I was totally excited and had no idea what this show was all about but I did know who was going to be performing and I had to be there to see what the buzz was about!! All I knew was that there was a free show happening at the Hilton with some of our old pals from a bunch of ass kicking bands jamming togther for a Showcase. It was featuring Bruce Kulick, Rudy Sarzo, John Corabi, Tony Montana and Bobby Rock, with special guest Dee Snider!!
BRUCE& RUDY!!

I had no idea what to expect, but when I got there ,there was a huge buzz going on in the crowd….what was going to happen??? Then Boom out go the lights and out come the rockers and they started playing Motley’s “Live Wire” and then Kiss’ “Shout it out Loud“. They were rocking like hell and there were semi naked women, a firebreather(Antonio) and acrobatics and a light-show that KISS would have been envious of! They are all tight as a band and then after “Dream On” and “You Got Another Thing Comin” with John Corabi on vocals,
JOHN CORABI

Dee “fuckin” Snider comes out and they do “We’re Not Goinna Take It” to a crowd of screaming fans!!
DEE SNIDER!!!

It was crazy!! The energy was intense!! Everyone was on their feet!!! Then they all came out to do “Highway To Hell” and the crowd went mad!!!

There was a devil onstage(which was Antonio from Bite!!) and all kinds of stuff going on with firepots and fireworks!
RUDY AND TONY AND CIRQUE CHICKS!!

ANTONIO FROM BITE AND EXCALIBURS TOURNAMANT OF KINGS!

They rocked “Hot For Teacher” and “Paradise City” and ended with Rudy doin the infamous bass line of “Metal Health“,which they dedicated to the late Kevin DuBrow, and the place went ballistic!!
RUDY SARZO!!!

There was more fireworks and fire and confetti shot all over the theater! I was weak in the knee’s trying to get those perfect shots as all this was happening before me, and it was hard to keep the camera steady!
JOHN CORABI!!

I was blown away and totally excited that I was there to see the spectacle that was Las Vegas’s own Monster Circus!!! I dont know all the details yet but the rumor is that they are going to try and get a show here like this like every week or once a month?? I dont know we will just have to wait and see…Its the brain Child of Tony Montana and I hope his vision of the Rock Pack comes alive in our sin city!!!
TONY MONTANA

Here is the post from Bruce Kulicks website:http://www.kulick.net/
Well the big day with MONSTER CIRCUS came and went fast, and it was simply amazing. No one really knew what to expect (including me) but the idea of having great players rocking on stage backed by a totally cool Vegas style experience was pulled off without a glitch at the HILTON in Las Vegas on December 9th.
BRUC KULICK

Monster Circus was formed by Tony Montana (who played bass in Great White but is also a fantastic singer and lead guitarist), Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy, Whitesnake, Quiet Riot and many more) and John Corabi, who needs no introduction for my fans. These three asked Bobby Rock (Nelson, Slaughter, Vinnie Vincent Invasion) to play drums and myself to join them on stage, with Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) and Dave Kushner (Velvet Revolver) as the special guests to play 9 classic hits along with a great show that included fire breathers, pyro, dancers and tight rope style performances in a totally Vegas over-the-top manner.
ANTONIO FROM BITE!!

The Hilton stage, home to Barry Manilow of late but most famous for ELVIS PRESLEY from his VEGAS years, was simply put an amazing place to perform. Using Elvis’s dressing room and getting a tour of some of the private rooms built for Elvis for his famous performances was quite a thrill. The band rehearsed in LA for a week and then it was off to Vegas for a day and a half of rehearsal with the dancers etc. It was a miracle how quickly it all came together.
Rudy & Dee Snider

Admission to the show was free for agents, fans and press alike, all were definitely impressed, and I was very proud of everyone involved. Dee Snider is a great performer, and I was very proud of John and the band for being tight and exciting. The way MONSTER CIRCUS is set up the band can have different members rotate in and out depending on the indivisual players’ schedules, and I look forward to a chance to do the show again when possible.
So let’s hope it gets picked up in Vegas, as it is was a great night and I got to have some fun in a place where Elvis made history. Keep your eyes out for more MONSTER CIRCUS, and I would like to thank everyone involved again for making this a very rewarding experience. Thanks for the invite!All the best,
Bruce Kulick
http://www.kulick.net/

2 comments:

no1trekman2002 said…

Wow, Wow, WOW! A great bunch of artists & musicians. From your report I know the show Kicked Ass!! You should check out Corabi’s covers CD. It rocks! Thanks Leah.

February 1, 2009 at 5:00 AM

Leah Burlington said…

Glad you liked it!! They are coming back and playing more gigs soon!! Whoohoo!!

February 14, 2009 at 3:42 AM

Nov 18th Ludwigsburg, Germany & Prattlen, Switzerland Nov 19th:
WELCOME TO MY JORN-IVERSE!!

