Hammerfest 2/13/10

[mcmaniac]

I know it's a little early to be asking since the whole weekend was Hammerfest.....just wondering what the show was like and if anyone has any pictures ready to post yet. Patiently waiting but excited to hear about the shows

[BBE]

Review of Hammerfest 2010 weekend, Feb. 12-13, 2010

Double Door, Friday Feb. 12, 2010.
This was a really high energy and fun show! I’m surprised they rocked out this hard, given the big show coming up the next night. They didn’t hold back, though, and this is another reason I love this band. They played for an hour and a half, full on. I got some good photos, which I will post. I helped a couple lovely ladies from Puerto Rico get a set list after the show. I took a photo of it, and noticed it had a lot of cross-outs, but Baba O’Riley was written back in. I’m always glad to hear that one! Billy does some excellent solos on it. Billy was on the left side of the stage here again, and Dino and Cousin Bill were on the right. A little different. They did the full version of Velvet, not with the censored lyrics….wow!

Marty’s Silver Elements Trunk Show at the Zebra Lounge, Saturday, Feb. 13.
With the new items, the number of items in the collection seems to have about doubled! There are 2 new scarves, a long thin blue one called the Marilyn scarf, named after his mom (how sweet!), and a silver open weave one that makes me think of a spider web or a trellis--stunningly beautiful. There is now a line of charm bracelets and charms. The charms could also be used as either pendants or earrings. The leather charm bracelets come in 3 colors, black, red, or brown. The charms are: a guitar pick-shaped one with a music staff and guitar on it, an oblong one with the stars theme, a crystal teardrop representing water, and there may have been one more. There are new earrings in the same stars pattern. The earrings go well with the other stars items (ring and bracelet).
There is a new pendant that's a bigger guitar pick, and it has some of the lyrics to

House of Blues soundcheck, Feb. 13.
The sound check at HOB was fun. I think Marty was playing part of "Crime of Fashion" on his acoustic. They were busting on Dino over bodily functions (ewwww!!!!), and they previewed the video that would be shown on a round screen above Bobby during the show. Marty said, "I don't even know what this is all going to be", so he turned around and watched it a while, then started commenting. It was a mix of old-school LH photos, and interesting artwork that tied in to the lyrics of the different songs. They had that crinkly metallic backdrop on the stage again that makes very cool photos.

Showtime at the House of Blues, Feb. 13, 2010!
I took photos in the pit for the first 3 songs. There were several other photographers in the pit, but I didn't know them. I was talking to one guy, who said he used to take photos at LH shows about 10 years ago. He said they used to do some wacky things back then. He said one show was at a roller rink. At another show, Marty came out with an inflatable doll and threw it into the crowd, and Dino came out shirtless, covered in liquid latex. He said as the show progressed and Dino started sweating, the latex started peeling off like he was a snake shedding its skin. Wild!

The whole stage set-up for this show was gorgeous! The backdrop, the video screen, the lighting—it was a first-rate showcase for this fantastic band, and they so deserve that! It was another high-energy show, with lots of special moments, including a confetti cannon filled with shiny gold confetti during Baba O’Riley.

Late in the show, during "Oh My Baby", Marty climbed up and went all the way around the OUTSIDE of the first balcony! I was up in the top balcony at the time, and couldn't see him except very briefly when he came around a corner, and when he got back down to the stage. Just that little glimpse was enough to make me feel very afraid for him! There is video out there on Facebook of him standing up there.
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We didn’t go to the after party at Hard Rock, because we were helping some friends. There are a couple video clips on Facebook of Marty performing Creep and Mr. Brightside with the guys from Simple Simon there, so it sounds like a good time.

And last, a restaurant recommendation:
We finished the weekend with our eagerly awaited Valentine’s Day dinner at Maggiano’s Little Italy downtown. So delicious!!! If you go there, be sure to get a side of the potatoes Vesuvio, and have some tiramisu for dessert. Everything there was delicious, including the main course (we split a full order of ziti with Italian sausage) and the salad with vinaigrette dressing.

