Thursday, June 28, 2007

Papa Roach

My dad has a very generous spirit. He gives toys to other kids and gives ceramic xiaolin figurines to my uncles and cousins. He always brings food home. Not just for me, my brothers and my mother, but also for our guests and everytime we go anywhere to visit anyone, he would always make an effort to bring something to give to them like little cakes and snacks to munch on.

He likes spending time with me even if we're just driving off together to do an errand or just sitting still somewhere or just having a meal somewhere. He likes the company. When he has something to drop off, he usually asks me or my brothers to go along with him for a drive. I sometimes go with him. He would turn the a.m. radio on and I would switch it back off again because I'd rather have silence than listen to something that I don't like. We'd just sit in silence together. He and my mother would sometimes pick me up from business school when I finish late and we'd go to "Alex III" to eat "Lengua" (pig's tongue) drowning in gravy.... Have I mentioned that I like gravy? Have I? Sometimes, we'd go to "San Fransisco Steak House" and have a nice big juicy steak. Again, drowning in gravy.

A couple of years ago when I went back to Phili to visit my family when I was still going to uni here in Australia, my dad wanted to take me shopping and just spend time with me but I selfishly refused. I was so in need of alone time that I missed out on reliving those moments with him. I regreted that so much. It made me longed for those days when my dad used to take me to the local cemetery when I was no more than 10 years old. We would just sit on the hill looking over the stones and the trees as the breeze caresses us. My dad would light a cigarette as we sit there enjoying each other's company. There were other times that he would also drive me to the field to watch the cows eat grass. Me being young and innocent, watched in fascination. Those two special moments are very clear in my head and I can still see it.

I miss him.

Saturday, June 23, 2007

G'N'R - Chinese Democracy - June 20, 2007

Some time ago, I was crushed to have heard the news that I won't be going to see Guns N Roses because tickets were sold out. On one drunken night, two tickets were purchased on a special offer that I received from Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

It's been three days since me and my troll went to see the best band in the world and I'm still with it.

Let's start with the support acts, shall we? Angry Anderson has got personality! I've recently become an admirer of Rose Tattoo. Thumbs up for Sebastian Bach... Mr. long-hair-baby-face-perfect-teeth-bach in his tight leather gear. He's a classic!

We were on the floor at the front with just 4 rows of people in between us and the stage. Dead centre! There were these idiots right next to us ruining our good fun that got thrown out. Mr. Bach had to stop in the middle of a song to ask the bouncer to throw this guy out. Disgusting behaviour! Disgusting! You know what this world needs? Concert etiquette! That's what! If you're gonna be a dickhead, then you don't deserve to see the greatest band in the world. Contrary to what KISS thinks, I say it's Guns N Roses. Dont get me wrong, I like KISS. The first concert I saw in my life was KISS and I was on the floor on my own. But it will always be Guns N Roses that rocks my world.

Now, let's get to the REAL reason why I paid $150 to go to this event and another $100 for merch; the REAL reason why anybody would bother to stay out until 1:30am on a Wednesday night (well, Thursday morning) when you've got to get up at 6:35am the next morning to go to work with the realisation that you're too old to rock and roll all night and party everyday; the REAL reason why this post is being created. That's right... the REAL reason!
Guns 'N' 'F' Roses! What? No photos? The bouncer threatened to confiscate any cameras around when the band comes out and since they're right in front of us, I've decided not to be stupid.

Let's start with the obvious. They opened with Welcome to the Jungle and closed with Paradise City. Below are songs in between (I hope I remember them all):

  • Nightrain
  • My Michelle (Sebastian Bach joined Guns N Roses on stage for this song. Perfection!)
  • Outta Get Me
  • Knockin on Heaven's door
  • Patience
  • Live and Let die
  • Sweet Child O' Mine
  • Mr. Brownstone
  • November Rain
  • Chinese Democracy
  • You Could Be Mine
The following are the songs that I'm not sure of if they performed them or they were just in my head:

  • You're Crazy
  • It's So Easy
Here! Here! Dizzy Reed on keys! Is it the same without Slash? Would it be like Pantera without Dimebag?

Hey! Ho! The Guns N Roses are back!