Pick Your Rock and Metal

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Apathetic bloody planet...

Quick rant before moderate tone returns...

A Little Bitter kicked off the RockD summer programme on Saturday past. Ably assisted by Niyah Sky and Arcane, A Little Bitter opened the Limelight's metal doors with a bang. New tracks meled with old favourites in a cacophony of melted musical mayhem of the best type.

The only problem was there were barely a smattering of people who bothered there arses to show up. Now c'mon people - £5 in for three bands is damn fine value in these financially straitened times.

Now pay attention - the following RockD events are scheduled for The Limelight. A roll call will be taken and metal head status may be revoked if 50% attendance at the following gigs is not recorded :)

Saturday May 9th. Sinocence + Residual Effect + Rebels by Nature + Trucker Diablo. **Sinocence album (re)launch** Doors 5pm, £5.00
Saturday May 16th. Pagan Altar + Devilmakesthree + 2 TBC. Doors 5pm, £8.00
Saturday May 23rd. Fireland + Black Freeway + Death Warrent. £3.50
Saturday May 30th. Interrogate + Triggerman + No Grace Given. **Interrogate album launch** Doors 5pm, £5.00

Now to recap - loads of bands playing on Saturday early evening; the doors opening at 5pm...

If you missed out on A Little Bitter's album launch gig, you can still catch them in May 8th at the Northern Bar, Armagh. If you decide to see them at the Cellar Bar in Draperstown on Saturday 9th you can send in your RockD absence slip at the door next time...

Bonus points for those that spot where the headline quotation comes from...

16 comments:

Wayne said...

I'll be down for the Interogate, Triggerman and No Grace Given gig. Three bands I really enjoy.

But by no means could I go to RockD every weekend.

I think I'd like to get down at least once a month though, which is a fair bit more often that we usually do.

Anonymous said...

How many gigs have you missed this passed few years Jonny??? Aint always possible no matter who's playin' or how cheap the tickets are

'tis I said...

La La La....I claim my bonus points...and brownie ones too if you've any going?

"Apathetic Bloody Planet" would hail from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!!! :)

What can I buy with them? You doing a line in knock off band T's or stolen sweeties??

Alterz said...

I was there with the Mrs and it was a great gig, all three bands played stonkingly well, great new cd from ALB too!

To add to those saturdays everyone should be at, dont forget Prophecy, HFC and Decayor on the 28th!

Here's to a bright future for RocKD and the Distortion Project!

Anonymous said...

I second what anon said, when was the last thing you were in attendance at ???? Furthermore, I was working my ass off at FMR like everyone else who was onboard, driving bands about, shooting image's and dropping off rental and borrowed backline gear, getting 3 hour's dozing out of 36 hour's on my feet. I think that makes me metal enough, thank you very much. %-(

Jonny said...

The blue touch paper was well and truly lit there! Yep I have missed a few gigs...I claim illness and carer duties as excuse for missing recent gigs. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it, but even when not there have been sitting up to all hours promoting local gigs and reviewing CDs and bigging up local acts.

No, it ain't always possible to get to gigs, but with the 'scene' expanding (hopefully) and more venues/acts than ever one can always hope that by better communications, more 'spreading' of the word, and breaking through to mainstream coverage attendance at the gigs will improve.

The point I was making was not so much about you dear readers that regularly turn out, but rather the faceless thousands (and there are such thousands) who only turn out for big name international acts and never shake their heads to the damn fine amount of local acts.

If any of you dear readers have taken offence I apologise. You all have the right to hold the horns aloft..

And yes the headline was from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...when the Vogons announced the imminent destruction of planet earth they responded to a distress call from the citizens saying that if we couldn't be bothered to discover interstellar travel then we deserved destruction...the Vogon leader then muttered..."I don't know...apathetic bloody planet"!

Hope that clears that all up!

Anonymous said...

Sorry, when i was on earlier i mistakenly didn't leave my name...but also forgot to say, bottom line, no disrespect, i'll only go and see a band if i actually like 'em...or have a burning desire to see 'em...which is why i'm saving my £5ers to go and see Dream Theater later this year...personal preference/choice, but you did touch a nerve by sorta 'berating' people for not turning up...pot kettle and black Jonny....???

Mark

Jonny said...

Hey - I hold my hand up...had it not been for a number of reasons I would be at more gigs...not least responsibilities that are not of my making...and if I can't stir things up once in a while... After all I post this shit up as often as I can, informing and promoting and get people texting and emailing rather than commenting...nice to know it is being read.

