Progressive Nation Tour 2009: Dream Theater, Opeth, Bigelf, Unexpect (Live Porto 2009-10-22)

Bands: Dream Theater (USA) + Opeth (Sw) + Bigelf (USA) + Unexpect (Can)
Day: October 22nd, 2009
Place: Palacio de Cristal - Porto (Portugal)
Price: 30 €

Thursday night and we ran fast to Portugal to see what we could find in the big gig Progressive Nation organized by the DT drummer Mike Portnoy. 10€ cheaper than in Spain, we couldn'd miss the chance to see Opeth and DT in the same stage, though I was really "expectant about Unexpect".
Though we tried to be on time in Porto, the massive traffic in the middle of the city made us to arrive late, and we just heard the last notes of the canadian extreme progressive band Unexpect, which played really few time! maybe 30 min.???
It was really a pity :(
Anyway, when we arrived we just saw the place: an amazing big bubble called "Cristal Palace" that seems to host many important events in the portuguese city, and that promised a proffesional ambient and sound, as we are used to have in Portugal in most of the concerts.

Ready to come inside, hundreds of people dressed in black were at the doors, and many in a big queue that we didnt know whether it was for passing into the show or for the toilets. I just saw some of the members of Thee Orakle, the gothic metal band, and the charming singer just told me "see this??? this is the queue for the bar!!!" XD Omg that was something a bit unexpected... that day we would have some problems to get some drink at the concert...
So, even that we were a bit thirsty, we didnt skip the chance to see Bigelf, who were already playing! (such punctuality! this is not happening in Spain XD)

Bigelf are an american band that plays a kind of progressive hard rock totally inspired in the 70's, with an important psychedelic touch in the riffs and melodies, and mostly in those Hammond keyboards the singer was playing. I wasn't really expecting to see something that I liked, but I must say that seeing them in life was really worth. Not my kind of music but they were truly proffesional in the stage in a very short show. Again.. few more than 30 min.???

The sound in the place was almost perfect. Not the best I have heard, but no doubt much better than any concert I had been in Spain. Though there were many people outside (and many people in the queue for the bar), the building started to become full, and in DT both sides of the stands were occupied, leaving few free spaces of the 6000 people of capacity of the "Palacio de Cristal".

After Bigelf, we tried to get some beer for our dry throats and it was quite disappointing that the queue was even bigger than before and it didnt move 2 steps in 10 minutes!!!!
So we thought that we should do something if we wanted to drink and to see Opeth, which already started on the other side, and made a little trick to get a bit of Super Bock. Another letdown: there were just small plastic glasses that could be drank in 1 min. if you are really thirsty, not any of those bigger ones... so.. "let's take as much as we can":

We were already missing the first song of Opeth and we ran back to the concert.
Well, another complain (I feel specially complaining about this Progressive Nation) is that the stage was almost down to the floor. In Bigelf we could see them, but in Opeth people started arriving and I barely could see the instruments, and I am not specially short, so I can imagine the suffering of smaller fans.

The swedish progressive gods played mostly their new stuff, and though I like their new and old albums, they didnt choose the best setlist. I dont know, it was too soft, I missed more "death metal" moments, and it was way too short! but I guess that was about requirements of the "big band".
Mikael Åkerfeldt is a funny guy and he did some jokes between song and song, I was already told about that he likes to talk and get the complicity of the crowd but somehow I felt he was pushed by the few time Dream Theater gave them, I'd say not much more than 1 hour.




Anyway, their concert was the best of the show in Porto.
Great moment: The Lotus Eater

With punctuality, after a big curtain fell down, Dream Theater came and it started to be very promising, playing "A Nightmare to Remember" as first. Again lots of heads in front of us that didnt let us see too much of the band except the totally exagerated drums of Mike Portnoy "hey guys I am the leader". Behind and in both sides, big screens that showed mainly Portnoy and Petrucci, and sometimes James and Jordan and other images that fitted with the songs. Poor Myung.



With the developing of the concert, I'm sorry to say this, and probably many DT fans wouldnt agree with me, but it was becoming sooooooo damn dull!!! They started playing as Opeth newer stuff, and lots of mid-tempo songs/ballads that could keep the excitement of the most devoted fans, but not us. We were 5 people there, 5 people that grew up with those great albums as "Images & Words", "Awake" and "Metropolis part II" and we 5 got terribly bored and dull with the show they were giving. By the way, no songs from "Images & Words" and "Metropolis pt II", which I consider a terrible mistake.
I cannot say they did a bad performance, of course not!!! they are great musicians and every single note was done with precision and technique, but...

