'Mania 25 vs 'Mania 26

The problem with attending large events is you inevitably wind up thinking the entire thing was better than it really was. The memories you have of it is not just shaped by the event itself, but also everything that lead up to it. How are we then supposed to form a valid critique of said event if we are biased towards it to begin with

My case in point: The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25 compared to
The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 26.

Both matches are widely (they really are, I googled and could not find one reviewer who said the matches were simply 'O,K or Great'.) regarded as two of the best pro-wrestling matches in history (I'm discounting Japanese wrestling and Independent wrestling as I don't follow them). The 'Taker and Shawn are also widely considered two of the very best wrestlers out there, especially Shawn. He has, in my opinion, become the greatest wrestler in history. He simply cannot have a bad match!

The match was simply phenomenal. It was literally edge of your seat watching. I've put the full match below for your viewing pleasure (hopefully) and, handily, it includes the pre-match hype detailing the storyline.

Now, honestly, what did you think of it? Would you regard it as the best match ever let alone the greatest match in WrestleMania history? I would, but does my opinion count if I told you that I was actually there and witnessed it live? Surely me being there skews any 'credibility' my opinion has, right?  The reason I'm harping on about this is that it seems more people are in favour of 'HBK' and 'Takers clash at 'Mania 26...something I just don't quite fully get. Again, find the full match below.

So, I would seriously like to know: Which camp do you fall into? 'Mania 25 or 'Mania 26?

Smoke and Ashes by Tracy Chapman

I'd heard rumors and I'd heard talk
About the trail you'd left of broken hearts
About the sea of tears too wide to cross
But a little bad press has never scared me off
So I burned a path to figure out
How to get me some of what you got 

I've got a red hot heart
If the talk is true yours is the same
And we should be together
And let our passions fan love's flame 

When I looked for you I almost passed you by
You were so cool and calm
I thought my friends had lied
But I thought so much reserve must make you wild inside
It was there and then that I knew 
I had to get some of what you got 

I've got a red hot heart
If the talk is true yours is the same
And we should be together
And let our passions fan love's flame 

I thought I'd won your heart when I held you hand in mine
I thought it was true love the way we complemented each other
But my right is your wrong
And when you're right then I'm left with nothing
Your light and your heat have all been spent
Leaving only smoke and ashes
Only smoke and ashes baby 

I've got a red hot heart
And your heart's as blue as the blood in your veins
I say there's fire down below
You say it's only smoke and ashes baby 

I'm crying all the time
Salty stinging tears
And mourning for the past carbon-dated years
But knowing now for certain that you were always right
Because if a breeze could blow you out of my life
It's only smoke and ashes baby
Only smoke and ashes baby 

I've got a red hot heart
And your heart's as blue as the blood in your veins
I say there's fire down below
You say it's only smoke and ashes baby 

I was blinded by devotion
My unwavering love for you
So blinded that I thought all your lies were true
But now I know for certain since you've gone away
It was just a smoldering fire I mistook for a blaze
Only smoke and ashes baby 

I've got a red hot heart
And your heart's as blue as the blood in your veins
I say there's fire down below
You say it's only smoke and ashes baby
Only smoke and ashes baby, baby 

#goalsbefore30

I'm 30 in 249 days (apparently.)

So, in case you don't understand hash tagging (I don't), I'll explain the point of this particular blog.

I am setting myself 3 goals to achieve before I reach 30. I feel motivated to do this as 30 is quite a big turning point in your life (I assume...)

1- Get into shape. This does not neccasrrily mean get ripped and get a 12 pack (though that is the plan for the 30th). I just want to be healthier and feel better about myself.

2- Get a tattoo. I've been toying around with this for a while but can't decide what to get done. I also just don't want to get one for the sake of it. I want it to mean something. Also, I want to be in physical shape to get one. No one likes tattoos on fat arms. And that is where I plan on getting it. So, I need to make sure I achieve goal 1 in order to get goal 2.

3- Put my university degree to use. By the time I reach 30, I want to have written either a complete script, pilot for a TV show or a short story. Nothing may ever come from it (something could) but I just need to do something else with my life other than working jobs that I don't care for.

These are my goals. I will achieve them.

#goalsbefore30

Paris,USA - A Springsteen Review

As we did for Metlife in September '12, we took the (much shorter) journey to Paris for the weekend. It was my mom's Christmas present from last year. She came with me to my first Springsteen show back in '06. It was part of the Seeger Sessions tour so, you know, not a proper Springsteen show(but a mighty mighty fine one indeed!). I've always promised to take her to a 'proper' Springsteen gig. Unfortunately, all the times I've gone I've been standing or its been to festival. And mama don't do standing! So, this was a promise fulfilled. However, not only were we going to take in a Springsteen show, we were going to sight see Paris (also her first time!) but that's for a later blog...this ones for The Boss.

