Monthly Archives: September 2022

AP Sep 16, 2022 3 days ago

FILE - A poster advertising "The Phantom of the Opera," is displayed on the shuttered Majestic Theatre in New York, March 12, 2020. Broadway's longest-running show will play its final performance on Broadway on Feb. 18, 2023, a spokesperson told The Associated Press on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The closing will come less than a month after its 35th anniversary. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

FILE - Costumes from the Broadway musical "The Phantom of the Opera," are displayed at the "Showstoppers! Spectacular Costumes from Stage & Screen" exhibit, benefitting the Costume Industry Coalition Recovery Fund, in Times Square on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021, in New York. "The Phantom of the Opera," Broadway's longest-running show, will play its final performance on Broadway on Feb. 18, 2023, a spokesperson told The Associated Press on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. The closing will come less than a month after its 35th anniversary. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File)

NEW YORK (AP) The Phantom of the Opera Broadways longest-running show is scheduled to close in February 2023, the biggest victim yet of the post-pandemic softening in theater attendance in New York.

The musical a fixture on Broadway since 1988, weathering recessions, war and cultural shifts will play its final performance on Broadway on Feb. 18, a spokesperson told The Associated Press on Friday. The closing will come less than a month after its 35th anniversary. It will conclude with an eye-popping 13,925 performances.

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It is a costly musical to sustain, with elaborate sets and costumes as well as a large cast and orchestra. Box office grosses have fluctuated since the show reopened after the pandemic going as high as over $1 million a week but also dropping to around $850,000. Last week, it hit $867,997 and producers may have seen the writing on the wall.

Based on a novel by Gaston Leroux, Phantom tells the story of a deformed composer who haunts the Paris Opera House and falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine. Andrew Lloyd Webbers lavish songs include Masquerade, ?Angel of Music, ?All I Ask of You and The Music of the Night.

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As a producer you dream that a show will run forever. Indeed, my production of Andrews Cats proudly declared for decades Now and Forever. Yet Phantom has surpassed that shows extraordinary Broadway run. But all shows do finally close, producer Cameron Mackintosh said in a statement.

The first production opened in London in 1986 and since then the show has been seen by more than 145 million people in 183 cities and performed in 17 languages over 70,000 performances. On Broadway alone, the musical has played more than 13,500 performances to 19 million people at The Majestic Theatre.

The closing of Phantom would mean the longest running show crown would go to Chicago, which started in 1996. The Lion King is next, having begun performances in 1997.

Broadway took a pounding during the pandemic, with all theaters closed for more than 18 months. Some of the most popular shows Hamilton, The Lion King and Wicked have rebounded well, but other shows have struggled. Breaking even usually requires a steady stream of tourists, especially for Phantom and visitors to the city haven't returned to pre-pandemic levels.

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'The Phantom of the Opera' to close on Broadway next year - RiverBender.com

Los Angeles Starcrawler, featuring Arrow De Wilde (vocals), Henri Cash (guitar), Bill Cash (guitar), Tim Franco (bass), and Seth Carolina (drums), have taken the Rock is dead pessimists to task ever since releasing their self-titled debut album in 2018. Devour You followed just a year later and now the young quintet has creatively and seamlessly brought glam, punk, rock, and even disco together for their latest album, She Said. Clocking in at just under 34 minutes, one could divide its ten songs into three distinct categories of rock and roll; heavy rock and roll, radio-friendly pop rock, and mellow, soft rock all in a good way.

For the heavier end, the band puts the pedal to the metal right out of the gate with Roadkill which bludgeons the senses like unrelenting punches to the face and to the ears for that matter. Its hypnotic chorus will have you journey to a whole new state of mind. De Wilde deploys sweet come-ons, a la Courtney Love and Hole, before the listener is hit upside the head with a barrage of power chords and tension-inducing fills and leads from the Cash brothers. De Wilde said in a statement, that She Said was one of the first songs written for this album. It was at the beginning of the pandemic and Henri came to my window and played me the demo, and we wrote the lyrics together like Romeo and Juliet. Its what really kicked off the writing process of this album, and it was such a powerful moment that we wanted to name the record after that song. Rounding out the heavy-hitters, Runaway finds Starcrawler upping the ante on a quasi-punk barnburner that bests early Green Day-tones with more polished riffs and tension-inducing licks and fills.

Caught somewhere in the middle of the road with some radio-friendly pop rock is Thursday that, intentional or not, captures the feel of the late 80s as if the Go-Gos and The Cars had a crossover hit. The dynamic of unnerving guitars mixed with upbeat drums and pop-princess vocals is undeniably catchy, fun, and contagious. Lower the bedazzled disco ball the fun and funky Jetblack, where Starcrawler seemingly gives a nod to Blondie or at least to disco. A more complex bassline in the mix showcases both Francos maturity and talent throughout the track, one that will undoubtedly cause ones ass to shake to the left and to the right. Carolinas skills behind the kit, keep this nugget in the pocket. The uber-short True Deranged follows with a no-nonsense sensibility and at only two minutes and two seconds, the band keeps it simple but effective with this raw rocker that should not be overlooked.

