Summer Of Screams

It was Tuesday and I was still recovering from an exceptionally volatile weekend with Bohemian involving: booze, music and mayhem. I fell asleep Monday evening at 7:15 after glancing at the clock on my cell to time the hours of sleep I was about to get, 9. My brain was exhausted. I picked up 3 Gatorade and iced them in a cooler in my bedroom so I would not dehydrate overnight. Sounds like direct experience? It is. Waking up in cold sweats would dehydrate me by 3am.
"Hello,"my cell was on a third set of rings, I ignored the first two sets and some one was calling back for a third time, persistent. I glanced at the front screen, it was Bohemian. I turned it on"Yo Dess, this is Bohemian." "I know, I got you log in my cell, " He said"What's up for tonight." Nothing Bo I going to work on a second night of resting my brain.""EFF THAT," he yelled back, "I just scored some tickets to tonight's show, half dozen bands up at the Bungalow Bar and Grill (sorry no web site to date) with Mushroomhead headlining, you coming or what?""Ya but I'm still driving home, I'm passing the club now and they are lining up around the corner, good score come over we'll get a move on." "ON MY WAY" he yelled.

We hoofed it from my place to avoid any bad scenes with the cops after. Approaching the Bungalow we passed Cecil. Cecil is a cross eyed older black dude who owns the Bungalow to supplement his income. He about 67,retired and works part time but close to full time as fry cook and manager. Social security covers most essentials such as rent and food but falls short on booze and cigs. The Bungalow afforded him such sin's of human nature. Normally Cecil is a happy dude constantly half buzzed from sampling booze in between orders. This night he had that Grinch look. Scrunching his eye's apparently pissed off at some thing. It was none of my business and just gave Cecil a wave and a "Hay Cecil how's it going" with the intent on continuing walking by. Cecil stopped dead in his tracks and yelled back "HOWS IT GOING? LET ME TELL YOU KID, HOWS IT GOING. The cook "banged out" sick and I got 200 plus EFFING patrons with half of them ordering food. I'm the only EFFING one on.That's how's it going." I bobbed my head and started walking again. Bohemian looked over at and said "Wow he's pissed."" Ya I guess he had it in his head to sit by the dish washer all night jabbering to him self like he usually does sipping booze."
The show started at 5:30pm which left no time to go home and cook dinner before the show. That is if you worked for a living. They sold out on burgers and working on selling out on chicken fingers and fries. Cecil had the Grinch face all night while carrying plates of food above his head to avoid smearing ketchup over people who knocked into him. "WHO'S GOT THE FINGERS AND FRY'S." Most people had ordered fingers and fry's so the hole night was confusing on who ordered first with the bar tenders keeping track the best they could. Cecil didn't give a sh#t. Food ordering is secondary to booze ordering at the Bungalow. I guess if you own a bar and trying to move more food, try having a show start at 5:30 and watch.

Unsaid Fate started things off after some local bands doing cover's exited the stage. I always dig women singing metal just because it is fairly rare to see. Jackie LaPonza is a freak by nature. She entered into the bar and at first I didn't know who she was. With her tight belling showing. She was walking straight at me yet looked right through me as if I wasn't there. She was babbling incoherently to her self while making a bee line to the stage. I was wide eyed and  moved out of her path and she passed me babbling and pointing to the sky.I thought for sure I was about to be steam rolled. Not much better than a hot chick who's a freak. It just makes the conversation interesting. Freaks have a tendency to talk a lot about nothing yet seemingly making sense.  In turn you tend to believe the conversation hoping she's this freaky in bed. Her metal set turned out to be as good as her looks which is saying a lot. Unsaid Fate members kicked in a heavy set with Jackie providing the flare. You got to have something and this band has two. Heavy metal and hot chick!

