GWAR: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

Last week, I saw my 5th GWAR show at non other than my local spot, The Westcott in Syracuse. Nowadays, it seems like every show I go to brings a new idea to my mind, a theory I’ve never thought of, or some kind of question to ponder. This time the question was: Can a show be both good AND bad?

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FROM A GREAT LAKE COMES A GREAT BASS

A bass made out of driftwood from Lake Superior, at a craft fair in New Paltz, NY. Not something you see everyday, just disappointed that there wasn’t a matching drum kit made from the trash found in Lake Superior…

-Julia

THE WIDE WORLD OF INSTRUMENTS. GET IT.

Friday night Elise and I headed over to the Gramercy Theater (f.k.a. the Blender Theatre at Gramercy. *Sigh* Shitty sound system, but I think for atmosphere and “home-yness” may be my fave NYC venue) for HEATHENFEST.

We needed something to do. People watching is always fun.

Anywho, twas a better show that I expected (but just as nerdy as a crowd as we expected. No haterade here, just sayin’. We’re big nerds ourselves). But the coolest thing was seeing all the crazy instruments from Alestorm and Eluveitie in the flesh. WTF is a hurdy gurdy, you ask? Well, let’s review the less conventional instruments seen on stage:

1. The hurdy gurdy. Kind of like a mechanical violin, but with a crank. See Anna Murphy of Eluveitie.

2. The Gaita and the Bodhran. See Chringel Glanzmann of Eluveitie. Yeah, it looks like just some bagpipes and a tambourine, but they’re Spanish bagpipes and a drum made out of goatwhore skin. Nice.

3. Lastly, the keytar. They way I see it, I can play piano and I’m nasty at Guitar Hero, so with that pairing I should be a natural with the keytar and I’m willing to give it a shot. Can you rent one of those? Anywho, for metal keytaring in action, check out Alestorm’s Christopher Bowes.

And one last note on Alestorm… “WHEN I SAY HILLSHIRE YOU SAY FARM! HILLSHIRE! FARM! GO MEAT!”

-Julia

TO MASTODON, WITH LOVE

Dear Mastodon,

I’m very excited to see you tonight. Did you know tomorrow is my birthday? Oh, you forgot? It’s ok. I’m on a margarita kick lately *nudge*

You’ll know where to find me and Elise. Break legs, not necks. See you sooooon!

<3 Julia

MASTODON LOVE HALLOWEEN TOO

Neato!

As if it weren’t cool enough that Mastodon is playing not one, but two shows in NYC this week, check out their very Halloween-y shirt that is now available at their merch store.

To boot, you can also get a free Mastodon pumpkin digital stencil, and if you enter MASHALLOWEEN at checkout you get 13% off your entire purchase. It’s not so shocking that any metal band loves Halloween as much as I do, but they are really getting into the spirit this year and I LIKE IT.

The next question is: Will Dethklok be doing anything special too? (please say yes! I’d kill for some Murderface-shaped candy corn)

-Julia

HOMETOWN HEROES, OR WHATEVER.

It’s really funny to me that 3 (the band, not the number) is actually popular in the metal scene nowadays. As many people know, 3 is from Woodstock, NY. AKA- MY NECK OF THE GODDAMN WOODS. So local in fact, that when I was a freshmen in high school and way before anyone gave two shits about them, 3 performed in the school gymnasium- to a crowd of less than 10 people. My 13 year old self felt sorry for them and bought their album anyway. Check out this art:

I won’t blow up their spot any further, but if you actually listen to Paint By Number… well, let’s just say it ain’t so brutal. Their new album, “Revisions”, drops on the 27th.

-Julia