Summerfest 2012

Summerfest 2012

Just when I think I’m getting too old for this…I go and see 20+ bands over 7 days.  By my recollection, that could be the most I’ve seen in a long time, of not ever.  But enough of the chatter, let’s get to the rankings:

21. Ken Saydak Band – A blues band.  I’m sure they were very good, if you’re into blues, but this did nothing for me.

20. Animation – A Tribute to Rush – This was a cover band.  Only about half way through it, when I leaned over to Dennis B. and asked “are they only playing Styx cover songs?” did I realize that they were actually playing Rush cover songs.  Perhaps, had I known the band name…Which sent Dennis into a fit of laughter.  At least I was comfortable sitting on the benches with backs at the new BMO stage.

19. Moxy Roxx – Some unknown band that’s been around for a while.  They opened for Scorpions and were totally forgettable.

18. Ducky and the Vintage – Some band.  Played some songs.

17. Your Villain My Hero – This is the third year we’ve seen this band.  They play cover songs of Pop 20 for the last 5-10 years, with mostly newer songs.  Every year we see them, they get progressively less memorable.  Pam loves ‘em.  I don’t need to see them again.

16. Ours – Some band.  Played some songs.  Had a lead singer that sounded like a girl.  Me no likey.

15.  Wheelie Bar – Some band.  They were very non-memorable until their finale…where they sang about…MotherF$#king pizza tonight!  Yes.  A whole song about pizza.

14.  Chevelle – What?  Chevelle, a one-time #1 SF band falls to 16?  Well, I did just catch the finale of their show.  They played a slowed down version of Red (which is tough to do given how slow it already was) and finished with Face to the Floor.  Sandwiched in between was Comfortable Liar.  They still rock that song.  I love that they still play it.  Enough that they beat out 6 other bands with only 3 songs.

13. Fun. – More like Fun-not.  This show reminded me of watching someone sing show tunes for an hour.  They had a big crowd full of kids, and on their popular song the entire place exploded into song.  Kind of cool to see that many people singing along.  However, not so cool to sit through the rest of it.

12.  Silversun Pickups – They opened for Foo Fighters, and we actually showed up late.  I don’t remember any of their songs other than Lazy Eye…and they cut that short.  It didn’t help that we were waaaaaaaaaaaay back.

11.  Fools for Rowan – Ugh.  This band had some terrible sound.  I guess that’s what you get when you set everything up yourselves.  Get some Rhode’s to help you with sound checks!  Besides a couple of cute chicks, there was nothing else to note about this band.

10.  The Heroes Lie – This band was a Mike special.  They were okay.  Just a rock band.

9.  Dory Drive – I actually liked this band.  I didn’t know any songs, but they had quite the crowd show up, and sounded pretty decent.  I might be inclined to check them out at future SFs.

So, those were the “other” bands I saw at SF.  I saw them, so I ranked them.  The next eight were really the cream of the crop this year.  Every band I saw at the 10:00 time slot was awesome this year (except Fun-Not).  Two other non-headliners snuck into this group as well. 

8. Atmosphere – This band played at 6:30 on the Miller Lite stage.  They are a hip-hop/rap group.  For a 6:30 show, they were packed like a main headliner.  There were more people at this show than many other headliners I’ve been to.  They had a good sound to them…a change from the usual rock I listen to.  I’d go check them out again, but probably would not fight for a good spot.  Sitting back by the beer tent was just fine.

7. Art of Dying – I’ve seen them before, and was impressed.  So, I was expecting good things.  They put on a good show.  They may be the ugliest band out there, but they play well.  Top that all off with one of their groupies being off stage and flashing her ta-tas at the band, and you’re going to be ranked high.  Best song:  Get Through This.

6. Scorpions – I saw them two year ago when they came.  Mike’s brother was here, so we went to check them out again.  They were at the new BMO stage (which is a pretty awesome stage).  They played mostly the same songs, but the sound was so much better.  The drum solo sounded better, and was a bit shorter.  They still put on a pretty dam good show.  I probably won’t see them again, but I enjoyed them.  Best song:  No One Like You (really, take your pick…they’ve got a bunch of them)

Top 5!  I could easily interchange any on of these bands.  They were all absolutely awesome shows.  So, because I rank one higher than another doesn’t mean the show was bad.  I just have to rank them…

5. Adelita’s Way – This is a relatively new band to my listening.  I’ve heard them on Octane (Sirius radio), and started listening to them before they were announced at SF. (I give Pammy Paper credit for pushing them)  They had a world of difference in their stage presence and energy, when you compare to non-headliners.  The one downfall, was that I didn’t know their songs very well.  The sound was also a bit distorted.  We did get the fourth row, which was awesome.  I would definitely see them again.  Best Song:  Invincible.

