Out tomorrow: Dope's long-awaited new album, "Blood Money Part 1"!

Dope, Sacramento, 2014

(This is a guest post by Jade Anna Hughes. Read more of her writing here. Thank you, Jade!)

We’ve been waiting a while for this one, but it’s finally here! Dope’s highly-anticipated and long-awaited sixth studio album, Blood Money Part 1, is out tomorrow, Friday October 28th! 15 tracks of that pure Dope power coming at you full force through your speakers, with some real stand-out beauties for your ears.

The brains and power behind Dope, Edsel Dope, is well-known for his ability to create a full, all-around experience, both sonic and visual, with his work, and Dope fans won’t be disappointed with this new endeavor. It’s been 7 years since the excellent No Regrets, and Edsel has been touring for most of that time, changing his line-up here and there, and currently finishing up the Die Mother Fucker Die Reunion tour with the classic Dope line-up on the 30th of this month.

Blood Money Part 1 is that anthemic Dope sound, industrial metal to the core, but it’s also a lighter, more emotional sound in parts. While the opening track, Blood Money, features hard-hitting lyrics, bloody images and some truths a lot of us like to ignore (and comes with an awesome video that makes the message even clearer), tracks like Hold On and Razorblade Butterfly show a more melodic side to the band. Edsel always has a lot to say and really puts his heart and soul into his work, and it shows. The entire album was really worth the 7 year wait.

Here's Blood Money:

Lastly, hearing the excellent cover of Hole’s Violet at the end of Blood Money Part 1, was an awesome surprise for me, being a huge Hole fan and a 90’s teenager. Like all songs that Dope covers, Violet sounds brilliant and super polished, the cherry on the icing of this Dope album cake.
Check out Dope on their website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

Band promos, holiday photos, pets and friends and family (photo) shoots: trying a new calendar tool!

If you're looking for photos of your band (either promo or live shots for commercial use), or of family, your pet snake (I don't mind reptiles), dogs, cats or horses, I have a few slots open between now and the end of the year. I'm experimenting with a new calendar tool! Book a session directly online!

Note that the mini-sessions will be at a location of the photographer's choice... might be upscale and posh, might be grungy and shady, so put in as much detail as you like regarding your expectations from the shoot!

Aftershock reviews: let's begin. Avatar rule!!! Yes, they do.

Avatar, Aftershock 2016, Sacramento

(To see many more photos, click here to go to the Avatar photo gallery.)

It's 2 p.m. on Saturday at Aftershock in Sacramento's Discovery Park; the sun has come out, the crowd has warmed up, and Avatar's freakshow is in town. Circus curtains and circus colours, confetti, a discreet skull-on-a-walking-stick; scary-circus-clown-makeup, old-soldier's uniforms, these guys bring real-heavy, Swedish metal to town, but with the showmanship of a travelling band of genius gypsies, charming their way into your ears and hearts and music collections. Artistic yet grounded; intense yet entertaining, Avatar bring meaning to the word, "performance". Top-notch, and I hope, or rather I expect, to see them headlining tours and festivals in the very near future.

Johannes Eckerström, vocals, Avatar

In a Saturday that was heavily-weighted towards thrash metal, Avatar were my shining light, and by far my favourite band-never-seen-before of the entire Aftershock weekend.

I'd hoped to see them earlier in the year at Houston Open Air, but it wasn't possible. And while there were people in the audience who were already familiar with Avatar, in part through regular airplay on Sirius XM Octane, there were many who discovered the band for the first time, and who are now primed for a return visit to Northern California.

Avatar, Aftershock, Sacramento

Frontman Johannes Eckerström leads you into the music, ringmaster-entrancing, and he has you buying snake oil by the gallon before you have the time to raise those metal horns in the air. The music is excellent: the show, divine. This is the kind of performance an audience craves.

Avatar

Every little detail is taken care of; the makeup, the costumes, the beautifully-decorated Ibanez and Spector guitars and bass, the buttons, the lines-of-sight, the curtains and confetti, the pom-poms and red stockings, the hat, the dreadlocks, the blue eyes... and above all, the music.

Jonas "Kungen" Jarlsby, guitar, Avatar

The was the show. This was my Aftershock. There will be more.