Next up Kissing Candice. Heavy visual band, theatrical metal as I like to say. Most dudes don't like Theatrical Metal they prefer other names such as Heavy Metal, Black Metal, Thrash Metal and other names that sound cool.  Dressed up in masks and Halloween type costumes. I see it as a performance within a musical performance and when coupled with some simple choreography it becomes visually consuming. I expected a band like Kissing Candice to be second to last right before the headliner but this was not the case which is a case for showing up early. If you skipped out the early part of the show you would have missed Kissing Candice. A first rate Theatrical Metal Core band which are worth the price of admission alone. The show started at like 5:30pm and ended at 12:30am. They entered at about 7pm which is early. Maybe its me but I never seen a band sound so good and be early in a set. Major league visual band in costume, a movie vibe to the set endorsed by Metal Core. If your into Metal Core check these dudes out.

The Browning, well known to every one in the place but me and two others. They have been bitching sense 2005 out of Kansas City. Jonny McBee the vocalist was able to command the crowd at will. Setting up the "PIT" by telling the patrons which direction to move while moshing like a tornado effect. The final was a wall of death. This is where the crowd splits down the middle and upon command charge each other and collide center stage. The biggest mosh happened during there set if your into that and most of the crowd was. After The Browning exited the stage Jonny was signing CD's for fans and chatting. Later he joined the crowd center stage to enjoy the rest of the show.
Headliners Mushroomhead have one of the most visual sets I have seen to date. Their costumes are not complex but command attention when they are on stage. The lights play off their masks of a devils face. Using different masks at different tours. These masks where well thought out by some one into stage work and costumes and it was not a coincidence that the gear worked. Not only looked cool but worked with the light show that is part of the set. Pretty wild and something that I enjoy while watching metal bands perform that make use of Theatrical Metal.

Thanks Side Stage Magazine for the photo. My cell camera sucked as far as pictures as I was too far from the stage(for good reason:moshing) to get a publishable shot. That picture above is what was happening all night.I checked Mushroomhead images on google to get a good example of  that show and started to compare their image of this tour compared to other tours and I found this tour to be one of if not the most visual stage set to date. The band has two singers who play off each other in the songs and have much to say in their music. It is evident that they have a message, by the way they bounced lyrics back and forth off each other. This is coupled with two drummers who take front stage with batons playing in time with the beat. More as a show rather than part of the band. The drummer, Steve "skinny" Felton who has been a member with the band sense 1993 kicked ass in the back round. I watched him exclusively from time to time and he never let up. The image he gave me was that he completely enjoyed what he was doing complete with side smashes on the cymbals. This is when you take the stick and start on your right and smash the sh#t out of the cymbal on your left. I got a major kick out of watching him smash cymbals and twirl the sticks in the air and bounce them off the skins all in perfect timing. This is a direct result to a well rehearsed band.

Chevelle (band)

May 25, 2017, my daughter's birthday an easy day to remember and a memorable evening. As soon as the tickets came on sale, I bought two. Optimistic on having date to join me at the show. With one particular lady on mind. I've been patiently waiting to see the boys live for a couple of years now. Only recently in 2014 that I have heard of them. They have been around sense 1995. With 4 million albums under their belt from a total of 8 albums. Is alum the correct word to use today, idk. Albums have seen a recent return as of 2018 as band now start to release vinyl as part of their promotion package and receive a very serious cult following with their release. Albums are cool in their own way. You get the songs, some pictures of the band and usually some writing whether it's reviews or the band members chatting to an interviewer. Or should I be using the word CD. Today CDs are out, and music is downloaded so I guess CD word usage would be incorrect and album partially correct, and downloads totally correct. Rolling Stone uses album. what do you think?
The band started out with all brothers in the band. and later a brother in-law joining to fill a vacancy left by Joe Loeffler in 2005. It is rumored that he was sh#t canned yet the band members polity state he left on his own accord. Joe joins the band in its beginning in 1995 at the ripe age of 14. Drummer Sam Loeffler does most of the interviews for the band and enjoys talking about the band. The singer, Pete Loeffler keeps quiet. being together for 23 years to date and living together for years before that they amazingly retain enthusiasm for being out on the road. This was quite evident during the live performance as Pete poked fun at the more popular Sam. and Sam drew a loader applause from the crowd while being introduced.

