Escape The Fate and Oh Sleeper

Escape The Fate and Oh Sleeper

Tue May 3rd, 2011
The Studio, Auckland.



Oh Sleeper opened, and while I enjoyed them I don't think I will bother getting their album.



Escape the Fate however were amazing! From the moment they stepped on stage I was captivated. Craig (the singer) was sick, and had apparently been in the hospital earlier that day, but didn't want to cancel the show so he performed anyway. He occasionally had the shakes (understandably), but it was still a brilliant performance. They sang all my fave songs (including 'Situations'), and even sung one of my other faves with acoustic guitar.



I got a little damaged in the mosh pit - I managed to get my hand on a drumstick - only to have someone gouge my hand and take a couple of (small, but still painful)chucks of flesh out of my hand. They won that unfortunately, as my other hand couldn't get there fast enough to yank it away from them, but still - battle scars.



I was gutted when the show ended, and will def. see them again if I get the chance.

AFP Goes Down on Napier! A.K.A my Sappy Love Letter to AFP

A Letter to Amanda Palmer.

I saw you for the first time performing with Brian Viglione under the band name 'The Dresden Dolls' in 2006. I had never really heard any of your music before, but that night I knew I had been converted.

I got your albums, I learnt the words and I saw you both times you returned to Wellington to play solo shows at Bodega. I loved your punk cabaret style, your beautiful outfits and the fact that you don't believe in the beauty standard (which as someone who has always felt self-conscious about my appearance, appealed to me). Your lyrics are clever and moving and are always stuck in my head and usually played on my ipod.

You are honest and most importantly you don't forget your fans. I think your total dedication to the people who love you is what makes me adore you the most. Constantly keeping us up to date through twitter and your blog posts, your ninja gigs and the fact that you have come to New Zealand three times in three years (when most musicians will visit us maybe once or twice in their careers) just makes you so much cooler!

So when I couldn't afford to go to your Wellington gig this year (because I lost my insurance job in Wellington and had to shift to Napier where I now work on check outs)I was heartbroken. I tried to make the best of it and enjoy art deco weekend, but it wasn't quite the same. Until Sunday morning when a friend updated their fb status about a ninja gig at Marine Parade. WHAT! AFP in Napier? For reals? I almost couldn't believe it.

The show was amazing, even in the rain. And although the crowd was not as big as I was hoping for, the fact that you managed to convert randoms from off the street into fans (two men asked me who you were, where you were from and how they could find out more about you) shows just how impressive you are.

The fact that I then got your autograph and a photo with you made up for the fact that I had to miss your gig. However, next time you come back I will be in the front row of Bodega, singing along and wearing a big grin.

Green Day (A.K.A The Soundtrack of my Youth)

Green Day
Where: Vector Arena, Auckland
When: Saturday, December 19


For the better part of the naughties Green Day have been one of my favourite bands, giving me a Californian punk revival soundtrack to my high school/uni years. They have comforted me when I was down, cheered with me when happy and given me a loud, energetic background sound for the best part of a decade.

Of course they have been together for much longer than that, joining 'The Offspring" in the late '80s and being one of the major contributors to the punk revival.
While American Idiot may have been a change in their sound, leaning more towards the 'emo' sound than their previous albums, I still love it (and the similar sounding '21st Century Breakdown').

So how fitting was it that I should get to FINALLY see them (yes this was my first ever Green day gig) at their last gig of the Decade.

So what exactly do you get at a Green Day gig? Fireworks, confetti, flame throwers, fire bombs, mirror balls, water pistols, toilet paper drops, two-and-a-half hours of some of the best pop-punk around, Cross Dressing, and PLENTY of crowd interaction. Singer Billie Joe Armstrong pulled a number of fans up onto the stage through out the show to sing along, dance and enjoy being up on stage in front of thousands of loyal, screaming Green Day fans.

I was worried that the show would be American Idiot/21st Century Breakdown heavy, but while they played all their new hits they did not neglect the old ones either. 'Minority', 'When I Come Around' and 'Basket Case' were some of the most popular, while the last song was a brilliant mash up of 'When September Ends' and 'Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)' that had fans waving phones, lighters and Cameras in the air while singing along word for word at the top of their lungs.

This was by far the most impressive live show I have seen before, with the most loyal following.




(Plus: SQUEE!!! GREEN DAY!!)