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Archive for March, 2024

Arthur Conan Doyle–“The Blue Carbuncle” [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes] (1892)

Posted in Adventure, Arthur Conan Doyle, Christmas, Geese, Greed, Mystery, Sherlock Holmes, Short Story on March 31, 2024| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus.

[READ: March 4, 2024] “The Man with the Twisted Lip”

After a couple of lesser stories, the seventh story in this collection returns Holmes to his glory.  For instance, he looks at a felt hat and determines

That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days. He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him. This may account also for the obvious fact that his wife has ceased to love him.

Outstanding.

The hat belongs to a man who was carrying a Christmas goose.  He was set upon by some thugs and dropped the goose.  But when he fought off the thugs, he smashed a window.  Peterson, a constable happened upon the scene, but everyone fled, leaving Peterson with a hat and a goose.  No one claimed the goose, so Peterson ate it and Holmes took the hat.

But Peterson comes back soon after saying that in the goose was a blue gem–the Countess of Morcar’s blue carbuncle.

Holmes lays some simple traps and determines that at least two people are not suspects in the theft.  But this case, which seems so challenging actually get solved fairly easily.  The remainder of the story actually lays out how the jewel wound up in a goose.

I have read another version of this story (in comic book form) and I feel like the “how” part may have been placed in a different order, which made the story a bit more suspenseful.  But perhaps I am misremembering.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The four novels of the canon:

  1. A Study in Scarlet (1887)
  2. The Sign of the Four (1890)
  3. The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902)
  4. The Valley of Fear (1915)

The 56 short stories are collected in five books:

  1. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892)
  2. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1894)
  3. The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1905)
  4. His Last Bow (1917)
  5. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1927)

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892) contains 12 stories published in The Strand between July 1891 and June 1892

  1. “A Scandal in Bohemia” (June 1891)
  2. “The Red-Headed League” (August 1891)
  3. “A Case of Identity” (September 1891)
  4. “The Boscombe Valley Mystery” (October 1891)
  5. “The Five Orange Pips” (November 1891)
  6. “The Man with the Twisted Lip” (December 1891)
  7. “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle” (January 1892)
  8. “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” (February 1892)
  9. “The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb” (March 1892)
  10. “The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor” (April 1892)
  11. “The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet” (May 1892)
  12. “The Adventure of the Copper Beeches” (June 1892)

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Arthur Conan Doyle–“The Man with the Twisted Lip” [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes] (1891)

Posted in Arthur Conan Doyle, Drugs, Murder, Mystery, Sherlock Holmes, Short Story on March 30, 2024| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus.

[READ: March 4, 2024] “The Man with the Twisted Lip”

The sixth story in this collection was rather slight and seemed to have a lot more set up than actual mystery.

It was especially odd because it begins with a woman coming to Holmes (and specifically Holmes’ wife) for help finding her husband.  He has been going to an opium den for quite some time, but he always returns.  But he hasn’t been home for two days!

Holmes goes to the den and finds the man.  He puts him in a cab, but while he’s there, Holmes catches his attention.  Homes has been undercover in the opium den because of a case that he’s on.  He asks Holmes to help him.

The case is fairly straightforward.  A man left his home to go to the city to get presents for his children.  On the same day, his wife heads to the city to pick up a package.  While she’s in town, she sees her husband in the window of the opium den.  When she goes to investigate, she is foiled by the den owner.  The police are quickly called and the only person they can find is a beggar Hugh Boone who is well known to everyone (he has orange hair, a giant scar and a twisted lip).  There’s no sign of the missing man except for his clothes and an open window.

It is presumed that the man was tossed out the window into the sea and is now dead.

Holmes puzzles over this for a night and then reaches the conclusion that solves the mystery.

I know that some of the mysteries are ones that can be solved by the reader, but this one has a lot of details that the reader couldn’t possible know.  In fairness, I guess Holmes wouldn’t know them either.

On the other hand, the backstory about the missing man is pretty interesting and that alone pretty much makes the story a good read.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The four novels of the canon:

  1. A Study in Scarlet (1887)
  2. The Sign of the Four (1890)
  3. The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902)
  4. The Valley of Fear (1915)

The 56 short stories are collected in five books:

  1. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892)
  2. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1894)
  3. The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1905)
  4. His Last Bow (1917)
  5. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1927)

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892) contains 12 stories published in The Strand between July 1891 and June 1892

