July 16, 2008

Great Oden’s Raven my ears are still ringing from the onslaught of mad melodic metal that was Strung Out’s Victorian shows last week. They’re not really ringing in the same metaphoric way that one would perhaps boast their face has melted as such, they’re actually literally screaming at me, “SIF STAND THAT CLOSE TO THE SPEAKERS YOU COCKSPANK! WAY TO RUIN YOUR HEARING NSTUFF”. The disappointing part of my injuries is that I actually sought out earplugs at all venues but was greeted with a bemused huff at every turn. It strikes me as weird that earplugs are such a rarity at shows these days. I’ve never championed them and to be honest, never really worn them. I’m not sure whether it’s because I’m too tuff and armed with idiotic ignorance about just how bad loud shows are for my hearing, but I do know that after anticipating an audio onslaught of epic proportions at Dillinger Escape Plan a couple months back I shoved some fluoro buds in and enjoyed every second of DEP’s psychotic performance safe in the knowledge that it may grant me an extra two years of functioning eardrums. It was a nice feeling. To guarantee my future ancient, crippled self – who will no doubt experience the joys of liver failure and other various repercussions of my current behaviour- the opportunity to hear some new tunes is a pretty swell gift from my present self, I reckon.