Things I Hate (Bitch Post)

There is an unwritten concert etiquette that people blow off in the concerts. Being in 6 concerts this semester, I saw the same things being broken through out. I'll just point some out. 

1. Bros - When did they start listening to good music?! What happened to them listening to Dave Matthews, Creed and Nickelback? (yes, I know I'm stereotyping) but seriously. I've had enough of their attitude and their fist pumping. The majority of them are completely drunk, loud and obnoxious. The completely ruin the experience and atmosphere. I am 90% sure, there do not know the band performing. I will bet on it. 

2. The Concert Hug - I'll explain. So let's say your like in the pit area and your right behind a person that is in front of a the barrier. You waited for a long time outside and you got to the front. There is a person that got to the venue like 30 mins late. She see that your in front of their friend. The person behind me taps their friend they turn around and pretty much sandwich me while pulling their friend's arm to get to the front. It's one of my pet peeves at concerts. That's why I always say "Stand Your Ground!"

3. People with Drinks or Smoking - Especially at a rave or a concert that will involve dancing. Why would anyone bring a drink in the middle of the pit, where people are constantly moving?! It WILL spill! duh! I've had a couple of experiences with spilled drinks. I've was sticky the rest of the concert. There was an instance with a person that was not careful with their cigarette that it burned my left arm. It was a horrible sting. 

4. Out of Tune Singers - I will admit, I was one of those people. Going to my very first concert ever, I didn't know what to do! I had so much adrenaline, I was just singing along while recording the performance. When I went back home and watched the performance, I couldn't believe how out of tune and out of key I was. blahhh....but eventually I got better. It's horrible listening to a person practically yelling wrong notes in your ears while enjoying the concert. blahhhh

Do you guys agree?

Paramore, New Found Glory, Tegan and Sara: Nostalgia Concert Review

Band: Paramore Openers: New Found Glory, Tegan and Sara
Date: September 23, 2010
Location: HP Pavilion, San Jose, CA

Preconvcied Thoughts of the Band: Paramore was too "hard" for me to get into. The guitars were too "loud" and "distorted". Well, what I'm trying to say is that they didn't have that punk rock sound that was I was used to and listening to. The hardcore scene was becoming prominent when I was in middle school and I didn't want to go all "emo". Also I wasn't all into their image as well. Skinny jeans, tight shirts, and raging red hair. Nope. Not for me.


I was excited to find out that New Found Glory was opening for Paramore. I've been a fan of theirs since middle school. They were also as pop punk as blink 182, but they were had more of an edgy hardcore sound. My history teacher got me into that band. Understatement, My Friends Over You, and Sonny were instant sellers for me.


I heard about Tegan and Sara my freshman year in college, but I didn't listen to them religiously. I knew that "Sainthood" was released months before the tour, so I listened to it beforehand and I enjoyed it. A true Tegan and Sara fan told me that their new album didn't do justice for their old stuff, but I was willing to listen what they had to offer.


Relic was suppose to go, but she couldn't make it. So she gave me a discount...SWEET!!

Vampire Weekend: Nostalgia Concert Review

Band: Vampire Weekend Opener: Pocahaunted
Date: Novemeber 9, 2010
Location: The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA

Preconceived Thoughts of The Band: When I first heard about Vampire Weekend's, A-Punk, I thought they were insanely catchy, but honestly, that single didn't do justice. They are insanely unorthodox in their music. They combined African drums beats, indie rock, and western classical music. It completely blew my mind. They were also on repeat all throughout my freshman year. When my friend surprised me with a ticket to the show. I went ballistic. M79 and Mansard Roof are amazing.


Pocahaunted on the other hand....well I never heard them. I'm never in the know of the openers.

Playlist 2.

Hello!

In keeping with the whole tone of our blog, here is a bitchy playlist. The best time to listen would be when you are feeling just fucking angry, bitter, pissed off or upset. These songs have helped me get through those horrible days. Hope they help.