  1. “A Scandal in Bohemia” (June 1891)
  2. “The Red-Headed League” (August 1891)
  3. “A Case of Identity” (September 1891)
  4. “The Boscombe Valley Mystery” (October 1891)
  5. “The Five Orange Pips” (November 1891)
  6. “The Man with the Twisted Lip” (December 1891)
  7. “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle” (January 1892)
  8. “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” (February 1892)
  9. “The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb” (March 1892)
  10. “The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor” (April 1892)
  11. “The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet” (May 1892)
  12. “The Adventure of the Copper Beeches” (June 1892)

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Land of Ozz: The Ultimate Ozzy Osbourne Experience (Sellersville Theater, Sellersville, PA, March 29, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Land of Ozz, Sellersville Theater, Sellersville, PA on March 29, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: March 29, 2024] Land of Ozz

Land of Ozz is an Ozzy Osbourne tribute band.  My son knows one of the guys in the band and this is how I’d heard of them.

I’m not inclined to go to an Ozzy tribute show because I stopped caring about Ozzy Osbourne once he got a TV show.

But since my son knows the guy in the band I did think we might go.  This show was the same night as Arlo Parks, so I didn’t think we’d go anyhow, but when I decided not to go to Arlo, I did consider this show.

That’s when I saw that they had sold out Sellersville Theater!  It’s not huge, but I’ve been there for bands that haven’t sold it out.  So that’s great news for them.

Their reviews are pretty stellar as well.  Maybe if they play closer to home we’ll check them out.

 

 

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Arlo Parks / Chloe George (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, March 29, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Arlo Parks, Chloe George, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer on March 29, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: March 24, 2024] Arlo Parks / Chloe George

I had been trying to see Arlo Parks since 2021 when she sold out The Foundry (and I found out that there were tickets available day of, boo).  How weird that a year later, she was headlining Franklin Music Hall, one of the larger venues in Philly.

Arlo Parks was supposed to open for or co-headline with Clairo at the Fillmore on February 26 2022, but the show was cancelled and when Clairo came back around in July, she had a different opener (my daughter and I went to that show).

I was looking forward to seeing Arlo even if I don’t love Franklin Music Hall, but as the show approached, I was feeling less excited about the prospect.  I listened to her album and liked it, but didn’t know if I wanted to go all the way there for it.

Then I saw her at All Things Go (after I had the tickets for this show).  I enjoyed her set, but I wasn’t really blown away by it.  I assumed that it was because we were really far away and her songs are rather intimate.   I was pretty insistent that I was going to make this show, but as the day drew closer, I lost my motivation.

I didn’t feel all that great and I wasn’t especially interested in Chloe George.  Arlo’s set is barely over an hour, which gave me the split feeling–it’s not that long, I should go and I’m not driving an hour just for an hour show. Ultimately, I decided I didn’t feel like going out to the show.  But I did manage to sell my ticket!

I think this means I’m not going to be seeing Arlo live.

I hadn’t heard of Chloe George.  I don’t normally care so much about being “the old guy at shows geared to the youth, but occasionally I realize that I’m way older than everyone else at the show.  That’s how I felt when I read this about Chloe George

Chloe George, born Chloe Gasparini, is an American musician from Los Angeles. George rose to fame after a cover of “Ghost Town” she posted on TikTok went viral. George has co-written songs with artists such as Dua Lipa and Normani.

I listened to a few of her songs and didn’t think much of them.  So that made it even harder for me to want to go to this show.  I’m a little bummed but not terribly bummed that I didn’t go.

 

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The Rural Alberta Advantage (The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA, March 27, 2024)

Posted in Julianna Riolino, Philadelphia, PA, The Foundry, The Rural Alberta Advantage on March 28, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 27, 2024] The Rural Alberta Advantage

I saw a video of The Rural Alberta Advantage at Massey Hall in 2018 (it was from 2014).  This was the first real exposure I had to the band and the first time I saw how intense they were live.

Since then, they have played Philly three times.  I don’t think the first one registered.  But the second time I was ready to see them. But I already had  tickets to a different show that night.  I decided, however, that I’d rather see RAA, but when I went to get a ticket, it was sold out! (good for them).

But this time, there was no way I was missing them.  I arrived early, got on the barrier and marveled at the stage set up.  Keys, guitar and drums, with the drums on the right side and the drummer facing the other two.

The came out of the mystery door at the side of the stage and immediately started playing FSHG as they walked into the crowd.   Nils Edenloff walked around and sang while Amy Cole sang backing vocals.  I’m not sure if Paul Banwatt played any percussion as I couldn’t really see him.  But soon enough they were marching the song up to the stage. (more…)

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Julianna Riolino (The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA, March 27, 2024) [THE RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE]

Posted in Julianna Riolino, Philadelphia, PA, The Foundry, The Rural Alberta Advantage on March 27, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 27, 2024] Julianna Riolino

Julianna Riolino is a Canadian alt-country singer.  I had never heard of her before.

