feelworld T7 Monitor - https://amzn.to/2Re9hta Audio: Sound Devices MixPre-3 - https://amzn.to/3tKkJd2 Gearlux XLR Mic Cable - 3 Pack - https://amzn.to/3w3zN6Y Deity D3 Microphone - https://amzn.to/3tRa6W2 Fifine Usb Mic - https://amzn.to/3w8JHEG Lighting: YONGNUO YN600L - https://amzn.to/2QkNrn5 YONGNUO YN300 Air - https://amzn.to/2QjN5gu Dfuse Softbox - https://amzn.to/3uQq4AN Aputure MC - https://amzn.to/3oirFgx NanLite PavoTube II 6C - http://bit.ly/NanLitePavoTubeII Lightstands - https://amzn.to/3uSBl3x 5 in 1 Reflector - https://amzn.to/33KHdjo And our iconic Rope Light https://amzn.to/3ycdmyz For the full list of Ghost Cult gear: http://bit.ly/OJCPicsKit by Ghost Cult Magazine

[rockrevoltmagazine]

LIVE REVIEW: ALTER BRIDGE, SKILLET AND DIRTY HONEY

Preceding the release of their sixth studio album, Walk The Sky, Alter Bridge has hit the road along with co-headliners Skillet and freshman rockers Dirty Honey.  This evening would see them take the stage at NYC’s Time Square PlayStation Theater.  With over 2,000 in attendance the Big Apple crowd would be in a for a great evening of rock.

Hitting the stage first would be LA natives Dirty Honey.  Prior to the show I gave a listen to their hit single “When I’m Gone” and took a liken to them right away.  Their unique sound reminds me a bit of Led Zeppelin meets 80’s metallers Tesla, but not quite.  I can’t quite pinpoint it but that’s what makes Dirty Honey stand out, a familiar sound but unique.  And their stage presence added to the aura with bassist Justin Smolian’s long curly locks leading the way almost reminiscent of ex-Faith No More guitarist Jim Martin.  Marc LaBelle would provide a swagger with just the right amount of attitude with John Notto (guitar) and Corey Coverstone (drums) rounding things out.  This show turned me into an instant fan and the packed crowd seemed to agree.  I highly recommend checking out their self-titled debut release.  And if you’re hitting up this tour get there early for these guys you will not be disappointed.

Next up on the bill were co-headliners Skillet.  The two decade plus veterans were the highlight of the evening in regard to stage show.  Lead vocalist John Cooper, rhythm guitarist Korey Cooper, drummer Jen Ledger and lead guitarist Seth Morrison kicked the energy up a notch with their blistering set.  Now I never really gave Skillet a good listen but after this performance I can tell you I’ve been missing out.  I never realized just how heavy this band is.  And the energy they brought to the stage was second to none.  Just a fantastic stage show complete with platforms for Korey and Seth that would rise and drop similar to what you’d see at a Kiss show.  And then there’s the concoction that John was set up with attached to his arms spewing out foam.  Extremely impressive performance for the packed house. 

Rounding out the evening would be Alter Bridge.  Formed from the ashes of multi-platinum superstars Creed, Alter Bridge is the brainchild of lead guitarist Mark Tremonti.  Along with former Creed members Brian Marshall (bass guitar) and Scott Phillips (drums), Tremonti set out for a fresh start.  Although proud of his Creed days it was time to take the next step in his musical maturation.  The difference came in the form of Myles Kennedy.

Having toured with Kennedy’s previous band, The Mayfield Four, during their Creed days Kennedy has not only brought in a much different vocal style with a much higher octave than Scott Stapp (Creed vocalist), he is also an incredible guitarist and has an innate ability to write, all major pieces no prevalent with their previous frontman experience.

Continuing the trend of doing things different Alter Bridge would tour the European market intensively from day one and it would pay off.  These days you’ll find Alter Bridge playing to sold-out crowds across the continent with the U.K. market being especially kind to them where they play to packed arenas including London’s Wembley.  Alter Bridge have also found themselves as the main support act at legendary Donington Castle’s Download Festival, entertaining nearly 100,000 concertgoers.  After nearly a decade and a half the U.S. is finally starting to take notice where they are headlining 2,000 plus seat theaters. 

As Alter Bridge took to the stage at New York City’s PlayStation Theater there would be no major production here, no laser show or 30 foot flames, instead the quartet would provide all that was needed with their raw intensity lead by Kennedy and Tremonti.  The quartet would open the set with a monster off their soon to be released sixth studio album Walk The Sky, “Wouldn’t You Rather.” This would get the attention of the capacity crowd quickly.

The ferocity would continue with “Isolation” off their critically acclaimed third record AB III.  This would be one of several anthems in the set that would see major crowd participation.  Throughout the evening there would be many moments like this on tracks such as “Addicted to Pain,” “Metalingus” and their seminal hit “Blackbird.”

These days no Alter Bridge show would be complete without lead guitarist Mark Tremonti taking the helm on lead vocals for “Waters Rising” from their masterpiece Fortress.  For those not familiar Tremonti is a great frontman in his own right as he handles lead vocals for his other band simply going by the moniker Tremonti.  With four great metal albums released and more to come he has become one of the genre’s strongest frontmen. 

Tying off the 13 song setlist would be a number off of their debut record One Day Remains, “Open Your Eyes.”  You see to really get the Alter Bridge experience you need to see them live.  Not only are they one of today’s premier groups, they are also one of the sincerest group of guys taking the stage today.  You not only get the sense that they give a shit about their fans you know they do.  Whether it’s the pre-and post-show interaction with the fans or how they connect with you while on stage by making eye contact or throwing a grin your way.  They remember the fans that have shown up at different venues.  It’s not only the amazing music they create, it’s their loyalty to their fans.  This has created a well-deserved allegiance that continues to grow. 

Be sure to check out the Alter Bridge/Skillet/Dirty Honey tour when it makes its way through your area.  Also be sure to pre-order a copy of Alter Bridge’s forthcoming album Walk The Sky out October 18th. 

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LIVE REVIEW: ALTER BRIDGE, SKILLET AND DIRTY HONEY was originally published on RockRevolt Mag

[fluentlanguage]

#clearthelist July 2019: My Chinese and Welsh Progress After a Break

“Inelegantly, and without my consent, time passed.” - Miranda July

Welcome to Clear the List, my monthly language learning goals update. Yep, that time again already!

