I wanna have your ache and beat you too

Watching USTREAM "May Day" protests on mute while jamming to Born Villain.

The bass lines in this album are HEAVY!

SRSLY, what is the point of walking in the streets and "mic checking"?

exist†trace USA TOUR 2012: pt:2 (NYC)

While I was in Seattle last weekend I mentioned to Maria how I was feeling homesick and that I couldn't wait to get back to work. Now it's Friday and I so want to board a plane or put a rental car in cruise control and get the hell outta dodge.

___________________________

So back to exist trace, that first night Maria managed to land two picks. The first one was an easy catch but the second one was kinda a funny story. It was from Naoto. She threw it in the air but somehow it didn't leave the stage but ended up back in the middle of the stage. Hungry eyes kept watch of the pick until the band lef

t for their encore. There was no barricade but a stage monitor was blocking the chicks next to Maria so as soon as the band exited she made her move for that pick. Score. Also during the encore, Jyou got down and patted my head. I see the reasoning behind this is because I wasn't try to grab on her like a hyena when the band would get in our faces.

Good boy.

After the dust settled we left and picked up some of the best mediocre pizza I’ve ever had. Usually after a show just about any food or drink tastes like Heaven to me but this pizza was honestly ‘meh’.

Back to the Best Western

Next day we get up early to make it to our 9:00AM Statue of Liberty ferry ride. I panicked when we got to the line around 9:10 thinking we wouldn’t be allowed on and shit, but I was just uninformed on how crazy the lines were to this shit. Luckily I had purchased the tickets before the trip and got to skip the common man’s line and proceed right inside the security tent. It’s all about that VIP baby.

Everything is UNDER CONSTRUCTION/RENOVATIONS in America these days. It has to be some tax evasion scheme.

From afar looking at the Statue I didn’t see what the big deal was but once I was as close as I could get to her it was awe inspiring. I was amazed by how massive it was. Someday I need to go check out Mount Rushmore.

Ellis Island was a snore-fest for me.

Except for when I found my family recorded on The American Immigrant Wall of Honor*

* = I don’t care my grandma says I was wrong about this and that my family actually came from Mexico in the late 1800’s.

What does she know?!

Cool Liberty merch.

Finished with the Statue tour, we picked up something to drink from one of those push cart vendors. Pretty awesome greedy ass squirrel kept running up to the seller and begging him for peanuts which the guy gave the squirrel. What a nice guy. He knew what he was doing though, putting on a show for the walkerbys. Easy money.

Hop in the car and drive to the parking garage outside Time Square but right next to Nintendo World. I was surprised by the volume of drivers.

When we made it to NW, we were struck by how small the place actually was. I was afraid to touch any of the DS’s they had available for demoing games on for the abundance of germs those handhelds must have been ripe with.

Maria just had to have this huge ass Bowser(her fav. Mario character)

Picked up some shirts and a couple of mugs.  

Next was suppose to be our jog to Central Park to hang out with the NY yuppies at the Apple Store and check out FAO but our fucking feet were giving out on us so we headed to the closest destination which happened to be the Hershey Candy Store. Kinda sad that I missed out on the romantic carriage ride with Maria.......and Orlando. Maybe next time.

So yeah, back to the Hershey business....

As soon as we entered the store a lady handed us some Hershey Drops like they were the hottest next/current thing to hit the market. THAT SHIT SUCKED. Hershey w/ almonds anyday. After like five minutes scoping out the place realizing we aint buying shit we seemed to have lost Orlando. I give him a  call and it turns out he’s hanging out with the LATEST AND GREATEST next rap sensation outside. These posers had tried hustling me earlier, putting their blank CD in my hand demanding a donation. Suck it. I wonder how much they can squirm out of a tourist's pocket on any given day. Reminds me of some scumbag at some random Dir concert selling me a “supposed” used drum head from Shinya’s kit. Where the fuck is that thing now???

After we rescued Orlando we made it to M&M World. This place has playing loud ass dance music. It felt like a nightclub  and had three goddamn levels of chocolate goodness. I just loved all the architecture the place was packing. We scored some M&M’s(go figure) and Maria’s favorite article of clothing [SOCKS] and left.