She came across as more country on some songs than on others.  She has a bit of a snarl and can really belt out some notes.

She was a little overly goofy, I thought, between songs.  She said her name between every song (which I liked and was kind of funny), but it also felt like she was trying a little too hard.  Which is odd because she’s been doing this for a while.   But she was certainly memorable.

When she said she was from a small town outside of Toronto (and outside of Buffalo, NY) I was surprised, and I think she guessed it right because she joked about being Italian, so people think she’s from New York. (more…)

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Guster: “We Also Have Eras Tour” (Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center, Red Bank, NJ, March 26, 2024)

Posted in Count Basie Theatre, Guster, Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre, Red Bank, NJ, Set in New Jersey!, Talking Heads on March 26, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 26, 2024] Guster

This was my eleventh time seeing Guster!  This show pushed them in to second place (along with Tori Amos and Richard Thompson) as the artists I’ve seen the most.

And what a great show this proved to be.  Following Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, Guster announced that they have eras too (since they’ve been around for 30 years) and they announced a two set retrospective of their career.

What I didn’t know (I saw no spoilers!) is that there would be a narrator telling us what was going on with the band.  Dave Butler (who also plays drums with Marco Benevento and has played live with Guster since 2015) was the evening’s narrator. [This also means I’ve seen Dave Butler play 12 times]. (more…)

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Otoboke Beaver (おとぼけビ～バ～) (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, March 23, 2024)

Posted in おとぼけビ～バ～, Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, 드링킹소년소녀합창단, Otoboke Beaver, Party Nerves, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer on March 25, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 23, 2024] Drinking Boys and Girls Choir [드링킹소년소녀합창단]

Otoboke Beaver is slowly moving up in North America.  They first played Philly’s Johnny Brenda’s, (250 capacity) then moved up to Underground Arts (650 capacity) and have now moved to the relatively big leagues of Union Transfer (1200 capacity).

All without having any presence in the States at all that I’m aware of.

So this was my third time seeing them and each time I have failed to get any meaningful pictures or videos.  Because each time, as soon as they start playing the crowd goes insane!  I thought that at Union Transfer, if I got there early enough, I ‘d could position myself away from the pit.  But from the first song I was pushed around and almost knocked down.  So I moved away from the center a bit and was still pushed around.  I don’t think the show sold out but it was packed up front!

This was  the biggest stage that I’d seen them on and they filled it pretty well.  Although I never did get close to bassist Hiro-Chan (who plays barefoot) for the whole show.  In fact I barely saw her between the heads of people around me.

This was the first time I could see drummer Kahokiss because she was on a riser, but she was surrounded by cymbals so I never actually got to see her, just her flying, furious arms.

Singer Accorinrin was hard to spot because of the tall guy in front of me, but she clearly made her presence known.  And, like last time, I was in awe when, before one of the songs, Accorinrin stood with her arm raised and the whole band waited for her to begin.  The crowd, not taking the hint, whooped it up, but she was clearly waiting for silence.  She stood and waited (like a teacher) in front of some 1,000 people, while every jackass had to whoo one last time and people finally started yelling “shut up.”  When things were quiet to her liking, she got the whole band to launch into the song in perfect sync.

Their songs are short and fast with serious time changes.  There is no margin for error.

The most fun member of the band is obviously guitarist Yoyoyoshie.  Between every few songs she screams in a crazy guttural voice, “WE ARE OTOBOKE BEAVER!”  She also talks the most between songs, telling about how she eats Philadelphia Cheese on the bus every day on tour.  She also commented that she loves the Phillies (especially the mascot).

Sure, their setlist has been virtually the same for the last two years (they are working on a new album), but it doesn’t really matter because the songs are frenetic and fun and are somewhat similar in style–there’s usually small things that are different between the songs.  Like a part that slows things down or a part that is kind of silly or funny or a great big chanting chorus.

As with every time I’ve seen them, I was quickly shoved aside from my original spot and had to fight to stand upright in the moshing crowd.  But with the band on the big stage it was a lot easier to watch them than it has been in the past.

When they finished the set after about an hour, they left the stage and then came back a few minutes later.  Yoyoyoshie had an inflatable beaver pool toy and threw it into the crowd, which everyone started batting around.  And then Yoyoyoshie herself surfed into the crowd and climbed into the Beaver!  It was wild and weird and super fun.  If I had been in the original spot I probably would have gotten to hold her up.

When she surfed back to the stage they played an encore.  Accorinrin said it was the first time the song was played in the US and said it was called “I don’t want to live with mother-in-law.”

