Please find the clips for the gig here . Just click on the metal radio icon! They are hosted on my local server, so you don't even waste any bandwidth. The first clip is around 69Mb in size, while the other is 29Mb. 69 Eh? Wonder how that came about! A nice round number.
Unfortunately today my slipped disk has enlarged , not to a compact disc...but to a long play..so it's a couple of days of rest...listening to metal, namely the new Epica album , as well as Kamelot...suck me sideways! I hope my daughter hasn't taken the CDs with her to school...bugger! Not forgetting my motorhead of course!
il grillo . . . .keep metal
\m/
Monday, October 09, 2006
Friday, October 06, 2006
Open Fire !
Now that I have managed to open my eyes that little bit more, it is time to pen down my thoughts on yesterday's gig at Qormi. I had been a bit apprehensive as to whether the show would go on, but a quick call to Kenneth confirmed that despite a bad cough and truly inclement weather in the afternoon, things would go on as planned....'You don't think that the water will extinguish FIRE don't you?' were his parting words.
That was sweet music to my ears as I had been waiting for this gig for weeks now. Making our way to the festival grounds, I realised that year in , year out , the Lowenbrau script goes unchanged. Same old stalls on the right , new car on the left, being kitted out with some outlandish sound system blaring out (c)rap , same stage on the left for the (supposedly) more popular music , and the same smaller 1565RockStage. Well let me tell you something beer guys....there were FAR more people at the rock stage than at the pop shite stand..so get your priorities right.
Oh, it was organised alright, squeeky clean and all that, but a bit of a change is needed. All in all
though, good family fun is there to be had by everyone...and of course... there is the beer. Yummy!
So let's move on to the music, because that is what pulled me there. I was a bit worried at my arrival by half-past eight. There was virtually NO-ONE at the stage the band was to play. 'Ooops...' said my wife. I assured her that by the time nine o'clock would chime, the rockers would be drawn here like a gnat to an ass! (This was the first time she had seen the band live, and was suitably impressed.)
And sure enough the guys and girls, most of them now recognisable from previous FIRE gigs, began to turn up like bad pennies! By the time the band started, I was in my usual place at the front of the pack. Looking to the back I could see that the crowd was quite sizeable. You simply cannot keep a good rocker away from what he craves.... good old-fashioned rock n'roll....
And as if to defy the weather, the band started off with Stormbringer, a Deep Purple favourite, going on to their 'Get out of my way' and progressed on to 'Grinder' from Judas Priest. THIS is what we have been waiting for...
Throughout the rest of the set, the crowd was treated to another couple of tracks from their super album 'IGNITE' (Manhunter and Taste this Rock n'Roll) as well as various other tracks, namely - SpeedKing , Walking by Myself, Play that funky music, Whole Lotta Rosie , Highway to Hell and the closer Saturday night's all right for dancing. All in all I felt that there was a better vibe going on than at Marsaxlokk.
While the music was simply great, the set was way too short. I feel that the band's new direction now should be either to extend their playing time or to organize a concert simply for themselves. For us fans it is disconcerting to see good bands being bogged down by rules such as time constraints or having to pack up their instruments because another band has to play after them. I obviously realise that on this little island of ours, a concert will simply cost too much with little returns. Will people pay to see the big bands play? HELL YES!
On a more positive note, Kenneth announced that FIRE will be opening for Swiss outfit Krokus when the band (led by Marc Storace) will give us their long-awaited concert on the 25th of November. Jot that date down on your diary...FIRE opening for Krokus...or is it Krokus opening for FIRE? Whatever, it will be a thoroughly enjoyable evening!
So hang on to your steel hats guys, the flames are gonna get hotter!
Oh..and did Kenneth mention that the new album is still on sale? Thought so!
Cheers...now where the hell is that CD?
That was sweet music to my ears as I had been waiting for this gig for weeks now. Making our way to the festival grounds, I realised that year in , year out , the Lowenbrau script goes unchanged. Same old stalls on the right , new car on the left, being kitted out with some outlandish sound system blaring out (c)rap , same stage on the left for the (supposedly) more popular music , and the same smaller 1565RockStage. Well let me tell you something beer guys....there were FAR more people at the rock stage than at the pop shite stand..so get your priorities right.
Oh, it was organised alright, squeeky clean and all that, but a bit of a change is needed. All in all
though, good family fun is there to be had by everyone...and of course... there is the beer. Yummy!
So let's move on to the music, because that is what pulled me there. I was a bit worried at my arrival by half-past eight. There was virtually NO-ONE at the stage the band was to play. 'Ooops...' said my wife. I assured her that by the time nine o'clock would chime, the rockers would be drawn here like a gnat to an ass! (This was the first time she had seen the band live, and was suitably impressed.)
And sure enough the guys and girls, most of them now recognisable from previous FIRE gigs, began to turn up like bad pennies! By the time the band started, I was in my usual place at the front of the pack. Looking to the back I could see that the crowd was quite sizeable. You simply cannot keep a good rocker away from what he craves.... good old-fashioned rock n'roll....
And as if to defy the weather, the band started off with Stormbringer, a Deep Purple favourite, going on to their 'Get out of my way' and progressed on to 'Grinder' from Judas Priest. THIS is what we have been waiting for...
Throughout the rest of the set, the crowd was treated to another couple of tracks from their super album 'IGNITE' (Manhunter and Taste this Rock n'Roll) as well as various other tracks, namely - SpeedKing , Walking by Myself, Play that funky music, Whole Lotta Rosie , Highway to Hell and the closer Saturday night's all right for dancing. All in all I felt that there was a better vibe going on than at Marsaxlokk.
While the music was simply great, the set was way too short. I feel that the band's new direction now should be either to extend their playing time or to organize a concert simply for themselves. For us fans it is disconcerting to see good bands being bogged down by rules such as time constraints or having to pack up their instruments because another band has to play after them. I obviously realise that on this little island of ours, a concert will simply cost too much with little returns. Will people pay to see the big bands play? HELL YES!
