I had been wanting to do a top 10 for the best for a little while and it got done. My other idea was a top 5 for the opposite and here it is. These don’t necessarily have to be the worst you’ve ever been to either. So here it goes:
- Marduk 6/17/12 at the DNA Lounge in SF, CA
Kinda sad I had to kick off this list with these guys. I was originally gonna give this spot to Possessed at the same venue on 11/1/09 but that was only because of a short set as the headliner (45 minutes). Anyways, Marduk put on a good performance, but what makes this disappointing was that co-headliners 1349 blew them out of the water. Marduk had a good set, but what I found funny was that it was mostly the opening songs from each album. Met the singer after the show. Very cool guy, but I shook his hand when he got out of the bathroom and it was drenched. Guess they were out of paper towels. So yeah, they make the list for lacking what 1349 had.
- Mayhemfest '09 at Sleep Train Amphitheater somewhere near Sacramento, CA
This festival was just all bad except for Cannibal Corpse and Behemoth. As good as Behemoth is live, the letdown was that they only got a half hour set. I had to sit thru Bullet For My Valentine and Killswitch Engage. BFMV is one of the most repetitive bands I’ve ever seen and Killswitch just sucks. Had to even sit thru they’re shitty cover of “Holy Diver.” Marilyn Manson headlined and his set was mediocre at best and only an hour when I’ve seen him give up to 2. But if I had to single out the most disappointing band of the day it would have to be Slayer. They too only had an hour and it was pretty much a greatest hits set. The previous 2 times I saw them (ironically co-headlining with Manson) they were in support of an album and dipped into their catalog a bit. I don’t really go to Slayer to just hear the hits. But I guess that’s what they’re getting reduced to now that they’re hitting their 50’s.
- NIN/Jane’s Addiction NINJA tour '09 at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA
NIN was probably the bigger disappointment at this show. All because of the setlist. See for yourself:
http://www.ninwiki.com/2009/05/22_Mountain_View,_CA
Don’t get me wrong, I was happy to hear some Fragile songs I’ve never heard live before, but the rest of the setlist was too predicable. Not to mention, they had to waste time playing “Metal.” Sad from a band who was in my top 5 in the Top 10 thread. Also sad as I didn’t catch the last leg of the tour later in the year cuz they weren’t coming to the Bay Area.
Then there’s Jane’s. It was getting windy when they came on and wind at the Shoreline means shit sound. Also, Dave Navarro didn’t look like he was into it, so the lack of passion irked me. The set was cool, pretty much Nothing’s Shocking in it’s entirety, the best songs from Ritual and Whores, but NIN still played a longer set and they weren’t even the headliner.
- Ministry C-U-LaTour 4/2/08 at the Fillmore in SF, CA
I think we’ve talked enough about this. I almost didn’t include this cuz we’ve talked about it so damn much. But I had to be honest.
- Ozzfest '05 8/??/05 whatever that fucking outdoor venue is in Devore, CA (also considered San Bernadino.)
I’m sure Gunnar can sympathize with me on this one as he was there as well. The fact that this was disappointing was partly my fault cuz I ditched my friends. First good band, and 1 of 2 good bands, I saw all day was Arch Enemy. Short and sweet. I don’t really remember too many people who played, but I do remember meeting Criss Angel. His lisp is worse in person, which makes him sound super gay haha. The worst highlight of the day was seeing the hardcore dancing pit during As I Lay Dying. If only I could’ve gathered a bunch of true metalheads to take them out I would’ve.
I then met some chick who was with a big Swedish guy. We ditched them and she was giving me some attention (probably to make that Swedish guy jealous). Then Rob Zombie comes on and this chick and I are holding on to each other while everyone swarmed in. The experience of breathing in all the dust and the heat left me dehydrated. I didn’t have money for water as I had blown it all at Amoeba the previous day. I eventually mustered up the strength to hit the medical tent and I saw some people who were far worse off than I was. In fact, I was getting some dirty looks for not being injured.
I then spent the rest of the day looking for my friends. After Shadows Fall finished up their set the bonfires started. At this particular venue people gather up trash and start fires to dance around. Kinda tribal, yet stupid at the same time. Lucky me I had brought the bible from the hotel room and hopes of destroying it. I had thrown it in the pit during second stage and grabbed what was left of it. I then started ripping pages out and throwing it in the fire. Looking back, it was pretty silly. I was getting a mixed reaction from the crowd, mostly people hating on me. Finally some guy wrestled it out of my hands and I wasn’t about to fight over a bible.
Then Mudvayne came on, and flat out sucked. After them was a special (if you really wanna call it special) guest performance from Slipknot. People used to tell me how awesome Joey Jordison’s drumming is live. I wasn’t impressed. I was more entertained by watching the nazi skinheads beat each other up in the pit. But what wasn’t cool was that I got burned with a cigarette on accident.
After that crap was over, the highlight of the whole day/night was Iron Maiden. If anyone has ever heard about the show where they kept getting the power cut off on them and Bruce Dickenson getting eggs thrown at him this is the one. Bruce had been calling Black Sabbath hasbeens the whole tour. This was they’re final night of the tour and Velvet Revolver was gonna take they’re spot for the remainder. I’ll never forget the crowd when the power went out after the first verse of Number Of The Beast. It was such a shock. The power would go out a few more times, including for the end of Hallowed Be Thy Name which Bruce had the whole crowd singing. The beginning of that song was when he was getting egged. Then at the end Sharon came out and called Bruce a prick, which resulted in the whole crowd booing her.
Finally, the biggest disappointment bandwise was our headliners Black Sabbath. This is why this whole show is number 1. With the exception of Dirty Women and closing with Children Of The Grave, it was the most predictable setlist I’ve ever heard in my life. Big disappointment for someone who was once a hardcore Sabbath fan. Not to mention, Ozzy was pulling his weight with his singing. Don’t know what more I can say about this.