Bands I Have Seen

Bush has long been a favorite band. Hard in places and soft in others- just a really good rock band. I used hear them often on 94.5 The EDGE.

 Fun fact about me: I've actually touched Gavin Rossdale's nipple.

 He was running down the alleyway that's in front of the stage where the cables go and technicians can access the sound booth and the stage. He was high-fiving everybody and as he went by I reached out to high-five him. After initially going for my hand he stepped in closer and dropped his hand down to high-five my girlfriend. My hand was left out and it rubbed across his chest- touching his sweaty, erect nipple.

EDGEFEST 2013 After Action Report

• I sold tickets to a scalper after trying to give them to nearly everybody I know.
• The lineup: Phoenix, Bush, Airbone Toxic Event, Fitz And The Tantrums, Gaslight Anthem, 21 Pilots, Atlas Genius, Capital Cities,  Youngblood Hawke, Kitten and IAMDYNAMITE
• It was great to hear so many bands I had wanted to see literally since I first heard them and in the case of Deftones and Bush that would have been 20 years ago.
• Parking was 20 bucks.
• There weren't as many freaks there as I would guessed- a few extreme piercings and one impressive punk Mohawk was about it.
• I don't drink, which is a good thing as beer was 9 bucks a can.
• A girl burned my arm with a cigarette. She was mortified- it really bothered her. She apologized again as we were leaving a merch line. Don't sweat it- try to find a new habit though- it will be better for both of us! 
• Gaslight Anthem was way good. I don't think I had heard them before. They were a little punk on some songs.
• She: What do you think they (Bush) will start with? I hope they close with Glycerine. Me: Well, if they don't open with Machinehead- they're wrong. I was right and she got her wish.
• There was too much time between bands. The temporary flooring was white and could fry your corneas with it's reflective glare. The wristband area for us VIPs could have been better managed to improve ingress and egress. I guess these are the only things I'll be adding to my list of  The Earths Serious Flaws.
• Also, I was for a time stuck behind Mr. Backpack- you know the guy, the one who is somehow oblivious to the 30 pound he is carrying and continually backs into you. What does he carry in there? He was drinking beers and water from the vendor. He didn't have camera gear in there. But even worse was when he decided to move behind me. His breath smelled like a possum had died in it four days prior.
• All things considered the restrooms were immaculate.
• I had to process a semen sample for the lab at work the other day to rule out testicular tuberculosis. I'm sorry, "immaculate" made me think of ejaculate. Ahem, let's get back on track shall we?
• The smell of weed was everywhere. It was everywhere for the entire 8 hours or whatever I was there. It was everywhere and it is illegal- not ill advised- it is unlawful and it was everywhere. It was everywhere and EDGEFEST wasn't some kind of 420 fest in Humboldt County. How can something that pervasive and accessible be illegal? It literally makes no sense.
• There were quite a few people messed up out of their minds drunk. They may have no recall of a great show today when they wake up (assuming they do).
• Gavin Rossdale came running down the center aisle working the crowd while singing. I put my hand out to high five him but he missed and my hand ran across his sweaty left pectoral. Yep ladies- I have touched the nipple of Bush's lead singer and Gwen Stefani's main man and you have not.
• A mid 30s woman was just nearly ready to throw down with a 16 year old girl over a spilled beer when said 16 year old came crashing down on the fuddy duddy while crowd surfing. Can you imagine an assault charge against a teenager and your defense is, She spilled my beer!
• Deftones were literally awful which is a shame since I have wanted to see them for 25+ years. I guess "awful" is a cruel overstatement. They just weren't as great as I thought they would be and I have listened to everything they have recorded. 
• Paramore rocked the house- holy smokes they were loud and good.
• BUSH covered Come Together and it was awesome. When they would sing the line, Come together right now over me. I would say Come together right now over Chelsea (friend-girls name). A girl standing near us turned to me and said, I heard that- that was cool. She then turned to FG pointed at me, high fived her and said, Way to go!
• I am being treated with affection and respect in a healthy way in a nice/safe environment and all that is being expected of me is to reciprocate- I have never experienced that before.
• I am unbelievably tired. Good night world wherever you are. I love you in spite of yourself. I'll put pics up tomorrow morning (04282013).

Mondays Mostly Musical Missives With A Mass Media Misgiving

• There was a television going in my patients room the night Drew Peterson was arrested for the murder of his wife. The news came out early, was pervasive and was the top story literally until I walked out the door. Nearly everyone I've spoken to since has mentioned the case.



• Why? Who cares besides family, friends etc.? And if they do- again, why?



• Earlier my son was listening to Ozzy Ozbornes Crazy Train. Yesterday when working on the neighbors riding mower her son was listening to Iron Man.



• There's hope for this world after all.



• Never understood why Bush was never more popular than they were or why the wave they were on crested in the 90s and they sort of tailed off. Even stranger (to me at least) they were from England but, never were very popular there. They broke up in 2002 but, Gavin Rossdale has been hinting at a reunion.



• Just picture my old butt waving a cigarette lighter to Glycerine and jumping around to Machinehead.



• Probably don't want to picture it too long though.



• Chevelle is one of my all time favorite bands but, oddly I don't own a single cd of theirs or have any of their music on my laptop.



• Hank Williams, Ralph Stanley, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and Bill Monroe all stop me dead in my tracks whenever I hear anything of theirs and when I'm in the mood and put their music on I don't do or think about anything else.



• A cousin to Lester Flatt was one of my professors in college.



• One of the best live shows I've ever been to is still Meatloafs. He did songs from both Bat Outta Hell and Bad Attitude.



• Meatloaf was born and raised in Dallas TX but, oddly was and is still way more popular in England.
• No, he didn't play Lumpy on Leave It To beaver.



• I have at least 10 musical instrument in my house and I can't play a single one though I'll randomly pick one up occasionally and mess around with it.



• Was pretty good at the trombone in school though and keep daring myself to take it back up.



• Craig's Music in Weatherford TX is about 12 minutes from my house, has some great live music acts very often and I never been and I don't know why.



• I know someone whose servers at their job has over 250,000 songs on it for consumption by employees. Another guy has over 3000 full length movies on his.



• Didn't know there were that many of either anywhere.



• Actually I did of course but, man that would be cool to have access to that kind of free, safe music and movies.


• Some music that I like but, a little goes a long way with me: Bluegrass, Techno and just a little Hip Hop.
• Synthesizer by Electronic Six- still such a great techno song don't care when it gets lodged in my brain for hours on end.
• My neighbor was in a band with Roy Orbisons son Wes Orbison but, he died before they could take off with it- one more reason his death was so sad.
• Toadies: great rock music by Texans who lost themselves somewhere- terrible after their comeback, sorry to say.
• Dred Zeppelin: Led Zep songs to a reggae beat sung by an Elvis impersonator- genius.
• Fats Domino singing Blueberry Hill and Ain't That a Shame. BB King Singing The Thrill Is Gone and Hank Williams The Lost Highway all make my hair stand on end like no other and I'll let you guess which is the most nearly autobiographical.