I take that pot kettle black comment and accept it...though I may not accept it from others mate, but then we earned our gig stripes long time ago :)

You should try some of the A Little Bitter stuff though, worth a wee listen.


On the Dream Theatre front, you do know that you have only until 5am today to avail of the free download of their new single 'A Rite of Passage' from www.roadrunnerrecords.com/ariteofpassage

Anonymous said...

For heavens sakes!

We all need to pull together and support LOCAL acts.

Yeah, some may CHOOSE to over stretch themselves and run around, drive bands about and shoot pics.

However, nobody forces anyone to do that ...it's about personal choice and ...let's face it...you get no medals for being a martyr!!!

Anonymous said...

I will be at the Interrorgate and Sinnocence gigs

I know its only a fiver and all that but put on top of that the cost of beer in there, pretty sure its £3 a pint now as well as the fact its a saturday and myself, and many others, who would go to the gigs, also want to go onto somewhere else afterwards, it does get pretty expensive. Id love to get down every week but it is just not possible.

Anonymous said...

Already pre ordered the 3 CD version of 'Black Clouds & Silver Linings' mate...I'm a DT anorak, nut, freak, whatever you wanna call it.....i just sorta like 'em....see some are gettin a little 'bitchy'....but like I said mate, not gettin at you, but if i don't like a band, local, or mega stars, i won't go, end of, lets face it, i fuckin' hate G n R and always have,I think Slash is massively over rated etc etc etc...yet Classic Rock tell me every moth that he's the dogs bollocks???? If someone feels they wanna promote local bands good luck to 'em, if someone wants to help bands out when they come over here, good luck to 'em...i work very hard long hours at my own job and to be blunt couldn't care that much about gigs etc etc, i dont feel any responsibilty to any local bands, does that make me selfish, probably, do i give a fuck? Defo not, each to their own...I've enough great timeless music in my collection to happily never hear any new bands, should i choose not to....up to me really....

Mark

Anonymous said...

If there is a real reason for not many people up to these things ,its the bloody price of beer and not the admission fee ,3 fooking pints for a tenner ffs ,10 quid would get me a mighty fine carry out from the offies

yes ,a fiver at the door is great value ,but if you've gotta get a taxi home ,then you can add that price on too

a local gig ,can cost me and the missus ,about 50 quid on the night sometimes more ....ok yes ,Im a greedy bastard,but still ,its not cheap a cheap night

I would like to see under aged kids getting into these things as well ,15 - 17 year olds have more bloody money to burn that most of us "older types"

thats a source of the market that has never been tapped ,at that age ,I would have given my left nut to see local bands ,but you just could not get in ,Im sure alot of that age group dont even know the names of most local acts :S

Redskull


btw I will be at the Residual Effect gig this Saturday ,buying lots of expensive beer :)

Jonny said...

Redskull - the price of drink is a hindrance...as to the under 18 market, myself and a few friends organised two all ages shows a while back and they were very successful. The young 'uns definitely know about the local acts and are desperate to see them. All ages gigs work...when they are held (and promoted properly!) they always sell well. Unfortunately promoters always see the emo/indie/shoegazer all ages ones first as they reflect the mainstream.

Just so no-one is in doubt (and before I get slagged off!) I will not be able to make it to Sinocence and Residual tomorrow, but will be at Fireland (23rd May) and Interrogate (30th May), then Tesla (June 11th), UFO (June 12th) and The Answer and Metallica thereafter...

Good luck for Sinocence and Residual tomorrow

Jonny said...

After that managed to nip in for 15 minutes of tonight's Distortion Project gig and see 15 minutes of Residual, nice to see a good turn-out!

Wayne said...

"but will be at... Interrogate (30th May)"

I wouldn't mind putting a face to a name.

Antony said...

Just regarding Redskulls comment of younger ones not having a clue about local acts.

I spent 18 yrs of my life in the sticks, 65 miles away from Belfast and still kept my ear to bands like Interrogate, Choke, Residual Effect, November Dead List etc and theres kids in belfast today who havnt a fucking clue who the like of Sinnocence or Gacys Threads or Hand of Death are.

Im (20) in a band with 2 fellas who are 17/18 who literally havnt a clue and also have no desire to find out who these bands are! How they expected to excel in the scene without a few friends and contacts in bands is beyond me...

It literally is a community here but when the upcoming bands of the city havnt heard a local act other than 'that band that supported Enter Shikari/Lamb Of God' the state of attendances could be getting alot worse...