On a more positive note, Kenneth announced that FIRE will be opening for Swiss outfit Krokus when the band (led by Marc Storace) will give us their long-awaited concert on the 25th of November. Jot that date down on your diary...FIRE opening for Krokus...or is it Krokus opening for FIRE? Whatever, it will be a thoroughly enjoyable evening!
So hang on to your steel hats guys, the flames are gonna get hotter!
Oh..and did Kenneth mention that the new album is still on sale? Thought so!
Cheers...now where the hell is that CD?
The water can't extinguish the FIRE!
Once again I am writing down my thoughts after another FIRE gig.... it is , however well past midnight, I am tired , my bad back is playing up again , and the little movie clip I am doing is taking ages to render... so I will just promise to write up not only the review tomorrow, but set-up the video on my server so that fans can download it... after permission from the band obviously.
Meanwhile here's a pic to whet your appetite. As usual, the band pulled in a sizeable crowd despite the less than satisfactory day (Thursday! My daughter was livid with anger and disappointment), and of course the inclement weather, which put off quite a number of people...
Apologies for the lack of quality, both on the pictures and the clips to follow. (since my SONY got busted , I have had to make do with a super disappointing noisy , low-res-video Canon. Do yourself a favour... shoot yourself before buying a Canon!)
Keep Metal ! \m/
Friday, September 08, 2006
Year 02
It is Friday evening as I write this. Late...very late...So late, in fact that is almost early...the next day of course. I have quietly celebrated by myself the second anniversary of one of my most important dates in my life. Birthday? Nope...wedding anniversary? Come on, gimme a break, who remembers those? Well today is the second year of my travels to England to watch THE band...RUSH...at Wembley. A four day trip that I will remember for as long as I live...hence the title Year 02.
A most memorable concert,that I enjoyed fully, not sitting down for a second. review here
And it all ended up in a great big muddle, from the moment I stepped onto the platform of the C2C train at King's Cross Station.....and the speakers announcing 'mmmf...mumble...mmf...02 minutes...**leigh'...bloody train speakers...I am flipping sure I heard that it was going to Rayleigh, but what it really meant was that this particular train was going to Leigh station,not Rayleigh...where my beloved relatives were waiting. Oh..and this was around 1.15 in the morning! I realised something was going wrong when the train passed the Dagenham Ford factory.
So there I was at 1 in the morning, with no credit left in my phone, and my relatives miles away at a different train station. Finally I got a call, and I informed them that I was at Leigh. They duly picked me up and argued funnily about it for a while....only to find in the morning that I did get the correct train from the correct station, but the 12.02 was the only one that went to Leigh. Hehehe....good one that.
Well, it is only now that I am laughing about it...cos at that time it was anything but. I was the only living thing for miles!
Happy Anniversary!
A most memorable concert,that I enjoyed fully, not sitting down for a second. review here
And it all ended up in a great big muddle, from the moment I stepped onto the platform of the C2C train at King's Cross Station.....and the speakers announcing 'mmmf...mumble...mmf...02 minutes...**leigh'...bloody train speakers...I am flipping sure I heard that it was going to Rayleigh, but what it really meant was that this particular train was going to Leigh station,not Rayleigh...where my beloved relatives were waiting. Oh..and this was around 1.15 in the morning! I realised something was going wrong when the train passed the Dagenham Ford factory.
So there I was at 1 in the morning, with no credit left in my phone, and my relatives miles away at a different train station. Finally I got a call, and I informed them that I was at Leigh. They duly picked me up and argued funnily about it for a while....only to find in the morning that I did get the correct train from the correct station, but the 12.02 was the only one that went to Leigh. Hehehe....good one that.
Well, it is only now that I am laughing about it...cos at that time it was anything but. I was the only living thing for miles!
Happy Anniversary!
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
A matter of life and death.
Welcome to the review of Iron Maiden's new offering. With daring constant themes of war and misusing religion to cause it , this may seem as a concept album. It isn't that, although it is actually very close. As can be seen from the cover artwork down to the lyrics, this is a full-scale attack on the futility of it all. Contrary to their previous efforts, there seems to have been some serious thought put into this album.
I think that two of the tracks that stand out are 'The Longest Day' and 'These Colours Don't Run'. I can see the Longest Day as a stand-out in live shows while Colours is magnificent.
'For The Greater Good Of God' bleeds into another big arena swinger , with changing tempos and three way lead solos that will leave you quaking. It's another Maiden classic that does not compromise heaviness in achieving its nine-minute span. Nine minutes! There are actually five tracks over seven minutes long , and two niners.
'The Pilgrim' and opener 'Different World' are straight to the balls standard rockers, while Bruce lets go with an amazing vocal performance on the balladic 'Out of the Shadows'.
I'm sure many fans will revel in the gallop and surge of 'Brighter Than A Thousand Suns', Steve Harris' bass twanging high in the mix, while the closing track, 'The Legacy' - concluding the theme of war breeding more war - features a call-to-arms fanfare of electric guitars blaring intermittently through movie soundtrack ambience and acoustics.
I think that Iron Maiden have really bitten the bullet with this album. I am sure that many will not find it too palatable, but long time fans will surely persevere beyond the first two spinnings of the CD. Because I honestly did not like it at all!!! Yep , there I was on my bed listening to the CD through headphones, and I really had to check the CD Display to see whether the tracks were really advancing.
Why? There is a 'sameness' to the tracks, especially the intros and choruses. This is something that I have been noticing when Bailey replaced Dickinson as singer. 'Brave New World' and the (really good) 'Dance of Death' confirmed this trend. The latter had 'Rainmaker' which really stood out in the old style of Iron Maiden. Musically of course, hats off to the guys...so I will treat this cd as a concept when I am listening to it. Obviously on subsequent spins, the album grows on you. I can guarantee that.
Maiden are gradually evolving into a different breed of metallers. Any old rocker worth his salt remembers the galloping and so 'tuneful' Run to the Hills , The Trooper , Somewhere in Time and similar tracks. I miss those days so much , but the guys are thankfully moving on...as it should be.
On a high note, I am really enjoying the way that many 'big guns' are recording their albums these days. No laying down of individual tracks, but a 'live' studio performance where the band plays all at once. I think that this sounds really good on the final product, and the emotion of playing is transmitted to the listener at a broader level.
