KNOTFEST PERFORMANCE TIMES For This Weekend & Broadcast Details #photos #video interviews

KNOTFEST 
PERFORMANCE TIMES RELEASED FOR FIRST-EVER TWO-DATE FESTIVAL ON
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17 IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18 IN SOMERSET, WI/MINNEAPOLIS, MN

Some of ChiIL Live Shows favorite metal bands will be there!   Will YOU?!  Click the links below for our original past coverage of these Knotfest Bands:

ChiIL Live Shows' Photos of Slipknot's M. Shawn Crahan's book signing at Chicago's Abby Pub

ChiIL Mama & ChiIL Live Shows know parents and kids rock and life doesn't end with birth.    Check out these rockin' parents raising the next gen of metalheads and banger babies.    Then see how M Shawn Crahan's photography and music are influenced by his own young daughter.

*Check out our video interview with Prong here

*Dillinger Escape Plan Pit Photos from Chicago's Vic Theatre, opening for Mastodon

*Previous Knotfest Coverage

Coming soon:  

*Prong Pit Photos from Indianapolis With Clutch

*The Urge at Bottom Lounge in Chicago, pit photos and live video

Leading up to the first-ever KNOTFEST powered by Rockstar Energy Drink®--an extraordinary two-day metal and hard rock festival--organizers have released set times at www.knotfest.com (see times below).  KNOTFEST headliners SLIPKNOT as well as DEFTONES, LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD, SERJ TANKIAN, CANNIBAL CORPSE, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, THE URGE, PRONG, GOJIRA and more will perform live in the heart of America on Friday, August 17 in Council Bluffs, IA at Mid America Motorplex and Saturday, August 18 in Somerset, WI/Minneapolis, MN at Somerset Amphitheater.

August 17, 2012 - Council Bluffs, Iowa (Mid-America Motor Complex)

Doors: 2:00 PM

Main Stage
Slipknot: 9:30PM-11:00PM
Deftones: 7:20PM-8:20PM
Serj Tankian: 5:25PM-6:15PM
Prong: 3:55PM-4:35PM

Second Stage
Lamb of God 8:25PM-9:25PM
Machine Head: 6:20PM-7:15PM
The Urge: 4:40PM-5:20PM
Dirtfedd: 3:20PM-3:50PM

August 18, 2012 - Minneapolis, MN (Somerset Amphitheater)

Doors: 1:30 PM

Main Stage
Slipknot: 10:20PM-12:00PM
Deftones: 8:10PM-9:10PM
Serj Tankian: 6:10PM-7:00PM
Dillinger Escape Plan: 4:30PM-5:10PM

Second Stage
Lamb of God: 9:15PM-10:15PM
Machine Head: 7:05PM-8:05PM
Cannibal Corpse: 5:15PM-6:05PM
Prong : 3:45PM-4:25PM
Gojira: 3:00PM-3:30PM

For fans that can’t attend the festival this year, SLIPKNOT has partnered with TODOCAST and Event View Live to broadcast “SLIPKNOT Live at Knotfest” on demand starting Saturday, August 18. To reserve and purchase, visit: http://www.EventViewLive.com/. Fans worldwide can Pause Rewind and Watch the show--live as it happens, AND for a full 30 days after the event. Day-of-show footage includes a behind the scenes tour of the festival grounds, pre-show interviews withKNOTFEST artists and Mistress Juliya, the stunning high definition main stage performance of SLIPKNOT as well as exclusive post-show interviews with the band.

Step into KNOTFEST whose festival grounds will feature a one-of-a-kind apocalyptic underworld where firebreathers, nightmarish creatures on stilts and wild amusement-park rides, while fire, percussive light, and stunning visuals set the stage for an intoxicating and unforgettably sinister concert experience.

