The first time I heard Korn I was in my second year of college. I was going in t work on an audio project and emanating from a room down the hall was Korn's first album. I instantly fell in love, the sound was unlike anything I had heard to that point. I was into metal music, Metallica, Anthrax, that school of metal, plus the thriving alternative seen with Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Korn was something new, heavy, primal, influenced by the hip hop world, but not rap-metal. This was a call to arms of the nu-metal world.
October 9, 2004
October 8, 2004
New Releases for 10/8/04
A few new releases, but nothing that looks spectacular.
Friday Night Lights. This appears to be the most promising of the bunch. It has been getting very good reviews. It is a story about a Texas high school football team fighting to make it to he state championship. It stars Billy Bob Thornton as the coach, and from what I hear, it is a great performance. It was directed by Peter Berg, who has really been coming along as a director, I have really liked his past efforts Very Bad Things and Rundown.
Taxi. Jimmy Fallon and Queen Latifah star in a movie that has been receiving absolutely horrible reviews. It is a remake of a 1998 French movie which reviewed well and did good enough to spawn 2 sequels. The commercials make it look like some mindless fun, but then again, that is what trailers are for. The idea appears to be a cop who has lost his driver's license uses a cab to chase bank robbers. I may still check it out.
Raise Your Voice. I haven't seen any commercials or trailers for this. The first I became aware of it was when I saw it under Coming Soon at IMDB.com. And from the look of the reviews, I'm glad I didn't know about it. It does not look that good. It stars Hilary Duff.
The Motorcycle Diaries. The story of a trip undertaken by Che Guevara, before the world knew who he was. I have heard good and bad about this movie, it looks good. It is based on Che's own writing concerning his 8000 mile journey around South America.
Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry. I guess with all the other Bush related documentaries coming out, John Kerry was feeling a bit left out. George Butler, a life long friend of Kerry, has crafted a film chronicling his career from his Navy days up to the present. It is also very favorable to Kerry's image, considering the friendships involved. Not sure I'd care to see this one.
Friday Night Lights. This appears to be the most promising of the bunch. It has been getting very good reviews. It is a story about a Texas high school football team fighting to make it to he state championship. It stars Billy Bob Thornton as the coach, and from what I hear, it is a great performance. It was directed by Peter Berg, who has really been coming along as a director, I have really liked his past efforts Very Bad Things and Rundown.
Taxi. Jimmy Fallon and Queen Latifah star in a movie that has been receiving absolutely horrible reviews. It is a remake of a 1998 French movie which reviewed well and did good enough to spawn 2 sequels. The commercials make it look like some mindless fun, but then again, that is what trailers are for. The idea appears to be a cop who has lost his driver's license uses a cab to chase bank robbers. I may still check it out.
Raise Your Voice. I haven't seen any commercials or trailers for this. The first I became aware of it was when I saw it under Coming Soon at IMDB.com. And from the look of the reviews, I'm glad I didn't know about it. It does not look that good. It stars Hilary Duff.
The Motorcycle Diaries. The story of a trip undertaken by Che Guevara, before the world knew who he was. I have heard good and bad about this movie, it looks good. It is based on Che's own writing concerning his 8000 mile journey around South America.
Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry. I guess with all the other Bush related documentaries coming out, John Kerry was feeling a bit left out. George Butler, a life long friend of Kerry, has crafted a film chronicling his career from his Navy days up to the present. It is also very favorable to Kerry's image, considering the friendships involved. Not sure I'd care to see this one.
October 7, 2004
DVD Review: Super Size Me
What a great documentary this was. I first heard about it earlier this year and initially I thought it was a joke. After discovering that it wasn't, I figured that there was no way it would get a distribution deal. After I found it did get a deal, I didn't think there was any chance that it would play anywhere near me. As it turned out, all of this turned out to be true, so off I went one fine night nearly five months ago and watched what turned out to be an entertaining and eye opening film which found it's way to my Top Ten list for the year, and is currently sitting at number seven. Now along comes the DVD, does it live up to the theatrical experience? The answer is yes. But before I get into the good stuff on the disk, maybe I should give a rundown of what the film, and the hype, is all about.
