On the Road...

Down with the sickness all over again!

2008-12-18T09:29:00.000-08:00

Well, it was a great time in Spokane, seeing everyone again and getting DWTS another time.

Here are some shots from the Knitting Factory while Disturbed was on:

From Disturbed Spokane

The band, back in action for Washington! The view is from the light booth, where I watched the show with the lighting tech, Skitch.

From Disturbed Spokane

Dan shredding on his solo.

From Disturbed Spokane

A full shot of the stage.

It was a great show, and Merch went really well. Sorry for the short post, but it's freezing cold and my hands feel frozen. Enjoy!

Until next time!
-Maddie

Getting Down with the Sickness!

2008-11-26T16:43:00.000-08:00

Well, Saturday at the Knitting Factory Concert Hall in Spokane, WA, I'll be getting The Sickness with Disturbed!

I've got a few friends coming with me and I think it'll be a blast!

I'm working a bit of merch, so if you read this blog and see a short black haired girl selling shirts, it's probably me.

The show's sold out unfortunately, but if you got the tickets, I'll see ya there!

And you all know there will be pictures!

-Maddie

SLIPKNOT TOUR DATES

2008-11-25T08:42:00.000-08:00

SLIPKNOT launched a new website, allhopeisgone.com to coincide with the launch of the tour. All pre-sale and onsale information will be made available there.

From Slipknot

The dates are as follows:

01/23/09- Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, MN

01/24/09- Sprint Center - Kansas City, MO

01/25/09- Mid America Center - Council Bluffs, IA

01/27/09- Alliant Energy Center Memorial Coliseum - Madison, WI

01/28/09- Wells Fargo Arena - Des Moines, IA

01/30/09- Allstate Arena - Rosemont, IL

01/31/09- The Palace of Auburn Hills - Auburn Hills, MI

02/02/09- Peoria Civic Center - Peoria, IL

02/03/09- Pepsi Coliseum - Indianapolis, IN

02/05/09- Madison Square Garden - New York, NY

02/06/09- Tsongas Arena - Lowell, MA

02/07/09- Susquehanna Bank Center - Camden, NJ

02/09/09- Greensboro Coliseum Complex - Greensboro, NC

02/10/09- Cricket Arena - Charlotte, NC

02/11/09- Bi-Lo Center - Greenville, SC

02/13/09- 1st Mariner Arena - Baltimore, MD

02/14/09- Rupp Arena - Lexington, KY

02/15/09- Sommet Center - Nashville, TN

02/17/09- Gwinnett Center - Duluth, GA

02/18/09- UCF Arena - Orlando, FL

02/19/09- Pensacola Civic Center - Pensacola, FL

02/21/09- Concrete Street Amphitheater - Corpus Christi, TX

02/22/09- Nokia Theatre - Grand Prairie, TX

02/23/09- BOK Center - Tulsa, OK

02/26/09- Verizon Wireless Theater - Houston, TX

02/28/09- El Paso County Coliseum - El Paso, TX

03/01/09- Freeman Coliseum - San Antonio, TX

03/03/09- Denver Coliseum - Denver, CO

03/04/09- Tingley Coliseum - Albuquerque, NM

03/05/09- Jobing.com Arena - Glendale, AZ

03/07/09- The Forum - Inglewood, CA

03/08/09- Cox Arena - San Diego, CA

03/10/09- Citizens Business Bank Arena - Ontario, CA

03/11/09- ARCO Arena - Sacramento, CA

Yeah, notice Seattle isn't on the fucking list. I'm beyond pissed.

Contests and Photos Galore!

2008-11-24T21:54:00.000-08:00

Well, as most of you know, Slipknot and Disturbed are two of many bands in Fuse TV's "Best Music Videos of 2008" Countdown." It's a bracket style tournament, and unfortunately Fuse put Disturbed and Slipknot on the same corner of the bracket. But, hopefully Slipknot, who beat Disturbed last week, will be able to pummel this week's opponent: Britney Spears.

So, please for the love of all things Metal, paste the following address in your web browser and vote every day this week for Psychosocial!!!

http://fuse.tv/music/best-of-2008/

We're only about 12,000 votes behind and we were about 30,000 behind earlier today, so we CAN win this thing! one of my day jobs is as a statistician, so trust me when I say Slipknot will prevail!!!!

Also, I unearthed a short clip:

I can remember standing back stage when this song started. Corey Taylor's whole threat about spitting down people's throats scared me shitless! I remember standing next to David Draiman and Dan Donegan and John Moyer of Disturbed thinking 'okay, if these guys aren't scared, I can't look scared... I can be scared, but I can't look scared.' That, my friends, was the first time I had heard or seen Slipknot. Now, I don't think I can go a day without their music.

Also, more pictures will be up soon. I recently found whole file on my camera of Slipknot shots from Mayhem, so once they're uploaded, they're all yours!

Until my update on Saturday about Disturbed's concert this Friday!
-Maddie

Inside the Fire

2008-11-19T22:09:00.000-08:00

Here's the video for Disturbed's Inside the Fire. The track was off their latest album Indestructible that came out this summer. It, along with Slipknot's Psychosocial, are in the battle to be Fuse TV's best music video of '08.

To vote for Disturbed's Inside the Fire or Slipknot's Psychosocial, go to:

http://www.fuse.tv.com/

SLIPKNOT AND DISTURBED NEED YOUR HELP!!!!

