Anthrax @ Slayer @ "Big 4" Sonisphere France, Amnéville July 09 2011

Anthrax @ Slayer @ "Big 4" Sonisphere France
Amnéville July09 2011

Anthrax, Audience & Merchandising

First time we're going into this... parking lot as it's the site of the Sonisphere France.
We arrived there around 3:00 pm just before Diamond Head it sounded good from far back.

Why doing a festival in such a shitty place ? It's too small so the site wherever you go is overcrowded. Only one location for the toilets on the main site so it's overcrowded.
The ground is made of concrete and stone so there's NOWHERE to lie down to have some rest peacefully.
Even more annoying wherever you go on the site the sound of the stages (main or second) is so loud that's it's hard to speak to your neighbour without screaming even if you're standing at the complete opposite.
The food is shit, can we get some french food instead of belgian ?
And we're not talking about the mess when they opened the doors early in the morning, we were NOT there, but we've been told it was hell ...and dangerous as people pushed their way to the front and the security didn't know how to handle it.
They should ask the Hellfest for some ( many ) good advices. or find another location.
At least at Clisson you have space and you can lie down on the grass and take a nap without the PA screaming into your ears.

Slayer

First band we're seeing is Anthrax, they're doing a good show without Scott Ian (??!?) and with Andreas Kisser filling in.
Sound is a bit loud and not perfect, the band is sticking to classics with Joe Belladonna on vocals, they're also playing a new song.
I haven't heard these songs in ages, and we're not fan anymore, we used to a long time ago.
We're lucky to be in the "Golden Pit" down the front otherwise it would be a nightmare.
Overall good show but...
Before Anthrax We already had a headache as we had to endure the sound of French Metallers Loudblast who were playing on the second stage.
It's gonna be a long day as Metallica is not playing before 11:00 PM

"Antisocal"

Heavy Slammin'

Then we have Slayer, we saw them a few months ago at the Zénith in Paris in March with Megadeth headlining and the show was terrific.
They've done a great show once again but the sound is very loud so it's hard to appreciate it.
Down the front in the "golden pit" it's pretty quiet but on the main site it's hot as hell with many people slamming (see picture above) or mosh dancing.The action is on stage and in the crowd either.

"South of Heaven..."

Papa Roach

We can hear Papa Roach from the second stage while waiting for Megadeth, glad we're not over there as it's sounding horrible.
Good point for the staff all along this day: times will be respected.
Oh Yeah by the way, How about a Festival with (more) trash-dustbin cans ? I couldn't find any on the site.

Journey + Foreigner @ Palais des Sports, Paris July 07 2011

Contact: irockinparis((@))yahoo((dot))fr

Journey + Foreigner @ Palais des Sports
Paris July 07 2011

Another day Another gig for ROCKERPARIS.
We're going down south for this one, I mean south of Paris @ Palais des Sports of the Porte de Versailles.
For the last 2 weeks there are 2 to 3 important band playing in Paris EVERY night ( Derek Trucks & Social Distortion are in Paris tonight) so it's hard to decide which one to go and financially for fans it's probably very hard as tickets are very expensive that's why the concert hall is half empty to see these Americans soft rock bands. Less than 2000 people.
You could find tickets for this one at the price of only 25 euros on official websites ( original price was up to 75 euros).
The standing pit down the front is the smallest I have ever seen in such a big hall (4000 capacity) , only 12-15 rows from the stage to the stalls where we're sitting and we have fantastic seats 2nd row dead center. It's as if they were playing in my living room.

First on stage and opening is French guitar player for Trust: Norbert Krief aka Nono, lightning and sound is shit, it's un-rehearsed and songs are lame: all this makes a very average show.

Can't believe that Foreigner is playing before Journey, they're so much more popular in France.
We saw them last year @ Grand Rex ( Click for review with Pics & video, Part 2 is Here) headlining and they were smoking ! They might be a bit soft on albums but LIVE they're kicking ass.
The band is rejuvenated with Jeff Pilson (from Dokken) on bass and Kelly Hansen on vocals, the latter is a great singer and a great showman à la Steven Tyler.
really nice setlist (see below ) with all the hits and a few oldies including a couple from the first album and of course a couple of ballads.
Great sound, great white lightning (that's better for pics), nice stage : Great 75 min show.
A few links to videos: "Can't slow down", "Head Games", "Feels like the first time"

setlist

Merchandising

"Juke Box Heroes":

JOURNEY Headlining tonight !

First time we're seeing this band and we have to admit we're not fans of soft rock even though we like Foreigner and we don't know any songs from Journey, not our drug of choice.

After a 30 minute intermission Journey is getting on stage @ 10:45.
Cool start with some "heavy song", sound is clear once again great lightning.
Each musician is on top form : Dean Castronovo on drums is a monster, he should play in a Heavy Metal band, Neal Schon on guitar is kicking ass, Ross Valory on bass is probably the funny guy in the band as he's always making some funny faces, Jonathan Cain on keys, guitars & vocals is doing his job perfectly and that little guy from Philippines Arnel Pineda is a fantastic singer and is running & jumping everywhere including into photographer's pit to shake hands with fans numerous times.

Nevertheless after a few songs it's getting "boring" well not that much but we don't "FEEL" anything, it's a well oiled machine, everything is perfect but it's too perfect, there's no feeling.
I've talked to some fans after the show and many were very disappointed compare to the show they did @ Bataclan last year.
Overall good 75 min show (with only one Encore "Anyway you want it") but nothing more to say.

Very enjoyable evening thanks to Foreigner.

setlist & Merchandising

The Beach Boys @ Grand Rex, Paris July 06 2011

The Beach Boys @ Grand Rex, Paris July 06 2011

Another day, another show @ Grand Rex, our 6th in 9 days, people working there are not surprised anymore to see us, they're family now ;-)
It's a packed house for the return of The Beach Boys in Paris, well ... what's left of The Beach Boys. There are no Wilson brothers in the band anymore , in fact the only original member is Mike Love (plus Bruce Johnston who came later).
So we can't really consider this as The Beach Boys.
Anyway we're not gonna talk about legal matters here.
Lots of beautiful girls in the audience, some young some others not so young but still hot.

Very strange beginning as we hear music in the background and in fact that's the band playing.
It started badly, as it' an all seated venue the atmosphere is very quiet and the band looks like a country funfair band, you know what I mean.
Bruce on the keys (on the right) is trying his best to get the audience waking up and ... standing up.
Finally after a few songs people are dancing , getting closer to the stage and the show is really starting.
The setlist is fantastic , no new songs ( do they have some ?) just oldies but goodies and What a catalogue !!!
They're just playing hit single after hit single ( see setlist below for details) even our Philippe Manoeuvre is getting down the front and is dancing like mad on "Get Around".(click for video P.M. not included)
Don't know who's the drummer but the guy is singing lead on a couple of songs and is doing a great job.

Mike & Bruce are doing most of the vocals, I'm a bit dubious if they're really singing or miming over tapes.

The band is getting a few young girls from backstage to dance on the stage and doing backing vocals. (see pics above).
As The Beach Boys don't have enough good songs (Just Kidding) they're playing a couple of covers from The Mamas and Papas ("California Dreaming") and Eddy Cochran's "Summertime Blues" with a drummer playing as if he was Keith Moon.

Mike Love as usual is acting funny, waving and pointing at people and shaking hands.
With all these fantastic songs it's hard not to be successful. Strange beginning though.
See ya @ Brian Wilson's gig @ Casino de Paris in September 2011

full setlist

"California Girls" + "Help me Ronda":