NIN Concert in Detroit - Oct 2018

So I saw NIN for the second time in Detroit. I only went because my girl hasn't seen them ever and they are in her favorite bands list. They did something different to keep the tickets from bots and scalpers. You had to physically go to the venue a couple months ago and buy the ticket. Then you come back and see the show. (LIKE THE GOOD OL DAYS!) In actuality, I kinda liked this system. Yeah it was a pain to get up at 3-4 in the morning and go buy the ticket, but I used to do that same thing when I was a kid. I'd stand outside Warehouse Records in Mt. Pleasant (RIP) and line up for tickets to a show. You could pick you seat and found happiness. So this was similar and it kept it going to the real fans. Of course you are going to get people buying extras and scalping them. Assholes abound in this world. What you gonna do?

I saw them live in 2014 I think it was. They played a lot of the more later albums. But this show the majority was PRETTY HATE MACHINE and BROKEN. A couple from this album and that, and four new ones. But nothing off the later albums really. The stage was stripped down, no screens. Lights and smoke. It was a rockin' good time. 

I'm showing you folks some of my pics and then pics from the Detroit Newspaper, as they got MUCH closer than I. So enjoy these. They played at the Fox theatre... which is GORGEOUS! Here are my pics:

I'd say that this show tops the last time I saw them, for sure. I love those first two albums. While there were a couple songs that they've been playing on this tour that they didn't play the night I saw them, overall I'd say it was a killer time. And you know what? No assholes around us. Perhaps doing the tickets the way they did got it to the real fans who appreciated the show for what it should be. Of course there were loud, drunk arseholes... probably bought tickets from a scalper... but luckily they weren't around me and didn't dampen my experience. 

Concert retirement begins now for me? In a way, I hope so. I'm getting too old for this type of thing. My feet, back and ears hurt a bit. I've seen some great fucking shows in my days of concert going. Legendary performers. If this is indeed my last show ever, its a good one to go out on. 

But it will happen again. Maybe I'm still a bit too young to retire. We'll see. 

-T

Phat Life and FAT Life

Hey friends. I'm working my ass off at the day job. LONG hours. Its the busy season and that is fine with me. I'm barely home at all. This weekend I got my boys and I'm looking forward to having them overnight and being at home to clean up and get stuff done. I got my youngest his own ipad. Its a 1st generation and kinda slow, but it will be good for the learning apps and things he would use it for. I loaded it with cartoons for him to enjoy. Scotty seems to dig his and they seem to fight over it sometimes, so its only fair he has his own. Why not.

I updated the blog site here to show my appearances on the upper right. That way you know where my hot ass will be all year! I also scored tickets to see my favorite new metal band, GHOST in Grand Rapids in May. I'm going alone, so I sprung for the VIP package. Why not, eh? My pal Gabriel and I are going to go see REEL BIG FISH here in Lansing in February as well. So new concerts are already lining up. I still have only seen Star Wars once in the theater, so I am gonna go with Dean this Sunday I think. 

I got a nice amount of coloring done this week on Starslam 2. Production continues. My mind turned to soup in the middle of this week and my working routine got shot. Just, tired and feeling blah. I think part of it is that I've been eating like total shit lately. I promised to start a diet on the 1st but it didn't take. Its just been crap eating and no exercise. I think the weather has me down, too. Plus I started this week with a small head cold. (thanks kids!)

But one of my goals of 2016 is to get back on track with the health, mentally and physically. I regained 35 of the 55 pounds I lost back in early 2015. Its shameful. I feel slow and horrible. But my brain cannot connect the two to stop drinking soda and eating bad food again. Its all my fault. I bought a bunch of gym clothes but somehow am not motivated to get a gym routine going, nor stopping eating crap food. I'm treading dangerous territory. But until that final want snaps in my brain, I'm stuck in this cycle.

I hate being fat, but not enough to get rid of it for good. That's a problem. The addictive personality and depression is dug in deep. Gotta pull it out again.

I hate clothes shopping as a fat person. I desire to look good, but its impossible when you are fat. Not cause of the shape of the body, but the limited choices in clothes. Bands don't make shirts beyond a 1-2X. And if you do find shirts at a 3-4X, you get these:

Really? As I fat guy I don't want a goddamn cow on my shirt!

I get it. Part of the idea is "owning" your fat, saying you are comfortable in your own skin. Well, I think if you asked any fat person if they woke up tomorrow weighing 130-170 pounds, would they be okay with that, I think I'd get a universal "YES" to that.

Is it lack of motivation? Is it habit? Depression? Slovenliness? Loneliness? Sadness? Food taste too good? Laziness?

For me, its all of the above. Let's be honest. In 2014, I started caring and I quit soda. I was off it for 6 months. SIX MONTHS!!!! Can you believe that? I can't. I got back on it while working the insane hours at my two jobs this past year. I convinced myself I needed the energy and caffiene. So I started back on soda. And here I am a year later. I eat fast food almost daily again. Its disgusting. I hate it and I hate that I fell back into my old gross habits.