For many more photos, click here to go to the Avatar photo gallery.

Check out Avatar's latest album, Feathers and Flesh, which features the song that's seeing a lot of radio play recently, The Eagle Has Landed. (The vinyl version comes in beautiful orange and yellow pressings!) And here's the latest video: Night Never Ending.

People of Aftershock!!! You did it, again!!!! And here's the proof!!!

(This year's People of Aftershock gallery: click here! You might find yourself... Feel free to use the Share button!)

And what a weekend that was! You walked, for miles, and miles it seemed, from one stage to the next and back again, or you arrived really early and stood at the barrier, all day, waiting for your best band to be on stage.

You dressed as Jesus and you dressed as the Devil, and somewhere or nowhere in-between. You had mohawks and dreadlocks and shaves, and little buns like cats ears.

You wore black, white, this year's and last year's Aftershock T-shirts, T-shirts with bands' names on and T-shirts with messages that we agreed with or we didn't, or of bands that weren't there but you hoped that maybe, like magic, they'd appear. And you wore T-shirts with kittens on, and T-shirts with skulls and skeletons because after all, it's October and it's metal and it's Aftershock weekend.

You worked in the pit and provided secure arms for the crowdsurfers to land in, especially during Parkway Drive's set, when the surfers went berzonkers, or you stood at the barrier, watching the band, not noticing the bodies that flew over your head into the pit, so intent you were on the music, the music, the music.

You kindly watered the front row who had been standing in the barrier, in the sun, all Sunday, when suddenly it seemed like the 100-degree-plus Aftershocks of previous years, and you retrieved people twice your size who had just had enough of being right up close and personal with the barrier, in the heat, and those who had consumed more beer than water in the midday.

You worked all day and all night, and fed us a huge variety of yummy and delicious food, from gourmet food trucks and stands and ovens and grills, and you served us a river of liquids, from Monster to Jack Daniels, and all the beer and water in-between.

And you drank too much, or you drank too little, and you fell over just a little bit, and it was all just part of the fun.

You were on stage and you made the music, you kept us moving, dancing, circling a pit, surfing and singing and cheering and raising those metal horns, time after time. Or you gave children and adults alike the wonderful, unforgettable Music Experience, and the feeling of playing like the heros on stage, and you were the heros on stage who came down and met us, signing this and that and the other, and making us all very, very happy.

Did you ever look behind you, and see just how many you were??? It was stunning, amazing, gob-smackingly huge, the crowd you made, and you just kept on growing until there wasn't any music left, not one drop.

And then, once again, it's over, and packed-up-and-done, the bands have moved on, the music is still ringing in our ears, but nothing is left but a few empty beer cups and a whole load of Sacramento summer dust.

Until next year.  Aftershock, we miss you already!!!  Come back, come back!!!

(Many more photos in the People of Aftershock 2016 photo gallery. And all the band photos will be coming soon... check back here often, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates.)

Marillion, first night of the tour, at the Regency Ballroom, San Francisco

Many USA and Canada Marillion fans have expressed a desire NOT to see the setlist for shows earlier in the tour, and while I really don't think it's possible to keep secret, I'm going to keep mum... and let the photos speak for themselves,

But yes, they played songs from the new album, F.E.A.R. And much more, too.

The tour continues through until election day, which I'll be celebrating (I hope), or planning my escape, with the band's final concert of this tour in Times Square, New York.

Here's the full photo gallery: Marillion 2016 North America tour, San Francisco. Look if you dare...

Preview: Bring Me The Horizon live at the UK's Royal Albert Hall, a video

And this, my dears, is music video production at its best...  check out this preview--"Doomed", with a full orchestra--from Bring Me The Horizon's upcoming DVD of the concert at England's Royal Albert Hall, one of the most prestigious venues in the world... somewhere where many bands dream of playing. One day.

Proceeds from the DVD and audio recordings go to the Teenage Cancer Trust. For more information, and to order copies, click here.

The video of the entire live concert was filmed and produced by Toward Infinity. Excellent work, can't wait to see the entire production!

Check out more of Toward Infinity's work on their Facebook and website.

... And wow, what a weekend that was!!!

