Very fitting that the mighty Maiden...

...bring my 4 concert run to an end because they were amazing!!! 

So, a few weeks ago, it began with The Black Crowes.  A band I have admired from afar with no real interest in buying any of their records or seeing them live...until a good friend of mine (metal god) insisted that I go with him...and they were stunning!  They are what you would call proper musicians!  Good music played with passion and note perefection...subsequently, I now own 5 of their albums!!
Primus was next...Primus, remember them?!?!?!?  At the height of my going out every weekend phase, Primus were one of those bands that were always around and the chance to actually see them was one I wasn't going to pass!!  Very bass guitar driven with unique vocals and a huge sense of fun made it one of the most enjoyable concerts I have been too.
Next was a double whammy...Judas Priest supported by Queensryche!!  I have seen Queensryche before and been a fan for a good few years now so the chance to see them again is always welcome...and they didn't dissapoint!  Again, brilliant musicians, good solid tunes and a good connection with the audience made them the perfect support band for Priest!  Priest, Priest, Priest...what can you say about Judas Priest?  Deafening volumes, lots of leather, the Harley bike, screaming vocals, shredding guitars, at least 1 song played from every album (impressive), face melting flames, brill audience participation...THAT'S what you can say about Judas Priest!!
And so we come to the mighty Iron Maiden, last night, Manchester Evening News Arena, 2 hour set comprised of old and new...brilliant!!  They are only one out of two bands whom I have seen a fair few times, 5 now, and they have never, or will ever, fail to put on one hell of a show!  Brilliant stage setup with appearances from Eddie in tall form and then in GIANT form coupled with an energy unlike any band I have seen and truly great songs!  A fitting end to my 4 concert run!!

But it isn't over, merely on a break!!  The rest of the year will have me seeing Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers whilst next year, I have already got tickets for Rammstein!!!  Well, you gotta have something to look forward too!!!  UP THE IRONS!!!!!

A busy 3 weeks...

...is almost to an end.  By the end of this week, I would have been to 4 mighty concerts and spent 4 days in The Lakes...a busy 3 weeks!  My concert blog will be next weekend...today is all about The Lakes.

I experienced Windermere and Bowness in August of last year and have vowed to make it a yearly break, so 2 weeks ago, me and my girl spent 4 days in The Lakes...and it was great!!  Our first day had us wandering around Windermere and Bowness before spending the night on a Jazz cruise complete with live music, a buffet and a 2 and a half hour cruise over the lake.  It was so relaxing, the Jazz band were excellent, the food was good, and the weather was amazing!  The second day had us taking a map and venturing out over the massive walks through a scenery of green before hiring a motorboat and taking it out on the lake for an hour.  We also went to see Beatrix Potter's actual house where she created the Peter Rabbit books.  The third day we went to the Lakes Aquarium and on the fourth day we did a bit of shopping and then visited the Lakeland Wildlife Oasis which is home to some amazing animals and the gorgeous snow leopard.

Inbetween, we managed to fit in 2 rounds of pitch and putt, eat out a couple of times and just relax in some of the most beautiful surroundings with some of the best weather I have seen.  It really is a magical place, I cannot recommend it more than I am...and the fact that from where I live, it is about 70 miles away is extraordinary!!!  So, enjoy the photos above...but believe me, they do not do justice to The Lakes!!      

Transformers 3...

...I had read was pretty bad; better than the second one but still pretty bad!  Apart from the last 45 minutes which were meant to be stunning!!  So, after a wander around Wigan, spending some hard earned cash on cheap cd's, a Blu-Ray and a golf top, I decided to take my girl and go watch it in 3D.  And...well...I thought...it was...pretty........damn good!!  It is better than the second one but no where as near as bad as I was led to believe!
 
Their are bad points:
Megatron is underused which is a shame because, well, its Megatron!
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is NO Megan Fox, both in looks and acting!
If you didn't like the first movie then you will not like this one.

But the good points:
The special effects are stunning especially in the last 45 minutes.
The 3D is also brilliant, second only to Avatar!
It is a brutal movie, both humans and robots are killed in graphic, borderline, gory ways!
Leonard Nimoy, John Malkovich, Patrick Dempsey and John Turturro are great!
It still has that Transformers humour and some brill Star Trek references!
No one, and I mean NO ONE does destruction like Michael Bay does!

So, if you like the others, you will love this.  If you want to see a summer blockbuster, then you will love this.  If you want to switch your brain off and just gorge your eyes on amazing special effects and a good use of 3D since Avatar, you will love this!  Enjoy!!