30 Day Film Challenge: Day 14 – A Film That Gave You Depression

Okay, when I watched Odd Thomas (2014), I already knew it would rip my heart to shreds because I’d read the book. I have cried during books before, shedding a few tears over fictional deaths or whatever, but I literally sobbed at the end of that one, and that unhappiness lasted days. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that the film had a similar effect on me.

August Burns Red: 20 Year Anniversary Tour

August Burns Red has announced their 20 year anniversary tour with special guests The Devil Wears Prada and Bleed From Within. You can snag tickets and VIP experiences at augustburnsred.com.

  • 2/15 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore
  • 2/16 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
  • 2/17 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
  • 2/18 – Orlando, FL – Heart Support Fest
  • 2/20 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Revolution Live
  • 2/21 – Pensacola, FL – Vinyl Music Hall
  • 2/23 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
  • 2/24 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom
  • 2/25 – San Antonio, TX – Vibes Event Center
  • 2/27 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre
  • 2/28 – San Diego, CA – Soma
  • 3/1 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
  • 3/2 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
  • 3/4 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
  • 3/5 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
  • 3/7 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
  • 3/8 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
  • 3/10 – Denver, CO – The Fillmore
  • 3/12 – Little Rock, AR – The Hall
  • 3/13 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
  • 3/14 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore
  • 4/14 – New York, NY – Palladium Times Square
  • 4/15 – Albany, NY – Empire Live
  • 4/16 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
  • 4/18 – Niagara Falls, NY – Rapids Theater
  • 4/19 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
  • 4/21 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection
  • 4/22 – St. Louis, MO – Red Flag
  • 4/23 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman
  • 4/24 – Wichita, KS – Wave
  • 4/25 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom
  • 4/26 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown
  • 4/28 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore
  • 4/29 – Chicago, IL – Concord Music Hall
  • 4/30 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s
  • 5/2 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
  • 5/3 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
  • 5/5 – North Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues
  • 5/6 – Richmond, VA – The National
  • 5/7 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
  • 5/9 – Toronto, ON – The Danforth Music Hall
  • 5/10 – Toronto, ON – The Danforth Music Hall
  • 5/11 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS
  • 5/12 – Quebec City, QC – Theatre Capitole

New Music Friday With Steve Vai, Blutengel, and Clint Lowery

Steve Vai: “She Saved My Life Tonight”

From Steve Vai’s new album Vai/Gash, set to be released January 27, 2023. This is a collection of songs recorded in the 90s by Vai and Johnny “Gash” Sombretto, but it is only now seeing the light of day.

Blutengel: “Tief”

From Blutengel’s upcoming album Un:Sterblich – Our Souls Will Never Die, available everywhere May 12, 2023.

Clint Lowery: “Devil Leather”

The first single from Clint’s latest EP Ghostwriter, which is set to be released February 17, 2023.

Update: Goodreads Reading Challenge 2023 (1/13/23)

I finished Stacia Kane’s Unholy Ghosts, and I was right – I am definitely reading the whole series. I loved the story, the characters, her writing style… Overall, I’d rate the book 4.5 out of 5.

I also ran through the third book in Katherine Arden’s Small Spaces series, Dark Waters.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this is the kind of kids’ book I wish had existed when I was a kid. So many of the “scary” books I read back then fell short. They weren’t even creepy (to me). But Arden’s tales of The Smiling Man are eerie, and the entity is not easily beaten or discovered to be anything less than frightening.

Rating: 4/5

And last but not least, I have started my fourth book of the year, The Creeper by A.M. Shine. I read a recommendation of this book on Jenny In Neverland’s blog [check out the post here]. So today, I plan to drop my car off at my mechanic’s then curl up with a blanket, a cup of coffee, and this suspenseful chiller from Shine.

30 Day Film Challenge: Day 13 – A Film That Put You in Deep Thoughts

Donnie Darko (2001)

Scotty Austin: The King of Rock Tour 2023

Scotty Austin, formerly of Saving Abel, is taking The King of Rock Tour across the U.S. for much of 2023. He will be playing with several different bands, hitting festivals, jumping on a date of the Revival Tour with Rehab, and even doing a TV show recording in March!

For more info, visit scottyaustinofficial.com. Tickets available through the venues’ sites. I will update this list if/when more dates are announced.

