Tag Archive: music


Thunderstruck…Twice!

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April 18, 2010

Originally Published: November 25, 2008, on 1050ESPN.com (Now ESPNNewYork.com)

After an eight year hiatus, that little devil in the school boy outfit (that still fits so well at 53 years old) and his old mates have come around once again with their new album, Black Ice. Of course, I am talking about AC/DC.

Along with a new album, is a new tour, and I was fortunate enough to acquire tickets to not one, but TWO concerts in the area. Out of the sky fell a pair of tickets to the November 13th concert at Madison Square Garden and out of my own pocket I acquired a four pack to the November 19th concert at the Izod Center. Since it seems to be a mandatory obligation to comment on concerts for us 1050 Bloggers, I have come here today to sing the praises of one of my all-time favorites.

For the music lovers out there, be sure to read up on the other 1050 Blogs here because music is a big part of our lives, and John Broder was one of my lucky office mates to come with me to the Izod Center and will have an equally interesting take on the concert. Also, be sure to check out Joey Salvia’s new CD Long Lost Weekend. Honestly, I was really impressed with how good it was. You can check out Joey’s page to find out how to grab the CD. Here are the links:

Christina Stoffo’s Blog

John Broder’s View From the Suite Seats

Joey Salvia’s Long Lost Weekend

Now that the plugs are over, back to business. Since I’ve been listening to it non-stop for the past three weeks, I’ll start with the new album. If you are a fan of AC/DC, this is a must have. Most of the tracks are amazing, although I admit that there were a couple that sounded like the same song, just with different lyrics. The single off the album, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Train”, is an instant classic that will have you singing along in no time. There are so many other great songs on the album, from “Money Made”, “Anything Goes,” “Big Jack”, and my pick for the theme of Iron Man 2, “War Machine”, that you should go get this album right now if you haven’t already.

In terms of the concerts, all I can say is AMAZING! Even well into their 50s, these guys know how to put on a show and make sure their fans go home happy. As to be expected, they played a few songs from the new album since it is the Black Ice Tour, but they pulled out a lot of their classics and left mine and many others’ throats hoarse from screaming and singing along. From Angus pulling off one of the most amazing solos in the history of rock ‘n’ roll when they break out “Let There Be Rock” to the cannons firing with “For Those About to Rock”, this is one of the must see rock experiences of your life if you get the chance.

Even the opening act, a band from Ireland called The Answer, was awesome and got the crowd revved up. I expect good things from those guys in the future, but the night belonged, of course, to AC/DC.

The only disappointing thing was that they played the entirely same set in both concerts. Here was the set list (and yes, supposedly they are mixing it up a little bit in different cities which disappointed me even more):

1. Rock N’ Roll Train
2. Hell Ain’t a Bad Place To Be
3. Back In Black
4. Big Jack
5. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
6. Thunderstruck
7. Black Ice
8. The Jack
9. Hells Bells
10. Shoot to Thrill
11. War Machine
12. Anything Goes
13. You Shook Me All Night Long
14. T.N.T.
15. Whole Lotta Rosie
16. Let There Be Rock

Encore:

17. Highway To Hell
18. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

An interesting difference was that I never noticed how good the acoustics were in the Izod compared to Garden, but when you think about it, the Garden was never really built for concerts; it was technically built for the circus. Anyway, the NYC crowd I felt was much stronger than the Jersey crowd and that disappoints me because, well, I’m a Jersey boy. I wanted us to represent a little more. Even with the nice acoustics, we didn’t sound nearly as loud as the NYC crowd even though both venues were sold out.

Aside from that though, I can’t stress enough how great this new album is and that if you’ve never seen them live, AC/DC is one of the must sees of your lifetime if you are any degree of a rocker. You won’t regret it.

-Ray Carsillo

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Everclear Stirs It Up!

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Originally Published: November 3, 2008, on Collider.com and 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com)

I had a chance to talk with one of the most underrated artists of the past 15 years, the front man for the rock band Everclear, Art Alexakis. Everclear just released, for FREE, a new single called “Jesus Was a Democrat” and you could imagine the controversy to follow considering what is coming up in less than a week. And just look at the artwork for it below!

The controversy though gave me and Art a chance to talk about things that we don’t usually cover here in the Geek Stuff Unlimited Universe.

Besides the controversy surrounding the single, we chatted about general politics, religion, American culture, Everclear’s future, and the music industry in general. And it wouldn’t be Geek Stuff Unlimited if I didn’t work in video games a little bit.


CLICK HERE – to listen to Part 1 of my interview with Everclear front man Art Alexakis.


CLICK HERE – to listen to Part 2 of my interview with Everclear front man Art Alexakis.

If you’re interested in downloading the MP3 for yourself, go to http://everclearonline.com/ for your FREE copy.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Art or Everclear, you can look them up on Myspace or Facebook.