This documentary is the brain child of Morgan Spurlock. He wondered what would happen if he went on a month long McDonald's binge. So, for 30 days he ate nothing but McDonald's food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you couldn't buy it over the counter, he didn't eat it. After consulting with a few doctors, he started on his quest. This film documents his eating, as well as explores the effects of fast food and marketing on our youth.
The vast majority of what is revealed in this movie is stuff that most of us already know. I found the difference to be that what we know isn't always driven home until we see it, at least for me. I have been a fast food junkie for years, I know that it is bad for me, I know my health is suffering because of it, but I just kept going back for more. I identified with a lot of what he experienced, the mood swings, the hunger, the sick feeling. You see how ubiquitous the fast food companies are, everywhere you turn there's another commercial, or ad, or restaurant. Also, watching Morgan get heavier and see how his body was reacting to the food, kind of frightening. Ever since I saw this film I have been cutting back on my intake of this processed junk.
Super Size Me takes a look at a lot of the contributing factors to the world, in particular the US's, obesity issue. Besides the obvious with his month long binge, he takes a look at the school system and how school meal systems aren't doing much to help with the spread of necessary nutritional information, not to mention the lack of emphasis on physical activity. Also looked at is the need for corporate responsibility, or lack thereof. An entertaining well rounded work.
Back to the release of the film. I was very happy to discover that it was going to get a good sized release, that is rare for a documentary. Hopefully the better releases for documentaries will continue in this post Michael Moore era of documentary filmmaking. Besides that, this film will hopefully serve as an eye opener for people in a situation like me, where it may not necessarily be a health risk yet, but if I continue on this path it definitely will. With this DVD now out, I urge everyone to at least give it a rental, it really is a good piece of work.
Video. The video is presented in it's OAR of 1.85:1. The problem is that it is presented in letterbox format and is not 16:9 enhanced. Meaning that there is a loss of overall resolution on widescreen TV's, in addition there will be black bars on all four sides, unless the image is zoomed. This doesn't affect me right now, as I don't yet have a widescreen set, but this is unfortunate in a time where anamorphic enhancement is pretty much the norm. Outside of that, the image is sharp and clear. I did not notice any edge enhancement or any other image issue. Overall it is a good transfer.
Audio. Presented in Dolby Digital stereo, audio is good. Always clear, there aren't any special effects or need for 5.1 mix. Nothing to really comment on here.
Extras. Here we get a nice selection of extras.
-Interviews. There are extra interviews not used in the film, including segments with the Big Mac guy Don Gorske, Phil Lempert a supermarket expert, and an extended interview with Eric Schlosser tha author of Fast Food Nation. All of them were interesting and worthy of viewing.
-Deleted scenes. There are a few deleted scenes including showing how much garbage he generated and an older couple who collect McDonald's memorabilia.
-Commentary with director Morgan Spurlock and his girlfriend, Alex. I have sampled a bit of this and it is very entertaining and informative about the scenes onscreen and the filming background.
-Inserts. There is a chapter listing insert with the movie poster on the flip side. Also there is a sheet with the recipes for the last supper before he started.
Bottomline. Excellent documentary, excellent package. Eye opening, funny, and horrifying all at the same time. One of the things that helps this film out a lot is Morgan Spurlock himself, he is a very engaging personality and a good speaker. I can't recommend this enough.
Warning: This a film that everyone should see, kids included. But, there is some language and sexual discussion, plus an operation shown. Rest easy, there is a family friendly version coming which will make it suitable for the entire family.
Highly Recommended.
This documentary is the brain child of Morgan Spurlock. He wondered what would happen if he went on a month long McDonald's binge. So, for 30 days he ate nothing but McDonald's food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you couldn't buy it over the counter, he didn't eat it. After consulting with a few doctors, he started on his quest. This film documents his eating, as well as explores the effects of fast food and marketing on our youth.