KNOTFEST 2012 dates:

DATE                         CITY                                                   VENUE

Fri       8/17                Council Bluffs, IA                            Mid America Motorplex                  

Sat      8/18                Somerset, WI/Minneapolis, MN     Somerset Amphitheater

KNOTFEST INFORMATION:
Purchase tickets: http://www.ticketmaster.com/KNOTFEST-tickets/artist/1741056.
VIP package options: http://vipnation.com/programs/knotfest-2012/
August 17: Hotel accommodations: http://knotfest.com/aug-17
August 18: Camping options: http://www.tempotickets.com/knotfestcamping

www.knotfest.com
www.slipknot1.com
http://www.EventViewLive.com

What's Black and White and Red All Over? #Lollapalooza #Kidzapalooza #lolla

Lollapalooza 2012!

ChiIL Mama's own Sagezilla & Du-Jay have been rocking Kidzapalooza all 3 days every year since 2005!

This weekend, we'll be rockin' out with:



The Black Keys

Black Sabbath

The Black Angels

Jack White 

RED Hot Chili Peppers

RED Oblivion




...and hundreds of colorful characters (on stage and in the audience!)    

Here's the lineup.    




Lolla is officially SOLD OUT but they'll be streaming live shows if you slacked off and missed out on tickets.   If you DO have your tixs lined up, remember kids 10 and under are FREE with a paying adult!    Kidzapalooza is hands down THE best fest kids area we've ever been to.   And we get out a LOT.




We've been rockin' Lollapalooza since THE first one years ago in 1991, and we have press credentials again this year, to bring it all to you.  We can't bring a video camera in, but we have features on many Lolla performers from locations where we could shoot, earlier this year, and we'll be bringing you stills and commentary all 3 days of Lolla 2012.   






*Up now:  stills from Jane's Addiction at Metro, FIDLAR at Lincoln Hall 8/1, and numerous kindie musicians.




Coming soon:  

Check out our original photo filled features on Oberhoffer (including our exclusive video interview), Jane's Addiction at Summer Camp Music Fest and Bear in Heaven!   We even have original, unseen, live show footage.

Growing Up Kidza:   Here's Sagezilla and Du-Jay at Kidzapalooza 06 at the ripe old ages of 3 and 5, hearing Perry Farrell and Patti Smith live for the first time!

Kidzapalooza 

Kidzapalooza 2012 Schedule of Performers

FRIDAY, AUGUST 3rd
11:30–11:55 12:30–12:55 1:30–1:55 2:30–2:55 3:15–3:40 3:45–4:00 4:05–4:30	Laura Doherty *Our video interview/footage here Harrison Ivaz *just 13!   Interviewing him Sunday. School of Rock *YES!! Purple Apple *Awesome Chi-town kids/interview & vids & live show footage posting soon The Verve Pipe *Highly Recommended/our vids here more live show footage & vid interview coming Special Guest *usually a famous adult band Andrew Christopoulos *also a Chi-town kid, just 17
SATURDAY, AUGUST 4th
11:30–11:55 12:30–12:55 1:30–1:55 2:30–2:55 3:15–3:40 3:45–4:00 4:05–4:30	Harrison Ivaz Purple Apple School of Rock Quinn Sullivan *just 13!! Dan Zanes *Highly recommended/ our videos here Special Guest The Verve Pipe
SUNDAY, AUGUST 5th
11:30–11:55 12:30–12:55 1:30–1:55 2:30–2:55 3:15–3:40 3:45–4:00 4:05–4:30	Laura Doherty The Happiness Club Quinn Sullivan Andrew Christopoulos Peter DiStefano & Tor Special Guest Dan Zanes

Kindie Land:   




ChiIL Mama has been there for all 3 days of every year of Kidzapalooza, since it's inception.  Check out our original photo filled features, give aways, video band interviews, and live show footage on some of 2012's hottest Kidza acts including:




*ChiIL Mama's video interview with producer Tor Hyams & Ralph Covert of Ralph's World who headlined Kidzapalooza 2011.




*Dan Zanes (live show footage & stills)




*The Verve Pipe (our original video interview, live show footage & stills)




*Purple Apple  (our original video interview, live show footage & stills)




*Laura Doherty  (our original video interview, live show footage & stills)

X-Flight Wing Coaster Xtreme Xcitement at 6 Flags Great America

Check out X-Flight--the innovative wing coaster, new for 2012, right here at 6 Flags Great America.  ChiIL Mama was invited to the ribbon cutting and had the opportunity to interview Hank Salemi, Six Flags Great America Park President, Park V.P., a professional Air Show Wing Walker and one of the first wave of riders who also writes for TLT.  Check out our 4 exclusive interviews along with original footage of the opening ceremony/ribbon cutting and X-Flight in action above.

