Categories
Concert Reviews

Review: Watchmen/Big Wreck at Ottawa Congress Centre

Notes from scrapbook:

Big Wreck was alright.  Watchmen ruled.  Almost lost my glasses that night!  Went with Danny and John and Joe.

Categories
Concert Reviews

Review: Dishwalla at Barrymore’s Music Hall

Notes from scrapbook:

Sonichrome opened for Dishwalla.  Not a big crowd but it was fun.  Went with Joe and Rob.

 

Categories
Concert Reviews

Review: Econoline Crush at Barrymore’s Music Hall

Notes from scrapbook:

First concert back in Ottawa for year two.  An excellent concert with Stabbing Westward opening.  I was feeling the workout after the first few hours.  Went with Danny, John, Joe, Christina and a few of her friends.

Setlist

 

Cruel World
Surefire
Elegant
Home
Hollowman
The Devil You Know
T.D.M.
Pssyche [Killing Joke]

Nowhere Now
Sparkle And Shine
Wicked

Blunt
All That You Are (X3)
Razorblades and Bandaides
Burnt

Deeper

Categories
Concert Reviews

Warped Tour ’98 at The Docks

It was a bright and sunny day, Shawn and I, drove down to the docks for the day’s festivities. First goal: find a parking spot –
as we were waiting for a place to park something happened. Greg Hetson, guitarist in Bad Religion, stepped out of a cab, in
front of Shawn’s car, well, most of you might not care but it means a whole hell of a lot to me.

We parked and walked to the venue, got in (fucker took my stub-I collect them by the way!) and looked around-there was
skateboarding, bungee jumping, and countless other activities taking place. They had punk karaoke on one of the stages, two
members of NOFX and two members of Bad Religion played the tunes and you could sign to go up and sing, it was pretty
cool! We watched a couple of independent punk bands and walked around and at a definite moment in our lives we set
ourselves in the crowd to watch NOFX’s set, and with the exception of the sound guy who wanted to play with the controls,
they kicked very much ass. Every band played for 30 minutes, which wasn’t all that spectacular but thinking of how long a punk
song is… They played some classic songs from their old albums, the crowd went completely bananas. We then checked out
The Cherry Poppin Daddies, they sounded great and they played completely in sink with each other, it was really cool! The
horns sounded clear and the band was really tight “Who is that whispering in the trees,…” yeah, you know it. Rancid were
pretty cool, but I must say they did not move around like they used to, must be old age! If you have ever of The Specials, this
band is worth checking out live, they sounded great and the sun was setting when they started their set. We unfortunately made
the mistake of checking The Reverend Horton Heat out, but man does that guy need to retire or hide under a rock-I really
didn’t like his stuff, to bland I guess.

Then came the ultimate wait for Bad Religion, I stood almost completely in front – waiting. Shawn came to find me after a while.
They came on stage and the crowd was ready to accept them, boy did they kick some major ass! They started with “We’re
only gonna Die” and every one in the crowd starting moshing. As I was moshing I was noticing that I was getting further away
from the stage but that is okay, I had a lot of fun. They played songs like “Stranger Than Fiction”, “Parallel”, “Generator”, they
were really fun. Shawn and I decided to leave after their set, we like The Deftones, but we were beat and we could hardly
stand anymore.

*** – long wait for the good bands, one beer tent and one water tent for 40,000 thousand people.

By Joel Aubin

Categories
Concert Reviews

Concert Review: King Diamond Lee’s Palace Toronto ON May 27, 1998

Ok, here it is: My brother, the world's biggest King Diamond fan, and I entered Lee's Palace one evening. We bought a drink
and sat down to listen to the first band, Tchorch, which is a Toronto based band-they were okay but nothing special. The next
band was Pitbull Daycare, which is an industrial type of metal band, and they were really good. I had chosen to stay seated
because it was my brother's first concert but when they started playing a Black Sabbath medley, I was pulled out of my seat by
Ozzy's spirit I think and I preceded to go to the stage. I waved to my brother to come over, he chose to stay seated. They
finished their kick ass set and left the stage. We had a 40 minute wait before the King appeared on stage, but I told my brother
that we should get up to the stage as soon as possible because the crowd was starting to form. Suddenly, the room was filled
with smoke and we heard the beginning dialogue from "Coming Home" off the Them album and after that the music started-and
King Diamond came out of nowhere, and started to sing-it was amazing. Most of his albums are concept horror albums so he
brings the characters to life on stage. He was touring for his latest album "Voodoo", and the characters came on stage to play
their parts. He burned a woman at the steak, he possessed the same woman with voodoo, she gave birth to a doll, it was
excellent. He finished off the night with "Come To The Sabbath" by Mercyful Fate, his other band and we chanted the lyrics out
to him. If you are a fan of horror-check him out. 

