Is it possible to top up a concert with My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost and Anathema? Most probably not!

This is the Irish song ...

More info about Dustin the Turkey

1. Amorphis - Silent Waters
2. Paradise Lost - In Requiem
3. Ajattara - Kalmanto
4. Finntroll - Ur Jordens Djup
5. Pain - Psalms of Extinction
6. Dark Tranquility - Fiction
7. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli
8. Samael - Solar Soul
9. Porcupine Tree - Fear of a blank planet
10. Battlelore - Evernight

This year it was very difficult to choose the best album of the year. It was a tough decision between the first 3 albums as all of them are great with very little to criticise. At the end I chose the Amorphis album because it's probably the easiest to listen to, and has the best cover art. The best music event of the year was Tuska, but then that's the first and only festival I've ever been so there was little competition there, even because there weren't loads of concerts in Dublin this year. The "revelations" this year were Pain and Ajattara. Even though they've been in existence for quite a while I only really listened to them this year.

The highlight of this weekend was the Therion concert. Therion came to Dublin with a 7 man stage (2 female sopranos Katarina Lilja and Lori Lewis, 2 vocalists, drummer, bassist, guitar player), which was probably the densest stage I’ve ever seen so far. All the members are great showmen/women, and each one has his/her own act, either inciting the crowd, being funny or being just a treat to eye and ears. The funniest member was the blond gothic freak Snowy Shaw (Notre Dame) who had his own subshow during the gig.

They started the show with Mitternacht Lowe the first song on Gothic Kabbalah. Most of the songs were from this album, since this was the album tour that’s more than understandable. There were some problems with the sound at a certain point, especially during one of my favourite songs Perennial Sophia. My favourite songs of the concert were “Rise of Sodom and Gomorrah” and “To Mega Therion”, which was the last song they played. After a lot of shouting for an encore, they came back and played a Manowar cover version. I didn’t recognise the song but since all Manowar songs are pretty much the same sing along structure it was easy to lalala and jump to it.

After the concert we stayed over drinking some beer, and all of a sudden I spotted the girls from the band buying beer. We met the rest of the band who were welcoming photos freely, and we even attempted to get some snaps with the phone. The results weren’t spectacular but at least I’ve got proof that I was there. I made the amateur mistake of not taking a pen with me so I didn’t get an autograph. Piihhhhhhh.

I vegetated for the rest of the weekend. I watched almost all the Rugby World Cup matches and wasn’t impressed in the least by Ireland playing Georgia. Ireland barely managed to win and had a bad time trying to overcome the strong determination of the ex Soviet nation. Meanwhile both New Zealand and France made a complete mess of their opponents Portugal and Namibia respectively. Probably the most balanced game of the weekend was Tonga against Samoa, the Pacific Islands derby. (Interesting note: Samoa > Tonga in size and population. Both Islands are bigger than the dot but have less population). Yesterday evening we went to the shopping centre and I couldn’t resist the lure of the sushi belt. Delicious sushi dinner, even though the sushi belt isn’t the cheapest way to eat sushi.

Not many songs are likely to catch my attention at 7am in the morning, let alone an atypical song (for me) like a good start. But then again maybe I'm more receptive earlier in the day.

Just in case Maria Taylor was a huge artist I never knew existed (something not unheard of from me) I did a quick google on her and found out that she's a relatively small artist from Nebraska. That suits me fine, I like exploring new artists even though I doubt that I'll continue listening much to her when I really wake up.

I found from semantic bits blog.

Maria Taylor's myspace

This this cool lastfm.com site tells you how mainstream the music you listen to is.

I'm currently 12.32% mainstream.

I've just uploaded the Tuska festival and Helsinki Pictures on my SmugMug account. Click on the images for the different galleries.

After 3 days of metal in Finland I almost regretted having brought the ticket, but it was too expensive to waste it. I was expecting Ozzy dressed in a long violet cloak wearing a golden crown and clenching the mike, with an oxygen tank and wheelchair on standby. But no, Ozzy came wearing his all black pajamas instead.

Luckily his Alzheimer's didn't mess the part of the brain that contains his lyrics, and he was sober enough to run around and throw buckets of water at the crowd. This was his 2nd preferred way of stirring a response apart from "I can't fucken hear you", shouted out like he's calling his bulldog Lola.