  • 1/26 – Ft. Walton Beach, FL – The Sound Cafe
  • 1/28 – Clearwater, FL – OCC Roadhouse
  • 2/2 – Owensboro, KY – Milligan’s Bar
  • 2/9 – Seattle, WA – Funhouse
  • 2/10 – Hayden, ID – Razzles
  • 2/11 – Lava Hot Springs, ID – Blue Moon Bar & Grill w/White Trash Romeo
  • 2/12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Liquid Joe’s
  • 2/17 – Angola, IN – Eclectic Room w/Saints Among Us
  • 3/1-3/12 – Tour w/Flaw and Shallow Side
  • 3/30 – TV show recording
  • 4/1 – Sturgis, SD – Kickstands
  • 4/14 – Columbus, MS – Muddy Waters w/Rehab
  • 4/15 – Memphis, TN – Rockhouse Live w/Voxx
  • 4/22 – Fort Smith, AR – The Majestic w/Pump 5
  • 4/23 – San Angelo, TX – The Deadhorse w/Pump 5
  • 4/28 – Warrensburg, MO – Bodies w/Pump 5
  • 4/29 – Omaha, NE – Dream on the Green w/Pump 5
  • 5/4 – Chicago, IL – The Cubby Bear w/Citrus Orange
  • 5/5 – Genoa City, WI – 2 Brothers Bar w/Citrus Orange
  • 5/6 – Battle Creek, MI – Music Factory w/Citrus Orange
  • 5/7 – Kaukauna, WI – Maloney’s w/Citrus Orange
  • 5/10 – Buffalo, NY – Stamps the Bar w/Wild Planes
  • 5/11 – Teaneck, NJ – Debonair Music Hall w/Look Back Luna
  • 5/12 – Hallam, PA – Tourist Inn w/Look Back Luna
  • 5/13 – Hanover, PA – Rock on the Hill Festival w/Trapt, Sponge, & Flaw
  • 5/18 – Lawton, OK – Red Dirt Reloaded
  • 5/19 – San Antonio, TX – Fitzgerald’s
  • 5/25 – Baxter Springs, KS – Bricks & Brews w/Saints Among Us
  • 5/26 – Holladay, TN – Keeper of the Flame w/Saints Among Us
  • 5/27 – St. Louis, MO – The Attic Music Bar w/Saints Among Us
  • 5/28 – Madison, WI – BratFest
  • 6/8 – Unity, WI – Monster Hall Music Fest
  • 6/10 – Cave in Rock, IL – Hogrock
  • 6/14-7/6 – Revival Tour w/Rehab and Framing the Red
  • 7/7, 7/8 – Branson, MO – Branson Star Theater w/Saint Tragedy
  • 7/13 – Bloomington, IL – Nightshop w/The Lion Within (New date!)
  • 7/14 – Kaukauna, WI – Farm Stock Biker Bash w/The Lion Within
  • 7/15 – Lake City, MI – Tiki Craft Festival w/The Lion Within
  • 7/22 – Springville, IN – ABATE of Indiana w/Bobaflex
  • 7/23 – Hazel Green, WI – Sandy Hook Tavern w/Perfectly Still
  • 8/2, 8/6 – Sturgis, SD – Kickstands Campground, Sturgis Bike Rally
  • 8/12 – Minneapolis, MN – The Cabooze w/Embers Rise
  • 8/21-9/1 – Carnival Valor Cruise w/Big Smo and more
  • 9/15 – Stroudsburg, PA – Sherman Theater
  • 9/16 – Oakmont, PA – Oaks Theater
  • 9/23 – Mansfield, TX – Fat Daddy’s w/Dark Below
  • 9/28 – Orangevale, CA – The Boardwalk
  • 9/29 – San Francisco, CA – Bricks & Mortar Music Hall
  • 10/6 – Chickasha, OK – Legends Pub w/Gravel Switch
  • 10/7 – Kansas City, KS – Vivo w/Gravel Switch
  • 10/13 – Natchez, MS – Locust Alley w/Gravel Switch
  • 10/14 – Columbus, MS – Rocktoberfest w/Shallow Side
  • 10/19 – Westland, MI – Token Lounge w/Saints Among Us
  • 10/21 – Appleton, WI – BreastFest
  • 11/4 – Hallam, PA – Tourist Inn w/Wild Planes
  • 11/11 – Holladay, TN – Keeper of the Flame w/Below 7
  • 12/1 – Columbia, SC – The Venue w/Bear Within Us
  • 12/16 – Frenchtown, NJ – Artie’s Bar & Grill

30 Day Film Challenge: Day 12 – A Film You Hate From Your Favorite Genre

My favorite genre is horror, of course, but even I can acknowledge there are some awful horror movies out there. I’m not very big on paranormal horror; ghosts and spirits just doesn’t freak me out at all. And the worst of the worst?

Paranormal Activity (2007)