Cricket Amphitheater

System of a Down 5/21/11

After a very non-traditional route I finally graduated with my Bachelor’s Degree from San Diego State University. Once the guys in System of a Down caught wind of this they decided to play San Diego on the same day the graduation ceremony took place. All right so maybe that’s not exactly how it went down but nonetheless I could not think of a better way to celebrate than to go see one of my favorite bands play a show. And play they did! This is one of the bands that have the ability to sound even better live than on the recorded albums. Ingrid, Larry and Christi accompanied me to the cookie cutter amphitheater out in the middle of nowhere to witness a very charged performance. Did they really play 30 songs? The newest album was still 2005’s Hypnotize and I had not seen them for almost five years. Daron Malakian could not stop moving throughout the entire concert. He kept dancing and spinning around which enhanced the overall vibe. They went deep into the catalog as I cannot recall seeing “Suggestions” or “P.L.U.C.K.” played live before or at least not very often. “Holy Mountains” was holy fucking intense.

SETLIST: Prison Song, B.Y.O.B., Know, Needles, Deer Dance, Attack, Radio/Video, Hypnotize, Question!, Suggestions, Psycho, Chop Suey!, Lonely Day, Soldier Side – Intro, Soldier Side, Bounce, Kill Rock ‘N Roll, Lost in Hollywood, Forest, Science, Holy Mountains, Aerials, Tentative, Cigaro, Suite-Pee, War?, Toxicity, P.L.U.C.K., Sartarabad, Sugar

Big shout out to YouTube user “DoubleAdaFool” for catching nearly the entire concert on high quality video for me to relive or for you to pretend like you were there.

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers 10/5/10

This was the second time I had the pleasure of seeing Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and it was at the same venue as the first time I saw them. They were touring for the album Mojo that was released about four months before this, which was Tom Petty’s first album with the Heartbreakers in eight years.

We originally had Lawn tickets but almost halfway through the set Techno showed up with enough tickets to get all of us down the 100 Level. Down we went but when got there we quickly realized we had one more ticket than seats available and of course I was the guy standing nearest the person in the row not in our group. I stayed anyway much to the chagrin of the man standing next to me with his two kids. It was slightly cramped but nobody was actually sitting down so I figured what the hell. The guy was really not happy when I sparked up a joint. He made his unhappiness known by uttering a simple “really?” to me. I volleyed that “really” right back to him. Smoking pot at a Tom Petty show? Is that really a surprise to you? I understand he was trying to protect his kids but I was conscious of the kids and made sure the smoke went away from them. Shortly after this settling in episode Tom launched into “Breakdown,” which was pure magic. So good. Another highlight was “Don’t Come Around Here No More.” The whole bubble we were in seemed to light up both literally and figuratively. I was robbed of hearing “You Got Lucky” for a second time but I am not going to whine about it. I got to see Tom Petty for the second time!

SETLIST: Listen to Her Heart, You Don’t Know How It Feels, I Won’t Back Down, Free Fallin’, Oh Well, Mary Jane’s Last Dance, Kings Highway, Breakdown, Jefferson Jericho Blues, Good Enough, Running Man’s Bible, I Should Have Known It, Learning to Fly, Don’t Come Around Here No More, Refugee, Runnin’ Down a Dream, American Girl

Mojo

Uproar Festival 9/18/10

It had been nearly three and half years to the day since I had last seen Stone Sour at the House of Blues. This time I thought I was going to go by myself too but Bob showed interest and Tom committed. Bob dropped out. Tom brought me some requested pot and picked me up in a borrowed Saleen Mustang. We arrived to the venue with just enough time to drink two beers each in the parking lot. Once inside we made our way to the 2^nd Stage where the band Hellyeah was to play. The only thing I knew about this band was that the drummer was none other than Vinnie Paul of Pantera and that it also featured the singer from Mudvayne Chad Gray. The funny part is that the only reason I wanted to go to this all day concert was Stone Sour. I had not been able to stop playing their new album, Audio Secrecy.

Anyways Stone Sour happened to be signing autographs in a Best Buy tent that we walked right by. I’m not about the autographs but thought it might be cool to shake their hand and thank them for rocking. The employee/rule makers had other plans. Employee said, “Where is your wristband?” I replied something to the effect of not being aware of the wristband requirement and inquired as to where or how I could get one. Employee was of no assistance whatsoever.

We proceeded to watch HELLYEAH who proceeded to rock. They are heavy-as-fuck. Maybe a little too heavy for not previously knowing their music. After their set we went into the vendor area of the amphitheater in search of food and a beer. We ended up running into Tom’s friend Matt who heads up the beverages and food department at the facility. He hooked up a Corona tallboy and a Shock Top draft and shot the shit with us until Stone Sour was about to go on.