***** One of the most original shows I have seen
Joel Aubin
Categories
Concert Reviews

Review: Sandbox at Barrymore’s Music Hall

Notes from scrapbook:

Sandbox rules!  Sadly enough, at this moment I think I lost the ticket stub to the concert.  At least I have this sticker.  Went with Joe and Alain the day after Creed.  Zuckerbaby opened but I wasn’t impressed.  But Sandbox got things going…

 

Categories
Concert Reviews

Review: Creed at Barrymore’s Music Hall

Notes from scrapbook:

Saw Creed with Joe.  Wild show.  They were filming a music video for “Torn”.  Hopefully we’ll be on it.

Other notes:

While doing some research in 2021 I found out that Bobo Bush, a local Ottawa band opened for them.  I can’t seem to add them to setlist.fm.

Also, I love that I paid $15 to see Creed!

 

Categories
Concert Reviews

Review: Chantal Kreviazuk at Barrymore’s Music Hall

Notes from scrapbook:

Went to see her with Joe one Friday.  Wasn’t sure what to expect but left with a good impression.

Coco Love Alcorn was the opening singer for Chantal Kreviazuk.  She was talented and had some great songs.  Free stickers too!

 

Categories
Concert Reviews

Coal Chamber, Anthrax, and Pantera at The Warehouse, 01/29/98

Joel’s Rating System
***** Fuckin’ excellent
**** Awesome
*** Ah, Ah (shake hands)
** Find something else
* Destroy the Advertisement

After waiting in line for 45 minutes, we finally got in and after being searched, we walked into Coal Chamber playing their set. I
don’t know but are they not Korn/Marylin Manson rip-offs, that is what it seemed to me anyway.

As Coal Chamber were finishing their set, we went into the pit waiting for Anthrax. Shawn and I realized at the moment Anthrax came on that we would get our asses kicked. As the first chord of “Caught in A Mosh” was struck, we were instantly separated. I moshed for about 15
minutes and I was really drained so I got out of the mosh pit and I went to get a beer. After enjoying this sacred drink, I figured
that I should maybe go and find Shawn in the pit and see if he was okay. No problem, there he was crowd surfing!

Anthrax played a couple of their old songs and some newer songs like “Only” and “Fueled”, they played “Startin’ Up A Posse” which
enlightened the country spirit in us. Phil and Dimebag came on stage and they played a a song by Celtic Frost and it rocked.
They finished the set with “Bring The Noise” and the whole place shook, it was a great moment. I can’t knock the pot smoking
in this concert because I could hardly smell any, I remember that night like it was yesterday. I found Shawn and we went to
have a beer or a couple, that I don’t remember.

We got pumped for Pantera and we walked right into the middle of the mosh pit, last band we figured, must make the best of it. They came on stage and they began their set with “Walk” and we really got our asses kicked. If you want to know what I mean buy the new live album and listen to it and imagine being in the middle of that, we imagined it and then we lived it. The only problem I had with this concert was that it was an all ages show and I, myself, had to pull a few kids out of the ground for they were practically suffocating. I tried to find Shawn during the beginning of “This Love” but when it kicked in I forgot about Shawn for I realised I was in the core of the mosh pit and I had to save my life. John Bush, the singer form Anthrax, came out during “I’m Broken” and screamed the chorus, it was really cool.

Note: Ifinally found Shawn, we were both drenched in sweat and ready for bed. I had an Italian class at 8:30 the next morning, I got
up and went, but every part of my anatomy was sore. I have never been kicked so much in my life and enjoyed it so much.

**** and a half because of the kids

By Joel Aubin

Categories
Concert Reviews

Review: Wide Mouth Mason at Barrymore’s Music Hall

Notes from scrapbook:

Wicked concert.  Wide Mouth Mason played for 3 1/2 hours straight.  Great bluesy guitar riffs happening.  Went with Alain, Christina and her friend Sharon.  Crowd was great except for those security guards!

Opening band

The Matthew Good Band