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I Wanna Rock!

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Originally Published: October 29, 2008, on 1050ESPN.com (Now ESPNNewYork.com)

Growing up, you have dreams. You want to be an astronaut, a professional athlete, a scientist. Others dream of one thing: being a ROCK STAR.

Unfortunately, most of us have no real musical talent whatsoever and the farthest we get in terms of a record deal is our fantasies as we sing along in the shower with our radio.

This being said, MTV Games and Harmonix have come out with one of the most highly anticipated sequels in a long time: ROCK BAND 2.

The main problem with games like this is that there are usually few differences between the sequel and the original. So why should you get this game? Well, first off, all the great stuff from the original game is back like customizing your rocker, the instruments, and the awesome music.

The big difference is all the online and multiplayer interactivity. You can battle your rockers against a friend or online to rock out in ways never before imagined. Add in the hundreds of downloadable tracks and content and the game can keep evolving every time you add new goodies. If you’re a Nirvana fan, there is an entire package to download. Is AC/DC more your style? Not a problem. You can download their greatest hits, too.

Another awesome feature is that you can even purchase merchandise based on your personalized rocker. Imagine action figures, t-shirts, and other great memorabilia with your band’s name and logo all over it.

The main setback of all these amazing online features is that you do end up having to pay for it. The downloadable extra songs are $0.99 each, the same price as an iTunes MP3, but it could add up after a while and I am sure the personalized merchandise will cost you just as much as if you were buying anything from your favorite band.

So the real question is how badly do you want to rock? This is one of the most fun, and most entertaining games that have come along in a long time, but it is also one of the most costly. In the end, if you have the cash, and really dream of rocking out, then this is the game for you. The online community is unparalleled and the opportunities to battle are constant. If you are a little pressed though, I’m not going to lie, it can get expensive. The entire set of guitar, drums, microphone, and game is close to $200. If you already have these from the original, though, at least you won’t have to go out and buy them again as they are compatible with the new game. Personally, I’m tired of singing in the shower.

Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest.

Graphics: 9.0: These games are not developed to look pretty, but the folks at MTV and Harmonix did not want the pyrotechnics to fizzle out either. Plenty of the game’s power has been devoted to keeping the game visually stimulating even if it’s more dedicated to pleasing your ears more than your eyes. Very pretty game results in a great score.

Audio: 10.0: Now this is where the bread and butter of the game really come into play. Looks are all fine and good, but when you’re playing a music game you want it to SOUND great and boy does this deliver. Great music from bands whose prime is past and those who are still rocking strong today keeps your foot tapping through all hours of the night and there isn’t a single hitch to think of. Perfect in every way possible.

Plot/Plot Development: N/A: There really isn’t a plot here. It’s a simulator, much like a sports game except instead of trying to win the Super Bowl or the World Series, you’re trying to become a rock star. You choose where you play and what you play, but, in the end, that doesn’t really constitute a plot.

Gameplay: 10.0: No glitches to speak of and a pace as steady as the rhythm of the song you’re playing. It’s almost a workout if you really get into it. I’ve broken a sweat rocking out on the drums a few times.

Replay Value: 10.0: With all the online features and downloadable content, it’s hard to put this game in the corner to gather dust. Add in that whenever a buddy comes over and sees the instruments, you’re going to have yourself a battle 90% of the time. You’ll be rocking on for months to come.

Overall (not an average): 10.0: For what the game is, it’s the best. There is no better out there. With its constantly updated content (even if it is for a price) and some of the best music the world has ever seen, if you can afford it, this game is a must have.

-Ray Carsillo

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We Will Rock You!

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Originally Published: September 16, 2008, on 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com)

It was one of the most popular games to ever come out for a home console. Following the trend of DDR and Guitar Hero, Rock Band took it to an entirely new level. With both bass and lead guitars, drums, and a microphone, Rock Band allowed you to gather a couple of friends and live out that dream of touring around the country with thousands of screaming fans, all from the comfort of your own home.

So how would they top it? How could they continue this phenomenon and continue to draw in not only their hardcore fans, but to extend it to even the casual gamer/rocker? I had a chance to talk with John Drake, a member of the Harmonix team that put together Rock Band 2 , to see just what they did to make Rock Band 2 bigger and better than the original.

Click here – To listen to my interview with John Drake a producer of Rock Band 2 .

After talking with John, I had a chance to try out the game myself and my initial review is that this is a chart topping hit in every way possible. Not only was the selection of songs larger, but the graphics were sharper, and the possibility of downloading extras for it made my mouth water at the prospect. I only had a chance to play a demo so I can’t give a full detailed review, but my gut instinct screams as I smash a guitar on stage that this is 10 out of 10. You can pick up Rock Band 2 for XBOX 360 now and expect it out on the Wii and PS3 sometime in the middle of October.

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