all the world's a stage...

Compared to us here in the UK, over in the US they’ve really got a knack for doing certain things bigger and larger scale. Halloween is one good example. Check out these amazing installations synchronised to music:

[Or watch the whole playlist here]

1. Thriller (Michael Jackson) - KJ92508  
   The way the pumpkins light up to mark the path taken by the footsteps at the start of the song, it’s a nice touch hinting at the choreography to come.
   
   If you’re a fan of LMFAO then chances are you’ve probably already seen this guy’s work. Kevin Judd of Riverside, California is pretty prolific when it comes to amazing light shows on the front of houses. So impressed were LMFAO with his light show, synchronised to Party Rock Anthem, that they approached him and had him do their lights for last year’s American Music Awards.
    
2. Supermassive Black Hole (Muse) - soilhead13 
   For Rocky Horror fans there’s also one for The Time Warp by this user. It was tough to choose which one to feature.
   
    
3. This is Halloween (Marilyn Manson) - KJ92508 
   Wasn’t kidding when I described this guy as prolific- another one from KJ92508 that I really like. His channel features probably the best examples of creative lighting on YouTube. I love this one featuring Marilyn Manson’s cover of “This is Halloween”. 
   
   Hope to continue to see more videos of his light shows. Apparently there was an issue with the HOA (Home Owners’ Association?) and he had to stop putting up light shows on his house.
    
4. Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) - OdessaWest 
   By the way, the numbering is actually rather arbitrary: if the numbering actually meant anything there’d be two or three tied first place with the rest tied second place. I really do think that the ones featured here are the best of the bunch. This one is good enough to be ranked joint first place.
   
    
5. Monster Mash - jennstarr722
   Nice song, nice colours… 
   

Come Christmas time I’ll probably look at “Awesome Christmas Light Shows” because it was actually a YouTube video of amazing Christmas lights that led me to explore Halloween lights…

… the concerts I would like to see this year. Being ill and thus a little downcast at the moment, it helps to have things to look forward to…

February

• Smoke Fairies @ The Lexington

Monday 1st Feb
Seetickets: £9.71 + £2 transaction fee

Sublime London-based folk/blues duo. Discovered them when they supported James Marsters at Union Chapel last year.

• James Marsters @ The Tabernacle

Saturday, 6th Feb
Seetickets: £24.07

AKA Spike (of BtVS), Captain John Hart (of Torchwood). If you’ve never seen him as a musician, here’s the chance to see a different side of the man… Fans who are also writers and poets might want to have a go at the Concert Competition to win a pair of tickets. Also, there’s a special “Love Hearts” Valentines Day event is the next day, on Sunday 7th- tickets £150 (ouch).

• God Is An Astronaut @ Institution of Contemporary Arts

Wednesday 17th Feb
ICA: £10 + £1 booking fee

Post-rock from Ireland. Haven’t had to chance to see them yet.

March

• Emilie Autumn @ O2 Academy Islington

Friday 12th March
Seetickets: £17.25 + £5.25 transaction fee

Haven’t found any other music quite like EA. Victoriandustrial is very nice. Discovered her last year around the same time as I first heard The Birthday Massacre (unrelated genre: synthrock from Canada). Checking out TBM in concert, I wasn’t disappointed. I think I shall be similarly impressed with EA’s show. I’ve a VIP ticket for this one because I think I deserve the treat- my personal way of marking the milestone of having survived 23 years…

• Delain @ The Garage

Sunday 21st March
Seetickets: £11 + £2.25

Dutch Symphonic Metal band. Got onto my radar due to their association with my favourite Dutch Symphonic Metal band Within Temptation. Not a band I totally warmed to immediately but I’ll give them a chance. I think I like their second album more than their first anyway. Delain kind of strike me as a younger, more mainstream Within Temptation, perhaps targeting a slightly younger audience- but if “Utopia” from WT’s recent live album is anything to go by, it seems WT might be shifting their focus to the mainstream too :(

• Kamelot, with Adagio and Leaves’ Eyes @ KOKO

Sunday 28th March
Seetickets: £22.25 + £2.25

For various reasons, this seems a line-up not to be missed. US metal band Kamelot headlines with French progressive metal band Adagio and German/Norwegian symphonic metal band Leaves’ Eyes. Actually not sure about Kamelot- I don’t feel they had that big an impact on me but maybe I wasn’t in the right mood the first time I saw them. Adagio are amazing, apparently- having a listen on Spotify, I’m interested. Leaves’ Eyes I love and never thought I’d ever get to see. This ticket will probably be the best value of the year.

April

• The Levellers @ The Brook, Southampton

Wednesday 21st April

Founded 1988 but this is the first I’ve heard of them. Some friends are going and invited me. I’m always happy to try something new. Had a listen on Spotify and I’m liking the Celtic influences.

June

• Green Day @ Wembley Stadium

Saturday 19th June

Good tickets sold out, obviously… I got a pair off ebay- assuming it doesn’t fall through then I’ll have one spare ticket (standing). I probably won’t have much trouble finding someone to go with me. Just for a change I thought I’d see something more “mainstream”. :p

September

• Muse @ Wembley Stadium

Saturday 11th September

There are apparently still Standing tickets available for this date, oddly. In the past, I’ve only been to one other event at the venue. Wembley Stadium Standing will likely mean turning up rather early, especially for bands like Muse (or Green Day) -but how early, I can never work out… what do you think?

My Links

• Songkick: http://www.songkick.com/users/fate
• Last.fm: http://www.last.fm/user/ethereal_shadow