SikTh at The Varsity Theater 8-22-16

 My review of finally seeing SikTh live on Monday August 22, 2016 at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, MN

Shown:
The Trees Are Dead & Dried Out Wait for Something Wild
Death of a Dead Day
Opacities

Setlist
Part of the Friction
Philistine Philosophies
Hold My Finger
Scent of the Obscene
Flogging the Horses
When Will the Forest Speak...?
Wait for Something Wild
Pussyfoot
Skies of Millennium Night
Sanguine Seas of Bigotry
Bland Street Bloom

Benefit for Josh Rundquist also known as That Drummer Guy

1/11/14 6:16PM

https://www.facebook.com/events/1407855199447825/



well it's tonight at POV's in Spring Lake Park. Sorry for the last of updates, but Josh has not found out what his diagnosis is after all this time and many more stays at hospitals. He is doing a little better recently, but unfortunately, it's still where he needs.

But the benefit should be fun tonight, although I'm not sure how late I may stay. But it should be good to see Josh and his gf Lynn and meet a lot of his friends in the process.


11/9/13 10:56AM

Josh thankfully is out of the Hospital (his body became addicted to a drug they were giving him), however his recovery is going to take a little while as he has been posting on Facebook about that. But here's the thing he posted earlier this week. It's too bad he won't be able to play with his band Beauty of Decay when they open for Morbid Angel on November 18th, but health takes priorities in these cases. I'm sure he and his band(s) will get more opportunities down the road.

Alright guys a super long, Novel post here, but I wanted to make this post so everyone knows whats happened to me in the last two months instead of hearing it secondhand or just trying to piece it together: 

2 months ago I was diagnosed with Gastritis/Type II Diabetes after being in the hospital for 11 days, that was my first visit to the Hospital. Some of the worst pains I ever felt were felt during this time. 

I also lost my job at Walmart....yes, I worked at Walmart in the Electronics, over this. I was told I was a liability for going to the ER for pain and they did not want to hire me on full time because of it and let me go. 

About a month later I had to go back to the ER and 2 days later they got rid of my gallbladder. I woke up after the surgery was immediately over to the worst pain of my life, this is where I started getting doses of Dilaudid and Morphine to ease the pain. 

About a week later I was discharged but I didn't feel any better I felt just as shitty. 

a week after that, again I had to go back to the ER because I couldn't take it anymore. This is where they found a staff infection in my blood that took another week to get rid of. But alas again did nothing for my stomach pain, but I was discharged once again once the infection was nearly gone. 

I was discharged that late evening and 9 hours later I was back in the hospital with some of the worst pain I ever felt. 

Then for the next 4 days I was given only Tylenol to ease my pain. I was told pain medications like Dilaudid (or however it is spelled) and Morphine would only make my stomach pain worse. It wasn't until this past Saturday they doctors finally figured out what was going on....they got me addicted to Dilaudid...hospital grade Heroin! 

When I had my gallbladder taken out they doped me up so much I became addicted and then left me cold turkey ever since then. My body couldn't take it and I was in misery for weeks. from the ER visit to Saturday Night I was on 4 hours sleep, MAYBE, no food, barely any water, constantly throwing up, shivering and wanting to die. It wasn't until I got on Methadone that I finally started getting relief and I then slept for the better part of 36 hours. 

Today is the first day since entering the hospital the first time that I actually feel like I can get back to normal. It's still going to take roughly a month for me to be fully back on track but it will be worth it. 

The sad part is that I had to sadly step down from opening for Morbid Angel on the 18th, but I did get one hell of a fill in to take my place... Mr. Duane Timlin (Anal Blast, Divine Empire, Dying Fetus, Invidiosus). So he has my total blessing. 

I totally had nothing to do with this, but just in case any of you are generous enough, my guitarist's girlfriend made a fundraiser page for me to help with medical bills and to get my life back on track, if you feel like donating the link is here: 
http://www.gofundme.com/53uw74


Hopefully, this is my last time being in the hospital for a long, Long, LONG time. Now I hope after this I can post happy stuff again and no more hospital related stuff! 


As many of you may know, Josh Rundquist has been laid up in the hospital for a while now. A benefit show is currently in the works, but we wanted to give everyone near and far a chance to help with donations. We all know how fast hospital bills can add up, any and all donations are helpful and greatly appreciated!

In addition to donations, If you want to sign a get well card for Josh, go to guitar center in Roseville and ask for will. Other well wishing, support and love via Facebook also mean a lot to the guy. 