My Jorn Lande obsession started when a good friend of mine about 4 years ago burned me a cd with 16 of Jorn’s best from his solo stuff to Masterplan and Millenium. He tells me that this guy Jorn Lande, is one of the most amazing singers out there and his music is just incredible!! I take a listen and from the first notes of “Crystal Night”, I am just hooked…then I hear The “Voice”!! He sounds like a cross between Coverdale and Dio that exhibits passion and soul like not many singers have these days. I was completely blown away!Every song ,one after another unfolded and was more intense then the last. I had no idea these were differnt songs from differnt bands that he has been in.I thought it was all just his solo stuff. As I became more familar with Jorn I started to collect his cds everywhere I could and became obsessed with finding them all. He has been in many band incarnations including the biggest, Masterplan,Beyond Twilight,Millenium,Yngwie Malmsteen, ARK, Vagabond,Mundanus Imperium,The Snakes,his solo band that he has 5 cds with now and then he has done stuff with Russell Allen from Symphony X called Allen/Lande. There are 2 cds with that project and one more is to come that I know of. Then there was the last Avantasia Cd called The Scarecrow with Tobias Sammet from Edguy that was followed up with an acclaimed tour and a show at Wacken this year. He also sang on the new Ayreon cd this last year. Jorn is a busy man and he keeps us fans in new music all the time. Jorn has toured America only a few times with Ark at PP 2 and anYngwie tour and then at PP 7 he headlined the fest and kicked everyones ass in the process! That show spawned a live cd and now a new DVD that is coming out as I write this. I got to preview the DVD and its killer!
The story of my trip to Europe to see this incredible singer started with my good friend in Germany ,Carola, telling me that Jorn and Pagans Mind was going to be Playing within a day of each other like a few hours from her home close to Frankfurt. I was so stoked and thought on it a week and took the time off and bought me a round trip ticket to Germany for a whole 3 days. It would be two days of travel, 22 hours and 9 hours of driving to see two shows. Everyone I know thought I was crazy to fly to Europe to see two bands in two days but who the fuck cares, right???
I traveled a whole day and got to Germany to see my smiling bestest girlfriend awaiting me at the airport! Carola looked good being as she just went through some serious health issues not long before. I was just so happy to see her again!! We get to her house and Bernt, her hubby has some cold ass beir awaiting my consumption and it was dark so we went to the Aldi and got some cristal( a lighter beir)…woot! He is such a sweet man! We go have some great German dinner and I have my fave Spatzle and Snitzle and another wonderous Bier. It was so good to be back!!
We get up early and I couldnt sleep for shite and Tore calls us and tells us they are in the venue called the Rofrabrik ( Rock Factory) and he is anxiously waiting our arrival. I am getting really excited at this point and we get on the Audobahn and zip on down to Ludwigsburg and get there about 5pm. I havnt seen my best friend Tore in a year and a half and am missing him terribly and cant wait to see his grinning face once again! He spent some time hanging with me in Vegas after seeing my message on Jorn’s MS page. He told me he was coming here and he would like to meet up with me…that spurrned a long and wonderful friendship between Jorn’s guitarist and I that will last a lifetime.
We get to the Rock Factory and we walk up to the bar and there was Tore grinnin like a maniac at me from ear to ear! If you know Tore,this is a sight to behold. He has a smile that lights up a room and the charisma of a true rock star without the “ego”. I have never met anyone like him because he is so unique. Then I see Jorn out of the corner of my eye, and I just bury my face in Tore’s Chest during our long hug and whisper” I just cant…I am going to cry” Tore was like”Just go over and say hi!” So I peel myself off Tore and walk over to this smiling Nordic man and as he reached out his hand and said ” Nice to finally meet you, I have heard all about you”, and then there was this huge hug from this man that I have been crazy about for a few years.

I say with glee, damn you smell good”, and to my amusement, he sez” It’s my bamboo shampoo!”I about burst out in tears, but I remained dignified and we just started chatting. It was like two old friends meeting again. The smile and the hug was so worth the flight!! I was the happiest I think I have ever been and it just kept getting better and better!! There was meeting the other band members Tor,Nic, and Wild Willy.

They were all just so nice and happy to see me! I got all my stuff and friends stuff autographed, got to hang for soundcheck, got lots of photos and got to just laugh and drink beer and chat with all the guys.

We also watched some crazy tour videos!! I about died laughing at some of these!
We hung at the bar for it seemed like hours then went onto the double decker tourbus and got all cozy on the huge couch and settled in with some beers to do my interview. All present were Tore, Carola,Bernt,Jorn and Alex Kueher the famous photog!! Jorn says he has the DVD that is almost done from PP 7 and if we would like to see it?Me and Carola looked at each other and were like “YES!” This thing was outstanding!!!

We both felt so priveledged to see this long awaited DVD. We were like ,”We are sitting on the tourbus with Jorn watching Jorn on the TV…Screammmmm!!” Lol! So we get to the interview and its like over an hour that we are talking about life and music and the world. Tore told me that Jorn doesnt usually open up to people so easily, so I am feeling pretty amazing about now. Its the coolest interview for me ever!

 

After all of this we get to see the magic happen finally when Jorn hits the stage and we get to see him LIVE!! The club is small but loaded with people, me and Carola have our cameras and Video cameras in tow, and we get right up to the front and when the music to ” Soul of the Wind” starts, I get chills! I am actually finally getting to see the “Voice” live and in your face…I mean he was right in our faces the whole night, singing to us and pointing at us and just posing for all the best photos ever!

 

 

 

The band sounded awesome and tight as hell! You wouldnt have believed that Tor hasnt been in the band very long because he was kicking so much ass.

It was also great to see Tore in his element being the true rock star that I know he is!

 

I am getting drunk on music and german bier and thinking ” I have died and landed smack into rock n roll Heaven!!” The set list included Shadow People, We brought the Angels Down,Stormcrow,Man of the Dark,The Inner Road,Tungur Knivur,Blacksong,Are U Ready,Duke of Love,one of my faves of all time, Out to Every Nation,Strormbringer and it ended with War of the World. This was in insane set because it was mostly his stuff and not many covers! I was floored and so was Carola!! After they were done Jorn came over to the front of the stage where we were and gave both of us sweaty hugs!! Lol! We didnt mind a bit!!!

We get to hang for a while longer with the guys and they are all telling us to come see them at a bigger gig in Switzerland!! Even Jorn was telling us to come and see him again. I was like Carola needs to make the decision because she is doing all the driving and I was supposed to see Pagans Mind the next night. We head home and get there at 5 am in time for her to send the kids off to school in a few hours so she got like no sleep. When she does crawl outta bed at 1pm I ask her…..what do you want to do tonight…Jorn or Pagans Mind?…and she sez all exhausted…” I want to see Jorn again”…decision made. It is a three hour drive to Switzerland but I guess thats where we were going. On to see Jorn again!! Woot! I felt really bad about missing Pagans Mind, but I know I will see them again next year!! Who knows when I will get to see Jorn again. ( Unless I get them to America!!)
So off we go again onto the Audobahn for a three hour journey to see my fave singer again. By 7:30 we arrive across the Swiss border in Prattlen and find this dark warehouse and realise we are there!! Tore is on the bus awaiting our return and we watch the video that Carola filmed the night before.