Clear the List is a round-up hosted by my friends Lindsay Williams and Shannon Kennedy, and if you’re interested in joining then don’t hesitate to check out the Clear the List linkup for #clearthelist, hosted by Lindsay Williams and Shannon Kennedy.

Let’s go!

What Happened in June 2019?

The biggest event in my June 2019 was the Fluent German Retreat, my immersion holiday for German learners.

We studied in the mornings and had fun outings in the afternoons, like a local apple farm where the owner himself showed us around. In Hamburg, we spent time in the Kunsthalle, the city’s amazing art museum which houses one of my favourite paintings: “Wanderer above a sea of fog”.

There were sea shanties and container ships, city guides in traditional dress, and not lastly delicious home-cooked meals from my retreat co-host Therese.

If you want more information about my retreats and perhaps come along on the next one, click here to join the retreat newsletter.

I also attended my first unconference in June, where conference attendees can turn up and decide to give a talk about anything. Have you been to one of these before?

New for Online Teachers

This month I also got to launch a fabulous new set of workshops for online teachers. These are open for enrolment until 7 July, and they will show ambitious online teachers how to improve the way they do business.

I’m teaching these with Lindsay Williams, my business friend and podcast buddy. Together we’re going to teach you about the best marketing tips and product strategies.

Get more details about this programme here

The Fluent Show

My favourite podcast experience of the month is definitely the afternoon I got to spend recording 4 podcasts about online teaching with Lindsay Williams. We’re friends and we chat, but we’d never chatted about the different aspects of our businesses in this way.

It also got personal and I shared my own story of creating this website and business out of my experience with depression.

If you are at all interested in online teaching and marketing, you’ll love this conversation.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

Language Goals and Progress

We are like 300 words into this article and finally it’s time to check in on my LANGUAGE goals. As you can see I’ve been engaged in lots of projects, so let’s have an honest look about whether I fitted any language learning into all this.

The German retreat took about 10 study days out of my month, but happily I returned more motivated than ever.

Is there anything better than returning from a break, eager to progress through your routine?

Chinese Core Skills

Listening and Reading

I only really listen to Mandarin Chinese when I take lessons or use Lingq, so let’s look at these two goals together.

I created 45 new Lingqs, reading a total of 350 words. In my lessons and books, I also progressed a few pages here and there, so I’ll repeat my favourite language learning mantra:

You can never learn backwards.

In other reading news, I was able to pick out 3 characters from the writing on a Sriracha bottle. It’s the little things…

Speaking

I had hoped to take 3 italki lessons, but today it’s the 30th and again I only managed one. However, during that one class the compliments were flying my way as my Mandarin teacher said I was a very quick and careful learner.

Writing

I wrote 2 pages and practiced a few more Chinese characters.

Welsh Core Skills

Felt like Welsh was a great one this month as I naturally want it in my life now, no big motivation necessary. I found that S4C’s app works on our Amazon Fire stick, so now I can finally watch the popular show Un Bore Mercher with Eve Myles.

You can watch this with me if you are in the UK, because it was actually filmed in Welsh AND English and is available in English as Keeping Faith

And the best thing I found: SUBTITLES IN WELSH!! Amazing!! You can’t get these through my usual streaming service, so I’m just delighted.

For reading and writing practice, I kept my Welsh Instagram account going (@kersydysgu, dilynwch fi os eisiau!) and had the usual text exchanges with friends. And I had a lovely language exchange with Gareth Popkins.

Language Goals for July 2019

My next few months all look like they will feature quite a bit of travel and work, so one thing’s for sure: 2019 is not going to be the “summer of language study”. But here’s what I’m aiming for in July 2019.

Listening

I have good things going here with Welsh on the radio, podcasts, and TV. In addition, Lingq recorded dialogues are a great resource of Mandarin at my level. So it’s all good and I just need to crack on.

Reading

In Welsh, I’m actually finding myself quite eager to start my next book which will be Ffenestri by Lois Arnold.

In Chinese, I’m ALSO eager to read as I’m loving the Lingq app. Let’s see if I can build more Lingqs than in June.

Speaking

Aiming for at least 2 italki lessons in Mandarin Chinese, and let’s see if I can’t find someone to speak more Welsh to. If all else fails, I’ll record myself speaking some Welsh over on Instagram.

Writing

Unclear on the goals at the moment, but I do get the feeling that my Chinese level is now calling for some vocabulary lists. I like writing vocabulary lists rather than making flashcards, as they allow me to focus and review without a screen. So let’s see if I can’t fill 2 pages with 20-40 Mandarin expressions and words.

Not sure if I should keep it pin-yin here or go with the full character set? What do you think?

On Studying 2 Languages

Studying both Chinese and Welsh at the same time is not bothering me massively. I don’t have the big goals of reaching any levels at set points, and for this month the relaxed feel fits both languages well.

I’d love to hear from you. Which languages are you studying? Are you happy with your language choices at the moment?

Leave a comment below, or why not join clearthelist as well and post your own update on your blog. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

[happymetalgeek]

Festival season has arrived! Belsonic kicks off once again in full force with the arrival of none other than one Mr Saul Hudson and friends for a night of debauchery on the Island of Ireland, pity they didn’t bring the weather.

Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators are tonight’s headliners on Belsonic’s opening night of 2019, Blackberry Smoke bring their southern charm and two local Rockers in No Hot Ashes and The SCREAMING EAGLES warm up proceedings before all holy hell breaks loose come 8:45pm.

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

An early kick off at 5pm, yes 5pm! Means chaos for some, fighting against the teatime traffic for many, crappy weather influx of human beings in one area and an already busy area means a modest enough crowd for tonight’s openers The Screaming Eagles, a bitchin’ band with a swagger and a style to get this party started! Slamming riffs and big hooks are the name of the game where these guys are concerned, riffage and anthemic tuneage make for a very tasty start to the night indeed, a modest crowd it may be but they make enough noise to show these local lads some deserved love and appreciation, the guys are in fine form knocking new and old tracks outta the park. A short and sweet set it may be but they have grabbed the attention of each and everyone here and made their mark amongst a quality line-up.

  Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

6pm sharp and NO HOT ASHES ring out across the grounds of Ormeau Park, back again playing to a local audience these guys are a quality act with years of experience all coming together to form a well oiled machine! Signed to Frontiers and having dropped a long awaited debut album these guys have a hefty back catalogue that they can pull on, as the people start streaming into the grounds a more sizeable crowd has amassed to lift things to the next level, just as well as NHA have a collection of banging tracks with wailing guitars and serious hooks to grab the attention of those down below.

  Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Yet another short break and quick turnaround for Southern rockers BLACKBERRY SMOKE take the stage at 7pm on a damp night in Belfast, back after their highly successful visit only last year selling out the Telegraph building the guys find themselves on a gargantuan stage with an appreciative audience in waiting. With an easy in the ear style and fluid melodic music, their set just flows across a wet Ormeau Park with the Irish crowd lapping it up! The guys ooze class and quality from the off and with a southern charm and bluesy licks they have the Belfast crowd eating out of the palms of their hands. A fine musical display makes a cold damp night in Northern Ireland feel like a warm southern breeze in Atlanta Georgia. It’s hard to not to fall in love with a band like BBS live, give in, let go, and let the guys take you on a sonic journey like no other. Mixing it up they guys throw in a few Irish ditties to play to the locals from The Pogues and the likes and the odd Classic Rock cover to make sure everyone was paying attention. A first class quality set from a first class band.

  Time to catch out breath as a short break between Blackberry Smoke and our main headliner gave us time to take stock and appreciate the sea of people who have now gathered at Belsonic’s opener for 2019. Regardless of the weather Belfast has delivered and a cacophony of raincoats, poncho’s and Buffon’s, very, very wet Buffon’s as far as the eye can see. These events though for many are more than just about the music, it’s a community getting together once again to celebrate artists whom we have grown up with like the hardcore support for The Screaming Eagles and No Hot Ashes, to the long time aficionados of Blackberry Smoke and the kids whom Slash was god when they were 19, now in their 40’s still showing their love and appreciation for a lifetime and legacy left for all to see. It’s a party atmosphere regardless of the weather, and Belfast knows how to party.

  Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.comPhoto by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Photo by Darren McVeigh https://metalplanetmusic.com

Right on Q, the crowd roars as SLASH AND MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS hit the stage, in his signature Top Hat and leathers, Les Paul in hand Belsonic erupts once again. Myles adorned in a green leather biker jacket will no doubt keep the ladies happy once again, as more than a few had commented they were looking forward to catching an eyeful again. #hedoeshavefeelingsyouknow The guys energy level is through the roof, especially off the back of a laid back Southern swagger from Blackberry Smoke, Slash and Co, are a very different affair and the crowd love it! With four solo albums now under his belt, work with Velvet Revolver and of course that little known band Guns ‘N’ Roses there is no shortage of material to pull on for the guys, and regardless of whether it’s a track off their first self-titled album of their latest Living The Dream Belfast is in fine voice warbling along.

For many just catching a glimpse of the man live is worth the ticket price alone, those guitar licks and signature sound has an army of six-string slingers in tow wherever he goes and he has inspired more than a few to follow in his footsteps, as they rip through their set air guitars can be seen held high in homage to the great man himself. Myles vocals as always are on point and with a solid backing band Slash Feat Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators make a formidable proposition live, the band have a killer sound and live it’s even stronger, you get that in your face impact of the combo of Slashes gnarly riffs and Kennedy’s vocals and it has Ormeau Park bouncing.

A banging night for the first of many for Belsonic 2019, the chance for many to capture one of Rock’s legends in the flesh and he doesn’t disappoint. It may have rained from gates opening to gates closing, but it never dampened the spirits of the Northern Irish crowd, determined, relentless and some may say crazy? But we gave everything back to those guys on stage and more. Safe trip ladies, we’ll see you again soon.

Review by : Mark McGrogan, Editor – Rock ‘N’ Load Mag

Photography by Darren McVeigh, Metal Planet Music

GIG REVIEW: @Slash ‏Hits @belsonicbelfast with @blackberrysmoke @NHAReunion And @screagle83 Photos by @MetalPlanet72 Review by @FlashArtMark @rocknloadmag Festival season has arrived! Belsonic kicks off once again in full force with the arrival of none other than one Mr Saul Hudson and friends for a night of debauchery on the Island of Ireland, pity they didn’t bring the weather.

[antiheromag]

Concert Review and Photos: MYLES KENNEDY & Co. in Kansas City

Concert Review and Photos: MYLES KENNEDY & Co. in Kansas City

While on tour supporting his recently released solo album, “Year of The Tiger”, Myles Kennedy & Co. stopped in Kansas City’s VooDoo Lounge for an evening of music that took the audience on a journey through the varied landscape of his career. Starting the set off with four in a row from Year of The Tiger, with “Devil on the Wall”, “The Great Beyond”, “Ghost of Shangri La”, and “Haunted by…

[junker-town]

Georgia Southern football lost itself in 2016 under another outsider head coach

Tyson Summers has a second chance to prove he can win, Statesboro-style.

This preview originally published February 15 and has since been updated.

“I’m gonna say it one more time. We're Georgia Southern. Our colors are blue and white. We call ourselves the Bald Eagles. We call our offense the Georgia Power Company — that is a terrific name for an offense — and our snap count is ‘Rate Hike.’ We practice on the banks of Beautiful Eagle Creek, and that's in Statesboro, Georgia, the gnat capital of America. Our weekends begin on Thursday. The coeds outnumber the men three to two. They are all good-lookin', and they are all rich. And folks, you can't beat that, and you just can't beat Georgia Southern. And you ain't seen nothin' yet."

Georgia Southern’s spirit animal is a man named Erk. He runs the option on offense and takes your head off on defense.

When the school decided it wanted to play football, Erk Russell almost immediately led the Eagles to two I-AA national titles. He picked up the town of Statesboro, called it the most beautiful place he’d ever seen, and loved it like a father. His shadow might hang more fully over the Georgia Southern program than any other coach’s anywhere. And that’s quite the statement.

Erk’s influence over Georgia Southern is such that fans cannot imagine running anything other than the clean, beautiful option. And when a coach tries to change — or when he doesn’t love the option enough — the Eagles fail. It has become self-fulfilling.

Technically, Summers didn’t try to ditch the option when he took over. But he didn’t love it enough. And God could tell.

