Good god, this was an insanely awesome episode of SOA. I know, I know, every week I say that, but it seems like with each episode the plot line gets better and better and the characters get more and more real.

Hands down, the greatest scene of the entire season so far came from tonight’s episode: When Opie held the gun to Agent Stahl, and showed her mercy…that was awesome. Stahl is such a strong, cocky, indpendent woman. Opie broke her down, not by force, not by screaming, not be intimidation or fear. He broke her down by speaking the truth and by showing her mercy. Look back at Season 1. Stahl lied to Opie and showed him no mercy. He is the outlaw. He is the criminal. And he is the one with the heart. That scene was absolutely fantastic.

I knew the realization of Gemma’s rape would reunite Jax and Clay, but that new, fresh relationship is not going to be quite as strong now that Opie is back on Jax’s side and wants to change Clay. So far, you can see that Clay is a different man. With Gemma’s rape and the public knowledge that he set up a hit that ended with the death of a brother’s wife, he has softened a bit and lost most of his stubbornness. He’s going to be a much better President this way.

The situation with Chibs is frustrating because he seems so helpless. Jimmy has all the cards, and the Club is getting into bed with him for the gun supply. My guess is after they get the first shipment of the Russian stock, Jimmy is going to be killed by Chibs and the Club. That is my hope anyway.

The ending with Piney was intense. As I’m sure many did, I thought he was going to take his own life, but instead, rolled up to Church and was ready to assassinate the President of the club he helped create. Clay’s mercy was unexpected but definitely necessary in order to keep Opie’s trust.

Another killer episode. And if you saw the preview for next week, it looks like we are getting close to justice with Zobelle and the League. 2 more episodes left in this season. I can’t wait to see what happens.

Throw your two cents in…let me know what you thought!

–F ‘Em Up

I know, I know…Moose beat me to the blog with his recap of the Zombie show this past Saturday. I’ll throw my two cents in, but I gotta warn you: It’s not much different than Moose’s two cents!!

So if you were there, you know the show rocked. Zombie and the gang absolutely killed it. From the opening “What Lurks on Channel X?” to the second (that’s right, THE SECOND) encore of “Dragula,” the show was awesome.

It was awesome to hear some new stuff off of Hellbilly Deluxe 2, too. “What?,” “Sick Bubblegum” and “Werewolf Women of the SS” were absolutely fantastic. In fact, I think “What?” might have been my favorite song he played. And as Moose said, the rarely played “Scum of the Earth” was spot on.

Besides Zombie, I gotta say I was thoroughly impressed with Captain Clegg & The Night Creatures who opened the night. If you saw Halloween 2, they played at the big Halloween party. If you saw The Devil’s Rejects, the lead singer, Jesse Dayton, was part of Banjo & Sullivan. I thought they were awesome. Now, the next band, Nekromantix…eh. I didn’t really enjoy them, but it didn’t ruin my night at all…just took a breather after Clegg to get ready for Zombie.

If you were there, you know the night was awesome. If not, I’m sorry you missed it, man! But, don’t fret…My boy Yates took some footage of the opening of the show…Enjoy!

–F ‘Em Up

This was a killer episode. From beginning to end, the tenth episode of the second season of Sons of Anarchy laid it all out there. From Opie getting with the porn chick, to Chief Unser turning into the guardian angel for the MC, to Chibs dealing with the Feds, to Jax going Nomad, and finally, to Gemma telling Jax and Clay about the rape.

Man, there’s not much for me to say. For a 90 minute episode, it didn’t seem like there was a ton of action, but the show kept rolling on…Never felt like a slow moment at all. As intense as the episode was, with as many turns as the plot took, nothing held the intensity up like Gemma’s confession to her husband and son. This is it…Of course, for the sake of the fictional story, the confession had to come after Jax tore his Redwood Original patch off of his cut, but I still say this turn of events will unite Jax and Clay against a common enemy…even if that means Jax is riding as a Nomad – which, by the look of next week’s episode and the ending of tonight’s episode, might not be a reality…Jax keeps his Redwood Original patches. Gemma telling Jax and Clay was such an intense scene because it was so quiet and so calm. She wasn’t telling her husband and son because she wanted revenge; she wants the Club to stay strong and united.

I think this was the best episode yet.