He and Tor agree that is it an ass kicker and we should show Jorn. He is busy and may be getting a bit of a cold( I am sure due to doing my station ID’s in the cold and sleet before we left last nite) so we go in and check out Trio-Sphere and they are cool but I want to see My Jorn! Tore and I have some strong Swiss Beir and watch this killer female fronted band that does a wicked WASP medley. He loves these guys and their guitar player come running out into the crowd and finds Tore and jams to him with his guitar!! It is a total Metal Moment and we enjoyed it very much!! Whoohoo!!

Then it is time for Tore to get ready to go onstage and he hooks me up with getting in the photo pit the entire show and Carola gets to plug her video camera into the soundboard and film the ENTIRE Jorn show!! That is a bootleggers dream I tell ya,but it will be for just us and the band.
The band comes out to a much larger crowd, has some sweet ass lighting for me(Woot!) and sounds just explosive! You can tell the band is having a blast and so is the crowd!! It was a better show but with the same setlist, and I am just in awe of this singer that has inspired me for so long now! He just has presence…or should I say he is Presence!! A Voice to behold all voices!!!

I had to stop shooting a few times and just take in the moment! This was a special moment for me and I felt so absolutely satisfied and happy! It was a fantastic show!!

After the show me and Carola are feeing the effects of hours me flying and her driving for hours and hours. We wait a bit to see Jorn again and he comes over to look at some of my photos on the camera and loves what he sees. He said he wanted shots for his new and improved website and I told him I would be honored! We have some laughs and say our goodbyes with hugs and kisses from my two fave men, and I look into this mans eyes and realise he is just a human being doing the best that he can to bring his message to the world. The message of love and hope and kindness and peace. He is an amazing person and I feel love for the guy and am sad we have to leave him and Tore behind. This man’s music speaks to my heart and soul and now I can call him a friend…how cool is that?? I am happy and sad all at once trying not to show my emotion when we say our goodbyes. Tore walks us to the car and we hug like forever and I am in tears. I will miss this man so much because there is a bond between us that will never be broken. I at least have the wonderful memories of that last two crazy days. As we leave I get really a deep lonliness inside and realise that Lonely Are The brave and that I must be brave.

My lovely Carola drives us home for three hours again and I wake up near the end and we get entirley too silly and laugh til we are in tears the rest of the way to her home. We almost had to pull over a few times as she was crying through the laughter and that just made it funnier and funnier!!Its was Jorn this and Jorn that and it was one of the most hilarious moments of my life! It was so good to laugh togther like that because we would have to part ways again for God knows how long. She is such a wonderful friend that has done so much for me. But we had the time of our lives!!!!
I have been home a few days now and I feel loney and sad and miss my friends but I live in the memories and think of my Carola and Jorn and Tore often and that makes me smile. I havnt slept much in over a week due to all the excitement but I am sure I will relax sometime next year! Lol!

I am truley blessed and I think often…now that I realised my biggest dream…what next?? How does it get any better than this??? I dont know but I am ready to find out…..

I WOULD GIVE THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE A COVETED \M/\M/\M/\M/\M/ HORNS WAAAAY UP!!

YOU CAN FIND MORE ON JORN AT:
http://www.myspace.com/realjorn
http://www.jornlande.comhttp//www.jornlande–

GREAT CZECH FAN-SITE WITH JORN’S WHOLE BIO!!!

http://www.jornlande-fansite.wz.cz/eng/main_eng.html

 

3 comments:

Neil said…

Kick Ass report Leah and killer that you got to meet and hang with Jorn and Tore for 2 whole days. Love the pics as well, your a fantastic photog! :)P.C Can NOT wait for the Live dvd to be released.

November 26, 2008 at 5:45 AM

Leah Burlington said…

Thanks for reading!!! Glad you like everything! YOu get your package yet??

November 26, 2008 at 1:09 PM

Neil said…

Not yet and i checked my mailbox twice today for it. DAMM postal service. If i didn’t work for em i would curse em,lol. Probably arrive friday i hope.

November 26, 2008 at 4:28 PM

 

 

 

 

If it wasnt for Alice Cooper, there would be no shock rockers that we have had access to for all these years. There would be no KISS because they saw Alice and then decided to put on makeup. Then we wouldnt have a Manson or Zombie either. Alice has been shocking audiences since 1971 when the Alice Cooper Group put out their first record Love It To Death, with their first Smash Monster hit “I’m Eighteen”, put out several records before he went solo in 1975 with Welcome To My Nightmare and has been scaring small children ever since. His new release, Along Came a Spider, is a concept album that is about challenging reality by Alice Cooper inhabiting the identity of a serial killer who imagines himself a spider. As he has in the past, Alice chronicles a classic battle between good and evil, with inevitable results. He has Slash doing a searing guitar solo on Vengence Is Mine and the album is co-produced by Danny Saber. This new cd is Alice’s 25th release during his solo career and there is no stopping this jaggurnaut of shock rock!
He has a nightly radio show going on here at http://nightswithalicecooper.com/ and he has his resturaunt in Phoenix Az, called Cooperstown across from the Diamond Back Stadium that I have been to twice and it has great food and all the wait staff wears Alice eye makeup. He has so many things going on and is an avid golfer that has won Fairway to Heaven and is one of the best out there.

Alice Cooper made a three day stop in Vegas in Sept, from the 5th-the 7th and I got to catch the sunday show thanks to Mark Lewis from Rock Over America webzine. He performed at the Orleans Theater which usually holds about 2000 people and houses old acts like the Smothers Bros and the Beach Boys. This weeked was Alice’s weekend of horrors instead of happy tunes and comedy, as it was the Pycho Drama Tour with Alice as the Maestro of the macabre! The show wasnt sold out and it was a seated theater,which I hate, but a nice guard let me slip on down to the front to be closer to the stage. We got no press but were told to shoot anyway, so I did and I was close!!! As you can see by the shot above!
The show was as his shows always are and have been for over 35+ years, a spectacle!! I had just seen him at Rock The Bayou but this up close and personal show was of much better sound quality and it was just more personal. His band is amazing with Kerri Kelli on guitar, Jason Hook on guitar,Eric Singer son drums, and Chuck Garric on bass and Calico Cooper being Alice’s bloody tortured soul as she always is….

His band just rocked the roof off this ordinarilly quiet theater! He played all his greatest hits and some new ones off the new cd,Along Came a Spider. He used all his usual props except for the Gullitine that he traded out for being hung by an executioner.

