Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun
Sometimes, i feel like i was born twenty years too late.
"Dave Mustaine can't sing!"
"Yeah?! Well, NOBODY could sing like Dave Mustaine"
When i heard Megadeth was visiting Jakarta for their United Abominations Tour, i hadn't put a second thought of purchasing one ticket for the concert albeit that I never really been a fan of Megadeth (i heard more of Metallica than Megadeth back in my youth, and those who knew metal would surely know about the bitter bickerings between Metallica and Megadeth) and heard only a handful of their songs, but the historical dispute between Metallica and Megadeth's sole front-man, Dave Mustaine, was no strange tale for me.
The concert was scheduled to begin at 8 pm, so i went to the venue at my leisure time, since the venue was a mere minutes from where i lived. Anyway, i arrived just in time when Megadeth was doing a shound-check (only their sound-technicians were visible on stage, of course), and twenty minutes past 8 pm, the solemn intro from Sleepwalker raced with the hysteria thunder of the crowd. I was soo glad there was no opening band. The show went steadily, almost non-stop. Dave rarely addressed the crowd, he say several short words about how he liked being in Jakarta, all those bull, and right before the encore, almost two hours later, he introduces his band-mates and said that he never talked much during the show since he thought that people were paying for the concert to see them perform not to made an idle talk. I was screaming on top of my lung, "Yeah! You fucking right!". One thing i hate from concerts was that the performing artists often wasted a good time to tried to break the ice, or gave the entire verse for the crowd to sing. I mean, i came to the concert to see them singing, not to hear myself and thousands of other strangers singing. Dave only let this happen once, during A Tout Le Monde which he gave in to us to sing one of the verse WHICH he repeats himself immediately afterwards.
I was piciking a festival ticket (of course, who wouldn't?), at the moshing pit. I had an idea that the crowd will be nasty, so i had prepared myself both physically and mentally. During the first songs of the show i had been able to control myself by staying a good distance from the moshing pit, where these huge people, all muscle and shoes, kicking and flailing their arms about (sometimes with knuckled fist). But, when Hangar 18 played (one of the song that featured a killer guitar solo duet), i began to lose control, and when Tornado of Souls played, i went heedless into the moshing pit, and felt like a teenager all over again. I got my first injury, a step on my feet (my left pinky was bleeding afterward), and a nudge at my rib (bruised this morning), during the hell off of Symphony of Destruction, and almost lose my sandal when the superbly-amazing-way-to-close-the-show encore, Holy Wars, played.
All in all, it was pretty fun, and the moshers, though at first seems dangerous were great company that whenever a guy fell during the rush, several others closest to him would cover him and help him to get up. Of course, the 'victim' was all grins, because really, who would felt any pain whenever he was overflowing with energies from the euphoria? I didn't felt any pain on my feet and rib at that moment.
Megadeth played consistently with their energies for almost two hours and with only a few minute breaks (i counted three) in between. Most of the crowd were guys (of course) at their mid-thirties, which made me among the younger group of the audiences, and knew almost every older Megadeth's song. I was laughing when i heard some guys beside me, halfway at the concert puffing and huffing an said, "You can't lie to your age, you can't".
Thank you, Megadeth, for a memorable evening.
Never thought i would have said it, but yes, i really dig Maroon 5's second-album. I heard it (one of the songs, Makes Me Wonder, which immediately transforms me back to 80's even 70's when disco was still in) for the first time during my frequent trips with office's car to Gandul, Depok branch. To my liking, i feel like, and i think that it's safe to say that, to my liking, the whole album got the '80s feeling in and out. Michael Jackson (before his stupid marriage with that-Elvis-descendant-woman), and Prince when he's still Prince (and hideously blinking purple) and not yet T.A.F.K.A.P who sprang into my mind. Oh, i love it. I really do.
I'll be here:
on 29th Jazz Goes to Campus, November 19th, 2006 and here:
on 8th JakJazz, November 24th - 26th, 2006. Got a three-day ticket for a bargain price!
I'm not an avid Jazz maniac per se, but i know and appreciate a good music when i heard one.
The live DVD was made to commemmorate 20th years of reign that Dream Theater has established worldwide, and was the first live ever from the band with full Orchestra.
The live show was divided into two-sets of live. First set, features only the band, and second set, features the band with full Orchestra.
Set #1
1. The Root of All Evil
The next chapter from Mike Portnoy's Alcoholics Anonymous Saga delivers nicely and powerful enough to open the stage. It also delivers to open the stage in conjunction with the song being the first track of the Dream Theater's latest CD, Octavarium.
2. I Walk Beside You
No surprises on the two first tracks of the live. No alternative riffs, no additional sounds, everything were exactly the same as heard on the CD.
3. Another Won
Before progresses to the next song, James LaBrie had a brief conversation with audience regarding a brief history of Dream Theater. Whilst on stage, two center screens shows the old pictures of Dream Theater's personnel as they were twenty years ago, skinny, complete with longish hair very common in metal community at the end of 80's. From here on, the songs progressing based on the timeline, beginning with this song who was among the first song that they wrote.
