... and the generation clash goes into the
third round after Alter Bridge and Heaven Shall Burn - who have recently
played here. Because with this shootingstar (in the truest sense of the
word) we've got another one of these enthusiastic,busy new rockbands,
who worked themselves up from a small clubband to a decent middleclass
act in a very short time. I do remember very well, when Bullte For My
Valentine played within the Free & Easy Festival here in Munich at
the Backstage Club in front of only aprox. 200 people with no
entree fee. And this my friends, ain't too long ago.....
I presume, this band has
truly been discovered, most of all by lots of girls, who found a new
sexsymbol in singer Matthew Tuck. So it is no surprise, the half of the
audiance tonight here at the tonhalle consists more or less of pretty
girls with an avarage age of 18 - 25 years young. In generell, I think,
I belong once again to the oldest visiters again. Same like the at the
other two concerts, mentioned above. Indeed it is a curious thing.
Bullet For My Valentine and their supportact Still Remains don't play
anything new. They just beat the hell outta the house here, sometimes
more, sometimes less melodic. But they've got one big bonus - they are
young and they look good. And fans do feel more connected to a band, who
is about their age, then one, who's members count 50 or even more years,
though they follow the same strategy and this for some more years then
the youngsters.
Long talk short sense - the generatione exchange is becoming more and
more obvious, and there is a complete nuew fanbase growing up. This is a
fanbase, who is not that stable, as we used to be in the past and partly
still are. But nor surprise again, - because those new heroes of our
youth are pretty much the same. They come and go, and not many will
stick around for a decade or longer. I did explained this in my last
review already. (& I'll write an extra story about this topic soon)
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However,
we are here tonight at the Tonhalle. The audiance is very very young,
and that's why we got a very very early showtime. Starting off at 7 p.m.
Still Remains from Grand Rapids,Michigan/USA come on stage and rock the
house off...
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It's
not the first time, that this lot is visiting Europe and present us
their individual mixture of Hardcore and keyboardsounds with christian
dominated lyrics in their songs. Still Remains started off as a band
named Shades Of Amber. But there ain't nonone left from the original
line up. Therefore T.J. Miller is holding the vocal microphone together
with Mike Church, who's also playing one guitar. The other one is
handled by Jordan Whelan, while Steve Hatland is doing the 4 strings. On
keyboards - Ben Schauland and on drums - Adrian 'Bone'Green. - The
current release is named 'The Serpent'. And yes, they have toured with
Bullet For My Valentine before. So it's nothing new for them to open up
again. You can easily make out, that these americans do very well here
in front of the munich audiance. although the screaming of the girls
ain't that loud yet, but they are getting there sooner or later with
their Hardcore Metal Sound, I'm pretty sure....
http://www.stillremains.com/
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They do make it very interesting after the break with a curtain and an
extended intro, which lifts the noiselevel even higher then it is anyway.
If you take a glimpse at the first two or three rows, you could get the
impression, we are here at one of those typical boyband concerts. Only
the musical direction here does go in a very different direction.
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One thing is
for sure. Bullet For My Valentine is another example, that there can be
something more interesting than the actual music. But I don't tell you
anything new, do I? Like mentioned before, also this band ain't
innovative, but they look good and the act well and they go well down
mostly at all the girls. So what?!
And if there stood a fat bold singer aged 50 up there, then I presume,
the case would look a bit different, though these boys here ain't that
bad in what they play.
However, Bullet For My Valentine have to be most grateful to their
female fans, who are carrying them th heaven and beyond, that's for sure
Founded in 1999 as a Nirvana- Metallica Coverband and still named 'Jeff
Killed John' they soon developed their own strategy, renamed themselves
and started to conquer the rest of the world. It's still the original
line up despite the bassist. Michael Paget (Git./Voc), Nick Crandle (Bass
since 2003) Michael Thomas (Drums) and most of all Frontman and Joker
MatthewTuck. Two albums, six EP's and five singles and some videoclips
is the backcatalogue so far of Bullet For My Valentine.
Anyway, - the band is working themselves through a programm full of
contrasts. And yes, the music has got it's moments, where you've got
this melodic touch in it's structure. The foursome get hyped from their
fans and I can't help the feeling, that all the girls confuse our
Matthew-Superstar a bit up there. Also the little too long breaks
between the songs sometimes irritate a bit. But I'm sure, this band just
needs a few more years to get this 100% routine to get rid of these
little weak spots. But nobody is perfect, and the fans don't catch that
anyway. Apart from that, there is not much more to say and complain
according to the circumstances. And I bet, next time, they'll be there,
the venue is even bigger - Hope Bullet For My Valentine will still be
around then...
http://www.bulletformyvalentine1.com/
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