July 25th in NYC - One Night Stand!

I can't believe I haven't added this! My mind has been mush lately, but fun birthday times was had and still are being had. Last celebration for the year...Tomorrow's One Night Stand at Highline Ballroom in NYC!

Sibyl Vain Clothing will be one of the many designers showcasing with fun installations alongside several amazing music artists and special hosts from House of Field! Don't miss this one! Check the links below for more info!

SFX

Highline Ballroom

Oh and want to know my models?

The Tattooed Artist
Mika Kenyah
Angie Cakez
Caitlyn K

And our lovely makeup artist Devin Dollface Alexis

Punk Rock vs. Posh Life

Sometimes I feel I live a double life. Most people would say I'm one of those weirdos who has pink hair, wears all black clothes and goes to a lot of rock concerts. But then there's some that will look at me and think I'm this artsy spoiled brat who drinks during the week and dines on the weekend with several trips to go overseas lined up.

But I think what I'm really trying to figure out is not what others may think of me, but where the hell do I think I fit in?

You would think one would have things figured out after college, but sometimes that's not the case. Even with two degrees that should have sent me into teaching or art curating, I still wanted more. So following the leads of so many other sewers/designers, I decided to try to sell my designs on eBay and Etsy and try to get photoshoots set up. Then the next step would be making millions and on my way as the enxt Betsey Johnson.

Not the case.

I'm on the road to a new career dealing with wardrobe and it's so exciting. But until then, it's my social life that can't be ironed out.

It's like, one night I'm out with my fellow punk-rocker seeing Orgy play at Irving plaza (which was awesome as hell) with all the goth kids. All black clothing, pinkish-purple hair and Converses. After, we headed to one of the best bars in town, Otto's Shrunken Head and got glow in the dark drinks and got our pirate on. Plus, the music was perfect Interpol, Smiths, chill dance. After, we hit the diner next door and got disco fries. My new guilty pleasure.

But then the next day I'm off to my friend's birthday celebration. She's this picture perfect Anthropologie hipster and have a fun night around Union Square. We grab food before at Maialino in the Gramercy Hotel. It was snobby older people in suits, dresses and even the hipsters look intimidating. But the food was so good.

After we went to Pierre Lotti Wine Bar and sat outside being the weather has been so nice. The waiter was rude and we all joked about it. But the wine and drink menu was awesome. Had the nicest port wine and two of the people in our group got these absinthe and bourbon drinks called The Ramsey or something and were in love with them (and ready to sleep). PLUS! They had Jacques Torres Chocolates and we ordered a bunch. Perfect compliment for the drinks.

So, that's the two sides of Union Square : punk rock at Irving with pirate rum drinks and disco fries that didn't break the bank and then posh food and drinks that were worth the price, but you have to be aware you'll get looks for the hair color and tiger print dress. Pick your poison.

Taking Back Sunday Returns!

Well, it's not like they went anywhere, but I hadn't seen them in awhile and now they're back with the orginal line up.

They did a one-off show at Maxwells in Hoboken, NJ, the other night and I was lucky enough to get tickets. That place holds like 200 people in the stage area and what was also interesting about this show was that they were filming for their upcoming video for the new song, "El Paso."

I was, unfortunately thanks to traffic, about 20 minutes late and walked in on "Liar (It Takes One to Know One)." I'm assuming I missed out on "Cute Without the 'e' (Cut from the Team)" and that sucks hardcore, but oh well.

They played three new songs, one of which was "El Paso," but like three times...maybe it was four...I don't remember, but while some of the audience stepped out for a drink during the repeated playing, I enjoyed every second. If the upcoming album can be summed up in those three songs heard, I'm prepared for yet another strong release from TBS.

I don't remember too many songs from New Again, but it was such a good mix of the hits from the other three albums. They even threw in that Existentialism song by Straylight Run. Yea.

I became a TBS fan when the second album hit, so I'm not familiar with this line-up and was there mainly to stare at Adam. It's interesting because they are the kind of band that talks to the audience and especially Adam is so charming. There were old school fans and friends from back in the day, so the conversation carried throughout the venue.

And that's what was so great about this show - you legit felt like you knew everyone in the crowd, there to watch your friends put on one hell of a show.