Summers is a defensive guy. He's not married to any offensive system, and that made people nervous. He's made some reassurances.

"For those of you wanting to ask, we are going to look (offensively) the way we look now," he said. "It'll be the gun option ... the gun, triple-option. What we've got to do is be able to throw the ball."

Still, his coordinator hires were interesting. Summers brought in two locals — former Valdosta State head coach David Dean and former Valdosta high school coach Rance Gillespie — as co-coordinators. Gillespie was Chris Hatcher's offensive coordinator at GS from 2007-09, when he helped unsuccessfully shift from running 75 percent of the time in 2007 to throwing 54 percent of the time in 2009. Meanwhile, at Valdosta State last year, Dean's squad ran just 53 percent of the time.

Last year’s Georgia Southern preview had two major points:

Southern hired a non-option guy as head coach. He promised to keep the option rolling, but his coordinator hires were a bit odd.

The middle of the schedule was brutal, featuring road trips to Western Michigan, Arkansas State, Georgia Tech, and Ole Miss, and a home game against Appalachian State. Those games would define the year.

I was still optimistic, but it was easy to see how things might go wrong based on those two points. They did.

The offensive regression was even worse than imaginable. Southern fell from 40th to 101st in Off. S&P+, and despite the return of two strong option quarterbacks (Kevin Ellison, Favian Upshaw) and star running back Matt Breida, the Eagles fell from ninth in Rushing S&P+ to a stunning 117th.

Southern's identity remained the same in terms of tendencies — the Eagles ran 78 percent of the time on standard downs (sixth in FBS) and 52 percent on passing downs (seventh) — but the confidence was gone.

Technically, Southern got better at throwing the ball, improving from 76th to 61st in Passing S&P+. But what has made Southern so terrifying in years past was sporadic at best. You can’t fake the option.

2016 in review

2016 Georgia Southern statistical profile.

Meanwhile, that five-game gauntlet indeed defined the season.

Western Michigan 49, Georgia Southern 31

Arkansas State 27, Georgia Southern 26

Georgia Tech 35, Georgia Southern 24

Appalachian State 34, Georgia Southern 10

Ole Miss 37, Georgia Southern 27

The Eagles were reasonably competitive but still went 0-5. That required them to go 6-1 in the other games to find bowl eligibility. Instead, they lost at home to UL-Lafayette, then lost for a second straight year to Georgia State.

It's hard to imagine 2016 going much worse for Summers. Not only was Southern's win total nearly cut in half, but he VanGorder'd the offense.

In theory, you can win in Statesboro without running the option. You can win doing whatever you like. But Southern fans know what they like and know what works. They know because Erk showed them. You might not get a second chance to prove yourself if you fail while hinting at a change in identity. VanGorder didn't. Summers just barely did.

Offense

Full advanced stats glossary.

It probably goes without saying that Gillespie and Dean are no longer Georgia Southern's coordinators.

Summers did his best to show his loyalty to King Option by bringing in a Paul Johnson disciple. Johnson was Erk's coordinator for the 1985-86 title teams and led the Eagles to two more titles as head coach. He's spent the last nine seasons at Georgia Tech and has won nine-plus games four times. Summers brought Johnson's quarterbacks and B-backs (fullbacks) coach, Bryan Cook, to run the show.

Cook racked up major rushing yards as co-coordinator at Cal Poly from 2009-12. He passes the option litmus test. We'll see if he can salvage Summers' tenure. (Summers also brought in a new line coach and new receivers coach.)

Cook has quite a bit of rebuilding to do. Ellison, Upshaw, and Breida are gone. Through Southern's first three FBS seasons, this trio accounted for 7,520 rushing yards and 3,585 passing yards. Breida rushed for 3,093 yards in 2014-15, and Ellison rushed for 118 yards and two scores in the Eagles' momentous 2013 upset of Florida.

This was the collective face of Southern's offense for a long time. Their departure hurts, despite dramatic underachievement in 2016.

Also gone: three of the four wideouts who caught more than two balls last season. The reboot is significant, especially when you include two lost starters on the line (including all-conference center Andy Kwon).

If you count the assets instead of the losses, though, you find hope.

Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Myles Campbell

Sophomore quarterback Seth Shuman got some experience during last year's disaster, and he could be pushed by Alabama State transfer Ellis Richardson, three-star redshirt freshman Shai Werts, and JUCO transfer Kado Brown. [Update: Shuman’s left the football team, focusing on baseball.] You want options, and Southern's got them in all shapes and sizes.

While Breida was struggling, the trio of Wesley Fields, Demarcus Godfrey, and short-yardage guy L.A. Ramsby combined for 959 rushing yards (5 per carry) and 11 touchdowns. And three-star freshmen Grant Walker and Wesley Kennedy III could help sooner than later.

Slot receiver Myles Campbell is back and could thrive in the right system, and Georgia Tech transfer Mike Summers Jr. knows the offense and averaged 14.8 yards per catch for Tech in 2015. Little-used pieces like junior Malik Henry and sophomores Obe Fortune and Hampton McConnell are certainly fast, and redshirt freshman Darion Anderson, the jewel of the 2016 signing class, could be ready to play a role.

Five linemen with starting experience return, including two-year left tackle Jeremiah Culbreth. Eight of 11 names from last year's two-deep are back, and Georgia transfer Jake Edwards joins the mix.

When you look at things from that perspective, a bounce-back is possible. But Georgia Southern has lost the benefit of the doubt, and Cook has to earn it back.

Defense

Summers is a defensive guy. He had four years of defensive coordinator experience, two at UCF under George O'Leary, and two at Colorado State. So did he at least get the defense going?

Not really. The Eagles fell from 47th to 76th in Def. S&P+. Granted, the secondary had to be completely rebuilt, which is typically the closest thing to kryptonite for a defense, but with the way the offense cratered, Summers could have used a win here.

An experienced front seven was able to do some damage against the run. GASO ranked a decent 55th in Adj. Line Yards, 48th in power success rate, and 33rd in stuff rate.

Southern's front 7 havoc rate ranked a solid 33rd. The secondary: 123rd. After a decent early defensive showing, opponents managed a 62 percent completion rate and a 144 passer rating over the final nine games of the year.

Passer rating was a tipping-point stat for the Eagles.

