cB News____issue #3, August 2005 Options

[cBNewsStaff]

Members, please do not post any comments in this thread. Any questions/comments/suggestions, may either be PMed to one of our editors, listed in the editors' notes for both your convenience and ours, or posted in the issue 3 discussion thread; we will respond to your comments accordingly. Again, please do not post any comments in this thread; they will be deleted and you will either receive a verbal warning or a raise in your warning level - you may even face suspension.

Editors’ Notes

As always, we would like to take this time to thank our readers that encourage us to keep this newspaper consistent, by PM, viewing regularly, and applying. We hope all our readers understand how hard we are working to bring cB News to createBlog. Even with school starting, a few of our team members gave extra effort to write more than one article required of them to bring you all this excellent third issue. Though we've pulled through in the past two publications together, this issue truly says a lot about our team work.

If you are interested in joining our news team, feel free to apply; we always welcome more help! If you enjoy journalism and want to become more involved in the createBlog community, please fill out an an application form; if you feel uncomfortable with your application open to the public, please PM your application to either Fae (uninspiredfae) or James (Marchhare2UrAlice). Please note that we are currently not looking for editors; other than that, we welcome all applicants!

If you would like to be featured in future issues, feel free to send us a letter to the editor; please PM the letter, no more than 250 words, to this account (cBNewsStaff). We will consider all for publication in a new "letters to the editor" section, and we reserve the right to edit for content and clarity. Your cB username will be included if your letter is chosen for publication, so be careful who you offend! In any case, please enjoy our third issue of the createBlog news!

- The cB News Team

Administrators: Fae [uninspiredfae], James [MarchHare2UrAlice]
Editors: Anna [Azarel], Justin [CrackedRearView], Ruth [suddenly she]
Runners: Kiera [mzkandi], Sidney [ItzOnlySydney]

(Note: Recent additions to the cB News Team are not listed.)

Table of Contents
01 Editors' Notes
02 Unveiling: krnxswat- cB News Staff
03 The Push for a News Archive - cB News Staff
04 The First cB Debate Competition - cB News Staff
05 Xanga of the Month: July 2005 - Ruth [suddenly she]
06 Unneccessary Rap Battles - Radhika [not_your_average]
07 YOU'RE Hosted? - Sammi [headphones]
08 The Celebration Has Been Cancelled - Justin [CrackedRearView]
09 School of Thought Scores - Justin [sadolakced acid]
10 College Tips - Fae & Anna [uninspiredfae & Azarel]
11 Not Your Parents' Rock 'n' Roll - Ashley [antix10_kos]
12 Summer Concerts: Warped Tour, Ozzfest, & Sounds of the Underground - Brie [Despise]
13 Album Review: In Between Dreams - Anna [Azarel]
14 Featured Films - Anna [Azarel]
15 Featured Poem- cB News Staff
16 Advice Abby - "Abby"

[cBNewsStaff]

Summer Concerts: Warped Tour, Ozzfest, & Sounds of the Underground
Brie Mason [Despise]
08|11|05

Summer Concerts: Warped Tour, Ozzfest, & Sounds of the Underground

So you're sitting in your bedroom on a boring summer day without a single thing to do. But then you think to yourself, "What's something that'll get me out of the house?" You then conclude that you could attend a concert, or even a music festival, if you wanted; however, you only vaguely know of one or two. Well, that's what this article is all about - getting to know the well-known, annual music festivals that tour around the United States.

To start it off, let's get familiar with the Warped Tour.



The Warped Tour has been around for a fair amount of time and usually appeals to those into emo, indie, pop-punk, and sometimes even hardcore. It starts in mid-June and lasts until mid-August. That gives you rougly two whole months to catch a show. Warped Tour has been known for including a lot of bands that come from a lot of different genres and "scenes," if you will. Like every other tour out there, they have some headlining bands and also some other, lesser-known bands playing the secondhand. I've seen many photographs of events at the Warped Tour in writing this article, and I must say, it looks like it is a very good time and that they choose some very good bands to put on excellent shows. Speaking of the bands, let's take a look at some of the bands playing at Warped Tour this year.

My Chemical Romance -- Led by Gerard Way and coming off of their 2004 release of Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, they are one of the main, headlining bands at Warped this year. My Chemical Romance, or "MCR" for short, has been around since 2001 with only one prior release, entitled I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love. I personally have never seen them, but I've heard some very mixed reviews on them. Some say they put on an amazing show and Gerard shows great stage presence, while others say they are horrendous live. I guess you'll just have to find out for yourself, eh? To find out more about the band, click here.

The Offspring -- Ah, a personal favorite of mine. Led by Dexter Holland and coming off of a 2003 release of Splinter and a 2005 release of their greatest hits album, they are also one of the headlining bands at Warped this year. The Offspring have been around since the mid-1980s with six prior full-length albums. The reviews have been less mixed with these guys, and I've heard that they put on a very enjoyable show. If you'd like to know more about The Offspring, then visit their site here.