So fun, at times I felt like I was watching them for the first time in one of those small clubs that you use to go to, but in a way have out-grown and a new generation has set up shop.

Alesana & Motionless in White and some other band...Plus Interview Link

February 5, 2011
Starland Ballroom

So Escape the Fate did a headlining tour. Who cares - Alesana and Motionless in White opened!

I made it there JUST in time to see Motionless, however, I had problems getting in, but just as well - what else is new? Haha, so I made it inside to see two songs of theirs. Yay!

They've become a band I use to joke about because their look was so strong, so Hot Topic-core/goth, to a band that's something more. So kudos! I mean, I like the music, the stage show is very interesting and intense, so I'm happy they've been touring so much - though I've been missing the majority of the area shows.

I haven't missed Alesana though. Saw them a bit ago on the Two Frail Weeks of Vanity and Wax, where they were retiring their album of relatively the same name. So I was little upset this time around when none of those songs made it in the setlist - but I was warned!

Decent show overall. I was all the way in the back, so the sound was a little funky because the back bar has a little overhang and the sound echoes weird. But they did songs off The Emptiness basically and it was all dramatic and I love love love "The Thespian."

At least they come dressed to impressed - nice shirts, ties, slacks or jeans and well the drummer had shorts, so casual dressy basically. Love it.

Check out the interview I did with singer Shawn Milke from Alesana HERE

In This Moment @ Santos Party House

Do I even have to explain how I adore In This Moment?

OK, so I'm behind on listening to their new album, but great sound, meaningful lyrics and a front woman who is girly as anything, but still can kick your ass.

We rushed over to Santos Party House down town somewhere, haha, and according the online set times, were only going to catch like ten minutes of ITM.

Nope! Something went wrong with scheduling and stages, so...my friend (who I dragged to this and probably hated me after) and I walked in an opener, but ITM was next. Interesting old school metal - don't know the opener's name.

It was just this perfect scene: you walk in from the cold hallway and are hit with the smell of weed and alcohol lingering above the packed floor of fans head to toe in black attire. The lights create a haze above the drunk floor and ITM sets up shop with a microphone stand covered in skulls that stands on a raised platform for singer Maria Brink to stand upon.

The sound overall was a bit scratchy to hear, but it was full speed ahead once started with new material at the ready. They pulled out "Forever" and "Beautiful Tragedy" and I was happy. Am really stoked to get the new album - sounds a lot harder than their previous - sucked I couldn't get to the merch stands to pick it up.

I promised my friend to leave early, but next thing, there were two songs left and I said, let's hear what the last will be. Well, it was 'THE' song I wanted to hear and we stayed. "Daddy's Falling Angel"

Senses Fail

BTW - Senses Fail's new album The Fire really has grown on me and no doubt - they're best album musically. Really great, go give it a listen.

Electric Factory
Philadelphia
November 27, 2010


OMG! I couldn't go to their show the night before Thanksgiving at Starland, so I figured I would try to get in to the Philly show.

The damn show sold out and I took the chance that my request went through for tickets being I didn't get confirmation (but I was pretty confident it was all good). But we make the trip and firgured if we couldn't get into that show, we would go across town and see Foxxy Shazam!

So it was a win-win situation if you ask me.

But...I walk up, give my ID and low and behold - two tickets are mine!

I made the mistake of not asking for set times, b/c my friend and I got stuck watching ALL the bands on the bill. Late show.

Balance and Composure was good, but I really wish I could have done without Title Fight and then Bayside. I was never into Bayside - even with a Weezer cover, meh.

Senses Fail was amazing. It's been awhile and I was loving all the older songs i.e. those off Let It Enfold You. I haven't listened to that album in forever. And they mainly stuck with older tunes, only a couple off the new album. They did do "Lifeboats" - my favorite.

The music sounded perfect and their singer was insane - drunk? who cares - Stellar performance, running around, doing acrobats and improvising when microphone dropped and seeing if he could sing in a handstand.

Left before the last song - don't know what that was or if there was an encore. But I was happy.

AP Tour 2010 Fall

AP Tour at Starland Ballroom!
November 26, 2010

Good show, good music, just goodness.