The vast majority of what is revealed in this movie is stuff that most of us already know. I found the difference to be that what we know isn't always driven home until we see it, at least for me. I have been a fast food junkie for years, I know that it is bad for me, I know my health is suffering because of it, but I just kept going back for more. I identified with a lot of what he experienced, the mood swings, the hunger, the sick feeling. You see how ubiquitous the fast food companies are, everywhere you turn there's another commercial, or ad, or restaurant. Also, watching Morgan get heavier and see how his body was reacting to the food, kind of frightening. Ever since I saw this film I have been cutting back on my intake of this processed junk.
Super Size Me takes a look at a lot of the contributing factors to the world, in particular the US's, obesity issue. Besides the obvious with his month long binge, he takes a look at the school system and how school meal systems aren't doing much to help with the spread of necessary nutritional information, not to mention the lack of emphasis on physical activity. Also looked at is the need for corporate responsibility, or lack thereof. An entertaining well rounded work.
Back to the release of the film. I was very happy to discover that it was going to get a good sized release, that is rare for a documentary. Hopefully the better releases for documentaries will continue in this post Michael Moore era of documentary filmmaking. Besides that, this film will hopefully serve as an eye opener for people in a situation like me, where it may not necessarily be a health risk yet, but if I continue on this path it definitely will. With this DVD now out, I urge everyone to at least give it a rental, it really is a good piece of work.
Video. The video is presented in it's OAR of 1.85:1. The problem is that it is presented in letterbox format and is not 16:9 enhanced. Meaning that there is a loss of overall resolution on widescreen TV's, in addition there will be black bars on all four sides, unless the image is zoomed. This doesn't affect me right now, as I don't yet have a widescreen set, but this is unfortunate in a time where anamorphic enhancement is pretty much the norm. Outside of that, the image is sharp and clear. I did not notice any edge enhancement or any other image issue. Overall it is a good transfer.
Audio. Presented in Dolby Digital stereo, audio is good. Always clear, there aren't any special effects or need for 5.1 mix. Nothing to really comment on here.
Extras. Here we get a nice selection of extras.
-Interviews. There are extra interviews not used in the film, including segments with the Big Mac guy Don Gorske, Phil Lempert a supermarket expert, and an extended interview with Eric Schlosser tha author of Fast Food Nation. All of them were interesting and worthy of viewing.
-Deleted scenes. There are a few deleted scenes including showing how much garbage he generated and an older couple who collect McDonald's memorabilia.
-Commentary with director Morgan Spurlock and his girlfriend, Alex. I have sampled a bit of this and it is very entertaining and informative about the scenes onscreen and the filming background.
-Inserts. There is a chapter listing insert with the movie poster on the flip side. Also there is a sheet with the recipes for the last supper before he started.
Bottomline. Excellent documentary, excellent package. Eye opening, funny, and horrifying all at the same time. One of the things that helps this film out a lot is Morgan Spurlock himself, he is a very engaging personality and a good speaker. I can't recommend this enough.
Warning: This a film that everyone should see, kids included. But, there is some language and sexual discussion, plus an operation shown. Rest easy, there is a family friendly version coming which will make it suitable for the entire family.
Highly Recommended.
October 6, 2004
Movie Review: Ladder 49
The trailers for Ladder 49 only tell half the story. When I first saw the trailer it looked as if it was a straightforward action film, what we actually get is something much, much more. What we get is a thoughtful, touching, exciting mix of action and drama.
Movie Review: Shark Tale
On the surface Shark Tale has a lot going for it. The studio responsible for the Shrek films, the co-director of Shrek, and to top it off an A-list group of talent providing the voices. The problem is that they were more fond of their actors than of their characters. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The film circles around Oscar, a loud mouthed fish looking to pay of some debts while working at a whale wash which is actually a front for the shark mafia run by a puffer fish named Sykes. On the other side Don Lino is looking to pass on the family business to his two sons. Frankie is a shark any father could love, while Lenny is shark in name only, preferring to be a vegetarian. When Oscar can't pay off his debts he is sent off to be taught a lesson by Sykes Rastafarian jellyfish henchmen. One thing leads to another and Oscar is proclaimed a Shark Slayer.
