Jason DeBord's Rock Subculture Journal

Tenacious D at Fox Theater | Oakland, California | 5/24/2012 (Concert Review)

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“Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Molly Hatchet could not be here tonight, but they all had sex and are proud to announce the birth of their two-headed baby, Tenacious D”. And that is how I was originally introduced to Tenacious D, back when they started out with a comedy series on HBO in 1997.  I never would have imagined that I’d see the then faux band in concert some day (following several albums and a feature film).  But the D on stage last night – fronted by Jack Black and Kyle Gass, as they would say, “blew our asses out” at the Fox Theater in Oakland, the second gig on their tour supporting their new album, Rize of the Fenix. [Read more…]

Morrissey at Kaka’ako Beach Park Amphitheater | Oahu, Hawaii | 5/19/2012 (Concert Review)

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After the previous night’s incredible Morrissey concert at the Castle Theater in Maui, I had such an amazing time I had zero expectations for anything remarkable happening with the show the very next day at the Kaka’ako Beach Park Amphitheater in Honolulu on Oahu.  My feeling was that this second consecutive show would serve as more of a bonus or supplement to the first.  And, again, all expectations were exceeded.  Somehow I ended up in the exact same spot as I found myself the night before (front row pit, stage right), though I had encountered some unexpected challenges even getting to the venue with ticket in hand.  A larger outdoor venue (compared with the small and intimate indoor theater the night before), it was an altogether different experience in many ways, and I feel so very fortunate to have been in attendance for two such outstanding shows.  For me the highlight was a stripped down rendition of “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want”, which was so awesome, the woman standing next to me was literally in tears.  Phenomenal show. [Read more…]

Morrissey at Castle Theater | Maui, Hawaii | 5/18/2012 (Concert Review)

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“When was the last time, that you did something for the first time?”  That was the question Morrissey posed to his audience, upon entering the stage, before tearing into one of my favorite songs of all time, “How Soon Is Now?”  Morrissey has always been one to prompt both thought and action with his work, from introspective self awareness in general, to supporting his causes with his music, as with “Meat is Murder” (also on the set list tonight).   And his work has always been complimented by his incredible live performances, filled with more reciprocal energy between the deep connection between he and his fans than you will find most anywhere else.  And even among those shows, there was a remarkable spark in the air for those of us on a small island in the middle of the ocean to take part in this event. [Read more…]

Lindsey Buckingham at The Crest Theatre | Sacramento, California | 5/13/2012 (Concert Review)

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Epic performance from a legend.  Indeed, a very special Mother’s Day for some of the ladies in the audience, Lindsey Buckingham rocked the sold out, historic Crest Theatre in downtown Sacramento tonight.  Alone on the stage, with an endless arsenal of guitars, Mr. Buckingham put on an amazing performance, and more than anyone, he has such a deep emotional connection with his music that his passion truly drives his live show unlike any artist.  He is simply an amazing musician.  Quite honestly, he could put on an entire showcase of just his peerless guitar playing, or, alternately, stand at the microphone all night a capella, and either would be captivating.  Having enjoyed both in perfect harmony, it was a night I will not forget. [Read more…]

Recommended Pocket (Non-Pro) Digital Camera for Concerts for Fans – Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V (HX10V? HX20V? HX30V?) – UPDATE with HX20V

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This is published as an update to my original article about finding a good camera to take to concerts for quality still photos and video, but I recommend reading the original article first, as this is merely an update to what I’ve already written (CLICK HERE).  I had been using the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V., which I found at the time to be the best pocketable digital camera.  I’ve since obtained the newly released updated version of this model, the the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V , which I have found is definitely a better choice over the HX9V, and worthy of consideration as an upgrade if you already have that model.  Both are great choices for concert-going fans with venues that allow the use of non-pro pocket digital cameras. [Read more…]

Coldplay at the HP Pavilion | San Jose, California | 4/28/2012 (Concert Review)

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Last night, April 28th, was the second in two back-to-back performances by Coldplay at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA – part of their official Mylo Xyloto world tour. This was the sixth time I’ve seen Coldplay in the past six months (having seen their AMEX Unstaged show in Madrid, Spain in October, some of the special European tour dates at the O2 in London and the Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy in December, and the special iHeartRadio charity gig at Club Nokia and the Jimmy Kimmel Live! block party in Los Angeles in February.  As such, I don’t think I’m in a position to do a “normal” sort of review at this point, as I tend to subjectively compare to all of the other shows I’ve attended in the past year and beyond… but as I’ve come to expect, with last night’s gig, Coldplay put on a high energy show with a great mix of hits and new material.  Watching many in the crowd seeing the show with “fresh eyes”, it was certain that the nearly 18,000 in attendance came away having shared an awesome experience with this fantastic concert.

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Berlin featuring Terri Nunn at Thunder Valley | Lincoln, California | 4/13/12 (Concert Review)

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Tonight was the first Berlin concert of the year, in Lincoln, CA in the foothills of the greater Sacramento area.  The legendary band that was prominent on the radio and MTV in the 80s played through many hits, one less played song (as voted on by Facebook users) and two new songs never played before a live audience prior to tonight.  It was a fantastic show with a lot of energy, and Terri Nunn put on an amazing performance, both vocally and in terms of sheer audience interaction.  The band killed it.

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Recommended Pocket Digital Camera for Concerts – Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V (HX10V? HX20V? HX30V?)

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One of the most frequent questions asked of me by people who look at the photos and video that I take at concerts… what camera did I use?  I’ve given a personal explanation so many times, I thought it might be helpful to write a short article describing the camera I use and its features so that others can check it out, if they are in need of the perfect pocketable digital camera.  Fortunately, it is relatively inexpensive as well.  The model I have used is the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V. [Read more…]

The Ting Tings at the Fillmore | San Francisco, California | 3/25/12 (Concert Review)

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Tonight I had the opportunity to see The Ting Tings in concert at The Fillmore in San Francisco. This is my first time seeing the band, and they were absolutely fantastic, which is all the more astonishing given that Katie White (vocals, guitar, bass drum, keyboards, and even cow bell) had an emergency appendectomy last Friday. The way she performed and danced all over the stage, and even into the audience (more on that later), you would never imagine that she had surgery just about a week ago. Jule de Martino is the other half of the band, on drums, guitar, bass guitar, vocals, and keyboards. [Read more…]

Peter Murphy at Yoshi’s | San Francisco, California | 3/17/12 (Concert Review)

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Tonight I had an opportunity to see Peter Murphy in concert at Yoshi’s in San Francisco. A special event that was part of a handful of California shows, the gig at Yoshi’s was actually two, back to back shows – one slated for 8:00 PM (which I attended) and another scheduled for 10:00 PM. It was a fantastic show, and I really can’t say enough good things about the experience. An incredible performer with an amazing voice. [Read more…]