It was so much fun to be one of the first to check out X-Flight, shoot the coaster, and hear everyone's take on the best spot to sit on the ride. Join us for an exhilarating sneak peek, then go ride the ride this summer. X-Flight is xtreme fun.

Revolutionary Wing Coaster officially open to the public at Six Flags Great America

Get ready to take flight! Six Flags Great America has added a state-of-the-art roller coaster for the 2012 season. X-Flight
is a ground-breaking wing coaster featuring cutting-edge technology.
The Gurnee theme park has the first wing coaster
in the U.S. 

X-Flight takes riders on a flight that defies gravity, with no track above or below them. Riders sit in pairs, suspended on either side of the track with their feet dangling, as they begin their climb up a 12-story plunge launching them into speeds of 55mph through 3,000 feet of intense drops and five inversions, including a barrel roll and zero-g roll. One of the most adrenaline-pumping
moments on the ride is an extreme fly-through where the coaster speeds
straight toward a structure, before making a last-minute vertical flip
to fit through a keyhole cut-out.

“Six Flags Great America has a long history of introducing legendary
rides and first-of-its-kind roller coasters,” said Hank Salemi, Six
Flags Great America Park President. “What makes X-Flight
so unique is soaring through 3,000 feet of high-speed drops, loops and
turns, with nothing above or below you. The coaster’s train actually
looks like a plane with seats suspended on either side of the track.
It’s like nothing you have ever experienced before. We are thrilled to
bring this revolutionary wing coaster to our guests for the 2012
season.”

X-Flight is designed by acclaimed Swiss manufacturer
Bolliger & Mabillard, who also designed Six Flags Great America
favorites: Raging Bull, SUPERMAN: Ultimate Flight and BATMAN: The Ride. The wing coaster will make its home in the County Fair section of the park.

Six Flags Great America is located between Chicago and Milwaukee and
offers fun for the entire family with 14 heart-pounding roller coasters,
a free 20-acre water park, spectacular shows, a nighttime illuminated
parade and three children’s themed areas. Soar on X-Flight
all season long with a 2012 Season Pass, now on sale for $64.99 for
four or more. Buy now and get a 2012 Season Parking Pass free. Sale ends
October 30, 2011. For more information including video of X-Flight and all the upcoming 2012 Six Flags attractions, visit www.sixflags.com/2012news.

# # #

About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest regional
theme park company with 2010 revenue of nearly $1.0 billion and 19 parks
across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Six Flags Over Texas, the
company’s flagship location, just celebrated its 50th anniversary season
in 2011.

Prong Video Interview With ChiIL Live Shows & Live Show Shots From Cobra Lounge, Chicago #Album Review

ChiIL Live Shows caught up with front man, Tommy Victor and drummer, Alexei Rodriguez, before their 4/20 set at Cobra Lounge, Chicago, for an exclusive video interview.   We talked about everything from their new album, to that crazy chaos that's parenting and touring as a musician.   Tommy and Alexei both have daughters on either end of the age spectrum-about to graduate from high school and 20 months old.   They had some insights for our continuing series on How Creatives Parent and How Parents  Create.   Check it out here.

 

Prong is back with a vengeance.  Their 8th studio album, Carved Into Stone is just released and their recent 4/20 Chi-Town show at Cobra Lounge sold out!  Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we've been giving Carved Into Stone a listen repeatedly, and can't get enough.   Hopefully Tommy's serious when he says they're writing new material and want to put out back to back albums, and ride the momentum of this sonic boom, Carved in Stone, instead of slipping back into oblivion, and releasing another album in 5 years.    This album, the first all new material in 5 years, indeed, is an amalgam of the best of Prong's past and fresh new fury.   

