Styx does it again in the Big Easy

Styx open up their 2012 concert dates with a show at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA

The more things change, they more they stay the same. While we may be getting less and less rock concerts in my hometown of Memphis, I can always count on classic rock band Styx to at least come close (and for the record, they not only played Memphis late last year, but they filmed their latest live DVD at the historic Orpheum Theater. Still bummed that I was on a business trip while that took place.)

Last weekend I loaded up the car to visit one of my favorite bands in one of my favorite cities in the world... New Orleans. After traipsing around the French Quarter on foot all day, I finally made my way to the House of Blues where the band put on a stellar show that evening. It was their first night back on the road in 2012, after having several weeks off for the holidays. And the guys didn't dissapoint, bringing a rapture of energy that transended all in attendance.

Original band member and bassist Chuck Panozzo was also in attendance, making his appearance on stage toward the end of their set to help out with a few songs. On a personal note, I even got to play Tommy Shaw's guitar during "Come Sail Away," as he leaned precariously over the ledge of the stage and I attempted to grow an extra inch just so that we could reach each other. I'm just glad they turned down the sound on his guitar, because my playing was atrocious.

Want to check out all of my pictures? Click here to view my Flickr account.

New Year. New Ideas.

Happy New Year, folks! I hope you all had a rockin’ holiday season! Personally, I’m gearing up for the New Year and have been inspired to try some new things around the Rocker by Night blog.

First and foremost, I wanted to tackle the problem of regularity. No, I’m not talking about the need to increase one’s fiber intake. (Get your mind out of the gutter, or toilet as it may be.) As you’ve undoubtedly heard me complain about time and time again, my hometown just doesn’t get a lot of rock concerts. No modern rock radio station = no one to promote said shows. And if there isn’t anyone to promote it, then tickets don’t sell.

So I started thinking about all of the resources that I do have. I go to a lot of shows, some of which I don’t post about because they aren’t really modern rock bands, or I’ve already posted about the band before. Either way, this gives me additional items to pull from. So starting right now, I’m beginning the Music Monday (#MusicMonday for you Twitter followers)Photo of the Week.

Sometimes it will be one of my own photos, but it could also be from some of my favorite rock photogs, including you! Let me know if you have a photo you want me to check out. No need to be a professional. Some of the best shots have been taken by amateurs with the most basic of cameras.

So what’s this week’s selected photo? It just happens to be one of my personal favorites from last year. This photo of P.O.D. was taken during the 2011 Epicenter Festival in Anaheim, California. The band headlined the Monster Energy Drink Stage and had fans backed up as far as the eye could see. Apparently everyone wanted to catch the P.O.D. show rather than move over to the first act on the main stage. I even caught a glimpse of the guys from Buckcherry and Asking Alexandria walking through the crowd, obviously intent on seeing some of this veteran band’s performances first hand. Good times!

Click here to view all of my P.O.D. photos and more from last year's Epicenter Festival.

It’s my birthday!

If you can’t dream big on your birthday, when can you? As I celebrate turning 29 for the third year in a row, I couldn’t help but plan my dream birthday party. I’d rent out this cool venue in Mid-Town, invite all my friends, offer limitless sushi and a beer fountain. Yes, a beer fountain. So redneck chic.

But most importantly, I’d have an all star lineup of my favorite bands rock out into the wee hours of the morning. And after each band plays, they would come hang out with me in the VIP area. (Just because it’s my birthday party doesn’t mean I want to hang out with all the common folk, after all.)

So check out my birthday roster and let me know who would be on yours!

*Egypt Central (gotta have the hometown boys set the stage for the evening)

*Halestorm (because I want to be Lzzy Hale when I grow up)

*Stone Sour (because Corey Taylor is my future ex-husband and one talented musician)

*Five Finger Death Punch (because they’ve provided some of the best concerts experiences of recent memory, and I would expect no less on my birthday)

Year in Review

They say that music is the soundtrack to your life. That fact is none the more apparent than as I am looking back over all the concerts I've attended this year. With rock concerts declining in the Memphis area, its definitely been much more about quality rather than quantity. And oh what quality I've seen in 2011.

Here's a few of my "Best Of..." picks from the year. What are yours?

Best Live Concert Photo (or my favorite of the year anyway): Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch during their show in Little Rock, AR

Best Album: American Capitalist by Five Finger Death Punch

Best New Artist: Art of Dying

Best Concert: Guns N' Roses (at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN)

Best Concert Moment: Celebrating with MIGGS drummer Walker Adams when he realized that Candlebox frontman Kevin Martin was sporting a MIGGS tshirt during the band's Memphis concert.

Best Guest Appearance: Zach Myers joining in on guitar with Nonpoint for their hit "Bullet with a Name" during their Memphis stop.

Rockin' on the Midway with 3 Doors Down

October 15, 2011
Jackson, Mississippi
Mississippi State Coliseum
3 Doors Down, Theory of a Deadman, Pop Evil


3 Doors Down on the Jackson, MS stop of their "Time of My Life" Tour

       Fall is finally upon us here in the South, which made for a scenic trip down I-55 as I traveled for yet another concert out of town. I headed three hours south of Memphis to Jackson, Mississippi where the Mississippi State Fair was taking place and boasting quite the entertainment lineup. Amid other state fair staples like the smell of barnyard critters, questionable thrill rides and fried… well fried everything, was the next stop on 3 Doors Down’s “Time of My Life Tour.”

Conquering Cali & the Epicenter Festival- Part II

September 24, 2011
Irvine, California
Epicenter Festival, Part II: Redlight King, Asking Alexandria, P.O.D.

(Be sure to check out Part I of this review for Drive A, Crossfade and Middle Class Rut)

Continuing on with my experience at the 2011 Epicenter Festival…
The fourth band on the Monster Energy Drink stage brought about much more than just the halfway point. Redlight King, the only Canadian band on the bill, was one of the bands I most anticipated. Prior to the concert, I’d only heard two of their songs. “Old Man” is a slower paced tune that samples Neil Young’s classic of the same name. It’s become a staple on alt rock stations around the country. On the flip side, “Bullet in my Hand” showcases a heavier beat and gritty chorus, landing the single solidly on modern rock channels. So I was curious where the band would end up during their live performance. Alternative? Hard rock? Or somewhere neatly in between?

Growing Old and Rocking Out to Candlebox

September 30, 2011
New Daisy Theater
Memphis, Tennessee
Candlebox with Cowboy Mouth

Kevin Martin fronts Candlebox at the New Daisy Theater in Memphis, TN.

Kevin Martin smiles onstage. A lot. Maybe he took his happy pills. Maybe he believes everything’s alright. But one thing’s for sure. You couldn’t douse that Colgate spokesperson smile with 10,000 horses.

Alright, alright. That’s enough corniness for one blog (maybe.) But I can’t help it. This is what Candlebox does to me. Listening to their music evokes a carefree feeling, taking me back to when the worst of my worries was turning in my US Government paper on time and finding a ride home from high school in a car deemed “socially acceptable” (a rarity indeed.) One of the first times I ever saw the Candlebox live was during high school (sometime around 1997) as the headliner on the final night of the MidSouth Fair.