All this is minor detail that’s easily forgiven. This is Ozzy we’re talking about, so the fact that he’s alive and on stage is enough. Even though he might not have been performed the same way as his glorious days, it was great listening to the classics coming out the man himself. To my relief he played mostly old classics like Bark at the moon (the opening song), Mr. Crowley, Suicide solution, War pigs, I don't want to change the world, I don't know, Mamma I’m coming home and Crazy train. Then he ended the gig in the best possible way - playing paranoid.

I don't know whether I can claim that because Ozzy can still move on stage it means he put up a great show. What I can say however is, that I enjoyed it greatly.

Now that I cannot deny that my Eurovision addiction any longer I feel obliged to write my yearly few words on the event.

Like every year there was talk of bloc voting and neighbouring country favouritisms, but despite all this like every year the winner was unpredicted. The winners Serbia (download mp3)not only didn't have an interesting stage, appealing song or sexy singer, but their song was performed by what the Czech friend described as a "lesbian boy".

This year my votes went for Slovenia, Finland and Ukraine, in that order. Both Finish and Slovenian acts had a similar dark gothic touch, which explains why I liked them, but I guess that wasn't generally appreciated trait by the public this year. Ukraine (download mp3)with their fun and funny drag act managed the second place but the other two didn't even manage to make the top 10 to automatically qualify for next year.

My biggest disappointment wasn't even the fact that the dot didn't qualify for the finals but that my compatriots, with whom I categorically disassociate myself from, gave maximum points to the UK. The UK's song was the only song I couldn't stand watching and actually left my seat to prepare a drink in the kitchen. With the abysmal quality of the recent British songs I think they should be banned from entering the competition let alone automatically qualifying despite the result.

Ireland finished last receiving only 5 points from Albania. This is ironically exactly what happened last year to the dot with the difference that we received 1 point instead of 5. The UK should have been reserved this treatment this year. Having said this, I might add that the dot only got 15 points in the semi-final only managing the 25th place in the semis (position 39 out of 42).

1. Canaan - Senza una risposta
2. My Dying Bride - To remain tombless
3. Forsaken - Wretched of the earth
4. Opeth - The baying of the hounds
5. Draconian - The morningstar
6. In flames - Take this life
7. Opeth - The grand conjuration
8. Bloodbath - Cancer of the soul
9. Doors - People are strange
10. Clash - Should I stay or should I go
11. Satyricon - Black Lava
12. Moonspell - Memento mori
13. Enslaved - RUUN
14. Doors - Alabama song
15. Estradasphere - A corporate merger
16. In flames - Come Clarity
17. Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
18. I - The storm I ride
19. Slayer - Jihad
20. Death - Spirit Crusher

Best albums played this year

1. Opeth - Ghost Reveries (2005)
2. My Dying Bride - A line of deathless knights
3. Draconian - The Burning Halo
4. Satyricon - Volcano (2002)
5. Forsaken - Dominaeon (2005)
6. Nazca - Non grata (2003)
7. Canaan - The unsaid words (2005)
8. In flames - Come clarity
9. Dresden Dolls - Yes Virginia
10. Satyricon - Now, diabolical
11. Doors - The best of the doors
12. Enslaved - Ruun
13. Estradasphere - Palace of Mirrors
14. Moonspell - Memorial
15. I - Between two worlds

This concert was probably the least anticipated from the others lined up this month (Slayer with Children of Bodom and Inflames, and Opeth with Paradise Lost) but it did a good job into turning on my concert mood. The crowd at the sold out Olympia Theatre was varied with a fair share of screaming teenage girls, elder metal-heads and even some general public. I never expected to see mammas in the crowd, and I'm not talking about mammas like the one I saw this morning which could have made the playboy centrefold.

The first supporting band was Moth Complex which played some mainstream rock with decent enthusiasm. It wasn't that bad considering they're probably still are in the early years, hopefully they'll manage to get at least half the success of Lacuna Coil. The female vocalist was wearing a girlish pink skirt which was paled by the shocking pink jacket worn by the lady with the French barrette if front of me. She was the epitome of dress code stupidity. There's not much more to say about this band, [in fact you said nothing], but I appreciated the effort they put in and I'd fancy supporting the Irish Scene.