Monday morning, and every single bit of me aches... clocked over 36K steps over the past two days, walking from stage-to-stage at Aftershock, and while those of you who didn't have the luxury of nipping through the VIP area probably walked a few more miles than I did, carrying around 16lbs of equipment and stuff I think we're probably about equal and I definitely earned those delicious fries from the variety of food trucks that you saw me scoffing on both days, so don't ask what happened to the diet this weekend, OK???

The weekend started with Marillion at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco on Friday evening--did I mention they are on tour right now??--then a 6am Greyhound back to Sacramento (sleep? what's that?) in time for Aftershock's Saturday openers... and somehow now it's Monday, it's MY BIRTHDAY!!! and as a present to share I have about a million photos to edit. (There are one or two already up on the Facebook page so please follow it if you don't already!)

So much good music... Marillion were, as always, incredible, inspiring, wonderful. Aftershock was so many tens-of-thousands of people enjoying a huge variety of music in the beautiful setting of Sacramento's Discovery Park. Of the bands I hadn't had the pleasure of seeing live before, Avatar far-and-away were my favourites... I hope, no, I expect to see them headlining sometime very soon. The Mendenhall Experiment and Ghost, amazing too. Of bands I've seen before, Disturbed and Korn were incredible.

Overall, Sunday's Aftershock lineup was more my kind of music than Saturday's (apart from Avatar), but that just goes to show how there is something for everyone at these festivals: it's fun seeing your favourite bands, it's fun discovering new music, and it's great seeing other people really enjoying sounds that you might not always listen to yourself.

It's going to take a while to edit all the photos. First I have to go pick up the cat from the cat hotel... then the work will begin. I will start with Marillion, then Aftershock... please be patient and keep checking back here for updates! (And if you're heading to the Marillion gigs in Boston, Washington, Philadelphia or New York, I'll see you there!)

May the music be with you!

Aftershock preview: get there early!!!!

And this weekend... AFTERSHOCK!!! Back at Discovery Park, close to downtown Sacramento, the river, and the place where it all started... headliners Tool, Korn, Avenged Sevenfold, Disturbed, Primus... such a huge lineup!

But don't forget the bands who are appearing earlier in the day. The show will be huge... so much good music (and a whole lotta other stuff going on too: don't miss the Music Experience and everything else)!

Here's a preview set of YouTube videos, for some of the earlier-than-the-headliners bands, in case you don't know them (yet). There are way more than these on the lineup... I got as far as adding The Mendenhall Experiment to the playlist, started reading the guitarist' and band's story, and it was so compelling and inspirational... so don't miss any of this festival, it's going to be brilliant!

letlive, Reluctantly Dead, and probably at the calmest that you'll see them at any point in the Aftershock set. Do not, and I repeat, do not miss this band!!! On stage on Saturday at 1.25 pm.

Whitechapel, Our Endless War: on stage on Sunday at 12.50

Avatar: Bloody Angel: can't wait to see these guys for the first time: Saturday at 2 pm.

Baroness: Chlorine & Wine: Saturday at 3.10

Parkway Drive, Vice Grip: currently seeing a lot of radio airplay, Parkway Drive will be on stage on Sunday at 2.30 pm.

Silver Snakes, Glass: check these guys out at 1.20 on Sunday.

Deafheaven, Sunbather: on stage at 4.45 on Saturday.

Sacramento's own Some Fear None, Out of Our Hands... and opening the Sunday show at 11.50 a.m. See. You need to be there at the beginning of the day!

Aeges, Another Wasteland: see them at 12.20 on Saturday.

The Shrine, Coming Down Quick: Saturday at 11.15 Saturday. Again: be there when the gates open!

And last but by very means not least in this preview, The Mendenhall Experiment and Seize The Day. If you haven't heard about these guys before, check out the story... Courage, strength, faith in oneself... you can be who you are meant to be. What an inspirational story!!! Go see them, 12.20 pm on Sunday.

All times are subject to change: follow Aftershock on social media to keep up-to-date! I'll see you all there... but first I'm off to San Francisco for the opening of Marillion's North America tour, see you there too!