This bodes well for a new album coming out soon.

And, yes, I’d see them again.  I wonder if they will move up to a bigger venue next time?  They didn’t sell out union transfer but they have sold out many of the venues on the tour.

2024 2023 2022
Yakitori § (ヤキトリ) Yakitori § (ヤキトリ) Yakitori § (ヤキトリ)
Akimahenka Ø Akimahenka Ø Akimahenka Ø
Don’t light my fire ⊗ Don’t light my fire ⊗ Don’t light my fire ⊗
Bad luck ⊗ Bad luck ⊗ Bad luck ⊗
S’il Vous Plait Ω (シルブプレ) S’il Vous Plait Ω (シルブプレ) S’il Vous Plait Ω (シルブプレ)
Love Is Short ♥ Love Is Short ♥ Love Is Short ♥
What do you mean you have talk to me at this late date? Ω (いまさらわたしに話ってなんえ) What do you mean you have talk to me at this late date? Ω (いまさらわたしに話ってなんえ) What do you mean you have talk to me at this late date? Ω (いまさらわたしに話ってなんえ)
Introduce me to your family ♥ Introduce me to your family ♥ Introduce me to your family ♥
Datsu . Hikage no onna ⊗ (脱・日陰の女) Datsu . Hikage no onna ⊗ (脱・日陰の女) Datsu . Hikage no onna ⊗ (脱・日陰の女)
Dirty old fart is waiting for my reaction § (​ジ​ジ​イ is waiting for my reaction) Dirty old fart is waiting for my reaction § (​ジ​ジ​イ is waiting for my reaction) Don’t call me Mojo § (呼ばんといて喪女)
I am not maternal § (アイドンビリーブマイ母性)  I am not maternal § (アイドンビリーブマイ母性)  George & Janice § (ジョージ&ジャニス)
Don’t call me Mojo § (呼ばんといて喪女) Don’t call me Mojo § (呼ばんといて喪女) Dirty old fart is waiting for my reaction § (​ジ​ジ​イ is waiting for my reaction)
I put my love to you in a song JASRAC § (あなたとの恋、歌にしてJASRAC) PARDON? § (パードゥン？)  I am not maternal § (アイドンビリーブマイ母性) 
PARDON? § (パードゥン？)  Nabe party with pocket brothers § (穴兄弟で鍋パーティー)  Nabe party with pocket brothers § (穴兄弟で鍋パーティー) 
I checked your cellphone § (​携​帯​み​て​し​ま​い​ま​し​た​) I put my love to you in a song JASRAC § (あなたとの恋、歌にしてJASRAC)  I put my love to you in a song JASRAC § (あなたとの恋、歌にしてJASRAC)
I won’t dish out salads § (サラダ取り分けませんことよ) George & Janice § (ジョージ&ジャニス) I checked your cellphone § (​携​帯​み​て​し​ま​い​ま​し​た​)
Leave me alone! No, stay with me! § (リーブミーアローンやっぱさっきのなしでステイウィズミ) I checked your cellphone § (​携​帯​み​て​し​ま​い​ま​し​た​) PARDON? § (パードゥン？) 
I don’t want to die alone § (孤独死こわい)  I won’t dish out salads § (サラダ取り分けませんことよ) I won’t dish out salads § (サラダ取り分けませんことよ)
First-class side-guy § (一級品の間男) Leave me alone! No, stay with me! § (リーブミーアローンやっぱさっきのなしでステイウィズミ) Leave me alone! No, stay with me! § (リーブミーアローンやっぱさっきのなしでステイウィズミ)
Anata Watashi Daita Ato Yome No Meshi ⊗ (あなたわたし抱いたあとよめのめし) I don’t want to die alone § (孤独死こわい)  I don’t want to die alone § (孤独死こわい) 
encore First-class side-guy § (一級品の間男) First-class side-guy § (一級品の間男)
Shutome to Dokyo B-DASH Kaigo
(First time played in North America)
 Anata Watashi Daita Ato Yome No Meshi ⊗ (あなたわたし抱いたあとよめのめし) Anata Watashi Daita Ato Yome No Meshi ⊗ (あなたわたし抱いたあとよめのめし)
encore encore
Ai no Bourobon ~bakuro book~ Ω (愛の暴露本) Ai no Bourobon ~bakuro book~ Ω (愛の暴露本)
encore 2
SETLISTS are similar at most venues with these possible changes

Love Is Short ♥ may have been Bakuro Book
Introduce Me to Your Family ♥ may have been 6 day working week is a pain