Then we made it to the blocked off area of Time Square and the shit got real. Real packed. There was this huge ass line for something. WHAT WAS THAT LINE FOR?!?! Saw some Marriot and we here guessing how much a night would be there. After some later research later iit was like $300-$600 for a reasonable room at a night's rate. I’ll stay at my $100 Best Western next to the graveyard anytime.

So yeah, finally made it to the Disney Store. It’s like any other damn Disney Store out there, just with NYC marked merch. Picked up a lovely Statue of Liberty Minnie Mouse.

Settled into a McDonald’s. I was thinking that this place would be priced like one of the Smithsonian's in DC but no, it was priced just fine. Scored some seats on the upper level and enjoyed the time off our feet.

Scraping our plans to check out Ripley’s, we headed back the car but was ambushed by Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny wearing the worst hand me down costumes ever.

NEW YORK CITY!!

When we made it back to the garage we fucking realized we forgot the coupon and had to pay a heavy ass price. Of course I still tipped the driver making it even a bigger bill. FUCK!

On top of that we pay a toll to leave the city. Just unbelievable the balls they have to take money from you as you LEAVE.

Make it back to the jacuzzi suite and I proceed to take a two hour soak in a place countless others have done the deed in prior. Just send shivers up your spine, doesn't it?

I can’t even remember if we had dinner that night or just ate our left over McDonald’s/Pizza with someone’s torn apron in it.

Woke up the next day and made the short drive to Philly.

TRAFFIC TRAFFIC TRAFFIC

NEXT

exist†trace USA TOUR 2012: pt:1 (DRIVE/NYC)

Sad Note

Me, Maria, and trusty but sometimes creepy Orlando left for New York at 5:15 AM Saturday morning and were headed down the traffic-way when we saw the flashing lights of two cop cars before the on-ramp to I-35N. Had to maneuver around the scene and go through the west side to get to Broadway....what the fuck ever, anyways I remember seeing the motorcycle on its side and the guy like 30 feet from it on his back lying in the grass. He had a helmet on and I saw one cop standing above him. I thought he was talking to the rider but I guess that wasn't the case because I finally search for an article about the incident and found out he had died in that accident. Fucking horrible feeling as I now recall hearing the ambulance sirens racing to the scene in vain. 

--------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------

------------

...so seeing exist trace had been my first plan when I heard they were appearing at Tekkoshocon back in December but that got all derailed when Dir en grey announced they were coming back to the states soon after. 

Once that situation went where it went, the exist trace road trip was green-lit again. By the way, I'm outta $40 from a wasted ticket. *shakes fist*

TOLL TROLLS

Everything was fine and dandy driving until we hit Pennsylvania. Then it was a TOLLS TOLLS TOLLS TOLLS. 

The money allocated to tolls and parking were astronomical.

I pussed out around Harrisburg  PA and used a coupon for a Red Roof Inn outta a catalog from a State Welcome Center. Bam, $49.99! Stayed next to a caravan of motocross enthusiasts getting hammered. 

o.O 

Recharged, we continued the three hour journey left to reach NY.

Awesome police escort.

Calvary Cemetery across from the hotel.

 This place had Jacuzzi tubs in each room. I didn't care about germs, I used the fuck out of that amenity.

Yeah, I could have saved some serious coin if I used the subway but I wanted to see what all the fuss was about driving in NYC. And yes, it's a bitch getting in but once you're in Manhattan it's pretty much easy sailing.   Just don't stop in a crosswalk and make sure you hit the gas as soon as your light turns green. Pretty fucking simple.

Headed to the show. Found someone waiting in front of the lobby. Thought it was the line but we had to walk around the block. The Hiro Ballroom has a pretty neat sliding door that you'd totally walk by never knowing it was actually the entrance to a club.

THOSE SHOES

Yep, I'm in the right place.

Had a couple of hours to kill so decided to find a thrift store to rummage through. The Salvation Army was fucking closed. Go figure...on a Sunday.

On the way to the GOODWILL me and Maria happen upon a flea market thing in a warehouse. Pretty-awesome junk that was 3x the price it should have been.

So yeah, that GOODWILL was not your typical GOODWILL in Lamesville USA. This place had been tricked out (I hate to use this word)hipster-style. There was this guy in there wearing slacks and a dress shirt. All professional and shit but I swear he had Tourettes or something. He'd be browsing the pants and he'd start blurting these FUCKS/FUCKING/FUCKERS/MOTHERFUCKERS with a nervous twitch. We hurried the hell outta there. 