Steve Vai, 25 years of Passion and Warfare: the world tour, Sacramento, California

Steve Vai, Bad Horsie, Sacramento, CA

Want to see all the photos? Click here for the photo gallery.

It's twenty-five years since guitar virtuoso Steve Vai released Passion and Warfare, in itself the culmination of years of work--and yet, he didn't tour the album when it was first released. Now, with a superb band on stage to help, he's touring the world, playing the album end-to-end, already passing through Scotland, England, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland, France and many other countries, and now here in the USA. with a few surprises, and some video, if not live-on-stage, guests: Brian May, Joe Satriani, a wookie-esque John Petrucci, and the late, great, Frank Zappa, whose music, in a past lifetime, Steve Vai transcribed to paper. I don't know how the heck he did that, but he did... The "guests" didn't steal the show... Mr. Vai did that himself, hands down.

Steve Vai, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

Two-and-nearly-a-half hours of pure Steve Vai, played to a packed-to-the-rafters Ace of Spades. Probably not the biggest venue on the tour, but full of appreciation.

Steve Vai, with Philip Bynoe on bass

The show opened with Bad Horsie, from Alien Love Secrets, Mr. Vai wearing a white hoodie with twin red lasers; Bo, the recently-stolen-and-returned mirrored guitar shining bright. (Check out the stories, and also read this article on GuitarPlayer.com about the fundraiser for Tony McAlpine, who happily is on tour supporting the USA dates and opened the show at the Ace of Spades with an hour of stunning guitar.) And then The Crying Machine, from Fire Garden, Gravity Storm, from The Story of Light, the dreamy, beautiful Tender Surrender, from Alien Love Secrets...  and only then beginning Passion and Warfare (there's a newly-remastered version available).

Steve Vai and Dave Weiner

It's not a short album. Each song, played with the passion and warfare it deserved, and more. Steve Vai, ever impressive, ever fluid, and looking as if he was having a lot of fun on stage, and even though he must have played For The Love of God at least a million-and-a-half times in the past twenty-five years, he once-again made it sound like new, and broke everyones' hearts all over again. Especially if they were in part of the room, as I was, where you could see the backdrop movie, which just added another teardrop to the already-brimming eye. (I'm sure that in the larger venues, the video will be easier to see.)

The end of the album, stunning, but not the end of the show... after Love Secrets, the finale to Passion and Warfare, the band played at least three (four?) more ... What a huge show!!! ... and then took the time to thank everyone for being there. No, Steve Vai, we thank YOU, for the show, for the music, for bringing your show to Sacramento (again), and for everything you do to help and support other musicians. We know you care. It shines.

Beautiful music, happy maestro

There are very, very few instrumental-only musicians who can keep an audience entranced and standing for hours. Steve Vai is one of those very few. To paraphrase someone overheard as we left the venue, walking to the cars... "My knees are hurting from standing on that cement floor for so long, but wow, I'm so very glad we were there, so very, very glad!!!"

The tour continues: check here for other dates. And for those guitarists out there, Mr. Vai is holding the third Vai Acadamy Guitar Camp in Carmel, CA, from January 2nd-6th, You can find more information here on the Vai Academy website. Nice start to the new year!

And all the photos are here: click! http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/music/steve-vai

Steve Vai, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

(If you love beautiful, instrumental guitar music, also check out The Ghosts of Pripyat from the Steve Rothery Band... oh and in case you missed it, Mr. Rothery will be on tour with his other band, Marillion, beginning on Friday!)

Jeremy Colson, drums, Steve Vai

Marillion, F.E.A.R., a review, and a reminder about the tour...

It's been a couple of weeks since Marillion's 18th studio album, F.E.A.R., (Fuck Everyone And Run), was released, and while I haven't reviewed it here until today, here are a couple of major publications that have--take a look, and then go buy tickets for the upcoming tour, before it's too late:

• Classic Rock "... Marillion have taken all the most emotionally potent and fervently dynamic moments from this line-up’s 27 years and moulded them into some new, exponentially emboldened form"
• The Guardian: "Prog veteran's best album in 20 years"

Marillion, Montreal Canada, 2015

Straight into the UK album charts at number four... a huge deal for any band, let alone one whose music has long been known as rock's "best-kept secret", a secret known to a huge, worldwide audience who often travel across oceans and continents to see Marillion's live shows. I know, I've done it myself. Go to any one of the Marillion weekends, and you will meet people--the Marillion family--from all corners of the earth. The music is just that good.