As far as I know, the season finale is scheduled for December 1st, which means only a few more shows left until the end of the second season. It’s time Zobelle gets what he deserves. Justice needs to be served in Charming, and I have a feeling it will be…bloody justice at the hands of the Club. Only time will tell.

Let me know your thoughts…throw your two cents in, just leave a comment.

–F ‘Em Up

Cripes. This week has flown by. The weekend is already here. I’m not mad at all, I just can’t believe how fast the days have went. I guess it’s because it’s been so gorgeous outside, huh?

I don’t have much planned for the weekend, other than work, work, work on the new house. We’ve got the bathroom demolished, now we’re going to move the toilet (which means we gotta replumb it), take out the bathtub and replace the sink…Oh, and don’t forget tiling the floor, walls, and throw up new sheet rock. Not too sure we’ll get it all done this weekend, but we should be able to get a good chunk done. We’ll see.

Hopefully I’ll be able to squeeze in a ride or two, or three or four! It’s gonna be unbelievably nice outside, pushing 80s! How can you pass it up? Talked to Moose about heading toward Northeast Kansas, we’ll see if that pans out…If not, we’ll be on the road somewhere. Looks like for the most part, we’ve got this beautiful weather for a little longer, which is awesome! I’ll take it. Hell, as long as it’s not raining, I’m happy.

What are your plans for the weekend? Got anything more exciting than moving a toilet? Give it to me.

–F ‘Em Up

Man, I cannot wait for December 11th to get here…If you haven’t heard yet, you must be living under a rock. TWISTED CHRISTMAS is here! The most beloved holiday of all year is finally going to be here. December 11th at The Midland. It’s gonna be a hell of a night, man!

Let’s run down the bands. Opening the night are newcomers, Adelitas Way. If you’ve been listening, you’ve heard their hit, Invincible. It’s a killer song, it’s got great dynamics and I know they’re going to crush it when they bring that one out at The Midland. And, if you haven’t already, check out their self-titled album…If you dig the sound of Invincible, you’re gonna dig the album. I promise.

On to Australian rockers Sick Puppies. Hell yes is all I can say. You’re Going Down is going to be absolutely phenomenal live…from the opening, deep bass line to the crushing chorus, I can’t wait to see how the crowd reacts to it. I can’t wait to see it myself! You’ll find that track and many other great ones on their album “Tri-Polar.” If you pick it up, or are looking for other tracks, let me suggest Odd One and War. I can’t wait to see them.

Ahhhh…Papa Roach. I don’t really need to tell you anything about them, do I? Believe it or not, this will be my first time seeing these guys live. But, from what I’ve heard, and if you’ve seen them you can confirm it, they bring an insane show with them everywhere they go. A-Hole Bob told me that the first time he saw them he was floored…it’s an incredibly energetic show…every song, the guys just kill it. So, needless to say, I’m a little excited to see them.

And on to your Twisted Christmas headliners…Breaking Benjamin. Let me get it out there: I am a HUGE fan of Breaking Benjamin. Ben Burnley and the guys rip it a part on their albums and if you’ve seen them live, you know they bring it to the stage, too. The last time I saw them was at The Beaumont club, and I believe that was the last time they were in KC. They were unbelievable live, and to see them in the intimate setting of The Beaumont definitely helped. From the beginning to the encore (which included a cover of Tool’s Aenema – HELL YES), the show was awesome. I can’t wait to see them at the beautiful Midland theater…And I’m keeping my fingers crossed for some cool covers in the encore. I’ve been perusing YouTube, and I’ve seen that Breaking Benjamin covers anything and everything, from Tool to Godsmack to Deftones to Metallica. Let me just say, too, if you haven’t already, go out and pick up their latest album, “Dear Agony.” If you were a fan of “Saturate,” and let’s be serious…who isn’t a fan of that album, then you’re gonna dig their latest venture.

Alright…Just a little more than a month away…I can’t wait. Get all the details and check out videos of all the bands on the Rock website, just click here.

–F ‘Em Up

It seems like with every episode, this new season of Sons of Anarchy gets more and more intense…Even with the season premiere having the rape of Gemma, these past few episodes have definitely raised the bar, and tonight’s was no different.

We’re still not quite sure what’s going on with Chibs, but we do know that Tara’s loyalty to the club has not diminished, and that she cares more for Chibs’ safety (even though she has no idea what he is in danger of) than she does her reputation as a doctor. Trager and Clay’s relationship continues toward a downward spiral as Clay takes away more and more of Trager’s Sergeant at Arms duties and gives them to other brothers. The scene with Opie and the judge’s son was absolutely insane; definitely one of the most intense scenes of the season so far. And to end the episode, Jax says the fateful words, “I’m going Nomad.”

