Machine Head

Last night, I had the opportunity to see the band Machine Head play at The Masquerade nightclub in Atlanta. It was an incredible show from start to finish. Normally, weeknight shows don't have as much energy as weekend show (people have to go to work/ school the next day, etc.). This show, however, was an exception with non-stop energy from both the band and the crowd. My only problem is that...I'm getting older. I woke up this morning feeling as though I'd been hit by a truck. It was still a great show, however.

20 Top 20s Part 5 -Albums

Today's entry in the 20 Top 20s list is my favorite albums. This one may be difficult as I like a variety of music. A couple will be compilations where I'm not sure where the original songs came from, but I have tried to cite the original albums as often as possible. Here we go;

1. Live After Death (Iron Maiden)

2. Hangover Music (Black Label Society)

3. Boggy Depot (Jerry Cantrell)

4. Peace Sells, But Who's Buying (Megadeth)

5. Appetite For Destruction (Guns N' Roses)

6. Purple Rain OST (Prince)

7. Dirt (Alice in Chains)

8. Sonic Brew (Black Label Society)

9. Sound of White Noise (Anthrax)

10. We Sold Our Soul For Rock and Roll (Black Sabbath)

11. Cracked Rear View (Hootie and the Blowfish)

12. Someone or Someone Like You (Matchbox 20)

13. Cowboy Bebop the Movie OST (Various)

14. Stomp 442 (Anthrax)

15. Ultimate Waylon Jennings

16. Master of Puppets (Metallica)

17. South of Heaven (Slayer)

18. Painkiller (Judas Priest)

19. Destroyer (KISS)

20. Toys in the Attic (Aerosmith)

KISS pt. 2

I went and seen KISS perform last night and, all in all, it was an excellent show. Of course, you can expect a certain level of quality just from their seniority in the rock world; they've been around a long time and know what they're doing. It was also the closest I've been to the stage and I'm not sure if that made the lights and pyrotechnics that much greater, but it was a brilliant display of showmanship. I only have two real complaints and they both concern vocals. The first is the fact that Paul Stanley was obviously a bit hoarse from the onset. He still performed greatly (and far better than I could dream of attempting), but it was noticeable in certain songs and sometimes even when he addressed the crowd. The second problem was with the backing vocals, particularly Tommy's vocals, didn't seem properly "levelled" (if that's the correct term). Once again, it was only obvious on certain songs, but then it stuck out like a sore thumb. The show was still among the best concerts I've ever been to and, if given a chance, I'll go again next time.

KISS

Tonight, I'll be going to see KISS for the fourth time. I'm certain it'll be a good show and I'm looking forward to it. Every time I've seen them, both live and in video, they've always put a great deal of effort into their shows and you can expect a quality performance. This will be my first time, however, seeing them at an outdoor venue (Lakewood Amphitheatre), but I don't believe this will negatively affect the experience. The only thing I really don't care for is the fact that it's on a Tuesday, a work night.
I'm also nearly finished with my first short story and I'm actually feeling pretty good about it. I do admit that it's a bit derivative of Robert E. Howard's work, but this was really more of an exercise to see if I could do it. I'll probably try my hand at a few short stories before I attempt a novel length story.