The month ended on a high note with the Rock Band Live Tour.  But Rock Band is a video game you say?  True! But they’ve taken the game to the big stage in between co-headlining sets by Dashboard Confessional and Panic at the Disco.  Also sharing the stage was one of my favorite Boston based bands - Lannen Fall! They won the opportunity to open the show with The Cab and The Plain White Ts.  Sure times are tough but when you can catch five bands for the price of admission you have to consider it a bargain, especially when two of the bands are Dashboard Confessional and Panic at the Disco, each offering up solid 50 minute sets! 

The Cab’s Alex DeLeon

The Cab

Tom Higgenson of The Plain White Ts

Tom Higgenson

Chris Carrabba’s Dashboard Confessional, long known for his visionary songwriting skills that have grabbed hold of the heart of many an emo child, started out the co-headlining night with a lot of energy.  The crowd screamed the lyrics to old favorites like “Screaming Infidelities”  and newer songs including “Thick as Thieves.”  Dashboard closed out their set with a kickass cover of Pink’s new single “So What” with members of The Cab helping them out.   All in all, the crowd felt pretty  “Vindicated” after their solid set.

My favorite Dashboard shot of the night

Panic at the Disco, hot off their summer headlining gig on The Honda Civic Tour had changed the look of their set up a bit but still maintained that feel of The Beatles reincarnated.  The aroma of incense was afloat while smoke filled the air. With a generous mix of songs from their debut album A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out mixed in with new favorites from their latest release Pretty. Odd. The set list was a winner from start to finish. The band may have taken the exclamation point out of their name but it remains in their set offering up a kaleidoscope of sing-a-long hits. 

Ryan Ross & Brendon Urie

Ryan Ross

Full sets from all of the bands can be found here.  (And if you go back to April you can see my Panic shots from their shows on The Honda Civic Tour as well.)

The first annual Rock the Ink extravaganza christened New England at The Dunk in Providence RI on October 24-26. Blending the most talented tattoo artists in the country with the most ass kicking metal, hardcore and rock bands was a recipe for pure rock and roll bliss for the music fans that made the journey. Bands with deep roots in the bay state took center stage to headline the first two nights; Killswitch Engage on Friday night and Godsmack on Saturday night. Both bands have been off of the touring circuit for awhile, Killswitch has been working on a new album and Godsmack has been concentrating on side projects with plans to write a new album in February. According to lead singer and guitarist Sully Erna, the band won’t tour in support of it until 2010, so a live performance was a rare opportunity. Needless to say, to have both bands perform headlining sets was no trick and most certainly a treat. Not to be outdone, several other New England bands served up face melting sets as well including Shadows Fall, Tantric and All That Remains, sharing the stage with other rock greats like Sevendust and Saliva. Full galleries of each band can be found here. (Click on the photos link in the menu)

Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust Rocks the Ink

Brian Fair of Shadows Fall

Killswitch Engage

The new issue of Rocknation is out on newstands so check it out.  You can see some of my photos from Mayhem Fest as well as an interview with Buckcherry.  You can also check out each issue online here.