2008-11-18T00:19:00.000-08:00

Both Psychosocial and Inside the Fire have been nominated as best video of the year. As much as I love BOTH these bands, I'm sorry to say Slipknot's got a much better chance statistically of winning it...

So, all you metal fans out there, Got to http://fuse.tv/music/best-of-2008/ and vote for Slipknot's Psychosocial.

We all know Rock and Metal is making a comeback, so let's stick it to Britney Spears! She had her time, let's give the real musicians a turn!

Again, the site is :

http://fuse.tv/music/best-of-2008/

You can vote up to once a day, so go get 'em, Maggots!

From Slipknot

Cris Fehn from Slipknot

Through the Fire and the Flames, there's another show...

2008-11-04T22:38:00.000-08:00

And what a show it was!

Yesterday (Monday) I got to go down to Seattle at the showbox sodo and see all my friends in Dragonforce. What a show!

Not only was it great to see everyone again and sort of be re-introduced to others, but it was great to be back on the music scene. Here are some shots from the night:

From Dragonforce Seattle

ZP Theart (left) Fred Leclercq (center) and Sam Totman (right)

From Dragonforce Seattle

Dave Mackintosh, a good friend of mine kicking on the drums. His nickname "CompactDymano" definitely fits him.

From Dragonforce Seattle

A shot of Dave from backstage.

From Dragonforce Seattle

Fred (left) and Vadim Pruzhanov (right) Rocking out with their solos, Vadim on his keys, Fred on his guitar.

From Dragonforce Seattle

Sam Totman (left) and Herman Li (right). These men are gods at guitar.

More pics to come, of course. Right now, I'm still laughing to myself every five minutes about little inside jokes, about 'cooties' and 'dogs with wings'. It's amazing how great you feel after seeing good friends after such a long absence.

It was great to hang out with Dave in Seattle. We went for indian food at a little place downtown, then 'strolled' as he would say, up to Pike's Place Market. I got a GREAT reaction out of him with the monkfish. You know, this bugger:

The fish is a few feet long with an eel-like tail that sits at the top of the ice. When an unsuspecting tourist like Dave goes in for a close up, the workers pull the tail of the fish and scare the sh** out of the unsuspecting. It's the best prank ever.

It was a blast! Fred tried to teach me how to do the death metal growl, but quickly gave up claiming I'm a girl and can't do it. Eh, it happens. I got to do a little dancing with Stu, Dave's drumtech, and Fred, which was a blast! It was a hoot being the only girl there. I was asked for fashion advice from some of the guys, which was a new one for me.

I got to be one of the guys again, though, at the same time. The guys are a hoot! It was interesting, some of the English lingo they used though. At first, there was quite a bit of culture shock. Fred was right. They do speak in codes. But, I caught on.

Hopefully, I'll catch up with the guys again in BC, passport permitting, but god, do I miss those guys!

until next time,

-Maddie

Counting Down the Days to Dragonforce!

2008-10-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

From Dragonforce

The Seattle show is 4 days! Good thing for you it's not too late to get tickets. You can purchase them at:

http://www.dragonforce.com/

Dragonforce has a show Saturday in Hawaii, Then there's a US/Canada tour that stretches From Saturday, November First, to sometime around Christmas.

Disturbed is finishing up the Europe tour next week, then doing a short US/Canada tour for the next few weeks. Here's their website to check out tourdates:

http://www.disturbed1.com/

Slipknot is also out on tour until the end of the year. But, according to my sources, there's word of another US/ Canada tour starting in January, running to September. My source is a good one, but I haven't seen any dates. Here's their links:

http://www.slipknot1.com/

The more, the merrier!

2008-09-30T19:52:00.000-07:00

Apparently I've got readers in Morocco too! I'm getting tons of comments on the blog (which are warmly welcomed), but bloody hell! I never imagined this kind of success!

Well, dad's headed back out on the road this Thursday for a world tour that had a few postponed dates since David's throat was taking an insane beating. Doctors were saying he was going to damage his voice if he kept up the pace, so we ALL want David to take the time he needs off.

From DISTURBED

Also, next week Slipknot heads to Japan to kick off a world tour. And Dragonforce? They're already rocking!

Keep Rockin', guys! (Just pay a little visit to good ol' Seattle while you are! I'm getting concert withdrawls!)

Until next time, -Maddie

Guess what's happening on November 3rd?

2008-08-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

MADDIE'S GOING TO SEE DRAGONFORCE!

And you should, too.

Here's where you can find information for the location, as well as great deals on tickets:

https://tixx1.artistarena.com/dragonforce/

or

www.dragonforce.com

See you at the gig!

-Maddie

Why it pays to Google Yourself....

2008-08-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

Well, thanks to my blog and some unexplainable word of mouth, my blog has been featured on blabbermouth.net, z98rocks.com, in German (I think...) at metal-hammer.de and even in Russian at boxofmp3.ru/?p=96 for my pictures relating to the crash.

How these people know I'm the guitar tech's daughter is kinda creepy... But, hey, my blog is getting out there!

....But how did they know that?....

Also, on the note of the accident, insurance sent everyone these lovely little letters saying they denied our claims. AKA, I have to come up with $400. Screw that. Dad and I are getting lawyers!!! Woohoo!

-Maddie

Last Day of Mayhem! DISTURBED BREAKS RECORD!