These 11 tracks of rage will bring joy to metal fans world wide.  There's not a weak link in the bunch, but Revenge_Served Cold will warm hearts.   This album comes out swinging with Eternal Heat, and doesn't ease up.   Ammunition, State of Rebellion, and List of Grievances (likely our favorite) provide plenty of rebellion ragers.   We also really dig Keep on Living in Pain and Eternal Heat.  Even the slower title track, Path of Least Resistance and Reinvestigate which close out the album, are strong and full of sweet riffs.  Carved into Stone is a metal must have. 
  

On 4/20, we caught a little of En Masse and Witchburn's whole set and were super impressed with Witchburn in particular.   We'll have live show shots from both bands up in the very near future.  We'd seen some past Witchburn clips online that were interesting enough, but they just don't do their live show justice.   Check 'em out when you can!

During Prong, the pit was so frenetic and outta control they had to send in the bouncers and toss a few bodies out of the club.   I got smashed into the side of the stage a half dozen times and eventually had to duck behind the merch table fast.  I spent a few days limping, but my camera gear all survived.   Despite the near brawl, it was a welcome reunion and the band sounded great!   They've still got that legendary power to stir things up. 

*Tony Campos is presently touring with Soulfly.   Phil Zeller (Toxic Holocaust) is on bass

Tommy Victor began as a sound guy for CBGBs, and formed the first incarnation of the band with bassist Mike Kirkland who was CBGB’s doorman.   In the past 20+ years, Prong has been through many incarnations and weathered the death of their bass player, ex-Killing Joke bassist Paul Raven, at age 46.   They've been on tour with many of the big boys like
Sepultura, Pantera, Soulfly and Fear Factory, among others.   Tommy took a hiatus from Prong around 2000 and played with Danzig and Ministry.   He'll be back out again in May with Danzig Legacy.   Check Prong's site for dates/cities.

They were signed by Epic in 89 and unceremoniously dropped in 96 after the album Rude Awakening turned eerily prophetic, and proved a rude awakening for the band, indeed, when it didn't sell as well as anticipated.   In our interview, Tommy conceded that for a while after that he wanted nothing to do with Prong, but eventually ran out of money and decided to give it another go.   We hate to sound all schadenfreude (happy about the misfortunes of others), but the metal world was not finished with Prong, and we welcome you back with bursting ear drums and head banging mosh pits.    Your cash flow problems = our gain.   And failure, struggle and loss make for great material.

With fresh material in mind, Prong tapped producer, Steve Evetts (Dillinger Escape Plan, Suicide
Silence), who worked them relentlessly to make Carved Into Stone as good as it gets.   Tommy and Alexei spoke humorously, heatedly, and at length about the whole brutal recording process.  As so often happens, we had our best conversations off camera, once the lens wasn't pointed at the band.   Suffice it to say, all the hard work paid off and they're pleased with the final result.

Evetts was a great fit for polishing up Carved Into Stone, so all the raw power, energy and emotion come through, combined with technical prowess.    They may have hated the tedious retakes, but with high production values and a perfectionist streak, plus a healthy ear toward not overproducing, Evetts earned his excellent reputation and did right by the band.

 

Here's Prong's take on Carved Into Stone off their home site:

What becomes an iconoclast the most? Carved Into Stone sums up what
Prong stands for. This is an album slaked in hostility, personal
detachment and seething with the urban paranoia that's long been the
mark of this sonic triad. It's eleven tracks that don't merely settle
into the New York City-born band's cannon of material that has yielded
post-metal classics including Beg To Differ and Cleansing. It exceeds
it.

"I hate nostalgia," says mainstay, vocalist and guitarist Tommy Victor
whose musical and personal outlook belies his current Los Angeles
environs. "But this record literally has every strand of Prong's DNA
spliced together in a way that feels more exciting than it has in some
time."

Produced and mixed by Steve Evetts (Dillinger Escape Plan, Suicide
Silence), Carved Into Stone picks up where Prong's classic albums left
off. Opener "Eternal Heat" sets things off at a blistering pace fueled
by drummer Alexei Rodriguez and bassist Tony Campos' formidable rhythm
section. Meanwhile, the likes of "Revenge…Best Served Cold" is absolute,
classic Prong: a huge riff slaked with bitter sentiments.