[nlovehammersitrust]

THANK YOU, Nancy for the Hammerfest update.
I love the details of the shows. Sounds like another great weekend of LH.
Sorry to have missed this one.

I also can't wait to see the New MCSE merchandise! Did you get any pics of this? Sounds like there's allot to add to my collection.

I look forward to seeing your pics, too.

aloha,
KP

[bostongirl]

Nancy - thanks for the great review!!!! I really love how LH put together such a special weekend for their fans. Very special. I look forward to seeing your pics!!

Be Well,
Liz

[mcmaniac]

Thanks Nancy - great review. So much to remember! Sounds like it was an awesome weekend. Thanks to the band for putting on such a great show. Wish I could have been there. It seems like Hammerfest gets bigger and better every year!

[cfbj01]

Thanks Nancy for your excellent review

Wish I could have been there.

[grumpypirate]

THanks for the review Nancy! I can't wait to see pictures!

[Missjanell2u]

This weekend in Chicago was one of the very best I have had in a long, long time. The guys are so amazing, I absolutely cannot wait to see them again.

I was so happy to meet up with so many cool people too!

Janell

[LMC]

these are from soundcheck. billy wasn't there and bobby was too far away from my camera to take decent pictures. hope you enjoy!

[LMC]

[LMC]

:]

[swillis]

Thanks Nancy and LMC for reviews/pics. It was a fantastic weekend of music and good times, and I FINALLY GOT MY MARTY AND ME PICTURE!! It's only been two years worth of trying....now I just need to get it posted as my avatar. Nancy, you pretty much said it all. The only song I truly wish they would have played at one of the venues was 'Heavy Crown'--haven't heard that live in awhile.
It was great to look around and see all of the Hammerfans having a great time. I managed to come down with a nasty cold prior to the weekend so my energy level was kind of low, but everyone else more than made up for that! Looking forward to seeing other reviews and pictures....


Shelley

[raeski]

Nancy ~ what a great recap of weekend events!! It makes the rest of us feel like we were there with you!! The only bad thing... now I'm seriously hungry for some Maggiano's!! Do you see what a great review you've done??

Chelsea ~ you've become quite the great photographer haven't you!@! Thank you for sharing the pics with all of us!!

Shelley ~ so glad that you had a great time... and finally got your pic taken with Marty!! I can hardly wait to see it!!

Janell ~ what can I say... you made all of us proud!!

[rockfan]

Thanks everyone for the pics and reviews.

I really like Marty's outfit .

[cfbj01]

Thanks Chelsea for those excellent pics

[grumpypirate]

Chelsea, those pictures are AWSOME!

[BBE]

Here's a photo from Double Door on the 12th that pretty much sums up what Friday night was like.
There are no words.....

[BBE]

Oh, I forgot to post about the radio station appearance on Friday.

Dino and Bobby were interviewed on WLUP, The Loop, that afternoon. A bunch of Hammerheads were there outside the studio to cheer them on. The station wouldn't let us come in, but we stood outside the window and held up signs, made faces, etc. ;D

WLUP and Q101 are located in the Merchandise Mart shopping center. The stations aren't allowed to pipe the sound out into the mall, so we couldn't actually hear the interview. I hope it was a good one. Both of the guys came out and talked with everyone for a while, and got some photos. It was a fun little gathering, and I must say that we were all thankful that the inside of the mall was much warmer than being outside!

The hotel we got on Hotwire turned out to be right across the street from the Merchandise Mart, so when we got to Chicago Friday afternoon, we pulled into the hotel lot, parked our car, and went right over to the radio station before even unloading. Gotta have your priorities straight--LOL!!!

[jillywilly65]

Great Pics Chelsea, Great Pic Nancy ..He's so dang flexible!! Must be the Yoga?
Anyway sounds like a good time was had by all.

[NeverFall]

My first trip to Chicago & first Hammerfest were a blast!! Thank you Lovehammers & all their great fans for making this past weekend such a fun time!!!

To see some of the videos I took, please visit: my Youtube page: Zandergal.