Stone Sour fucking rocked and did not disappoint. The rocked from the opening notes of “Mission Statement” to the closing notes of “30/30 150.” They rocked so hard that I blew my voice out from screaming so loudly. Very tight as a band, virtuoso guitarist(s) with taste, singer with an amazing voice and song writing capabilities. Oh yeah the rhythm section is pretty badass too. The hardest rocking songs for me were “Reborn,” “Get Inside,” and “30/30 150.”

Somehow Stone Sour were not the headliners. After them came Disturbed which I always enjoy and had not seen for a couple years. Closing the show was Avenged Sevenfold. I don’t know why but I just cannot bring myself to like their music.

Eagles 5/23/10

To quote the Dude “Jesus man can you change the channel? Man c’mon, I had a rough night and I hate the fucking Eagles, man.” So I don’t exactly share the same view as the Dude but they are not my favorite band either. This is another band I absorbed by osmosis growing up and probably about as close to country music as I like. Any way you slice it they are a part of rock and roll history and I have respect for them as musicians. My favorite Eagles song is “Those Shoes” which unsurprisingly they did not play. They did however play quite a few songs from their respective solo catalogs, which I thought was cool since they had so much drama with each other in the past. They sounded identical to how they sound on the albums and all I kept thinking was that they were lip-syncing! Of course they weren’t but it just sounded too clean. The songs held up after all these years and so did their voices. Harmonies were off the charts at whatever age they were at the time of this show. I don’t remember at what point near the end we left but Ingrid, Larry, Christi, Kyle and I did leave a little early because Christi had homework to do. We went to leave but the minivan we came in courtesy of Enterprise Rent-A-Car where Kyle worked at the time would not move when he hit the gas pedal so he thought the transmission was blown. It turns out he was in neutral…

SETLIST: Seven Bridges Road, How Long, I Don’t Want to Hear Anymore, Guilty of the Crime, Hotel California, Peaceful Easy Feeling, I Can’t Tell You Why, Witchy Woman, Lyin’Eyes, The Boys of Summer, In the City, The Long Run, No More Walks in the Wood, Waiting in the Weeds, No More Cloudy Days, Love Will Keep Us Alive, Best of My Love, Take It to the Limit, Long Road Out of Eden, Walk Away, One of These Nights, Life’s Been Good, Dirty Laundry, Funk #49, Heartache Tonight, Life in the Fast Lane, Take It Easy, Rocky Mountain Way, Desperado

Incubus 7/9/09

So this was Ingrid’s first concert ever (outside of concerts @ the Del Mar fairgrounds)! We went with Jason, Sherrie, Bob, and Macy but Macy decided to wing it and try to find a ticket once we got there. After picking up Ingrid we came about two inches from rear ending someone as soon as we got back on the freeway (nice driving skills Jason). After all our hearts were pumping at max pace we arrived at the venue and commenced tailgating. Macy asked me, “how do I find a ticket?” I responded by screaming “does anyone have an extra ticket for sale” into the crowded parking lot. A guy in the car right next to us said “I do.” I walked over and asked “how much?” “10 dollars.” “Sold.” I was happy that we found her a ticket so easily but jealous because the rest of us paid $30 for our tickets, but our tickets included a free hot dog and soda…So we get inside and run into my friend Calvin and his wife Jane while looking for the concession stand to redeem our free food. We finally found the right stand and stand in line only to find out that we were supposed to go get a voucher at a different stand in order to get the hot dog or soda! How convenient. So basically they’re banking on the fact that most people won’t go through the hassle of redeeming the ticket to get their “free” stuff. So much so that they’ll pay an attendant to do nothing but hand out vouchers instead of just being able to show your actual ticket at the window. So then we get the vouchers and all of a sudden they are sold out of hot dogs…even though two other people reached in a drawer and grabbed hot dogs after I was told this! I threw a fit and we got our goods. We found a spot on the lawn, spiked our sodas and only had to wait a few minutes before Incubus came on stage and opened with “Privilege.” They also played “Pardon Me,” “Drive,” “Stellar,” “Nice to Know You,” and “Anna Molly” but the highlights for me were “Love Hurts” and “Pistola.” At one point the ladies left to go to the restroom and Ingrid ran into a friend and stuck around to talk with her. She ended up losing us but thanks to modern homing devices (cell phones) I found her. They closed with a song I was unfamiliar with and “Aqueous Transmission.” After waiting to get out the parking lot for a half hour and a 7-11 nacho purchase we all made it home safe and sound.

