All posts tagged: Denver

Live report – Dir en grey

January 2012. It’s relatively easy to say 99 percent of the people in the audience knew Dir en grey‘s music: from newer fans, to seasoned veterans or friends dragged along because “you have to see this band.”  Once the lights dimmed, the crowd’s deafening greeting proved its dedication. With the surge of people toward the stage, one had to wonder if the few security guards would be enough to keep the masses back. Fortunately, fans seemed to keep themselves in check just fine when the band entered the stage at the last three stops of their North American tour. Dir en grey consists of Kyo on vocals, Kaoru and Die on guitars, Toshiya on bass and Shinya on drums. From their inception, the lineup has remained true, as has their penchant for giving an intensely moving live performance. To date, they’re one of the few bands from Japan who have made a strong, consistent effort to reach their international fans. Having recently come off a Japan tour and one through Europe early in the year, Dir …

Interview – LOUDNESS

July 2011. From the beginning of May to early June of this year, LOUDNESS toured the U.S. Accounts of the Los Angeles show described an eclectic mix of metal, rock and punk as well as curious new fans for a packed house.In Denver, the venue was heavier in rock with long time fans in concentrated numbers wearing band shirts displaying not only LOUDNESS, but also Metallica, Slayer, Alice in Chains and more. While at the Denver stop, we had the opportunity to chat with Minoru Niihara — vocalist of this legendary metal band — on the past, present and future. Enjoy the interview and look for their new album hopefully being released this fall! Is this your first time in Denver? I don’t think so. We’ve been here before, but it’s been a long time. We played at Red Rocks, opening for Motley Crue in 1986? Something like that. That’s in Denver, right? Yes, Red Rocks is right outside Denver [in Morrison]. Okay, so yes, we’ve been here once before. This would be the second …