It’s interesting how big of a role Zobelle has been playing in Charming, yet, he really hasn’t been prominent in the show. Everything gets tied back to him, however he’s just a suit behind the scenes running a cigar store. I’m waiting for it to escalate between him and the Club, but I have a feeling that will be saved for the season finale. He obviously has no loyalty to anyone, not even his race, as he has been dealing with the Irish, the Mayans and has completely sold out a like-minded individual, Darby. Hell, I’m guessing we’re gonna find Darby’s body in the porn studio that they burned to the  ground.

I get why Jax thinks Clay burned the studio down. Even if he learns that Clay had nothing to do with it, I don’t think that’ll change his mind from leaving the Charming chapter and going with Happy to be a Nomad and travel around to the chapters and cities that need his help.

All I can say is that I cannot wait to see what next week has in store. If you saw the previews, it looks like everything is culminating…I’m not quite sure when the season finale is, but I do know that next week is gonna be huge, hell, it’s a 90 minute special. Clay and Jax continue their feud, and it looks like Gemma might be headed down a spiritual path…My money on the saving of the club is still on the idea that Gemma’s rape will unite Clay and Jax…It’s just if and when are they going to learn about it?

Another killer episode…Throw your two cents in, let me know what you think!

–F ‘Em Up

I hope everyone had a good weekend. It was a beautiful weekend, so hopefully you spent some time outside enjoying it! I finally came up with a Halloween costume at the last minute…I went to Westward’s party as Hunter S. Thompson, taking a cue from Johnny Depp’s portrayal in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I think for a last minute costume it turned out alright. Maybe I’ll put more thought into it next year. Hell, I could start thinking about it right now…Ah, who am I kidding.

I didn’t make it on the Cassoday breakfast run Sunday morning. I had every intention of doing it, but I just couldn’t get to it after my shift. Saturday, I picked up another accessory for the bike, cleaned the apartment and started demo work on the new house’s bathroom…Not to mention spending a little too much time at a neighbor’s Halloween party (basically, it consisted of a fire pit in the driveway…one of the best parties I’ve been to!). So, come Sunday morning, I needed a little rest. BUT, I didn’t get it. Continued the demo on the bathroom. It’s always fun knocking walls down.

I couldn’t let the day get away, though. I was disappointed I missed Cassoday, so instead, Moose and I hit the road to Topeka to a killer biker bar right off of Highway 24 called Kickstart Saloon. Moose had been there before, and a couple of friends talked us into riding along with them Sunday…It didn’t take too much convincing, and since it was so nice, we decided to bring the cameras along and shoot another installment of 100 Mile Radius. If you don’t know what this is, hop on over to Moose’s blog and check it out…Click here for the list of 100 Mile Radius rides so far.

Looks like the week is going to be beautiful…if I can snag some free time away from working on the house, I’ll definitely be on the road.

–F ‘Em Up

As I write this, it’s pouring outside. The past few days, it has been beautiful and has given many of us some great riding time…But today, not so much. It sucks, but oh well, it is October after all…and we’re in the Midwest. I’ll take a day like today if I can get a weekend as beautiful as what they’re predicting for this weekend.

I’m not sure what my plan is right now. We got the infamous Ryan Westward Halloween Party Friday night…Halloween itself on Saturday, and of course turning the clocks back on Sunday. Other than some maintenance on the house (that’s right, I’m moving from Downtown to the ‘burbs…I’m a home owner…Nivens, don’t hate me!), I’m thinking and hoping I can tack some miles on the odometer of my Heritage.

Not quite sure where I’ll be headed. Sunday is the last Breakfast Run for Cassoday, Kansas until March…The first Sunday of every month, the small town of Cassoday opens its arms to thousands and thousands of bikers who roll into town for the famous breakfast buffet, and to tour the numerous vendors who are set up. Click here for info on the run. I’ve done this ride once before, and it’s a lot of fun…It’s pretty cool to take the ride through the small towns of Kansas…and even cooler to roll into Cassoday and see bikes and bikes and bikes and bikes and, well, you get the idea.

