Music to my Ears

SportsDude:

What could possibly be better than drinking a beer and sitting outside? Wait, drinking a beer, sitting outside at a concert! This summer there are a few bands that would be pretty cool to go see.

Friday, Fall Out Boy is coming to STL. I know a lot of people don’t them because “they sounds like Blink 182.” I don’t care though, their music sounds good to me. Even though some of their songs sound the same. They sing something you can’t understand and then a put whoa-o-o-o in it. None, the less I like their lyrics because they are clever and usually have a deeper meaning. Much better than G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S. Geez, somebody send Fergie back to 1st grade with all the other kids spelling. I mean seriously, did she win a spelling bee in 5th grade or something? I can hear it now in her next, “can you use it in a sentence?” methadone, M-E-T-H-A-D-O-N-T Fergie.

Another concert I am really pumped for this summer is probably my favorite band called Cross Canadian Ragweed. They are playing at a county fair, but I’m cool with that. They are a “red dirt” band, meaning their music is primarily country with a little more guitar in it. Their guitar playing is phenomenal, and they’ve been playing together for over 12 years so they know each other and how their set is going to go. I’ve seen these guys 4 times in concert and 3 times they were great. The other time, I don’t think the venue did a very good sound check for them because they were opening up for Robert Earl Keen (who blew by the way). Your, probably thinking “ok, they are a country band, gag, so what?” Thing is, they don’t really fit that part they are some long haired hippie looking type. Basically, I think their favorite thing to do is get stoned and play music for hours. The first time I seen them they played for nearly 3 hours!

311 is coming later this summer and I have also already seen them and they put on a good show but last time I went to their concert the whole place smelled like pot. That’s not really my thing so that made it a little less enjoyable. That same show Papa Roach opened for them and kind of stole the show.

Brad Paisley is also going to be through here. I think he is awesomely talented and very funny. This would be a good show for sure.

I don’t know if they are still touring but I would love to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers in concert. Their music is just so different and they have so much energy. It would be a blast to see these guys. If anybody knows if they are coming then let me know.

I know shopper gal will have Kelly Clarkson at the top of her list. Kelly is like her “Idol.” Get it, Kelly Clarkson…. “Idol” yes pun intended. Wow, that is lame. Stay tuned for Hereos/Idol blog next!

ShopperGal:

SportsDude and I have very similar and very different tastes in music. While I am a pop kind of gal typically. He is more of an alternative type of guy. His favorite bands include Fallout Boy, Greenwheel and Cross Canadian Ragweed. My favorite bands/singers include Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry and Three Doors Down.

I am very commercialized. I love everything celebrity-related or anything. It’s a sad confession but one I must make. American Idol appeals to me. Gossip rags beg for me to pick them up. I am a sucker for trends. I don’t think this makes me a bad person.

SportsDude isn’t as commercialized. He watches American Idol with me every week but he doesn’t buy up every CD the artists from the show put out like I do. He is more original in his music taste and has a clear style that he loves. Mine isn’t so clear. I like country; I like rock; I like alternative; I like pop. I just can’t be labeled.

I must admit though that I do enjoy SportsDude’s music and have been to more concerts of his favorite bands than I have my own. We’ve caught Greenwheel in concert at least 5 times. We’ve seen CCR 3 times in the last 6 months. And we’re planning a trip this weekend to see Fallout Boy. I’ve never seen Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry or Three Doors Down in concert. However, I do own both a Kelly Clarkson and Chris Daughtry CD and have plenty of Carrie Underwood and Three Doors Down songs on my iPod.

This summer I would love to broaden my horizons. SportsDude already has us scheduled for a CCR concert in July and a Fallout Boy concert this weekend but I would also like to see Kelly Clarkson when her tour stops by St. Louis. I would love to see Carrie Underwood although I’m not sure when she’ll be making it this way and I just missed Chris Daughtry at a casino in St. Louis (my sister and I were both devastated – we both got each other his new CD for Christmas!).

Anyone have any suggestions on great concerts we could go to? I’m planning at least one to two country concerts, a few alternative gigs and hopefully one American Idol show. Turn the radio up!