Opponent passer rating in GASO wins: 118.3 (58% completion rate, 11.4 yards per completion)

Opponent passer rating in GASO losses: 148.3 (60% completion rate, 14.5 yards per completion)

When opponents were getting the ball downfield, the Eagles were probably losing.

So the secondary struggled as expected, but it wasn't getting a ton of help. Southern fell from 59th to 122nd in Adj. Sack Rate despite tons of experience up front.

That experience is no more. Seven of last year's top nine linemen are gone, as are the top three linebackers. There's excellent continuity in the secondary, where eight underclassmen are now sophomores and juniors, but a surge in the back could be met with a collapse in the front.

Summers has recruited well here. We'll see how quickly that can make a difference. Four three-star freshman ends could make a difference, along with three freshman linebackers and a JUCO transfer (Tomarcio Reese). If you can get contributions from a couple, and you luck out from an injuries perspective, maybe you can duct tape a decent front seven together.

Injuries could be devastating, though. End Logan Hunt and tackle Darrius Sapp are the only returning linemen with more than two tackles last year, and senior Chris DeLaRosa and sophomore Todd Bradley are the only linebackers with more than 2.5. There are a lot of former three-star guys up front (not just the freshmen); they'll need to play like it.

Photo by Todd Bennett/GettyImages

Joshua Moon

Special Teams

One bright spot in 2016: special teams. The punts were pretty short, but the Eagles ranked fourth in field goal efficiency, ninth in kickoffs, and 30th in punt returns on the way to a No. 30 ranking in Special Teams S&P+.

Sophomore Tyler Bass was responsible for the kickoffs and might be a decent replacement for placekicker Younghoe Koo, but the departure of both Koo and punt returner Montay Crockett hurts.

2017 outlook

2017 Schedule & Projection Factors

Date Opponent Proj. S&P+ Rk Proj. Margin Win Probability 2-Sep at Auburn 9 -32.4 3% 9-Sep New Hampshire NR 13.1 78% 23-Sep at Indiana 39 -19.0 14% 21-Oct at Massachusetts 111 -0.6 49% TBA Arkansas State 83 -1.0 48% TBA Georgia State 113 5.9 63% TBA New Mexico State 124 9.5 71% TBA South Alabama 108 4.9 61% TBA at Appalachian State 62 -15.1 19% TBA at Coastal Carolina 114 0.0 50% TBA at Troy 79 -9.2 30% TBA at UL-Lafayette 112 -0.5 49%

Projected S&P+ Rk 98 Proj. Off. / Def. Rk 117 / 71 Projected wins 5.3 Five-Year S&P+ Rk -5.7 (91) 2- and 5-Year Recruiting Rk 95 / 101 2016 TO Margin / Adj. TO Margin* 1 / 2.2 2016 TO Luck/Game -0.5 Returning Production (Off. / Def.) 46% (35%, 57%) 2016 Second-order wins (difference) 5.0 (0.0)

I really, really enjoy Georgia Southern.

I love the option offense and wish more people would run it. I love the unabashed, heavyweight-in-a-welterweight's-body confidence that emits from the fanbase. I love the century's worth of history the Eagles have packed into less than four decades. I love that Russell really existed when, on paper, it seems like he had too much personality for a fictional character. This program is high on my own personal "This is what makes college football, college football" list.

It was frustrating, then, watching the Eagles lose their way. It wasn't that they faltered — that happens to a lot of teams — but they faltered in a way that seemed both existential and preventable.

Knowing this program's history, and knowing how quickly it jettisons a guy who doesn't win immediately — Frank Ellwood went 4-7 in 1996 and was gone, Brian VanGorder went 3-8 in 2006 and vanished — I was a little surprised that Summers was retained. But he now gets a second chance. He has a bonafide Option Guy, and his secondary has all the experience it didn't have. He's got athletes in the skill positions and pieces at quarterback.

Still, when you look at the smoking craters at quarterback, on the defensive line, and in the linebacking corps, it's hard to be immediately optimistic. Summers has three-star replacements lined up everywhere, but even if he does get this ship steadied — if he both gets the time and has the wherewithal to do it — you kind of have to figure it doesn't happen until 2018.

From an S&P+ standpoint, a bowl is feasible. There are three likely losses (at Auburn, at Indiana, at Appalachian State) but S&P+ says there are four virtual tossups (at UMass, Arkansas State, at Coastal Carolina, at UL-Lafayette) and four in which Southern has at least a 61 percent chance of winning (New Hampshire, Georgia State, NMSU, South Alabama).

Win the winnable games, split the tossups, and you're bowling. And maybe that buys you a third year. But expectations have shifted quickly in Statesboro, and that doesn't tend to work for long.

Team preview stats

All preview data to date.

[antiheromag]

Concert Review and Photos: MYLES KENNEDY & Co. in Kansas City

Concert Review and Photos: MYLES KENNEDY & Co. in Kansas City

While on tour supporting his recently released solo album, “Year of The Tiger”, Myles Kennedy & Co. stopped in Kansas City’s VooDoo Lounge for an evening of music that took the audience on a journey through the varied landscape of his career. Starting the set off with four in a row from Year of The Tiger, with “Devil on the Wall”, “The Great Beyond”, “Ghost of Shangri La”, and “Haunted by…

[rockrevoltmagazine]

NORTHERN INVASION 2017

Review & Photos by Tom Leu

If you’ve ever attended a large multi-day music festival, you know that the weather plays a significant role in the enjoyment of the event overall. A close second to the excellence of all the music pumped out at Northern Invasion 2017, was the fact that we got lucky and enjoyed excellent… no scratch that, perfect weather both days in Somerset Wisconsin on May 13th and 14th. Day 2, Mother’s Day, was fittingly even better than Day 1 weather-wise. Sunny skies, mild temps, and thick riffs were enjoyed by the 20,000+ in attendance over the weekend.

For the third year, the Northern Invasion festival featured the finest in new and veteran heavy rock and heavy metal acts. The really impressive part about this year’s line-up was the diversity represented among the 30 acts who performed. You had hardcore metal to hard rock blues, to power pop with more than a few jagged edges cutting through. There was something for everyone, with all acts bringing their A Games, and sporting big sounds on three stages.

