ZO2 - Showz 1-3
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12/31/06 : Stingers, Boonsboro, MD
By David Z
So music is definitely in my blood. After finishing a two-month 62-date tour, instead of going home to relax, it’s right back to performing for me. I stayed over night in DC after the final TSO show and traveled to Boonsboro MD the next day to meet up with the boyz. It felt really great to see them again. However, we hadn’t played together in two whole months. Luckily for us, playing music is a lot like riding a bike. We never forget how to do it when it's our music.
It’s unbelievable to go from an arena tour back to a club show. The differences are very apparent. An arena show is like the dream come true. It’s what every musician works for. The minute I started hauling my own equipment through the basement of Stingers tonight I knew I was back in the club circuit. Standing on stage waiting for “technical difficulties” to be resolved was another indication that I was back to the “struggling” part of my career. That being said, playing clubs definitely has an upside that can't be overlooked. There’s nothing quite like being on stage and having the sound from your amp hit you right in the back. You feel the raw energy of the music rather than having it all controlled on stage and in the in-ears. Also, the connection with the fanz is a lot stronger in a smaller club than it is in a large arena. We started our year strong! Hanging with our friends, family and loyal fans and meeting a lot of new fanz! That's always a thrill for us all.
There's no better way to spend New Years Eve.
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01/05/07: Axis Lounge, Carlstadt, NJ
By Paulie Z
It was exciting to be back in NJ. We haven't played NJ in a while and I was looking forward to it. I was also thrilled to be on the bill with Philpot, a great band from Indiana (who also happens to be our myspace pick of the month).
I didn't know what to expect when I found out we were playing this place for the first time. To my surprise, the place was more of a dance club than a rock club. The club is nice looking and has a cool vibe, but the only problem was that the stage was in a separate section in the back and wasn't as nicely laid out as the rest of the place. The worst part was that even if you were in the back area, you could hear the bass booming through the walls from the other side. This was annoying. Picture this, me trying to intro the next song while this massive low end comes thumping through the room - all I could do was laugh it off. I even started to dance to the beat at one point. I figured if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Anyway, dance moves aside, the show went really well. The room was packed and the vibe was electric and it was great to see so many of our friends again after the couple of months off.
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01/06/07: HiFi Concert Club, Lakewood, OH
By Joey C
The only thing I can say about this show is WOW! Playing out in Ohio has become a real treat for us. Even with the 10 hour ride trapped in the van with David and Paulie, it is still worth it. The crowd is always so pumped up for us when we get there, that somehow they make a small club into an arena type atmosphere!!
Ohio is to ZO2 what Detroit was for Kiss! It just seems like they "get it". And we're going to keep coming back!!! These people are going to make ZO2 a household word.
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Stayed tuned for next week’s journal.
SAME Z TIME…SAME Z CHANNEL…OR LINK FOR THAT MATTER!!!