The conclusion? I feel that new Maiden fans will struggle to get to grips with this album , but for us seasoned rockers, another grand album that is worth every cent....thanks guys!
I think that two of the tracks that stand out are 'The Longest Day' and 'These Colours Don't Run'. I can see the Longest Day as a stand-out in live shows while Colours is magnificent.
'For The Greater Good Of God' bleeds into another big arena swinger , with changing tempos and three way lead solos that will leave you quaking. It's another Maiden classic that does not compromise heaviness in achieving its nine-minute span. Nine minutes! There are actually five tracks over seven minutes long , and two niners.
'The Pilgrim' and opener 'Different World' are straight to the balls standard rockers, while Bruce lets go with an amazing vocal performance on the balladic 'Out of the Shadows'.
I'm sure many fans will revel in the gallop and surge of 'Brighter Than A Thousand Suns', Steve Harris' bass twanging high in the mix, while the closing track, 'The Legacy' - concluding the theme of war breeding more war - features a call-to-arms fanfare of electric guitars blaring intermittently through movie soundtrack ambience and acoustics.
I think that Iron Maiden have really bitten the bullet with this album. I am sure that many will not find it too palatable, but long time fans will surely persevere beyond the first two spinnings of the CD. Because I honestly did not like it at all!!! Yep , there I was on my bed listening to the CD through headphones, and I really had to check the CD Display to see whether the tracks were really advancing.
Why? There is a 'sameness' to the tracks, especially the intros and choruses. This is something that I have been noticing when Bailey replaced Dickinson as singer. 'Brave New World' and the (really good) 'Dance of Death' confirmed this trend. The latter had 'Rainmaker' which really stood out in the old style of Iron Maiden. Musically of course, hats off to the guys...so I will treat this cd as a concept when I am listening to it. Obviously on subsequent spins, the album grows on you. I can guarantee that.
Maiden are gradually evolving into a different breed of metallers. Any old rocker worth his salt remembers the galloping and so 'tuneful' Run to the Hills , The Trooper , Somewhere in Time and similar tracks. I miss those days so much , but the guys are thankfully moving on...as it should be.
On a high note, I am really enjoying the way that many 'big guns' are recording their albums these days. No laying down of individual tracks, but a 'live' studio performance where the band plays all at once. I think that this sounds really good on the final product, and the emotion of playing is transmitted to the listener at a broader level.
The conclusion? I feel that new Maiden fans will struggle to get to grips with this album , but for us seasoned rockers, another grand album that is worth every cent....thanks guys!
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Rockin at Marsaxlokk
It's 3am on a Sunday morning...and the Hunchback of NotreDame has conveniently forgotten to stop his work!
There's this incessant buzzing in my ears...the reason? Simply a great night of good old-fashioned rock music at the little sea-side village of Marsaxlokk.
But as the saying goes....'If your ears ain't ringing at the end of the show....it ain't been loud enough!'...and I heartily agree.
So , four bands hailing from the local scene were invited by the local council for a rock-festival. In order of appearance the bands were Frenzy Mono , Stillborn , Angelcrypt and the mighty FIRE.
I met up with my mates Silvio (with Sue and Tiny terror Sarah), Paul, Robert and Mario at the venue, and obviously made our way to the front! Some of my usual rocking mates were there too....can't keep a good guy (or girl) away. So a big hello also to Damian, Alex, Jade and Tony. Keep it hanging my friends!
OK then, let's see what the guys cooked up.
First off with Frenzy Mono. To be frank, I hadn't heard from this band before the Farsons beer festival, but if they keep the momentum going, they will be big. Hmmm, so how am I going to describe this band? Easy actually, think of the rolling blues-rock of Led Zeppelin (all kneel) mixed with a healthy dose of Guns n' Roses, and you have Frenzy Mono. A true pity that this band started
first out, as there were only a few people who had showed up yet. Cool, tight riffs and a brilliant singer shone in the offerings. The band did a few of their own numbers, which I thought were really good. They also covered 'Welcome to the jungle' by the Guns, and 'Heartbreaker' by Led Zeppelin.
Absolutely brilliant. I simply adore the Zeps so I will make sure to order their album as and when it is out on the streets. Great mixing of the audio delivered a crisp, professional impression. Great Stuff. Sometimes I wonder why these guys don't simply leave this little island and make a fortune on
European shores.
After a short break for beer and a wee-wee, the second band, Stillborn, was promptly on the (tiny) stage. Raphael , the guitarist from this band works with me, and I only knew about this concert from him. Nothwistanding our friendship, this is an honestly unbiased review of their performance. So,
Stillborn are a seven piece progressive metal band, with longish tracks in the deepest tradition of Rush. This band were the only one with all original compositions, and the songwriting simply is fantastic. I must confess to liking their tracks....a lot...they should be seen when they get into the groove and rhythm...you could tell that they were really enjoying themselves, a clear sign of
confidence. As for their tracks, I think that 'Thy Feeble Soul' is simply awesome , and for the final track , 'Cross of Fire', words simply fail me. I humbly confess to not liking this track when I heard it first, some months back. But wait...it was recorded in a garage, and still a 'work in progress'.
The final version is beyond comprehension. I dig this style very much, and will be first in line for their album. Come on guys .... save our souls!!!! Give us your album! We don't care for the cover sleeve. On a negative note, I think that the amps were way too loud, which distorted the sound a lot. I also feel that the vocalist needs to tune her voice a little deeper, but maybe that is only because of the (extremely) bad mixing. However I see a bright future here! The small free space on stage constricted them a little as I felt that they were more than ready to gallop away to the rhythm. I am honestly a great fan of prog and symphonic metal, so I obviously enjoyed Stillborn a lot.
