Your 5 Fav Gigs from 2018

1 - GBH/Fire Burn. Talk about an insane sweat fest!!! And, GBH is more raucus then they were when I seen them in the 80's. Fire Burn [Israel Joseph I from Bad Brains] blew me sideways.
Incredible show.

2 - Bewitcher/Violence Condoned. Bewitcher changed my life. The exact sound I have been looking for from this "new wave" of metal. Please check them out.

3 - Judas Priest/Saxon. Never disappoint. The reopened this venue [The Minneapolis Armory] for the Superbowl this year. It has been vacant for 25 years. The designers really kicked ass and it sounds GREAT!

4 - Killswitch Engage/Anthrax. Anthrax had bodies upon bodies. They are every bit as good as they have ever been. Did not stick around to see PoserSwitch Engage.

5 - Impaler/The Regime/Dareforce/Kublai Khan. Seen the first three a million times. This night was all about the reunification of the mighty Kublai Khan! Still sounds amazing and the guys are still just "one of us", jumping in the pit, etc. First Ave hipster security can bite my crank though.


Honorable mentions:
Sheila E
Tina Schlieske/Tina and the B-Sides/Genital Panic [3 times]

I only saw 2. Stryper in Atlanta and Ace Frehley in Pensacola. I'm going to see Saxon in Atlanta in February though.

I didn't see nothin'. (kicks rock)

Judas Priest/Saxon!

Fat Freddy wrote:

I didn't see nothin'. (kicks rock)

I have to drive hours to see most shows. I felt lucky driving only an hour to see Ace.

I saw one:

Vicious Rumors

Not sure I went to five this year. My favorite was seeing my nephew and his band play in front of about five hundred screaming fans tops the list. Followed by:

Judas Priest/Saxon
Satan/bunch of local bands
Raven/Coven

Feel like I'm forgetting someone, but that's all I got this year. Sucks, I usually go to at least one or two a month, but been pretty broke this year.

I saw two gigs this year: Destruction and Scorpions.

The first simply slayed .

All of a sudden...I feel like I have a LIFE! Seriously guys? I know it is hard for some rural folks [James B], but the rest of us all have music scenes, right? Wake up drunk and go to work on a Tuesday every now and then!

No music scene near me.

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS wrote:

All of a sudden...I feel like I have a LIFE!  Seriously guys?  I know it is hard for some rural folks [James B], but the rest of us all have music scenes, right?  Wake up drunk and go to work on a Tuesday every now and then!

Infant twins, man. Infant twins.

It's a five way tie between seeing Testament, Behemoth, Anthrax, Lamb of God, and Slayer for my birthday in Quebec.

Slayer, Lamb Of God, Anthrax, Behemoth and Testament
Yob and Bell Witch
Deceased and Death Of Kings
Pallbearer, Ruby The Hatchet & Bask
Kamelot, Delain and Battle Beast

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS wrote:

All of a sudden...I feel like I have a LIFE!  Seriously guys?  I know it is hard for some rural folks [James B], but the rest of us all have music scenes, right?  Wake up drunk and go to work on a Tuesday every now and then!

In my defense, I'm trying to save money so we can move in a couple months. Plus, I work nights and can only call in sick so many times for concerts, so I have to be selective on who I go see. I know there are a couple more bands I've seen this year, but can....oops, I just remembered one of my favorite shows I went to this year, Power Trip. They were awesome!

As I was saying, there are probably a couple I've forgotten, can't help it I'm old and forgetful lol

Quote :

All of a sudden...I feel like I have a LIFE! Seriously guys? I know it is hard for some rural folks [James B], but the rest of us all have music scenes, right?

If it weren't for those darn kids always insisting that they need unimportant frills like food, clothing and shelter, maybe I'd have money for such things...(sigh)...

But seriously , I live juuuust far enough away from any semi decent concert venues that going to shows becomes a big project that's more pain in the ass than its worth. So I just dont. (shrugs)

I didn't see any shows at all this year.

The local club that used to have all the metal shows closed down and I am too lazy to drive way out to the burbs to go to the other venue. Sad.

I'm jealous of you seeing Kublai Khan!

Witchfinder wrote:

I didn't see any shows at all this year.

The local club that used to have all the metal shows closed down and I am too lazy to drive way out to the burbs to go to the other venue. Sad.

I know the feeling.

Back in the late 2000s/early-mid 2010s, there were frequently metal shows out here (almost every month, I got to attend one). Now all the venues that booked metal bands have closed, and metal bands are not allowed to play at the active venues. Now you're lucky to find a venue that will allow you to perform pop-punk, let alone metal of any kind. All the venues that are open seem to think all people want is country music and fiddle music, when it comes to music shows. It's really sad.

