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!