Next up were Angelcrypt, after a long period of being out of the scene. This band have been, in their own words, in hibernation. The mixing was not very good again, but one can tell that there is real talent and work behind this band. Personally I thought that the guitarist and bassist are simply
awesome, chugging out riffs with a tight precision. Marvelous. Surprisingly for a thrash metal band, they had a keyboard player...and their compositions made allowance for the keyboards to sound really up-front. Good stuff. I think though, that the vocalist was nothing special. Again, this could be
because of the bad mixing, because on the official recorded demos from this band, I thought he was quite good. The two covers this band played were amazingly glorious...first up was 'Seek and Destroy' , my favourite Metallica track ever. They played this to perfection. One could close his eyes and think that the guys from LA were on the stage themselves. Their second and final offering was
the Lordi blaster 'Hard Rock Hallelujah'. Suck me sideways! What a rendition! Great stuff. People strolling around outide the area reserved for the festival were also stopping and taking a peek at what was happening. This band also has a group of fanatically loyal supporters who headbanged
their way into bliss.
Finally it was up to the mighty FIRE to take the stage. By this time the numbers in the audience had swelled to an admirable amount. FIRE have been around for a long number of years. Hell I remember going to Laurence, Robert and Pejxa's initial concert in 1981 in the old Orpheum at Gzira!!!
FIRE started off with 'My Sharona' ... and never looked back.
Kenneth, Laurence, Charles, Robert and Pejxa are building a fast-growing reputation as being THE premier rock band in Malta...I heartily agree!
The band covered the following tracks between their own (high quality) compositions.
My Sharona (Opening song). A crowd pleaser. Soon had us jumping.
Walking in the shadow of the blues (Gary Moore). My goodness what a song. Laurence the drummer was in his trademark shorts and barefeet, belting out the pounding rhythm on his drumkit.
Don't break my heart again (Whitesnake).Another great song by Whitesnake, and really performed well by the band. Kenneth really surprised me with his singing here as Coverdale is a notoriously hard man to imitate vocally.
Speed King (Deep Purple). Who's this dude Blackmore? Give me Pejxa anytime. the guy was going
absofuckinglutely nuts on his Strat. The crowd here went simply wild. Charles, the bassist was
magnificent. One could see that he studies a lot of RUSH. His playing is quite similar to Geddy Lee's.
Robert traded solos with Pejxa, showing their familiarity.
Play that funky music. I never heard this track in a heavy version, but I tell you it was great. A different kind of boogie, one can say.
Saturday night's all right for dancing(Elton John). Another song not usually associated with metal, but a great re-write nonetheless and a pleasure to listen to.
At this point the fuzz wanted the band to stop, since it was well past midnight. But the audience pleaded for more , and the band were granted another ten minutes.
Highway to hell. FIRE finished off their performance with this belter from AC/DC. I tell you we were past caring at that point. The crowd sang and chanted to this metal anthem as if we were at Wembley. Finally , the band regretfully gave us their farewell, and with another umpteenth reminder from Kenneth that their album IGNITE was on sale at a stall at the back, stepped down. I have been waiting for the album for a long time, and eagerly made my purchase.
I am listening to it as I write. Do NOT lose out on a piece of magnificent work. Well worth every cent of the cost. PLEASE do not copy this album. Give the band what they deserve! It is the fourth time that I have listened to the album, and each spin is better than the previous, as the tracks settle into familiarity. Surprisingly there are no filler songs in the album, as all the tracks gel into a complete listening experience.
So to the conclusion. Four bands that are easily up there with the best, and my only wonder is this. How come their music isn't heard more away from our shores? I think it is the marketing, as all of the mentioned groups are of the highest quality, and far better than some of the big names that have been hitting the metal scene lately.
I cannot imagine, for example, how much time, patience and money has been spent by Stillborn on 'Cross of Fire'. IGNITE is similarly highly finished production, totally produced locally, and the sound is far brighter and clearer than any sony or mercury production I have heard. Anyone who has heard the latest Ozzy and Metallica offerings know that they sound crap!
OK, I'm off to bed now, maybe that damned hunchback will cease his tolling, but I won't bet on it! Ah well, at least I won't hear my wife snoring! Metal rules!
There's this incessant buzzing in my ears...the reason? Simply a great night of good old-fashioned rock music at the little sea-side village of Marsaxlokk.
But as the saying goes....'If your ears ain't ringing at the end of the show....it ain't been loud enough!'...and I heartily agree.
So , four bands hailing from the local scene were invited by the local council for a rock-festival. In order of appearance the bands were Frenzy Mono , Stillborn , Angelcrypt and the mighty FIRE.
I met up with my mates Silvio (with Sue and Tiny terror Sarah), Paul, Robert and Mario at the venue, and obviously made our way to the front! Some of my usual rocking mates were there too....can't keep a good guy (or girl) away. So a big hello also to Damian, Alex, Jade and Tony. Keep it hanging my friends!
OK then, let's see what the guys cooked up.
First off with Frenzy Mono. To be frank, I hadn't heard from this band before the Farsons beer festival, but if they keep the momentum going, they will be big. Hmmm, so how am I going to describe this band? Easy actually, think of the rolling blues-rock of Led Zeppelin (all kneel) mixed with a healthy dose of Guns n' Roses, and you have Frenzy Mono. A true pity that this band started
first out, as there were only a few people who had showed up yet. Cool, tight riffs and a brilliant singer shone in the offerings. The band did a few of their own numbers, which I thought were really good. They also covered 'Welcome to the jungle' by the Guns, and 'Heartbreaker' by Led Zeppelin.
Absolutely brilliant. I simply adore the Zeps so I will make sure to order their album as and when it is out on the streets. Great mixing of the audio delivered a crisp, professional impression. Great Stuff. Sometimes I wonder why these guys don't simply leave this little island and make a fortune on
European shores.
After a short break for beer and a wee-wee, the second band, Stillborn, was promptly on the (tiny) stage. Raphael , the guitarist from this band works with me, and I only knew about this concert from him. Nothwistanding our friendship, this is an honestly unbiased review of their performance. So,
Stillborn are a seven piece progressive metal band, with longish tracks in the deepest tradition of Rush. This band were the only one with all original compositions, and the songwriting simply is fantastic. I must confess to liking their tracks....a lot...they should be seen when they get into the groove and rhythm...you could tell that they were really enjoying themselves, a clear sign of
confidence. As for their tracks, I think that 'Thy Feeble Soul' is simply awesome , and for the final track , 'Cross of Fire', words simply fail me. I humbly confess to not liking this track when I heard it first, some months back. But wait...it was recorded in a garage, and still a 'work in progress'.
