Latest LIVE Listening Pleasure 31 - Steel Panther

For some time now I've been lamenting the lack of shows coming to Madison that interest me.  I see tour announcements often, and I rarely see Madison on the list of dates (yet Grand Rapids, Michigan, a smaller city, seems to get a lot of shows).  Maybe that will change with another good Madison venue, The Sylvee, that just opened this fall.  Months ago I was scanning the upcoming shows and saw this show coming up.  Surprisingly, my wife agreed to go with me so as tickets were relatively cheap we went out to see Steel Panther and check out The Sylvee on Friday night.

Steel Panther, if you haven't heard of them before, is a band that spoofs 80's hair metal.  They perform classic metal songs and their own music, all the while performing satire of sex, drugs and rock and roll.  Definitely not safe for work, nothing seems to be off limits and being in on the joke is much of the fun.  It does surprise me, however, that so many women like the band in this #meetoo time we live in, considering how they objectify and make fun of them in their songs and banter.  But it's all in good fun and in the name of heavy metal.

I posted this holiday song when it was new a few years ago, here it is live - The Stocking Song:


It was cold that night - in the mid teens (ºF) - but a new parking ramp just opened up right next door to the venue so that was very convenient.  As usual, I bought a shirt first, probably the only one for sale that I could actually wear to work as the others had innuendo that someone would take exception to, I'm sure.  We walked around the crowd a bit but took a spot in the balcony.  The balcony has a couple rows of seats around the front but the rest is all general admission.  When a band comes that I really want to see I think I'd spring for the seats.  The first band, Wilson, was forgettable.  Steel Panther ran through their set like a well oiled machine, despite having a fill-in bassist for this stretch of dates.  We left before they came out for the encore, so we missed a song or two but I'm okay with that.  We beat the crowd and were home and warm minutes later.

Steel Panther performing a cover of a Motley Crue song, Shout At The Devil, with some fun at the beginning:


My third video, Poontang Boomerang, can be seen on my channel here.

I hadn't seen Steel Panther before even though they've played Madison several times over the last decade or so, and if I had been to a good show recently I may not have gone this time, but I'm glad we got to check out The Sylvee and the band was pretty entertaining.  If I sound a little underwhelmed, well, I guess I am.  I'll keep my eye on the upcoming shows and maybe something will come up that will get me a bit more excited.

Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird LIVE
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O. LIVE
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat LIVE
LLP 16 - Sebastian Bach
LLP 17 - Cradle Of Thorns
LLP 18 - Amaranthe
LLP 19 - Lindemann
LLP 20 - Halestorm
LLP 21 - Garbage LIVE
LLP 22 - Arcade
LLP 23 - Nightwish LIVE
LLP 24 - Ace Frehley
LLP 25 - Darkc3ll
LLP 26 - Dementia
LLP 27 - Rammstein
LLP 28 - Marilyn Manson LIVE
LLP 29 - The Harp Twins LIVE
LLP 30 - Diamante
LLP 31 - Steel Panther LIVE

First Snow of the Season, 2018

I was watching the Badger game today when it started snowing on TV.  Realizing the game is here, I turned my head and saw the snow out the window.  Today has been very windy, with snow and wind, then sun and calm, then hail and wind and then more wind and sun.  Enough snow to cause blizzard conditions for a time at the game, and while the whole football field was completely white with snow for much of the second quarter we had no accumulations here at the house.  The sticks blown from the trees are certainly accumulating, though.  In the twenty second video below, the car alarm in the background seemed strangely appropriate at the time.



I know I've not really written much of anything for some time, but that's just how it goes.  I've been doing overtime at work that has me tired often at home and, well, not a lot has been happening worth writing about.  Winter is definitely on its way, so there are chores to be done to get prepared.  Perhaps I can get a few things done this weekend and I should get some pictures over at the garden blog.  Otherwise, I hope all are well.  Cats are still cute, the lakes are still flooded, and I'm still tired.  Normal posting shall resume eventually.