The keyboard solo of Jordan Rudess, completely unnecessary (much better if they played Take the Time in those minutes, come on!):

And I have the opinion, as well shared with my friends that if you make some 3D animation, but it is not very good, better leave it at home cause showing it might be a shame. Matter that happened with those images of elephants walking or that lame Jordan-witch-keyboardist. We were laughing quite a lot with that:

James LaBrie becomes boring when singing, not just in the concert but in the last albums, he was much more powerful in the first ones, under my point of view (it can also be that he was singing songs from newer albums... but... still... )

The top of boredom reached when they played the song of the 11-S, and we just decided to skip it and try to reach the bar, which still had a big queue... oufff
Then, we found a funny old man dancing in the corner of the stage as he was watching an Elvis Presley show while doing aerobics, and stayed there for some time laughing and looking at him, and afterwards coming back to the crowds:


Summing up, I have learnt the lesson: it was my first and last concert of Dream Theater, which would be much more interesting to see years ago and unluckily I didn't have the chance.

At the end, this is everything we saw from Unexpect :/ who were signing some cd's and autographs outside.

Traducindo pelis indias...

Fai tempo un amigo envioume un link para facer os teus propios subtitulos sobre os extractos que che poñen. Pódese incluso poñer un micro e falar, pero eso xa vai ser moito XD
Para que vexades como queda, este é o meu intento:



Bombay TV

Funny Video + Cover Song 22

Back to all the FV + CS compilation

I have hardly had seen someone more drunk than this guy, the title of the video is quite right XD

First time I have listened to the song called "Diamonds & Rust" was when I was pretty young in the middle of the 80's. We had that original casette of Judas Priest, "Sin After Sin" (1977) and I remember it wasn't one of my favourite ones at that time, I liked more "British Steel", "Screaming for Vengeance" or "Defenders of the Faith". I recall "Sin After Sin" a bit irregular, and specially remember one of the worst songs Judas had ever made under my point of view, the sad (and depressing) "Here Come the Tears". On the other hand, the second song "Diamonds and Rust" was one of my favourites (wow, somehow I'm feeling the need of taking back those albums and give another listening after so many years). I thought for lots of years that that song was from Judas Priest, and I guess many people did cause it fitted very well with the sound of the band. Besides, the original author wasn't so known here in Spain.

So, "Diamonds and Rust" was firstly recorded in 1975 by the american folk singer Joan Baez. In the song, Baez recounts an out-of-the-blue phone call from an old lover, which sends her a decade back in time, to a seedy hotel in Greenwich Village. She recalls giving him a pair of cuff links, and summarizes that memories bring "diamonds and rust" (time both turns dirty charcoal into beautiful diamonds and shiny metal into ugly rust).
Joan Baez

It is often said that the song describes Baez's relationship with Bob Dylan, ten years prior. In Baez's memoir, And a Voice to Sing With, she recounted how she told Dylan that the song was actually about her husband David Harris, thereby countering the claim that the song was about Dylan and Baez. Although Dylan is not specifically named in the song, Baez has admitted in her memoir as well as in a number of interviews that he is the inspiration for the song.

Judas Priest cover (right now listening again to "Last Rose of the Summer" and oufff I recall why I didnt like so much that album).


Blackmore's Night cover
More similar to the original one, and with an excellent performance by Candice Night

Only in Russia

I have been quite lazy these last days in relation to internet and blogging, dont know why but seems when you are busier than ever, then it is when you are more creative for writing stuff and posting XD
This time I just will place here a link, the name tells quite well what you are going to see... situations you can find only in Russia.

Comunicación internacional non verbal

Como estou un pouco vago para escribir todo outra vez, collerei e modificarei levemente a miña resposta cando estaba a discutir sobre este tema das fillas de ZP noutro foro e de paso sirve como comentario ó anterior post:

Que poden ir pola calle así ou por onde queiran? ninguén o pon en duda. Pero que se vaia a certos actos nos que se require unha certa seriedade pola importancia intrínseca do evento sí que non me parece ben -máis ben pareceme ridículo-.
Imaxinadesvos tamén por exemplo que en lugar de dar a man ó Obama, as rapazas lle chocaran a man cunha palmada tipo "qué pasa hermano! psssssyeh!". Por suposto hai unha libertade de expresión a facer eso, pero baixo o meu punto de vista queda coma unha falta de respeto, e coma esa, pode haber centos de cousas, entre as que incluiría a vestimenta.
¿Porqué falta ó respeto e a quén?
Pois falta de respeto a un valor socio-cultural de seriedade. Ainda que un sociólogo podería falar mellor ca mín de esto, a nivel global tense concebido como seriedade, cortesía, respeto, ou chámalle x, por exemplo a un traxe e corbata no mundo occidental (bueno, e incluso no asiático tamén) para os homes.