2008-08-19T10:57:00.000-07:00

Disturbed's new hit single, "Inside the Fire," has done it. 18 weeks at #1. They tied the record at 16, broke the record at 17, and just keeps on going. not only have they been number one for 18 weeks, but they've been on Active Rock's Top Ten for 23 weeks. Congrats, Guys!

Thanks to recent technology, keeping an active video record of the tour, which ends tonight at Darien Center, New York, has been pretty easy for the festival production and for fans. I looked through video archives, and decided to bring a little bit of the tour to your office, your living room, study, or wherever your preferred place of reading my blog may be.

So, Rock on!

DragonForce: Through the Fire and the Flames

Disturbed: Inside the Fire

Slipknot: Psychosocial

In one week, DragonForce's new CD, "Ultra Beatdown" is released. It's worth the money!

Also, Slipknot's new Album, "All Hope is Gone" comes out on the 26th. A great piece of work!

The tour may be over, but these new albums will keep us rocking!

-Maddie

Ultra Beatdown comes out next Tuesday!

2008-08-17T15:58:00.000-07:00

Remember the last time you were a fan of a great band or musician and watched them enter the spotlight? Remember that great feeling of your favorite band on everyone's lips as you thought to myself 'I was listening to them before you knew they even existed?'

Ladies and gentlemen, it's time once again for you to feel that same bragging right. DragonForce is that next band.

Heroes of Our Time

Although the band is already huge, the only direction DragonForce can go from here is up. "While most bands want to be bigger than Metallica, DragonForce have the capacity to exceed Star Wars," said UK's Metal Hammer magazine.

Ultra Beatdown, the band's fifth CD comes out next Tuesday, and I can promise you, I'll be surfing itune's store. This Metal/Rock/Progressive band is definitely worth a listen. Not only are the melodic lyrics a little more mainstream listener friendly, but even people outside the rock genre can't get over the insane guitar solos. Infact, they're so good, DragonForce's song, "Through the Fire and the Flames" is one of the hardest songs featured on the hit game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.

"'Ultra Beatdown' is the album to take DragonForce to a new height. It’s not merely the culmination of a decade crafting and finessing a sound that has made them instantly recognizable across the world. It’s not even state-of-the-art for metal, nor just a gantlet being thrown down for everyone else. This is more than that. It’s DragonForce beating a difficult, yet ultimately satisfying, path. Experimenting, taking risks, being bold – precisely what you’d expect any masters of their art"

-Malcolm Dome

I asked DragonForce drummer David Mackintosh what his feelings were towards doing the festival again, if he could. Here's what he said:

"We would so do this again! Best and easiest tour ever. So many old friends,and loads of new ones too! This has been an awesome lineup...I don't think they could have chosen a better lineup."

DragonForce has two more tours lined up which will keep him busy until March of next year. They'll be visiting everywhere from the UK to Australia, Japan, France, The Netherlands, Germany, and many many more locations.

DragonForce really is the next big thing.

I looked into its eyes...

2008-08-15T21:02:00.000-07:00

And it sent me back to July 30th, a conversation I had with Fred our driver and Geoff, the band's production manager. It was before the accident, before the acceptance into the family, and before what changes that happened occurred.

The last time I though about an alligator, I was riding in Florida, just past the Everglades. I was not sitting at the local county fair with my two little cousins watching an animal show in the summer's blazing heat. I was talking to our driver about how he hadn't seen any alligators on the road the night before, a rare occurrence around the Everglades.

The view from the front seat in the bus of a city we passed by, early one morning in Florida.

But, having these little triggers, these little images, sounds, or even smells send me right back to the nights of the tour. The pain that remains still in my arm reminds me of the accident too.

I dream about it, and think about it every time I get into a car, drive onto the ferry, or get on a plane. I think about the numbers, the statistics...

Here are lifetime statistics of you dying in various ways from popculturemadness.com:

Air Travel Accident odds: 1-in-20,000
Motor Vehicle Accident odds: 1-in-100
Drowning odds: 1-in-8,942

I'm not a pessimist... I'm a realist.

-Maddie

My heart was pounding...

2008-08-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

My ears were throbbing, my chest beating like a hollow drum from the sound in front of me. This is what it felt like to take some of the best pictures of my life.

ZP Theart hitting the note.

But it wasn't just the excitement of being in a metal concert that got to me, it was the anticipation of crowd surfers being pulled down over my head by security. I watched multiple times as the photographer next to me tried to move away, but didn't do so in time and got kicked in the head by the riled up crowd. It was the one time in life I was glad to be 5'3".

David Mackintosh getting the crowd pumped up.

It's amazing some of the shots, some of the views you can get. And yet again, being short can be a major advantage for shots like these...

James Root shredding as one of Slipknot's two guitar players.

Chris Fehn posing behind his drum set.

It wasn't only the crowed surfers I had to look out for- photographers would push you away to get your shot. And, being small, it wasn't uncommon for me to be booted out of the way by someone twice my size.

Corey Taylor,(left) screaming out the vocals, Mick Thomson,(center) headbanging to the music, and Shawn "Clown" Crahan beating on his brand new drum set that arrived earlier that day. It is complete with spinning and raising elements that allow him to go 15 feet into the air, spin, and now has a flat screen on the front of the kit that displays a live feed of the crowd.

I learned to push back.

-Maddie

Heading home...

2008-08-07T21:18:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm heading on home tomorrow after a doctor appointment for immigration, and I'll put together some more picture albums, such as a Slipknot album, a best pics album, etc.