4. Foo Fighters – My first show I’ve paid for at the Amphitheater for SF.  We were a bit far out, so the sound was a bit quiet.  However, they rocked.  That band put so much effort into every song, it was crazy. They played every song like it was their last one of the set.  They did play some effed up covers towards the end, but they played so long, that didn’t really bother me.  Best song:  One of These Days

3.  Hollywood Undead – We saw them last year, and they were awesome.  They delivered again this year.  They played some new songs (and some old songs).  They had some new band members.  While the sound was again off on one of the mics, they kicked butt.  It’s basically a group of guys just jumping around stage singing and rapping.  They did get a new lead singer on the high parts, and he was really good.  The crowd (all pre-teens) was also rocking.  If you looked back, all you saw was kids dancing and arms waving.  Perhaps the best crowd atmosphere of any of the shows we saw.  Best song:  No. 5 (nothing like hearing a crowd of pre-teens screaming “F^%$ ya bro, that p$#@y was bomb!”)

2.  Bush – I was torn here.  I think these last two bands were so good, I wanted to rank them both first.  I saw Bush last year at the Eagle’s Ballroom, so I figured I knew what we’d get.  They surprised me in that they played new songs they didn’t play last time…and they were all great.  They had the second best stage show, with lots of lights and smoke, and Gavin was all over and in the crowd.  They played all their favorite songs, so I could sing along on most of them, and their encore was awesome.  I would/will see them again, as they are just a great band to see.  Best song:  Afterlife.

1.  Skillet – After some thought, how could I not rank them #1?  Arguably the best stage show I have ever seen by a band, let alone on a side stage.  They have fire shooting out, fireworks, raising platforms, rising drum set that also spins, tons of lighting…Best.  Stage show.  Ever.  Throw on top of that, they have some pretty kick ass songs, and this band will always be ranked high, if not #1 every year.  And, like last year, I give them props for talking about God.  Not only are they a Christian band, but they aren’t afraid to say it in front of a packed audience…and the crowd went nuts cheering about it too!  They will remain a must see band every time they come.  Best Song:  Rebirthing.

Other Fest notes:

1. Frolf was brought out on the last Sunday for two games only.
2. Instead of Frolf, this year’s activity was…Build a treehouse!  With all the time off, the treehouse went from crazy idea to reality.  Thanks to those that helpd.
3. Toppers was the post-fest food of choice.
4. Rock band made a small appearance…Joan of Arre screwed that one up.
5. Speaking of rock band…nothing like having a cop show up at 2:30 am to tell you that the neighbors are complaining about noise.  I bet the last thing that cop thought she’d see was a 36 year old answering the door with a toy guitar strapped on.

Until next year!

Summerfest 2011

Summerfest 2011. At first look, the lineup was a disappointment. I picked out 5 days, with a possibility of 6. Mike Barylski, King of Summerfest, fell short of a double gautlet by one day...doh! I tried something new this year...the Walkabout. Twice. Both Walkabouts turned out pretty good. Walkabout #1 just took us past a few stages to see Styx. This crowd was huge, but we showed up just in time for Come Sail Away...even the Amphitheater crowd lined up to sing along and watch. Walkabout #2 saw Pam and I catch up with Mike (who went walkabout earlier) to see Dashboard Confessional (Vindicated) and Bodeans (Don't Pass Me Over). Add in catching the Meat Puppet (Backwater), and I have a new appreciation for the Walkabout. However, timing is everything with these (I recommend setlist.fm),and showing up too late or early could ruin the whole experience.

But, I don't attend Summerfest in the hope of nailing a perfect Walkabout. I'm there to see certain bands...so on to the real deal, and the bands I saw. Contrary to prior years, I am ranking some bands that I did not see 100% of their show...the reason will be obvious. Only 13 bands this year...

13. Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - We saw them 2 year ago, and they put on a pretty bad set. But being teh nice people we are, we decided to give them another shot. FAIL. This band is absolutely horrible live! Their lead singer can't sing. They have no stage presence. They are informative however, and we knew that they were going to play some new stuff and some old stuff. This was the first time I've ever left a stage in the middle of a set. It actually felt good to not have to sit through that crap. This lead to Walkabout #1 noted above. The next time I see this band, they will have a new lead singer.

12. Ocean Grove - I'm not even sure if I saw this band. I think we were there, but anyway, they couldn't have been worse than RJA.

