The Hottest Chicks in Metal Tour (Review) ...

The Hottest Chicks in Metal Tour (Review) ...

Lacuna Coil - The Gathering - Within Temptation - Stolen Babies
El Corazon - Seattle, WA - May 29, 2007

(The pictures from this show are online - posted May 30)
http://shotgunprose.blogspot.com/2007/05/hottest-chicks-in-metal-tour.html

I took a lot of notes right after the Lacuna Coil show last month, but for various reasons never got around to posting a review with the pictures ... I think I just forgot to type them up and then never got back to it ...

So, in lieu of a traditional review, these are my notes from the show:

- I have never caught a pick before, I got one from Maus from the final song of the encore, meaning the pick I got was only used to play "Our Truth" (this was after getting a finger on one a song or two before and being really bummed out for a couple minutes)
- It has been a long time since I went to the stage and held my ground, but I did it, gray hair and all
- I think a guy also at the front used to take Thai Kickboxing with me ...
- I had to decide between ordering a beer and knowing I would need to use the restroom or being a bit thirsty in a really hot room and keeping my place, I chose thirst
- Kudos to security at El Corazon for spraying water bottles on the crowd and frankly doing a nice job, I made a point of telling two of them so and they seemed to appreciate it
- I got to high 5 everyone in Lacuna Coil other than the drummer Criz at least once, Cristina twice ...
- I got to speak to the bass player and guitarist for The Gathering and they were really cool, the bass player was excited I knew a little of the geography of Holland (which is because of soccer to be honest, she is from near where PSV plays)
- I took a picture of the singer from "Stolen Babies" and nearly blinded one of their band members in the process, he was not happy and commented so
- Tim called during the show to ask if I felt the earthquake (???) and then I proceeded to tell everyone around me that there had been an earthquake ...
- Lacuna Coil playing for 75 minutes is more than I saw them play combined at two Ozzfest appearances in 2k4 and 2k6
- Within Temptation is worth seeing for full price as a headliner and completely blew me away, they jumped way up the list for me
- Sharon den Adel has an amazing stage charisma
- I can understand that there was a hierarchy of the bands (Stolen Babies, Within Temptation, The Gathering, Lacuna Coil) but the energy change from Within Temptation to The Gathering kind of threw off the energy of the room, even though The Gathering was a good band that was generally well received by the crowd
- Stolen Babies won over some people
- After the show a guy showed me a little video he shot of Lacuna Coil on his phone
- I wore my AC Milan jersey and band members noticed and nodded and smiled when they saw it, especially bass player Marco, who gave me a nice nod and wink
- I got to watch roadies argue in Italian, which was really, really funny with the hand gestures
- Lacuna Coil's set list covered their entire career and included My Wings, Senzafine, Swamped, Heaven's A Lie, Daylight Dancer, To The Edge, Our Truth, Enjoy The Silence, Within me, Closer, and Fragile (and a few others)
- I had not been to El Corazon as El Corazon, the last time I was there was 1993 to interview Sweaty Nipples for Pandemonium when it was still named The Off Ramp
- El Corazon is "all ages" but I still could not bring myself to take anyone underage there
- The band was dying from the heat as much as the crowd and I can remember a few moments where they really had to take a breath or a drink and gave each other looks and made comments about the heat
- Cristina got bass player Marco to do a little pole dance in between songs that got a good laugh (there is a ceiling support pole on stage)