No reading that, does it really sound like a movie a group of children would be able to get? The primary influence is The Godfather, a movie that is considerably older than it's target audience. And on top of all that, there is too much talking and not enough action. They try to play that line between children's movie, while trying to include enough to keep the adults interested, it's a shame that they don't succeed on either account.
This will invariably be compared to Finding Nemo, which this isn't even in Nemo's league. Nemo had the perfect kid/adult ratio. There were characters for everyone involved to identify with. Here, all of the characters are adults, there really isn't much for children to grab onto.
The script never falls into place, again, it seems as if they relied on the voice talent to carry it. The story is filled with moral ambiguity, and just never clicks. There are plenty of little one liners and segments which do benefit from the voices involved. I smiled, but I didn't feel any attachment to these characters as I did in Nemo or Shrek.
The voice cast is impressive, and if you don't recognize the voices, the characters bear a certain resemblance to their owners. Will Smith, Martin Scorsese, Robert Deniro, Jack Black, Michael Imperioli, Renee Zellweger, Angelina Jolie, Ziggy Marley, Doug E. Doug, and Katie Couric all play a role in the caper. All of them do fairly well with their characters, except for Jack Black who never seems to get on track.
Bottomline. I'd say skip this and wait for the video release. While there are some funny lines and scenes, it generally falls flat, and the animation is sub par when compared with others we've seen recently. It has a brief runtime, 80 minutes if your lucky, which works in it s favor, but you'll find yourself checking your watch and the kids will get restless, as they did at my screening.
Not recommended.
The film circles around Oscar, a loud mouthed fish looking to pay of some debts while working at a whale wash which is actually a front for the shark mafia run by a puffer fish named Sykes. On the other side Don Lino is looking to pass on the family business to his two sons. Frankie is a shark any father could love, while Lenny is shark in name only, preferring to be a vegetarian. When Oscar can't pay off his debts he is sent off to be taught a lesson by Sykes Rastafarian jellyfish henchmen. One thing leads to another and Oscar is proclaimed a Shark Slayer.
No reading that, does it really sound like a movie a group of children would be able to get? The primary influence is The Godfather, a movie that is considerably older than it's target audience. And on top of all that, there is too much talking and not enough action. They try to play that line between children's movie, while trying to include enough to keep the adults interested, it's a shame that they don't succeed on either account.
This will invariably be compared to Finding Nemo, which this isn't even in Nemo's league. Nemo had the perfect kid/adult ratio. There were characters for everyone involved to identify with. Here, all of the characters are adults, there really isn't much for children to grab onto.
The script never falls into place, again, it seems as if they relied on the voice talent to carry it. The story is filled with moral ambiguity, and just never clicks. There are plenty of little one liners and segments which do benefit from the voices involved. I smiled, but I didn't feel any attachment to these characters as I did in Nemo or Shrek.
The voice cast is impressive, and if you don't recognize the voices, the characters bear a certain resemblance to their owners. Will Smith, Martin Scorsese, Robert Deniro, Jack Black, Michael Imperioli, Renee Zellweger, Angelina Jolie, Ziggy Marley, Doug E. Doug, and Katie Couric all play a role in the caper. All of them do fairly well with their characters, except for Jack Black who never seems to get on track.
Bottomline. I'd say skip this and wait for the video release. While there are some funny lines and scenes, it generally falls flat, and the animation is sub par when compared with others we've seen recently. It has a brief runtime, 80 minutes if your lucky, which works in it s favor, but you'll find yourself checking your watch and the kids will get restless, as they did at my screening.
Not recommended.