The final version is beyond comprehension. I dig this style very much, and will be first in line for their album. Come on guys .... save our souls!!!! Give us your album! We don't care for the cover sleeve. On a negative note, I think that the amps were way too loud, which distorted the sound a lot. I also feel that the vocalist needs to tune her voice a little deeper, but maybe that is only because of the (extremely) bad mixing. However I see a bright future here! The small free space on stage constricted them a little as I felt that they were more than ready to gallop away to the rhythm. I am honestly a great fan of prog and symphonic metal, so I obviously enjoyed Stillborn a lot.
Next up were Angelcrypt, after a long period of being out of the scene. This band have been, in their own words, in hibernation. The mixing was not very good again, but one can tell that there is real talent and work behind this band. Personally I thought that the guitarist and bassist are simply
awesome, chugging out riffs with a tight precision. Marvelous. Surprisingly for a thrash metal band, they had a keyboard player...and their compositions made allowance for the keyboards to sound really up-front. Good stuff. I think though, that the vocalist was nothing special. Again, this could be
because of the bad mixing, because on the official recorded demos from this band, I thought he was quite good. The two covers this band played were amazingly glorious...first up was 'Seek and Destroy' , my favourite Metallica track ever. They played this to perfection. One could close his eyes and think that the guys from LA were on the stage themselves. Their second and final offering was
the Lordi blaster 'Hard Rock Hallelujah'. Suck me sideways! What a rendition! Great stuff. People strolling around outide the area reserved for the festival were also stopping and taking a peek at what was happening. This band also has a group of fanatically loyal supporters who headbanged
their way into bliss.
Finally it was up to the mighty FIRE to take the stage. By this time the numbers in the audience had swelled to an admirable amount. FIRE have been around for a long number of years. Hell I remember going to Laurence, Robert and Pejxa's initial concert in 1981 in the old Orpheum at Gzira!!!
FIRE started off with 'My Sharona' ... and never looked back.
Kenneth, Laurence, Charles, Robert and Pejxa are building a fast-growing reputation as being THE premier rock band in Malta...I heartily agree!
The band covered the following tracks between their own (high quality) compositions.
My Sharona (Opening song). A crowd pleaser. Soon had us jumping.
Walking in the shadow of the blues (Gary Moore). My goodness what a song. Laurence the drummer was in his trademark shorts and barefeet, belting out the pounding rhythm on his drumkit.
Don't break my heart again (Whitesnake).Another great song by Whitesnake, and really performed well by the band. Kenneth really surprised me with his singing here as Coverdale is a notoriously hard man to imitate vocally.
Speed King (Deep Purple). Who's this dude Blackmore? Give me Pejxa anytime. the guy was going
absofuckinglutely nuts on his Strat. The crowd here went simply wild. Charles, the bassist was
magnificent. One could see that he studies a lot of RUSH. His playing is quite similar to Geddy Lee's.
Robert traded solos with Pejxa, showing their familiarity.
Play that funky music. I never heard this track in a heavy version, but I tell you it was great. A different kind of boogie, one can say.
Saturday night's all right for dancing(Elton John). Another song not usually associated with metal, but a great re-write nonetheless and a pleasure to listen to.
At this point the fuzz wanted the band to stop, since it was well past midnight. But the audience pleaded for more , and the band were granted another ten minutes.
Highway to hell. FIRE finished off their performance with this belter from AC/DC. I tell you we were past caring at that point. The crowd sang and chanted to this metal anthem as if we were at Wembley. Finally , the band regretfully gave us their farewell, and with another umpteenth reminder from Kenneth that their album IGNITE was on sale at a stall at the back, stepped down. I have been waiting for the album for a long time, and eagerly made my purchase.
I am listening to it as I write. Do NOT lose out on a piece of magnificent work. Well worth every cent of the cost. PLEASE do not copy this album. Give the band what they deserve! It is the fourth time that I have listened to the album, and each spin is better than the previous, as the tracks settle into familiarity. Surprisingly there are no filler songs in the album, as all the tracks gel into a complete listening experience.
So to the conclusion. Four bands that are easily up there with the best, and my only wonder is this. How come their music isn't heard more away from our shores? I think it is the marketing, as all of the mentioned groups are of the highest quality, and far better than some of the big names that have been hitting the metal scene lately.
I cannot imagine, for example, how much time, patience and money has been spent by Stillborn on 'Cross of Fire'. IGNITE is similarly highly finished production, totally produced locally, and the sound is far brighter and clearer than any sony or mercury production I have heard. Anyone who has heard the latest Ozzy and Metallica offerings know that they sound crap!
OK, I'm off to bed now, maybe that damned hunchback will cease his tolling, but I won't bet on it! Ah well, at least I won't hear my wife snoring! Metal rules!
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Drinking is worse than eating!
One involves chewing. The other involves sipping. But when it comes to calories, drinking can be the same as eating.
"Oh sure," you might be saying. "I know that. I've cut out soda, wine, and beer. All I drink now are healthy things like juice."
The problem, unfortunately, is that what appears to be healthy often isn't.
Some of the worst offenders are fruit-flavored drinks. These drinks are only 5 percent fruit juice, and because they're full of sugar, a 20-ounce bottle packs 300 or more calories (as much as a cream-filled doughnut)!
Another no-no? Nutritional energy drinks. Your body derives energy from calories, so (surprise!) that's what these shakes deliver: 240 extra calories a day, enough to make you gain a half-pound per week. Instead take a daily multivitamin to get the vitamins without the spare tire.
Remember to stick with what's real. A glass of 100 percent juice, skim milk, herbal tea or (best of all) good, clean, calorie-free water. Flavor it with a little sugar-free drink mix, if you need something sweet.
"Oh sure," you might be saying. "I know that. I've cut out soda, wine, and beer. All I drink now are healthy things like juice."
The problem, unfortunately, is that what appears to be healthy often isn't.
Some of the worst offenders are fruit-flavored drinks. These drinks are only 5 percent fruit juice, and because they're full of sugar, a 20-ounce bottle packs 300 or more calories (as much as a cream-filled doughnut)!