Back in line.

Door opens

The two openers fly by quick.

The COUNTDOWN

I kicked myself for missing their Sakura-Con appearance last year but I would have kicked myself much harder if I was in another state missing this shit.

Craving this performance since 2008 and the wait was.............

TOTALLY FUCKING WORTH IT.

------------------------

Balls tired. 

More later.

I don't know which me that I love.

exist+trace is on their way!

I like when others take pictures before they board a flight.

--------------------------------------------

I'm weak, seven days, I'm weak.

Uh, what happened to 12012?!

someone must have called them out hard for covering GLAY last year.

----------------------------------------------------------------

...see you soon.

You've got to be kidding me.

Friday night ramble

Watching this shirtless male speed-run Yoshi Island at 1:30 AM while I jam to Van Halen's newly recycled jams through my headphones.

Stay frosty!

Mark's new scarification.

Fragile cherry waves crash against the flesh of man.

THE WAVES SUCK YOU IN AND YOU DROWN

AND THE SEA WILL COME TO KISS ME

You might as well kill yourself...

Soundwave 2012 is being headlined like it's 1999.

Got all my the hits that were blaring from my CD player back then...

System of a Down

Slipknot

Marilyn Manson

Bush

Limp Bizkit 

(don't look at me like that. you know Re-arranged got you hot n' bothered)

I found this gem while dicking around youtube today. Holy shit, it's 7th Heaven. I used to pay big bucks for import Manson CD's there. Stuck is the shit.

You wanna play that game bitch!

Staind

Kittie

and

Coal Motherfuckin Chamber

1st show since 2002 :')

happy tears

Manson took the NIN route and said 'fuck a keyboardist' and relied on their new touring drummer to handle the PLAY button.

New album doesn't drop till May so no new songs so far after two dates. It's also the 15th anniversary of Antichrist Superstar so he's playing the fuck outta those songs. Someone snapped a shot of a rehearsal set list and under the TBD part they had Irresponsible Hate Anthem and Angel with the Scabbed Wings. Dude, they haven't played Scabbed Wings since 1997! God I need to hear this.

Sounds good.

Bought the tickets for the the show in May at the Uptown this morning.

Oh happy days

Naka-Kon 2012 + future destinations

Naka-Kon

[Fullmetal Alchemist's Ron(Jeremy) Elric]

He kept rambling about New Jersey and being a Guido and something about somethingsomething-con '11. I lost him after registration. :(

First time I heard about this convention was way back in '07 from a co-worker who said it was being held at some hotel out by the airport. He went and reported to me later the good times he had. 

Flash forward some years and locations.....and this thing has fucking grown something crazy! The Blob style.

They started adding imported music acts last year, I think, and this year they brought in Blood Stain Child to bring down Exhibit Hall A. When I heard that news, I was in.

Of course Maria always wanted to hit up the Dealer's Room for the off chance of there being a Sailor Moon treasure trove to be discovered. 

[Chibi Sailor Moon]

Couldn't make it 5 feet down this massive hall without stopping and posing for photos. Maria ate it up. :)

I couldn't make sense of where things were. The place was badly labeled. From my knowledge there was only the registration area, the dealer's room, and the hall for the concert. Where was the other shit happening at?

Anyways, once inside the BUY BUY BUY room I noticed the Pocky and knew there had to be melon soda as well. I <3 the melon soda. Saw some and scored a couple of bottles. I was done shopping. Snaked around the room booth by booth picking up small and unnecessary shit here and there. I actually admired the "artist alley" part better than everyone else's typical shit. There's heart in that.

So at the "no-shit" last motherfucking booth I see a lot of Sailor-Moon-obviously-Japanese-vintage-merch.  I swear I could hear my wallet start to wimper. Maria immediately  goes to work. At one point she actually lifts up her Sailor Moon head and tells the lady at the booth, "This is getting serious." 

Highlights

 [Face-plate to some arcade game machine] 

[Sweet ass rug]

EXIT

Take shit to the car and change gear in preparation for the conocert

While waiting for the event to start I notice this weird shit out the corner of my eye.

[Wait....that can't be what I think it is.]

[Holy shit balls, it's Tuxedo Boo!!]

This guy blew away everything there that night.