October 5, 2004
Pick of the Week
We've got a few big titles out this week, but considering the season we are heading into, there was only one choice I could make. This weeks pick is: Friday the 13th: From Crystal Lake to Manhattan. It's a 5 DVD set of the first 8 Jason films. All of the films released by Paramount are represented here, the only ones absent are those that were put out by New Line Cinema, Jason Goes to Hell, Jason X, and Freddy vs. Jason.
All 8 of these movies have new anamorphic transfers that I hear are very good. A few of the films have commentaries, plus there is a fifth disk of documentaries and featurettes. I've always held the Friday films in slightly lower regard than the Nightmare on Elm Street, but there is no denying there place in horror lore. I haven't sampled the set yet, but I eagerly look forward to seeing these films again for the first time.
Here are some other releases I am interested in:
All 8 of these movies have new anamorphic transfers that I hear are very good. A few of the films have commentaries, plus there is a fifth disk of documentaries and featurettes. I've always held the Friday films in slightly lower regard than the Nightmare on Elm Street, but there is no denying there place in horror lore. I haven't sampled the set yet, but I eagerly look forward to seeing these films again for the first time.
Here are some other releases I am interested in:
- Fahrenheit 9/11. Michael Moore's latest work of controversy. Personally, I enjoyed the film, and no I do not like Moore nor do I agree with his politics. The film serves a good purpose of spurring conversation and thought on the situation.
- Aladdin: Platinum Edition. It's Aladdin! I remember watching this many times when I was working a retail electronics counter.
- Dream Theater: Live at Budokan. One of my favorite bands releasing a live disk I didn't know about? Don't know how I missed this. Two disk set of live music and documentaries.
- The Fearless Vampire Killers. Roman Polanski's horror/comedy. I just love the title, the full title is "The Fearless Vampire Killers or: Pardon Me, but Your Teeth are in My Neck."
- Saved! An entertaining comedy, different take on the high school film.
- Return of the Living Dead Part II. I have the first and third, now to complete the trilogy.
- The Shawshank Redemption: Special Edition. One of, if not the, best adaptation of a Stephen King story.
- The Untouchables: Special Edition. Kevin Costner and Sean Connery in the gangster classic.
- Dead or Alive Trilogy. Takashi Miike's yakuza trilogy. I've the seen the first, now I can get them all.
- Ed Wood Box Set. Glen or Glenda, Jail Bait, Bride of the Monster, Plan 9 from Outer Space, Night of the Ghouls, The Haunted World of Ed Wood. How can you go wrong with the king of bad movies?
There are also a couple of music releases that look good:
- Korn: Greatest Hits Vol. 1. An excellent set of their work, includes a set performed at CBGB's on a bonus DVD.
- Helmet: Size Matters. I had thought that these guys broke up.
- Cake: Pressure Chief. Kings of quirky music.
- REM: Around the Sun. I haven't listened to them for awhile, but I've heard good things about this album.
October 4, 2004
Movie Review: Code 46
I first heard about this movie was while watching an episode of Ebert & Roeper a month or so ago. It looked interesting, even though they split on their recommendation. It looked like an intelligent science fiction film that wasn't interested in explosions, chases, and shootouts. It opened this past weekend at the local indie theater. So, i made my way up to give it a shot, the results were mixed.
Movie Review: The Forgotten
Well, The Forgotten turned out to be a rather forgettable experience. I had hoped that this was going to be an original supernatural thriller, but that turned out to be misguided. The trailers looked promising, but they tend to make even bad films look exciting. The trailer seemed to show a straight forward thriller but seemed to have something else in it that was being downplayed. Some sort of alien involvement or some such thing, judging by the house getting ripped up.
October 3, 2004
Concert Review: Lynch Mob
This past Friday night George Lynch returned to The Chance. This time he was playing with Lynch Mob, the last time he was here was back in March when he was playing with Yngwie Malmsteen.
But before we could get to his performance, there were three opening acts to check out. I have seen all of them before and had liked their performances, could they live up to what had come before?