4. Afterlife
Taken from the only album (their first) that features another singer other than James LaBrie, this song is my personal favourite from the album. Again, still no surprises, everything goes and heard just like on the CDs.
5. Under a Glass Moon
No comment on this one, taken from their second album. Great hand-works from John Petrucci. The resemblance solo sequence with the CD was uncanny.
6. Innocence Faded
I would prefer Scarred or Erotomania as the song that represents their third album. But still, the album (Awake), in my opinion was the most difficult album from Dream Theater to hear.
7. Raise the Knife
No comment on this one, taken from one of the sessions in process of their fourth album, the song never went officially into the official track list of the Falling into Infinity album. And i heard it the first time on this DVD.
8. The Spirit Carries On
Ah, probably the most known ballad album from the fifth album. Too easy. And with the end of this song, so ends set #1.
In truth, i was rather disappointed to hear (and see) set #1. No surprises, no technical show-offs, just a regular band playing the track from their discography as that they would doing it on a record sessions. But hey, it still Dream Theater.
Set #2
9. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Okay, the stage was darkened, and as the lights went on, no band members were visible on stage. Instead, we had a full orchestra!. I must tell you beforehand, that Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (from their sixth album) was a single song, the longest Dream Theater's song to date (42 minutes long), consists of eight sections. The very first section (Overture) was a six minute instrumental that originally on the CD was performed by the band. In this live version, however, the first part was entirely played by the orchestra. And if it didn't gave you a goosebumps, you ought to turn off your DVD player and switch to local pop materials such as Radja, Peter Pan, or stuffs. This event was also serves as the only time Dream Theater played the whole sections of Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, from start to finish. John Petrucci changed his guitar at least thrice during the song play.
10. Vacant
Odd choice from the seventh album, though if you count the presence of the orchestra, it would made clear sense. I would personally prefer Stream of Consciussness or Endless Sacrifice. But both songs has been covered in the Live at Budokan DVD.
11. The Answer Lies Within
Another ballad song taken from the eighth album. Again, odd choice on my behalf. During the second view, i skipped track #10, #11, and #12 entirely.
12. Sacrifice Sons
This is personal. I never liked the song, because of its lyrical content. During the first view, i skipped straight to the solo section and never watch it again for the subsequent viewing.
13. Octavarium
Ah, my current favourite song. Another epic song (24 minutes), with first section showed-off what Jordan Rudess could do with that weird looking tuts-less keyboard (called Continuum). The flute part still creeps me out even more. I've got no further comment on the song. I just sit back, intently watching the show, oblivious to the world around, and smiled to myself as if to satisfy myself that i put this song above any other song ever written for a reason. And i'm watching the said reason. I said it before, and i said it again, Octavarium is the best song ever written.
Encore
14. Metropolis
After seemingly a perfect closure to the end of yet another tremendous show, Dream Theater bowed to their New York fans with Metropolis. A little bit of trivia, Dream Theater's management was said to be fined for thirty-thousand US dollars because they were 3 minutes past the 11 PM curfew permitted at Radio City Music Hall where the concert was held because the band took their time "thank you"-ing the audience.
I've known Angra from my high-school days during the time which i would prefer to call pre-Dream Theater era. At the time, beginning from Metallica, i was introduced to and loved the music which many would branded as Heavy Metal. And that love has never waned ever since. However, regarding Angra, from six of their albums, only two of them were ever in my possessions (plus one guitar album from their guitarist, Kiko Loureiro), Angels' Cry and Temple of Shadows. But, i think that that won't stop me to attend the gig. Not with my friends coming and all.
1. The Root Of All Evil
2. I Walk Beside You
3. Another Won
4. Afterlife
5. Under A Glass Moon
6. Innocence Faded
7. Raise The Knife
8. The Spirit Carries On
9. Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
10. I. Overture
11. II. About To Crash
12. III. War Inside My Head
13. IV. The Test That Stumped Them All
14. V. Goodnight Kiss
15. VI. Solitary Shell
16. VII. About To Crash (Reprise)
17. VIII. Losing Time/Grand Finale
18. Vacant
19. The Answer Lies Within
20. Sacrificed Sons
21. Octavarium
22. Intro
23. I. Someone Like Him
24. II. Medicate Me
25. III. Full Circle
26. IV. Intervals
27. V. Razor's Edge
28. Encore: Metropolis
The "Score" 2-DVD contains the entire "20th Anniversary World Tour" grand finale recorded live at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 1st, 2006 (nearly 3 hours of music - over 90 minutes of which was performed with a full orchestra).
The DVD also contains a 1 hour Documentary tracking the entire career of the band from the very beginnings at the Berklee College Of Music in 1985 all the way to the Radio City Music Hall grand finale. Including rare never before seen footage and interviews with current and previous members of the band.
Also included on the DVD are several live Bonus Tracks from through the years taken from the Portnoy Archives.
At juraganbuku, Amazon's associate at Indonesia which payment doesn't require that cursed credit card, but instead direct transfer to the bank the item priced at a mere Rp 159.118,85. Don't buy piracy, at the very least, support your favourite artist by buying their original works. But anyway, i must warn you, that the shipping price was even more expensive than the price of the item itself. Damn.
Can't wait. Can't wait. Can't wait.