-Relic

1. Gypsy Woman- Anarbor
Listen here.

2. Backstabber- Cheap Sex
Listen here.

3. My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama- Frank Zappa
Listen here.

4. Unholy Confessions-Avenged Sevenfold
Listen here.

5. Take It Off- The Donnas
Listen here.

6. Ring the Alarm-Beyonce
Listen here.

7. Metal Meltdown- Judas Priest
Listen here.

8. Noise Complaint-Big D and the Kids Table
Listen here.

9. Sweating Bullets- Megadeth
Listen here.

10. Dammit-Blink 182
Listen here.

11. Motivation- Sum 41
Listen here.

12. Bought A Bride-Brand New
Listen here.

13. There's No "I" In Team- Taking Back Sunday
Listen here.

14. Away We Go- Valencia
Listen here.

15. Sowing Season-Brand New
Listen here.

16. Coffee Eyes- The Wonder Years
Listen here.

17. Seventy Times Seven-Brand New
Listen here.

Mainstream Concerts vs. Indie Concerts

I know it's not the biggest issue for a music lover to come across with. It's all about the artist and their music; but is it REALLY always the case?! Is it the people, the venue, the "event" feel? the visual?


Well I'll break it down into two catagories...Mainstream and Indie.

Nostalgia Concert Review: blink-182 Reunion Concert

Band: blink-182 with Chester French, Taking Back Sunday, and Weezer
Date: September 13, 2009
Location: Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, CA

Sidenote: Sorry! this is not going to be a current concert review. There wasn't any concert worth going to this week. I could have gone and seen this acoustic/spoken word artist but I'm always too skeptical on the artists the school brings. 

Concert Review: The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit

Band: The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit
Date: October 8, 2011
Location: Sausage Fest, Farmers Market, Santa Cruz, CA


Preconceived Thoughts of the Band: A friend of mine manages the band for a class. All she said was they are middle aged men that sound like Mumford and Sons. hmmm..


What Actually Happened (BITCH SPOILER ALERT) - 
So a group of us (20 girls) all do a field trip to the farmer's market to see my friend's band perform. We get there pretty late because we didn't want to hear the opening bands. So we get there, and we tried to get in. This lady dress in some weird era of German clothes, tells us that the market is at full capacity and she couldn't get let anyone in. We were all pissed off!! More people were leaving then coming in. So we awkwardly stand in front of the gate, figuring out what we should do. My friend never called them and asked them to save us a couple of spots. A couple of minutes in they got on stage and start performing. 


They are nothing like Mumford and Sons. There were just another country band. I just can't stand country. Good thing we didn't listen to them.


Verdict - I don't like country music, therefore I don't like them.


Bitch Rate - 4/5

Concert Review: The New Gary Burton Quartet

Band: New Gary Burton Quartet

Date: October 7,2011

Location: Yoshi's, Oakland, CA

Preconceived Thoughts of the Band: I for one, am not an active jazz listener. I do have some Charlie Parker and some Wes Montgomery in my iTunes, but I HAVE to be in the mood for it, which is rarely. Jazz is way too complicated for me.The poly-rhythmic and complex chords never really synced in with me. I love it when I hear melody and harmony. I've always been that way since I can remember. I barely know this Gary Burton guy, but when I mentioned him to a couple of friends they were surprised (and jealous) that I would get to here him. From what I got in his biography, he's kind of a big deal. He has a great album background, has a GRAMMY for one his albums. He's a professor at Berklee College of Music. It's pretty amazing.

I'm sorry that this is a jazz concert review, but I thought it was helpful for me. As a musician, I need to explore different genres. I'm trying to become an open-minded musician....

Concert Review: Blink 182, My Chemical Romance, Matt and Kim

Band: blink 182, My Chemical Romance Opener: Matt and Kim
Date: October 2, 2011
Location: Sleep Train Amphitheater, Sacramento, CA

Preconcieved Thoughts of the Band: blink 182 is my favorite band...EVER! I saw them, two years ago at their reunion tour and I was blown away (and in physical pain) from their performance. They are known for playing loud punk rock and as fast as they can. I knew what they were going to be playing in their set list, even their new songs off the album Neighborhoods. I was so prepared for them. My Chemical Romance on the other hand, is a different story. I haven't heard from the since middle school. Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge was pretty much it for me. I strayed away from the emo scene to more indie rock afterward. I knew a couple of singles form their Black Parade album but that was pretty much it. They did change their image to a more colorful one, but I was pretty DGAF about them. Finally Matt and Kim was another band I was crazy to see at the tour. They were on my playlist all of freshman year in college. I missed their performance at the Fillmore a year ago, but I wasn't going to miss them this time. 

