14 February 23, 2011 + Over the Edge Devil Driver/Cancerbats/Baptized in Blood/Vexen Jan 26, 2011 -live- Generator Cabaret ROSINA TURNER CONTRIBUTOR This was a highly anticipated show since tickets went on sale last November, and it was a great scene to walk up and see a line up of people all the way down the street in the name of METAL. All in good spirits, these metalheads were ready for the loudness and intensity of a show about to happen. The second | walked in, Vexen was on stage already setting the mood for a fun-filled metal extravaganza! These guys are from Prince George and have been a forefront in the metal scene for the last few years. I’ve seen these guys several times on big named bills and they never disappoint. (Check out a sneak peak of their upcoming full-length release which is in its final stages on their myspace page http://www. myspace.com/vexenmusic) A few tequilas and a jagerbomb later, Baptized in Blood took the stage. They are a band out of London, Ontario who formed in 2004, (Special note: They are managed by none other than Dave Mustain - yes, from Megadeath.) | can agree that this band does have great songs. Included in their 30- minute set were Dirty’s Back, Up shirts ,Down Skirts and next Rated: Pew! Y The Cancer Bats played the Generator on January 26. Stop Hollywood, to name a few. They delivered a set lined with floating solos, grand Thrash metal screams, with hints of Classic Metal. It was all around an enjoyable set to watch and listen to. Continuing on with the tequila and now beer, | was so pumped for Toronto ‘s Cancerbats to take the stage. | have probably seen this band at least 50 times - when they were just starting out, and before they exploded in the East coast hardcore scene, and later into a well-accepted band, despite their borderline mainstream sound. They are a well-produced act that is high energy and fast, with fist with pumping anthems and words of wisdom throughout their lyrics. They played a few of my favorites including Hail Destoyer and Sorceress. | spotted many Cancerbat T’s in the crowd. Check out their music at http:/Awww.myspace.com/cancerbats. Now onto more Jager, more tequila and beer. Devildriver took the stages and belted it out from the very first note. Singer, Dez Fafara, was in full metal mode. The band immediately lifted the fans to the next level of evil, and the Moshpit was big The PG Show Guide, Or: The low down on local shows and how you should behave yourself whilst enjoying the music DARCIE SMITH ARTS EDITOR and rough. The band was flawless, the sound was incredible and enough to blow one’s mind at times. Their set for the night hit every era. The 90 minute set list from front to back included End of the Line, Nothing’s Wrong,Impending disaster, Pray for Villains (that is when | jumped in the moshpit), Not all who wander, Dead to rights, Let them Rot, | could care less, Clouds over California, Fate stepped in, Grinfucked, Before the Hangman’s Noose Meet the wretched, and for their encore played These Fighting Words. Devildriver has recently recorded their 5th album, BEAST, to be released February 22. Overall it was an unforgettable night and where everyone enjoyed being in a packed house to listen some of the best metal Prince George has seen in a while. Don't forget to tune into 88.7fm or cfur.ca IN THE MOSHPIT Thurs 2pm-4pm, Fri 69m-9pm, Sat morn 4am-6am, Sat night 10pm-midnight. www.inthemoshpit.ca ROSINA TURNER If you are new to a city it can be intimidating to step out and check out the local music scene. It’s not always easy to tell which bands are worth seeing just from their name, and sometimes the local attendees can be pretty harsh critics on newcomers. You might even be someone who has lived in Prince George for most of you life, but you just haven’t gone out to see much and you’re wondering what to expect. Here are some tips, tricks, do’s and don’ts for going to a show in Prince George. ¢ Get Drunk — but not too drunk. No one likes an idiot except other idiots, and do you really want to attract those sorts? ¢« Be sober and drive all the drunk people home. A great way to earn brownie points when meeting new people is to be the nice, responsible person. Heck, even if you aren't really that nice, the drunk people won’t remember anyway. « Wear a dress (be modest) with leggings. « Don’t wear leggings as pants. Just stop it. ¢ — If you have long “metal” hair, go in the mosh pit. After the show/song is done, give someone with the same hairstyle as you a friendly pat on the shoulder and walk away. « Don’t make fun of the band you just heard unless someone does it first. You never know who you will offend. ¢ Smoke a cigarette. Some of the best conversations are had between two like-minded individuals sharing some fresh air. No matter who you are, if you are smoking chances are someone is ten times more likely to chat with you. *« Don’t dance like a hipster (you know what | mean) or you'll end up on that website. * Talk to people. Tell people that you haven’t been out to a show before and that you're interested in future shows. Make friends! ¢ Bring a camera. Take pictures, but don’t use it as a tool to stand in front of people. If you need to do so to get a better shot, make it quick and always apologize. « — If you’re from a “better” city, don’t compare the two. Even if the local you are speaking to hates it here, they will still be protective. ¢ Don’t hit on anyone attractive. They’re probably already dating someone in the room. These are just a few ideas to consider when heading out for the evening. They may or may not be universal guidelines, but there is certainly some value in practicing a few. *Keep in mind that most of these strategies are the most successful if you are incredibly good looking.