One Minute Of Peace II

Just because it was so nice.                                                         The first One Minute Of Peace here.

Another Bucky, Food Carts

No, I'm not going to post every time we ride bikes down to the food carts on Wednesdays.  Yes, I may post about each Bucky I 'collect.'  The good news for you is that there's only 4 of them within a short riding distance, then I'd have to branch out and go downtown and all across the city and county.

Yesterday we rode our bikes down to Jackson Street Plaza again for dinner.  I took a video on the ride, but more on that later.  Friends Josh and Casey (and cute little Mabel!) came over for a fire pit briefly last weekend and we were going to meet them at the plaza last night but they had other important things come up, so maybe next time.  No worries, we'll most likely go down there every Wednesday the weather allows this summer.

We arrived shortly after it was supposed to start and there were only two of the scheduled four carts there, and while we waited a bit no others showed up.  Last week there were only three of four, so I was a bit disappointed again.  It was still pretty quiet when we arrived so I went a couple blocks further and got a few pictures of 'Bucky De Los Muertos' (Bucky Of The Dead) near Monty's Blue Plate Diner on Atwood Ave.  A cool design, and maybe a little easier on the eyes than the Bucky by the Goodman Center.  Here's the link to them all again, this time directly to the Bucky Interactive Map.  Sometime I'll have to make the ride all the way downtown to the capitol square.  I could easily get another 12 or 18 more Bucky's 'collected' on that bike ride, but then I may need to cab it home.  I say 'easily' but downtown on the isthmus may be the hilliest part of Madison.  I'm thinking we should get a bike rack for the car, then we can drive closer to ride, or else Kate can come pick me up when my legs run out of gas.

But for now we were at the plaza with Jakarta and Soho, two very Asian-American food carts and I've never been partial to Asian food.  We wound up crossing the street and having dinner at the Harmony Bar and Grill where I got a burger and fries.  Not a big deal as there are lots of restaurants in that area that we wouldn't mind eating at, including the aforementioned Monty's.

Earlier this spring I got a cell phone holder to put on my handlebars.  I usually put my cell phone in the basket but I'm always afraid I'll forget it there - and have in the past.  It holds it fairly firmly like you would need for navigation or something, but this time I straightened it up and took video of the ride from our house to Atwood, about six minutes is all the ride is per the video.  It's a vertical video - which I hate - and a crappy camera on my phone, so the video isn't the easiest to watch but it's the best I can do without getting a go-pro camera or something. 

I started down the sidewalk because a car was coming down the street.  After we crossed the first road we passed a neighbor, Lucky, but I'm not sure she recognized me when I said hi.  I purposely swerved the bike a few times to get things on the side of the path, like the splash pad at Goodman and the food carts when we arrived.  Have a look if you wish, but be warned - it is vertical, bumpy and the camera picture is wavy.  Delcatto, maybe it will inspire you to get your bike going!

Spring This Year?

Well, I bitched enough about the snowy and cold weather lately that I feel I need to follow up.  Not for the locals, you Wisconsinites are aware and may disregard and skip ahead.  This is for the others, my friends that are not from here.  And for me and my OCD tendencies.

On Sunday, Madison reached 63ºF, the first over 60ºF day since Dec 4, I learned that date from an article couple weeks ago.  Out of laziness I will not be citing sources, this is just our observations.  On Sunday when I asked Alexa how many days since December 4, 2017, it counted 140 days, my wife heard 138 days later on some news.  Either way that's a very long stretch, even for Wisconsin.

Yesterday, Monday, we hit 68ºF.  A local news station reported this morning that this was our warmest temperature in over 6 months.  Even I have to pause to let that sink in.  .  .


We're not headed straight into summer, at least.  The upcoming 10-day forecast has ups and downs from the 60ºF's and 70ºF's, though the next couple days may fall a bit short of that.

I must say, it is very nice to have the windows open again.  The cats seem to agree.