Poison Black a Finnish Gothic band had to be the second supporting band but didn't make it because of some sort of accident, so after Moth Complex, the stage was prepared for the main act and the curtains drawn closed. At 9.00 my built up curiosity wasn't satisfied because there was nothing to hide except the formation of masked musicians that kicked off the concert. After the intro Cristina and Andrea came rushing in, both dressed in punkish white shirts and black ties. Initially I was a bit disappointed that Cristina wasn't wearing one of her sexy gothic outfits but she was forgiven soon after. All the other musicians were wearing the same matching clothes; black pinstriped shirts and black trousers. This matching attire and the formation on the stage with the drummer placed on a higher platform in the centre made the stage appear symmetrical.

The selection of the songs was from the new album Karmacode. Some of the songs played were Fragile, Fragments of Faith, Close, To the edge as well as some from their previous albums Comalies and Unleashed Memories. Without any encouragement the crowd was responsive but as soon as the main duo gave their least bit of encouragement the agitation multiplied. Probably best songs based on audience judgement where Heaven's a lie and the Depeche Mode cover Enjoy the Silence. This is where the crowd went mad, and with good reason as the both singers topped their already strong presence on stage got the crowd really going.

If I'm not mistaken this is the only Italian band that made it this far in the genre which is a good sign knowing that Italy has much to offer in the underground scene. At the end, without all the anticipation it was a great concert [didn't you promise not to use the word great] and I enjoyed it.

Unholy Alliance over Europe 2006
Slayer, In Flames, Lamb Of God, Children Of Bodom
Date: November 05, 2006
Place: Dublin (IRE), The Point

I'm down 55 Euros!!!!!!! but this will ROCK ... COB, Inflames & Slayer ... WOW

The Opeth gig is probably the metal event of the year for me, in fact I had purchased the tickets on the first day they were being sold, so you can imagine my shock when I realised the gig was in jeopardy because of a work presentation. The first thing I did on Monday morning after the boss asked me what I did on the weekend was to tell him that there was a great gig tonight and being the good man he is, he took the hint that I had to leave on time. The thing didn't stop here though, as between 6.00 and 6.45 only one bus passed and it was full so to avoid problems I got a taxi to Vicar St. where the Swedish gods were playing.

I arrived in time to form part of the long black line with other metal fellows ready for the concert and in about 10 minutes I was inside looking for my first pint which never materialized because it was an all ages concert. I found the t-shirt selling stand where I got an Opeth tour shirt and a flag which is already hanging on my door perfectly place to be the first thing I see when I get up of bed every morning. There was a gorgeous girl at the stand wearing a Samael girly shirt which is the first Samael shirt I've seen in Ireland … fine stuff.

At about 7.45 the supporting Irish band Primordial started off their set. I couldn't really pin point the music into a particular style although I think it's somewhere in the pagan black metal region with some cleaner vocals. I had already heard some songs from the last album The Gathering Wilderness and it was nice watching them performed live. The vocalist was full of energy and anger though sometimes he didn't really seem sure where to direct it.

As soon as Primordial finished their 45 minute set, the crew dismounted everything in few minutes and at about 9.00 Opeth's kit was uncovered. The light on that lovely drum kit twinkled and the crowd filled the place and began shouting, "Opeth, Opeth, Opeth". Out they came with Mikael starting off with "Ghost of Perdition" the first track on the new record Ghost Reveries. From now on everything minute kept getting better. The people were really having fun and some proper moshing and headbanging set the atmosphere. I think the sound lacked some depth (even for Primordial) but it could be because of the acoustics of the room. That said however, it didn't make much of a difference.

After each song Mikael was enlightening us with some of his wisdom like what are the good things in life "the corona is cold, the Guinness is cold, the snickers bar has just melted", or else saying that his job is a cock, or that he has a big dick (we were supposed to have said that in Swedish).

His second song was from Still Life but I forgot most of that album and I didn't catch the name of the song. Next came "When" from My Arms Your Hearse. At each songs Mikael and Peter Lindgren kept changing their guitars from their supply stand behind Peter. There was a great vibe, a very responsive crowd and in an uncharacteristic metal attitude Mikael was smiling most of the time. He seems to be a great guy and he's prettier in real life than on the photos. (I've already said that I'm no gay - I just recognise beauty). I'm sure there were some female metal-heads who would agree with me – you could read it on their face. I didn't manage to take a glance at the drummer who was well hidden behind his drums. The keyboardist was also a cool guy who headbanged heavily at some songs.