I know what you are thinking. "Well, fucking stop!" You'd be right. It should be that simple. And I don't know what snapped in my head the first time to make me stop back then. I need that again. Whatever it was.

I know what I want and what I don't want in life. So why can't my brain say "FUCKIN' ENOUGH!!!!" Hopefully I find that head space again. I need to find that path again and get back to where I was and move further than that. I know I can do it cause I proved it. Life just got in the way. Well, I need to reclaim it. Badly.

Well this is all more stuff for the therapist. Thanks for listening.

Anyway, have a great weekend my friends. Onward and upward!

Cheers, T

PS - RIP Alan Rickman. Fuck cancer. Fuck death. Goddammit!

KING DIAMOND Concert Review

Hey my droogies... I saw KING DIAMOND this past weekend.

My brother is a massive fan and when I saw he was coming to Michigan, I proposed the idea of going. We're both really heavy into music and we've never seen a concert together. Seemed a shame, so we took advantage of it. My newphew Storm went with us. They got to sport vintage King shirts and leather jackets. They don't make leather in my size so I kept my Saxon shirt and army over shirt. Opening band was EXODUS:

It was old school trash metal at its finest. I don't know their songs super well but it was a great set. Very energetic. Good to know those boys can be doing that style of music well into their 50's. (And Gene Simmons said Rock is Dead? Not according to what I've seen!) A quick set change and King came on...

The stage was quite the elaborate set up. He opened with WELCOME HOME, which I know very well. You worry that a man who has had so many scary surgeries and is pushing 60.. can he belt out that same falsetto type of screaming vocals like he did 30 years ago? Well from the first scream of GRANNNNDDMAAAAAA!!!!!! I turned to my brother and he back and me and we knew we were in for a ride. 

After a couple King tunes, they did 3 Mercyful Fate songs which sounded great live. The band sounded tight and recreated very note and sound. Then they ran through the entire "ABIGAIL" album, which I am familiar with. I love concept albums. 

All in all it was a killer show. We had balcony seats and any seat in Detroit's Fillmore is a good seat. Great venue to see shows in. And now I can cross these bands off the list. If he comes into your area, I highly recommend seeing King Diamond if you are into that kind of music. They sound just like the album did 30 years ago. And us old fogies can still rock. This weekend proved that for me.

______________

Busy week ahead of some overtime at the day job and I have to push StarSlam 2 along. Wish me luck. Everyone be safe out there.

Cheers, T

Nine Questions

Someone sent me a thingie saying I have to post 9 random thoughts about myself. I'm not interested in posting it on FB so I thought I would post it here. And even go as far as to find 9 questions out there I could answer to give my facts. Content. YAY. Enjoy.

____________NINE QUESTIONS WITH ME________________

1. Favorite Song:

---I don't think I have a favorite. I have many songs that fit moods I have and I prefer to listen to to get into that mood. If I had to pick one song that I completely enjoy and call a "favorite" I'd say its STRANGER IN YOUR SOUL by Transatlantic. I identify with that song alot. At least what the lyrics mean to me. They probably mean something else entirely. But I often twist songs to fit what I think they are about.

2. Most Traumatic Experience:

---Either my mom's death and the aftermath of it. Or the birth of my son Scott and all the complications involved with that. It was not a good time.

3. How many Tattoos/Piercings I have:

---None of either. Although I do desire to get some tattoos at some point. If I have some disposable income one day.

4. 3 Things that annoy me easily:

---People who do not listen to directions, especially children. Bad or dangerous driving. And people who whistle songs, complain or talk on cell phones while in a line.

5. What is on your Xmas list:

---A record player, Records, Markers, Gift Cards to a local record store, Used Blu-Rays and NES games I pointed out to the santa wife.

6. List of concerts you've attended:

---Lots. Ramones/WhiteZombie, Korn/Rob Zombie, Queensryche, Metallica/Corrosion of Conformity, U2/PJ Harvey, U2/Florence and the Machine, Meatloaf, Stone Temple Pilots/Cheap Trick, Stone Temple Pilots/Local H, Roger Waters, Roger Waters: The Wall Live, Transatlantic, Paul McCartney, Black Sabbath, Saxon/Fozzy, Neal Morse (twice), Bob Dylan, Rush... I know there are some I am forgetting.

7. What I find attractive in others:

---Kindness, confidence, knowledge, wisdom, humbleness, funny, open-minded, raunchy humor, book smart, creative.

8. Hardest time you laughed:

---Luckily I have it recorded. Shane and I were recording a skit audio tape and he made a silly joke about a Police Academy sequel subtitle and for some reason, it tickled both of us and we preceeded to laugh for ten minutes straight. I've got the moment recorded and its embarrassing to hear. We really lost our shit and to be honest, I have no idea now why it was that funny. I think we both just needed to laugh that day.

9. My Favorite Movie:

---Toss up and constant see-saw battle between A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and HIGH FIDELTY. Both are good for their own reasons. I lean towards HIGH FIDELITY because its so autobiographical to me. I identify with it more.

Thanks for reading folks. Have a good Thanksgiving!