At the beginning of June, I wrote a very below average (is there any other kind) blog about June being the month of my 'return to rock and roll'. Started with Bon Jovi in Cardiff, moved to Wembley for Springsteen and then to Paris, for..er, Springsteen. Having seen a Springsteen concert only two weeks prior, it was still fresh in my mind the mind blowing awesomeness of the Wembley gig and getting 'Darkness In Full'. I went a bit camera happy at this one, for reasons undetermined. I took a lot of photos. Yip, nice blurry zoomed in ones. And also some nice panorama ones (I quite like that feature on the iPhone.) Anyway, on with the show.

What I first noticed, was the lack 'broooooooooooooocing' from the crowd. Maybe the crowd was more casual than hardcore...who knows. Who cares...The Boss was taking the stage! And take the stage he did. He launched into "Badlands', immediately eliminating any chance of another 'Darkness' run through. I love 'Badlands'. It's such a fantastic song and makes a great opener. Better than 'Land of Hope and Dreams'. He next went into 'Out in the Street', one I've heard a few number of times live but never tire of it. It's a good song to warm the crowd up and get them singing! More importantly, during 'Out in the Streets' Bruce walks up to the crowds and starts taking signs...request time! I love the request section. It has a chance to throw a curve ball (Wembley getting 'Lost in the Flood), or in this case, introduce a new song (to me at least), 'Lucille'. Never heard it before but quite liked it. And then...Wrecking Ball followed by Death To My Hometown?Only one request? That could mean only one thing. Except, he threw in one more request. It wasn't that special, 'Cadillac Ranch'. It's only memorable because I had a momentary stupid moment and thought, that's on BITUSA...that means we'll get 'Born to Run' in full...and then I remembered that it was from 'The River' (Oh Goodness, what am I like!?)

The next part of the concert was 'Born In The USA' (the album) from start to finish. There were a few highlights from it for me. I heard 'I'm On Fire', 'I'm Goin' Down' and (a surprisingly touching) 'My Hometown' live for the first time but, more importantly, I heard the best version of 'Born In The USA'. Max's drums pounded a freakin' hole in my chest! It was fantastic. Though I'd heard the majority of the songs live at various concerts, I'm a bit of completist and was quite happy to get BITUSA in full, as I could now mark off two different album concerts...just Born to Run left (good luck with that one!) I won't go on about the rest of the songs as they did follow the same formula he's been using for these latest European shows. Although still mightily enjoyable, it would be nice if he could mix up the end part of the main set and the encore.

I got quite emotional during 'Wrecking Ball' (as I have figured out, I always do) when it comes to the 'hard times come and hard times go' part. It get's me every single time. So, for me between this and Wembley, this was the poorer of the two but, lets be honest,  a 'poor' Springsteen show will be be better than almost anything else! However, set list aside, what made it more enjoyable than Wembley was the company and setting. We were having a great time in Paris sight seeing, doing loads of things, the fantastic weather, and more importantly, finally being able to take my mom to a 'proper' Springsteen show. She loved every minute of it (and thankfully we had good seats, section S7 will live in my heart forever.) As my mom simply put it, The Boss is great!

And that's it for my concerts for the year. There's no one else of interest touring and I've got nothing planned (barring any spontaneous gig going). My month of rock and roll has come and gone. Like Bruce sings...Hard times come and hard times go. No gigs are, indeed, hard times.

The Last Of Us

Strangely, when it comes to video games,  I tend to never watch trailers or read previews or see gameplay footage for them, in the run up to their release. I wait until the final review is out and, regardless of the score, if its something that looks like I could have fun playing, I'll get it. I steered clear of all media coverage regarding Naughty Dog's latest offering, The Last Of Us (LOUS). I couldn't even say if I knew it was a Naughty Dog game at the time. But, I just...steered clear of it all. I can't even say it was intentional or not. Maybe it was just ingrained in me that I was going to get this game regardless of hype and review?

Naughty Dog are the creators of the Crash Bandicoot series, the Jak and Daxter series and, most importantly, the Uncharted franchise. The Unchartered series is one of the most well regarded, critically acclaimed, universally loved and all round freakin' best games you will ever play. FACT. For these reasons, Naughty Dog have become, in my mind at least, the Pixar of the video gaming world. They can do no wrong (unlike Pixar...Ratatouille? Cars? Up (not for the first 10 minutes, mind you.)