I always wait to review a Marillion album. Because there are so many layers to the sound, so many emotions to the lyrics, that it takes several, many listenings. F.E.A.R. is a protest album: Eldorado, The New Kings embody the concept; rule by money, rule by banks and by big money, not by values and morality. It's a protest album, and it's angry, but angry in a sad and soulful way. It's a global story, and yet the album is, to me, also very English, probably because it tugs, hard, at my own homesickness for that walled garden full of singing blackbirds, buzzing bees, beautiful flowers, blue sky with cotton-wool clouds, and a bi-plane flying past on a Sunday morning, of old-school values...

"We're melting our guns, as a show of strength... we're not green, we're just pleasant"

But of all the album, which is magical, end-to-end, there's one song that immediately messed with my heart, my brain, my memories, and my guilt. You see... that's what Steve Hogarth's lyrics do: they make you think.

White Paper. An aging relationship. One person content, the other asking questions. Hurt, secrets, trying. A beautiful song, but what did it make me think of? It made me remember just how difficult it is to live with a writer, an author, a poet. I've been there, read the words and felt the hurt. And I've written them myself, and no doubt hurt others by doing so.

A writer sometimes takes an emotion, and asks, "What if?", and that's where the stories come from. It's not so much reality as such; it's the extension of a thought: what might be, what might have been. And sometimes they don't. A writer sometimes takes an element from their long-distant past, and writes about it as if it's today: building on it, expanding it, making it real, developing the intensity, making it hurt and bleed. And sometimes they don't. A writer sometimes takes someone else's story: a friend, a family member, something they read in the news, and bends it into something personal, something their own, something that's theirs and now yours... and sometimes they don't. Sometimes it's real, and it's now, and it's today, and it's their own pain they are writing about, right now. And neither you, nor I, nor anyone else will ever really know. Because none of us are ever, ever, truly and completely, inside someone else's head... and nor should we want to be.

So yes, White Paper is the song from F.E.A.R. that's stuck in my head right now, because once-again, Marillion have seized my heart and soul and wrung them out, pegged them to the washing line to dry in a rainstorm...

Last time Marillion were in San Francisco: 2012

If you haven't already, take a listen to F.E.A.R. All the way through. Several times. It's beautiful, and it deserves the high accolades being bestowed by the UK, European and other press. And while you're at it, make sure that you have your tickets for the North American tour, they are selling fast. The tour begins in San Francisco on Friday, October 21st, travels through Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, Northfield (Ohio), Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia and ends in New York city on election night. Don't miss the opportunity to see Marillion live--you will not regret a single moment.

Here's The New Kings from F.E.A.R. Obtain the full album from your usual source: iTunes, Amazon, http://marillion.com, record stores...

More Marillion photos: http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/music/marillion

Marillion weekend, Port Zelande, The Netherlands

Devin Townsend Project, and Between The Buried And Me, and between them both the show rocked!

Devin Townsend, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

While "prog" isn't a much-used genre-label here in the USA, Sunday night's show at the Ace of Spades in Sacramento was definitely that: progressive rock at its very best. Songs that take you along with them, weaving a complex tapestry of time signatures, melody, rhythm, words... sometimes so complex that you don't know the beginning from the end, but so entrancing that there is always something ultimately familiar. The avant-garde of rock music. Rock music that pushes the limits.

Tommy Rogers, Between The Buried And Me (BTBAM)

Between The Buried And Me remind me in so many ways of Van der Graaf Generator, and if you know me, you know how huge a compliment that is (and if you don't know VDGG, check them out, plus all Peter Hammill's solo stuff(); a very different sound, but a deeply-intelligent approach to the structure of the music, never going so far into complexity that there's not a way home, but always stretching the limits.