Next came the songs "Bay of Hounds", "Under the weeping mood" (from Orchid), "The Grand Conjuration" and a one from Blackwater Park. This ended the show but deservedly we wanted more so they come back for one last one. In the mean time we had a small quiz, where we had to guess some famous songs, as a prelude to "Deliverance". This was probably the best song of the night and the crowed really rocked hard. A fantastic concert … definitely the best band I've watched till now.

In these last two years I always wrote something about the Eurovision (see 2004 and 2005) but this year I hoped that I'd get away with avoiding the subject. (Un)fortunately I couldn't resist the temptation and here I am writing about the European Song Festival another year.

For starters this year I only watched the Eurovision. Unlike my impressions here in Ireland people can't care less about the festival, in fact it was a chore in itself finding a pub that was showing it on TV. I watched the show with a festival-ultra in soccer lingo, but even with her insistent requests and charming attempts at convincing the bar-man we didn't get very far enough to listen to any songs except the Irish one and my country's song.

Being the fanatic that she is my friend made it her personal mission to convince all the people within a 10 meter radius to vote for our song. I laughed my heart out watching her conjuring every type of excuse why they should vote for our song. Apart from listening to 2 songs, and laughing out loud I have a recollection that I felt a certain urge to lend my body to the Ukrainian singer which was probably the best element of the Eurovision.

All the work and propaganda served for nothing because our country came last and we didn't even get a single point from Ireland. Actually the only point we got was from Albania probably as recognition for our charity work towards them.

At the end Finland won the Eurovision for the first time with the hard-rock group called Lordi. I only have to say that if for nothing else it was a recognition that rock still lives on, although I feel obliged to ask people who don't usually listen to this type of music and liked the song, to experiment further there's much more to it than Lordi. (Drop a mail for guided tour into this musical world.)

On Tuesday I went to my second concert in Dublin by the Dresden Dolls who played a sold out gig at Temple Bar music center. I learnt about the Dresden Dolls purely by chance after browsing a music list and wondering what could a song called 'Coin Operated Boy' offer. It was one of those love at first sight music moments with this weird gothic/indie outfit who has nothing to do with Germany (they are actually from Boston). For the uninitiated the Dresden Dolls are a duo formed by Amanda who vigorously plays the piano and Brian who plays the drums.

The doors opened at 7.30 and at around 8 the guest band, Chuzzle started playing. All I can say is that they played a very short set (30 minutes) and that they're going to play somewhere next Friday.

At 9 o'clock sharp the duo stormed on the stage throwing two bouquets of flowers and immediately started playing their first track from their brand new album, Yes Virginia, called Sex Changes. The easy going character of the duo was evident in the relaxed clothes they were wearing for the concert. Amanda was wearing an oversized "The Who" shirt and a horizontal stripped white and black suspended tights, while Brian was boasting his flat chest and some fishnet tights all girls where trying to look at. During the second track Amanda had a hilarious accident when her stool broke down and she toppled on the floor. (See Video here) It was so funny that even she burst out laughing and showed us exactly the bits and pieces that used to form the poor stool.

The rest of the gig went on without any further crises and I had a hell of a time. They played a mixture of old and new songs amongst them, Dirty Business, Half Jack, Coin Operated Boy, Back stabber … In the middle of the show I was taken aback by an uncharacteristic Dolls drumming sequence and this soon turned into amazement when I realised that they were playing nothing less than Black Sabbath's – War Pigs. Can you imagine that, a Dresden Dolls version of War Pigs? I'm not a fan of cover versions but I think this would have pleased Ozzy himself. The interlude continued with another 'much older' anti-war song and yet another cover which I can't remember.

I think best part of the show was the feeling Amanda and Brian have for their music and each other and their down to earth authentic nature. After about an hour Amanda said that they were reaching the end but as she soon surrendered to the desires of the crowed who didn't have chance to finish the sentence to start booing. This was only the first time that she was lured back by the crowd cause after the end of the show and the throwing of the drumsticks the crowd got so loud and claimed so hard that she couldn't stand the backstage so she came out and gave a solo bis. Brian must have felt lonely too without his love so he followed for a final song which ended a fantastic concert.