2016 Fest Recap - Cheers and Jeers

[Diabolik]

Here is mine:

Cheers:

Seeing a lot more fans from across the globe. Getting to spend the day with Aussie Dave and taking him to Rolling Stones and watching him drop 300 bucks on bad power metal.

Watching Jason get aggressive during Medieval Steel with raging fans.

Getting to wake up alive in a room with Dave in the next bed.

Pranking Ambush at the airport. Telling them they are under arrest and watching them panic.

Having a guy from Spellcaster stop me for a picture. He said his girlfriend and himself are huge fans of my Facebook rants about pizza, pooping and cats.

Seeing a packed room for most of the second stage bands. I was worried this year since the mainstage has a very strong line up.

Watching Ambush become total tourist seeing the big buildings when coming into the city.





Jeers:

People tossing beer during sets. Since I don't drink...I don't want to smell like beer. I don't mind the raging and going nuts..it is great. But stop tossing the beer around. I also heard that the same jackasses decimated the hotel rooms they stayed in too.

Losing my voice on Friday.

Never enough time to socialize and watch enough of the bands sets. I missed a lot this year..mostly on Friday.



there is more...if i remember i will add it in

 

[Jasonic]

Watching Jason get aggressive during Medieval Steel with raging fans.

Ha, yeah, I shocked the hell out of Mendoza with that one.....
I aint no rookie when it comes to the pit.
I just didn't need to see one during Medieval Steel for goodness sakeS!!!!!

It's a shame, but it happens with every fest.
Once it grows and gets bigger and bigger, you get more people who come moreso to party and / or be seen, than who come because they actually want to see the bands.

 

[Jasonic]

jeer: why fly in from out of town or from another country if you're only going to stay blackout drunk the whole time?

Yep, as I said above as well, this year had a large number of folks who came truly to just party at a weekend metalfest.

I guess that's the catch 22 of a fest growing bigger and bigger every year.
You will attract those who just want to party.

 

[Diabolik]

Totally...i know a load of the euro folks spent most of the day outside talking to people. When I go overseas I literally watch all the bands I can because I know I will never see them again. The ones I missed this year I know I will catch later and stuff.

 

[Element_man]

I kinda get it though. When you've got a drink/smoke in your hand and you're having a lot of fun chatting with people and shooting the shit it can be easy to lose track of time. I know I missed a huge chunk of Jag Panzer due to hanging with the Chalice folks at the other stage.

JP and I were speculating that the singer from Lethal has probably lost all the functions of his brain besides performing Lethal songs. If he really does have some serious mental health issues then that's unfortunate. He sounded fantastic on the soaring vocals

I wrote a big facebook post about it already but thanks for having us and making us feel so welcome before/during/after our performance. Everything went so smoothly on our end thanks to a lot of help and effort from the local Chicago crew when they had absolutely no reason to do so. Absolutely floored by everything. Everything about this year was a highlight, but I'll try and narrow down a few things:

- Getting to use the same beautiful Les Paul as Robb Weir
- Carlee getting us a lift in the VIP Lockdown van with her amazing boss PJ
- Meeting the Chalice crew and becoming instant friendyears with them, much like my experience with Eternal Champion two years ago
- Seeing all the familiar faces from previous fests and doing a bit of catching up (not nearly enough though)
- Mike from Olorin being roaring drunk, bursting into tears when we said goodbye on Saturday night and yelling at people to stop looking at him
- Dancing up a storm to Tygers with Hag Thorn from Chalice
- Signing an Elric book that JP threw out into the crowd during our set
- My bandmates being horrifically trashed and trying to climb buildings and rip phone books in half on our way back from the pre-party
- King-sized schooners at the preparty (Should get a band or two to play the preparty next year!)

So many great performances that it's hard to nail down, but Leather Leone, Tygers and Chalice hit me the hardest. Was great to play alongside Riot City again.

Only jeers would be the lack of sleep I had leading up to and during the festival, which had less to do with me partying and more to do with me "working" and being Band-Dad to both Gatekeeper and Riot City for the weekend. It keeps me busy and I sometimes vent about the responsibilities laid at my feet but I really do love what I get to do.

Once a year ain't enough, that's all I can say! Hopefully we'll see more of each other for Frost and Fire!

 

[Master_Yoda77]

I remember that. I was hamming it up a bit because that is what I do, but I was upset that I never do get to see you and you leave so damn soon

 

[Jasonic]

WOW!!!! Geoff, Mike really does love you!!!

When he saw me for the last time of the weekend, he just tickled my tummy......

Your experience was more emotional. Mine was just physical. I thought I meant more to him.......

 

[Master_Yoda77]

No way, Jeff likes to shotgun beers and talk Trailer Park Boys with me. You don't.

 

[Keir]

- Signing an Elric book that JP threw out into the crowd during our set

Aw, mine isn't signed! (It does have an index card that says "hold for JP" though.)

 

[Ragnarokkrmetal]

If you're talking about the singer for War Cry, he's got Parkinsons. If you're talking about the singer for Lethal, he's got far worse issues.

Yes... If you didn't like the War Cry performance this year.....you are a fucking poser. That is the bottom line. Tom....a bit worse issues. As for "jeers" there were none this year. I'm glad I don't call any of you dickbangs my friends.

 

[Element_man]

How do you really feel, Odin?

 

[Seanicus]

hahaha

 

[Diabolik]

Odin asked me today to ban him from the forum because coming here pisses him off. I told him the Rag forum is worse than the 7th pit of Hell.

 

[Diabolik]

For bands playing the pre-party...it is something we talk about every year. Only downside is people use it as a time to see old friends and hang out. With bands playing most would go outside and hang out and not watch the bands. We actually talked about a few ideas about an hour ago that bought up this issue.

 

[Jasonic]

No way, Jeff likes to shotgun beers and talk Trailer Park Boys with me. You don't.

I own HOME ALONE 4 on DVD. Can your cutie pie Geoffrey say that????

 

[Jasonic]

Odin asked me today to ban him from the forum because coming here pisses him off. I told him the Rag forum is worse than the 7th pit of Hell.

Ha, yeah, but all of us here know each other really well.
No need to be anything less than honest here.

I think most convo here is constructive and honest.

I have seen some real d - bag comments on Facebook

 

[Master_Yoda77]

You have to take everything on here with a grain a salt, especially when talking to Bob.

 

[Diabolik]

You have to take everything on here with a grain a salt, especially when talking to Bob.

exactly...it is the internet...nothing serious here

 

[Master_Yoda77]

Wait, was that serious?

 

[Master_Yoda77]

I just thought the vocalist of Lethal was autistic as fuck.