Concert Review: Beirut

Band: Beirut
Date: October 1, 2011
Location: The Fox Theater, Oakland, Ca

Preconceived Thoughts of the Band - My current roommate introduced me to them about 2 years ago with the track "Elephant Gun", and I became an instant fan. I loved the use of trumpets, french horns, trombones, and tubas. They have very unusual sounds which is made by their unusual use of instruments. My music management professor mentioned the band a couple of times during his lectures. I wouldn't consider their sound to be a platform for every band to copy, but it is a unique sound that makes them stand out.

Concert Review: French Cassettes

Band: French Cassettes. Opener: Tibetan Method and Travis Vick
Date: September 23, 2011
Location:  Fox and Goose, Sacramento, CA

Preconceived Thoughts of the Band -  I met one of their band members weeks ago to discuss a project, in which we would have to coordinate. I am somewhat their manager/consultant. The band member was generous in giving me their EP. I gave a listen to and instantly was hooked. They have a poppy/catchy guitars, soothing vocals and groovy bass. For a baby band, they had their signature sound already figured out. I showed them to my friend and they also became instant fans. I wanted to hear more, so I found out they were playing a show in sac and we drove the venue.

Concert Review: Maroon 5 and Train

Band: Maroon 5 and Train
Date: September 15, 2011
Location: Sleep Train Pavilion, Concord, California

Preconceived Thoughts of the Band - 
     This is my first (and hopefully last) "mainstream" concert that I've been too. I've heard of maroon 5 through their singles such as "She Will be Loved" when I was like 12 but I never got into that band. Why? It sounded to adult contemporary rock and I couldn't deal with Adam's singing. It sounded like he had something caught in his throat. I was also in a pop punk phase where blink-182 and New Found Glory were on repeat.
     As for train, they passed my generation. I can remember "Drops of Jupiter" being a huge hit on Top 40 radio, but I was too young too appreciate it. It was also out of my genre. 
     Either way, they both have solid careers and an establish fan base. Being a "mainstream" concert I expect the best from them, from the sounds, music and visuals. 

Concert Review: Fleet Foxes, and The Walkmen.

Band- Fleet Foxes and The Walkmen
Date - September 10, 2011
Location - The Greek Theater, Berkeley, California

Preconceived Thought of the Bands-
     I can't say anything mean about Fleet Foxes. I love their first album and their second is better produced and composed. They experimented with their sounds and instrumentation which gives them a unique signature sound that a lot of bands don't have now. My friends saw them two years ago with Blitzen Trapper at the Fox Theater, and with confidence they stated that it was the best concert they have ever been to. So my expectations were extremely high. I also thought for their style of music it would be a very intimate setting with little or no stage presence. 
     I did not know that The Walkmen opened for them, and for a moment I was quite confused at this tour package. From what I heard, they sound more edgy, more punk rock than the acoustic atmosphere of Fleet Foxes. Their music is more upbeat and has more electric guitar. I only have their newest one, so I was looking forward to listen to their old catalog. 

Royal BITCH

Hello Critics of the Internet World,

This is Lauretta, but on the interwebz I am better known as Relic. I have come to blogger to blog about my one true love, concerts. More precisely, my Brainy Intelligent Thoughts on Concert Habits (BITCH). So, maybe you've never been to a concert, maybe one or two, or like me, 100's over the past years. You found yourself here to see what I have to say about bands in the indie, alternative rock and rock genres of music. Over the next months I plan on attending a large number of concerts of the aforementioned genres and blogging about my experience at these shows. If you have been to a show before, you know that not all experiences at shows are pleasant; whether that is due to the all too plenty concert assholes pushing you around or a shitty show by the band you were super excited to see.

Throughout the years I have been to tons of great, kick ass shows, but there are still things that are easy for me to bitch about. It could be because I am naturally just a bitter bitch in general, but most of my thoughts and ideas are still legitimate concerns. Here you will read my thoughts, both good and bad, of the shows I will be attending in the upcoming months, as well as a few noteworthy ones from my past. I love getting to know all the readers, so feel free to bitch back if you agree or disagree with me :)

--Relic

Relic & Wolf James