Polar Bear Club - Just another band I've heard so many good things about, but never checked out. They do live up to the hype and was completely into their set.

Emarosa - We all know my Emarosa/Jonny Craig's voice obsession, so they do no wrong. Except playing only like 5 songs! What the hell? They did play the last song off the new album and of course "Set It Off Like Napalm," but I'm still mad at whoever gave them a short amount of time to play.

August Burns Red - I saw these guys ages ago and remembered they were good. But dude. This confirmed their live performances are great. Band members working the stage, a frontman who connected so well with the crowd and then stellar guitarwork. But the strobe lights gave my sister and I headaches.

So we left before Bring Me the Horizon, though we weren't going to stay anyways, but I heard the crowd went bananas for these guys.

Good job AP Tour organizers - I thought the line-up was pretty damn nice.


If you're bored, check out my interview with JB of August Burns Red HERE

Alesana

I missed them at Warped Tour this year! But...got to stalk them when they played at School of Rock. woo!

They played mainly the older stuff. So being lazy, I'm not going to go and look to see if they were touring only on older material. But I know I'm right and they did just release a new album like earlier this year.

Ok, anyways.

I was happy because I knew most of the songs and it was the same ol'show I expected and find entertaining. Frontman Dennis rolling around, screaming his head off and the crowd loving it. Then singer Shawn singing like a diva. And we can't forget typical faux-core/screamo stage moves with pre-crabcore unison dancing. I guess that's a good way of saying it.

But I will give it to them that the music sounded just as it does on their records (or they were pulling an Ashley Simpson) and the response from the crowd was just love.

However! "Seduction" was not played - unacceptable.

Fun times and I didn't steal their drummer, so I am free to attend future shows.

What's this? They're touring in the early Spring with Motionless in White? Count me in!

::Intro to Downfall of Us All::

I don't know excatly how you write the 'duh duh duh da' part, so hum it to yourself.

I totally am out of the loop! Or I just forget really easily. A Day to Remember has a new album coming out soon? Shut up! I probably could get an advance or unfortunately find it downloadable somewhere. But I'll wait till my sister buys her copy or they post it on Myspace to hear it.

They also did this series to go alongside the upcoming album "What Seperates Me From You." So I guess you buy the new album and you get the final episode of the series - bands are getting smarter with getting you to buy their albums. Good! I just bought two new CDs yesterday.

Need to get back into beefing up my vinyl collection though.

Here's the episode I caught




OMG! UGH! I am SO pissed off right now - I got really busy in October that I lost track of the CMJ Marathon and guess who was there? Dead to Me! I have been waiting years to see them. Break my heart and the line-up they were on would have been amazing to check out. I'm really bummed...

UGH!

Anyways -

Caught The Summer Set last week. Saw them on Warped this year and it was cute, good times. Plus, I got to be an honorary mom again. Cute show, especially at the end when they had everyone (well the majority of the crowd) sit and have an acoustic sing-a-long.

Oh La La! Musical Boys

Last minute, I was whisked away somewhere close to the city for I didn't know exactly what.

My friend's friend's brother played a cute set with his band I Am Fighting.

It was an acoustic set, so you got this wholesome, prettyboy pop-rock going on. Also because of this, the attendee up-front and dead center was their drummer, who couldn't play that night...

If you're in the mood for pop-rock/power pop good tunes...check them out! Plus, I hear they're opening up for a teen heart throb aroun dhere in Jersey sometime soon.

www.myspace.com/iamfighting


Second part of this post -

They were one of the bands that played that night for the grand opening of this new coffee cafe/scene gathering place that opened in Lyndhurst (New Jersey if you didn't know). I have to go back and check it out again because the one girl with us went to order coffee and all they had was straight up coffee and tea - I really wanted a latte or something.

But as I was looking around at the framed show posters...I put two and two together. This venue is from the same people of Mainstage, which was out in Pompton Lakes - they did a lot more, but I'm not the official biographer.

I Went Where?

Oh yea...I hung out with the cool kids last night at the Suicide Silence / Mychildren Mybride / The Tony Danza Tap Dancing Extravaganza / Molotov Solution show at Starland Ballroom.