The crowd was on the small side, but they were into the show right from the start. That is one thing that is always a plus, a crowd that wants to be there. Another good thing is that the mix was strong throughout the night.
Metadox. First up was the young metal act Metadox. I had seen them once before a few months ago, they were good then, they are much better now. The mix was much better this time giving the sound a lot more balance. They were also much tighter as a band, a bit less showy than the last time and considerably better together. A difference I noticed between then and now is that the first time there seemed to be more of their friends in attendance and they were showing off a bit, this time there was a lot less of that in evidence and stronger focus on playing the music. They are young and have a long way to go, but their sound is very good, a progression of the Iron Maiden school of metal. It is encouraging to hear this style style being played with he prevalence of nu-metal and pop punk that's been proliferating over the past few years. The singer has a strong voice, very reminiscent of Bruce Dickinson. Excellent rhythm section. The heart though, is the two guitar attack, heavy riffs, dual leads, very good. Hopefully they will continue to improve. I saw at their site that they are going to be recording an album soon, I am looking forward to seeing show it turns out. Onstage
Livesay. Up next was a band I am familiar with, having seen them seven times over the past few years. This was the best I have heard them. The mix was great, able to pick out each instrument individually, yet allowing them to play over and around each other as the songs progressed. They have a good hard rock sound that has changed over the years, when I first saw them about 4 years ago the sound had more of an 80's sound to it, they have developed a more modern sound yet still retain those roots. This show was very strong, the lead guitar was spot on, rhythm section was tight, and the vocals came in over top of it all. I wish they had been able to play more than a 30 minute set. I would like to take a moment to thank bass player Al D'Angelo, he took the time to have a conversation with a friend of mine at the show. She wanted to congratulate them for a good show and ended up having an extended conversation. He was very nice, taking the time to talk, and even coming back to say goodbye when he was leaving the venue, a real class act. Onstage 1, Onstage 2
Operatika. Third times the charm. This is the most seen act by me this year. First time I saw them, I was intrigued by the not quite ready for primetime sound. Next up was an opening slot for Twisted Sister, much better performance, although the acoustics were very unforgiving to Slava's voice, it just seemed to be trapped on stage. But now, the mix was favorable and the difference was amazing, the sound came together very well, definitely the best I have seen them so far. Jim is a madman on the bass, stalking the stage wielding the bass more as a weapon than an instrument. Bill on guitar reminds me of John Petrucci of Dream Theater, fast leads and heavy riffs taking charge. Anna on keyboards, adds another texture to the tapestry. Yuri on drums presents a solid backbone and driving force to the act. Finally, Slava is the key to their unique sound, operatic stylings are not something you generally hear in metal, and finally a mix where I was able to hear her voice. At times it seems that the crowd is not sure how to react, but soon enough they are getting into it. Another nice touch was the lighting and fog used during their set, it added another level of drama to the music, it fit nicely. I eagerly look forward to seeing them again, their development is something to see. Onstage 1, Onstage 2
Lynch Mob. Finally the moment we've all been waiting for. I have been a fan of Lynch's playing ever since my dad bought Dokken's Unchain the Night LP by mistake many many moons ago. I never really listened to Lynch Mob when they first formed upon George's exit from Dokken, I was reintroduced to Lynch's prowess when I saw Lynch Mob for the first time last year, then again when I saw Lynch perform earlier this year while touring with Yngwie Malmsteen. This time he is touring with a new Lynch Mob line up, and this is the first night of their tour together. Considering that they have been together for a short period of time, they sounded really good. Performing a mix of old Dokken hits and songs from the Lynch Mob years, the crowd was into everything they through at us. George Lynch is just a phenomenal guitar player, watching him onstage, he makes it look so easy. Playing songs including Tooth and Nail, When Heaven Comes Down, Flesh and Blood, and others. The one I was waiting for came towards the end of the set, Mr.Scary, one of the best guitar solo songs ever written. They left the stage and came back a short while later to close the night with Kiss of Death. Everything sounded good, although I wasn't a big fan of the singer, he sounded good, but it seemed like something was missing. The rhythm section was solid, keeping the beat steady throughout the night. The real treat was watching Lynch work his magic, not even missing a beat when his guitar strap let go. Great set, definitely recommend all rock fans see Lynch perform live. Onstage 1, Onstage 2, Onstage 3, Onstage 4
But before we could get to his performance, there were three opening acts to check out. I have seen all of them before and had liked their performances, could they live up to what had come before?
