The show started about an hour after the advertised 8 PM.  Opening band Destructor (from Cleveland) were pretty good.  I’d never heard anything they’d done before.  When they were done, I was surprised that a lot of the crowd moved away from the stage.  I took the opportunity to get right up front for Anvil.

Anvil hit the stage with lead singer/guitarist Steve “Lips” Kudlow yelling “Hello, Cleveland!” into his guitar’s pickup.  And, with that, they blasted into “March of the Crabs.”  I had a place directly in front of bassist Glenn “G5″ Gyorffy.  He was intense.  Every so often, Lips would come over and play directly in front of me and make faces at me.  It was hilarious.  The band was in great spirits and sounded fantastic.  They’ve got a fan for life.

Here are some pictures I took at the show:

It was a great show and I had a blast despite being extremely dehydrated afterwards.

Tonight, it’s off to Geneva on the Lake to see my friend’s band, Sonic Age.

After 18 straight losing seasons, the Pirates in first place? Send the script to Steven Spielberg.

What’s next, a Cleveland-Pittsburgh World Series?

My grandpa was a huge Pittsburgh Pirates fan.  They haven’t been in the playoff hunt since he died in 1995.  It would be a great thing to see them win it all at least once more in MY lifetime.  But, let’s get a little closer to the postseason before we start worrying about a Rust Belt Series.

Let me say, though, that it is great to see the Pirates reside somewhere other than the basement after the All Star Game.

For the whole article:  click here.

Some people ask me why I am such an outspoken supporter of sharks and their well-being.  This is why.

But it’s not just sharks or whales.  The study found that the decline in lions in Africa has “led to population outbreaks and changes in behavior of olive baboons, increasing their contact with people and causing higher rates of intestinal parasites in both people and baboons.”

Every action has a reaction.  The destruction of apex predators for reasons of sport, greed, and/or fear have consequences.

The study also shows there is hope.

The decimation of wolves in Yellowstone National Park led to over-browsing of aspen and willows by elk, and restoration of wolves has allowed the vegetation to recover.

Let’s hope that it’s not too late to reverse the damage that’s already been done in other areas, particularly the sea.

For the entire article:  click here.

I may post on political things, personal things, or just plain random things.

I really don’t care who reads this blog.  I do, however, want to keep the negative vibes off my Facebook page.