At this time, I would like to plug the backup band. I don't know their name they never told us. Apparently, they assumed that we knew who they are, we didn't and the lack of tee shirt sales for the backup band should reflect this. The singer kept tell the audience that they were from LA. LA being the city of Los Angeles in California, USA. "We're from LA." It was stated at least 6 times during their set and not once did he mention the band's name. Where we to be impressed by where there from? This is a through back to the hair band days that all seemed to be from LA or at least claimed they were from LA. Today, nobody cares if you're from LA, NYC or Boise Idaho for that matter. So, stop telling us. I not necessarily bad mouthing them just stating some key facts, now I will bad mouth them. You put so much effort in a band to take flight in the form of going on tour and when the opportunity happens you put on one of the worst soundings sets, I have ever encountered. I have heard better sounding sets at clubs with 120-person capacity. The backup band was saving money of quality sound gear and personal and it reflected in their show. It was the worst muddy and washed out set ever. If I was in Chevelle I would have been pissed because people in the audience payed money to hear it. Chevelle absolutely floored them with quality of sound. By using quality equipment and not going cheap on a sound person. I will leave that at that. I'm not too big on negative writing but just couldn't hold back on this one.
Back to Chevelle. The crowd was diverse in age. From 18 straight through to all silver hair. This is prevalent at many shows today. The age barrier is disappearing as generation X'ers gets older and hold a different view on life than the generation before them who mentally retired at the age of 40. If you're a band and able to attract such a diverse crowd you're not a fade, you're in it for the long term. The light show that was put on during Chevelle's set was beyond impressive. I did not even remotely expect it. It was a performance on its own and worth the price of admission. I was particularly fond of the strobe lights being partial to the fact my great grandfather invented it.
I was accompanied by a friend name Bohemian (nick name). Weighting in at 270 plus as a direct result of his bad eating habits. Calories are not the concern taste is. "I've got tickets to tonight's show." he belched out. "What show" I replied. Chevelle at the Casino. We're off. I jumped into my yellow Chevy station wagon on loan from my father.

"We need daiquiri mix and strawberries". I demanded as he jumped in the passenger seat. We headed to Hampton Beach stopping at the store to pick up need fuel. Daiquiri mix and 2 dozen Coors Lights stored in a 48-quart cooler with 3 packs of ice, we were set. Checking in to the rooms and immediately mixing drinks with Bohemian dicing up the strawberries. "We have 2 hours to kill while we wait for the show" he blasted out that could be heard down the block. "That's plenty of time for a primmer session of drinks and beer. Bohemian wanted to get one room with 2 beds to save a few bucks, but I said no. He, at times, has trouble with soap and water and skips this part of the day. Lack of proper dental hygiene is another. I have explained to him on several occasions about bacteria growth and the trouble maintaining a conversation without looking away.

After "where from LA" exited the stage there was a short break in which me and Bohemian headed for the bar to douse an internal fire in our intestines. I yelled out "i'll take 3 Coors Lights" Bohemian yelled out "2 shots of whiskey and 2 Coors minus the light." "Please." The bar tender returned with my order first sense I ordered first. 2 Coors Lights. "That's it dude no 3...2."
Chevelle came on stage with a massive roar from the crowd and me and Bohemian pushed for the stage. At 270 plus he makes a good plow and plow he did to about 5th row to the right in front of Dean Bernardini the bass player. We would later refer to him as quiver lips. He was back up singer and at times no voice would come from his mouth. At first, we thought it was bad work at the sound board and somehow was left out of the mix. Not true. Bohemian yelled out "clear your throat Dean," "you have a frog in your throat!" Bohemian voice carried to Dean's ears with ease as he turned from the mic and coughed and returned to the mic to sing back up. I high five'd Bohemian, his foghorn vocals cut through the mix.

The crowd swayed from left to right and Bohemian was yelling "watch the drinks! watch the drinks!" Sweat started to pour from my pours and it was 50 f outside. Some influx of outside air would have helped. By the end of the set, I was personally satisfied, and glad Bohemian called me with the tickets.
"We're from LA..."

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Black Label Society

Three days earlier...