Highlights from the acts that were shot, seen, and heard at Northern Invasion 2017…

Day 1:

As Lions – A great new band out of the U.K. featuring lead vocalist Austin Dickinson (son of Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson) brought their brand of melodic and at times, symphonic hard rock first thing on Saturday. Predicting a bright future for these guys. Rival Sons – short and sweet = these guys are f*cking awesome! Why they were slotted so early in the day will forever remain a mystery to me. Great singing, great songs, great band. Dorothy – Female fronted band from LA. Bluesy, hard rock with great vocals and good looks. Citizen Zero – Modern, yet mainstream rockers with a charm, and a sound that’s as hooky as it’s hard rocking. The Struts – this U.K. band brought an intoxicating concoction that mixes the best of the Stones and Queen. Sporting swagger, bluesy rock and roll with an attitude and flair, these guys are the real deal. It’s rock and roll the way it’s supposed to f*cking be. Of Mice and Men – Bone crunching, hardcore metal with screams that could likely be heard all the way into Minnesota I’m convinced. I Prevail – The Detroit band consists of dual lead vocalists with no shortage of angst and anger that had the kids losing their minds. Crowd surfers were as much a part of the show, as the show itself.

The Pretty Reckless

The Pretty Reckless – An excellent throwback-hard rock band of sorts fronted by the beautifully talented Taylor Momsen. Powerful vocals mixed with mysterious charisma make for an alluring and irresistible rock package. Sum 41 – I wasn’t expecting to be impressed with these guys, but I definitely was… Punk rock with a shit ton of attitude, energy, and charisma. Crowd was going apeshit over the catchy-as-hell set of songs that the band brought in spades. Bush – Of course Gavin Rossdale is the star, along with the band’s now classic rock hits that are no strangers to rock radio. I expected more of a “show” from Bush, but then again, maybe that’s just Bush. Pierce the Veil – Another band that I didn’t expect to like as much as I did. For such a young bunch of guys (relatively speaking compared to the age of this author… lol), these dudes know how to entertain and bring an infectious combination of hard rocking, emo-laden hooks, and hedonism during their set. In Flames – A crowd favorite, with an impressive back catalog of melodic metal spanning over 20 years from this veteran and pioneering band from Sweden. Godsmack – F*cking Sully always brings it. Big, badass riffs and bass guitar so loud I had to hold the camera a bit tighter than usual. The staple, dual drum solos were a highlight.

Soundgarden

Soundgarden – What tragically turned out to be the band’s third to last show… Soundgarden brought their classic sound, and now classic hits to a capacity crowd to close out Saturday night. Chris Cornell was in command as the band moved through an inspired set with the requisite amount of moody ebb and flow that you’ve come to expect from a Soundgarden show. Excellent sound; excellent performance; very sad now to think it was to be the last time I’d get to see Chris doing what he did best…

Northern Invasion Saturday, May 13, 2017

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Day 2:

Starset – Opening on Sunday, this was my first time seeing this very entertaining and intriguing band. Admittedly, I was not very familiar with their music, but I became a fan after witnessing their high energy show complete with “space jam” costumes and all the trimmings. These cats can sing and play, like, outta this world… Radkey – This 3 piece band of brothers from St Louis were easily one of my favorites new discoveries during Northern Invasion 2017. I’m not a huge “punk” fan, but these guys brought a brand punk and hard rock that was mixed with enough psychedelic attitude to make believers out of fans of both Motorhead and Cream alike. Sylar – A metal/rap outfit with big attitudes and altitude from NYC. Motionless In White -Chris Motionless and his band delivered an impressive set of theatrical hard rock with great costumes, yet very well crafted songs that kept the audience in the palm of his hand the whole time. Nothing More – Complete with copious amounts of ripped abs along with an audio assault of inventive heavy metal, Jonny Hawkins and crew from San Antonio, TX set themselves apart from the crowded hard rock crowd with the addition of interesting percussion elements into their blistering set. Attila – Metalcore from Atlanta, GA that consumed their die-hards whipping the audience into a frenzy and giving photographers copious amounts of crowd surfing to capture.

Alter Bridge

Alter Bridge -Solid and strong, tried and true, yet very modern and melodic hard rock from the veteran band consisting of the great Myles Kennedy on lead vocals. I believe it’s sometimes easy to forget just how huge Creed was back in the day, and that ¾ of Alter Bridge consists of the excellence that is the trifecta of Mark Tremonti on guitar, bassist Brian Marshall, and drummer Scott Phillips. Opeth – Another act that took me by surprise with their inventive mix of metal and psychedelic prog rock. Hailing from Sweden, the veteran band kept me there and kept me interested throughout their entire set (no easy feat for rock photographer and music journalist needing to make the rounds) with their unique blend of singing, screaming, and musical virtuosity. Fozzy – Chris Jericho and co. opened with their ripping new song “Judas” that rocks hard while hanging their good looks on good hooks to suck you in. Jericho is a very good vocalist and he knows it while literally strutting his stuff onstage and backstage. Papa Roach – Veteran hard rockers bringing their big rock to the big stage. Year after year, Papa Roach brings huge entertainment value to every performance that’s genuine and invested. The crowd was in a frenzy from the first note to the last as Jacoby Shaddix and the guys left everything on the stage, and were arguably the best act of Day 2. Amon Amarth – Lots of Nordic metal from Sweden representing and delivering the goods at Northern Invasion 2017, and Amon Amareth were no exception. If classic Sabbath, Maiden, Megadeth, and Venon-era style head banging complete with a big Viking ship stage set is your bag, then an AA set is for you. Very entertaining that surprisingly mixed a lot of smiling along with the metal. The Offspring – Since it’s been some 25 years or so since we first heard of from The Offspring, one may tend to forget just how many of their songs have infiltrated the culture with their catchy lyrics, hooks, and heavy rock anthems. Dr. Dexter Holland (a recent PhD. graduate) and band performed a tight and entertaining set that included all the requisite classics and charisma that brought them fame and fortune in the first place. Closing out the festival was none other than Kid Rock…

Kid Rock

Kid Rock – Always has been, and still is bigger than life… Kid Rock delivered an eclectic set comprised of old and new material that spanned his impressive 2o year career, mixing full blown rockers with stripped down acoustic numbers. You’re reminded of just how big a star, and cultural icon Kid Rock really is the moment he takes the stage with his excellent band behind him. He blew everyone away, and was a perfect cap to the great weekend of live music at Northern Invasion 2017.

