KISW Rock Girl Gala

So last night Teri, her friend Kate, Kate's beau Chris and I all went to the KISW Rock Girl Gala held at the Tacoma Dome. I think a good time was had by all. Teri and I really wanted to go just to hear Candlebox play. All of the other stuff was just extra. They were crowning the 2008 rock girls and two other bands, Chevelle and Another Black Day were also playing. Of course Candlebox had to be the last act of the evening, so we didn't arrive back home until nearly 1 in the morning, but it was AWESOME to see Candlebox in concert again.

I'm sure Scott will remember the EXACT date (Scott I'd like to know if you remember) but he and I and a few of his other friends ended up out in Bremerton or somewhere at a fairgrounds in the early 1990's and one of the bands we saw in the pouring rain and mud was Candlebox. From that date on, I've been a fan. I also had the opportunity to see them play at the Fillmore in San Francisco when I was in town for a Photoshop conference. I had landed at SFO and gotten my rental car. While flipping through the stations to try to find some music to listen to, I heard "Candlebox tomorrow night at the Fillmore". I just about (radio edit) myself! I mean at that time (Probably 1995 - 1996) Candlebox was one of my favorite bands. And to have the opportunity to see them at the Fillmore was unbelievable. For those of you not familiar with the Fabulous Fillmore, the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane, and just about anyone in the who's who of rock and roll history played at the Fillmore. So when I checked into my hotel room, I called them. Apparently on the day of the show (then, don't know if they still do) they released like 30 tickets 2 hours before show time. I asked how long before that do you think I should be in line? They said to show up probably 30 - 45 minutes before that. Well, the show was at 7, the additional tickets went on sale at 5 and I was there at 3:30 and 5th in line. (Yes, I left the Photoshop conference early, sue me) It ended up being a packed house and I was about two people from the stage the entire night. I had the time of my life. It (and they) were awesome. So I have very fond memories of Candlebox.

Last night was no exception. The crowd couldn't have been more than 1,000 or so at the T-dome. I think most of the people there were there to see the rock girls, Chevelle and Another Black Day as most everyone had left by the time Candlebox played. Being a local band, they really thanked the fans a lot, talked about their new album coming out next month and played a couple tracks from that. (They sounded pretty good, so I'll likely pick up the CD when it's released) But of course their monster album was their self titled debut release, Candlebox, and the majority of their set was played from that album. The crowd knew all the words to many of the songs and were encouraged to sing along. They played a couple tracks off Lucy, their follow up release and I think just one track off Happy Pills, their last studio album.

Candlebox can still rock a crowd, even after 17 years of doing it. I'm looking forward to hear what they have coming. If last night was any indication, their next album should get some airplay on terrestrial and satellite radio alike.

Also, I was getting into Another Black Day and may see if I can't find some of their stuff on line. They reminded me of a young Metallica and their drummer was nothing short of incredible. I enjoyed their vibe and hope to hear more from them in the future. It seemed as though the majority of the crowd was there to see Chevelle. However, I wasn't much a fan of their music. It just didn't resonate with me the way the familiar sounds of Candlbox or the fresh, raw sounds of Another Black Day did. Overall, I enjoyed myself. My ears are ringing like they haven't in a long time and eventually I'll catch up on the sleep. But it was good to feel 25 again, even if it was only for one evening.