What a productive day we had with the band. Got to listen to the mix of out next single and it sounds awesome, really I can't wait to release to everyone and send it out to some radio stations. It's always a good feeling when you hear a song you wrote yourself on the radio, and lucky we got both of our previous singles played on BBC radio so let's hope we can manage a 3rd time. Also got some epic photos done by a good friend of ours, and they should be beig sent out to a magazine on Monday so we might be appearing an issue of Stencil magazine in January. And on top of that our debut EP should be out as well, so it's been a majorly busy time for us but all this hard work should pay off in the end, as they say "You only get out as much as you put in" and we've put in a lot of work with this EP, each member has been incredible and I'm proud of them all!
However we've paid eh price with all this hard work, we only for around 5 hours sleep after chatting about the future and sorting be mix out then we had to get up make ourselves looks pretty for some photos, so as you can imagine I'm totally wrecked to say its a weekend.
It's Jonnys birthday so we're all going out for a meal to a nice little place in Leeds called Reds, so it should be another funfilled night a head haha.
Great start to the weekend though, I'm proud of my boys!
Going to make this an early post because I know for a fact I won't have much time later on. Lots of band fun and drinking most likely, that counts as being busy! I always find on Fridays that I work more productively, which is a bummer because I have very little work to do today really, and all I really want to do is go home and start this weekend. On my way to work this morning I was thinking it is so cold that it could easily snow, and no joke within the minute of me thinking it some flakes actually started falling, which then turned into rain, boo! I always remember back in my college days that snow days were amazing. Me and my mates would meet up and do some crazy shit in the snow. We have a lake behind my house back home that freezes over and last year it was so frozen we could walk over it, which was pretty cool. Well it was pretty cool until someone found a thin part and fell in haha. We always did the classic making a giant ass snowball as well until it got to big to move and then it would just sit where we left it for like 2 or 3 weeks haha. A thing I never really understood is why people moan that we always stop transport and working when it snows, of course we have to. It's not like we have snow all year round like some countries and have the money to spend on special transport for people that will only get used a few days a year, just be happy that you're getting some days off. Recently at work we have started sticking the radio on just to help us work, because it is terrible working in silence, so instead of going for the usual Radio 1 "oh let's just play popular auto tuned crap for money with some okay songs in between" (with the exception of Daniel P. Carters rock show on a Tuesday) so we decided to stick on XFM, before work I'd not really listen to it, but it great to hear a radio show through out the day playing alternative songs. Even though the adverts are really annoying, but it is worth it when you get bands like Biffy Clyro and Queens of the Stone Age being played, gives me hope that people/radio shows are supporting actual bands with talent instead of money making bands. Wow, I ranted rather a lot in the blog post...but I don't care, it's Friday, enjoy your weekend.
Wow day 25 and still going strong, admittedly I do forget on the odd time and have to power through one haha. Especially this week what with all the gigs and work and stuff so they will be a little short from time to time, but come on I am doing this everyday.
So yeah, it's a good friend of mines birthday this weekend, Mr. Jonathan Youdale, hitting the big 22! So it'll either be a small gathering or a massive night out, so I'm probably going to be hungover over at some point in the weekend. It has been a while since we all went out as a group, so it should be a good laugh.
Also this weekend we're having a little band meeting on the Friday night, so that'll be a night filled with beer and pizza most likely. Always a winning productive combo. But on top of all that we have a photo shoot to promote the EP coming out and to send a few shots to some magazines. Also have some studio time booked next year so we wanna know our new songs inside out before we go in the studio to record our second EP. Still waiting on a name for that.
It is certainly getting cold out now, not looking forward to tomorrow morning with risks of ice. Me and ice do not mix well. It was crazy weather today though which was totally out of the blue, some serious wind and rain coming down with delayed like every train I had to get on and made me late for a meeting. God dammit wind! But yeah, just ice tomorrow so that shouldn't delay the trains this time. Even if t does I'll be going to work with a smile on my face as it's the best time of the week tomorrow. FRIDAY!
So it's time to take a little break from gigs and get back to work, so can you can imagine it was pretty difficult getting up this morning and to make it even worse I have to get up even earlier tomorrow. The trains are all being delayed tomorrow because of high winds, boo!
Today I put Middle Class Rut on my Spotify playlist and I listened to them on the train today, I've really got into them after seeing them support Papa Roach. Some seriously badass riffs on some songs.
Anyway this will have to be a short one as it's pretty damn late and I need some serious sleep!