Anyone who doesn't know Josh, he is a huge supporter of metal. All genres, new and old and is a local celebrity of sorts to us. Born in Clear Lake, Wisconsin, Josh has been playing drums for the last 14 years playing everything from Country Covers to Original Metal. Josh still is active in the Rock and Metal world playing drums. He now hosts That Drummer Guy Presents - The Best in Independent Heavy Metal and Hard Rock A 2 hour show featuring the best Metal and Rock you need to know about, airing on a station near you!

Also here's the link to the Facebook Event tentatively setup for January 11th. Venue and Time? still hasn't been confirmed as far as I know.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1407855199447825/

we are in the planning stage of setting up a benefit for That Drummer Guy aka Josh Rundquist  If you want to sign the get well card for josh go to guitar center in roseville and ask for will. date and time are up in air still, as is venue. i just listed saint paul as a default location for now. More details to come: Bands confirmed so far: We Are Legion Ulvmörd Ghost Hook Bloodgeon Mn

10/26/13 1:45PM


This may be premature, as this was posted on Facebook recently, and it's just been in speculation thus far.
BUT, Josh aka That Drummer Guy, a co-underground music promoter, radio show host (That Drummer Guy Presents), music/metalonline news source and list maker extraordinare.

Josh's Youtube Channel
That Drummer Guy's Page on Facebook
That Drummer Guy 1 on Twitter

And also someone who has done 50 or more interviews at Rock and Metal concerts in the Twin Cities area over the last couple of years. A handful of which have even found linked on Blabbermouth (aka for better or worse, probably the biggest Heavy Metal News/Gossip site).

Well Josh unfortunately, has fallen under some difficult medical condition(s) over the last 2 months. In and out of the Hospital now 3 times. I've tried to keep up with his situation as much as possible via Facebook and his girlfriend Lynn. It seems the doctors keep on finding different issues with him. Stomach issues (he had surgery for his gallbladder).

Josh was diagnosed a number of years ago with Diabetes (Childhood?), at a rather young age for that. He's just 25 now anyway, so that is 1 reason why these medical issues coming up is surprising. I worry that he may have something worse than just the Diabetes because he has handled having that I think about ever since I've known him, which I think I 1st interacted with him around 2006.

Anyway, some of his friends may be trying to setup a Benefit of some kind for him in the near future, as with any medical issues, the cost, even with good Health insurance coverage. can still add up.

I guess when I know more about this, I'll add more about the details. But in the mean time, I and many others should have Josh in their thoughts. He's a great guy, and terrificly versed networking in music circles and Metal specifically. He also is a drummer (hence his online handle) and has a new band called Planet Smasher in fact. And of course a gigantic music and Metal fan, that many want to see continue doing what he does so well.

Twin Cities Metal Blog

http://twincitiesmetal.blogspot.com/

At the Between the Buried and Me concert a few weeks ago, I met a guy who like me, keeps a blog about the music he feels deserves some recognition. Music, specifically Metal hence the name. He was kind enough to pass a link and write a little bit about myself on his blog here:

http://twincitiesmetal.blogspot.com/2013/10/all-media-reviews-blog.html

And so I am returning the favor. As his "About" mentions, he used to publish a physical zine that I imagine covered a lot of what this blog of his now does. And it received a fair amount of distribution, being at places like Hot Topic, Virgin Megastores and Tower Records among others I imagine. I suppose I wonder if he was based in another town at 1 point, or like my friend That Drummer Guy, maybe he published and covered a lot of music that wasn't necessarily based in Minnesota. It's just he was, and thus the zine was made here.

But in that sense, I get the sense he can relate to me, unlike many other (music) blog writers in Minnesota, in that he covers a lot (maybe mostly) music/Metal that isn't from here. And the local connections are mostly from THE TOURS that do come to town.

Which is one thing I never got about all-local music radio shows and sites like http://mplsmusic.com at least considering INCLUDING LOCAL EVENTS even if the music is not from artists that are/were from Minnesota. Because for whatever reason, a lot of the best music I and a lot of other folks enjoy, tour here, but aren't from here. But because they at least PLAY LIVE HERE, and in some cases QUITE OFTEN (Fair to Midland for example), they should be regarded as PART OF THE MUSIC EVENTS/SCENE HERE. At least in my mind, and I suspect in the Twin Cities Metal Blog owner's mind.

