Protomen - the Comm ~ View topic

Joined: 22 Mar 2011 Posts: 61

Enjoy! Footage courtesy of Malcadon.
PS: OnslaughtSix... Commander rose up to destroy the juicebox challenge Smile

Everyone at the show, Urizen, Protos... it was a fantastic time!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNELAer2ztY

Joined: 02 Dec 2008 Posts: 2214 Location: The City

"I was just stabbed by a keytar...Of the ways to die, that's got to be number one...I regret nothing."

Joined: 22 Mar 2011 Posts: 61

And so it begins. Again. It was this time last year that Malcadon and I had decided that we were hopelessly in love with the Protomen. After PAX East the fight started to build furiously within us. We noticed the change. We kicked inhibition to the curb, jumped in the car and went to Newby's in Memphis to see them outside of a convention for the first time. It was June 2, 2011. It was the start of a beautiful feeling, a feeling that grabbed us by the balls and took us all over the place. And we let it. We let the music, energy, and new friendships have us completely.

Fast forward thru 4 more shows into now. On June 1 2012, we saw that they were going to be in Springfield, MO about a 2.5 hr drive from home, and agreed that it was a fitting anniversary of sorts to get our butts down there for the rock. We got there around 8:30, and they had started loading the gear in around 9. We didn't chat with them much due to how busy they were, but I eventually made my way to Kilroy to gift him a shirt I had made in the style of their newly released "A Night of Queen", but with his face all over the place. He grinned and giggled and gave his thanks and proceeded to show me the shirt he was wearing that had his mask, big and silver on black that another fan had made him. I immediately recognized it from a tumblr post I had seen recently. Good work btw! It was awesome.

Many beers later around 11:30 they took the stage at the High Life. The High Life is the type of dive-ish place I love. Small, intimate, and smelling faintly of cig smoke and spilled beer. They blazed thru the standards, Total Eclipse, & Death on Two Legs, and tho Malc and I had stools in the back, I went up to the pit for the last 3 songs. During Due Vendetta a sweaty man named Eric got on the stage in what appeared to be just his skivvies, and proceeded to give lots of sweaty love to Kilroy and the Gambler. With the crowd ecstatic and exhausted and full of smiles afterwards, we all roamed about and chatted with each other. We had met a guy who goes by the name Fenrir in this forum, and his friend whose name forgive me I cannot remember Sad

. They said they were also from STL and were seeing them the next night as well. We said that we would see them there! Around 1:30 the HL was starting to kick us out. As we were leaving, Kilroy caught us and thanked us for making it down and for the shirt again. We smiled and hugged and told him we'd see him tomorrow. At the door Murphy said bye to us, but not before he played with my hubs mutton chops Smile

. We didn't get home until 4am. We rested for this next night was gonna be one hell of a super crazy night!

pt.2 coming soon.

Joined: 31 Mar 2012 Posts: 40

so what exactly happened to the bass drum?
I saw in the video and I saw pictures, but why was it being stabbed with maracas? was this intentional destruction or just an "i didn't know hitting it with the point part of the maracas would do that."? the sound conked out in the video, so i didn't get the full story.

Joined: 12 Oct 2011 Posts: 42

This show was freakin' amazing. Can't believe that St. Louis, a place whose crowd probably numbered in only two figures last year, got to see that drum head finally break. All I remember of the missing sound was Murphy asking "is this thing recording" before he grabbed Malcadon's iPhone.

But yeah, it was quite intentional. I asked them about the drum at last year's PAX Prime, and they were saying even then that the heads were beat up and sounded like crap, so I guess they scrounged up enough money to replace them. Every time I replace a worn out clarinet or sax reed, I smash the old one in epic fashion, so this is probably like that, just on a much larger scale Smile

I've got many pics, but my job sent me to hang out around a bunch of Vikings for a week, so I can't throw 'em up on imgur yet for all you fellow fans to curate until I return home to a proper computer.

Joined: 31 Mar 2012 Posts: 40

I didn't realize how big it really was until we saw those shots of the inside. You could fit a person in there.
You guys imagine sitting in the bass drum during due vendetta.
It would be ridiculous.

also, "a bunch of vikings."
what do you do and how can i do it

Joined: 22 Mar 2011 Posts: 61

June 2, 2012. About a month or so before the show we talked with some wonderful fans that we met at the STL show last year (one Slippery42 and Miss Jeanette) so we gabbed and had decided that we could all chip in on some care package-y stuff for when they came to town. We'd seen that it's been done before with other fans, and just thought that it was an awesome gesture. Thru some research and talks across the sites we had created a list we could work with consisting of: one 8-pak Apple Juice boxes (info provided by OnslaughtSix Cool

), chocolate, make-up wipes, aspirin, jerky, nuts, sharpies, and some Jack (hints given by M. Weller).

By the time we go there Slippery was already in line with many fans and we were able to hear a sound check of Keep Quiet. My hub seemed to think we should give the bag to them immediately even tho Jeanette was running a bit late. We caught Ringo and Gambler on the way in and said the wipes were on the way. They smiled and thanked us. Jeanette finally made it with 4 packs of them! I motioned her over to the merch booth where we bought the MAVS Act 1 vinyl! Ringo happily accepted the gift from her! We roamed around and talked and met up with the Fenrir pack again.