Dropkick Murphys -- Led by Mike McColgan and coming off of a 2005 release of The Warrior's Code, they are playing at Warped Tour this year as well. This particular band was formed in 1995 with five prior full-length albums and one EP. As for a typical Dropkick Murphys show.. I haven't heard much about how they are live, but I'm sure they put on a wonderful show. To learn more about the Dropkick Murphys, click here to view their official site.

Tsunami Bomb -- Tsunami Bomb is a punk-rock band that is currently led by a woman that goes by the name of Agent M. They have a reputation of being a very hard-working band and have appeared in the Warped Tour many pervious years. Their most recent release was an album entitled, The Definitive Act, which was released during the fall of 2004. They seem to be a very promising band. To check out the band's site, click here.

Fall Out Boy -- Fall Out Boy is a four-piece pop-punk band that was formed in the year of 2001 in the suburbs of Chicago. Currently being led by Patrick Stump and coming off of their 2005 release of From Under The Cork Tree, they are said to be one of the most anticipated bands at Warped this year, and I'm sure they are right. Since I didn't have a lot of information to share with you about Fall Out Boy, you should check out there site to find out more about them. Their site is located here.

Well, be sure to check out the Warped Tour if it sounds appealing to you. If you can't make it, then check it out next year. I'm sure it'll have a good line-up next year as well. To find out more about the Warped Tour, the full line-up and its tour dates, then check out their site, which is located here.

Moving onto the wonders of Ozzfest.



Ozzfest has always been known as the most in-your-face annual tour in the United States. Ozzfest, obviously started by Ozzy Osbourne, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. The tour runs from the middle of July until the middle of September: once again, two months of fun. Ozzfest has gone through a one cancelling and one rescheduling this year. This particular tour usually appeals to those that are into most types of heavy metal music. It has turned more mainstream over the years, if you wish to add that, but it still has some decent metal bands in the line-ups every year. Now let's check out a few of the bands that are playing at Ozzfest this year.

Mudvayne -- Led by Chad Gray with a 2005 release of Lost and Found, Mudvayne is one of the headlining bands at Ozzfest this year. Mudvayne was established in 1996, and they have had four prior studio releases. They used to wear make-up and costumes, but they had ditched that wardrobe. However, I have heard rumors that they are going to try the make-up and costumes out once again, but I'm not sure of what to expect. I've heard that they put on an awesome live show, so if you get the chance to go or if you ever see them, I bet you won't be disappointed. To check out Mudvayne's site, click here.

Shadows Fall -- Shadows Fall is another headlining band that is currently being led by vocalist Brian Fair. Their most recent release was in 2004 with The War Within. They are a promising young band from Westfield, Massachusetts. They've been described as death metal, thrash metal, and metalcore. I can give some personal input on their live shows. I saw them in April with Slipknot and Lamb of God during the Subliminal Verses tour, and I must say that they are very impressing live. They put on a very fun show with lots of enthusiasm and energy. I'm VERY sure that you won't be disappointed with them if you ever happen to catch them. I'm very glad that they're headlining Ozzfest this year. They deserve the credit. Click here to look at Shadows Fall's website.

Killswitch Engage -- Currently being led by Howard Jones, Killswitch Engage is playing on the Hot Topic Second Stage this year with the most recent release of 2004's The End of Heartache. Killswitch Engage is a unique metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts. They are yet another band that I can give some personal opinions on due to a personal experience. I saw them on Monday with two other Ozzfest bands on a small stage in a small, North Dakota town.. which is a very different setting than an Ozzfest stage in a larger town, so we almost got the "getting to know them" feeling. Anyway, they are a wonderful band live. They seem to very friendly and enthusiastic guys, and that definitely shows through their live performances. I am proud to say that I got to see them recently. So if you do ever get the chance to see Killswitch Engage, I can basically assure you that you won't be disappointed if you're into their music. If you'd like to know more about Killswitch Engage, then I suggest you visit their website---it is located here.

Arch Enemy -- Arch Enemy is a Swedish death metal band, and they are also playing on the Hot Topic Second Stage at Ozzfest this year. Currently led by Angela Gossow and coming off of the 2005 release of Doomsday Machine, they seem to be looking at a steady future. They were formed in 1995 with a different vocalist by the name of Johan Liiva. Liiva quit the band in the year of 2001, and was quickly replaced by Angela Gossow. I've heard that they are a decent band live, so have fun with them. Arch Enemy's official website is located here if you are curious.

Trivium -- Trivium was formed in 2000 in Florida to cover "Whom the Bell Tolls" by Metallica for drummer Travis Smith's "Battle of the Bands" at his high school. They got an early and promising start and are now taking over Ozzfest as mere teenagers/very young adults. They are said to sound like bands such as Metallica, Pantera and Slayer. Trivium joined Roadrunner Records in 2004 with the album, Ascendancy, which is truly their second album, but their first with Roadrunner. They seem to be a very promising band, so expect good things out of them. To learn more about Trivium, I suggest taking a look at their official website. Their site can be found here.