Between The Buried And Me, Sacramento, Ace of Spades

Devin Townsend Project, more intense, power-driven intensity and maestro guitar work: for those who remember with a big smile his collaboration with Steve Vai on Sex and Religion, take a read of this interview published today in Premier Guitar (Devin Townsend interviews Steve Vai), and remember that Mr Vai himself will be back in Sacramento at the Ace of Spades this coming Friday, 14th October, for the Passion and Warfare tour (already 25 years!!!)!

The Devin Townsend Project

The tour continues with several more USA dates, and then reconvenes in January for many dates in Europe. My friends across the pond: don't miss this one!

Check out the photo galleries here:

- Between The Buried And Me (BTBAM)
- Devin Townsend Project

The show was opened by Falluja, whose prog-metal music provided a really good start to the evening... I need to listen to them some more!

And if you enjoy these bands, don't miss Marillion's North America tour, which kicks off in San Francisco on October 21st!

Aftershock schedule: stage times for all bands, plus much more!!!

The band schedules for this year's Aftershock festival, in Discovery Park, Sacramento, have been announced!

This is going to be a good weekend... if you haven't bought tickets yet, I wouldn't wait much longer, as I understand that they are close to sold out.

As well as the music, there will also be a huge amount of things going on: lots of food, drink, entertainment, even golf! (If you didn't have a chance to Keep Golf Metal at last year's Aftershock, it's back!!!)

One thing that I really love about these festivals, is that they always give back to the people... this year, a portion of every ticket fee is being donated to the Living the Dream Foundation. This organization brings the music industry together with fans who are fighting terminal illnesses, by giving them All Access VIP experiences backstage with their favorite bands and artists. Find out more about the foundation on their website.

And for young musicians (and the young-at-heart), be sure to check out the Music Experience, where you can test-drive instruments, enter challenges, and keep an eye out for the musicians who will no doubt be dropping in...

There's lots of other things going on too: check out details below, and see more on the festival website: http://aftershockconcert.com 

California Capital Airshow... a little deja-vu, and a whole lotta wonder and awe...

"Fifi', B-29 Superfortress bomber

(UPDATE 7 Oct 2016: All the photo galleries are now live -- click here to see them all..)

Sunday lunchtime, 2nd October, and I'm feeling a little deja-vu. A leaden sky hangs over Mather Field air base, and it looks like it's going to storm, or worse. A week before, I'd been in Houston for Houston Open Air, and Sunday started exactly like this. On Saturday, in Houston, the show had been dramatically cut short, and bands cancelled, due to things outside of the festival organizers' control--the weather. At California Capital Airshow, the Saturday show too had been cut short, again not by choice: the lead pilot for the US Navy Blue Angels was unwell, and for safety's sake, the flight could not happen.

And then here we were, Sunday, and there's a really ominous sky...

US Army Golden Knights parachute team

Very happily, the storm cell moved onward and around, just giving us a light sprinkling of rain, and a magnificent, cloudy sky as a backdrop to the show, in contrast to Saturday's beautiful, clear blue. A few accommodations were made by the airshow for the weather--I think the parachutists dropped from a lower height, but still really high, and from a 'copter not a plane--and the entire day's show was wonderful!!!

Mike Wiskus flying the Lucas Oil aerobatics plane... stunning!!!

The incredible aerobatics of Mike Wiskus in the Lucas Oil plane, including a battle with a rocket car; a renactment of World War II, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, including one of the only two remaining B-29 Superfortress bombers, "Fifi" (which means I've had OMD's Enola Gay in my head all day); free-fall parachutisting by the US Army's Golden Knights team... watching the swearing-in of new military recruits; WW II veterans and young military and cadets; the Canadian Air Force jet, and the grand finale, the US Navy Blue Angels, including the "OH SHXT!!!) moment when the solo plane zooms past, as you are still watching the other planes fly away in formation...

US Navy Blue Angels... flying upside-down, as you do!

And not forgetting all the on-ground displays, and planes... from a tiny, mirrored Cessna to a huge, enormous, even-bigger-than-that airlift plane. Helicopters and planes-with-folding-wings and troop carriers and... and... and...

This was my first-ever airshow. It will definitely not be the last.