Tommy Victor admits that Carved Into Stone is the first time Prong has
taken direction from a producer in the studio. "It's also the hardest
I've ever worked on a record," he says of working with Evetts. "I'm
happier with the way it came out more than almost anything I've ever
done but there were points during it I wanted to kill myself and
everyone around me."

Prong emerged from the New York City underground of the late 80's,
quickly setting themselves apart from the conformist culture of the
city's hardcore and metal scenes. They were recognized internationally
for their first two independent releases: Primitive Origins and Force
Fed. When Prong's dalliance with the outer limits of the mainstream
acceptance came via Epic Records, it proved more successful than the
underground-bred trio ever expected. The band's "Snap Your Fingers Snap
Your Neck" from Cleansing became Prong's calling card.

"It felt like the world had finally caught up with us," says Tommy.
Prong's influence was being felt in the scene around them. Bands from
the likes of Pantera to White Zombie to Korn were taking notice of
Prong's purposeful, creative riffing and making that the template for
platinum selling success. "I wasn't jealous," Tommy recalls. "But I
could take a royalty check or two."

At the beginning of the 2000's, Tommy put Prong aside for a time to
play with Danzig and Ministry. It was a much-needed time for Victor to
refocus his energies. When Prong finally twisted itself back into form,
they toured exhaustively both headlining and supporting the likes of
Soulfly and Fear Factory. Slowly but surely, the songs and ideas that
would become Carved Into Stone began to take form. "The songs I was
writing felt more like Prong than anything I had written since Raven was
in the band," says Tommy, recalling the era when the recently deceased
ex-Killing Joke bassist Paul Raven was one of his co-conspirators.

Prong's Long Branch Records/SPV debut Carved Into Stone isn't merely
another chapter in the band's many-storied career or the much clichéd
"return to form". It's the sound of Tommy Victor and Company stating
exactly who Prong is. Like it or not, they aren't about to go away any
time soon.  

Like Tommy said in our interview, they're busy gorging on Beg To Differ on those long stretches in the van, so they'll be ready to bust it out in May for their European Tour.


Check out Prong's main site here.

Happy World Theatre Day!

ChiIL Live Shows/ChiIL Mama celebrate Chicago's amazing, world class theatre scene year round, with original video interviews, photo filled features, show reviews and ticket give aways.    We cover adult shows and family friendly offerings and a range from elaborate Broadway in Chicago touring productions to free, quirky store front offerings.   So check in with ChiIL Live Shows/ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.

Here's what ChiIL Live Shows has coming soon  

Original Video Interviews: 

Adventure Stage Theatre--The Giver:  Video footage and a photo filled feature on opening day of The Giver with author Lois Lowry.    
*Also check out our video interview with Tom Arvetis of Adventure Stage right here.      

We have an exclusive interview with Tom Arvetis, Adventure Stage's Producing Artistic Director, and his infant daughter, Vivian.   Check out our video above for insights into balancing creative work and parenting, life after birth with 3 girls under 6, Walk Two Moons, and The Giver.   Walk Two Moons was adapted by Tom, who also expounds on "adapting" to fatherhood & life in theatre.   We continue our series on "How Creatives Parents and How Parents Create".

The House Theatre--Death and Harry Houdini--Original Video Interview with Dennis Watkins, star of Death and Harry Houdini and Magic Parlour.

Also click the links to check out our recent Houdini Box video interviews at Chicago Children's Theatre with:

• Brian Selznick, author (Houdini Box and Hugo Cabret) & Mark Messing, composer 

• Blair Thomas, director & Hannah Kohl, script

Reviews on:

• Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's Midsummer Night's Dream 

& Taming of the Shrew

• Lifeline Theatre-Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed (K)

• Collaboraction's Me Tube
•  Goodman Theatre's Camino Real
• Step Up Productions-The Sweetest Swing in Baseball
• Adventure Stage-The Giver (K)
• Polarity-Tom Jones
• UrbanTheater Company-F***KING A

 *K= kid friendly



For today's World Theatre day events in Chicago, click here.