Blood Stain Child

Stage had a walkway that screamed rock n roll. Turns out their keyboardist had something come up and wasn't going to be there. So a touch-pad replaced him that night operated by Ryu, the every Japanese band's slightly feminine member. Good times. Lots of back and forth with the audience. Especially when G.S.R somehow knocked over his guitar amp head and they needed to kill some time while that problem was dealt with. 

I thought they'd just play the shit out of their last album but the actually played some older shit. I don't know if I really dig this new singer though. Long live death vocals.

Once it ended it was time to line up for an autograph. Some of Sophia's fake ass hair dye dripped on my poster. She must have a 9-5 job back home. ;)

EXIT

Wendy's

fin

=================================

exist trace USA Tour 2012

I don't think I've had so many things planned then cancelled in my life before.

Back in December I heard exist trace would be at Tekkoshocon in March part of a 4 city tour. I was on board that train. At least the convention part.

Then it was soon after the glow from AGE QUOD AGIS started disappearing, word come that Dir en grey were going to part of some English metalcore American tour. Sorry, exist trace. Texas looked pretty fucking good. It had like 5 cities or more alone. 

Then came more word of a solo appearance in Florida. Sorry, Rick Perry. 

This was actually coming together beautifully. Show, Disney World, Show, the exist trace show at the anime convention made it back on my list of things to see. No hard feelings, right ladies?  

Then shit hit the fan when I got refunded for the concert in Florida.

Kinda funny and sad to see the speculation on Dir en grey facebook's page. People actually thought the band has all butthurt after some comment an Asking Alexandria member made in an interview. Who do these fucking people think Dir en grey are?

So then my original plan became the final plan. Come hell or high water.

NY > Philly > D.C. redux > Tekkoshocon

===================================================

Marilyn Manson announced his US Tour dates on Valentine's Day. 

What a sweetheart <3

May 16th Uptown Theatre

Fuck yeah, bitches!

DO NOT WANT / X-FILES

Ever asked yourself, "Self, wouldn't you like to drink the water from your potted begonia?"

Why go through the hassle of straining when you can pick up some blk.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I think it's time for someone to update Dir en grey Official's facebook profile pic. 

======================================

EP †† - Available Now

Marilyn Manson, how should I feel about this?

Kaya - Vampire Requiem

Vampire Requiem

Close your eyes and imagine you are looking out a window from inside a castle. Watching the breaking waves shimmer in moonlight. Turn around...and now...dance. YOU ARE GAY.

Dash of Spanish guitar at the end. Spicy.

Curse of Rose

2 minutes in: Kaya pipes out those vocals. So strong. Hypnotic. Fall in love right there.

HIZAKI-style guitar enters full swing around the 3 minute mark. Sounds almost D like.

Haven't heard so much humming in a song since the days of Crash Test Dummies.

DAMN!

Another light goes out...

Monday, mid-morning, the lights flicker in my office....then everything goes dark. The droning sounds of fail safes pound my ears.

The generator refuses to automatically kick on. Pitch black and silent...The lack of registers beeping at every item being sold. The absence of easy-listening non-top 40 hits playing above shoppers' heads to keep them from concentrating on how their favorite food is now $.15 higher than the previous week and is now missing 4oz. as well. One by one cell phone screens come alive to break darkness.

Is this a concert?

--------------------------------------------

2 Hours Before

I walk towards the back-dock and pass the seafood counter when I notice that Joe is not prepping the department for the onslaught of the day's sales. He's not here but his helper that isn't suppose to be here on Monday is. Something's not right.
He gets my attention.
"Did you hear about Joe Estrada's wife?"
.
.
.

FUCK

Wife of over 20 years had lost her two year battle with cancer.

I had listened for the past couple of years of what he was doing to treat his wife. Trips to some clinic in Minnesota and some new laser treatment here. The tumors had gone away for half a year but just three months ago they showed back up in her brain and heart. Her doctors told him there was nothing else they could do for her. He couldn't give up so he started trying some home-grown shit. He bought a juicer and some expensive and I do mean expensive water purifier/electrolysis device.
The last thing I can remember him telling me last week when he brought me a cup of this water.


"I can replace money, I can't replace my wife."
"You're going to see a miracle."
"God has guided me to all the right people."


I couldn't show it, but this fucked me all up hearing him say this.

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!@#%$$@#$

Bill Maher 03 - Leechers 00