Here are a few pics from the Dragonforce show last night:

Herman Li, Vadim Pruzhanov, Fredric Leclercq, and Sam Totman in a 'musical foursome'.
Frederic Leclercq at Wednesday night's concert in New York.

Sam Totman rocking out at the show.

Vadim Pruzhanov gives an energetic show that keeps the crowd pumped all night long.

ZP Theart Screams out vocals only a Brit could belt out.

Questions? Comments? E-mail me at maddieleiren@hotmail.com.

Until Tomorrow,
-Maddie

My Dear Friends,

2008-08-06T23:23:00.000-07:00

Forgive me for not posting lately. Life has been VERY busy and VERY hectic out on the road.

I have many stories to tell, most of which will be told. Pictures were taken and will be shown. I took pictures front row of Dragonforce, Disturbed, and Slipknot, which are worth more than a thousand words.

right now it's 2:30 AM EST, and I've got to get up at 6:00 AM EST to catch a flight home to my day job, my room that probably needs to be cleaned, and my radio-less car. But, my ears are still ringing, so I don't think a lack of music for a few days will be a bad thing.

-Maddie

More from the accident

2008-08-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

Well, after everyone went to the ER yesterday, it took the hospital long enough so that when we got out of the hospital, all the pharmacies were closed. This morning we woke up and desperately need them. Still, we have none. Our runner who usually does grocery runs and takes our driver to the hotel is now picking up our meds.

I'm just loving this sling.
If you know me, you know wearing this sling is my own personal hell.

More pics of the accident:

More to come later, have to go help out with dressing rooms.

-Maddie

A once in a lifetime experience... literally.

2008-07-31T14:10:00.000-07:00

Well, Being on the road has been one great experience, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But when your life is on the line for it, it goes from scary good to scary dangerous.

At eight thirty three this morning, all but two of the crew of nine on the Disturbed crew bus were fast asleep in the pitch black bunks.

All the sudden, there was this violent tossing, everyone got thrown around for about 10 seconds, and we ended going through 50-75 yards of woodland. We missed 10 to 12 inch Trees by inches, and had hit multiple trees that ended up upside down on their leaves and branches.

But, of course, we didn't know any of that. We were locked in a pitch black room with no electricity for a good five minutes. We got down the door to the back room, where we were afraid the drum tech, Nate, could usually be found sitting. We opened the door, and all the bags and cabinets that were above the couches were spilled all over the back room. If anyone had been sitting back there, they would have been dead. Dad usually gets up at about 7:30, 8:00 and he would have been sitting in the back room, watching TV if he hadn't have slept in...

Cabinet doors were everywhere, and shattered glass was a serious concern to all of us, having just gotten out of bed with no shoes or slippers. We were able to clean up the debris a bit in the back room and bunk room and looked out the rear window. We were in the middle of a clearing, about 20 yards from the high way. A few people had pulled off the road to make sure everyone was alright and tried to help as much as possible.

Everyone was calm after Frank yelled that he and Nate were in the front and weren't seriously injured. He said Nate was trapped, and we all expected the worse. Dad looked out the keyhole of the door and saw Nate was crawling up the aisle towards us, he was moving, but something was up.

The lady with the EMS came over to the window and got us all riled up. She seemed more scared than we were.

Once the firefighters got there, they opened up the door to the front lounge and we were able to get unloaded and head out. We found out Nate was actually sitting in the passenger seat and broke his leg. Both he and our driver, Fred, had to get stitches to the head, too.

The rest of the crew has back and neck pain, and I've got my knees wrapped and am enjoying the restrictions of a sling. More updates and pictures to come. The internet here is horrible and my arm is killing me, so when I can, I'll get you pics.

-Maddie

On the Road Again...

2008-07-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I woke up at about five this morning and I'm now sitting in Denver on the free internet, updating my blog. So far today's been interesting- I've met someone who needed help with Spanish/English translation, someone who spoke Arabic, and the lady who sat next to me on the plane was an editor at a Backpacking magazine. Seems like today is all about coincidences.

Well, turns out I didn't do such a hot job Merch-ing for Flyleaf- I got everything done, but there were mistakes I made along the way that I feel bad about. I sent the Merch to New Hampshire on the wrong kind of shipping, which cost the company a lot more money than it should have. I've still got hope for getting hired by them again, and the job offer still remains, but it doesn't mean I feel great about what I did. I know what to do next time, but that doesn't make this time around right. *Insert heavy sigh here*

But, here are some pics from the trip. Maybe they can lighten the mood:

A view of the islands from a Kenmore plane.

My Plane coming in to pick me up. It had a Snow Shoe Hare painted on the tail.

Mt. Ranier from the plane.

Landing in Denver.

Food court.... Is that a Ben & Jerry's?!?

Ohhh Yea, Cherry Garcia and Strawberry Cheesecake = Happy Florida-goer.

Until next time!

-Maddie

Florida, Get Ready For Maddie!

2008-07-28T00:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm on my way to Florida in less than six hours... But I can't sleep! I'm much too excited and nervous, and... unable to express myself adequately.

Apparently Florida is supposed to look like this, Tampa at least:

If so... I have one problem going: I can't get there fast enough. Bikini and short-shorts, here I come!!!