Latest LIVE Listening Pleasure 29 - The Harp Twins*

Saturday night my wife Kate and I ventured south of Madison to the city of Stoughton and their Opera House to see The Harp Twins.  Before we get to the main attraction, this is the first time we've been to this venue, and it is different than others I've visited.  It opened in 1901, fell into disrepair in the 50's, and sporadic renovations began in the 80's until a few years ago being declared fit for another century.  From what I understand, it is run by volunteers and has many donors and members.  I found it to be a beautiful place, and I liked the smaller size.  The venue allows no video and no flash photography.  There is no food or drink allowed, which is just as well as the only bathrooms are in the basement, 77 narrow stairs away, I counted on the way back up, then several more stairs down to our seats.  Overall, another beautiful local venue to see a show, though the shows here usually tend toward the older crowd - and remember to take your best, softest seat cushion or pillow you have, for the wooden seats are from 1900, hand-carved and harder than concrete.



First off, The Harp Twins, Camille and Kennerly, mentioned during the show that they're from Chicago.  All this time I thought they were from Norway, but they do reference being Norwegian quite often and they certainly look the part.  We got there rather early after going out to dinner in Stoughton before going to the venue.  We had a nice couple right behind us, also early, that seemed as if they had been there before.  They were from the Chicago area as well and had come up for the show, though they love Wisconsin and come here often for many reasons, they said.  We got a preview of the dresses to be worn when one of the twins came out beforehand to tune the harps.  They started almost on time, probably waiting for the latecomers, starting with a Fleetwood Mac song that escapes me now, and played a string (no pun intended) of rock and metal cover songs that they arranged for the harp and one original song, and played them all very well.  The covers is how I found out about them, from the rock and metal websites posting a story when they release a new Youtube video.  Camille and Kennerly's channel is here.

In between songs they would come up to the microphone and their banter and interaction was entertaining.  While I can tell they have certain stories and jokes to say they seemed to only loosely follow them and lived in the moment.  I found them charming and funny, and very talented harpists (though I can list the harpists I know on two fingers).  The first half or more before the intermission was on the big, traditional harps, with a few with an electric and a traditional harp.  They even arranged Metallica's song 'One' for both of them to play on the same harp (get it?  One?).  When it came time to change around the stage they sent the 'crew' out to do it - themselves wearing baseball hats.  After the intermission, the second half was with the electric harps, the big traditional harps serving as a good backdrop.

Remember that couple that sat behind us?  We spoke at the intermission about the no video rule and how I noticed plenty of cameras and no one taking video, just pictures, and how I'd really like to get a song.  He then showed me that he got the entire song 'Stairway To Heaven' on video.  He said after the song ended an usher tapped him on the shoulder and scolded him, so he said he was sorry.  That emboldened me.  I didn't want to break their rules but I really did want video of just one song, at least.  I went for it in the second half and luckily got the song 'Nemo,' originally by Nightwish, on video along with plenty of banter beforehand.  Enough banter that I thought I would get that tap before they even started the song.  I kept the camera low, thankfully a young girl was in the seat in front of me, and to the side, trying to block it with my head from the usher's view.  Thankfully, I got the whole song and that tap on my shoulder never came.  I was a good boy the rest of the show.

There's not many live videos like this on Youtube that I can find of The Harp Twins, so they may be diligent about having them taken down, I'm not sure, but for that reason this video is not named as normal at this time.  It would be nice to get a lot of views (my Marilyn Manson videos are over a thousand views, combined!) but I'd rather have my video available here on my website for my readers and me.  The song starts at 2:10, and again at 2:43, you'll see.  Please forgive the rough start and the poor camera focus.

The Harp Twins, Camille and Kennerly - Nemo
* Update 5/12/2018: Video deleted at the Harp Twins' request.

Because of the no video rule I was taking a lot of pictures.  Also, because my camera on my phone is not the best at focusing I take a lot because I never know which ones will turn out.  After the LLP list below I put all the best pictures after the break.  I also recently added the full LLP list in the right column.  Now, click Read more below!

Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird LIVE
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O. LIVE
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat LIVE
LLP 16 - Sebastian Bach
LLP 17 - Cradle Of Thorns
LLP 18 - Amaranthe
LLP 19 - Lindemann
LLP 20 - Halestorm
LLP 21 - Garbage LIVE
LLP 22 - Arcade
LLP 23 - Nightwish LIVE
LLP 24 - Ace Frehley
LLP 25 - Darkc3ll
LLP 26 - Dementia
LLP 27 - Rammstein
LLP 28 - Marilyn Manson LIVE
LLP 29 - The Harp Twins LIVE

6 Doors 1 Wall - 2 Cats!

The original video was posted here a few years ago, and is also currently the front page video on my Scoakat YouTube Channel.  This was a spur of the moment video from this last week when the cats, Hamish(-pie) and Basil(-boo), were amicable to being momentarily trapped and as usually cute.  The white things on the door handles are stops we put on the tops of the doors usually, because they certainly know how to shut doors but actually working the handle to get out is yet to be mastered.  Hamish knows how this stuff works, scarily enough, he's just not big enough to do it, thankfully.



And this was the minimally bad thumbnail option I was given, folks, sorry.  Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Latest LIVE Listening Pleasure - Marilyn Manson

It's no secret that I turned 50 last September.  Perhaps it was a small midlife crisis, but in October I bought tickets for Marilyn Manson.  I'd been thinking that it's been so long since I regularly went to see bands live that I ought to get out and do it while I can, so I saw the upcoming show and bought the tickets.  With the tickets in hand I would be forced to get myself out into the world again - and it worked.  Now, in the days prior to the show I would have gladly sold them, but I didn't know anyone to sell them to and I couldn't even find a friend willing or available to go with me.  My wife wasn't very excited about it, but she did accompany me to the show.  It was actually pretty fun and I had a good time, now there are more shows coming up soon and I kinda want to go.

I took some pictures inside the Orpheum Theater to capture all the decor you see in these older places and Google stitched them up for me again:




There was no opening band, but an opening DJ - Amazonica.  Well, it cuts down on tour expenses, I guess.  There was no way I wanted to be there for a DJ so we, and many others, waited to show up until that was done.  We had seats in the front row of the third section of the balcony.  Really pretty good seats with a view down to the stage, see picture above.

I've never been the hugest Marilyn Manson fan, but he's always been on my radar and I've liked him more and listened to him more the last decade or so.  And I do have the latest CD and have listened to it enough to know all the new songs he played, including Kill4Me.

Marilyn Manson - Kill4Me


He broke his leg last year, the guns stage prop fell on him, so he still uses a motorized chair on stage but has been able to get around more and more in a walking boot recently, judging from the concert videos I watched leading up to the show.  There's been a few singers with leg injuries in recent memory, I guess the Dave Grohl/Axl Rose chair was too big for Marilyn's stages on this tour.  I was at least vaguely familiar with most of the songs, and knew the latest ones the best as that is what I've heard more.  And he has some songs and choruses that are really pretty easy to sing along with, including another new one below, Say10.

Marilyn Manson - Say10


The show seemed to end prematurely.  He did not play an encore staple, The Beautiful People, but ended with The Nobodies.  A couple songs less than he's played on other recent dates, so the length of the show was a bit of a disappointment.  Earlier in the show he did seem to be bothered by the lack of energy from the crowd.  I believe it sold out, but it was 15ºF outside and probably everyone worked hard all day.  That would be my excuse, anyway.

Last night I uploaded these videos shortly after I got home and they were in double digit views before I dragged myself to bed - even a rare comment.  Interesting.  I just now took a look and couldn't find any others on YouTube from this show, but they may show up in the coming days.  These are the only two full songs that I recorded.  Though I love watching the full concert videos on the computer I'm not willing to sacrifice my concert experience to do nothing but record, yet for me it is nice to have one or two videos of my own from the shows I see.

Next:  Sabaton and Kreator are coming on February 24; Alice Cooper is coming on March 14, and I already have tickets for the Harp Twins on March 24.  We'll see if I can get myself to get out some more before I get too old.  Stay tuned!

Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird LIVE
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O. LIVE
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat LIVE
LLP 16 - Sebastian Bach
LLP 17 - Cradle Of Thorns
LLP 18 - Amaranthe
LLP 19 - Lindemann
LLP 20 - Halestorm
LLP 21 - Garbage LIVE
LLP 22 - Arcade
LLP 23 - Nightwish LIVE
LLP 24 - Ace Frehley
LLP 25 - Darkc3ll
LLP 26 - Dementia
LLP 27 - Rammstein
LLP 28 - Marilyn Manson LIVE

One Minute Of Peace

Late last night, friends had left, cleanup done.  I relaxed by the fire for about an hour as the winds picked up before the front would come through overnight.  This is why I want to put in a permanent fire pit, but without the wind, of course.

Tenney Lock, Madison

I had been planning on a vacation recap post this weekend to sum up the events of this week, and I still plan on doing that, but today's bike ride destination deserves a post of its own.  I had actually hoped to do this trip yesterday but my back was acting up again so today I made it happen and I'm very glad I did.  It was a beautiful day out, and my timing was accidental but worked out to be pretty fortunate.

As I've noted before, bike rides are fun, but I find them easier to get out and do with a destination in mind rather than aimlessly riding.  I'd probably like aimlessly riding if I didn't usually have other things to do, though.  Tuesday I decided I wanted to ride my bike to the only lock in Madison, or anywhere else in Wisconsin as far as I know, on the Yahara River that crosses the isthmus and connects lakes Mendota and Monona.  I'm sure I'll know if there are more locks in Wisconsin soon.  There would figure to be a few on rivers that meet up with one of our Great Lakes, on Superior or Michigan.

See, I've been watching a lot of narrow boat videos on the canal system over in the UK on YouTube recently, and have even subscribed to a few channels.  Notably; CruisingTheCut, Journey with Jono, Countryhouse Gent, among several others.  My interest actually started with those tiny house videos, which led me to find the narrow boat videos, starting with Great Canal Journeys, the show with Tim and Pru, two elderly English thespians, and following their adventures on different boats and canals.  (I'd love to link to all I mentioned but that takes time and you may copy and paste into YouTube, if you're interested.)

I've always known about the lock here in Madison, I just never had a need or interest before now.  I do know it was under repairs earlier this year, is all, but I do not ever remember visiting before.  Riding my bike there sounded like a good plan, I thought.  I purposely have not looked up anything about the lock other than the bike paths to get there as I wanted to see it for the first time upon my arrival.  I didn't take a lot of pictures on my bike ride there, but I those I got were pretty good so I'll post a bunch here, as I'm sure you've seen by now.

Just after I arrived the lockmaster was letting himself in.  He welcomed me and said he was just opening it up so stick around if I want to see it in action, so of course I did!  The Tenney Lock is nothing like I see in the canal videos from England, but they are very much newer, fewer (being only one) and fully automated.  I told him about watching those videos and he was fully informed on the history of canals and lock usage, from the early Chinese and Greeks to the newer but still very old English and German canals.  The railway made those canal systems obsolete for commercial use.  These days they seem to be much more for pleasure, and I can see the appeal.  I told the friendly, even jovial lockmaster that this must be a great job to have.  He came in close, grabbed me by the arm and told me he couldn't imagine a better retirement job, and I could sense his glee!

Above is the second video I took, it was of several older females out on kayaks going through the locks.  I skipped a portion for timeliness, but there is a longer, almost 5 minute video after the break of the first group through the lock today, start to finish.  Plus all pictures full size from above and more from the breakwater out on the lake past the locks.

All that, after the break!

Petcube Video

I just took this video through the Petcube app, the first time I tried the video part.  I think the video taken was just over a minute but the file is 45 seconds.  It seems to be sped up a bit, and there is an episode of pixels.  The laser isn't the easiest to maneuver with your finger and over wifi, but overall not a bad first try, I think, and Hamish would probably agree.