Urizen was busy setting up the stage with their gear. I had wanted to see them last year and was hotly anticipating them, and then Turbo came up to the bar for bottled water so I asked him about them. He mentioned that they played together before and that they were looking forward to it as well! They took the stage as notes poured out of the speakers. We rushed up to get a good spot to witness the Mayhem. Box helmet = best helmet! The boxman running around on stage, the band getting their brains shocked for more power, the best keyboard solo courtesy of whatever the hell that thing was hanging out of his stomach, giant blob monster vs. robot..... ?! I was in love. According to their bio they are, "The balls of Rammstein strapped to the bodies of DEVO with the brains of Type O Negative performing the live show of GWAR... with a robot." I'd agree.

They ended their set, and I could tell the audience wanted more, but it was almost prototime.

pt.3 incoming

Joined: 12 Oct 2011 Posts: 42

@Mermaid: Web developer/technical consultant. And you can do it by taking a job with any company that has a branch somewhere in Minnesota that they might send you to Laughing

Joined: 12 Oct 2011 Posts: 42

Mmkay, back from the frozen north to hijack the thread some more. Have an album of the better pics I took: http://imgur.com/a/Ao0TA#0. I have some videos from this concert that I can try and harvest some decent stills from as well, but I dunno if I'll post any vids since I was too busy clapping, fist pumping, and rocking out to hold the camera steady.

Disclaimer: I'm a total DSLR amateur, was only using a kit lens, and didn't learn about the shutter speed setting until after the concert Embarassed

.

Can't wait for part 3 of your write-up Smile

Joined: 14 Jul 2011 Posts: 47

I wish i could have gone to the STL show, I do live in Springfield and made it to the High Life show, i was stand sitting on a stool to see better. My first show and I have to say I loved it.

Joined: 22 Mar 2011 Posts: 61

Kilroy took to the stage and the audience huddled closer. He gave us his rallying words as the room fell silent to "How the world fell into darkness". Bakker and that violin intro is such a beautiful sight/sound to witness. They blasted through a set of the usual suspects + Under Pressure, all the while Commander was chillin' at his station lining up empty juice boxes.

Just as he threw down his last empty box, Reanimator got up to present Commander with a gift... the actual last juice box that he'd hidden. And with box in hand, Commander rose above us with furious thirst. As Slippery42 put it best, "He's a juice box hero, got straws in his eyes!" Eight of them. That man chugged 8 in the span of 1-2 hours. What a guy. The funny thing is is that they were meant for all the band! But that's ok, we can get them more.

Sons of Fate. We finally had the pleasure of getting this jam! Helmets, guns, ponchos and all! Reminder: Protoman does not appreciate water bottles being thrown at his head, but thinks that death by keytar is the way to go. See video for highlights. Due Vendetta. The bass drum. A pounding friend in our hearts forever. It had a good life, but like all good things, it too had to come to an end. Murphy grabbed my hubs phone to document such an occasion.

Game Over. Fans lined up at the merch booth for the goods, bar tabs were closed, and fans and band members chatted until the venue kicked us out. The care pack had included a card from me to Ringo. He has a solo record called "The Mystery of Strangers, Once Lovers," that was released a while ago under his real name. My friend Audrey said that it was really good, and since I couldn't find where to buy it she very kindly sent me the files and said to slip him a $10 next time I saw him. So I did, but doubled it so that I could make a copy for a friend as well. I caught up with him and told him about how I'd fallen in love with the world that the band and fans have created, and how my husband and I have met and befriended quite a few people over the last year. He smiled and thanked me for the card and gave kudos to Audrey!

On my way to chat Commander about juice box shenanigans, Reanimator decided to playfully give me guff about him not getting a t-shirt like the one I had made for Kilroy since he was the propagator of the idea. I stopped in my tracks and didn't know how to respond, and could only say that I ran out of money, which is mostly true. I finally tracked down the juice box hero, and we discussed whether or not there was actually any real apple juice in those. I snuck a hug and told him I'd bring him more on the 22nd.

Jeanette and her friend had to go so we hugged goodbye, but not before she mentioned that Panther said she should go see Tenacious D with them after the Queen show. "Well, you're obligated now! You can ride with us!" This made for big smiles! Road trips with new pals are the best!

I looked around for Urizen members and talked to Emiliano Casteneda (boxman, crazy scientist). I remembered when they came to town last year and I was unable to see the show because of previous engagements, but was ecstatic when I heard they'd be back! Ah more love!

I rounded up the troops, my hub and friend Ben. Dave was near the exit talking to Panther and Kilroy, and once again I got guff this time from Panther about how I made Kilroy shirts for myself and Kilroy, but not for my own husband? I said I could make him one, but it was too late. Oh the shame lol! Slippery exited with us and we gabbed more, and said our goodbyes and that we'd meet again at PAX Prime!

My memory is my worst enemy after any good rock concert, or I'd have more to recount. All of the head banging and bouncing around you know? As videos keep getting posted I will be sure to get them in here! It was a great night, and is always a great night when they come to town. We can't wait to do it again at the Queen show! And I hope to see many of you there! Bring apple juice!

Joined: 22 Mar 2011 Posts: 61

@Kanaku I was kneeling on a stool for a better view as well! I probably saw you doing the same thing! Until next time Smile

Joined: 14 Jul 2011 Posts: 47

Yep, Wish I had had the gas to go to STL, but it was still good to see them so close.