-Maddie

"SLIPKNOT SCARES THE BEJESUS OUT OF THE FN CROWD"

2008-07-26T23:57:00.000-07:00

That was the title of a Roadrunner Record's report about how MTV's audience received SLIPKNOT's new video, "Psychosocial."

Here's the video:

Here's the crowd reaction:

I love that picture....

-Maddie

News of the New!

2008-07-26T23:46:00.000-07:00

Well, I've set up a new option for everyone: at the bottom of each post, there's a little link that says 'comment!' That is now a function that anyone can use, anonymous or not. So, you can share your thoughts, feelings, and suggestions through those now.

I've got my flight information for Monday, I'm heading off island on the 7:00 AM flight. I don't arrive in Tampa until 10:45 that night. I've also got a two hour layover in both Seattle and Denver. LONG day.

But, I'm looking forward to it. I'm packing my bathing suit and shorts and hoping I won't die in the heat.

Bus life: something I'm nervous about. The guys are all really cool, but it's like someone coming and living in your house for a week. They can either get really cool or really annoying. I hope that with sleep deprivation and lack of privacy I'm considered more the former and less the latter... We'll see how it goes.

More updates to come!

-Maddie

One Heck of a Day

2008-07-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

Well, my friends, My Merch trip went well all-in-all. Considering it was my first time on the job and that the venue staff probably couldn't find their own rear ends on a map. The help I got from Katy who works for Flyleaf made the success we had possible.

It was up at 3 AM, and on the road by quarter to four. From there, it was a wait in the ferry line, an hour and a half voyage onto the mainland, then about a four hour drive.

But, the views were AMAZING! Scenery changed from lush green forests to the canyon cut Gorge. Luckily I was able to get my friend Shay to come along and help out with driving and with sales. He did more than his fair share.

But, with a four hour drive, the car got a little confining, so we got out to take a few pics of the scenic view from the top of the river canyon and stretch our legs a little bit.

After about another hour in the car, we finally got to The Gorge. The view behind the ampitheatre is breathtaking. When you walk out of the dressing rooms or the production office, you step onto a porch, and there's nothing between you and the view except a wooden rail running along the porch edge.

It was my first time to the Gorge, and wow, it still amazes me, thinking back to the views. The view in itself was almost worth the long trip.

There was a decent sized crowd. Nothing like the White River Ampitheatre with Disturbed and Slipknot a few weeks ago, but there's a reason for that.

THE CREATION was the name of the week long music festival of Christian bands or Bands who may not affiliate with a Christian label but the musicians themselves are Christian, as the case is with Flyleaf. It's not as mainstream as metal music, and the faith there was evident. A t-shirt booth across from us sold shirts saying 'Virginity is Awesome!' and 'Jesus died to save the Terrorists. Abortion is a form of Terrorism.'

Not to get too political here, but with a lot of Christian faiths, these are some of the conservative views shared by many. But, sometimes things got too conservative. One t-shirt read 'It doesn't matter if Jesus was a Independent or Republican, but he definitely wasn't a liberal Democrat.'

So, after arriving at 12:30, two hours ahead of schedule, it took us nearly three hours for the production to find our Merch, or Merchandise. Then, we found out the venue had no display for us. This is not how Merch should usually go.

So, after asking for rope and finding there was none to be had, I had an idea: I saw earlier up near security they had a LOT of CAUTION tape, so I asked to have some. I braided it together in a bit of a rush, threw the shirts on the tape, strung it to the poles holding up the tent, and called it good. It was nice to be in the tent out of the high 80, low 90 degree temperatures. Catering made some great ice tea that I'd occasionally run down and grab, more for the cool feel of the ice than the sweetness of the drink.

Caution tape didn't negatively effect sales, but, a nice presentation would have been more appealing to the eye. We were at the stand for about 5 hours and sold about 114 shirts, and 51 accessories from wristbands to hats and bags.

The band did a signing in the tables next to us, and although I couldn't leave my post, I had one of the venue volunteers helping me with sales snap a shot for me of the band.

We packed up the merch at about 7:30 and got out of the gig at 8 after loading the car FULL of clothes and boxes and after I totaled up the sales and gave the money to Katy. I also go to go to 'settlement', a meeting that managers have with the venue where payment is determined.

Katy was set on me seeing what settlement was all about, asking if Merch could be settled first.

In the contract, the venue got a certain percent of 'soft' merch, aka clothes, hats, bags, etc., and then got another percent on music, which is the sale of cd's and dvds.

It was about a five minute meeting for me, after which I got paid and headed out.

Shay and I headed out on the road at about 8PM and drove to Anacortes where we catch the ferry to get back to the island, getting there about 1:15 AM. Shay was exhausted from driving so much, so we switched seats and he slept while we waited three hours for the ferry to get ready to go.

I on the other hand wasn't so lucky. I had bright lights in my face the passenger seat was shielded from and loud, heavy trucks were speeding by. I still had so much to do and my mind was racing. I couldn't get any sleep.

The ferry left at 4:30 and got us into Friday Harbor at about quarter to six. I drove home, unloaded the merchandise into my room which quickly turned into a mini fedex, then headed off to class at 8:30.

I got back home around 1:30, re-counted sizes of merch, got everything packed and ready to go to fedex tomorrow, and now I'm trying to stay up late enough to keep a decently regular sleep schedule. I'm in 'recovery' as I like to put it.