Trump Catnip Toy

I was shopping Amazon for something totally unrelated a while ago and I saw this little trinket that brought me thoughts of Basil and Hamish shredding it - The Trump Catnip Toy!  It's brand new, we'll see how long it takes for it to fall apart...    :-)      Oh, and Happy Irish Day!



Video link here, email readers, if it doesn't transfer.  But stop by the website sometime, say Hi!

First Snow, 2016

It started snowing this morning and fell steadily all day until recently.  We just came in a little bit ago from clearing the driveway and walks, at almost sunset.  A wet, heavy 3 or 4 inches of the stuff.  I was going to post a picture I took earlier but I changed my mind and decided to post some short videos I took today of the cats by the front windows.  See, I had laces delivered for my boots earlier today and during the Packer game I decided to change them out.  The cats were fascinated with this process so when I got done I gave them the old laces to play with, draping them over their throne.

You can see plenty of our first snow in the back of the videos while enjoying a short video of our adorable cats!  The first video is Hamish, clearly the leader in this kind of play.  Second is Basil, taking a turn after Hamish got a little tired (yet he still jumps in at the end!).






After the break is a Hamish video that I uploaded first mistakenly and can't make myself remove it since it's already uploaded.  Just more kitty cuteness with freaking snow in the background.

Like it or not, winter is back.  Here.  Now.  Sigh.

Latest Listening Pleasure 23 - Nightwish LIVE

On July 4, 2015 we had the day off for the holiday.  I was surfing the internet and noticed that Nightwish would be playing in Milwaukee in February, 2016, and the tickets were already on sale.  So, of course, I snatched up a pair immediately.

This last weekend they finally played at The Rave in Milwaukee and my wife and I were there to witness it.  Now, as you have read, I had been pretty sick but I was not going to miss this for anything.  We drove to Milwaukee Saturday afternoon and checked into the hotel, just a block away from the venue.  Then I napped.  I had so hoped I would be feeling better, and I was a tiny bit compared to the week prior, but I was still pretty miserable.  My wife got on the website and found out the time the band was to start so we waited and skipped the first two bands, showing up about 10 minutes before Nightwish hit the stage.

I've seen so many live videos of the band on Youtube that nothing really surprised me about the show.  They did have nice backdrops, themed for the newest album Endless Forms Most Beautiful,  but it was not the full show with the video screens and pyro that they used in Europe.  Still, I was not too disappointed with that.  I was happy being in the same room and watching and listening to them play with my own eyes and ears.  I knew I wanted to get some video, a personal take-away from the concert, and because of the way I felt I tried to get that done early.  Normally I would have looked up the set list so I knew what was coming and I could record the songs I wanted, but the way I was feeling I did not plan ahead and just grabbed some random songs from early in the show.  Here is a link to the setlist they played that night.

This video, She Is My Sin, is an early song of theirs.  Not my favorite song but the video turned out well.


Another song I got on video is Kiss While Your Lips Are Still Red, an older ballad that they brought back for this tour.  A very good song, indeed.


Nightwish is also one of those bands that does not do encores.  When the last song is played they are done, and I appreciate that.  When they started in on the last song, The Greatest Show On Earth, we started to work our way out and back to the hotel.  The song is a good one, but I have seen and heard it many times before and it is a version that can run over 10 minutes.  The original song has 5 chapters and runs 24 minutes long.  It was worth it to me to leave a few minutes early and avoid the mass exodus at the end.

One of my favorite bands, this is actually their fourth appearance as one of my Latest Listening Pleasure posts.  I wasn't too sure if I would ever get the chance to see them live, that's the drawback to mostly listening to bands from overseas.  But I'm very glad I have seen them now, no matter how poor I was feeling at the time.

Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird LIVE
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O. LIVE
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat LIVE
LLP 16 - Sebastian Bach
LLP 17 - Cradle Of Thorns
LLP 18 - Amaranthe
LLP 19 - Lindemann
LLP 20 - Halestorm
LLP 21 - Garbage LIVE
LLP 22 - Arcade
LLP 23 - Nightwish LIVE

Latest Listening Pleasure 22 - Arcade

Once again I have reached into the vaults of my memories for my Latest Listening Pleasure.  I wasn't going to write about Arcade as an LLP post, but I have been listening to them often enough lately and enjoying it so much that I even sought out more and have been enjoying that, too, so here they are.