Moving on, I pre-ordered my copy and, as luck would have it, got it in the post the day before it was 'officially released'. I whipped it into my Playstation so fast it'd have given you whiplash! I won't go into details in case you're one of the sad people out there who have yet to play it or, worse....don't have a Playstation. Suffice it to say, it's the most gut wrenching start to ANY game I've ever played and it just keeps going. They marketed the game as a character driven story, not an end of the world/society action adventure game. It's being compared to The Road (the below average film based on the well written but depressing as hell book by Cormac McCarthy. I've read and seen each one and didn't appreciate them.)

One friend of mine also finished it but has started to play it again straight away. I couldn't do that for two reasons. 1) I lent the copy to my brother 2) I very rarely play games a second time. The only game I can think of that I've played multiple times (I think 5 times) is Metal Gear Solid on the PS1. In my mind, I played Last Of Us, loved every minute of it the first time. A second go around would, obviously, still be immensely fun to play but....I don't know. It just wouldn't feel the same in some way.

Not a long 'review' then and probably a lot of pointless drivel.  But whatever, GO PLAY IT!

Wembley's Darkness - Springsteen Review

Born to Run or Born In The USA? These were the two most rumoured and obvious choices for Bruce to play a full album run through for his first gig in the new Wembley Stadium. Almost everyone was convinced (and rightfully so) that it would be BITUSA. Oh how we we were wrong! What we did, in fact get, was Darkness On The Edge Of Town from start to finish. I'll use this time to spare a thought for the casuals who wanted BITUSA. That's enough of that though. I'll get on with my view of the show.

The day started a bit wobbly. I went online to buy our National Express bus tickets that would take us direct from Oxford to Wembley Stadium and back again. Only to encounter a 'booking failed' message every freakin' time! Turns out they stop selling tickets a day before or something so they can get their 'passenger list' in order. Whatever. Then, my boy found out that we could take a quick 20 minute drive to Bicester and get the train direct from there to Wembley Stadium! It worked beautifully and, more importantly, the last train from Wembley was 23:55pm! We wouldn't have to leave Bruce early to get the train even! Must remember this for next time we got to to Wembles! Anyway, on with the show...

Before we got to our seats we met up with some friends of mine (the lovely bastard John Styles, follow his blog here http://johnstyles.blogspot.co.uk, and his better half). It's always nice meeting up with good friends you've not seen in a while. It's even better when you happen to meet up at a Springsteen gig and drink beer together! Strangely, when we were discussing the possibilities of what would be played, he hoped for Bobby Jean! I thought it would be more than possible considering we were bound to get a full BITUSA play through...

Bruce and the band took the stage at about 1920 and got off to a fantastic start with a Land of Hope and Dreams (bit of  a surprise for me) but I thought it worked really well as an opener. He then went into Jackson Cage from the River Album. I know the River album but not as well as I know other albums. I was not that familiar with the song but knew it was a bit of a rarity. He then took a request for Save My Love off The Promise, an album full of outtakes and unfinished songs from when we was recording Darkness. Again, I knew the song but didn't care for it...until I heard it live (this happens a lot!) Then, the OMG moment of the whole show for me....Lost In The Flood. This one had been a favourite of mine since watching the Live In New York DVD. It is a phenomenally powerful song.

After a few more regulars (not including my first live Hungry Heart and sing a long), The Boss gave us a choice:  He could keep taking requests OR they could do Darkness from beginning to end. In my opionion, both were met with the same roar of approval. For me though, it had to be Darkness. Aside from the old warhorses he plays every concert (Badlands and The Promised Land) I hadn't heard any other song from it (with the exception of Racing In The Street - he played that at Hyde Park in '09). So, yeah, I was pretty amped to hear the entire album and also to experience a full album show. Each song was brilliant, obviously. However, the stand outs for me were Adam Raised a Cain, Something In The Night (Max's drums at the end just sent shivers down my spine.) and of course, the titular track. I finally heard it live!!!

Once the intense playthrough had, erm, been played, the hits started to roll...sort of. Shackled and Drawn from the new album (it's a great track) Waitin' On A Sunny Day which I hate but you can't help but sing a long and smile when he gets a kid to sing it with him. To the end the main set The Boss broke out Light Of Day. I only know the version on the Live In New York DVD and freakin' love it. This version was slightly different and not as fast paced and frenetic as the DVD version but it was still fantastic hearing it live.