Normalmente intento emparentar todo o que vexo con parte dos meus estudios, e mirando esto foi un flash casi instantáneo en canto a diferencias culturais en negocios internacionais. Pode que vos choque que esto se poida estudiar, pero así foi XD
Cando un grupo empeza a ter relacións internacionais ou expandir mercados, é casi obligatorio observar os protocolos e cultura dos países ós que vai (ainda que tan sólo sexa para unha mera reunión), e foron numerosos os casos de empresas que se levaron batacazos por facer caso omiso a tales temas. Considero que aclimatarse a un entorno diferente (neste caso das nenas, axustarse ó protocolo de vestimenta para visitas de importancia) é de caixón, penso que se debería de modificar un pouco a "nosa maneira" de facer as cousas, se non queremos caer en faltas de respeto (que ó fin e ó cabo é o que eu trato de comentar con respecto a foto de ZP). E diría que eso se pode facer sin perder a nosa personalidade nin moito menos ( se as rapazas levaran unha muñequera de cuero, un colgante, ou o que sexa que non fose especialmente cantoso, ahí eu xa non diría nada!)

A ver, exemplos (sacados dos meus apuntes, e moi curiosos algúns):

Gestos

• Apuntar con el índice a la mejilla y girar el dedo significa elogio en Italia. El mismo gesto, pero en la sien, significa “estar loco” en la mayoría de los países europeos y de América Latina.
  

• Los griegos y los búlgaros inclinan la cabeza hacia delante para decir “no”, mientras que los yugoslavos y los hindúes mueven la cabeza de una lado a otro para decir “sí”. Los árabes voltean la cabeza hacia arriba para decir que no.
  

Sonrisas

• Filipinos, tailandeses y malayos sonríen continuamente por cortesía. Los indonesios sonríen antes de dar una mala noticia para reducir el efecto negativo en la otra parte. Muchas veces los japoneses no se ríen por algo gracioso, sino para dar salida a situaciones de incertidumbre, vergüenza, tensión o pena.
  

Miradas

• Los árabes miran a los ojos todo el tiempo y de forma intensa como para descubrir qué hay detrás de la persona a la que miran. Los escandinavos aprecian el contacto ocular como señal de sinceridad.
  

• Los británicos suelen mirar a la otra parte después de iniciar la conversación o para indicarle que es su turno de hablar.
  

• En México o Japón la mirada directa se considera un gesto agresivo y una falta de respeto.
  

Contacto físico

• Los escandinavos, los norteamericanos y la mayoría de los países asiáticos evitan el contacto físico con sus interlocutores.
  

• En las culturas latina el contacto físico -el abrazo- se produce entre personas del mismo nivel social que han desarrollado una relación personal.
  

• Los árabes y los rusos son los más proclives al contacto físico, colocando el brazo o tocando el hombro de la otra persona los primeros, y mediante besos y abrazos efusivos los segundos.
  

Manos

• No debe usarse la mano izquierda para pasar objetos o comida en países como Singapur, Malasia, Corea del Sur, Arabia Saudí, Indonesia o India, pues se considera que está sucia, ya que es la que se utiliza para limpiarse después de ir al baño.
  

• Las señas para llamar a alguien moviendo la mano con los cuatro dedos juntos y la palma de hacia arriba es aceptable en Europa y Estados Unidos, pero es un signo de grosería en Japón, Singapur o Tailandia, al igual que lo sería en España hacerlo con la palma hacia abajo.
  

Posiciones

• Para los europeos del Norte y los asiáticos la postura más correcta es sentarse erguido con los pies juntos sobre el suelo. En muchos países asiáticos cruzar las piernas está mal visto.
  

• Los norteamericanos prefieren mostrarse más informales en las reuniones y tienden a sentarse adoptando una postura cómodo y relajada.
  