Be sure to check out Ozzfest if it sounds like you'd have a good time. I do recommend it if you're a fan of the music, although I have never attended an Ozzfest show, it sounds to be very exciting. If you would like to learn more about Ozzfest, the bands, and the tour dates, then please check out their official site, which is located here.

And last, but not least, let's check out the Sounds of the Underground tour.



This particular tour is the newest tour of the three I'm covering. This past year (2005) was its first year in touring, and according to their official site, they are expecting to keep it going for a while now, which is an awesome thing, if you ask me. The Sounds of the Underground tour is all about the metal. It is similar to Ozzfest when Ozzfest first came out. It showcases underground metal bands, hence the name. It ran from late June to late July, so you only had a month to try and catch it. Unfortunately, it is done for now, so you'll have to wait until next year if you want to see it. Now onto this year's featured groups!

Lamb of God -- Lamb of God headlined the Sounds of the Underground tour this year. They are a five-piece metal band from Richmond, Virgina with death metal influences. They formed in 1990 as Burn the Priest. In about 2000, they changed their name from "Burn the Priest" to "Lamb of God." Led by Randy Blythe and coming off of the 2004 release of Ashes of the Wake, they were certainly one of the highlights of the band. I also have to add my own personal opinion on how they are live. I saw them back in April along with Shadows Fall (as I mentioned earlier) and Slipknot on the Subliminal Verses tour, and they were quite good. They are one of the most entergetic bands of their league, and they seem to really connect with the crowd. If you ever have the chance to see them, I recommend that you take that chance; you won't be disappointed if you're into them. Hey, why don't you take a look at Lamb of God's website? It's located here.

Norma Jean -- Norma Jean is a Christian metalcore band. They're a bit different from the rest of the bands on the Sounds of the Underground tour because they are truly a Christian metalcore band. However, they seem to blend right in with that whole "scene." They are originally from Douglasville, Georgia, and they formed in 2001, originally under the name of "Luti-Kriss." Their most recent album was released in 2005, and it was entitled, O God, the Aftermath. For those that are unsure of their sound and style, they are often compared to bands such as Coalesce, Converge, and The Dillinger Escape Plan. Check out Norma Jean here.

Poison The Well -- Poison the Well, or commonly abbreviated as "PTW," is a melodic-hardcore/metalcore band that formed in 1998, hailing from Miami, Florida. PTW is currently being led by Jeffrey Moreira, and their most recent album was entitled, You Come Before You releasted by Atlantic Records in 2003. Overall, they have gained a lot of respect and popularity since they first formed back in 1998. They've gone through some slight member changes and record label changes, but their sound has not changed. I'm sure they were one of the best bands to perform at this past year's Sounds of the Underground tour. To check out Poison the Well's site (featuring their latest album), click here.

Opeth -- Opeth is a progressive death metal band, but they are said to not be as "brutal" with the lyrics. They're often said to write lyrics that display a poetic theme, usually about the "beauty of pain." They hail from Sweden and formed in 1990 by David Isberg. With seven current studio releases under their belts and one more to be expected by the end of this August, they were certainly considered to be one of the "veteran" bands at the Sounds of the Underground tour this year. They have, however, gone through a lot of changes over the years. There have been a lot of constant changes within their line-ups. They've settled on a current singer, however, and that would be Mikael Åkerfeldt. They're a really unique band, and I'm sure they were amazing to watch. I've heard many good things about their live shows. Why don't you check out Opeth's website to learn more? Click here to view it.

Strapping Young Lad -- Abbreviated as SYL, Strapping Young Lad formed in the mid-1990s out of Canada by Devin Townsend. They are usually described as melodic death metal with industrial influences, but this may differ from album to album. Their most recent studio release was 2005's Alien. Strapping Young Lad started as a solo project of Devin Townsend's, called the Devin Townsend Band. As a whole, they've released five other albums other than Alien, including two live albums and three studio releases. Click here to view Strapping Young Lad's website.

Although the tour is currently done with, don't hesitate to check out their site to get geared up for next year's Sounds of the Underground tour. They seem to be very upbeat about the future of the tour, so expect to see another great line-up next year. To find out more about the bands or the tour itself, check out there site located here.

What is my personal favorite festival, you ask? I honestly think that the Sounds of the Underground tour sounded like the most fun this year. The line-up was amazing, overall, and it just sounded like a great start to an underground metal tour. Ozzfest sounds pretty good this year, but the line-up isn't amazing. I'm not really into the whole "Warped scene," but they have one of my favorite bands, so I would go just to see them. Thanks for reading, and I hope you look further into some of these annual tours.