Summer Ending …

Albums Listening to: Nickelback “The Long Road”, Pixies “Wave Of Mutilation – Best Of Pixies”

Top Article: Michael Moore USA Today from RNC – Sept 01, 2004 – Don’t Send More Kids To Die

Current Rant: The Republican National Convention is ending tonight and the best thing about it all week was the protesters out in NYC. This is the best site to see pics from the throngs – moport.org …. Very excited to see this and very much wish I were there to let my voice be heard and my message to be seen.

Personal Comments: Just wish summer would last longer here in Utah. And if you haven’t registered to vote yet, please do. I can’t say enough of how important this is. Find your local state’s registrar and sign up. In fact… let me make it even easier. Go to this site and select your state. It will guide you where you need to go.And another site…. Declare Yourself – to find where you need to go to register.

Concert Review: Nickelback and Puddle of Mudd
USANA Amphitheater
West Valley CIty, UT
August 31, 2004

I love amphitheaters as they can seat a lot of people, normally have a big lawn area to fit even more people into and are built with acoustics in mind. For my first visit to USANA, Nickelback and Puddle of Mudd would test the waters for me, allowing comparisons to other like-venues that I’ve previously enjoyed.
 
Being a virgin to seeing Nickelback live, I didn’t have a preset idea of what to expect. But knowing a good amount of their catalog helped as each song they performed was familiar to my ears. Songs like “Someday”, “How You Remind Me”, “Figured You Out” and “Leader Of Men” all showed the talent Chad Kroeger and band had. Mixed with pyrotechnics, moving lights and variable-height platforms, the 90 minute performance was very good. With few exceptions like throwing half-full beer glasses to the audience and pre-recorded voice tracks preceding a few of the songs (“Hero” – minus duet partner Josey Scott, “Never Again”), the show provided each and every fan a delight and a good value, considering most of the tickets were under $35 (we paid $20 each and had very good seats).
 
As for Puddle of Mudd, they took their mid-bill position of the night as both laid back and ass-kicking. Their set was much shorter than expected, omitting songs like “Bring Me Down” and “Never Change” from 2001’s Come Clean album. But their hit songs like “Away From Me”, “Control”, “Blurry” and “She Hates Me” had the crowd singing along – sometimes remembering only the chorus. Having seen them last year in Las Vegas, I was expecting a great performance. I got that, but wished for a longer set. Wes Scantlin continues to shine on vocals and stage persona that is neither overboard or under performed.
 
Show openers 12 Stones were good and seemed to provide a good set of hard rocking songs to the few that filled the arena, inviting those arriving late with a 35 minute set to warm them up for Puddle of Mudd and Nickelback. Not being familiar with their work, it was a cross between Papa Roach and Limp Bizkit, which seemed to appeal to a good amount of the audience.