Northern Invasion Sunday, May 14, 2017

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**More Images to be added to the Photo Galleries in the coming days**

For more about Northern Invasion >> www.NorthernInvasion.com

Photography & Writing by Tom Leu at www.16IMAGING.com

Tom Leu on Facebook: www.facebook.com/tomleu2

Tom Leu on Instagram: www.instagram.com/tomleu

NORTHERN INVASION 2017 was originally published on RockRevolt Mag

[junker-town]

Georgia Southern football lost itself in 2016 under another outsider head coach

Tyson Summers has a second chance to prove he can win, Statesboro-style.

“I’m gonna say it one more time. We're Georgia Southern. Our colors are blue and white. We call ourselves the Bald Eagles. We call our offense the Georgia Power Company — that is a terrific name for an offense — and our snap count is ‘Rate Hike.’ We practice on the banks of Beautiful Eagle Creek, and that's in Statesboro, Georgia, the gnat capital of America. Our weekends begin on Thursday. The coeds outnumber the men three to two. They are all good-lookin', and they are all rich. And folks, you can't beat that, and you just can't beat Georgia Southern. And you ain't seen nothin' yet."

Georgia Southern’s spirit animal is a man named Erk. He runs the option on offense and takes your head off on defense.

When the school decided it wanted to play football, Erk Russell almost immediately led the Eagles to two I-AA national titles. He picked up the town of Statesboro, called it the most beautiful place he’d ever seen, and loved it like a father. His shadow might hang more fully over the Georgia Southern program than any other coach’s anywhere. And that’s quite the statement.

Erk’s influence over Georgia Southern is such that fans cannot imagine running anything other than the clean, beautiful option. And when a coach tries to change — or when he doesn’t love the option enough — the Eagles fail. It has become self-fulfilling.

Technically, Summers didn’t try to ditch the option when he took over. But he didn’t love it enough. And God could tell.

Summers is a defensive guy. He's not married to any offensive system, and that made people nervous. He's made some reassurances.

"For those of you wanting to ask, we are going to look (offensively) the way we look now," he said. "It'll be the gun option ... the gun, triple-option. What we've got to do is be able to throw the ball."

Still, his coordinator hires were interesting. Summers brought in two locals — former Valdosta State head coach David Dean and former Valdosta high school coach Rance Gillespie — as co-coordinators. Gillespie was Chris Hatcher's offensive coordinator at GS from 2007-09, when he helped unsuccessfully shift from running 75 percent of the time in 2007 to throwing 54 percent of the time in 2009. Meanwhile, at Valdosta State last year, Dean's squad ran just 53 percent of the time.

Last year’s Georgia Southern preview had two major points:

Southern hired a non-option guy as head coach. He promised to keep the option rolling, but his coordinator hires were a bit odd.

The middle of the schedule was brutal, featuring road trips to Western Michigan, Arkansas State, Georgia Tech, and Ole Miss, and a home game against Appalachian State. Those games would define the year.

I was still optimistic, but it was easy to see how things might go wrong based on those two points. They did.

The offensive regression was even worse than imaginable. Southern fell from 40th to 101st in Off. S&P+, and despite the return of two strong option quarterbacks (Kevin Ellison, Favian Upshaw) and star running back Matt Breida, the Eagles fell from ninth in Rushing S&P+ to a stunning 117th.

Southern's identity remained the same in terms of tendencies — the Eagles ran 78 percent of the time on standard downs (sixth in FBS) and 52 percent on passing downs (seventh) — but the confidence was gone.

Technically, Southern got better at throwing the ball, improving from 76th to 61st in Passing S&P+. But what has made Southern so terrifying in years past was sporadic at best. You can’t fake the option.

2016 in review

2016 Georgia Southern statistical profile.

Meanwhile, that five-game gauntlet indeed defined the season.

Western Michigan 49, Georgia Southern 31

Arkansas State 27, Georgia Southern 26

Georgia Tech 35, Georgia Southern 24

Appalachian State 34, Georgia Southern 10

Ole Miss 37, Georgia Southern 27

The Eagles were reasonably competitive but still went 0-5. That required them to go 6-1 in the other games to find bowl eligibility. Instead, they lost at home to UL-Lafayette, then lost for a second straight year to Georgia State.

It's hard to imagine 2016 going much worse for Summers. Not only was Southern's win total nearly cut in half, but he VanGorder'd the offense.

In theory, you can win in Statesboro without running the option. You can win doing whatever you like. But Southern fans know what they like and know what works. They know because Erk showed them. You might not get a second chance to prove yourself if you fail while hinting at a change in identity. VanGorder didn't. Summers just barely did.

Offense

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It probably goes without saying that Gillespie and Dean are no longer Georgia Southern's coordinators.

Summers did his best to show his loyalty to King Option by bringing in a Paul Johnson disciple. Johnson was Erk's coordinator for the 1985-86 title teams and led the Eagles to two more titles as head coach. He's spent the last nine seasons at Georgia Tech and has won nine-plus games four times. Summers brought Johnson's quarterbacks and B-backs (slot backs) coach, Bryan Cook, to run the show.

Cook racked up major rushing yards as co-coordinator at Cal Poly from 2009-12. He passes the option litmus test. We'll see if he can salvage Summers' tenure. (Summers also brought in a new line coach and new receivers coach.)

Cook has quite a bit of rebuilding to do. Ellison, Upshaw, and Breida are gone. Through Southern's first three FBS seasons, this trio accounted for 7,520 rushing yards and 3,585 passing yards. Breida rushed for 3,093 yards in 2014-15, and Ellison rushed for 118 yards and two scores in the Eagles' momentous 2013 upset of Florida.

This was the collective face of Southern's offense for a long time. Their departure hurts, despite dramatic underachievement in 2016.

Also gone: three of the four wideouts who caught more than two balls last season. The reboot is significant, especially when you include two lost starters on the line (including all-conference center Andy Kwon).

If you count the assets instead of the losses, though, you find hope.

Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Myles Campbell

Sophomore quarterback Seth Shuman got some experience during last year's disaster, and he could be pushed by Alabama State transfer Ellis Richardson, three-star redshirt freshman Shai Werts, and JUCO transfer Kado Brown. You want options, and Southern's got them in all shapes and sizes.