Another no-no? Nutritional energy drinks. Your body derives energy from calories, so (surprise!) that's what these shakes deliver: 240 extra calories a day, enough to make you gain a half-pound per week. Instead take a daily multivitamin to get the vitamins without the spare tire.
Remember to stick with what's real. A glass of 100 percent juice, skim milk, herbal tea or (best of all) good, clean, calorie-free water. Flavor it with a little sugar-free drink mix, if you need something sweet.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Back again!
Well after a good long summer break, here I am again, with another instalment of 'Back to the funny farm!'...hehe.. as if!
A lot of water has passed under the bridge these last couple of months on which I was absent... but so much has happened that I am loathe to leave it all undocumented.
Number one has been the victory of the Italian national squad in Germany2006...what a night that was. And no less important was the demotion of Juventus to the second division in Italy after a 'match-fixing scandal'. Looking back on the court proceedings I can see that it is all a plot to discredit just the one team. Loads to say here, and it is not over yet. More on that as soon as I have some time to fill in the blanks in the diary!
Well , health-wise I am just a bit better, though not by that much. The pain is still lingering down my right leg. Thankfully, by doing regular exercise, and of course...a LOT of rest, especially in the afternoons, I can get to live a nearly-normal lifestyle. Thanks to my bosses at work for that. My fear is that I don't know how long they can keep up with my needs. A change in the time would nearly necessitate a change in job....aaaargh...can't even contemplate that! Simply too many friends and a nice job too!
Thankfully another drop in weight has also resulted following the dieting and training. Mostly walking you know, but still a big help.
Maybe another post tomorrow!
A lot of water has passed under the bridge these last couple of months on which I was absent... but so much has happened that I am loathe to leave it all undocumented.
Number one has been the victory of the Italian national squad in Germany2006...what a night that was. And no less important was the demotion of Juventus to the second division in Italy after a 'match-fixing scandal'. Looking back on the court proceedings I can see that it is all a plot to discredit just the one team. Loads to say here, and it is not over yet. More on that as soon as I have some time to fill in the blanks in the diary!
Well , health-wise I am just a bit better, though not by that much. The pain is still lingering down my right leg. Thankfully, by doing regular exercise, and of course...a LOT of rest, especially in the afternoons, I can get to live a nearly-normal lifestyle. Thanks to my bosses at work for that. My fear is that I don't know how long they can keep up with my needs. A change in the time would nearly necessitate a change in job....aaaargh...can't even contemplate that! Simply too many friends and a nice job too!
Thankfully another drop in weight has also resulted following the dieting and training. Mostly walking you know, but still a big help.
Maybe another post tomorrow!
Monday, June 26, 2006
Italy - Australia 1-0
An injury-time penalty from substitute Francesco Totti took ten-man Italy past Australia and into the last eight of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Totti, a 75th-minute replacement for Alessandro Del Piero, drove the spot-kick high into the net after Fabio Grosso had gone down under a Lucas Neill challenge just seconds before the final whistle.
Italy had been reduced to ten men following Marco Materazzi's red card five minutes into the second half and at that stage their followers might have feared a repeat of their loss to Guus Hiddink's Korea Republic at this stage four years ago. Instead, Totti's strike leaves the Azzurri looking forward to a quarter-final tie against either Switzerland or Ukraine in Hamburg on Friday.
As for Hiddink's Australia team, they can head for home proud of their performance in Germany, having reached the Round of 16 on their first outing on the world stage in 32 years.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Italy - USA 1-1
What an incredibly rough and tough game. USA coach Bruce Arena, after the heavy defeat against the Czechs, declared this game to be a war...and go to war they did...but the Italians were no pushovers physically.
The first twenty minutes had an American mark to them as they shut-out Italy very well indeed. But from a free-kick, Gilardino powered the ball past a hapless Keller. Only 5 minutes had passed before Zaccardo sliced into his own net to score an incredible own-goal. I'm sure that if he tried it another hundred times he wouldn't manage to do it again.
Following that goal, De Rossi lost his head, elbowing McBride in the face while in a jump. Instant red, both for the Italian midfielder,and for Mc.Bride, who required three stiches before he could come on again.
A couple of minutes later, the USA continued its' rough play, with Mastroeni entering into a recklessly wild two-footed lunge at Pirlo. There could be only one outcome...Off to the showers lad!!!
The second half started badly for the USA again. Eddie Pope sprang wildly at Totti, earning him another yellow card....this was way too late.He should have been sent off in the first half.
The match continued with a string of saves from Keller, who did his best to keep out the blues. His final save on Del Piero was nothing short of spectacular and miraculous.
A score of 1-1 then, with USA enjoying early possesion, but the Italians, ever so cynic, were able to contain the Americans, then hit on the counter-attack. The second half was of an Italian stamp, not being able to score though.
The first twenty minutes had an American mark to them as they shut-out Italy very well indeed. But from a free-kick, Gilardino powered the ball past a hapless Keller. Only 5 minutes had passed before Zaccardo sliced into his own net to score an incredible own-goal. I'm sure that if he tried it another hundred times he wouldn't manage to do it again.
Following that goal, De Rossi lost his head, elbowing McBride in the face while in a jump. Instant red, both for the Italian midfielder,and for Mc.Bride, who required three stiches before he could come on again.
A couple of minutes later, the USA continued its' rough play, with Mastroeni entering into a recklessly wild two-footed lunge at Pirlo. There could be only one outcome...Off to the showers lad!!!
The second half started badly for the USA again. Eddie Pope sprang wildly at Totti, earning him another yellow card....this was way too late.He should have been sent off in the first half.
The match continued with a string of saves from Keller, who did his best to keep out the blues. His final save on Del Piero was nothing short of spectacular and miraculous.
A score of 1-1 then, with USA enjoying early possesion, but the Italians, ever so cynic, were able to contain the Americans, then hit on the counter-attack. The second half was of an Italian stamp, not being able to score though.
Italy - Czech Republic 2-0
Italy secured their qualification for the Round of 16 as Group E winners after beating the Czech Republic 2-0 in Hamburg on Thursday, 22 June 2006.