Radiohead 8/27/08

Radiohead was touring behind the album In Rainbows that was released in October of the previous year as a pay-what-you-want-download. It was a ballsy move. Not only did it pay off but advanced overall control of material for all artists.

To be completely honest this is another of those shows I simply do not remember much of. Not because I drank too much but because it is just not that memorable to me. Maybe it is because I did not have the super anticipation of seeing them like I did the first time I saw them a little over two years before this for free. Who knows? What I do know is Donna and I were able to get pretty good seats in Section 103 which was on the opposite side of the stage as the masterful maniac Jonny Greenwood. What I also know is my excitement peaked at the end of their first encore when they played three of my favorite Radiohead tunes in a row that they had left out last time around starting with “Just.”

SETLIST: 15 Step, Airbag, There There, All I Need, Nude, Talk Show Host, Where I End and You Begin, Weird Fishes/Arpeggi, The Gloaming, Faust Arp, How to Disappear Completely, Reckoner, Optimistic, Jigsaw Falling Into Place, Pyramid Song, Climbing Up the Walls, Bodysnatchers, House of Cards, You and Whose Army?, Just, Paranoid Android, Street Spirit (Fade Out), Videotape, Lucky, Everything in Its Right Place

Mayhem Festival 7/16/08

Despite the many bands playing on this day to me it was really just a Slipknot show with Disturbed opening. This combined with the fact that I had to go it alone made for an easy decision to just show up at the end of the day.

Disturbed was on tour for their fourth album Indestructible that was released in June. I had not seen them since Ozzfest a couple years prior to this and come to think of it every time I saw Disturbed was at Ozzfest except for when they opened for Korn and this time. They were good but not as good as other times I had seen them.

During the interim before Slipknot I went to relieve myself and grab a beer and ran into Bob. I am not sure how we failed to coordinate going to the show together but Bob had his 11-year-old nephew in tow and I had a floor ticket so we parted ways.

A lot happened since I last saw Slipknot at Ozzfest 2001. For starters I was now super into them thanks to Vol.3 (The Subliminal Verses) so even though this would be my fourth time seeing Slipknot it was the first time I was actually excited to see them. This was about a month before Slipknot released All Hope Is Gone so the only new material we got to hear was “Psychosocial” since that was officially released a week before this show. I did not see any of the Vol. 3 tour dates so it was still quite a treat to hear those songs live. I got right up to the front and basically got pinned there for the duration of the set so I had a great view the entire time and could freak out without really being out of place. The photo I took of Joey Jordison’s drum set spinning in the air gives you an idea of how close I was. Bob later told me that his nephew was so scared of what was going on that they had to leave prematurely. I doubt that is a memory he will be forgetting anytime soon.

SETLIST: Surfacing, The Blister Exists, Get This, Before I Forget, Disasterpiece, Psychosocial, The Heretic Anthem, Prosthetics, Duality, People = Shit, (sic)

Journey 7/15/08

I have a picture of Marvin, Sam, Macy and myself at this concert. I look super baked which was nothing new for me at a concert but to actually see a picture of myself in that state is comical. Cheap Trick was opening and I was fairly upset that we could not drag ourselves from drinking beer in the parking lot in time to see them. I was never a huge Cheap Trick fan outside of “I Want You to Want Me” and “Dream Police” but c’mon these guys are a solid piece of rock and roll history.

Thankfully we did get in to see all of Heart’s set. I had never seen any of the three bands at this concert and Heart was the one I was most excited about. I lived through Heart’s “80’s MTV phase” where they were pumping out hits for the masses but the real Heart to me has always been their stuff from the 70’s like “Crazy On You,” “Magic Man,” “Barracuda,” “Kick It Out,” and “Straight On.” Quite simply Heart fucking rocked. I was blown away by Ann’s vocal performance. She poured her all into those songs like the songs were brand new even though she had been singing them for decades.

Journey was one of those mega bands you just could not avoid growing up unless you were living under a rock. They had so many hits showcasing a great mix of slow songs and heavier songs but they were never quite the same once Steve Perry left the band (just like nearly every other band that loses their vocalist). Enter Arnel Pineda, a Filipino singer that had just been appointed Journey’s singer about eight months prior to this show. Watching this incarnation of Journey was an absolute mindfuck. If I closed my eyes Steve Perry was singing but when my eyes were open I saw a tiny Filipino man with a shit ton of energy flying around the stage singing his heart out. He was clearly enjoying himself and I think it is safe to say that all of us in attendance were also enjoying ourselves.

Rock N Roll Recollections

Fuzzy recollections of bands that rocked my world