Arcade is a band that was started by Stephen Pearcy from Ratt and Fred Coury from Cinderella back in the early nineties.  I have their debut release on cassette tape in a box somewhere, I'm sure, but even without hearing it since forever I remembered that I really liked that tape and had nothing else new keeping my attention at the moment so I ordered the 1993 self-titled CD off the internet to have it digitally.  It was every bit as enjoyable as I remembered and I listened to it for weeks on end.  Then I started looking for more, and I had already known they had a second album called A/2 released in 1994.  Those songs were on Youtube but the quality wasn't very good.  I didn't want to listen to all the songs like that if I was going to buy it eventually anyway, so I broke down and just bought the CD, used, from Amazon.  The sound quality is not very good on A/2, and I'm guessing they didn't have the same budget as the year before, but the songs are right in the same vein as the first album.  I had read reviews that said it was heavier, they must have meant that there was more bass on the second recording.  It almost sounds like they just made the demos the actual album.  Listen to the link at the end and you will know what I mean.

Below is what is probably the only official video from the band, from 1993 for the song Cry No More.  At least the only official video that I can find.  There are other good songs on that album, though.  Most notably Dancing With The Angels, and Messed Up World.


They even put out a third album, A/3 - Live and Unreleased.  While I am curious - and you know how I love the live stuff - I am hesitant to get this.  All the songs seem to come off the first album, none from the second, but there is a bonus keyboard solo (snore).  I have a feeling it was a last gasp effort to make money off the band before, or right after, they dissolved.

Here is the only complete live song I can find on Youtube, Cry No More, 1993, Osaka, Japan.


So, if you'd like a throwback to the Eighties, from a band that was together over 20 years ago in the Nineties, check them out!  I just like what I like, so Get Off My Back!

Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O.
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat
LLP 16 - Sebastian Bach
LLP 17 - Cradle Of Thorns
LLP 18 - Amaranthe
LLP 19 - Lindemann
LLP 20 - Halestorm
LLP 21 - Garbage
LLP 22 - Arcade

Latest LIVE Listening Pleasure 21 - Garbage

Garbage had a homecoming of sorts at the Orpheum Theater here in downtown Madison on Sunday night and my wife and I were there to see it.

The band Garbage gets back to Madison every few years, last time was in 2012.  I did not see them then, the only other time I went to see them they played at the Memorial Coliseum here in Madison.  Thinking back, that must have been in the early 00's.  Of course, they recorded all their early stuff here in Madison at the now defunct Smart Studios (- think Nirvana's 1991 breakthrough album 'Nevermind' - it was recorded there with Butch Vig, Garbage's drummer and overseer, producing).

The band is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album, Garbage.  It has been recently remastered and released along with many of the b-sides from that era.  I almost ordered it but there wasn't anything new on it, just remastered, and that wasn't enough for me.  I do like Garbage, especially because they are from Madison here, but I'm not fanatical about them and they are not what I normally listen to and these days I pick and choose who I spend my money on.  We paid for two tickets to the show, there's our support.

We arrived about a half hour before showtime to a mostly packed house.  We knew the show had sold out in advance, general admission mostly, and even a few more tickets were sold on the day of show.  Many of the only seats that were left available were behind the sound and light boards.  I figured that we would ride out the first band in the seats then move to the floor for Garbage.  (The first band was not worth remembering, at least for us.)  Well, by the time the first band was done the place had completely filled up so we decided to stay in our seats.  When standing, a camera only slightly obstructed our view.  If we were on the floor it would have been the backs of peoples heads obstructing our view, especially for my shorter wife.  On the plus side, my wife did sometimes watch the video that was being taken of the show on the little screen in front of us by the light board, see picture on the right.  Maybe it was being recorded for DVD release.  Now, that I would buy.