So, now I'm getting ready to head back out with DISTURBED. Can you say STOKED?!?! It'll be great going to the East Coast, since I've never been there except for a D.C. trip. But, I have a feeling sleep is going to be a luxury I might not get a lot of....

Better catch up while I can!

-Maddie

What blogging is REALLY all about

2008-07-23T04:49:00.000-07:00

I've come to realize this: Blogging is all about me telling you how bad strawberry Slimfast tastes at four in the morning... or any time for that matter. Here's a hint: Not so hot.

Well, the clock's struck five, and I'm waiting for my buddy Shay to get here, since I can't do a two day drive all by myself. It's going to be an interesting day. The job's a sitch once I get there, But getting home will be interesting.

I have a class tomorrow at 8:30, which means I have to catch the 6:20 ferry from Anacortes (or the mainland for you non-local readers) to get back here in time for class. That means I'll either get a) very little sleep at a hotel, b) no sleep except the sleep I get in the car at the ferry landing or c) no sleep.

The best part? I'm a teenager! I don't have to run on sleep!

Also- Things like my Bio and the poll look like they're cut off on the bottom of the blog- this is because I'm still new to HTML. Here's what I know: It's because of A) those wonderful playlists of music or B) the music videos. Due to battery time constraints, I'll have to fix it later- sorry!

But, I'm off for now- There's an adventure to be had! More on that later...

-Maddie

Photojournalist, merchandising, what's the difference?

2008-07-22T17:15:00.001-07:00

Well, ladies and gents, Maddie Leiren is no longer on the outside looking in.

That's right: I'm a part of the business.

Tomorrow, I'll be heading East to the Gorge Ampitheatre to work in Merchandising for Flyleaf, which, in my opinion is amazing. Not only is their music great, but the fact that they have a female vocalist who can belt out some notes is great.

Here's a look at some of the Merchandise I'll be in charge of:

For Flyleaf Gear, click HERE!

Also, that means a FEW pictures, I'll be working, so this photojournalist won't be getting much play.

Here's a sample of Flyleaf's music:

Here comes the all-nighter!

-Maddie

Wallpapers, anyone? Or how 'bout a music video?

2008-07-22T12:57:00.001-07:00

If you want a wallpaper for your desktop of your favorite band on the MAYHEM tour, just click here:

MAYHEM MEDIA

Here are some samples:

Many many more are available, so check them out!

Here are some music videos from DISTURBED and SLIPKNOT:

There is strong language and graphic images in some of these videos, just a disclaimer.

From Disturbed:

From Slipknot:

Sorry if the content isn't all my own lately- starting Monday, it'll all be mine and it will all be brand new! Off the road, this is all I can really produce.

-Maddie

They are CO-headliners after all...

2008-07-21T09:54:00.001-07:00

That's right. You fans out there of SLIPKNOT, or maggots as the band calls them, get a little update on your band.

Slipknot's Corey Taylor
Photo: Jo Hale/ Getty Images

As many of you know, DISTURBED is Co-headlining with SLIPKNOT, an even heavier metal group. SLIPKNOT goes on stage right after DISTURBED, (who's got all their set off the stage in seven minutes or less). There's usually a half hour for set changes between bands, but don't think people are off buying hot dogs and pop during that time.

In fact, the mosh pit stays the same. No one wants to miss these two bands back-to-back. And the band is doing more than their fair share to make sure the fans are happy.

When watching the show from backstage with DISTURBED band members, (when standing there, they made me feel a LOT safer about those guys on stage... I'm made uneasy pretty easily) I noticed their DJ, DJ Sid Wilson (a.k.a. #0), was heavily relying on the stage to hold him up as he got back to his seat behind the DJ booth.

At first, I thought he was just trying to look creepy, play up the role and all, but when I saw stage hands on stage, helping him into his seat, I knew something was up.

Later that night at the mixer, a sort of BBQ party that's supposedly held after each show on the road by catering, Rumors were going around. "He broke his ankle," you'd hear one person say. "He twisted his leg!" another would say.

But, coming straight from the band's mouth in a MTV interview, Wilson jumped off the set to add a little kick to the show, and broke both his ankles the first show of the tour.

Wilson is now in a wheelchair, but is performing every night.

"Both his feet were black and blue — and deep. The bruises go, like, 2 inches in. But he's up there every night, no problem. He's so out of his mind, he's got a big bruise on his face because he's not used to slamming his head in a wheelchair. So he's got a huge bruise on his face from smacking his head into his tables. It never ends. You think you're out of it, and then you're back in, on some other painful level," said bandmate Shawn "Clown" Crahan of what happened when the casts came off.

DJ Sid Wilson, Also known as "#0" after the accident.
Photo: Maddie Leiren

With nine members in the band, a lot of injuries have happened in the past; guitarists breaking wrists, band members getting ill. But, this time, Wilson refuses to keep them off the road.

After getting off the stage, Wilson was rushed to an ambulance and taken to the local hospital.

No other reported injuries so far on this tour. Let's keep it that way, guys!

Here's some of Slipknot's music, for those of you who are curious:

-Maddie
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Risking It All For the Job

2008-07-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm headed back on the road on the 28th.

Today, the bands are in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and there's a bad storm brewing over the city. I received a text message from my dad today saying, "Pouring rain, lightning, and thunder. Wind blowing rain onto the stage. Cold wind and rain actually feels good after 110 degree Phoenix."