 

He had dead babies, a cold ethel doll,some knives and swords, a top hat, of course and Obama and MaCain duking it out then hugging during elected! That was classic.

 

He tosseed out the huge ballons with confetti and the sword with Alice Cash on it for Billion Dollar Babies. All the normal stuff you expect during a Cooper show. Ya know it never gets old!!!
It was a killer show and I was glad I got to see it again!!! Keep it coming ALICE!!!
( These two photos are from Rock the Bayou!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the show I met the lovely Calico Cooper and she was so sweet! I saw her perform at Rock the Bayou at the after show party as she sang with Enuff’s Enuff. She has a killer voice…like father like Daughter!

The Set list for Vegas:
It’s Hot Tonight
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Under My Wheels
I’m Eighteen
Is It My Body
Woman of Mass Distraction
Lost In America
Feed My Frankenstein
Be My Lover
Dirty Diamonds
Muscle of Love
Vengence is Mine
Keri Kelli Spanish acoustic guitar solo
Desperado
Halo of Flies
Bass & drums jam
Drum solo
Jam
Welcome To My Nightmare
Cold Ethyl
Only Women Bleed
Steven
Dead Babies
The Ballad of Dwight Frye
I Love The Dead
School’s Out

New video for Along Came a Spider:


All that is Alice is here:
http://www.myspace.com/officialalicecooper
http://www.alicecooper.com/

I WOULD GIVE THIS SPECTACULAR SHOW THE COVETED \M/\M/\M/\M/\M/ HORNS UP!!!!
Posted by Leah Burlington at 3:54 PM
2 comments:

area5150 said…

Hey Leah, good review, but I have couple of corrections There were 7 albums prior to Welcome to my Nightmare:

Pretties for You (1969)
Easy Action (1970)
Love It to Death (1971)
Killer (1971)
School’s Out (1972)
Billion Dollar Babies (1973)
Muscle of Love (1973)
(credit alicecooper.com and my vast knowledge)

also if you include the greatest hits and live albums Along came a Spider is his thirty-first release.

Keep up the good work.
October 19, 2008 at 4:25 PM
Leah Burlington said…

Hey, thanks for the corrections…I took that from Alicecooper.com…hehe. I will fix what I can…you rock!!!
October 28, 2008 at 5:40 PM

I found out about Rock The Bayou from my staff friends of KWTF, the internet radio station that I work out of. Mostly from Texas Beth who lives in Houston that helped promote this fest on her Myspace, on their forum and on KWTF. This woman was tireless getting the word out and playing all kinds of unsigned and local acts from the Texas area. I didnt even really know about it until she was telling me how fun it would be and who all the bands were. Then I thought it might be a fun show to go to even if only for two days. That was all I could get out of at work and Priest was on Monday nite and I had to get back for that!! I decided I would go down there and shoot the show and help out where I could doing interviews and what have ya. Beth got me all hooked up with a media badge and Robert (our fearless leader) got me a free room at the Ramada. He even was going to pick me up at the airport and drive my happy ass around!! Killer deal so I booked the flight to Houston Texas…somewhere I have never been and probably will never go to again…at least at that time of year..I will get to that later!

MY FIRST DAY AT RTB AND THE SECOND FEST DAY!!!!

I get to the fest area after checking into my hotel and I am feeling the heat and the humidity like right away. Robert gets me to the fest and we meet up with Beth who is in the press tent with our computers all set up and we are “live” streaming. The press tent has a bunch of media peeps in it and we are the ONLY internet radio station thats allowed in there…That is killer!! So I get there and the Bullet Boys are on and being as I have seen them not too long ago I am just scoping the place out instead…..the press area, the backstage area, the beer tent. (that I never got to enjoy.) There was an interview schedule to get ready for and lots of bands playing. I realised my friends band Cockpit is going on right away..but it way across the field. I call Linda Lou and she sez to get my ass over there…I walked it seemed like a mile (there were 4 stages in a huge grassy field) grabbed me some nachos and went to see the all girl band from LA,Cockpit!! It was broad daylight and hot as hades but these chicks were rocking!!! It was cool to see them since its been ages since I have.

My first interview was with the Cockpit girls and they gave me their demo cd that is out now called “Mission to Rock!!!!!!!!!!” Interview schedule!!!
Believe me we didnt get half of these bands…it was too fucking crazy!  When I got back from my trek, there was John Corabi just hangin about by the tent. He was nice enough to pose for a pic and and I got him with Cockpit too!!

I finally saw Christian or as we call him Savadude, and we got togther with Texas beth for a KWTF pic!We had a cooler of free new alcoholic ice packs called Iguanas that were like margarita’s that all the bands were getting bribed to come visit us with by Beth…nothing like something that is FREE!!! Lol!

Bands were just hanging around so I could get all kinds of shots of them…it was a blast!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got the pleasure of chatting with Great White for a bit and it was great that Michael Lardie remembered me from waaay back in the day when he used to come to a casino I worked at and play on my slot machines…it was funny!!

This band Outworld is sick as hell…they arnt togther anymore which is sad but the music they did spoke for itself!!!

 

Dokken was just Don with a new band I never have seen and he looked bored as usual..he never looks like he is enjoying singing anymore…bums me out.

This guy Fi Fi was on Gene Simmons Family Jewels. It was the episode when all Genes memoribilla got wet from a flood in the house and Shannon and her sis had to go to fans homes and buy stuff to replace it…this guy was one of the fans…he was like I would give you the whole collection if you could get my band to open for KISS!!! LOL!!That was CLASSIC!!!

 

 

 

What can you say about Sammy??? The guy RAWKS…he always does and always will…I always love his high energy show and have got him to sign stuff I have put onstage three times!!! Thats how cool he is..didnt meet him though…again!!

