Monday, March 30, 2009

An Early Look - Mayhem Festival '09

As the Summer Concert Season gears up in NEPA, many await with eager anticipation for news on whether their favorite bands and/or shows will be returning. We have already had numerous confirmations on shows coming to or near our beloved hole in the Appalachians, but some have yet to be announced, while still others remain stagnant in a limbo-like state. While it may yet be too early to mention it, I am personally jacked for a particular show to return to NEPA: The ROCKSTAR Engery Drink Mayhem Festival!

Mayhem Fest '08 brought sickness and carnage to the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain in grand fashion last summer with headliners Slipknot and Disturbed. Of course, who can forget Five Finger Death Punch, Dragonforce, Walls of Jericho, and the many other bands on the Jagermeister Stage? In short, the show kicked ass. Is it too much to assume that there are a multitude of others who are as excited as I am for this show's return?

My impulses only increased when I recieved confirmation for this year's Mayhem Fest headliners. Needless to say, the heavy metal gods have smiled upon us this year by granting us Marilyn Manson and Slayer as the lead acts! Co-headlining are Bullet for my Vallentine, while Killswitch Engage is rumored to be co-headlining as well. Other bands in attendance include Cannibal Corpse, Trivium, All That Remains, Behemoth, God Forbid, The Black Daliah Murder, and a copius number of other Jagermeister bands.

Unlike last year where we had Disturbed providing a sort-of "middle-ground" for the average rock fan, this year is all about thrash. Certainly, this year will include more violence and agression, but we can at least be guaranteed that it will keep the posers out of the show.

Granted, no tour dates have been confirmed as of yet, at least not here in NEPA. However, TicketsNow.com and the MySpace Page for Mayhem Festival have listed the Toyota Pavilion as a stop for Mayhem Fest '09. The current, tentative date for the show is July 29th, but time will tell for sure. In the meantime, get to practicing your mosh-pit endurance...you are going to need it!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Crisco's Rock Manual: Chapter 2 - Knowing Your Radio Station

Welcome back. I hope that you found the previous installment useful. Today we move on to Chapter 2, which delves into what you should know about your radio station.


First of all, GOOD Rock Radio stations are few and far between. With this knowledge, it would be wise for a true rocker to not screw up simple, elementary facts regarding the very station that plays music that you claim is your favorite type. These truths are especially relevant to any person who has made the claim that they listen to a station "all the time." Before you blurt this out in the future, make sure you have your s**t together so you can avoid rambling onward into incoherency.

Now, for the sake of this blog, I will hereby be using our very own 97.9X as the primary example for establishing my point. Keep in mind, though, that the following applies to any rock radio station.

1) Know the NAME of your Rock Radio station

Too often, I hear listeners refer to our radio station as being named "97.9X Rocks."

Wrong!

Take a close look at the station logo at the top of the blog. THAT is our station's name. It is pronounced "Ninety-Seven Nine X". Period. Nothing more, nothing less.

Another thing you should figure out is how to disassociate the station's name from the station's slogan."97.9X Rocks" is our station's slogan. It implies that the radio station (97.9X) takes part in the act of rocking. We do rock at 97.9X, so it is safe to say that 97.9X rocks.

Name = "97.9X"
Slogan = "97.9X Rocks!"

Let me reiterate... the name of our station is NOT "97.9X Rocks". The name of our station IS "97.9X".

The following are a breakdown of correct and incorrect grammar using the station's name:

"I won tickets from 97.9X!" - GOOD
"I won tickets today! 97.9X Rocks!" - GOOD
"I won tickets from 97.9X Rocks!" - BAD

"Crisco is a weekend DJ on 97.9X." - GOOD
"97.9X Rocks on the weekend with Crisco." - GOOD
"Crisco is a weekend DJ on 97.9X Rocks." - BAD

"Today, we saw a Top Secret Show in the 97.9X Rock Lounge." - GOOD
"Today, we saw a Top Secret Show in the Rock Lounge. 97.9X Rocks!" - GOOD
"Today, we saw a Top Secret Show in the 97.9X Rocks Rock Lounge." - BAD

"97.9X Rocks!" - GOOD
"97.9X Rocks Rocks!" - JUST PLAIN STUPID

It should also be noted that WBSX is the call-sign for 97.9X. While it is acceptable to refer to our radio station as WBSX, you may come off sounding like an uptight tool.

2) Know the Music of your Rock Radio station

We are a Rock Station. We play Rock Music. Repeat that a few times in your head.

DO NOT call your Rock Station and request garbage like Pink, Rihanna, Usher, T.I., or Miley Cyrus. We will not play it and you will be ridiculed as being a loser, not to mention a moron.

I really am confused as to how this happens. Is it because you dial the wrong number? Seriously, how can you call yourself a true listener if you don't even know what your station's phone number is? You really should try to discover fire before you attempt to fiddle with telephone communication, you simpleton.

3) Know your Rock DJs

While struggling to maintain consciousness, put forth an effort to listen for the name of the DJ on-the-air.

Calling a DJ by another name or not knowing who he/she is at all can really hurt our feelings. We are people too, you know.

4) Involve yourself

Attend station events, take part in station activities, and show your support. Don't just sit there with your mouth open like a mutilated cow and expect us to go out of our way to accommodate you with periodic doses of kickassedness. It doesn't work that way.

In actuality, we are here for you. Just don't be a douche about it. Show some love.

Be awesome for your station, and they will be awesome for you.


That is all for now. I'll probably add more as I remember to.

Until next time...KEEP ROCKIN'!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Tantric's "Mind Control"


Recently, I posted a blog regardning new rock from Tantric. Turns out I was RIGHT! We can definitely expect new rock from the band. Also, Tantric has posted even more info on the album in yet another MySpace bulletin:

Hello everyone, just wanted to say that we have decided to call the new record Mind Control. All is well in the studio and i cant wait to share this record with you guys.
God Bless you all
hugo


As always, you can count on me to keep you in the loop. Once again, you heard it FIRST from 97.9X!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

RESCHEDULED!

Blah blah blah...yadda yadda yadda...

You know the drill. Just get your ass there!

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

POSTPONED!

Well, if you haven't heard by now, the big game has been postponed. I guess I should be thanking the Mid-Valley Girls B-Ball team for saving the 97.9X Staff a lot of embarrassment by going to the State Finals on the same night.

I should also be thankful that THEY aren't the ones that we have to play since I would never be able to walk outside again after a beatdown of that magnitude.

Anyway, keep your ear turned to the speakers for updates on when the game will be rescheduled, and pray that it happens before the weather gets warm. After all, the last thing NEPA needs is to see the 97.9X Staff in shorts. The horror...the horror...