It's incredibly rare I get to see metal shows anymore, but I occasionally (maybe once a year) travel for one, like I did when I got to see Testament, Behemoth, Anthrax, Lamb of God, and Slayer for my birthday this year. (Plus, there was no way I was missing Slayer on their last tour ever!)

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS wrote:

 I know it is hard for some rural folks [James B]

I went to Salt Lake and seen Municipal Waste & Exodus, Judas Priest & Saxon, and I'm going to see Death Angel at Slims in San Francisco this weekend. Plane ride from Bozeman, Mt to Oakland, Calif on Allegiance Air is under 100 bucks roundtrip. Just have to drive 3 hours to get to Bozeman.

Unfortunately, I only went to 1 show in 2018, but it was Priest and Saxon so it was awesome! I have a half dozen shows lined up for 2019 (Queensryche, Maiden, and Ozzy/ Megadeth) so I ain't missing out again like this year.

1. Judas Priest (opening for the dull as dishwater Deep Purple)
2. Metallica (not a bad gig, but kinda by-the-numbers, nothing great)

I'm seeing Trans-Siberian Orchestra this Friday and I suspect that show will take over the number one slot. Only one show lined-up so far for 2019. Iron Maiden in July

Joker sighting!!!!

I didn't get out to as many gigs this year as usual due to work (and work travel - was gone 50% of the time in the fall). Luckily, Stryper was playing in Orlando while I was there for work and got to catch an Oz-less gig. Top 5:

1. Iron Maiden London, UK O2 Arena (both nights) - amazing show, killer production. Can't wait to see it again next year!
2. Priest - Washington, DC, Anthem - very cool venue and I have tix for the 2019 May gig.
3. Stryper - Orlando, FL - House Of Blues - great gig, missed Oz but was fun
4. Slayer - Bristow, VA (AKA Northern VA DC burbs), Jiffy Lube Live - took my son to his first Slayer gig. He liked Behemoth a lot more than I did....
5. Yngwie - Falls Church, VA, State Theater - old movie theater converted to concert theater. Cool venue to see older acts that can't pack em in like back in the day (saw BOC here before). Decent show, was up front in front of Yngwie's amps and couldn't even hear the backing band.... good news is couldn't hear Yngwie sing either!

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS wrote:

All of a sudden...I feel like I have a LIFE!  Seriously guys?  I know it is hard for some rural folks [James B], but the rest of us all have music scenes, right?  Wake up drunk and go to work on a Tuesday every now and then!

Hey, I'm an old fart and I KNOW it!!!

The last show I went to was KMFDM about 15 years ago and even THEN all the other people waiting to get in thought I was a narc. Forget it now.

thejokeriv wrote:

Joker sighting!!!!

I didn't get out to as many gigs this year as usual due to work (and work travel - was gone 50% of the time in the fall). Luckily, Stryper was playing in Orlando while I was there for work and got to catch an Oz-less gig. Top 5:

1. Iron Maiden London, UK O2 Arena (both nights) - amazing show, killer production. Can't wait to see it again next year!
2. Priest - Washington, DC, Anthem - very cool venue and I have tix for the 2019 May gig.
3. Stryper - Orlando, FL - House Of Blues - great gig, missed Oz but was fun
4. Slayer - Bristow, VA (AKA Northern VA DC burbs), Jiffy Lube Live - took my son to his first Slayer gig. He liked Behemoth a lot more than I did....
5. Yngwie - Falls Church, VA, State Theater - old movie theater converted to concert theater. Cool venue to see older acts that can't pack em in like back in the day (saw BOC here before). Decent show, was up front in front of Yngwie's amps and couldn't even hear the backing band.... good news is couldn't hear Yngwie sing either!

I would miss Oz too, but Howie seemed to be an excellent replacement.

1. Tom Keifer (finally did the meet and greet package for my favorite performer and got a lot of my Cinderella collectibles signed)

2. Stryper (like others have commented, I wish Oz could have been there, but Howie is an awesome performer)

3. Winger (speaking of Howie, he was on rhythm guitar for Winger when I saw them this past month as well. Another great show from some stellar musicians)

4. Steelheart (I hadn't seen them in years--Mili's voice is ageless! Plus great to hear some "Steel Dragon" classics again!)

5. Hair Nation Tour feat Enuff 'Z Nuff, Bulletboys and Jack Russell's Great White (all three bands were great, and I love these package tours)


This was a good year for concerts. I was glad to see a few bands for the first time, including Kingdom Come and Killer Dwarfs.

Biggest disappointment was probably King's X. I like the band's music a lot but their live performances don't do much for me. And Dug seems to be singing less and less while the crowd takes over vocals in the choruses for a bunch of songs--and the entirety of Goldilox, of course.