Any review that is done for the website be it music, video, convention, concert or trade show. The sky is the limit and all are found under one section.
Just recently, PiercingMetal had the honor of being one of the accredited press at a grand event for the Harley-Davidson NYC showroom. The event was called “Black Tie Black Leather” and would unveil several awesome new bikes and a bevy of accessories. I donned my basic blacks and zipped up my leather MC jacket and headed into the mix with my good friend and occasional PiercingMetal contributor, “Skeleton Pete” Parrella. With this being more of a lifestyle event than something Metal, I felt that the coverage of the event would fit in here the best so after you enjoy the amazing new logo for the brand and its location you will be taken on a very cool ride as I present you the bikes, the merchandise and the beautiful people all around me. Let’s roll…..
These bikes were stationed around the showroom main floor and could be seen from the outside streets of the Big Apple. Those who had lined up to participate at the event were drooling at their overall beauty and power of machine. I couldn’t blame them as they were fantastic looking. I did my best to get a photograph of all of the bikes around the windows.
It was once again time to pay a visit to the PDN Photoplus Expo which is held at the Javits Center every year around this time. I always try to attend this to see what is coming out that is within my budget and to support those friends who I sometimes run into while wandering the aisles.
I once again visited the Expo with my stalwart companion in media, “Skeleton Pete” Parrella and while he was examining things with a little more scrutiny, I was thinking that this time around I would focus on the faces around me. I already had a new camera so would not be investigating that but of course its cool to see what lenses might make my PiercingMetal adventures a little easier. The presentation that you will see here is mostly photos only and since there were a lot of cool models doing their thing I made sure to snap away at them. Hey they are seeking fame and fortunes as well so let’s broadcast them if possible. Enjoy.
Every now and again I like to catch something that falls outside of my Metal and Hard Rock comfort zone and I say this for a couple of different reasons. The first is mainly because I do like much more than the stuff that I report about over on PiercingMetal and the second is because you get to enjoy the broader musical geography that is available to you in a city like New York. You might have heard me say this before in any number of music reviews, but this city is a cornucopia of absolutely amazing music to listen to and I suggest that you give some stuff a chance when possible.
Harper’s Fellow @ Bowery Electric
That said I recently was invited by a friend of mine in the business to see his band called Harper’s Fellow. They are a Country Rock act for all intents and purposes and there is a lot of sweet vocal harmonies over tasty musical riffs. The four piece band is fronted by Cortney Metzler who sings most of the leads and plays acoustic guitar, Brendan Smith on bass, Eric Castellazzo on guitar and Alexander Ford who keeps it all in motion from the drum kit. The gig would be at The Bowery Electric which I have been to on a number of PiercingMetal adventures before but in the downstairs part of the club. Tonight’s Harper’s Fellow gig would be in the rear of the club’s main floor, a spot called the Map Room. It’s smaller for sure but seems an interesting spot to deliver ones music. The band set up quickly and was delivering their sweet and solid sounds faster than I expected but most of their supporters were in place which was a good thing. I had to say that I was liking what I heard and it was a definitely positive change of musical pace for me. They only performed about nine tunes which I have listed below and the ones that stood out the most for me was their “Cadillac” original and the cover of the Lumineers. Of course there were other highlights but I was very new to their material and had not yet locked in on as much of it as I would have liked. Cortney has a really nice voice and the rest of the guys bring this material to larger life with the harmonies that they add in. Though I was a newcomer, I was finding my foot tapping more often than it was not and if I caught onto a particular chorus I sang along at a much lower volume so’s not to have people wondering where the dying animal was 🙂 (I’m kidding of course).
One of the things I like to do with the personal blog is to periodically showcase some of the talented friends that I have in my circle whether they be music, art or something else. One such project is the band Command Z that features one of my best buddies (and occasional PiercingMetal contributor) Joe Kaufman on lead guitar, Tom Quigley on lead guitar, Larry Corban on bass and Brian McMahon on drums. The band used to feature Trig on drums but he has since left the group. I’m happy to say that I’ve known most of these lads for more than twenty years apiece and a couple of them even longer. Here is their striking logo.
Hey there readers, can I just take a moment of your time for a change? Well, I mean outside of the usual taking a moment of your time. I can? That’s good because this is something that is rather important to me. It’s a quick PSA about protecting your hearing with the use of these little implements.
Now anyone who has seen me in public and read my PiercingMetal.com website knows that I attend a LOT of concerts over the course of any given week. A LOT OF CONCERTS. I should add that I am often also in very close proximity to the loudest part of the action since I am taking photos and close to amps, speakers and monitors. What many might not know is that I am always wearing a pair of earplugs during the Metal mayhem and while this might sound “lame” to you, I should say that they don’t keep me from hearing the crushing melodies at all and instead keep some of the assault at bay which lets me hear the doorbell, phone and general conversation the next morning 🙂 That is never a bad thing in my opinion. I recently refilled my technical utility belt with some more of these Flents brand earplugs because they are affordable enough and can be used a couple of times before discarding them. I generally will replace a pair a week and before you think this unsanitary, I do rinse them off and dry them before placing them back into my ears. That is just common sense. These particular ones are marked as an NRR 33 rating which means a “noise reduction rating” of 33 db (decibels). Rock concerts are often over 100db and that is LOUD my friends. Continue reading Protecting Your Hearing w Flents Earplugs→
Continue reading Attending “Black Tie, Black Leather” at Harley-Davidson of NYC (12/12/2013): Part 1 