The crowd was on the small side, but they were into the show right from the start. That is one thing that is always a plus, a crowd that wants to be there. Another good thing is that the mix was strong throughout the night.
Metadox. First up was the young metal act Metadox. I had seen them once before a few months ago, they were good then, they are much better now. The mix was much better this time giving the sound a lot more balance. They were also much tighter as a band, a bit less showy than the last time and considerably better together. A difference I noticed between then and now is that the first time there seemed to be more of their friends in attendance and they were showing off a bit, this time there was a lot less of that in evidence and stronger focus on playing the music. They are young and have a long way to go, but their sound is very good, a progression of the Iron Maiden school of metal. It is encouraging to hear this style style being played with he prevalence of nu-metal and pop punk that's been proliferating over the past few years. The singer has a strong voice, very reminiscent of Bruce Dickinson. Excellent rhythm section. The heart though, is the two guitar attack, heavy riffs, dual leads, very good. Hopefully they will continue to improve. I saw at their site that they are going to be recording an album soon, I am looking forward to seeing show it turns out. Onstage
Livesay. Up next was a band I am familiar with, having seen them seven times over the past few years. This was the best I have heard them. The mix was great, able to pick out each instrument individually, yet allowing them to play over and around each other as the songs progressed. They have a good hard rock sound that has changed over the years, when I first saw them about 4 years ago the sound had more of an 80's sound to it, they have developed a more modern sound yet still retain those roots. This show was very strong, the lead guitar was spot on, rhythm section was tight, and the vocals came in over top of it all. I wish they had been able to play more than a 30 minute set. I would like to take a moment to thank bass player Al D'Angelo, he took the time to have a conversation with a friend of mine at the show. She wanted to congratulate them for a good show and ended up having an extended conversation. He was very nice, taking the time to talk, and even coming back to say goodbye when he was leaving the venue, a real class act. Onstage 1, Onstage 2
Operatika. Third times the charm. This is the most seen act by me this year. First time I saw them, I was intrigued by the not quite ready for primetime sound. Next up was an opening slot for Twisted Sister, much better performance, although the acoustics were very unforgiving to Slava's voice, it just seemed to be trapped on stage. But now, the mix was favorable and the difference was amazing, the sound came together very well, definitely the best I have seen them so far. Jim is a madman on the bass, stalking the stage wielding the bass more as a weapon than an instrument. Bill on guitar reminds me of John Petrucci of Dream Theater, fast leads and heavy riffs taking charge. Anna on keyboards, adds another texture to the tapestry. Yuri on drums presents a solid backbone and driving force to the act. Finally, Slava is the key to their unique sound, operatic stylings are not something you generally hear in metal, and finally a mix where I was able to hear her voice. At times it seems that the crowd is not sure how to react, but soon enough they are getting into it. Another nice touch was the lighting and fog used during their set, it added another level of drama to the music, it fit nicely. I eagerly look forward to seeing them again, their development is something to see. Onstage 1, Onstage 2
Lynch Mob. Finally the moment we've all been waiting for. I have been a fan of Lynch's playing ever since my dad bought Dokken's Unchain the Night LP by mistake many many moons ago. I never really listened to Lynch Mob when they first formed upon George's exit from Dokken, I was reintroduced to Lynch's prowess when I saw Lynch Mob for the first time last year, then again when I saw Lynch perform earlier this year while touring with Yngwie Malmsteen. This time he is touring with a new Lynch Mob line up, and this is the first night of their tour together. Considering that they have been together for a short period of time, they sounded really good. Performing a mix of old Dokken hits and songs from the Lynch