11. Civil Twilight - Okay. So I didn't really see this band either. I was talking to Troy most of the this show off to the side. They were still better than RJA.

10. Shinobi Ninja - This was the 6:00 band before Flatfoot 56/Rise Against. It started out with a DJ just mixing records and playing crap. Then a full band came out and played. It was alright.

9. Dirge Within - This band was a 6:30 show. They were your typical hard rock/metal band. A lot of words nobody understands. Okay band to listen to while waiting for Ten Years and Hollywood Undead.

8. Buckcherry - Well, I didn't really want to see this band in the first place. Not really familiar with their stuff...knew a few songs, but I think they only played 2 songs I knew in their setlist. I stayed long enough to hear Lit Up. Then I couldn't take the anorexi singer's shirtless, tattooed torso, with his pants threatening to fall down and release his man junk all over. Top that off with the annoying whiny high pitched voice, and I didn't need to see anymore. Oh, they tried to really put on a good show, with ramp and stairs and some lights...but it wasn't working for me. I don't plan on seeing these guys again, as I now cannot listem ot them witouth being annoyed by the lead singer's voice. Another show that I left early, which led to a very successful Walkbout #2.

7. Of Verona - This was the band with the chick lead singer that looked like Avril Lavigne. They had a bit of a different sound with some keyboard and a new instrument to debut at summerfest...the laptop! Yes, I think the keyboard guy was playing the computer at one point. I did really like their sound.

6. REO Speedwagon - The wif dragged me to this one. Okay, I volunteered to go with her. It was a decent show. They are known for their ballads and sing along songs, and they played them well. I didn't realize that their guitarist really jammed out on almost every song. The singer got a bit long-winded with tlaking in the middel of the show..."You know, when times are tough, we just have to stick together and ride the storm out..."

5. Flatfoot 56 - A band featuring bag pipes, a ukulele, and a lot of stomping around the stage. To hear a metal band using bagpipes was quite unique...the the first few songs. I definitely liked their sound and they rocked, but they also got a little repetitive. The songs started to blend a littel. Add to that a rowdy crowd that was tossing water bottles, soda bottles, and beer all over, and I lost a little of this band's show. Still good enough to be top 5.

4. Saving Abel - Opening night. Excitement high. Saving Abel put on another pretty good show. They were rocking out with their souther style rock. I like that it's a different sound than most rock bands. The one problem...they played God's Eyes accoustically! Idiots! That song was my favorite and they mucked it up with some accoustic guitars. The rest of the show was pretty good.

3. Ten Years - An 8:00 show. I was really looking forward to them. I thought they really put on a good show. It was a little bit of a downer that the kids seemed to be there for Hollywood Undead, so the crowd wasn't into it very much. However, I liked their set. They played most of the songs I like. They're a little more mellow than the typical rock band, but they still bring a good sound. I'd like to see them when they play with a better crowd ro a better fit for who they open for.

2. Rise Against - I think I've now seen these guys 3 times. They've never disappointed and have always kicked some ass. They really know how to rock it and get the crowd going. So, why weren't they #1? Well, they did play Swing Life Away, but they played it a bit slow. Also, they did seem to have the guitars amped up a bit too much, drowning out the lead singer a bit. If I hadn't know the words to the songs, I wouldn't have known what he was singing on all the songs. They still rocked. I still love the band. I will see them again.

1. Hollywood Undead - Attack! Attack! (or so a brother thought). I was most looking forward to this band this year. Prefest ranked #1 by many people. They came out, masks on, wigger attire, and just rocked. Well, maybe rocked isn't quite right, since they are a rap/rock mix. I think this may be the most I've ever seen a Summerfest crowd into the band. Everyone's hands were in the air, singing along and having a good time, from the front all the way to the back, and even in the bleachers. They seem to have a perfect blend or rap/hip hop and rock. They don't actually do much musically, but having 7 white guys jumping around on stage just seems to work. Not only was this the best show of the year, but I get to see them again this Saturday...from a bit further back.

Other notables:
Recall from 2010 SF:
1. Last year I set an over/under on number of Chad days at SF at 2.5. If you took the over, you win! I think he was there for 3. I set next year's over/under at 3.
2. Last year I set the over/under on beers a brother would have at 132. I'm pretty sure the over wins. I can't set a number for next year...