By the end of the day I was feeling very sick…headachy and naseous. I was not having much fun because of that reason. The humidity in the press tent was worse then outside, but outside was just brutally hot and bright. We were out there for hours of course and I drank water all freakin day and found a purpous for the Iguana’s..ice packs for my neck..thank GAWD for that!! Nothing helped though. So after the show was the After Party at the Meridian, a rock club about 20 minutes away. Me and Robert waited in line then got in and hung out for a bit. I thought it would be nice to feel good at that point and had two cocktails…..and unfortunatley they didnt stay with me long so I was ready to bail within an hour I suppose. Cockpit played again (they said they played a total of 5 times that weekend!!!) and so did John Corabi…an acoustic set. It was time to get some rest. We got back to the hotel by 4 am and I had to at least get some sleep because wake up was 10 am because I didnt want to miss Black N Blue,who of course was to go on FIRST at 11:30 am…fuck!!!! : P
THIRD DAY AUG 31ST…MY SICK DAY…. : p
——————————————————————————
So I got up at 10 am feeling pretty good and like I could be fine for the second day of the fest. We get there and within a few mins Black n Blue went on…it was already hot as the devil and I was up front of the stage rockin out to one of my fave bands of the 80’s that I havent seen in 20 freakin years!!! I saw that Patrick the bass player was looking like he was going to pass out…that wasnt good. He made it though and they played a KILLER set with all my faves including, Heat it up Burn it out, hold on to 18, and Live it Up!!! I was so stoked and got great shots so I was happy for the moment…FIRST BAND AT 11:30Aam…..

 

After their set I went back to the Press tent to a surprise that Jaime St. James was there and I was getting an interview (Thanks Roberto!!!) So he comes over and we reminisce because we have met a few times before and partied in Portland Ore, their hometown and Vegas. He was really sweet and answered all my questions wonderfully! He told me they will have a new cd out soon called..Hell Yeah!! I said hell yeah…finally!!! It was so great to see them rocking again!

 

 

 

After the Toys I got really sick…I was about to pass out and got Robert to take me to get some food away from the fest because the concessions were awful. We went to the Crab Shack and I just got so sick I was like take me back to the hotel…pleeeese. I never felt so awful. So the heat and the humidity got me bad and I had to rest up at the hotel for a few hours and after I finally was able to eat, I got Robert to come back and take me back in time for Alice Cooper.
—————————————————————————————
AFTER A FOUR HOUR BREAK…ALICE COOPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I get back there and everyone is booted from the press tent. Alice’s people are kicking everyone out and no-one can get in the photo pit without a Alice Pass…I was so pissed at that I was like what did I come back for? But I got my camera and went in the VIP area just like everyone else with cameras and shot the enire show…fuck it!!! There were cameras everywhere!! So at least I got my coveted Coop shots and got to see the show up close. And it was a really twisted show!!!
Instead of them using the Gullitine he was hung. He did all the classics and was phenomanal…so was his killer band!!!

SUNDAY NITES AFTER-PARTY AT THE MERIDIAN=CRAZY!! I actually made it!!

 

One of the highlights was hearing and seeing Calico Cooper singing with the Enuff’s Enuff guys and she was serioulsy rocking!!!!

 

 

 

This band was the highlight for me of the after party!!!! I love their originality and energy!!! They are fun guys with all kinds of spunk and silliness!!!Loved the live show and the tunes that are like metal/glam/sleaze/flamenco….it makes no sense but then it does when you see them!!

 

 

 

 

The after party was at least cooler and fun to be at since all thise great bands were jammin out and I am so glad I got to see the Pistoleros since I missed them on a side stage. They kick some ass people!! The nite was long though and it was time to bail at about 4 am again because the plane ride would be early in the morn to get home in time for Priest!!!
I would say that if you want to survive a fest like this in Houston or Rocklahoma…get lots of water in you…stay away from alcohol during the day and drink water along with the beer at nite….the dehydration factor is strong and you have to stay hydrated. Get 50 spf sunblock, bring a hat and if you can, your own food.. the food is nasty out there. I wouldnt trust it..that may have been a contrbuting factor of me being so sick…spicy red beans and rice and sausages not good when its so hot outside. It made me sweat even more : P…all I remember is being just sweaty all day…ewwww! Thank God Vegas is a dry heat…its so much easier to deal with!!
It was a good time and the bands were great…there were too many because I couldnt even get to the side stages but once…too far to walk in that heat..but thats just me. I dont know how other fared in that heat.
I appreciate the media and the access, so thanks to Ryan and Beth for that and Robert for driving my miserable ass around and putting up with me whining…hehe. (It was bad!!)
I would have to say: a better time of year if they want to do it in Houston again…and we were a week away from hurricane Ike too!!! Thank God it was a week later…would have been a mess!!
Thanks to all and keep ROCKING!!!!
See ya at Prog/Power 9 in Atlanta!!!!
http://www.rockthebayou.com/

 

My friend Taylor has more than once turned me onto Prog/Power bands that are out there and Fest’s that they play at. He told me about the Barfest in San Fransisco that his friend Bear has helped promote for the last two years and that he was going in June. So I talked to Bear and told him about my photography skills and he said come on up and shoot the show! I was really excited to say the least. I really didnt know many of the bands on the bill but I did get turned onto Darkwater from Sweden from a CD that Lance “The Prog/Power” King gave me at PP8.
There were to be eight bands in total playing over two days and for a few of them it was their first US debut. Suncaged from the Netherlands, Darkwater from Sweden and Concerto Moon from Japan, was their first time playing on American soil. The rest was made up of Zero Hour and Enchant from the bay Area and Jeff Scott Soto of Yngwie Malmsteen fame and a short stint with Journey. Then there was the Rocket Scientists from Europe, that have Lana Lane and Eric Norlander of Ayreon fame. The last and biggest band there was Liquid Tension Experiment which features Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy and John Petrucci , virtuoso keyboardist Jordan Rudess and bass legend Tony Levin.