I was at the dentist having two teeth extracted for an unknown reason other than it was recommended by my dentist. They didn't hurt but infected, infected with what? I don't know. One was a wisdom tooth that my mother didn't pay to have removed when I was younger to "save a few bucks" and now was the time to remove it at my expense, thanks MA. This dentist office is a joy to visit. Full of lovely ladies who like to smile and make me smile for no reason other than seeing them smile makes me smile, OK? There slender bodies also are enough to make most men smile.        Walking in, I purposely ignored Chelsea (who is my favorite), to let her know that yes, I'm interested. This is how women like it: if you ignore them they love you if you show attention to them they can't be bothered with you. Got it? This usually true but not always. Chelsea is married but still can look. She had a baby recently and did not gain an ounce of weight. This pisses most women off. She has jet black hair and large "look at me" eye balls and weighs in at ninety-eight pounds on a rainy day. She's aware I'm playing the game and gets a chuckle out of it. I was lead into a small 9'x9' room. With the typical chair, overhead light, counter, movable shelf on the chair and vacuum used to remove excess saliva from your mouth.

My teeth were cleaned a month earlier when it was discovered I needed the extractions and other work that conveniently added up to the max amount allowable by my insurance minus a hundred so not to raise any red flags. The insurance pays 80% of most work being done. The bill is submitted and then there is a negotiated rate. The insurance company negotiates a lower price (never higher) as if cleaning teeth was something new and the cost needed to be negotiated. All these years I thought cleaning teeth was standard practice in a Dentist office and the fee for doing the cleaning is a "known." At first, I thought that the negotiation accrued after I had paid my 20% which would mean I paid more than 20%, follow me on that? After several phone calls the ladies straighten me out and rest ashore my 20% was after the negotiations had taken place. It would have meant that my 20% was 35%. Ever wonder why insurance is so much? I'm not cheap but I’m frugal and you’re not going to get away with that one with me, yes, I read the bill. This was all part of my theory on the "new style of management" that goes on today. Another is make benefits hard to get. My company has an eye doctor that we go get eye exams from, but you go to another to get prescription glasses. This is in hopes that you don't go (making it harder for you) so they can "save a few bucks." It worked I did not get any reading glasses this year because I keep forgetting to go to the "other" eye doctor to have them made and lost the original prescription paper work (I'm not that organized). My manager likes to tell everyone that he doesn't have a primary care physician, my theory is he is promoting to everyone not to have a primary care physician by use of power of suggestion, so they "save a few bucks" at the cost of everyone's health. He's sixty-four so he would be a damn fool not to have a doctor. They are a big company and they pay the bill not the insurance company (this is something new). The insurance company just handles the paper work but does not pay the cost of visits. Next scam: the insurance company payed for standard ex-rays of my teeth. The discovery of my rotting teeth was made with these photos. This was not enough, and a Panoramic view was needed by my Dentist and a new type of ex-ray was needed, the insurance did not cover this. Then I was told yet another view was needed, and I asked, "what view is that and does my insurance cover it?" It was a 3D view and no they don't cover it. Maybe it’s me but I get the impression when an insurance company won't cover it then it's not needed, call it logic thinking. Or better yet why don't we just take a 3D view of my teeth from the start that way I don't go through the added costs of a panoramic view and basic prints? I chocked it up as a revolutionary way of Dentistry (it must be a good thing) due to Chelsea's smile and payed the bill.
Teeth extraction... 

It was time, I laid (not sure which lay to use laid or layed, YES I GOOGLED IT!!) there in the chair with two assistance staring at me and an uneasy feeling rippled through my body. I forgot to check for excess build up in my nostrils and it was too late to check. The assistance was focused in on me. There are several rules when visiting a health care professional. First: Check for excess build up in your nostrils and second: check your drawers. I did neither. I was going to excuse myself to use the bathroom and double check. At that point the Dentist walked in and it was "time." My blood pressure was on the list of things to take and record. It was already taken earlier in the appointment, but I didn't want to be disruptive and tell them it was already taken. This time my pressure was high. It had gone up after the discussion on filming my teeth and how it was costing me an extra $800 plus, in photo prints. It was discovered that the pressure was taken earlier with lower numbers. I just smiled like Chelsea when they asked about the higher pressure. It was a 10-point increase. She was all business with six jabs of the needle to comfort my jaw with sedation. It turns out that she was " saving a few bucks" with Novocain and while drilling a sharp lightning bolt hit my spinal cord that straighten my back that only a chiropractor would appreciate. She asked, " did that hurt?" I answered with "GEEERG" due to the amount of saliva build up in my mouth and the fixture they had installed to keep my mouth open and not clamp shut on her fingers.