US Navy Blue Angels, mid-air pass

The organizers of both California Capital Airshow, and Houston Open Air, each took rapid action for ticket holders when parts of the events were cancelled; CCA allowed everyone with a Saturday ticket to come back on Sunday for free. Houston Open Air issued refunds. One thing this reminds each and every one of us: there is always a risk when you buy a ticket, always something that is out of the control of the organizers, yet which might affect the lineup; weather, and sickness, they happen. I think that everyone who was at the Airshow on Sunday saw a thrilling performance by all... personally I'm still in awe of those dudes who rock the skies with those planes.

Wings almost touching, four US Navy Blue Angels in formation

The airshow made me very happy... skylarks and prop planes, grassy airfields and distant hangers all evoke happy and content childhood memories... watching the light aircraft fly into and out of Rearsby Aerodrome, Leicestershire, England, where my dad worked for a while as a carpenter, fitting the interiors of Auster/Beagle aircraft. Watching gliders towed into the sky, and then watching them ride the air for a long, long time, and back to earth again.

Carrying in the POW/MIA flag, US Army Golden Knights

I'll be racking up a few more air miles this year, but as a passenger way back in the cabin, preferably of something with more than twenty seats and 747 written somewhere on the fuselage... and preferably with no rolls, and without wings almost touching another plane. That experience is for another day, watching an airshow as good as this one was. Thank you to everyone who organized and participated in California Capital Airshow--it was a great weekend!!!

US Navy Blue Angels, solo

(A special shout-out to the person who put the soundtrack together. Who knew metal/hard rock and an airshow went together??? So very cool hearing Nothing More, Shinedown, and others playing while seeing these magnificent planes, and brave/crazy pilots, flying. If you were at the show and wondered what the music was, and enjoyed it too, then you might also enjoy Aftershock festival, coming up soon at Discovery Park. The airshow was my first; make Aftershock your first rock festival!)

NOTE: All the photo galleries are linked below. Follow on Twitter (@alisontoon) and Instagram (@alisontoonphotographer) for announcements of new events and photo galleries!

Photo galleries:

- All galleries
- US Navy Blue Angels
- US Army Golden Knights
- WWII reenactment
- Mike Wisus Lucas Oil
- Canadian and USA Air Forces; Hornet and Viper jets
- Plus planes on the ground, people watching the planes... all the fun of the airshow!

Highly Suspect at the Boardwalk, Orangevale... time to pre-order The Boy Who Died Wolf

Waiting for Highly Suspect

There were people waiting for the Boardwalk's doors to open, at 5.30 p.m. The posted time for doors was 6.30, but it didn't happen until after 7.30, and by that time, the line was weaving its way around the Boardwalk's parking lot, and down the street. Inside, despite the temperate evening, the A/C was set to Arctic Blast, and if, like me, you forgot to bring your hoodie, ski suit and mittens, you didn't really warm up until Highly Suspect began to play.

Johnny Stevens, Highly Suspect

This threesome from the east coast (originally from Cape Cod, now based in Brooklyn, New York twin brothers Rich and Ryan Meyer and best friend Johnny Stevens), have had a successful year since we saw them here at Aftershock; two Grammy nominations, one for their first full-length album, Mister Asylum, and one for the single, Lydia, taken from the album and if you haven't seen the video, you need to.

Highly Suspect, The Boardwalk, Orangevale

Recently releasing a new single, My Name Is Human, from the upcoming new album, The Boy Who Died Wolf (you can preorder it now, expected release is November), the band is seeing a good level of much-deserved radio play.

The live show covers, of course, their best-known songs, including Bath Salts, Lydia, My Name is Human, Serotonia. Mom--already heartbreaking on record--is soul-crushing and hypnotic, live. The show, and the band's repertoire, includes influences from blues to punk to seventies rock (not forgetting a drum solo), and demonstrates, yet again, just how musically-together and talented these guys are. Really excellent musicians... and something really special.

The Highly Suspect tour continues throughout October and into November throughout the USA--and then, a couple of dates in the UK! Don't miss them!!!

Johnny Stevens, vocals and guitar, Highly Suspect

I think we'll be hearing a lot more from Highly Suspect. Did you preorder the next album yet?

More photos in the Highly Suspect photo gallery: click here (there are also photos from Aftershock, too). The lighting on Saturday at the Boardwalk was very, very low... they are what they are.