The BARFest 1 started out in 07 with Dave Hatchell, Eric Boles and Bear Marks promoting all kinds of Prog,Rock, and metal bands that they could round up to play a fest in the Bay Area. The first years fest included: Headlining, Jon Oliva’s Pain and Spocks Beard, then US debut of Mob Rules and Eyefear, the return of Crimson Glory, Lance King’s Balance of Power and Timeline. The fest was such a success that they decided to do BARFest 2 in 08.
So me and Tay got our plane tix and flew up to Frisco and stayed with his old buddy Scott. He was a very grascious host and drove us around the whole trip. Thanks man!!
When we got to the venue, The Independant, the first thing that we did was find Bear and he hooked all three of us up with All Access passes and told us we would have to do Bar B Q duty in the back of the venue outside….there was literally tons of meat to cook and who else was out there but Gregg whom I met through Christian at Symphony X and Maiden. Was good to see him. So the guys dug into all that meat and started cookin like mad dogs when I saw Squeek, who is also a concert photog that I know and have seen at many shows all over the place. She is amazing too!  The barfest backyard barb B Q bunch!

So Bear intoduced me to a bunch of peeps including Dave and Eric and then it was onto chatting with a band I never heard of from Japan, Concerto Moon. I started off my day with a impromtu interview with them and another japanese guy who was not only their interpreter, but was also doing interviews with them and putting it on a podcast of his. I did my first Japanese translated interview and it was a blast. It was also easier then I thought it would be. They were very nice and smilely guys that were just happy to be there.

 

After munching on some killer BBQ Chicken we went in to see Concerto Moon do their sound check and I was excited to see these guys perform after that later in the evening. They were first up on Fri nite and I think they were the most upbeat and exciting band of the nite.
These guys freakin rocked with their brand of serious power metal! I really enjoyed rocking out to them. Their singer just was killer and the guitarist was amazing!

After that I got to hang out in the Rocket Scientists dressing room and chat with Eric Norlander and Lana Lane about their time with Ayreon (not a good subject!!) and what was in store for them in the future. They were really sweet and Eric loved to talk about all the future stuff that was happening with him joining forces with ASIA. Should be a killer combo…this guy is an immesely talented keyboardist and a really cool guy. I also chatted with Jay Schellen who was in Hurricane but now was in the Rocket Scientists. I met him years ago….same sweet guy and smokin drummer!

Lana said she was vocally trained by a person that trained Eric Martin so she wanted to meet him…and she did!

This band was a total trip for me. They are more space/ prog/rock that is on the vein of Pink Floyd and I really liked them but wanted a place to lie down and listen instead of standing…it was that relaxing. Lana is a gifted singer and has a very cool stage presence.

After that Enchant went on and since they are from the Bay Area most people there knew them. It was my first time hearing them and they are wonderfully talented…just a little too slow for me. I was really ready for a nap after that…not that they arnt great. I just like to rock out at a concert…this is NOT that kind of concert.

Enchant live!

I was also lucky to get to interview the talented Jeff Scott Soto. The guy has been around for years and played with many bands like Yngwie and Journey and I heard some amazing covers of Queen that they guy has done. He is brilliant!! Oh yeah and he was one of the singers on the ROCK STAR movie soundtrack and sand Stand Up and Shout later in the evening!! That RAWKED!

Jeff was joined onstage by Dave Meniketti and Phil from Y&T and Eric Martin of Mr. Big!!
Backstage with Jeff Scott Soto with Phil and Dave Meneketti from Y&T and Eric Martin of Mr. Big!!

Jeff Scott Soto live really rocked the place and woke us up with a variety if music from his repetoire. He played Rock,Regge,Disco(I guess he was in Boogie Nites) and then did the kick ass stuff from Rock Star!!! That was a blast! I really enjoyed this guys set and he is playing in Vegas with the Sin City Sinners Sept 30th at the Dive Bar!!

After all that fun I passed out in Scotts truck as we drove back to his house like an hour away…what a first day!!
Second day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The second day which was sat was really exciting for me. It was the Debut of DARKWATER, the band that I was anticipating the most on this bill and they were to play first.
The first thing that happened when we got to the venue was we were being told we had to leave during LTE’s soundcheck. So me and Squeek had the idea of taking the bands that were there to go do a photo shoot at the beautiful park around the corner. It was her idea to take one band, my idea was to take them all. That was fun getting Zero Hour, Darkwater and Suncaged to walk a block up to the park in the cold. So off we went, about 20 rockers walking in a line down the street to a park. It was a nice day but chilly and the guys that were from Europe were in disbelief that it was so cold here in America in June…thats the bay Area for you. So we got some sweet shots of them with the SF skyline behind them and all in their groups for band shoots. All the guys were so sweet and fun and just having a total blast!
Getting three bands together for a photo-shoot in the park by the venue!! Almost impossible
but we did it!!! : ) It was fun, fun!!

 

So we get back and just hang out for a bit and then it was already time for Darkwater to go on….
The crowd was all excited and there was anticipation in the air and BAM! Out come my new buds from Sweden,Darkwater!!! They put on a killer set with all my fave songs off their debut,Calling the Earth to Witness. They were as tight as a band can be and Henrik is one of my fave singers out there!! I LOVED “Tallest Tree” and “Again“! These guys should be the next big PP band out there and Henrik and a couple of the other guys have another band called Harmony that has a cd coming out soon also.
My fave band there: Darkwater Live!!

Then after that came the killer Prog/Thrash/Metal band from the Netherlands, Suncaged. I
really liked these guys and they do seriously kick some ass especially Marcel Coenen, there virtuostic guitarist!!

 

 

 

 

Another heavy-ass band from the Bay Area Zero Hour played next and my two new buds, and twin brothers,Jasun Tipton -Guitar and Troy Tipton-bass, really rocked my socks off with their thrashy brand of prog-metal!!! These guys were on fire and they were smoking hot onstage!!! I loved their energy and talent!

 

 

 

 

 

It was hard to come down after the Zero Hour set, but it was time for me to come down hard. Next up was Liquid Tension Experiment. Everyone knows I am not a big Dream Theater fan and not a huge proggy girl. So I was skeptical from the get go. When these extremely talented group of musicians got onstage the crowd went wild. These are die-hard DT fans and they were ready for a prog/rock onslaught that was LTE. It is mostly if not all instrumental. That is another thing that is not my cup of tea…but these guys were tight and wicked on their instruments. Tony Levin played his Bass/Stick, like a madman and John Petrucci just kept throwing out the solo’s. Of course there is Mike Portnoy that is one of the greatest drummers in the world of prog and he showed it. Jordon Rudess was a master on the keys as they circled around and round on a pedestal. They guys were sick as hell….