Mob years, the crowd was into everything they through at us. George Lynch is just a phenomenal guitar player, watching him onstage, he makes it look so easy. Playing songs including Tooth and Nail, When Heaven Comes Down, Flesh and Blood, and others. The one I was waiting for came towards the end of the set, Mr.Scary, one of the best guitar solo songs ever written. They left the stage and came back a short while later to close the night with Kiss of Death. Everything sounded good, although I wasn't a big fan of the singer, he sounded good, but it seemed like something was missing. The rhythm section was solid, keeping the beat steady throughout the night. The real treat was watching Lynch work his magic, not even missing a beat when his guitar strap let go. Great set, definitely recommend all rock fans see Lynch perform live. Onstage 1, Onstage 2, Onstage 3, Onstage 4
Poll Results. The top current TV franchise is:
Weekly Poll 9/26/04: The top current TV franchise is:
CSI. Spawning spinoffs faster than Law & Order did, it appears they want to have a different CSI every night of the week. I like the original, and sort of like NY, but Miami never really clicked with me. The franchise is degenerating into just another cop show than the investigation show it started as.
Law & Order. This formula seems very durable. Each series has it's own feel, yet you can tell they all belong to the same family. I only started watching them a couple years ago, but it is easy to see why it has lasted so long.
Star Trek. What a varied success rate this franchise has had. The current torch bearer is Enterprise, an interesting if somewhat weak entry. The concept is good, but the result doesn't fit in so well. This franchise has been slipping for awhile, Voyager was OK, DS9 was arguably the best of the new series, and there is no denying the classic status of the first series.
Stargate SG-1. The latest to join the sci-fi franchises, Atlantis is the first spinoff for this show. It's done a pretty good job of stepping away from the original show, but it's going to take a little while for the cast to gel. I still think it's amazing what they have done with this show based on a mediocre movie.
The Practice. It's first spinoff, Boston Legal, has just started. I'm not much of a fan of the first, so I probably won't be watching this.
Friends. I never thought this would become a franchise, but here we are at the dawn of the age of Joey. If there was one character I would have liked to have his/her own show, it would be Joey. I've liked the first few episodes, it's not at the same level as Friends, but I'll give it some time.
- CSI 0% 0
- Law & Order 100% 2
- Star Trek 0% 0
- Stargate SG-1 0% 0
- The Practice 0% 0
- Friends 0% 0
- Other 0% 0
- No preference 0% 0
- total votes: 2
CSI. Spawning spinoffs faster than Law & Order did, it appears they want to have a different CSI every night of the week. I like the original, and sort of like NY, but Miami never really clicked with me. The franchise is degenerating into just another cop show than the investigation show it started as.
Law & Order. This formula seems very durable. Each series has it's own feel, yet you can tell they all belong to the same family. I only started watching them a couple years ago, but it is easy to see why it has lasted so long.
Star Trek. What a varied success rate this franchise has had. The current torch bearer is Enterprise, an interesting if somewhat weak entry. The concept is good, but the result doesn't fit in so well. This franchise has been slipping for awhile, Voyager was OK, DS9 was arguably the best of the new series, and there is no denying the classic status of the first series.
Stargate SG-1. The latest to join the sci-fi franchises, Atlantis is the first spinoff for this show. It's done a pretty good job of stepping away from the original show, but it's going to take a little while for the cast to gel. I still think it's amazing what they have done with this show based on a mediocre movie.
The Practice. It's first spinoff, Boston Legal, has just started. I'm not much of a fan of the first, so I probably won't be watching this.
Friends. I never thought this would become a franchise, but here we are at the dawn of the age of Joey. If there was one character I would have liked to have his/her own show, it would be Joey. I've liked the first few episodes, it's not at the same level as Friends, but I'll give it some time.
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