Marcello Lippi's side will face the second-placed team from Group F in Kaiserslautern on 26 June. The Czechs, who head home early after finishing third in the group, played the whole second half with ten men after the dismissal of Jan Polak moments before the break following a second yellow card.
Marco Materazzi, an early replacement for the injured Alessandro Nesta, put the Azzurri on course for victory when he headed past Petr Cech in the 26th minute and his fellow substitute Filippo Inzaghi sealed the three points three minutes from the end.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Italy - Ghana 2-0
Finally, my favourites get to play the match. Had a few of my mates over to watch the match, and boy, was it a cracker. Surely one of the best so far. The emergence of the African nations in the football scene made this match more of a competitive one than should really be. In actual fact the Ghanans had an exceptionally strong midfield, with Essien, Appiah and Asamoha playing a holding game, but sadly for them, a weak forward line. 'The Black Stars' were effectively killed off by their one weakness in front of goal.
Italy on the other hand were rocked with another scandal, but I guess this only spurred them on to greater heights. Totti came back for the Azzurri instead of Del Piero, but despite playing some marvellous passes, he is still far from his brilliant form.
So it was up to Pirlo , and Perrotta, to provide the midfield genius. The Italians set up wave after wave of attacks, and it was only a matter of time before they scored....and what a goal it was from Pirlo.
He got the all on his left foot a good 10 metres out of the box, pulled the new Adidas ball to his right and unleashed a powerful curling kick right into the bottom corner of the net. WOW!
The Italians continued pressing, but they missed oh so many chances. Can't let that happen to often in the World Cup. Totti was taken off as a precaution, and Iaquinta scored again late in the match as he latched on to a Del Piero pass that had been wrongly controlled by a Ghana defender. The joy on the Udinese man was a pleasure to watch.
So the Azzurri are there after all! ALE ALE ALE!
Official FIFA match report
Italy on the other hand were rocked with another scandal, but I guess this only spurred them on to greater heights. Totti came back for the Azzurri instead of Del Piero, but despite playing some marvellous passes, he is still far from his brilliant form.
So it was up to Pirlo , and Perrotta, to provide the midfield genius. The Italians set up wave after wave of attacks, and it was only a matter of time before they scored....and what a goal it was from Pirlo.
He got the all on his left foot a good 10 metres out of the box, pulled the new Adidas ball to his right and unleashed a powerful curling kick right into the bottom corner of the net. WOW!
The Italians continued pressing, but they missed oh so many chances. Can't let that happen to often in the World Cup. Totti was taken off as a precaution, and Iaquinta scored again late in the match as he latched on to a Del Piero pass that had been wrongly controlled by a Ghana defender. The joy on the Udinese man was a pleasure to watch.
So the Azzurri are there after all! ALE ALE ALE!Official FIFA match report
Saturday, June 10, 2006
World Cup fever
Finally it is here. I have waited so long for this to arrive. As a football fanatic I cannot be but overjoyed that we will be having 30 glorious days of football daily. So I will be blogging the matches the day after they have been played. It will not be a technical view of course, but rather the way I have seen the matches. Chin up mates and may the best team win...
Of course Brasil will be the favourites. Why? Simply because they enjoy the game so much. You can see the Italians putting in a good show, but since they are notoriously slow starters, they will have to sruggle to win their group, which means they would evade Brasil and probably come up against the hard-nuts of Croatia. Surely these two groups have been drawn rather harshly. But that is the luck of the draw.
Some groups have such easy matches that it is astonishing ow that could happen. But as happens with every lottery, it is not what you wish for.
Of course Brasil will be the favourites. Why? Simply because they enjoy the game so much. You can see the Italians putting in a good show, but since they are notoriously slow starters, they will have to sruggle to win their group, which means they would evade Brasil and probably come up against the hard-nuts of Croatia. Surely these two groups have been drawn rather harshly. But that is the luck of the draw.
Some groups have such easy matches that it is astonishing ow that could happen. But as happens with every lottery, it is not what you wish for.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
The stories
Hi Chantelle. I will post the stories here as soon as I manage to collect them all in one file okay? Maybe around 5pm tonight? I have just some correction to do on one of them, then I will put them here!
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Here we go again!
Following a really good diet and exercise regimen that I implemented last year, I lost quite a bit of weight. However the back problems that I have had meant that I simply had to reduce the amount of hours of exercise that I could put in. The fact that the medication required a certain amount of food to go with it, for safety reasons, meant also that I have slowly started to put in those little extra pounds here and there.
Coupled with the heat this summer is already bringing with it, I have neglected a bit of my training.
When I started in March last year I was at an all high 135kg...by the end of July I was at 109kg, and managed to see the double-digits on my scales on Xmas day. On the 25th I saw 99.8...which is the lowest I have been for years..the next day I was up at 100.6 again though.. Unfortunately with the lack of training, I have crept up to 103.6kg...and it shows. I can say that when I was at 109 I was slimmer..Why? Because I had loads of muscles on my arms, chest and legs. Now I fear thay are breaking down.
So where is this bringing us? I will be setting a new goal which I would like to reach by the end of July. And that is to see the 99-100kg figure regularly, not just a flash in the pan. How will this be done? First the amount is a meagre 4kg in 8 weeks...so that is around a pound a week...hardly difficult....AH! I say...'tis the season of beer..and of the World Cup. Thankfully there will be an hour's break between each of the three matches, which I will use to put in a cardio workout in the first session , and then a weight session between the second and third match. I might turn it the other way round since between 8pm and 9pm the weather will be far cooler for a run.
And lay off the 'bad' food..especially carbs. I will try to take these only in the morning. Hmm....I think that bread,butter,pasta...these must be really reduced. And none in the afternoons.How am I going to live? Protein, coupled with loads of fibre.
Finally the back problems seem to be easing up a bit, thank God.
Date:24th May 06 Weight 103.6kg
Coupled with the heat this summer is already bringing with it, I have neglected a bit of my training.