There were seven bands on the bill and I knew that 5:30 doors was not going to be early enough - even arriving at 8pm, I walked in with 4 1/2 bands to go and I forgot my earplugs.

It turned out to be a good night though - cool people to hang out with and make fun of the crowd, not a sold out show, but the floor was full and a good amount of people at the back bar.

Molotov Solution was good, though I don't really remember much else about them. I've been dying to see Tony Danza... just b/c the name is rad as hell, but it's definitely 'guy's only' music. Mychildren Mybride REALLY got my attention and hello, their one guitarist was cute and the bassist was Asian (I like them kind of boys).

Seriously though, great performance and the music was a bit more girl-friendly, so I got into it, with those small melodic moments and it wasn't just 'rawr rawr rawr!'

Suicide Silence cracked me up. I love this shit!

After MCMB's set, it was like a mass exodus out the venue, which I thought was strange, but I guess the kiddies needed fresh air, merch or smoke a cig b/c they're 'so cool.' The majority of the kids came back for Suicide, but I was surprised that quite a handful left. Hm.

The singer of Suicide is crazy - it's like his mouth doesn't even move and he's with the pterodactyl screams and then switches to the growling and yea. But I noticed, he had the audience sing a lot - I guess someone can't do both live, haha. I honestly really don't know what was up with that b/c I really don't know their music.

It was an hour set and I was kinda done after half an hour, but I stuck it out and decided upon finding my own super tall, really skinny, covered in tatoos, some-kind-of-core band's screamer to kidnap. Or become friends with, whatever comes first.

Check it out!

Ok, so I totally made myself dizzy updating and writing on my laptop while it balanced on knee and weeble-woobled all around, making me kinda sick. haha!




So. You knwo that music video I did some wardrobe for? It was Kimberly Korn's first video for her song, "Broken Inside." Great! Now it's stuck in my head again, haha.

This lady is seriously talented and such a sweetheart! She's been doing a lot of shows lately and I haven't made it out for one b/c of work. Rats!

Thursday, October 14th, she'll be performing at R Bar in NYC. Check it out if you're in town!

www.KimberlyKorn.com

www.RBarNYC.com


I hope to have some behind the scenes photos in the near future before the video comes out. woo!

Sex Slaves & Toxic Vision

Yea, so it may have been back in August, but hell! I wanna talk about it.

August 21st at Santos Party House in NYC for bands, fashion and one drunk birthday dude.

My sister and I get stuck in Chinatown trying to get there b/c there was the one festival that weekend in Little Italy and they had a street blocked off - some crazy guy was the 'traffic director,' which meant no cops were around and so he just yelled at us if we didn't move fast enough.

We made perfect timing though - things were running a little behind and thank god too, b/c the music was SO loud between sets, we went downstairs to escape it between acts.

My photographer/friend/Sex Slaves worshiper was also there - doing what, you may ask...keeping guard of the Sex Slaves' merch table. haha, she's too funny. And...takes really cool shots of those boys at shows (just not of that night). Check it - http://www.flickr.com/photos/creepshowphotography/

We walked in on the one band playing, London from Daisy of Love is in it - don't know, wasn't too impressed.

One of the best parts of the night was the crazy man of honor, Samuel Valentine, who was happy and drunk as it was his birthday. That plus his accent made his introductions of people quite entertaining.

Like I said - perfect timing. Toxic Vision showed her fall collection 'Widowmaker' and it was bananas. I wish I had the body (and monies) to buy some stuff. From highly embellished bustiers, to monster fur sleeves to her standard spandex pants, I was so enjoying everything.

My favorite went early on - just covered in crosses = love. (Totally stole this from her etsy: ToxicVision.etsy.com)




After were The Sex Slaves and omg - DIES! Music = fun and crazy as hell, Band Members = hot as hell, Overall review is AWESOMENESS.

Gotta get into this band and stalk them, haha. Check it - www.SexSlavesNYC.com

Sugar & Spikes Fashion Show and Concert

I'm going INSANE!

Two days to finish up everything and I'm SO behind. On top on all of this, my mom springs on me that tomorrow I have to take her and a friend into the city because we're going to be in the Dr. Oz audience, that's out of left field.