We’ll see how the schedule works out. I know I’ll hit the road some this weekend, just not quite sure where my destination is…which is fine by me. Hell, the ride is more important than the destination, isn’t it? From one of my favorite books, well, probably my favorite book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, the narrator says, “Sometimes it’s a little better to travel than to arrive.”

Amen.

–F ‘Em Up

Holy hell, a lot happened in tonight’s episode. A seemingly somewhat minor character, all of a sudden Chibs is taking center stage with the arrival of his mysterious wife (who, for some reason, frightens Gemma). We watched as the Mayans have moved in on Leroy’s territory and almost stripped four Sons of their cuts (I don’t know if they would have been so forgiving in real life). Jax and Opie start getting a bit friendlier, or at least are headed down the right road to rekindle their friendship. Otto’s wife was brutally murdered (I’m so happy Tom Arnold is back in the show, even though his character is a piece of dirt). The Irish, the white League and the Mayans all get in bed together (Zobelle is just giving guns to the Mayans?!?!).   And perhaps the most interesting story in tonight’s episode was Trager and his apparent sudden turn toward good rather than evil.

What can I say? This episode is great…We are watching as the club slowly heads toward the downward spiral. Once the truth comes out about Donna, I don’t think Clay or Trager are going to have any friends. Bobby, Jax, Clay, Piney, Juice, Prospect…I don’t see any of them siding with the President or Sergeant at Arms. I think the truth is going to have to come out, because I don’t think Jax will ever forget it…Unless he and Clay learn about Gemma’s rape. I believe that is the only thing that will put the past in the past and bring Jax and Clay back together for the club and for their wife/mother. There are so many secrets that are going to be unearthed at some time, it just depends what comes out first. Gemma’s rape will unify the club. Donna’s death will divide the club. Bobby and Luann’s relationship (I’m right that they were fooling around, right?) will isolate him from the rest of the MC.

So, besides everything else, I am curious to find out what has flipped in Trager’s head that made him take the masturbater back and not grab the guns and/or cover clay during the shootout with the League. This is a great, new twist the the story of the Club…Maybe Donna’s death will push him closer to Jax and Opie…Although, at the end of the show, he was still pretty pro-Clay. Only time will tell.

What’d you think? What do you predict will happen to the club? Throw your two cents in, just leave a comment!

–F ‘Em Up

Alright, I got my hands on it…the brand new Creed album, known as “Full Circle.” Now I know I’m gonna catch a lot of flack for being jacked to hear new Creed. I get it. Scott Stapp, to a lot of people, is a douche bag. To me, he’s a guy with a set of killer pipes that has made some highly douchey moves in his life…but he can still sing. So, sling your insults, sing your praises, do whatever you gotta do…I get it.

We’ve all heard Overcome, the first single off of the new album. In my opinion, it’s one of the best tracks on the album…It’s hard, it’s fairly raw. I said in an earlier blog post that it reminds me a little bit of Sevendust. It has that hard feel to it, which I dig and am excited to hear a band like Creed get to that level. The album, for the most part, carries on that feel. It’s music you’d crank up when you’re pissed off. It’s music you might just bang your head to. It’s actually pretty damn good music!

Now, with that said, there are a few snoozers on the album, which means Creed is not quite to the level of making hard, rough, raw music for the sake of hard, rough, raw music…they’re still pumping out gems for the Top 40 folk…Which, whatever, it’s their music. I am not a major-label recording artist right now, so I won’t talk too much smack. But, the feeling you get when listening to a track like Overcome or Bread of Shame quickly goes away when you hear Rain or The Song You Sing. But, I think overall, there are enough rockin’ tracks to make this really a stellar album in my opinion.

So, there it is. I praise the new Creed album. I think my opinion of the band has changed since seeing them live on this newly reunited tour…Scott is cool to the crowd. Hell, here in Kansas City he made a shout out to a mud-slinging, rainy concert back in 2000, which might have been Rockfest if I’m not mistaken!! That’s pretty badass for a lead singer to reach out to the audience like that…And, I had the opportunity to sit in on the soundcheck and Stapp and the whole band were really cool guys. So, yes, my opinion changed a bit after that and probably affected my listening to the album.

BUT, let me tell you, if you’re looking for the same hard sound that you get from Overcome, check out Bread of Shame, Fear, and Full Circle. And for the hell of it, listen to A Thousand Faces.

That’s my two cents. Throw yours in, just leave a comment!

–F ‘Em Up