When I started in March last year I was at an all high 135kg...by the end of July I was at 109kg, and managed to see the double-digits on my scales on Xmas day. On the 25th I saw 99.8...which is the lowest I have been for years..the next day I was up at 100.6 again though.. Unfortunately with the lack of training, I have crept up to 103.6kg...and it shows. I can say that when I was at 109 I was slimmer..Why? Because I had loads of muscles on my arms, chest and legs. Now I fear thay are breaking down.
So where is this bringing us? I will be setting a new goal which I would like to reach by the end of July. And that is to see the 99-100kg figure regularly, not just a flash in the pan. How will this be done? First the amount is a meagre 4kg in 8 weeks...so that is around a pound a week...hardly difficult....AH! I say...'tis the season of beer..and of the World Cup. Thankfully there will be an hour's break between each of the three matches, which I will use to put in a cardio workout in the first session , and then a weight session between the second and third match. I might turn it the other way round since between 8pm and 9pm the weather will be far cooler for a run.
And lay off the 'bad' food..especially carbs. I will try to take these only in the morning. Hmm....I think that bread,butter,pasta...these must be really reduced. And none in the afternoons.How am I going to live? Protein, coupled with loads of fibre.
Finally the back problems seem to be easing up a bit, thank God.
Date:24th May 06 Weight 103.6kg
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Summer is in!
Well, summer has really started with a bang here in Malta. Time to head for the beach! The mercury has been hitting the 35Celsius mark for over 3 days in a row now. As one can imagine, the heat is incredible. The humidity doesn't help a lot either. So it's up to Mellieha for nice long nights by the sea. Well a lot of friends have been asking how I am doing with therapy. Thankfully things have improved a LOT since starting out. Thanks Luke! Much appreciated! Although I did promise him that once I am back to normal, I will happily throw him over the balcony into the pool. Alas..I have to take a ticket and wait my turn!
So, with just a few months of therapy left, I just have to take it easy and my health will come back!
Oh..and for those of you who sent me email about LORDI...I don't really care about all the other pop songs. they were crap anyway! I'm a metal lover, how else would I vote?
I suggest that anybody not understanding the power and faith that is heavy metal should see this documentary. It might not make you fans of the genre, but you will get a better understanding of what is, what should be, and what not to expect...
Take Care! And be happy with what you have!
So, with just a few months of therapy left, I just have to take it easy and my health will come back!
Oh..and for those of you who sent me email about LORDI...I don't really care about all the other pop songs. they were crap anyway! I'm a metal lover, how else would I vote?
I suggest that anybody not understanding the power and faith that is heavy metal should see this documentary. It might not make you fans of the genre, but you will get a better understanding of what is, what should be, and what not to expect...
Take Care! And be happy with what you have!
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Hard Rock Hallelujah!
I am in state of ecstasy...why? LORDI , the heavy metal Finnish band, has just trounced all competition in the Eurovision song contest. There was just one real song in it...and LORDI sang it. As for Malta? Pah! The puny Fabrizio Faniente finished LAST!!! HOORAY!!!
So , my friends, embrace the true faith that is HEAVY METAL!! Hard Rock Hallelujah! And if you think that this was good, think again! Listen to the 'Get Heavy' album, and look out for track 3...Would you love a monsterman?
My kids (11 and 8!) go wild when they here it....they're going to wreck the damn house! And what do I say?
AMEN!
Let there be ROCK!!!
So , my friends, embrace the true faith that is HEAVY METAL!! Hard Rock Hallelujah! And if you think that this was good, think again! Listen to the 'Get Heavy' album, and look out for track 3...Would you love a monsterman?
My kids (11 and 8!) go wild when they here it....they're going to wreck the damn house! And what do I say?
AMEN!
Let there be ROCK!!!
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Hello Tony! This one's for you!
Hi Tony, long time no see! It was nice to see your message yesterday. Well as you can see from my blogs I am not presently in the best of health (to put it mildly!). So as you can imagine, listening to good music helps alleviate the pain a lot.
So what am I listening to... hmm... silly question... Mela, I have this brilliant new album from Sonata Arctica , called 'For the sake of revenge'. It is a live album recorded in Japan, and soon to be released on DVD in May.
Another album that is driving me nuts with its quality is one by a band called Visions of Atlantis. The album is called 'Castaway'. You should really try to listen to these 2 albums as they are MEGA.
The Visions of Atlantis singer is (in my opinion) to replace Tarja from Nightwish, who has been sacked.
Tony, try also to look out for the new Judas Priest DVD , 'Rising in the East'.. it is absolutely awesome and an album no self-respecting metalhead should be without!
Obviously no collection would be complete without my beloved RUSH putting in a glimpse... and you know I especially love the older Rush albums.
Keep rocking buddy! At the moment I cannot drive too much, so you might have to do the visiting!
See you!
So what am I listening to... hmm... silly question... Mela, I have this brilliant new album from Sonata Arctica , called 'For the sake of revenge'. It is a live album recorded in Japan, and soon to be released on DVD in May.
Another album that is driving me nuts with its quality is one by a band called Visions of Atlantis. The album is called 'Castaway'. You should really try to listen to these 2 albums as they are MEGA.
The Visions of Atlantis singer is (in my opinion) to replace Tarja from Nightwish, who has been sacked.
Tony, try also to look out for the new Judas Priest DVD , 'Rising in the East'.. it is absolutely awesome and an album no self-respecting metalhead should be without!
Obviously no collection would be complete without my beloved RUSH putting in a glimpse... and you know I especially love the older Rush albums.
Keep rocking buddy! At the moment I cannot drive too much, so you might have to do the visiting!
See you!
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Still way too bad...
Well, some time since I posted anything...but the sad fact of life is that the pain is all consuming and over-riding any hopes of any activity. The disc between L4-L5 is slightly pinched, causing me really bad hardship....but I wil not let this thing beat me. I will get better, and live anormal happy life again... happy? what the hell is that word anyway? And to make matters worse, Juve were well and truly trounced by Arsenal yesterday...ah well...
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Away?
Haven't written much lately. The beautiful weather here has given me a respite from my pain.Thankfully extensive tests inhospital have been made. Now only the results need to come in.Here's hoping. Meanwhile Juve have been drawn against Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals.
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