So excited for this - come out and join us - I heard there's free liquor being served from 8pm - 9pm (which is probably when I'm on or right before).

And if you're not in the NYC area...check out The Pinkies Out event in Philly to benefit www.ReflectionsProject.com which has their fashion & art event in September and I'm a part of that too :)

Thrash and Burn! Or not...

Yay! So my sister and I took the day and attended the Thrash and Burn Tour at The Stone Pony in good ol'Asbury Park.

We were mainly drawn by Greeley Estates and the added bonus of checking out some other interesting bands.

WRONG!

Greeley had RV problems or something, so they weren't there along with I think two other bands - definitely Chelsea Grin wasn't there due to one member having health issues. So bummed.

But even with us getting there like two hours after doors, though mind you it was a long show day to fit all the bands, Motionless in White just started playing, so I was happy. Those boys are styled perfectly and no matter what's up with the lead singer, he's my new darling that I want to steal - kinda like my thing with Davey Havok.

They keep sounding better and better everytime I see them, so rock on.

I didn't really keep track of the bands that played on the outside stage - sorry about that to those bands - but it was like endless screaming, heavy riffs and breakdowns, except for the more 'punk rock' group that went on.

My sister was all about checking out Evergreen Terrace and they really held their own. They've been around for awhile - it's hard to realize that bands that started in like 2000 or a little after are now ten years going.

They put on a good stage show and security really loved their singer Jesus-walking in the crowd.

Impending Doom was 'rawr rawr' vocals, but they were endearing and thanked the crowd at the end very nicely. I didn't want to like them, but I did.

I lost interest in Stick to Your Guns even though they were like one of the biggies on the tour. I took a breather and awaited Kittie.

The ladies of Kittie had a REALLY tough time impressing the crowd. There was a group of die-hard fans up front, but I was pissed off at some of the comments made around me during their set.

Their stage presense wasn't spectacular, but the music was tight, though vocals could have been turned up.

And there you had my day - I left before Asking Alexandria and Born of Osiris. But I'm old and my back hurt and I was starving. Maybe next time.

Warped Tour! Dude!

My sister and I conquered Warped Tour yesterday in Camden. It was awesome - really REALLY hot, but awesome.

Yes, we got there late - I came from North Jersey, so...

We missed Alesana, I See Stars and Enter Shikari, but we've seen them before and we'll see them again - would have been fun though.

I was lucky and had a photo pass for the day, but kept missing that timeframe of 'the first three songs' to jump in the pit and my camera isn't sweet enough to really capture everything from in the crowd. I got some cool shots though, just gotta edit.

To start we saw Four Year Strong, who had some technical difficulties, but it worked out and then we headed over for Mike Posner. He's fun and later when he was signing at his booth, I joked this is the closest I'll get to Justin Timberlake. So cute.

The day was spent mostly just walking around chilling. Emarosa was AMAZING! They only played like five songs, so it felt super short, but so good.

All the bands like Motion City Soundtrack, We the Kings and Summer Set were all cute, Warped standards that were fun, but I think I'm a bit too old to really enjoy, haha.

Riverboat Gamblers and The Casualties were great. Seriously, just great and made Warped. Especially Riverboat Gamblers, who I haven't seen in years - just, what Warped SHOULD be.

Ended on In Fear and Faith, who got better since last I saw them and older...haha, I thought they were teens last year when we saw them, but nope. They are older. Last was Sum 41, who were so 'meh.' The singer had people come up on stage halfway through the first song, so I was like 'fuck this...' and left the photo pit. Oh wells.

Funny - we get screwed over in leaving the parking lot and had to sit and wait for about 30 minutes. Who walks by to get to their bus? Sum 41. Apparently the singer is now dating one of the scene queens who bounces from band member to the next. Can't hate, I would love to do that too, but you know she does it to 'further' her 'career.' umm...yea.

People this year were pretty cool. There weren't any like really rad, showman performers, but good music. Pretty sure we were listening to Flatfoot 56 while waiting for traffic to move - they were good.