So I've finally managed to sit down with my laptop and start writing some reviews for the recent shows I've been to. It has been a crazy weekend and their are no signs of it stopping any time soon with plans coming out my ears with everything from gigs, to my own band meetings and birthdays! I'm sure it will it all be a lot of fun though.
This was actually my first gig at Manchester Arena. I have to say for the size of it they nailed the sound perfectly. Though for the opening act their were a few technical issues in regards to monitors cutting out but they soon sorted that out for the remaining acts.
So it start the night I was expecting Device to open up the show but David Draiman has recently had a kid and cancelled so he can stay with his wife for longer, which is fair. So to open the night of awesome bands we had Avatar, a Swedish death metal band, with a theatrical twist. Even though Johannes Eckerstrom (Vocals) was the only one dressed up. He had some black make up round his eyes and some lovely red braces haha. Reminded me of a less hardcore Till from Rammstein. The remaining members really knew how to whip that hard back and forth. They put on a show but after the 3 songs and asking for another circle pit it went on a little bit.
Next they pulled out the big guns with Five Finger Death Punch. Even when the banner went up during set up everyone went crazy, and you can tell that everyone was very excited to be seeing them in a support slot. Surprisingly set up took less than 20 minutes and Five Finger took to the stage with some epic introducing music. I really do respect a band that can pick good walk on songs, really makes the entire experience of seeing a band that more worth while. They had a full balls to the wall sing a long set list, perfect for a support slot to get everyone warmed up and for people that may not know them to well to get into them. However in Five Finger they certainly do like their interludes, after every second song pretty much they'd walk off stage and have a song playing over the PA and then walk back out. I'm all for creating tension but after a while it really dragged on. But performance wise they really nailed everything, from screaming, to guitars solos to gut busting drum beats.
I still remember the day back in 2007 I bought a ticket to see Avenged Sevenfold who had just released their self titled album in Leeds, on a tiny stage. Look at them now, headlining festivals and selling out arenas. It is strange but good to see smaller bands from back in the day climbing the ladder. This is also the first time I've seen them with the same drummer! Back in 2007 They had The Rev, RIP. Then they came back a few years later to Leeds, now selling out the Academy, with Mike Portnoy of Dream Thearter, and then at Download Festival 2011 they had Arin Ilejay, and now in 2013 they have stuck with Arin. It must be pretty strange for him to go from a small band to jumping into a band that are half way up the ladder.
Back in 2007 Avenged Sevenfold and pyro didn't come in the same sentence but now they pack their shows full with fireworks and flames. A personal highlight was the giant death bat they had for a backdrop that spat flames every so often. M Shadows (vocals) voice was on top form as always, and Synyster Gates (lead guitar) kept the crowd entertained after an encore with one of his signature guitar solos, below is a small clip of his guitar solo
I also got a video from Critical Acclaim along with the giant death bat spitting flames.
All around it was a great show with lots of surprises, I'm sure this isn't going to be the last we hear of Avenged Sevenfold now with a full time drummer. Also Five Finger Death Punch seem to be on the up in the rock and metal scene. I'm positive they'll be headlining festivals and selling out arenas in no time.
Yeah I'm going to have to skip the review of the Sevenfold show again, just flooded with gigs and seeing family at the minute so I've not had time to sit down with my laptop. Tomorrow I'll do Sevenfold and then the day after I'll do Papa Roach, who I'm seeing tonight. Currently sat in Yates, filled to the brim with old people thinking they're on some sort of crazy night out haha one day I'll like that I guess. A group of mums next to us just ordered some shots and they're sipping them...
Literally had nothing to eat all day, I know not very healthy of me and I just ordered a chicken burrito. Health will start again tomorrow, I promise. Really really exicted for this food though, and of course seeing Papa Roach.
For how long I've been going to gigs I'm surprised I've not see Papa Roach before but this is actually my first time. Should be a good show though.
Wow, yesterday night was amazing. Both Avenged Sevenfold and Five Finger Death punch put on a really good show. Sevenfold certainly know how to use the pyro now haha. Crazy to think I saw them in Leeds for the first time at a tiny club and now they're selling out arenas.
I'm regards to the pictures and reviews I'll sort it out tomorrow before tomorrow nights gig. Still at home and I don't have my laptop with me. Also I will be seeing Papa Roach tomorrow night, I know another gig! And it doesn't end with that gig.
Ended up having to run out of the arena to catch a coach back to Huddersfield. Took way to long, but it was worth it to see a great gig. Luckily trains tomorrow are all sorted so we have nothing to panic about.
Very happy to be having a nice long weekend, I'd love to tell you that I'll be eating lots of food and having lots of sleep, but I'm not! Boo!