I experimented a little bit at this show.  First, I took more pictures and video at this show than I ever normally would.  I did not know how the video was going to turn out so I wanted at least a few good pictures.  Also, at prior shows that I have recorded songs I was much closer to the stage, within feet of the performance usually.  Up close works great for my little digital camera that I like to use for video, but it doesn't zoom in.  I did figure out that night - and for the first time ever even though I've had this camera for many years - that it will zoom for video but you must first zoom before recording and cannot change the zoom until it is in standby mode again.  Still, knowing that probably won't change my recording habits that much.  When I zoom in the quality and pixels goes down.  I also want to point out that this was probably the brightest show I've seen.  There seemed to be lots more lights on stage pointing out than the other way around.  At times I had to just look away and wait for it to dim.  Really.  Due to that, some scenes the camera just could not capture but for a glare of light.

This first video is for the song 'Kick My Ass.'


I also tried to take a video with my phone, first time trying to take a concert video on my phone and it turned out pretty good!  The zoom sharpness is surprisingly better than my old digital camera, more than I expected.  I still like the camera for when I can get closer, but I'm glad I gave the phone camera a try.  I did miss the end of the song, however.  I've had space issues on my phone lately so I simply ran out of space to record.

Here's the video taken with my phone, 'Only Happy When It Rains.'


It was a good night out and we had each taken Monday off after the show.  It is probably a good thing that we got the tickets months ago because otherwise it would have been tough to just get up off the couch and go.  This concert was only 10 minutes from home in downtown Madison.  In February we have tickets to a Nightwish concert in Milwaukee.  I hate to travel, and I wouldn't for just any band, but it may be my only chance to see this Finnish band live, so I must go.  I must also get a hotel yet!

*Reminder to my email readers, you must visit the site to view videos.  There is a link at the bottom of the email.

**One last update before I post this, apparently the video was broadcast out to Yahoo LiveNation.  You can watch the whole concert in professional multi camera video with quality sound at this link!

Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O.
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat
LLP 16 - Sebastian Bach
LLP 17 - Cradle Of Thorns
LLP 18 - Amaranthe
LLP 19 - Lindemann
LLP 20 - Halestorm
LLP 21 - Garbage

6 Doors 1 Wall

...and a creaky wood floor.


Email readers click here to see the video.

Cat Spat

Basil and Hamish playing/fighting about 20 minutes ago.  Hamish, the smaller of the two, seems to have the upper hand this time around.

Peeps, Part Two

Last night we had our friends over for a fire pit, drinks and snacks.  Always fun to do, and it is a holiday weekend, after all.  I also had a lot of little sticks and bark I wanted to get burned up. Turned out pretty well.  While mosquito season is peaking, there was a good breeze and smoke to keep them at bay.  Also it wasn't a real hot day so sitting by the fire was more comfortable than it could have been.

It's been over two years since the original Peep incident (see the original video here), and last night Terry was ready to try and make lightning strike twice.  Well, I don't know if it matches the spontaneity of the first video, but it was entertaining nonetheless.

Memorial Day 2014

Happy Memorial Day!  Sounds odd, what's so happy about a memorial?  Most people are just happy to have a three day weekend.  Work on project list - check, grill out - check, gardening - check, see friends - check.

No matter how much fun you have or how lazy you feel, take a moment and remember why you have the extra day off.  There's my public service announcement.

Now, I was looking for something to post this morning but nothing stood out.  Oh, there's tons of flags and headstone pictures out there, with all types of reverent sayings on them, but I was looking for something more relevant to us.  I had to go out this morning, and I remember seeing them starting to set up the 'memorial mile' the other day, so I thought I would try to get a picture while driving down Atwood Avenue.  There are similar displays of death all across the country this weekend, this is Madison's, in Olbrich Park which is right on Lake Mendota.

I wound up taking a video of the entire mile.  It goes too fast to read, but the signs say things like '2009 Afghanistan,' followed by a headstone for each life lost.  Turn down your speakers!  The road noise is a bit much.