Cando vaias por exemplo a unha mezquita e o tio que esteña á porta che diga que o sitio para os zapatos é ese, e que se a túa acompañante non ten velo, pois que él lle pode prestar un, e se non o quere levar non podedes entrar, ¿tamén habería que lanzar as mans ó ceo con sonora aclamación "esto é un escándalo, Pereira!" "estanme a coartar a miña libertade de visitar unha mezquita cos meus tenis favoritos!!"??? (Caso personal de cando estivera de visita en Ankara)
Eu creo de verdade que hai certos actos, certas situacións e certas ceremonias formales -visitar ó presidente de EEUU non é coma visitar ó veciño, ó igual que se tes unha cea de traballo con futuros clientes non é igual que si te vas de tapas cos colegas- nas que un ten que moderarse no vestir, ainda que tan sólo sexa por respeto -que xa é bastante-. Non creo que atente contra ningunha liberdade personal nin dereitos humanos.

Miña opinión.

As fillas góticas do Presi Zapatero

Este fin de semana estiven un pouco ausente de internetes e blog, e por suposto de msns e redes sociales ás cales xa lles teño collida un pouco de manía desde fai un tempo, así que me enterei un pouco tarde do que foi a noticia de metal do finde: a foto de Zapatitos coa familia e con Obama. Recordo que estaba no bar Brasil con Marcos o sábado e vimos a uns vellos cunha foto na que vín a Zapatero... Logo de comentarllo a Marcos estivemos pensando.. vaia xente máis rara que anda con fotos do presidente de España na carteira XD
A sorpresa foi ontes cando me enterei de que esa foto fora bastante comentada debido a que saían na foto as fillas de Zapatero, cousa que nin sabía que tiña fillos, nin probablemente o resto de España tampouco. A polémica sobre dita foto ven por 2 bandas:
- Por unha, parece que o ZP tiña especial cuidado de que as súas fillas, de 13 e 16 anos se non recordo mal, saíran en ningún medio. Así que unha vez que Casablanca posteou esa foto, 1 hora e media despois, España estaba intentando quitala ou cando menos borrarlle a cara ás adolescentes por razóns de privacidade.... Moi tarde, as cousas en internet van a fume de carozo, e a foto xa foi divulgada en numerosas páxinas.
- Por outro lado, o que estivo dando que falar foi a pinta de "góticas" que contrastaban claramente coas corbatas de Obama e ZP, e que por parte de numerosos sectores AntiZp (e eu penso que outros moitos tamén) foi criticado como "esa é a educación que ZP inculca ós fillos... que salgan uns marginales frikis...", "para eso é o que vale a "educación para a cidadanía"" e demáis chorradas.

Foto censurada

Foto sin censurar

Bueno, eu hei de ser sincero e decir que ainda me rín bastante cando vin esto. Por suposto nin se me pasaba pola cabeza que as fillas de Zp foran góticas, e menos góticas cun estilo... tan peculiar XD, de feito esta foto parece tal cual que esteñan pegadas encima de Obama e muller con photoshop.

Estou tamén vendo que moitos dos que defenden a ZP, intentan argumentar que cada un é libre de elexir cómo deben vestir, e cómo actuar, outra vez confundindo libertinaje con liberdade baixo o meu punto de vista. E é que por suposto un pode levar a imaxe que queira, con máis ou menos estilo e/ou acertada XD, pero o que non é de recibo é que ante a visita a un xefe de estado un vaia en chandal, ó igual que cando nos vestimos para calquera acontecimiento especial. Para mín esta foto roza a falta de respeto e a ridiculez absoluta. Imaxinádesvos que na cámara dos diputados os ministros vaian, un con pijama porque "está máis cómodo", outro vestido con pantalóns rotos porque "sinteu añoranza dos tempos da movida madrileña", outro con tachas de cuero, outro co jersey anudado ó cuello, etc? ... e se foran así a unha reunión do G20? qué idea terían da seriedade de España?? Ainda que poida sonar agora un pouco raro nalguén que podería simpatizar con estes estilos musicales -non tanto na moda visual, para mín completamente superficial e "de pose"- esta foto dame un pouco de vergüenza ajena.

Por suposto, unha vez que foi difundida por internet, os comentarios e montaxes non tardaron en chegar, he aquí uns poucos que me fixeron especial gracia:

Ah! unha con immortal non podía faltar!!!

Esta tamén me fixo moita gracia XD

Can nervousism cause a boner in public?

Well that's what I asked myself after seeing this video from the X-Factor castings, and I recalled that one of Jean Claude VanDamme as well... oh maybe you didnt see those? ok first Steve in the audition:

That famous video of the belgian action-star actor.. obviously, this time wasnt because of .. nerviousism XDD

Soooo I guess learning some clues to hide your erection in public wouldnt be bad XD