mewzak

mewzak

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Filter in Baltimore/Lynchburg, New Menew Fan, Richard Patrick WILL be in a movie!

Filter played two shows within a 2- to 3-hour drive from me in one week! Since I rag on them so much to play more in this area, I HAD to go out and support them on both Tuesday and Saturday.


I took the day off on Tuesday and planned to drive up and arrive around noonish to avoid the morning and evening rush hour traffic. Ram's Head Live is right by Inner Harbor, which has plenty of things to do. I like Baltimore and hadn't been to the National Aquarium in years, so I decided to spend most of the day there. I was also planning to have an early dinner at Hard Rock Cafe, because I have a weird thing that if I go anywhere that has a Hard Rock Cafe, I have to go there...haha. Sometimes it's just to get a souvenir though. It didn't work out this time because the timing of the dolphin show at the aquarium interfered. So I ate something at the aquarium's cafeteria, saw the dolphin show, and had time to make it to the show before doors opened. I HAD been to that Hard Rock Cafe before too, so I let myself off the hook this time...

My Baltimore Pics, mostly of the aquarium

This was the first time I'd been to Ram's Head Live, it's a cool venue. And there's a parking garage right there that you can park in all day, so that was convenient. Oh and I stole a flyer off the wall hehehe. They did not allow cameras though, so I didn't bother taking mine in. Some people got some shots with cell phones, but my battery was actually low and I wanted to save it for the drive home.

Show Flyer and a used drumstick from Jeff Friedl
I had only overheard a little of Menew's set at the last show in NY, but I listened to some of their stuff online prior to this show and wanted to see them this time. I saw them and the first opening band, who were locals I believe. I'm sorry I don't remember their name. They were pretty good. But I became a fan of Menew that night after catching their performance this time. To me, music without dynamics is like chocolate without cocoa beans...it's not even considered chocolate, or music haha. So Menew made me an instant fan because they are extremely dynamic. I can hear the slight comparison to Muse that some claim, but I think they have a style that's very much their own.

The vocals, partially due to one of the effects used in a few songs, reminds me of The The. If you're not familiar with that band, here is their most well known song, which I love:



Filter put on a very powerful set after Fuel. There was one chic near me who was screaming so incessantly, the security guys almost kicked her out hahaha. And some guy was wearing makeup like The Crow, which was interesting. He happened to be friends with the screaming girl too...Always a mix of people at concerts! After the show Filter signed autographs at the merch table, which by the way, check out all their cool stuff! I have two of the newer girl's tshirts, the travel coffee mug, keychain, bracelet....It's all cool.

The rest of the night I spent hanging out, and ended up not heading home until about 2:30 a.m. haha. That was NOT planned well on my part since I did not take off work the following day! So I got to bed around 4:30 and then got up around 7:30 to go to work haha. That was a long day...But it was worth it!

Saturday actually seemed to roll around fast after that. It felt kinda funny that it was already time to go to another show. And like a crazy woman, I agreed to pick up a shift on Sunday at my second job because they needed someone to cover. Again, not the best decision haha. But hey, I need the money to keep up this traveling/concert lifestyle. ;)


Phase 2 in Lynchburg is a relatively new venue. It used to be a different place and got revamped into this concert venue. I liked it, and it's kind of off to itself in the middle of the trees and mountains of good ole Virginny (that's Virginia for you non-state natives haha). I was happy that Filter finally played a show in my actual state. Before this, the closest they came to Virginia was DC. I saw them twice in DC, once last year and back in 2008 when I finally got to see Filter for the first time.

I was able to get videos at this show. I took some pics but didn't really get any good ones. Since I was staying with a friend and didn't have to drive that night, I actually had some alcoholic beverages for once....and had quite a few hehe. So I blame my lack of photography skills on that. ;^p It probably looked in focus to me at the time...haha.


There was another local opening band first, then Menew. I bought one of their CDs at the merch table beforehand and was going to ask them to sign it after they played. Well, during the last song of their set, I realized I no longer had the CD in my hand....and recalled setting it down in the bathroom earlier. So I went back in there to look for it, but sadly it was gone...So yes, I went back to the merch table and bought the CD AGAIN haha, because I am hardcore like that. I just want to put out there that whoever took my first CD from the bathroom, karma is watching you! You better be blasting that CD everywhere and telling all of your friends about Menew! I am a firm believer in buying music and supporting the artists, so consider that a gift from me to a stranger to help spread the music.

The SECOND one I bought haha, that the guys signed. 
THIS is why I still buy physical CDs instead of downloading mp3s. I think the liner notes and album artwork add to an artist's album experience. And I LOVE this original idea. Each CD has a copy of handwritten lyrics to one of the songs on the CD. I got track 10. I wonder which song was in the FIRST copy of the CD I bought haha.
I was able to get front and center for their set and got two videos. "Wide Awake" is the title track and "Don't Give Up On Us Now" is my favorite song on the album so far. These guys are also very sweet and dare I say cute, and I think I have a crush on the entire band...hahaha. So DEFINITELY check out Menew!





www.MENEW.com

I did catch Fuel's set. They put on a great performance, I'm just not a hardcore fan of Fuel so I don't get into them as much. I do like some of their songs and I'm not trying to knock them at all. I still enjoyed their set.

But of course, Filter was the big deal for me haha. I was surprised, but I actually got front and center again! By the way, thanks to the nice guy who let me up there both times, for Menew AND Filter. I didn't get your name, but I appreciated your courtesy. :)


I was totally in the zone for this performance. Sometimes it's great at concerts, sometimes it's mediocre (not talking about Filter though), and sometimes it's just dead on. This night it was magical for me. I don't know if the alcohol had any influence on me haha, but I was feeling completely surreal during their set. Just totally connected, singing all the words, and almost oblivious to my surroundings. It was just the music and the band and that was it, I was all caught up in it. That's what I love about concerts, when those awesome experiences happen. I got some videos and they're kinda dizzy, but it's because I was trying to get more shots of the crowd per request. And I wasn't turning around, I was just pointing the camera behind me and moving my arm back and forth haha. So hey, I don't think they came out too bad considering!













After the show and hanging out and all, I ended up going to bed again around 5 a.m. Then I got up around 7:30 to pack, shower and drive about 3 hours home, changed clothes and went straight to work haha. When I got home that evening, I was whooped. But I survived and I had a blast and I look forward to the next show!

NOW, in other wonderful news...I put a plug in my blog before for people to back an indie film project on kickstarter.com that would debut Richard Patrick in an acting role...and on the way home from the concert, I found out they met their goal! And it was even met a day early! So that news made me very happy. I'm also a movie buff, and if you don't know, Richard's brother, Robert Patrick, is an actor whose most notable role was the T-1000 in Terminator 2. So I know there is talent in Richard's blood! And I've been pushing for him to be in a movie ever since I first heard him mention the idea about 2 years ago. Go back in my blog archives to August/September 2010 haha. Listen to that Suicide Girls Radio Show link when I called in and you will hear me ask Richard about getting into acting! So needless to say, I am very excited and also happy and proud for Richard. I hope the movie is awesome and gets lots of attention.

Stay posted about the movie here: High and Outside

And as always, keep an eye on officialfilter.com for tour dates and stuffs...and don't forget to check out Menew too!