I'm going to in addition to some photos, I always love the bands that walk around and ask you to listen to their cd players. I don't, b/c those earphone creep me out. But I took a few fliers and there's a few bands I didn't mention above or I missed and wanted to check out that I'm going to like 'review' in the upcoming weeks. Check it!

Flogging Molly = Love

This past Monday we went to see Flogging Molly at my favorite venue, Starland Ballroom

River City Extension was playing as we got in and I'm considering them like The Decemberists only more punk rock. Lots of instruments, fun, folky and easy to get into.

Turns out my friend knows the one band member and asked me to go to their CD release party in Asbury Park earlier in the day. Who knew I was going to see them that day?

Big D and the Kids Table were also up before Flogging Molly. Of course I knew who they were, but had never really bothered to get into them. They showed me I suck at life. Awewsome as hell.

90s ska still proving to be relevant and just as killer as when it first was huge. You could tell the new stuff from the old (he said what was what), a little harder/darker maybe describes the newer material.

Fun times, expecially watching the street punks dance around. Skinny boys in studded vests and jackets are love (and most were of age - they would find liquid refreshments in the bar area! that's how i know)

FLOGGING MOLLY!

Yea, I saw them at Warped Tour, but this trumps Warped Tour like whoa.

They played on and on and everything was a song near and dear to my heart. I'm not too into their new album, Float, but can't win them all.

The crowd was just bananas the whole time and while you could see a bit of boredom/anticipation during slower songs, they needed them to rest and reflect.

What was really something was how the band interacted with each other and the crowd - being so genuine is rare these days. Singer Dave King, when he wasn't making mention of his wife and bandmate Bridget, pointed out the young fire fighter in the crowd who apparently stalks the band when they play, haha.

We left before the encore, but a Monday night is hard when work has to come the next day. Such a great show though - the crowd was on point, the openers were stupid awesome and Flogging Molly is always professional and just plain good.

Plus we kept noticing the trend of red socks. Can you see them on guitarist/banjo-ist/multi-instrumentalist Bob Smith? Was there a reason I didn't know?

Jared Leto and Big White Balls

Oh you'll see...




I was stoked to interview His Holy Leto-ness (TheAquarian.com), which was an awkward phone thing, but I was even more stoked on a photo pass at the Roseland Ballroom...

Seemed His Leto-ness or whoever, took away the photo pit for more 'fan together time' or whatever and I got yelled at by security (well sorta, not really, ok, i'm exaggerating). So I got stuck taking photos upstairs with my base model camera - oh wells.

But the show was AWESOME!
Street Drum Corps - Neon Trees - Mutemath - 30STM

I like Street Drums Corps. At the end, they were sawing at the metal barrels and the singer came out in leggings and a military helmet - I want to make him leggings next time.

Neon Trees were meh. I can see where people do like them, but besides the singer wearing an epic red jacket in the beginning and their drummer is a girl, who also was hanging out downstairs chatting with everyone after the set, I'm not too impressed.

Mutemath was AMAZING and their drummer comes out, hangs up his hat and duct-tapes (velcro?) his headphones to his head. Then it was just one big explosion of music, completely grabbed you and then that faint hint of a Southern accent of the singer (they're from New Orleans) came out and had me hooked.

So, I was stupid and went to the basement bathroom DURING the set, fearing the line between Mutemath and 30STM. I was a fool and thus was left only seeing 4 songs by Mutemath - they ended by flipping over the keyboards, taking apart their equipment and still playing it and making music.

On to 30STM...

The floor was rediculous the whole night, so thank God I was upstairs. Stupid Leto though at one point, told everyone from the back to take 3 HUGE steps forward. They did. Poor people in the front...




For the show...It felt at times that they played each song as if it were the last of the evening. Over dramatic and long pauses, as if to hear the screaming of fans.

They played one (or maybe two, I'm not familiar with the first album) old song and then an equal mix of their current and previous release.

At one point, I saw cameras facing my direction, which was away from the stage, and was like - Look! Leto's beneath us at the sound board!

So yay, he sang "The Kill" right there and then once over...the security guards started like moshing and pushing the crowd apart for Jared to make his way back to the stage and we were left thinking - how did he get to the sound board in the first place?