While Breida was struggling, the trio of Wesley Fields, Demarcus Godfrey, and short-yardage guy Wesley Fields combined for 959 rushing yards (5 per carry) and 11 touchdowns. And three-star freshmen Grant Walker and Wesley Kennedy III could help sooner than later.

Slot receiver Myles Campbell is back and could thrive in the right system, and Georgia Tech transfer Mike Summers Jr. knows the offense and averaged 14.8 yards per catch for Tech in 2015. Little-used pieces like junior Malik Henry and sophomores Obe Fortune and Hampton McConnell are certainly fast, and redshirt freshman Darion Anderson, the jewel of the 2016 signing class, could be ready to play a role.

Five linemen with starting experience return, including two-year left tackle Jeremiah Culbreth. Eight of 11 names from last year's two-deep are back, and Georgia transfer Jake Edwards joins the mix.

When you look at things from that perspective, a bounce-back is possible. But Georgia Southern has lost the benefit of the doubt, and Cook has to earn it back.

Defense

Summers is a defensive guy. He had four years of defensive coordinator experience, two at UCF under George O'Leary, and two at Colorado State. So did he at least get the defense going?

Not really. The Eagles fell from 47th to 76th in Def. S&P+. Granted, the secondary had to be completely rebuilt, which is typically the closest thing to kryptonite for a defense, but with the way the offense cratered, Summers could have used a win here.

An experienced front seven was able to do some damage against the run. GASO ranked a decent 55th in Adj. Line Yards, 48th in power success rate, and 33rd in stuff rate.

Southern's front 7 havoc rate ranked a solid 33rd. The secondary: 123rd. After a decent early defensive showing, opponents managed a 62 percent completion rate and a 144 passer rating over the final nine games of the year.

Passer rating was a tipping-point stat for the Eagles.

Opponent passer rating in GASO wins: 118.3 (58% completion rate, 11.4 yards per completion)

Opponent passer rating in GASO losses: 148.3 (60% completion rate, 14.5 yards per completion)

When opponents were getting the ball downfield, the Eagles were probably losing.

So the secondary struggled as expected, but it wasn't getting a ton of help. Southern fell from 59th to 122nd in Adj. Sack Rate despite tons of experience up front.

That experience is no more. Seven of last year's top nine linemen are gone, as are the top three linebackers. There's excellent continuity in the secondary, where eight underclassmen are now sophomores and juniors, but a surge in the back could be met with a collapse in the front.

Summers has recruited well here. We'll see how quickly that can make a difference. Four three-star freshman ends could make a difference, along with three freshman linebackers and a JUCO transfer (Tomarcio Reese). If you can get contributions from a couple, and you luck out from an injuries perspective, maybe you can duct tape a decent front seven together.

Injuries could be devastating, though. End Logan Hunt and tackle Darrius Sapp are the only returning linemen with more than two tackles last year, and senior Chris DeLaRosa and sophomore Todd Bradley are the only linebackers with more than 2.5. There are a lot of former three-star guys up front (not just the freshmen); they'll need to play like it.

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Joshua Moon

Special Teams

One bright spot in 2016: special teams. The punts were pretty short, but the Eagles ranked fourth in field goal efficiency, ninth in kickoffs, and 30th in punt returns on the way to a No. 30 ranking in Special Teams S&P+.

Sophomore Tyler Bass was responsible for the kickoffs and might be a decent replacement for placekicker Younghoe Koo, but the departure of both Koo and punt returner Montay Crockett hurts.

2017 outlook

2017 Schedule & Projection Factors

Date Opponent Proj. S&P+ Rk Proj. Margin Win Probability 2-Sep at Auburn 9 -32.4 3% 9-Sep New Hampshire NR 13.1 78% 23-Sep at Indiana 39 -19.0 14% 21-Oct at Massachusetts 111 -0.6 49% TBA Arkansas State 83 -1.0 48% TBA Georgia State 113 5.9 63% TBA New Mexico State 124 9.5 71% TBA South Alabama 108 4.9 61% TBA at Appalachian State 62 -15.1 19% TBA at Coastal Carolina 114 0.0 50% TBA at Troy 79 -9.2 30% TBA at UL-Lafayette 112 -0.5 49%

Projected S&P+ Rk 98 Proj. Off. / Def. Rk 117 / 71 Projected wins 5.3 Five-Year S&P+ Rk -5.7 (91) 2- and 5-Year Recruiting Rk 95 / 101 2016 TO Margin / Adj. TO Margin* 1 / 2.2 2016 TO Luck/Game -0.5 Returning Production (Off. / Def.) 46% (35%, 57%) 2016 Second-order wins (difference) 5.0 (0.0)

I really, really enjoy Georgia Southern.

I love the option offense and wish more people would run it. I love the unabashed, heavyweight-in-a-welterweight's-body confidence that emits from the fanbase. I love the century's worth of history the Eagles have packed into less than four decades. I love that Russell really existed when, on paper, it seems like he had too much personality for a fictional character. This program is high on my own personal "This is what makes college football, college football" list.

It was frustrating, then, watching the Eagles lose their way. It wasn't that they faltered — that happens to a lot of teams — but they faltered in a way that seemed both existential and preventable.

Knowing this program's history, and knowing how quickly it jettisons a guy who doesn't win immediately — Frank Ellwood went 4-7 in 1996 and was gone, Brian VanGorder went 3-8 in 2006 and vanished — I was a little surprised that Summers was retained. But he now gets a second chance. He has a bonafide Option Guy, and his secondary has all the experience it didn't have. He's got athletes in the skill positions and pieces at quarterback.

Still, when you look at the smoking craters at quarterback, on the defensive line, and in the linebacking corps, it's hard to be immediately optimistic. Summers has three-star replacements lined up everywhere, but even if he does get this ship steadied — if he both gets the time and has the wherewithal to do it — you kind of have to figure it doesn't happen until 2018.

From an S&P+ standpoint, a bowl is feasible. There are three likely losses (at Auburn, at Indiana, at Appalachian State) but S&P+ says there are four virtual tossups (at UMass, Arkansas State, at Coastal Carolina, at UL-Lafayette) and four in which Southern has at least a 61 percent chance of winning (New Hampshire, Georgia State, NMSU, South Alabama).

Win the winnable games, split the tossups, and you're bowling. And maybe that buys you a third year. But expectations have shifted quickly in Statesboro, and that doesn't tend to work for long.

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