ok so yesterday i jumped on a train from london to nottingham for this show. i checked into my hotel and left my shit there and decided id walk to the venu just to see where it is. i found a cool little cd store and picked up the new arcturus album (funny i can find it in nottingham but not london) and i got directions to rock city from the clerk. i left the place and walked about 200 feet and straight past Jim. In my head I said 'that was Jim from Nevermore' and I kept walking. Then 3 seconds later I was like HOLY SHIT THAT WAS JIM! So i turned around and tapped him on the shoulder and asked if it was him...he said yea, and we chatted a bit and I asked him if the other guys were around town. He just pointed over his shoulder and I turned and was face to face with Jeff and Van. I was star struck but recovered pretty fast...I introduced myself and we chatted a bit then we decided to go to a pub for a few drinks. So, there I am, sitting with Jeff Loomis and Van Williams, drinking drinks I got for us all. Jeff had a beer and a shot of whiskey, Van and I had Guiness. Round two was the same for all of us, Jeff another shot and beer and another Guiness for me Van and me. So we shoot the shit about the tour, about playing and what everyones listening to and blah blah. Then Jeff says theyre gonna take off after they finish the beer and invite me to go back and watch the soundcheck...I said nah. haha just kidding, obviously I was like hell yea! So we're back at the venu and we sit down at a table with all the guys from mercenery and dew scented and Van's like 'guys this is Josh, our friend from back home.' and i met all the other guys at the table. It was fucking awesome. Then Van, Jeff and Jim do their soundcheck and Im watching with a huge smile on my face not really believing I was there. After they were done Jeff walked off stage and I was like 'that sounded heavy as hell, man' and he said 'yea? good, good.' So they disappear for a bit after they took me to their dressing room where I put my shit down. Im waiting around hanging out and Jeff comes back out and pats me on the shoulder and leads me to a table where we proceed to have dinner, free of charge with the other bands and crew members/techies.
After dinner they go to their bus to take a pre-show nap. I gave Van the new Arcturus record I had just bought for him to listen to and told him to let me know how it was. Then I just sat around for a bit calling people telling them what the hell was going on and how lucky I was. I see warrel finally come into the club and I got up and went to the bar and talked to him for a bit. He was nice but seemed reserved. I have never talked to him in the past, but I got the feeling he was more introspective with his thoughts/statements that he might have been in the past...maybe choosing his words more carefully....but maybe it was just my imagination since I have nothing to base that on besides a hunch. So, he left to take a piss and go back to the bus and I sat there and waited for the show to start (keep in mind I didnt even have my ticket on me, it was back at my hotel...).
So the doors open and the gig starts. I got up front and Mercenary opened with a cool set...im not too into their music...if they were more aggressive then I think theyd sound a bit better. Then Dew Scented came on stage and destroyed everything....these guys ripped shit up with blazing death/thrash. I like this music because they have an abundence of great riffs in each song.
Then Nevermore came out to a roaring crowd and destroyed us. Jeff played like he was possessed...he was an absolute monster on the guitar with immense ferocity and passion. He looked ready to kill. 30 seconds through the first song he reached out and slapped my five (awesome!). The stage was TINY...I could literally put my hand up and touch the ceiling, Im not kidding...thats how small it was. Van played brutally and Warrel and Jim sounded great...the mix was a bit muddy because the tiny sound and close walls muffled shit....but Jeff, again, was just a fucking maniac and played throught he set by himself with no problems, nailing his solos and crushing everyone with his great riffs. even though steve wasnt there, one cool thing about hearing them with one guitarist is that Jeff's solos are a lot more clear than if they had a second guitarist riffing while Jeff was soloing...so you could hear him a lot better, which was really cool. after the last song Jeff gave me some picks and flashed me a thumbs up. fucking awesome.
after the show I went to the bus and talked with all the guys again, got my cd from van and took off. all and all it was a day/night ill never forget. thanks jeff and van for hanging out and thanks to the rest of the band for putting on a great show.
now i get to do it all again tonight in London.
the end.
setlist (maybe in order...might be a little screwed up)
precognition (intro from cd, not played)
born
my acid words (brutal...cant imagine it with steve there too)
this sacrament
narco
river dragon
beyond within
7 tongues
sentient 6
never purify
sound of silence
final product
enemies of reality
(they had the heart collector but crossed it off the list last minute due to time constraints, i think).
After dinner they go to their bus to take a pre-show nap. I gave Van the new Arcturus record I had just bought for him to listen to and told him to let me know how it was. Then I just sat around for a bit calling people telling them what the hell was going on and how lucky I was. I see warrel finally come into the club and I got up and went to the bar and talked to him for a bit. He was nice but seemed reserved. I have never talked to him in the past, but I got the feeling he was more introspective with his thoughts/statements that he might have been in the past...maybe choosing his words more carefully....but maybe it was just my imagination since I have nothing to base that on besides a hunch. So, he left to take a piss and go back to the bus and I sat there and waited for the show to start (keep in mind I didnt even have my ticket on me, it was back at my hotel...).
So the doors open and the gig starts. I got up front and Mercenary opened with a cool set...im not too into their music...if they were more aggressive then I think theyd sound a bit better. Then Dew Scented came on stage and destroyed everything....these guys ripped shit up with blazing death/thrash. I like this music because they have an abundence of great riffs in each song.
Then Nevermore came out to a roaring crowd and destroyed us. Jeff played like he was possessed...he was an absolute monster on the guitar with immense ferocity and passion. He looked ready to kill. 30 seconds through the first song he reached out and slapped my five (awesome!). The stage was TINY...I could literally put my hand up and touch the ceiling, Im not kidding...thats how small it was. Van played brutally and Warrel and Jim sounded great...the mix was a bit muddy because the tiny sound and close walls muffled shit....but Jeff, again, was just a fucking maniac and played throught he set by himself with no problems, nailing his solos and crushing everyone with his great riffs. even though steve wasnt there, one cool thing about hearing them with one guitarist is that Jeff's solos are a lot more clear than if they had a second guitarist riffing while Jeff was soloing...so you could hear him a lot better, which was really cool. after the last song Jeff gave me some picks and flashed me a thumbs up. fucking awesome.
after the show I went to the bus and talked with all the guys again, got my cd from van and took off. all and all it was a day/night ill never forget. thanks jeff and van for hanging out and thanks to the rest of the band for putting on a great show.
now i get to do it all again tonight in London.
the end.
setlist (maybe in order...might be a little screwed up)
precognition (intro from cd, not played)
born
my acid words (brutal...cant imagine it with steve there too)
this sacrament
narco
river dragon
beyond within
7 tongues
sentient 6
never purify
sound of silence
final product
enemies of reality
(they had the heart collector but crossed it off the list last minute due to time constraints, i think).
LOUS!!
