Official Helloween thread v. Pumpkins United

[Samsara]

I have seen those pics before, but every single time I see 'em, they make me smile. What cool shots and the innocence of youth and heavy metal was captured perfectly.

[pg1067]

I just realized this will be my third time seeing Helloween:  November 1987 and April 1989, the latter of which was the Headbanger's Ball Tour with Anthrax and Exodus.

I have no idea how I missed the '89 tour. It's possible because either I didn't want to go all the way into Boston and/or it may not have been worth it for a "third band on the bill" setlist time.

The "third band" was Exodus.  I can't remember a thing about their set.  While I wasn't a huge fan of State of Euphoria, I was definitely there for Anthrax and Helloween.

[TAC]

I just realized this will be my third time seeing Helloween:  November 1987 and April 1989, the latter of which was the Headbanger's Ball Tour with Anthrax and Exodus.

I have no idea how I missed the '89 tour. It's possible because either I didn't want to go all the way into Boston and/or it may not have been worth it for a "third band on the bill" setlist time.

The "third band" was Exodus.  I can't remember a thing about their set.  While I wasn't a huge fan of State of Euphoria, I was definitely there for Anthrax and Helloween.

Oh yeah, that makes more sense. I have no good excuse. I just think was wasn't really going into Boston for concerts at that time. Maybe no Kai was a factor? I still have no good excuse and have always regretted it. There's a good boot vid from the Troy show I think on youtube that I've watched a number of times.

[TAC]

Ingo!!!
https://youtu.be/Wbf7sxR1D8w?t=68

[TAC]

So I've been watching a to of video from this tour, and this version of How Many Tears from Maryland is a great capture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alxl3cwUehY


It really illustrates the comradery of the band, as they all interreact with each other. I mentioned in my review that I saw a huge change in Weikath. If you watch this video, you'll see what I mean. At one point as Kai closes out the soft part, Sasha and Weiki sit down on the riser and Weki even lays down.

Oh, and having all three singers in How Many Tears makes a great song even greater.

[DragonAttack]

I'd never heard more than a few minutes of the band until the favorite singers countdown.  TAC and Samsara forcefully steered me to a couple LPs then.  I really enjoyed both of the 'Keeper of the Seven Keys' albums, and fell in love with Kiske's vocals.

I planned on attending the Silver Spring MD show that Tim posted the youtube link to (looked and sounded marvelous), but I couldn't stand for three hours ten years ago, much less now.  Pity. 

Tim, thanks for a great review and your always terrific pictures.

[Grappler]

I love when they come out of the soft part of How Many Tears and they chug on the riff for a handful of bars.  And the tempo that they play the song at is perfect, giving the riff a bit more gallop, rather than speeding through it. 

[Samsara]

Two more sleeps and then 36 years of fandom later, I'll finally see Kiske, Hansen, and HELLOWEEN! I can't wait!!!

DA - glad you checked out the first two Keeper records. Classic power metal gems. 

[Ben_Jamin]

I'll be seeing these guys tonight. Can't believe how fast it came. I am ready and just need to find what to do before the show.

[TAC]

Two more sleeps and then 36 years of fandom later, I'll finally see Kiske, Hansen, and HELLOWEEN! I can't wait!!!

Sam, are you up on the setlist? What they open with? Etc..?

[Samsara]

Oh, I've seen the setlist, Tim. I'm totally spoiled, and ready to rock.

I've been avoiding watching anything on YouTube, just because I have this fear about Kiske getting sick and not delivering on Thursday and Saturday. Irrational, as it will be what it is, but that's just me. LOL. But as I type this, I have Keeper II on here in my office. 

Just praying, hoping, begging, totally selfishly for Kiske to be at his PEAK for my two shows. Given my luck with Helloween, I likely won't see them again (I mean, I will always buy a ticket, but I missed 2008 because my wife was very close to being due with our daughter, and 2018 or whatever it was in LA for work reasons), so I am hoping for the two shows this time around to absolutely blow me away. Plus, MICHAEL FUCKING KISKE!

Already told the Mrs. that on Saturday we're going early, even though we have prime seats with a perfect unobstructed view, just so I can geek out more. 

[TAC]

Oh, I've seen the setlist, Tim. I'm totally spoiled, and ready to rock.