Bicycle Wheels and Greenwheel

SportsDude:
Last week was shopper gals birthday and she didn’t want jewelry or girly stuff but she wanted a bicycle. Not just a bicycle for her but one for me too. No, we did not get a bicycle built for two but two different bicycles. These turned out to be pretty fun.

I haven’t ridden a bicycle since my foot could reach kick shift on the Big Red Threewheeler. Apparently bicycles have changed a lot since then. The bike I bought has 21 gears! My truck doesn’t even have that many.

We took a couple rides on the nearby trail and it was pretty fun, despite almost running over a snake. Shopper gal was pedaling her ass off and about half way I ask her what gear she is in and she says “second.” I tried to explain to her that if she shifts up that she won’t have to pedal as hard. However, she was skeptical and after taking a second ride she finally got up 4th gear.

There was also a ton of people riding bikes on the trail. I had no idea it was so popular to ride bikes without motors. Much like the beach, on the trail there are way too many old guys wearing way too tight of shorts. So here’s the rant of the week. To all the old guys riding bikes, if you gut covers your nuts then don’t wear bicycle shorts. That sight is just as enjoyable as the site of amniotic fluid on the floor.

From bicycle wheels to still one of my favorite bands even though they are no longer “together” Greenwheel. This past weekend we went to the STL and we ate at this place called Cybergs which was a hotel bar. It brought back way to many memories of Sportsdude old bartending days at a hotel bar. Ok, exiting off memory lane. As we were eating diner Shopper gal said “hey, this guy is trying to look like Ryan Jordan.” Note: Ryan Jordan was the lead singer of Greenwheel. I responded “wait, that is him.”

I went up to introduce myself thinking that he was just hanging out but no. After I said “Hey, I’m Lee.” He said “I just do this when I need a little extra cash.” At that moment I look up on stage and a cover band is setting up.

I was so disappointed, it felt like I found out my only son is gay. I thought that Ryan Jordan and their band were so talented and now is singer for a cover band. I mean they wrote a song that was nominated for a Grammy. They didn’t sing but they sold the rights to the song “Breathe” to Melissa Ethridge. Another one of their songs was on the Spiderman soundtrack and they were signed to a major label, Island records. Recently they changed their name to “Go Van Gogh.” I think they have been struggling but still….

As great as it was to meet him and talk to him it was equally disappointing to see him lower himself to that level. If anybody thinks I am crazy then you can go to Greenwheel.net and listen to their stuff. I’m not saying that they are best thing since cubed ice and sliced bread but he is better than singing for a cover band. Bottom line is “Ryan Jordan, good luck but man you don’t need to sing for a cover band.”

ShopperGal:
SportsDude told his biker friend last night that he “got a bike.” His friend didn’t even bat an eye. “The kind with pedals, right?” He didn’t believe for a second that SportsDude would be cruising on a Harley. He was right. We got bikes – old-fashioned ones.

I asked for bikes for me and my man for my birthday last week and he came through. I got a cool purple and silver bike. He got a red Schwin. We took them out for the first long bike ride this weekend and I’m seriously paying for it. We rode 8 miles on Saturday. Sunday my butt felt like someone had kicked it repeatedly and my legs felt like I had attempted to bench press 500 pounds. Brutal.

The worst part was that SportsDude didn’t hurt a bit. In fact, he was ready for bike ride #2 the next day. I went and all I have to say about that is…OUCH!

Also this weekend we were in St. Louis and a little old bar called Syberg’s. We weren’t expecting to see anyone we knew and had no idea there was going to even be a band playing. We just wanted pizza and wings. We got more. In fact, SportsDude was stoked because he got quite a show – for free.

Ryan Jordan, lead singer of Greenwheel, was singing for the cover band at the bar – Wild Stallyons. I picked him out and SportsDude practically sprinted to shake his hand and get the scoop on why the head man for SportsDude’s favorite band was playing in a hotel bar. He was disappointed to say the least to hear that Jordan was trying to pick up extra money telling us both that Greenwheel was going down in smoke.

Excuse me I guess I should tell you now that Greenwheel is no loner Greenwheel. It’s now known as Go Van Gogh. I’m not all that impressed with the name but I love the band just the same, especially Ryan Jordan so go to greenwheel.net and check them out!!

Now back to recovering from my bike ride…