Notes from this year:
1. Frolf record was set day 1 by Mike/Mark at -7, and was never really challgenge the rest of the time. Team frolf was tried, but lost a bit of its luster to a Nonchalant Chad.
2. No underagers served. Brother was approached, but refused, because, who buy beers for a dude?
3. Over/under on Walkabouts next year is at 1.
4. I'm getting old. After 3 days in a row and 4 out of 5, I needed some time off. Of course the Rhode's made a combined total of 7 round trips to the parents' houses to drop off the kids. We'll plan better next year.


Until next year, when we can all rock out again.

Signed,

Charlie Scene (on your girlfriend's...)

Summerfest 2010.

First off, we must all stand and applaud one, Mr. Mike Barylski. He accomplished what many have set out to do, but none have ever accomplished. From a few short years ago, when a Chad and I took Mike under our wing and introduced him to Summerfest...a Summerfest that would only see Mike attend one night. Over the years, Mike has attended more and more nights of Summerfest. Until finally, after being directly challenged, Mike made the boldest Summerfest prediction ever. He would run the gauntlet and attend all 11 nights! Madness! some said. It can't be done! said others. Well, 11 days, more than 70 hours, and countless beers later; Mike has proven the naysayers wrong. Well played Mike, well played.

Meanwhile, as Mike's attendance has risen, Chad's attendance has dropped off a cliff. Blame marriage. Blame old age. Whatever. Chad was once the master of SF...now Mike is the master.

Anyway, on to the good stuff. I'm ranking 18 bands...which encompasses every band I saw. I am not ranking incomplete sets from Saliva and a few other early shows. All bands ranked were seen 100%. (besides bathroom breaks) I was once again reminded that how good a show is depends on how close you are. So, let's go...

Crappy Group
#18 Johnny Wad: Cover band. Really, really bad.

#17 Barbeez: Cover band. Meh.

#16 London Soul: Fill in band for 12 Stones at the 6:30 slot on the first Saturday. Not a very good band at all. They only played because 12 Stones cancelled, and didn't really belong on the Cool TV stage.

#15 Niki Barr Band: We saw this band a couple years ago when they opened for Paramore. I didn’t remember this until the lead singer told us. This band was less than memorable, except for the fact that their mic was lost for a whole song, and the dumb chic couldn’t figure out to just grab one of the backup vocal mics.

Just slightly better than bad

#14 Some Hear Explosions: 6:30 band opening for Papa Roach. This was an odd band in that they had a drummer, a guitarist and a lead singer. No bass. Their music wasn’t really anything worth noting. If not for the chic lead singer, this band wouldn’t even be worth noting for more than two sentences.

#13 Cinder Road: 6:30 band opening for Chevelle. Just another rock band.

#12 Terrible Things: Opened for The Offspring. This was a mix of Taking Back Sunday, and some other band. They just didn’t do it for me. They played a really short set, which may have been a good thing.

#11 Last Vegas: Mike billed these guys as the “must see” band of 2010. Silly Mike. This band came straight out of the 80’s hair band genre. There’s a reason that style of music faded. Only the bands around in the time should be allowed to play that type of music.

#10 New Medicine: Opener for Hawthorne Heights. Just another rock band.

Okay, but not awesome

#9 Pepper: Never heard of this band. They were the opener for 311, and had a bit of their sound…but I’d classify them as reggae/rock/rap. They came out in just swimsuits and goggles. They had a lot of energy and kept the crowd involved. Played a lot of good songs, some of them with sexual themes. Good band. I’d see them again if they were at SF.

#8 311: Going into this one, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I like their popular songs, but I didn’t know anything else. They did play most of their popular ones, and I liked a few of their other songs too. However, this was just a bad show. They did the typical solos…the drum solo was okay, since they all got out there and banged away. The guitar solo nearly put me to sleep, and who the hell has a bass solo? This was the first show in a long time that I was hoping it would end soon…but they play for almost 2 hours! I wanted to see 311, and now I know I don’t have to see them again.

Now we're starting to rock

#7 Red: Red was ranked high in pre-fest rankings based on their previous performance. They did not disappoint. They once again rocked out. They upped their show a bit with some fog effects shooting out. Their drum solo was different than most, as he drummed out to rap songs by TuPac, Eminem, Snoop & Dr. Dre, and some Black Eyed Pees. They again finished the show with their patented guitar throws. Their one downfall was that they didn’t play very long, and didn’t even play their most recent release, Fight Inside.