 Let’s shopping after show § (レッツショッピングアフターショー)
§ SUPER CHAMPON (2022) ス​ー​パ​ー​チ​ャ​ン​ポ​ン
⊗ ITEKOMA HITS (2019)
♥ Love Is Short EP (2017)
Ø Okoshiyasu!! Otoboke Beaver (2016)
Ω Ai no Bourobon ~bakuro book~ EP (2016)

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Drinking Boys and Girls Choir [드링킹소년소녀합창단] (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, March 23, 2024) [OTOBOKE BEAVER]

Posted in Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, 드링킹소년소녀합창단, Otoboke Beaver, Party Nerves, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer on March 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 23, 2024] Drinking Boys and Girls Choir [드링킹소년소녀합창단]

I’ve had limited exposure to Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, except that they are on the same label as Otoboke Beaver.  I knew that they were from South Korea, but only recently learned that Daegu is one of the most conservative cities in the country (“it sucks,” singer/bassist Meena Bae said).

Meena Bae and Myeong-jin Kim (drums & vocals) started the band in 2012.  They’ve gone through a few guitarists over the years and have now grabbed Scottish guitarist Megan Nisbet who joined the band in 2020 (and had been studying Korean for 15 years!).

I was really excited that they were opening for Otoboke Beaver.  I was hoping to buy a copy of their record but I forgot a bag and I didn’t want to hole a record for the entire show (and it’s a good thing, too as Otoboke Beaver fans are wild).

The trio came out and immediately launched into their rockingest songs.  Their debut album Keep Drinking!! is more wild and fun than the follow up Marriage License, although Marriage still rocks pretty hard.  They played songs from both albums and really mixed up the intensity and pacing of the show.

I was in front of Megan, but Meena was very active, running around the stage and making sure we all saw her as she danced and hopped.  She was a bundle of energy and a lot of fun, too.

Their songs are punky and super catchy with lots of backing vocals.  The first couple of songs were fast with the band showing off their chops.  Meena jumped around and Myeong-jin (who goes by MJ) was an impressive drummer–fast and intense and always on beat.

During “Red Shift,” Megan demonstrated her guitar chops with some super impressive soloing.

Some of their songs featured lead vocals by one of their previous members, but they played them anyhow and they sounded great.

But even if the newer songs are a bit softer, “Hit the Corner” is fast and heavy and I was fascinated to see the MJ had a double bass drum pedal and was using it furiously.

Some of the lyrics are in Korean and some in English, so it’s fun to try to figure out if you can figure out the fast words or if they are in Korean.

I was really surprised to hear them play “Linda Linda” a song t hat I know of because of the band The Linda Lindas.  I thought it was odd that they would play this song until I found out that they recorded a single of it before the U.S. band had become known and, in fact, have been playing the song for years.  That’s pretty cool.  Meena jumped off the stage and chatted with a little girl whose name was Lynn.  It was really cute.

“National Police Shit” is super catchy, sung in English and really quite funny.  It’s less than 2 minutes long and features the line “This is just Skateboard!”

It was followed by “History” their first single recorded with Megan (a new album is on the way, I believe).  They ended with a rocking version of “Wish” and Meena ran into the audience to do some slam dancing with the crowd (all while playing).  Then she ran back up on stage to lead the band in a blistering version of their anthemic song Keep Drinking!

The show was awesome and I think they’re winning over audiences all over North America.

(more…)

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Voivod / Prong / Traverse the Abyss / Black Horizon (Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg, PA, March 24, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Black Horizon, Prong, Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg, PA, Traverse the Abyss, Voivod, War on Women on March 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: March 24, 2024] Voivod / Prong / Traverse the Abyss / Black Horizon

Originally I was told that the opening band was War on Women and I was super excited to see them.  Indeed it was Voivod (who I love) and War on Women (who I’ve heard are amazing live) that made me consider getting a ticket.  I used to really like Prong a lot, but that was  thirty years ago and I had no idea they were still making music.   I actually can’t find any official word anywhere that War on Women was going to open, but I didn’t just make it up.  Anyhow, I received an update a couple of days ago that the openers were going to be Traverse the Abyss and Black Horizon.

And that changed everything.

I had been out the night before and it’s hard to get motivated to go out if you’ve been in a cozy house all day.

So, when I saw that one third of the reason I wanted to go was no longer there, it really made me rethink my plans.

I saw Voivod five years ago (it feel much more recent than that) and I would very much like to see the again, but that one show made a lasting impression on me.  I see that the setlist is quiet different than the last time, with a great amount of variety in the music, so it would certainly have been a good show.  But it didn’t feel compelling enough to drive all that way on a Sunday night. (more…)

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