Breaking Benjamin, Five Finger Death Punch, Band Wolves and From Ashes To New

Breaking Benjamin

Five Finger Death Punch

Bad Wolves

From Ashes To New

Rock

Van Andel Arena

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Last Monday Breaking Benjamin, Five Finger Death Punch, Bad Wolves and From Ashes To New endeavored the weather to rock out a Van Andel Arena,

Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Before making it to the show I had many worries of

the day. Most important on my list was my maintenance work helping guide

and unload heavy equipment from a crane.

The next worry was the bad weather that Monday morning was very bad all
along the Lake Michigan shore and inland there were many school closings
around the area.  By the time I got out of work in the afternoon the roads were
clear from South Haven where live to Grand Rapids which was a big relief as
far as driving. As I made it to will call at Van Andel Arena I noticed the long
lines forming outside and down the block.

Guitar gods Invade 20 Monroe Live as Generation Axe

Guitar Gods Invade 20 Monroe Live

as the

Generation Axe Tour

November 20th five guitar gods/heroes invaded 20 Monroe live in Grand Rapids,
Michigan as the Generation Axe Tour.  On a Tuesday evening with a cold wind
blowing it was roughly mid 20’s waiting in line.  I didn’t expect that there would
be a long line but showed up early just in case and was surprised at the long
line that formed after I arrived there.  

5 Seconds of Summer With The Aces at the Allegan County Fair 9/7/18

5 Seconds Of Summer

With

The Aces

At

The Allegan County Fair

Today was adventure day for many concert goers including my daughter and I,
last Friday, September seventh at the Allegan County Fair.  We anxiously got
our concert clothes together to wear; I decided to wear black jeans, a Metallica
bandana, and a My Chemical Romance shirt because both bands made
masterpieces of music.  My daughter decided to wear jeans with a rose flower
shirt that Luke Hemmings pointed to while singing “Want You Back” later during
the show.  

You may wonder why a metal magazine would go to the show we picked.  
5 Seconds Of Summer touch on many genres of music.  We enjoyed their
performance in the past of “American Idiot” by Green Day, they really rocked it.
We had high hopes of getting press so we could score an interview but we did
not get it, but we made the best of it with cell phone and point and clicks on
hand.  My assistant/daughter is a music performance (violin) major/graduate
from Lake Michigan College and she really enjoys the quality of music the
band performs and is head over heels for Ashton Irwin.

Taylor Swift’s Reputation Stadium Tour

With

Camila Cabello

Charli XCX

At

Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

On Friday June first, Soldier Field was host to the Taylor Swift’s Reputation
Tour along with Camila Cabello and Charli XCX.  It was sunny in the low 60’s
and breezy in the windy city of Chicago but the warm atmosphere inside the
stadium made up for it all.  Children and adults were full of smiles with
excitement in their eyes in anticipation for the start of the show.

The stadium was packed full of people from all walks of life, with one thing in
common... the love of the music that Taylor Swift, Charli XCX and
Camila Cabello perform.   Each person I saw may love more than one genre of
music and are the same as my daughter and I.  My daughter Kayla was the
photographer for the evening as I soaked up the vibes of the people around me.

Avenged Sevenfold

Breaking Benjamin

Bullet For My Valentine

At

Van Andel Arena

Grand Rapids, Michigan

This past Sunday, January 14th, people braved the frigid single digit wind chills while waiting in line at Van Andel Arena anxiously awaiting entry to see Avenged Sevenfold, Breaking Benjamin and Bullet For My Valentine.  Van Andel Arena security was very helpful and friendly to patrons entering to see the show.  My assistant and I exchanged concert stories with some of the security while waiting for press.

While we were waiting, one song came to mind that I wanted to experience live was “So Far Away” by Avenged Sevenfold.  The reason is that this song was dedicated to Jimmy “The Rev.” Sullivan.  This song is one of two that inspired me to start a musicians memorial song called “Here’s To The Fallen But Not Forgotten.”