But after like one hour of this madness I was ready to pass out and it to me is a pure show-off fest and after 2 hours…it got old to me. I was done…toast. Not that it wasnt killer…just not my thing.

We all got to meet the band after the show/spectacle and my good friend Tay just happened to say to Mike when I was getting his autograph…”This from a girl that hates DT!!!” I was so mortified!! It was so cool though as Mike said…”Hey they bore me sometimes too!!” : ) lol
So then there was the story of “The Beard”. Mike put one of the beards he cut off on his site to sell to a fan and one of Tay and Scott’s friends bought it..( he got all kinds of other goodies with it) and the Beard traveled all over the country to DT gigs and people always got their photos with it. They even went on a page on the internet. He then got another one sent to him by Mike the next year and to make a long story short..he lost them to the Texas PD that thought it was “something” else…They got confiscated. So the guys told Mike this and he, at the end of the show that nite, got John to cut off his beard and then he gave it to Taylor. It was a really cool moment for the guy and I almost forgave him for the comment (like I wouldnt…)

 

I had a total blast at this fest and I want to thank the guys who threw it..Dave, Eric and Bear and thanks to them for all the access and allowing me to be a fly on the wall at one of the newest fests on the west coast!! I hope to go to many more!!! Thanks also to all the bands for being so kind with me, letting me shoot them and ask them all kinds of dumb questions since I didnt even know most of them. I made some kewl friends there that I still chat with and I appreciate everything!!! And thanks to Taylor for turning me onto yet another killer fest and to Scott and his wife that put us up in their house!!!
Bay Area Rock Fest rules!!!

When I heard that Firewind from Greece was coming to Vegas I was shocked and then when I came to, I screamed for joy!!! This is one of my fave bands of the last couple of years from the melodic/power/metal genre. I saw them at Prog/Power 8 in Atlanta Georgia last year and they were amazing even though their talented singer Apollo Papathanasio was MIA from that tour. They instead had Henning singing for them, some guy I never heard of, and their old singer Steven also jamming with them. I wanted to see Apollo whose vocals are just beautiful to me, but alas, he wasnt there. I was bummed about that. But I was redeemed this day when I got to finally meet and see the man perform at Jillians when they came out with Dark Tranquility and Divine Heresy. They played third after the two local bands and for only 30 minutes,but it was 30 fucking exciting minutes for me to see these greek gods blow up the stage! These guys have 5 Cds to their credit and have gone through like 4 singers, but I really hope Apollo sticks. He fits in perfectly with this form of melodic metal. Their new cd The Premonition is a kick ass tribute to metal at its finest! I love this cd!! They played 3 songs from the new disc and I really love “Head up High” a very inspirational song that is positive like most of their songs. They really have the knack for that and Apollo writes most of the lyrics now and he is so talented in his writing that I told him thank you for the words because they sometimes get me through the day! You cant have a bad day when you pop a Firewind cd in. The guys are humble and nice as 5 guys can get and they are very grascious to their fans. I was honored to get to shoot the guys out on the Fremont Street Experience for several shots before the show. That was exciting as hell for me. I ended up being their photographer/massage therapist for the entire nite!! What a treat!

I wanted a photo pass for this show and I got a hold of guitar god Gus G before the show, and he told me it wasnt a problem. So when I showed up he was like Hey Leah! And gave me a big hug that was heartfelt and warm. I met him at PP and he remembered me which was really cool. So he got me all hooked up and we headed down to the stage after some autographs for me. I met Apollo too at this time and was just so blown away by how sweet and humble this man is. I dont think he has any idea how amazing he is. He is one of my fave singers out there. He is also in a band called Evil Masquerade that has a cd out called Third Act. Its a killer Prog/Power band that I hope to see live one day! (See video at the bottom of this review)

The band also consists of three other talented dudes, lets not forget!! On keyboards and guitars is Bob Katsionis, Bass monster is Petros Christo, and English/German drummer from hell Mark Cross. Gus G is one of the most talented shredders of the decade with too many bands to his credit, two of which is Arch Enemy and Mystic Prophecy. He is the heart and soul of this amazing band!!!
Check out his myspace at:
www.myspace.com/gusgoffical.com

They went onstage in front of a small crowd because most the people I knew just wouldnt come out on a sunday nite for some odd reason. It bummed me out that there werent that many people there but I assure you that the people that didnt know Firewind before the show and even who they were when they walked past them, knew them after. People loved them!! They were all over them after the show wanting autographs and stuff, so I think the guys were happy about that. They surely

made an impression!

They started the set with the new song ” Into the Fire” which kills live and “Insanity” from Allegience. I had only three songs to shoot so I was stoked the get to shoot their new single, “Mercanary Man“, which they have a video for. I was told to get outta the photo pit after that and had to get in the crowd, but that was cool because they then Jammed out my fave tune “Head Up High“!!! I got to jump up and down to this song and Gus was just shredding up a storm as he does and Bob was right along with him shredding himself!

They then played “Fire and the Fury” which is from Burning Earth. They ended their spectacular but short show with “Til the End of Time” from Allegience which was fantastic, but I was just so sad it was over so fast!! Only 6 songs from this wonderful band that has 5 cds out! Not fair!

 

After the show they grasciouly signed autographs and took lots of photos with the fans old and new. I took some shots of Rafael and his friends with Apollo which were hilareous because Apollo kept coming up with neat ideas of where and how to get a cool shot. I got them doing all kinds of silly shit with bowling balls and them laying on the lanes and shit! I couldnt stop laughing at this great singer that was so down to earth and sweet. He told us he was a school teacher that taught history. That is really interesting and cool to me!

I ended up hanging with most the guys and their beautiful friend Anna til the crack of dawn. We went out on the strip and to the Hard Rock Casino for food, driving around in my small Focus blaring Maiden and singing to them and then back to the bus before they had to take off for Utah at 5am! I got to tell you this was one of the coolest bands I have ever hung out with and one of the most kick ass bands out there. They should be HUGE!! This was a short but sweet show that was still awesome, and I hope they come back and dont get discouraged on the turnout. It will be better next time, I will make sure of that!!! Go get your Firewind Cd The Premonition and check out Allegience too!! Dont miss these guys if they come to your town and say hi, they are a friendly bunch!!!