Oh OK. I debated doing another review blurb but with setlist spoilers.

As soon as you hear (but not see) Kiske at the beginning of Skyfall...Holy crap!!


I also wanted to mention that I thought Mass Pollution was GREAT live.

[Ben_Jamin]

I haven't been this excited to see a show in quite a while. I'm just patiently waiting around LoDo until it gets closer to show time.

[TAC]

I haven't been this excited to see a show in quite a while. I'm just patiently waiting around LoDo until it gets closer to show time.

I had to check where they were playing near you..

You went to Denver?? Did you drive?

[pg1067]

Oh, I've seen the setlist, Tim. I'm totally spoiled, and ready to rock.

I've been avoiding watching anything on YouTube, just because I have this fear about Kiske getting sick and not delivering on Thursday and Saturday. Irrational, as it will be what it is, but that's just me. LOL. But as I type this, I have Keeper II on here in my office. 

As long as he's good on Friday.   

[TAC]

Pic of the band today in Denver..

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs3edJ-qZYQ/

[Ben_Jamin]

I haven't been this excited to see a show in quite a while. I'm just patiently waiting around LoDo until it gets closer to show time.

I had to check where they were playing near you..

You went to Denver?? Did you drive?

No I flew. But downtown denver isn't that big, for me at least, so I've been walking around. At the venue now and it's a nice venue. From what I'm seeing, there's not a bad spot wherever you stand.

[TAC]

How did you get into the city? I seem to remember the airport is a bit out of town.

[Ben_Jamin]

How did you get into the city? I seem to remember the airport is a bit out of town.

There's this new thing called Lyft that you can take to get you across town. 

I planned my trip to stay just close enough to the airport while being in good Lyft/Uber distance to Ogden and Gothic Theater (I'm seeing Haken here tomorrow).

[TAC]

There's this new thing called Lyft that you can take to get you across town. 

I still can't wrap my head around posting my ride needs on a computer app, and some random dude who has nothing better to do that afternoon will come and give me a ride.

I would've rented a car.

[wolfking]

There's this new thing called Lyft that you can take to get you across town. 

I still can't wrap my head around posting my ride needs on a computer app, and some random dude who has nothing better to do that afternoon will come and give me a ride.

I would've rented a car.

Those services are such a big thing now.  I don't get it either.  I'd rent a car, walk or run. 

[Cool Chris]

There's this new thing called Lyft that you can take to get you across town. 

I still can't wrap my head around posting my ride needs on a computer app, and some random dude who has nothing better to do that afternoon will come and give me a ride.

It's not that he has nothing better to do; he is doing his job. Did you go to work today because you had nothing better to do? (I mean, I know you didn't, but work with me here ) Someone needs a service, they post that information, someone who can provide that service responds, provides the service, then you pay them for it.

[TAC]

There's this new thing called Lyft that you can take to get you across town. 

I still can't wrap my head around posting my ride needs on a computer app, and some random dude who has nothing better to do that afternoon will come and give me a ride.

It's not that he has nothing better to do; he is doing his job. Did you go to work today because you had nothing better to do? (I mean, I know you didn't, but work with me here ) Someone needs a service, they post that information, someone who can provide that service responds, provides the service, then you pay them for it.

I don't know. I feel like I'm getting in a car with the first psycho that responds. It just feels so random.

[wolfking]

There's this new thing called Lyft that you can take to get you across town. 

I still can't wrap my head around posting my ride needs on a computer app, and some random dude who has nothing better to do that afternoon will come and give me a ride.

It's not that he has nothing better to do; he is doing his job. Did you go to work today because you had nothing better to do? (I mean, I know you didn't, but work with me here ) Someone needs a service, they post that information, someone who can provide that service responds, provides the service, then you pay them for it.

I don't know. I feel like I'm getting in a car with the first psycho that responds. It just feels so random.

What if they lock the doors, drive you to the woods and kill you?

You all laugh, but it could happen lol.

[TAC]

There's this new thing called Lyft that you can take to get you across town. 

I still can't wrap my head around posting my ride needs on a computer app, and some random dude who has nothing better to do that afternoon will come and give me a ride.

It's not that he has nothing better to do; he is doing his job. Did you go to work today because you had nothing better to do? (I mean, I know you didn't, but work with me here ) Someone needs a service, they post that information, someone who can provide that service responds, provides the service, then you pay them for it.

