WD SYNDICATE 2008 SUMMER TOUR GUIDE Friday, September 5, 2008
With summer come many things. Mostly all of them are good. The warm weather just makes you wanna reach out and hug someone doesn't it? If you answered yes, then leave my website, never return, and fall on a knife…repeatedly. There's only one thing on our mind here at the Syndicate once the temperature goes up…and no it doesn't involve your mother and corn oil. Music festivals ya big dummy! Here's a quick guide to a few tours we deem worthy of labeling “cool”. Some you have heard of, maybe some you haven't. Obscure or not, here's a little guide to help you decide how to spend your summer.
1. THE BAMBOOZLE
The Where's and When's: May 3rd and 4th in beautiful East Rutherford, NJ at Giants Stadium. (The home of the Superbowl champion New York Football Giants by the way…fuck you New England) http://www.thebamboozle.com/
Current Lineup: Way too many to list. Without a doubt Bamboozle is the most diverse two days of music of the summer and it just keeps getting bigger. Just to name a few how about Snoop Dogg, Jimmy Eat World, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Paramore and Bret Michaels…yes, I said Bret Michaels. Rumor has it that he will be performing Poison songs as well as growing his hairline back for an encore.
Most Notable Act: Minus the obvious headliners I'd have to go with my boys in The Mighty Mighty Bosstones performing on the second day. This band gave so many punk and hardcore acts an opening shot back in the day, its good to see them performing at a big event again. They are sure to put on a sick set fueled with anti-New York Yankee comments.
…Oh and a little band called Every Time I Die will also be scorching a stage.
To Go Or Not To Go: The lineup isn't really my taste but there are a few great bands sprinkled in there to keep it interesting for two days. I'll be going just for the Bosstones alone. And I'll also be helping my buddy Chris at the WWW.ROBOTSWILLKILL.COM booth. Ladies stop by and play some grab ass with us. It's worth hanging out at the table just for the sheer comedy that usually ensues. My only gripe with The Bamboozle? They go for quantity, not quality. I'm not one for fifteen minute sets. With some bands that adds up to a whopping 5 songs. Also, with concerts such as this there are multiple stages. You may not be able to see a band your interested in because another band is playing at the same time. So until they perfect cloning, you're fucked.
2. ROCK STAR ENERGY MAYHEM FESTIVAL
The Where's and When's: From July 9th through August 19th, coming to a venue near you. Check the website for more details.
Current Lineup: Slipknot, Disturbed, Dragonforce, Mastodon, Underoath, Machine Head, Walls of Jericho, Black Tide, Suicide Silence, The Red Chord, Five Finger Death Punch, 36 Crazyfists, Airbourne.
Most Notable Act: Of course, the obvious, Slipknot, who has been dormant since their last release Volume 3.0 (The Subliminal Verses) in 2004. Other than the bands various side projects we haven't really heard of anything from the masked boys from Iowa in a while. A promise of a new album this year is rumored and all signs point to it being true. The band has gained its share of enemies over the years and may have lost some of its following. But the true maggots will gather once again to see a truly talented band this summer. Call them sellouts, soft, non-purists of metal…call them whatever you'd like. But fair is fair, they put on one hell of a kick ass show. And if you have never seen Walls of Jericho perform live, you're sorely missing out. Lead singer, Candace Kucsulain, isn't just a pretty face, she's probably one the most aggressive vocalists to take the stage, hands down. I dare you to scream out “Show us your tits!”
To Go Or Not To Go: I'll be going. The lineup is fucking intensely heavy as well as diverse. Power, death and thrash metal all in one day. Plus you get a good time to rest when Disturbed take the stage. Kind of like nap time in pre-school.
Current Lineup: The Black Dahlia Murder, Kataklysm, Vader, Cyrptopsy, The Faceless, Despised Icon, Aborted, Born of Osiris, Psycroptic, White Chapel
Most Notable Act: Hands down The Black Dahlia Murder. If you've seen them live you know what I'm talking about. Although it is true, listening to them will take at least five years off your life with how heavy they can play, but who wants to live forever anyway?
To Go Or Not To Go: I'd vote yay. All those in favor? I'm down with any band I have to turn the album upside down in order to read the name. This tour isn't for the faint of heart though. Expect a good dose of pig squealing vocals and double bass till your ear drums bleed.
4. VAN'S WARPED TOUR
The Where's and When's: The grand-daddy of the lot starts June 20th and goes through August 17th coming to a venue near you. Check the website for more details. http://www.warpedtour.com/warpedtour/index.asp
Current Lineup: Depending on when and where you are you may see a different lineup. But just to name a few how about Angels and Airwaves, The Horrorpops, Norma Jean, August Burns Red, Street Dogs, The Vandals and Family Force 5. Again, check the website for the lineup near you.
Most Notable Act: For me, I'd have to say All That Remains. One of the most energetic metal bands I've ever witnessed.
To Go or Not To Go: The tour has a great dose of diversity to it this year. I remember going to the very first Warped Tour circa 1993-94 (I think?) and the lineup was mostly punk and hardcore bands. My friends and I were in heaven watching the bands we use to cram inside of a high school gym play out in an open field environment. The tour has come a long way and assuming the weather is good it can be a great day. But again, the one thing I hate about these enormous tours is that a bands set is usually only 15 minutes. I can't seem to find the finalized lineup for my area (Englishtown, NJ) but from the looks of it All That Remains will be playing there so sure as shit I'll be in attendance.
Current Lineup: xTyrantx, Rhinoceros, Thick as Blood, xNever Againx, xCool Your Jetsx, The World We Knew, The Wrath , Search Bloc, xAFBx, Battleground(Reunion), xBarcadiax, Suicide Pact, Eyes To The Sky, The Pledge, Birth Of A Hero. Notice anything about the bands? If you said a lot of them have the letter “X” in them give yourself a handjob! Seventh Dagger is a record label who only signs Straight Edge bands, so yes boys and girls, it's safe to say there will be no booze at this event. But fuck the booze when you have bands like xTyrantx and Rhinoceros to give you a buzz.
Most Notable Act: Alex, I'll take Old School Hardcore for five hundred please. The answer is xCool Your Jetsx. What is the old school hardcore sound I grew up with? This band brings me back to the days of Judge and Youth of Today.
To Go or Not To Go: If I can get a road trip going, I'll be there. No I'm not straight edge but many of my friends are. Does it even matter? Its suppose to be about the music anyway ya knucklehead.
Current Lineup: Megadeth, In Flames, Children of Bodom, Job For A Cowboy, High on Fire.
Most Notable Act: I've seen each of these bands live at some point in my lifetime. Megadeth is a legend of thrash metal and is worth seeing. However, I'll have to go ahead and say Children of Bodom just may steal the show, with no disrespect to the rest of the lineup. If you didn't know already, High on Fire is a badass thrash metal band from California which may be likened to Motorhead and Disfear. So expect plenty of beer drinking with this lineup.
To Go or Not To Go: Megadeth thrives in big arenas. But for me personally, I'd rather see the other bands headlining in smaller venues, but that's just me.
So that's about all we got for you on our end. How about you guys? Any good tours that we didn't list? Write in and let us know about them. We're always looking for something to do during the summer. Kicking sand in kids' faces can get old really fast.
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