Metal For The Senses: My Time at Heavy T.O.

 It’s over folks. It came, it went, it left a mark. I’m talking of course about Heavy T.O., the first of its kind to grace our city. Despite its incredible lineup of bands, what sticks in my memory the most is the interactions I had with my fellow metal heads. I got to attend the festival with some friends and co-workers, and that indescribable camaraderie and fellowship that you only get at metal shows was incredibly powerful those 2 days.

Was it the dislike for Billy Talent (who played a set between Slayer and Rob Zombie)? Was it the fucking heat? The overpriced water? Who knows! What’s important is that I felt it, and it’s been a while since I have. I’ve got to admit, there are some things that would have been nice to have seen done differently, but despite that it filled what I’ve been needing lately to prevent me from going berserk from those daily trials of life. Heavy T.O. definitely delivered.

It was loud as hell.  There was a decent turn out, shit food, scorching sun and barely dressed chicks...what I call a kickass weekend. I got to speak to a lot of people there. Some were fans and some were fellow industry guys, and what these people had to say turned out to be far more important than my original intention for going, to interview bands.

That’s the key thing I realized. I mean here I am, President of C.o.R.E., driving up and talking about what we should ask Kerry King, wondering what Alexi Laiho likes to do on Tuesdays, and all that typical fucking bullshit you get from most interviewers and journalists. The last thing I give two shits about is getting those hockey player answers. You know the ones that go, “well I thought we gave 110% today, other guys played really well…” What I LOVE is hearing fan’s thoughts; what they feel and think about the community that they invest so much time and stock into.

So to all my brothers and sisters in metal I just wanna say thank you for sharing that energy with me, keep being you, and rock the fuck on!

            Lee “Grim Riffer” Kagan

            President

            Consortium of Rock Evolution Inc.