She understood and stopped in inject more "juice." That worked, my entire left side of my head froze UP to my eye socket. "How’s that" she asked. I nodded yes. The temperature on my body was starting to rise and my skin became clammy with sweat. Not a full sweat like in the gym but mild stickiness: clammy. The Doctor dug in with several tools on the plate. She worked on the first tooth for over an hour and I started to get tunnel vision. My vision was cloudy on the sides of my sight and the paper work that I signed earlier was beginning to make sense. It was relief for the Dentist if I died on the chair while she worked on my teeth that this was a possibility. I have never heard of someone dying while at the Dentist but apparently someone has. Was I to become a statistic? She was no longer placing her tools on the tray but was dropping them on my chest. She yanked with full might and asked an assist to move the overhead light that was positioned behind her head. Apparently, she was afraid the tooth would let go and she would bounce her head off the light. She used no less than six different tools on my tooth. Finally, a loud cracking sound, Dentist said "it’s OK, your teeth are cracking and breaking free." One thing I would like to talk about is more directed to Dentists. It's odd to have someone ask you questions while your mouth is wired open and expect a "full" answer, Just odd. She asked questions while extracting my teeth and apparently understood my answers. Isn't it hard to understand someone who has three fingers in their mouth, 6 ounces of saliva in the back of their throat with trouble pulling the tooth out.
Show time.... 
I pounded down 1/2 a dozen Coors Light as a primer for the night. I knew or figured the club would be paying the rent on alcohol sales for the night. I stayed at a nearby hotel and had no fear of staggering back to the room. Worcester MA USA is an old working-class city that current home prices exceed two hundred thousand dollars which is passed what most working-class people can afford even today. I still seen building that are abandoned which was common place for this city twenty years ago. The club (Palladium)is an old theater that had been resurrected by someone who picked the theater up for ten cents on the dollar which was possible at one time in Worcester.

Complete with balcony seating. The crowd move quickly inside even with security checking everyone regardless of who they were or who they thought they were. I was expecting a minimum of forty-five minutes entrance time, it took ten. The entrance to the theater is all doors, If I remember right six doors, all glass fitting for a theater. Everyone was padded down completely. The line to the bar was thirty deep and I decided at that time not to bother with drinking it was just going to take too much time to get a beer. When you have lines of thirty plus people trying to get a drink it’s time to rethink your strategy for serving alcohol. I positioned myself to the left of the stage (while looking at the stage) and was about thirty feet from the stage. It was just under a small balcony and it had only one entrance to get in, it was above the ground floor, so I could see the stage perfectly. This perfect vantage point caught on after the second opening act (Red Fang) and started to get a bit tight. I was rubbing shoulders with the dude next to me (not cool).
Corrosion of Conformity....