I asked dad if the equipment was holding up and if the bands will still play. Most electrical equipment is shipped around the country with the bands in cases the equipment permanantly stay in. The front and backs of the cases are removed and you plug the guitar, amps, etc., directly into the equipment. The audio devices are kept safe in the crates by foam on all sides which is about 2.5" to 3" thick that keep the equipment from getting knocked around.

Here's his reply:

"Too much lightning right now. Some bands won't play." I asked if Disturbed would play. His reply was, "We will sit out the dangerous part."

I'll be sure to get some pictures of the cases and more equipment when I head out.

PS- I'd love some feedback. If you want to see anything, have questions about anything, or have some ideas for me, please e-mail me at maddieleiren@hotmail.com . Anything is great!

-Maddie

Study, Read, Study More!

2008-07-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm building up more of a background to work off of. I've bought a few issues of REVOLVER, a music magazine with articles about DISTURBED. All part of the job.

"To be a good writer, you must be a good reader," is something my mother has always told me. And, it's true.

REVOLVER front cover shows DISTURBED in Kuwait, playing in OPERATION: MYSPACE.

Reading up on the band, I feel more like it's more out of my own interest than for my job. Love what you do and do what you love. The more I learn about the band, the individual band members, the more interested I get.

I can't wait to sit down and interview members of the band. Not only would I like to know about them, their music, influences, etc., but also about their trip to Kuwait where they played for US troops.

To see videos and read more blogs about OPERATION: MYSPACE and DISTURBED's involvement in the concert, visit:

Myspace's official 'OPERATION: MYSPACE' page
or
Rock the Troops

Getting Ready to Return

2008-07-15T20:55:00.001-07:00

Here's a sample of DISTURBED's more defining pieces (AKA MY FAVORITES)

Heading back, I've already got work set up. The day after I left, the media management contacted my dad and asked if I'd be willing to sit down and do a few interviews. Dad's reply? "Of course!"

So, I don't know who yet, but I'm looking forward to doing a few interviews of band members and getting to know some backgrounds.

Since the interviews are for the tour and not just DISTURBED, I might need to do some more reading- a LOT more reading. It's good to always have a background and be prepared.

I'm starting to pack and getting ready to return. I'm hoping to leave on the 25th/26th of July and be out until the 20th of August. The schedule includes the following:

San Antonio, Texas
Houston, Texas
West Palm Beach, Florida
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Burgettstown, Pennsylvania
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Boston, Massachusetts
Uniondale, New York
Toronto, Ontario
Clarkston, Michigan
Chicago, Illinois
Atlanta, Georgia
Noblesville, Indiana
Camden, New Jersey
Hartford, Connecticut
Briston, Virginia
Darien Center, New York

The Ontario show, I won't be able to get to go to, because of lack of a passport among a few things, so I'll most likely go ahead to Clarkston, Michigan and chill there.

Seeing the country by bus will be interesting... I've never been to anywhere east of Detroit besides DC and Philadelphia, so it'll be great!

Again, updates to come, so keep checking in!

Relaxing, Taking it Easy, and Getting Packed Again!

2008-07-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

I still can't get over how amazing the show was. Disturbed blew the other bands away. Frontman David Draiman really kept the crowd connected, while Guitarist Dan Donegan and bassist John Moyer Kept the stadium rocking all night.

Drummer Mike Wengren got to play for the first time on a new drum set that took four months to paint by the official artist for the Orange County Choppers. "I just showed him the album art and said 'do your thing,' and got this back... it was definitely worth the wait," Wengren said.

The drums had a black background with skeletons climbing through flames. On one of the bass drums, was 'The Guy', who is the band's mascot. "He's kind of like our mascot. With every new album, we try to have him become more 3-D," Wengren said.

Nate Wlazalek puts together the new drum set. Photo: Maddie Leiren

Wengren's new drum set is ready to rock. Photo: Maddie Leiren

Rumor has it that The Guy started as a small sketch one band member did, just two squinty eyes with a smile, and with every album, he's evolved more and more.

THEN:

NOW:

A lot of time, for me at least, was spent uploading pictures and editing them on the tour bus. There are three tour busses for the DISTURBED group, one for the tech/crew, and another two for the band and management. The whole Mayem Festival is sticking together throughout the whole tour, which yields about twenty busses in all.

Tour busses are more luxurious than they sound. There's a full kitchen area with a pantry, fridge, coffee pot, microwave, sink and counter space, there are 12 bunk beds which each have their own lights, power plugs and mini tv's and curtains for privacy, there's a table in the front of the bus near the kitchen for eating, couches in the front and back room, and widescreen tv's in the front and back room.

The front room of the tour bus. Photo: Maddie Leiren

The front room has the kitchen and small dining area, as well as the exit from the bus be the driver's seat. Then, walking back in the bus, is the bunk room, six bunks on each side piled three high, and then the back room.

Bunk beds on the bus. Photo: Maddie Leiren

"This is like our home," said Nate Wlazalek, drum technician for the group.

It was amazing to see the finished product everyone had worked on. Even if only four people are out there playing, It seemed like the team effort was showcased. Watching my dad working for hours on stringing guitars, tuning them, then re-tuning them and re-stringing them, watching Rob Lightner, the monitor engineer, do sound check for all the microphones, setting up different levels for different songs and all, watching Wlazalek tune every drum head until it made just the right sound, it was flawlessly put together.