I don't know. I feel like I'm getting in a car with the first psycho that responds. It just feels so random.

What if they lock the doors, drive you to the woods and kill you?

You all laugh, but it could happen lol.

Exactly!

[Cool Chris]

There's this new thing called Lyft that you can take to get you across town. 

I still can't wrap my head around posting my ride needs on a computer app, and some random dude who has nothing better to do that afternoon will come and give me a ride.

It's not that he has nothing better to do; he is doing his job. Did you go to work today because you had nothing better to do? (I mean, I know you didn't, but work with me here ) Someone needs a service, they post that information, someone who can provide that service responds, provides the service, then you pay them for it.

I don't know. I feel like I'm getting in a car with the first psycho that responds. It just feels so random.

It's sorta random, but you can see who responds, and check out their rating and such. If someone has several 5-star reviews, he probably didn't go to the trouble to create a provider profile and complete several trips just to murder a random middle age white guy who needs a ride to a concert.

[TAC]

Yeah, but after the show, bow I have to wait for a ride, check their ratings. If I pass on them, I might be standing at the venue in the middle of the night until the next weirdo responds because he can't sleep that night.
How about if after the show, I walk to the parking lot, get in my rental, and drive to the hotel.

[Grappler]

Mass Pollution is an awesome song.   

[Cool Chris]

I think you are overthinking this. 99.9% of the time, the driver would show up as arranged, you'd get in their car, they'd drive you to your destination, and there would be zero issues. He's not performing triple bypass surgery on you where you'd have several preliminary meetings with them to discuss their background and experience, and how they plan to perform the operation.

[TAC]

Mass Pollution is an awesome song.   

To me, the straight Deris tunes are the weakest on the album. But this song killed ive!

[wolfking]

Mass Pollution is an awesome song.   

To me, the straight Deris tunes are the weakest on the album. But this song killed ive!

I normally lean towards his tunes but I probably agree here.  FOTF is a good one though.  The rest I could take or leave.

[TAC]

Mass Pollution is an awesome song.   

To me, the straight Deris tunes are the weakest on the album. But this song killed ive!

I normally lean towards his tunes but I probably agree here.  FOTF is a good one though.  The rest I could take or leave.

Fear Of The Fallen is a GREAT tune. It was originally set to open the album, but the decision was made to start it with a Kiske sung song.

[cramx3]

I think you are overthinking this. 99.9% of the time, the driver would show up as arranged, you'd get in their car, they'd drive you to your destination, and there would be zero issues. He's not performing triple bypass surgery on you where you'd have several preliminary meetings with them to discuss their background and experience, and how they plan to perform the operation.

yes.  This is a bit over reacting on Tim's part.  It's basically a simplified and quicker version of a cab service.  It certainly can be a bad experience, but that's not the norm. Out of the hundreds of times I probably used uber/lyft, I think I can count on my hand how many of those I gave a bad rating to the driver and yet I still had no actual issues (usually poor driving is what I'll ding someone on). Also, if you went to like Singapore, you'd have little option other than to use the car services to get around as that's like the main form of transportation over there since it's incredibly expensive to buy a car or rent one. (plus parking it)

Also, as to why not rent a car, it may be much cheaper to just use a car service for a quick concert trip like this.  That's likely what I would do.  If I was there for longer and doing more site seeing, I'd probably want a car.

[Samsara]

I am with fellow Old Fogey TAC...I don't do rideshare apps. When I was a journalist, I covered when ridesharing broke big time. The biggest issues were insurance liability. (They get into an accident with you in the car and you're hurt, companies were held harmless, and drivers' insurance companies were held harmless, leaving you to sue just the individual.) They have since rectified that, but there's still something odd to me about having some random person who does this as a "side hustle" that is weird. I'll just cab over. Yeah, you can make the argument now that it is one and the same, but I'll stick with the cab companies.

ONE MORE SLEEP

[Ben_Jamin]

Who knew Lyft would create such controversy.

Most of the time, my drivers are guys from Africa. 

The show last night was amazing. The Ogden Theater is a really nice venue. There's no bad spot and I happened to easily get a spot in the pit, close to the stage.

Mass Pollution was awesome live. KOTSK was epic and I will forever be grateful I got to hear it live.