Some Videos from Shiprocked 2009

I haven't had time to finish my reviews or edit my concert photography, so please watch these few clips from Shiprocked 2009. It gives you a little idea of my week, which was, by the way, awesome. I'm going to go to sleep and try to get rid of my cold so I can give you all an awesome write-up tomorrow. Seriously, some of the stories I have are comedy gold...just wait.

Queensryche - "Another Rainy Night"

Skid Row - "Psychotherapy"

RATT - "Round and Round"

Comments

[Metalboy!]

Okay, I'm done dancin' around the pool waitin' for you guyz to stick your black nail polished, Metal toes in the water... I'm belly floppin' in (as usual). Of course, the pool is filled with Mercury, since this is all about the Metal. And, hey, one great thing about Mercury, you don't have to dry off!

Well, Al, judgin' from these vids, seems like everyone on Shiprocked had one thing in mind, besides playin' and partyin' their a*ses off! And that is to Bring Back Glam!...

1st vid: Queensryche. Geoffey Boy (Xandra's gonna kill me for callin' him that), definitely shouldn't quit his day job (or is that "night", when you're a "mega-rockstar" like him?). Let's just say, his "between song banter" ain't exactly Sam Kinison, but then again, maybe it's not supposed to be.

Regardless, tho the sound is messed up, it's cool to see footage shot close up. I'm sure these guys delivered their goods, with Tate beltin' 'em out, despite what we may think of them, personally. Allyson was there, so let's hope she'll share with us what she thought of their performance.

2nd vid: Skid Row. Man, is this ever cool. A Ramones cover? Frickin' rocks! Bet they kicked *ss. Cool Rachel Bolan sings it, at last, unchained from that annoying nose to ear thingy. Do you think The Snake's flyin' V got caught on it and ripped it out? Whatever. No Bach? So what. This totally rocks b*lls! So New York. Yeah, they're Jersey boyz, but close enough!

3rd vid: Ratt. Can someone tell Pearcy to do somethin' with the Rumplestiltskin hair and droopyface?! Go raw organic, dude. Or take some happy pills. I mean, dude!, come on, get the seratonin levels up. Get some sun! What the heck, you're on a cruise, right? You got one of the most distinctive voices in Metal. The original recording of this song and and the official vid belong in the Museum of Modern Art, if they aren't already. You got a new album with all new material and here you are on this cool ship goin' to and fro' Jamaica! What the hell?

You can't tell completely cuz of the distorted sound quality, and granted, it is just one clip, but Pearcy just seems like he's goin' through the motions. Okay, he mugs for the camera in a close up, but big whoops. Thank the dynamic duo, shredmeisters DiMartini and hired gun, ex-Quiet Rioter, Carlos Cavazo, for carvin' up that classic dual lead on this and I would guess the rest of the show.

In the meantime, Pearcy, some friendly advice... drink some Just Juiced Fresh Organic Carrot Juice and eat some Organic Bananas! You got it made, now start acting like it! Take a cue from your boy, De Martini, who seems fully engaged and enjoying himself. Look, if you need me as a life coach, let me know. Or you can borrow my Guru. Every Rockstar needs one of those! How could Pearcy go from Mr. Glam to havin' the most troll-like hairdo since Donnie Parnell -- hell, at least Parnell looked excited all the time (more like electrocuted!) when he was in the game, even if he might not have been.

C'mon, Pearcy, Sheeeeez!!! I know, I rant, but seriously! Look I love ya, so kick it in gear and kick-*ss! I wanna see some runnin' around and David Lee Roth high kick impersonations like back in the day!

Anyway, it will be fun to see all of Al's stuff on these shows and the rest of Shiprocked, for that matter. It looks like a rockin' good time!

p.s. Here I go again... Maybe I'm wrong about Pearcy, but he just seemed bored and mopey, like a Metal Eeeyore, last night on That Metal Show and I saw an interview with him on the Black Carpet at some event, I think the Revolver Magazine Metal Awards, or somethin'. YouTube "Ratt Black Carpet" to see some more of "Mr. Excitement" in action. Al, please disprove me on this. Maybe he's just playin' it cool, but that should be cooler than his current schtick. Maybe he'll get happier once the new album comes out. It sounds like it's gonna be awesome.

[nirVrana]

Queensryche's show was good. Could have used a little more Empire, since not everyone was there for them. The best 2 songs of their set were Sliver which features a huge marine rapping and stomping around the stage, and Home Again which features a very emotional duet between Geoff Tate and his daughter Emily. That kind of tells you how uninteresting their stage show is without videos, when you have to bring others on stage to create some excitement and emotion. And this is coming from someone who ranks QR as #1A band of all time.

Ratt - well, this sums it up. The ONLY time anybody on the cruise spotted Pearcy, he was sitting alone on the corner of the deck, with a hoodie over his face and his arms crossed. Ratt tears through their sets with one hit after another, but there is no interaction with the crowd, or with each other. So it is frustrating, to see talent but not get a real performance out of it. Pearcy's vocals are not featured in the mix, but it matters little since the crowd is singing along with every word. As mentioned in an earlier post, the best performance of the whole Ratt gang was Tesla's Jeff Keith & Mrs. Keith going nuts in the aisles.

Skid Row - This was the best show I have seen them do. They are pure energy on stage, interacting with each other, and with the crowd. Johnny Solinger sounded amazing, and after ten years and 2 albums, give him credit, this is Skid Row and will be going forward. Enjoy Bas Bach, one of the best voices and front men in rock history, and then also enjoy the Skids, because they are pure fun.

Tesla - Hello Glammyson? Where is the link to TESLA? I guess I have to get my clips up there. They are the best, they have been the best, they will be the best. They deliver live like nobody else. They play hits, they play rarities. They go acoustic, they go electric, they go hybrid. Small club, big arena, outdoor field, festival, cruise ship, it does not matter. Best band, best songs, best live show. BEST!

[Gary]

Pearcy was, is, and always will be a tool...