It's my second day off the road, and I'm still a little tired, but not as bad. I can see why it takes dad a week or two to recover after a month- long tour. The hours are crazy, there's always something to do, and rarely time to yourself. "It's not so bad, but if something all-the-sudden, last minute, gets thrown your way, it can be bad," said Rudy Leiren regarding his job responsibilities, which he has many of, being the guitar technician.

I loved being on the road, as crazy as the hours were. There was enough coca-cola and coffee to keep you going, no matter how many hours of sleep you had, and the energy was great. Traveling will be a blast too. That's why I'm already packing my bags and counting down the days until I can get back out on the road.

DISTURBED at concert. Photo: Maddie Leiren

But, don't think there won't be more reflections and updates until then! Keep checking back!

-Maddie

Out with a Bang

2008-07-10T15:09:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a show. Rehearsal day went well, and so did last night, when the concert happened.

There were three stages in total, more than six hours of music, and 13 different bands:

-Disturbed

-Slipknot

-Dragonforce

-Mastodon

-Machine Head

-Underoath

-Five Finger Death Punch

-Black Tide

-Walls of Jericho

-Suicide Silence

-The Red Chord

-Airbourne

-36 Crazyfists

Here's pictures I took of DISTURBED's performance:

DISTURBED

The transitions between songs was flawless, lighting was great, and the energy from the crowd was nearly palpable. The entrance was a show in itself; frontman David Draiman entered as Hannibal Lecter, mask and all. It doesn't get much more disturbed than that.

Dave Draiman in the opening act. Photo: Maddie Leiren

More to come tomorrow. I'm exhausted from the show. I didn't get back to the hotel until about 4 last night, and had to get up at 6 AM for my flight, so my brain is a little fried... more to come tomorrow!

Getting the Show on the Road

2008-07-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it's a big day for the DISTURBED crew. Everyone is flying in and needs a ride to the White River Amphitheater, where the festival will be. It's a travel and work day. The 'Gig' as they call it, is about 30 minutes away from the hotel and everybody's got a job to get to.

Rudy Leiren (left) and Barret Stevens (back) unload one truck of equipment. Photo: Maddie Leiren

"First you unload, then you set up. Then you run it, and run it, and run it," said Barrett Stevens of what rehearsal day usually looks like.

Rehearsal day is tomorrow. The stage won't actually go up until tomorrow. Today, it's just taking a look at what the crew's got, it's all about making sure everything needed for a show is in place. Speakers are set up backstage, the new drum kit is assembled, and the crew make sure everything is accounted for.

Backstage at the gig. Photo: Maddie Leiren

Arriving in Seattle

2008-07-06T00:25:00.000-07:00

Downtown Seattle. Photo: Maddie Leiren A view of downtown Seattle from the Airplane. When I got to Seattle, dad and I had a few days off before the crew and band got here. We did a lot of driving around the area, and did a little bit of daddy/daughter bonding. I had not seen him since January, so it's been nice to be with dad again. It's nice to be off the island for a little while, but the hotel isn't great. Sure, there's continental breakfast, but the beds are uncomfortably hard, and the air conditioning spazzes out at night, so the temperature could be anywhere from 80 to 65 half an hour to another. It's a roof over my head, so I can't complain. Tomorrow, the rest of the crew arrives, and so getting the show on the road will begin.

The Trip Begins With a Bang

2008-07-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

Fireworks explode over the Harbor, view from the Ale House Roof.

The Fourth of July I did a little experimentation with my camera to try to learn how to use it more efficiently. ASA/ISO is a really nifty setting and so is shutter speed. I sat on the roof of the Front Street Ale House and got some great pics. Hopefully, this practice will help with lighting at concerts, night shots, etc.

Today, I'm headed to Seattle to meet up with my dad. He just got done with a show for DISTURBED in Chicago, and the next item on the agenda is a show on the ninth in Auburn, Washington. Dad's coming to the Seattle area a few days early so that we can try to catch up.

I'm a little anxious to see him, since the last time I saw him was in January, and there's a lot we have to talk about and catch up on. Whenever we're together, it seems things are fine, but until then, family life seems stressful. I hope meeting other people in the music industry will help me understand I'm not the only one far from the family.

On the Road...

Down with the sickness all over again!

Getting Down with the Sickness!

SLIPKNOT TOUR DATES

Contests and Photos Galore!

Inside the Fire

SLIPKNOT AND DISTURBED NEED YOUR HELP!!!!

Through the Fire and the Flames, there's another show...

Counting Down the Days to Dragonforce!

The more, the merrier!

Guess what's happening on November 3rd?

Why it pays to Google Yourself....

Last Day of Mayhem! DISTURBED BREAKS RECORD!

Ultra Beatdown comes out next Tuesday!

I looked into its eyes...

My heart was pounding...

Heading home...

My Dear Friends,

More from the accident

A once in a lifetime experience... literally.

On the Road Again...

Florida, Get Ready For Maddie!

"SLIPKNOT SCARES THE BEJESUS OUT OF THE FN CROWD"

News of the New!

One Heck of a Day

What blogging is REALLY all about

Photojournalist, merchandising, what's the difference?

Wallpapers, anyone? Or how 'bout a music video?

They are CO-headliners after all...

More Links Ado

Risking It All For the Job

Study, Read, Study More!

Getting Ready to Return

Relaxing, Taking it Easy, and Getting Packed Again!

Out with a Bang

Getting the Show on the Road

Arriving in Seattle

The Trip Begins With a Bang