#6 Chevelle: I’m not sure what it is, but Chevelle always sounds to me like they are slowing their songs down when they’re live. Don’t get me wrong, they put on a good show, but they just seem slower on some songs. With that said, they played a great set. Comfortable Liar and Forfeit made the list…love it when they play the non-released songs from Wonder What’s Next…even though the kids all around me had no idea what was going on. Every year, we wait for the bass to boom through us…and every year we are disappointed. Great band. Good show. (side note: a fight broke out next to us during the show. After the 3rd go-round, Mom, aka, Pam Rhode, jumped off the bench and ran the other way. I thought she was scared, but upon her return, she said, "I went to get security." Thanks mom!) ;-P

Top Rockers of 2010

#5 Hawthorne Heights: I went into this one thinking they could be this year’s flop, based on the fact that they didn’t have a screamer, and their new album was a bit wussy. Well, they came out and rocked the first song, screamer and all. NOT COMING BACK! Screamer performed well, even though they did cut some screaming out in Dissolve and Decay, and Ohio is for Lovers. They played some of their new stuff, which sounded good live. They didn’t have anything spectacular as part of the show, and the lead singer told us about 10 times to go and buy their new cd. (we get it dude.) Still, I loved the show, and they really rocked it out.

#4 Scorpions: After the debacle that was Judas Priest last year, I was a little concerned about the Scorps suckin’ it up. They came out with guitars blaring at an awefull pitch almost making my ears bleed. I got really nervous. Either my ears adjusted quickly, or they fixed the sound on the guitar, because the song got better about half way through. It was a new song, which nobody knew, but was pretty good. They continued their set, playing some known songs, and then went into the drum solo. I’m not even sure what to say here…perhaps, no, for sure, the strangest drum solo ever. Drums sky high in the air, with a video background going, it was supposed to be leading you through the drummer’s head, and various albums from the Scorpions history. Cool…but too long. They did finish the set strong with No One Like You, Winds of Change, and Rock You Like a Hurricane. Overall, I thought it was a good show.

#3 The Offspring: Last year they rocked SF. Best concert I’ve ever seen. After last year, I was expecting another awesome show. This year they were on a different stage (Harley). I don’t know if I had my sights set too high, or what, but this just wasn’t the same show. Actually, it was a completely different set order, with some different songs, but it just didn’t do it for me this year. It was still a good show. Good enough for #3, but not an awesome show. They didn’t have the background screen, and no Intermission. It was cool that they changed up the set list so that it wasn’t the exact same show as a year ago. I would have liked them to play more off their new album...only 2 songs?!?!

#2 Papa Roach: I have yet to listen to any cd of theirs. Yet, they put on one helluva show. They really get the crowd into it, and they have enough songs to go on based on radio play. Ask me specifics on the show, and why they rank so high, and I couldn’t tell you. I just know that they really rocked, and I was into the show. Could be that we were pretty close to the stage…doesn’t really matter why…I just thought they rocked it out.

A league of their own. I mean, let's face it, nobody came close this year, last year or any other year to this show. In fact, it will be hard to ever top this show, unless it's the same band, and I actually know some of their music.

#1 Skillet: How did we miss on this one? (oh, people will argue that they knew this would be a "good" show, but there is no way anybody knew they would put on this awesome of a show. Nobody.) A Christian rock band? I tried listening to them once, but didn’t hear anything I liked. Mike and I had even discussed just walking around SF, and not staying for them. The crowd gathered here was huge. Mike and I looked at each other and said, “we must be missing something.” Then they came out and they frickin’ rocked! I didn’t know any of their songs (except Monster), and I still loved them. They have a chick drummer (chick drummers are hot), a chick bassist/keyboard, a violinist and a cellist. The violin and cello actually make a huge difference in the sound, and they were great ways to lead into songs. Skillet was also the best stage show I’ve seen since...ever They had two platforms that raised up to the roof, where people stood and played, they had pyrotechnics going off, and even brought out extra pyros for their encore. Throw in an acoustic version of Enter Sandman and they put on quite the show. I definitely have to listen to their music again, and go see their show again. (I have to give them props for taking the usual political rants that bands do, and turning it into a "Jesus saved us all" message. You're a christian rock band, and you weren't afraid to let everyone know.)

Other notables:

1. Frolf was elevated to a new level with Joan of Arre keeping stats. I'm just not sure it was a good level.
2. I believe Mike and Joe tied for the course record of -4.
3. Mike's streak of serving underagers came to an end.
4. Rock band only appeared for 2 nights.
5. Only one campfire...at night. Plenty of burning going on during the days. Thanks to a brother for burning everything.
6. Over/Under on days Chad attends next year is at 2.5.
7. Over/Under on beers brother has next year is at 132.

That's all for this year's Summerfest. Thanks to all for making it a success.