Man, I'm getting old! Went to see Life Of Agony last night.

Went to see Life Of Agony last night at the Starland Ball Room in NJ. It was the first time I have ever been there. The place is kind of small on the outside but when you get in there its a decent size and I Think holds about 1400 people. The show was sold out but when we got there, the place was practically empty. So we were able to be right up in front on the guard rail.

There were 4 opening bands. All of them and I do mean ALL of them were horrible. This one band I think they were called Crawl 2 Chaos, their bass player had a really bad bass sound and I don't think he even tuned his bass. The people that were there to support them thought they were great. My friends and I weren't impressed at all. Another band had a really good drummer but again his band was really bad. They knew how to play their instruments but they just didnt know how to put their songs together which was a shame cause they probably would be good if they got rid of the singer too. The first band I think was called One Brick Down they were the typical hardcore band. They played good but every song sounded the same and had a stupid jazzy breakdown part. The band before LOA came on was ok but they were like emo or something. I don't even remember the name.

Finally LOA came on and the place filled up. I started getting squashed on the guard rail, but I kept saying to myself I'll just fight through this til the end. They started their first song and everyone went nuts and I knew it wasnt going to be good. Every one was just squashed together and those crazy kids and their crowd surfing. I got hit in the head by one of them with their shoe and I was like ok a few more songs and I'm outta here. I lasted about 4 songs and I bailed. I couldnt take the constant pressure of having my ribs get smashed against the guard rail. One of my friends ended up hurting himself because he kept getting pinned against it.

So I ended up fighting my way through the crowd during a break in the songs and went in the back by the bar. I couldnt really see the band anymore but I heard the music and when I was out of that mess I enjoyed the show. They played the whole River Runs Red album because it was the 20th anniversary. After that they played a few of their popular songs. I really enjoyed the way that they played and I was going in not knowing what to expect but they played everything flawlessly. Keith Caputo though is a little bit too much with his dancing around like a hippy but he sang the songs identicle to how he used to sing so I was impressed.

I know i'm getting old though. I was never really a concert goer. Even though I like to play in a band and do shows I just never really enjoyed being in a huge room with a bunch of crazy people slamming into eachother. Its just not my thing. I rather go and learn from the band im seeing. I can't deal with being in those kind of crowds.

So it'll be a while again until I go to another one. Great show though

I know what you mean.

I hate that...I got to a show to see a band...not to get my @$$ kicked...

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

I hate that...I got to a show to see a band...not to get my @$$ kicked...

Same here. If it's too violent, I just stand in the back somewhere. I saw Prong a month ago - and I ended up just about getting crushed by some idiots going apesh*t with each other. Lame. I just stepped back and then was able to enjoy the show better.

I just buy live cds now

I'll always love going to shows. Even if I don't participate in the ruckus.

Going to see Slayer and Testament in January.

I am more of a classic rock concert goer for the most part.

i almost never waste money on live shows. i don't really need the visual aspect to enjoy the music. it always sounds better in the comfort of my own living room coming from my stereo, while i drink quality beer, & get a hummer from the old lady.

whoa.... I feel the same way though. My friends always picked on me cause how could I be in a band and not like going to shows? Sometimes bands suck live and if that happens it sort of ruins that band for me. So I really try not to go to too many shows unless its something really rare and i'll mostly just want to go for the merchandise.

I always hated the overly violent crap that goes on, usually at more 'extreme' shows.. the moshing that is already there, and then infected with all the 'dancing' and nonsense from the nu-hardcore scene, ugh. It might not even be as irritating if they didn't want to spread from door to door, and then also I see girls get smacked around all the time, they don't care, it's disgusting. Almost ruined many a show for me. I think I'm seeing Nile with a friend in a couple of months and I'm dreading it for that very reason..

Well sounds like you had a heck of a time. LOA used to be one of my fav bands. RRR is an amazing album.

Would have liked to see that!! That RRR album got me through a LOT! Don't care for any of their other albums, but RRR RULES!

Last time I even ventured near the stage was when I saw LOA a few years back. It wasn't a very violent show, though, just more of a packed-in crowd swaying to the music and singing along. It was pretty awesome.

And Keith is a bit fruity these days. He's still an amazing singer, though.

I know what you mean, that almost ruined my first concert with Fear Factory in '96 and made me loose a front row spot at a Kamelot concert of all things (the FF one was understandable but Kamelot?!). However, the Testament mosh pit stayed in a respectable area and didn't infringe on anyone's enjoyment. So you can never judge what it's going to be like.

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but he sang the songs identicle to how he used to sing so I was impressed.

That's good, because he sounds best when he sings like that. The way he sung in Soul Searching Sun ruinied the whole album for me (but he did do better, not much though, when he was a guest on the last Within Temptation album-I haven't taken a chance on the comback album from several years ago).

mc666 wrote:

i almost never waste money on live shows. i don't really need the visual aspect to enjoy the music. it always sounds better in the comfort of my own living room coming from my stereo, while i drink quality beer, & get a hummer from the old lady.

ditto....er, at least on the "it always sounds better on the stereo".

So, you're wife gave you a Hummer? Dang, I gotta tell my wife to get WITH IT!! I'd be stoked if she gave me a GEO.

I still enjoy seeing live music, but I don't get anywhere near the action these days. The last few live shows I saw weren't the kind that get violent anyway. Nobody is body surfing at a KISS concert.

The last show I was at that had a pit was probably Motorhead, but I stayed off the floor and watched from the safety of the balcony bar.

At that Prong show I saw last month, there were these big motherf*ckers taking pot shots at people who were trying to mind their own business...

that always pisses me off, but I'm not big enough to really do anything about it.

I enjoy going to shows. Unfortunately I haven't been to very many this year.

nevermore wrote:

I enjoy going to shows. Unfortunately I haven't been to very many this year.

I try to go to at least 4 a year. Helps me feel like I'm still young.

Metallic Blaze wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

I hate that...I got to a show to see a band...not to get my @$$ kicked...

Same here. If it's too violent, I just stand in the back somewhere. I saw Prong a month ago - and I ended up just about getting crushed by some idiots going apesh*t with each other. Lame. I just stepped back and then was able to enjoy the show better.

Heck yes, Prong KILLS live. Awesome band. But yes, I kind of stay off to the side with my face & glasses out of the line of fire. And my earplugs so I don't lose my hearing because I end up standing in front of the stage side speakers

I feel the same, in fact I usually just hang back when it is a band I know is crazy. I seen Ministry back in 04 or something around then, and keft the floor and went up to the rails, well this young kid who looked like Thor, decided to slam in a big circle area near us that even being by the rails we had to move back. What sucks is, he did it because he didnt want anyone by him, and if he wasn't so FN big we all could have enjoyed it without crushing anyone.

Seen Ween, a month later, was up front, and no crushing or anything, everyone was more like hippie's all in love, it was kind of weird. Dancing flower child like and swaying. I just stayed where I was, tried to ignore them as well.

Interesting bit of Life of Agony trivia (or The Office trivia, perhaps)

In the episode "The Initiation" when Dwight pretends to take Ryan on his first sales call but instead takes him to his beet farm for a series of weird initiations, Dwight is jamming River Runs Red on his car stereo. Awesome!

yea my friend told me about that pretty cool

....that's why I usually go to stoner/doom shows, the crowd is very mellow and rather lethargic and slow moving so I can easily step out of the way...

I always have bad souvenirs of shows. I'm kind of short, so for me, it's hard to see the stage.