That's not saying there is not a lot of good local music in Minnesota, including Metal, such as bands like After the Burial, Deretla, Iron Thrones (RIP), The Royal Veil, Maeth, and others. But when referring to the music people are into here, including Metal, it's silly not to also include the live shows/tours and radio shows like The Root of All Evil (and Locust Lecture on Radio K, although that may not be around anymore sadly).

Anyway, it's cool to have met and made a contact with someone else in town blogging about music, and not catering what he includes to be about what's popular or hip, even in Metal circles. That Drummer Guy I'm sure knows him and it would be fun to see them both at some event and talk. Perhaps even on an Epic Rock Talk. Unfortunately, TDG has been battling some medical issues the last couple of months, and his activity and stuff like his radio show and the little podcast we have tried to do, have to likely be put on hold until things come around on his front (and mine in terms of free time I suppose).

But hopefully I'll run into the TC Metal Blog writer at another show or 2, even though my focus doesn't include that much Metal comparably to his or That Drummer Guy. But still enough where I might still see him, or even just be in contact online. I dunno, for even suggested music. I wonder if he's a fan of East of the Wall and heard their new album for example (I will admit, I still have not).

Station 4 shutdown for the Summer/for Improvements

 8/19/13 11:53AM
CP article

So they are shutdown at least until January. My friend aka That Drummer Guy's concerns about it never reopening again might still hold true sadly. And even if it does, if there is some truth to that article (done by CP and Reed Fischer, I can't necessarily have 100% confidence to be honest), the venue that may reopen may not even be catered for Metal.

Which, honestly, just plain sucks. But, I also worry on a larger level, what the Light Rail in downtown St.Paul could do to downtown St.Paul as a whole. We don't need another wannabe-NYC downtown.

We also do not be any means need another CABOOZE, lol.

I hope (almost predict), if whatever may reopen there is not catered towards Metal, ANOTHER VENUE opens up within 5 years that books National/International Metal acts just to combat how much that place may have changed.

I mean jeezus, all they really needed was some fucking AIR CONDITIONING and an improvement in the SIGHTLINES and SOUND SYSTEM. But of course that sounds like it's far too much to do right now, lol.

Hipsters influence? yeah, I would hardly be surprised.



6/6/13 11:53AM
I've given my opinion about Station 4 over the years, or when it was known as The Lab and the 4th Street Station. And the recent Pain of Salvation non-show doesn't help, although that had nothing to do with their venue.

And I guess they have installed AC recently, which is a big thing in their favor. I also don't wish any ill-will to them. But perhaps this situation will force them to finally get their shit together and be the best or only real proper venue for not only Metal, but it seems like Prog.

I would love to feel this place is much preferred to First Ave and others, and with some improvements it could be. But for this Summer, they are out of commission to do just that hopefully.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

The building owners of 201 4th Street (Station 4's building) have been engaged in an 18 month battle with the City of St Paul over the City's desire for new ventilation. The City has granted the building owners two extensions, the latest of which expires on June 7th. Station 4 will have to close for 80-90 days to complete the ventilation work because it will lack a Certificate of Occupancy until the new system is approved.

Unfortunately, this means after Friday’s show we will be closed until Labor Day.

I have been dreading writing this as we were hoping to get an extension from the city so that the shows already scheduled this summer could happen. I myself have a big show scheduled next week that now will be canceled.

The good news is that when we re-open in September, we will have a new HVAC system. In other words, no more ungodly heat! It just sucks that we have to shut down to get it.

That’s all I can tell you for now. For anyone who has any shows scheduled, we are sorry. This is now out of our control. We will work to try to reschedule for the fall. As far as National shows, refunds are available at point of purchase.

I will keep things updated on this page when I know what’s going on. I am just a guy who runs the Facebook page. I do not have much power.

Thank you to all of our patrons. While this is a really crappy way to do it, we all know a remodel is needed.

Thank you.

False - Untitled (Minnesota-Based Atmospheric Black Metal)

NPR Story

I met Andrew from this band after the Opeth concert a few weeks ago. He contacted me about his band, and I have to say, while their music that is streamable there and on their bandcamp page along with here embedded.



They have some good moments, and while both of the songs they have shared are not short, and often Black Metal can bore me, I didn't quite find those tunes to drag too much. Or be overly repetitive.

I should revisit them again, but I am definitely intrigued by them as one of the better new Metal bands from my town. And apparently some others are, as they've received some supportive articles online it appears.