The encore started with a very jolly 'Pay Me My Money Down', the same as he did at Metlife night 3 last year. It's a great little romp of a song. Oddly, Bobby Jean (a sign request) was played (just for Styles, I like to think). Dancing in the Dark, 10th Avenue and Twist and Shout rounded out the encore. The band all made their way to the front to take their bows and soak up the praise from the crowd, all of them saying good bye. Bruce showed each of them down the stairs to the back, a night rocked...a night not finished. Bruce came back, harmonica and acoustic guitar in tow. Thanking the fans for supporting the band he sent us home with the most beautiful, emotional, haunting Thunder Road I've ever experienced. The entire stadium was quiet. No one daren't speak. It is quite something when 73,000 people are dead quiet and actually LISTENING to a song as opposed to talking over it. It was the icing on an already brilliant tasty cake.

This review is, obviously, my own opinion and based on my own personal experience. And yeah, I'm biased as hell towards Bruce and the band. I don't think it's feasible for them to even have a bad gig. And so, my June, my self titled 'Month Of Rock, is winding down. The last stop is the 29th of June at the Stade de France in Paris. Expect another totally unbiased review of that one as well.

Bon Jovi in Cardiff - Review

Wednesday the 12th of June 2013 was shaping up to be a good day. Work wasn't grating on me like usual, I was happy to the point of annoynance to my colleagues AND I had a very tasty lasagne for lunch. However, that was all just an added bonus to the already planned events for the evening. Wednesday was my last day of work prior to my four days holiday and to start off this fantastic four days off we'd be road trippin' (we were fully loaded with snacks and supplies as well) to Cardiff to see Bon Jovi on their latest tour dubbed 'Because We Can Tour'.

Strangely, they were playing the Cardiff City Stadium...NOT the Millennium Stadium as I, luckily, found out a few days before. I found this to be strange considering that the Millennium Stadium is larger,  and in my opinion, a much more popular and better organised venue. It took us about 2 hours to make the drive from the good ol' Shire. When we got there we drove past the stadium looking, naively, for parking at the next door ASDA. Alas, finding parking was proving to be futile. We caved and decided to plump for the park and ride (that we had already visited but decided that WE would be lucky enough to find parking right by the stadium). Side note: At the park and ride they were filming Holby City/Casualty/Don't really know because I don't watch that crap.

We made our way to the stadium on the bus. Once we got to the ASDA drop off point, certain members of our group decided they needed to pee. I made the most of this unnecessary stop and decided to pre-empt a full bladder and had a piss as well. With the delays of finding parking and pissing about (literally) we finally got into the stadium just as Bon Jovi were half way through ' Shot Through The Heart'.

Upon first entering the stadium and the pitch (we were standing) I was struck by how small the venue was. I hadn't been this surprised by a stadium's size since U2 at the Don Valley Stadium on the 360 tour. It's a strange stadium/arena type size. I may be making this seem like a bad thing but it really isn't. It helps make it the gig more intimate than the larger stadiums. Once we found our spot on the pitch, I then paid brief attention to the stage. What a stage! Even know I'm not sure if I liked it or found it to be cheesier than Bon's songs. See the below photo (taken by me!) for reference:

As you can see it, its the front of an old American muscle car (not the back like first thought).

Once we got settled in, I could finally start paying attention to the actual concert. This was the 4th time I was seeing Bon Jovi live. The first one was in Hyde Park in '02 and is memorable because it was my first ever rock concert (and possibly the largest), the second was for the "Lost Highway' tour in '08 at Twickenham and was, until Bruce in NY, the best concert I had ever been to. The third was at the 02 when they did a few dates to fill in for Jacko. That was OK. Back to Cardiff though. I'm not sure if it was because of the general rush we were in, the arriving late, the smaller venue, the welsh or, hell, it was a weekday, but there Cardiff effort really seemed to miss the mark. There was too much unknown crap for my liking (lets be honest, if you're going to see Bon live, you're going to hear the classics not his new piss-poor efforts).

It was an odd experience. Much like looking a Jon's brilliant white horse chompers he's got on them. Seriously, they were insane!

They didn't play for very long either. Only 2 hours at the most. They finished off, naturally, with Livin' On A Prayer. I thought they were going to come out and do another encore but they did not. No Bed Of Roses. No Always. No more cheesy 80's rock :( To be fair, Jon didn't seem like he could be THAT bothered. After all, it was only Wales....who can be bothered!?

PS: Only joking, I love the welsh. Especially their cakes.