But yea, great show and for the finale, they brought fans up on stage - most were those that purchased the 'VIP Package' and then they pulled maybe ten people from the crowd. Cool. Then BIG GIANT white balloons were thrown into the crowd as the band finished up "Kings and Queens."

Jared liked to talk and make jokes that I read he did in other show reviews. So...I was just wishing i had the extra funds to see them the next day over in Montclair at Wellmont. Oh wells - it'll just be sweeter the next time they come to town.

He made a lot of funny faces...






Oh and he lost his shirt at the end. Seriously, the girls in the crowd ripped it to shreds as he ran back to the stage.

AFI & The Loved Ones

So...I'm crazy when it comes to shows as of recent. Late last year, we traveled to Canada - but hell, that was probably Boys Night Out's last show ever and they played their first two albums in full.

Oh and what was that we did with going to Iceland for a music festival?

So driving to North Carolina didn't seem too out of the question when AFI and The Loved Ones were on the bill. I wish it had been another festival type thing, but alas it was just one of their tour stops.

We drove through the night and wihtout realizing, avoided all the horrors that went on with the storm that hit North Jersey that weekend...where we all live.

With little sleep, we woke up to get ready for the concert - I went early with my friend who is part of the AFI fan group, so she got to go in early. All would have been good except...The Fillmore in North Carolina is like a mile from the main city and you don't want to walk that mile by yourself and then it started to POUR!

But even with the bad weather, chilly winds...the stupid venue wouldn't let the fan club people in early early - jerks. I hopped off the line to stand against a building, but the poor people on line got drenched and probably chilled to the bone.

So after a quick run for food with other friends who arrived later...we returned!



Scarlet Grey opened and from what I heard online, they were good and my other friend said their set was awesome! But of course, I missed them.



I ADORE The Loved Ones. The sound was great in the venue and made them sound just that much better. They played all the fan favorites, mine being "100K" and then ending on "Louisiana."

Their bassist wasn't on tour with them, so they brought along a member of Paint It Black (I foget his name). The only complaint was that it seemed singer Dave Hause forgot some of the lyrics at times.



AFI became a band near and dear to me over a short period of time. While I'm more a fan of their early work, I now get to see them as a group of polished, talented & older musicians with a lead singer that I feel is the goth/punk Madonna.

They seemed a little out of it, my friend saying it was because they just got back from Australia (which I think was a week prior, but jet lag might take some time). They had done the Soundwave Festival and holy cow I wish I had been there.

They played a lot from the new album, Crashlove, and Sing the Sorrow. The most entertaining part of the evening - watching singer Davey Havok pole dance with his mic stand and basically dance around like he was in Madonna's "Vogue" video.

Well worth the trip and I'm never disappointed with any show by AFI or The Loved Ones, so to see them together...

Plus it was a kickass bonding time with friends - hell, bonding is going to happen one way or another when you're in the car together for almost 24 hours in one weekend.

Bayonet and Shoots

haha...see what I did there with the title?

anyways...I have some pictures to post from two shoots I got images of and Oh. My. Goodness. They are all amazing. The one set, I'm going to do a post tomorrow with those images, but for now - let's talk about my first music experience of the new year and I'll leave you with one sneak peek at another shoot we did last week.

So tonight, I stuck around to see the set from BAYONET on the NJ stop of SET YOUR GOALS' tour. Who are they? Basically the singer of SENSES FAIL, people from the now disfunct THE BANNER and other dudes.

Let's remind the reader of my love and slight obsession with SENSES FAIL and their singer.

That said, I had to stick around and see what was to come of this, as the songs on their myspace didn't grab me - http://www.myspace.com/bayonetdoesntcare

So! I must say, it's basically SENSES FAIL wihtout the little 'metal shredding' flourishes and Buddy whining about this and that - well at least it's not clear in the vocals.

I liked it. Few moments of catchier melodies, back then to some 'harder' drums and such and non-nasally vocals, which you got to love.

Check it out if you haven't. I'm excited for what's to come as I've kinda given up that any new material from Senses Fail will live up to what I remember of them.

(After I went home b/c snow sucks and I wasn't going to drive in what's accumulating outside)

That said, here's a shot from the Creepshow shoot we did last week. Rock and Roll!