Thanks for everything guys!!!!

I would give this show \m/m\/m\/m\/m\/ waaaay up!!!

See all that is Firewind here:

http://www.firewind.gr.com
www.myspace.com/firewind

FIREWIND:”FALLING TO PIECES”!!

W.A.S.P. Crimson Idol 15th anniversary tour @ The Canyon Club W/ Fatal Smile:

I was the biggest WASP fan in 85-86 when I lived in Washington State. I used to listen to their music when I was at my shitty job and dream about meeting the kick-ass band that helped me through some deep emotional shit I was dealing with at the time. One dayI went into a music store with my WASP pins on my black leather jacket and this chick, Pam, that worked at the store told me that Randy Piper was her brother. Well I was stoked and shocked to say the least because I lived in a very small town and how do you explain that this person lived across the bridge from me in Astoria Ore. and was Randys sister… and I now know that what you wish for the most will come true if you believe and are focused on it. This kind of shit has happened to me several more times in my life than you can imagine since then. I now know its all about the Secret.(Watch the movie!!) So she and I became fast friends and she asked me if I wanted to go to the WASP show in Portland Ore, and I was like Hell yes!! So we met up there and she took my friend and I to Randy’s hotel room and we met the killer guitarist that is behind so many amazing solos on the first two records.

He was charming and sweet and made us feel like we were the only fans in the world. I found out later that my girlfriend wasnt his sister but knew her ..(LONG story) Then we went to see WASP open for KISS on the Asylum tour and I thought at the time that WASP blew KISS off the friggen stage!! They were a spectacle. You gotta know back in 86′ WASP was in their prime and Blackie was public enemy #1!!! He was the frontman from hell. He WAS the shit!! Randy was also one of the coolest dudes onstage at the time and so was Chris Holmes(before he was always drunk!) It was the most awesome show I had ever seen. We got backstage after the show and got to meet the band..I was so in Awe of Blackie and he could have given a fuck that I drew a bunch of drawings of him, even though he did seem to like what I did.(Couldnt really tell) I got my bubble blown that day and to THIS day after meeting him a few more times, I know that he is kind of an asshole. He is reserved and is a recluse on the road. He wont meet his fans and if you are lucky enough to meet the guy,he is just so blase’ about the whole meeting fans experience. So ya gotta know after that I wasnt into WASP much anymore. I went on with my friend Pam to see them in Seatlle the next day and then that was about it. I know that sometimes meeting your heros isnt the best thing you can do…beleive me. They can blow your whole image of them …that is one of the only times I regretted meeting a hero of mine since then, thankfully.

So I wasnt into them when Crimson Idol came out but my ex,Bobby was really into that cd. He played it for me and made me realise that Blackie had some greatness in him after the first two records. I lost faith in him because he didnt live up to a 19 year olds expectations. I know the guy is a creative genius but just isnt a very friendly guy to his fans,and probably anyone esle. I was pissed at what he did to Randy Piper, too, who was one of the sweetest rockers I had ever met. So I guess I was a little bitter. Now I recognize the man behind the music and have been going to his shows for a few years now. Crimson Idol is a sick ass record with a storyline that will bring tears to your eyes.

When they played this muisc live at the Canyon Club, I was in awe because the story was being played out on the screens behind them and the music was just intense!!

He has a great band behind him and they are a bit overshadowed by Blackie, but their talent just shone through! From start to finish I was overwhelmed by the story and the music and was almost brought to tears. I remember when Bobby and I met him a few years

ago and asked him if any of this story was autobiographical and he said yes some of it, I felt for the man. I think I understood him better. This was a killer, intense show! I am glad I got to see it.

There ya even got a story from me… it had to be told.

Before WASP we were treated to a seriously wonderful band from Sweden called Fatal Smile. I loved these guys with their 80’s swagger and long ass hair that was reminecient of the hair bands back in the day. I think they have been playing like this for years because they are about as old as I am. I loved their music and they sold out of their new cd called “World Domination” or I would have bought it! They kick ass and need to be at Rocklahoma…they would fit right in. Their singer Blade is like a tornado ontage…

 

They are on a world domination tour so get out there and go see these guys do their stuff!! They RAWK!!!
Fatal Smile with a differnt singer..thats defeniatly not BLADE!!! Dammit they need a new video!!

W.A.S.P. myspace:http://http//www.myspace.com/wasp
Fatal Smile myspace: http://www.myspace.com/fatalsmile1
Randy Piper myspace:http://www.myspace.com/randy_piper
(Another quickie story is this: Randy used to live here in Vegas for a bit and we would hang out here and there. There was a guy way back that used to impersonate Blackie and hang out here at the clubs. I totally called him out on this foolishness and pissed a few of my friends off because they really thought it was him. I used to have his posters all over my room and I knew this mans face like the back of my hand and I just laughed at him. A few years after that when Randy lived here I was at Club Rock and Chris Holmes and this “Blackie” guy came in…I called Randy and he came right down and totally called the guy out again and made him look like an idot!!! Then we proceeded to almost get kicked out of the club because Randy and Chris hadnt seen each other in ages,they about tore the place up and Randy was riding on Chris’s back at one point and it was crazy! I kept them from getting kicked out with “you know who these guys are???” They left them to their drinking and nuttiness…I dont remember much after that…. All I can say is if you would have told me in 86′ that something like that would happen to me with the members of WASP, I would have told you, you were NUTS!!!LMFAO!!!
Another time we went looking for Randy’s guitar with Randy,beer in hand at 11am at a swap meet, but THATS another story…hehehe!) Miss ya Randy!!!!
I would give this show \m/\m/\m/\m/\m/ WAY UP!!!!

monica said…

fABULOUS STORIES ABOUT PIPER WITH WASP!!! REALLY COOL TO HEAR…YOU HAVE SOME AMAZING STORIES AND EXPERIENCES..

March 22, 2008 at 4:25 PM

Leah Burlington said…

Thanks Monica…now if we can just get Randy to check this out!!!Miss that fucker! Need to talk to him!

March 26, 2008 at 6:01 PM