You know what? I had forgotten about this band or should I say how much I like their music. There were four bands total and Corrosion of Conformity was the backup band to the main act, yet they could have headlined this show on their own. Zero egos in the way of this tour. Tonight show was going to be a "twofer." Two for the price of one. As they started playing I started recognizing the tunes one by one and an unavoidable smile came across my face with a light giggle. A light giggle because I had forgotten how much I liked them and realized that I was a part of a tour that is worth seeing for the price I just payed. I would have paid the same for just the main act. The band has had five albums in the top ten which translates into headliner. The band mainly consists of original members which dates to 1982. There were periods where there were different members, but the originals came back starting back in 2010. The band had called it quits before that for several years then realized how much fun they had. This is evident in their stage appearance, they generally seem to be enjoying what they do. This is a trait I look for when watching acts perform. Some bands I have seen look bored with the whole thing. Not true with Corrosion of Conformity. The lead guitarist, Woody Weatherman is powerful with his white worn SG. He played the same guitar all night without needing to re-tune. Pepper Keenan (guitarist lead vocals) was flipping guitars every song. Like burgers at McDonald's. Nothing like good ole cheap guitars. I could have sworn I seen Bill Lawrence pickups but could not find any reference to these on Weatherman's SG. Bill Lawrence pickups were made famous by Dimebag of Pantera. Pepper (cool name) also formed Down with ex member of Pantera Phil Anselmo. If you have not heard of Down and you like Corrosion of Conformity check them out. Both bands play heavy into the guitar riffs taking the lead. Pepper and Woody have a YouTube channel chatting about guitar riffs, Orange amps and other subjects that make a band click. Which is worth checking out if you’re interested in seeing band members hangout chatting.
Main act... 

Black Label Society is a band that I have been wanting to see for ten years but just unable to make it happen due to bad timing on my behalf. To join Black Label Society, you need to have a beard. No Beard= no entrance into the band. Not only to join the band but also to be part of the road crew. Everyone I seen setting up had beards. The backup bands had beards...everyone. No equal opportunity for employment here, you either have a beard or your gone. The whole thing reminded me of Chinese restaurants. I was interested in pairing Zakk Wylde up against Slash (no Ronny I’m not putting your name in here...stop) but quickly realized during the show that they are two different guitarist. Zakk (these days) is a shredder were Slash is more traditional rock and roll guitarist. Both are probable or arguably the best guitarist this generation is witnessing. At least for my style of music goes. I say these days about Zakk because at one time he played for Ozzy (last name not needed). Shredding was not Ozzy's style. During the show Zakk would change guitars to complement a sound for the song they were playing, it was evident. Guitarist get tuned into tones to a point that they change guitars for different songs, so it sounds right. Most people in the crowd can’t tell any difference but guitarist(musicians) can. They are fanatical about it. Half way through the set Zakk (for some unexplained reason) launched into a fifteen-minute speech about his band mates being sexually transmitted disease free. Commonly referred to as STD's. So, ladies, I guess this means green light. Later Zakk launched into a fifteen-minute shred that could be or should be entered into the Guinness Book of Records as the longest shred. He did this while hanging for the balcony. Yes balcony. He plowed through the crowd with his road crew and went up the balcony. The guitar never unplugged. The crew held it up over the heads of the crowd. Yes, there was one dude who tried to unplug the guitar and he was stomped like an old cig. Half way point in their set most of the women accompanying guys started to leave. One delicious blonde was rubbing the privet parts of the dude next to me which made me somewhat uncomfortable, I just felt like I was part of it and didn't want to be. On top of that there just wasn't room for this. They were generally board and becoming tired. This freed up much need space in the section I was in and I moved up even closer which was about thirty feet from the stage. John DeServio, "JD" as he is called was making connections with the audience with waves and smiles. The only thing was you needed a beard for him to make connection with you. Cool I thought but I also felt left out sense he was waving, at one point, to the dude next to me. Jeff Fabb pounded the skins for Black Label Society. Jeff has an impressive resume playing: Filter, Sixx: A.M. (Nikki Sixx of Motley Crew fame) and In This Moment. I passed him in the hotel apparently Black Label Society was staying in the same hotel. Dario Lorina, axe man for Black Label Society played a list of guitars not because they went out of tune but because he owned them. Dario looks comfortable playing the guitar at least that is the impression I got watching him. He also looks like he generally doesn't wear a beard but it’s a requirement in Zakk's band. The show was well worth the thirty-five dollars and many, including myself, would consider it a bargain as far as ticket prices go...Live Life!

Chopper following

Bill the Cop circa 1994 with his 1971 Harley Davidson FLH big twin

Bill the Cop 2017 with his 1963 Harley Davidson Panhead Chopper

1963 Chopper with Vietnam Vet Rat ( Hawg Doctor from Somerville Mass (the 90's)) retired

1963 Chopper