The great Iron Maiden (my favorite heavy metal band ever, sometimes Judas Priest ekes out the no. 1 spot) has released a new single, The Writing on the Wall. I was on vacation when this hit and experiencing it first over shitty iPhone speakers was a mistake. I made myself wait until we got home and had proper sound/headsets before the next attempt. I haven’t given it enough listens to make up my mind, but with each spin it gets better. Love the opening hook and the Celtic feel. No, Bruce is not the same singer, but damn, he’s 60. Who is at that age? Regardless of what the album holds, new Iron Maiden is always a cause for celebration, as is the prospect of seeing the boys from Britain live on their inevitable support tour. The fun I’ve had at these shows over the years is off the charts. I suspect “The Writing on the Wall” will kick ass in concert. I CAN’T WAIT.
Concerts galore. I’ve got three shows lined up for the summer and fall:
- KISS, Mansfield MA, August 18. Save for the fact that this falls on a Wednesday (blech) and getting out of Mansfield after a concert is like trying to escape from the Hanoi Hilton, I’m always glad to see KISS. My buddy Wayne is an even bigger KISS fan than I.
- Alice Cooper, with opening act Ace Frehley, Gilford NH, Sept. 18. The best thing about this show is its on a Saturday night. Tied for second is the great double-bill of Alice and Ace. Another show with Wayne. Afterwards we plan to crash at my family’s lake house, a short drive from Gilford, to avoid a long trek back to MA. I’ve seen Ace several times and he’s always good. Alice of course is wonderful (trivia: My first ever concert was Alice on his Trash tour, March 1990).
- Judas Priest, Lowell MA, Oct. 31. Are you kidding me? The Gods of Metal on Halloween night, at a venue about 30 minutes from my home? Like Maiden, Priest is no mere nostalgia act. I was blown away with their last album Firepower, in particular “No Surrender” and “Traitor’s Gate.” You get new material, but of course with a catalog stretching back 50 years (!) most of what Priest plays are the classics.
Let’s hope this new Delta variant of COVID-19 cooperates and
I can get all these in.
Also wanted to mention the passing of Mike Howe, lead singer of Metal Church, dead at 56. A
reminder of our mortality. This is why going to shows and enjoying life today is
so important because damn, once it’s over it’s over. Apparently he was a family man and in great shape and no cause of death has yet been released. I was not the biggest
Metal Church fan but loved a few of their songs, in particular “Badlands,” “Fake
Healer,” and “Date with Poverty,” among others. I’m pretty sure I still own the
cassette of The Dark. Time to crank some Badlands
and remember Mike. RIP.
5 comments:
Nice. I've never managed to catch Cooper in concert--I'd love to see him (and Ace, too). Saw Priest a few years back and it was a great show. Them and Maiden are two of my ultimate favorites.
Great shows!
I really wanted to see Priest again but the ticket prices are out of my range. I guess everyone's raising prices to make up for the losses caused by the pandemic or something. We'll see how Maiden's are when the tour is announced...
Losing Howe hit me hard. 56 is too young and Metal Church are an excellent band.
I hate to admit it, but even after the past year and a half, I don't really miss going to shows. The only ones I have coming up are the two Legions of Metal fests in Chicago, one in October (Raven, High Spirits, Destructor) and one next May (Slough Feg, Fifth Angel, The Rods, Vain). And I'm mainly going just to vend!
Legions of Metal! Sounds awesome. Are you bringing some copies of Swords of Steel?
Andy: Unfortunately it is being reported as a suicide.
Oh yes, I always bring copies of Swords of Steel to the fest. I don't think they'd let me vend there if I didn't! Several of the bands from SOS have played in past years.
I'm sorry to hear about Mike Howe. I'm not a Metal Church fan, but it's a shame he decided to take his own life.
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