On the more mellow, soft rock spectrum, the band offers up Broken Angels, Midnight, and A Better Place. Angels doubled choruses alongside the melodramatic pedal steel conjure a lullaby effect. Midnight is full of lament and longing a classic rock ballad and its hard not to make a comparison to a couple of acoustic gems like Torn and Frayed or Moonlight Mile by Rolling Stones. In this case, the comparison is simply a compliment. Starcrawler does not shy from exploring different sounds and genres, ultimately showcasing its talents.

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Starcrawler Keeps One Riff In Glam And Another Fist In Metal On 'She Said' (ALBUM REVIEW) - Glide Magazine

Tana Douglas, described as "the worlds first female roadie," says she wound up being kicked out of hotels because of theGo-Go'sbehavior on tour.

Douglas established her name as a crew member during stints withAC/DC,Elton Johnand others. In her new memoir,Loud, she identified the all-girl band as one of the most difficult groups she'd ever dealt with and very different from her previous experience of working with theRunaways.

"It was too early in my career for me to feel comfortable working with an all-girl band," Douglas said (via Spin.)"I saw the flak they got in the press at times, not being taken seriously by bands and crews alike just because they were girls. I wasn't ready for that. But I did end up enjoying the company of Joan [Jett] and also Lita Ford, the lead guitarist for the group."

She continued: "The Go-Go's were another story. They had a completely different attitude from the Runaways and were going through what I refer to as their Brat Phase. Both Belinda Carlisle and Jane Wiedlin were members of that first 100 L.A. punks club, but the only sign of this was the way they trashed hotel rooms and were generally obnoxious. And I would suffer the fallout from these antics."

She explained it was normal for crew to check into hotels later in the day than the band members did. By the time she got to the reception desk "there would already be drama from the girls and an irate hotel staff refusing to register any more women with the entourage. That meant I had to sneak in to many of these hotels. I spent a significant amount of time swearing in a foreign language that I wasn't with the girls nor like them. Still, I'd end up sleeping on the bus.

Douglas recalled the time she was trying to check into a hotel in Germany by insisting she "had nothing to do with 'those girls.'" She said: "[A] belligerent Belinda crashed through the lobby, knocking over indoor plants and side tables in her path. She came to a screeching halt right next to me, looked me in the eye, smiled, knocked over a tall glass vase and yelled, 'Fuck 'em! Then she left. As the vase smashed into tiny pieces, the receptionist looked at me sternly and pointed to the door. Yep! Another night on the bus for me."

She also recalled the Go-Go's "party trick," when they'd choose a man from their audience, invite him backstage and spend time "collectively debasing him as much as humanly possible." She continued: "This they would find amusing. I guess it wasn't any different from what a lot of male bands got up to, but it made me uncomfortable. For me as the only girl in an all-male crew, it was a whole different set of rules than for an all-girl band with a hit song. So I kept my distance."

Loud: A Life in Rock 'n' Roll by the World's First Female Roadieispublishedon Sept. 20.

UCR takes a chronological look at the 100 best rock albums of the '80s.

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How the Go-Go's Antics Got Their Roadie Kicked Out of Hotels - Ultimate Classic Rock

The first edition of Primavera Sound Los Angeles wrapped up on Sept.18, after three vibey days of perfect, late summer cool weather at Los Angeles State Historic Park.

The beloved Barcelona music festival, which celebrated its 20th edition back home in June, also hosts annual fests in other cities in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. The festival's first North American venture featured a stacked gender-equal lineup headlined by Lorde, Nine Inch Nails and Arctic Monkeys.

A decent number of artists at Primavera L.A. had also played in Barcelona, but the much smaller footprint of the Los Angeles festival made getting around and catching everyone you wanted to see a lot easier. The festival was packed with exciting fun sets, but read on for eight of the best sets from Primavera Los Angeles.

Mitski | Lyndsey Byrnes for Primavera Sound L.A.

Alt-pop darling Mitski is beloved with her emotional, honest "sad girl" power pop songs about heartbreak and loss. She brought the drama of her music to life, energetically traversing the stage with leaps and theatrical hand motions. The stage setup was simple, with a white door behind her and her band it felt like a fantasy recreation of a high school bedroom, the place where poems, love letters and tearful diary entries are crafted, and cathartic solo dance moves are made across the floor. Mitski even rocked a silk PJ top and bike shorts.

For "Me and My Husband," her dance moves entailed miming putting long gloves on over and over, and at the end of the song, she pretended to choke herself. For 2014 track "Townie," she ran around the stage as she sang, slowing down at the end to hold and hug herself. After closing with "A Pearl" from 2018's Be the Cowboy, she ended with one last drama school move, a bow.

Twenty-one-year-old PinkPantheress, who channels '90s / '00 U.K. garage and drum 'n bass into short pop bops, got big through TikTok. The Gen Z representation was strong at her Friday afternoon set, loudly cheering her on from the quarantined under-21 section to the side of the stage. But the over-21 turnout was also strong, and PinkPantheress and her DJ got everyone dancing.

PinkPantheress came out looking like a 2004 teen that just came from the mall, rocking a hot pink Diesel long-sleeveT-shirt and brown asymmetrical skirt, complete with short-strap purse and frameless shades. Her warm and funny banter made it feel like we were at the mall with our friends except maybe more like a secret all-ages rave in the parking lot.

The highlights of the energetic, smile-inducing set included her dedicating "Nineteen" to the 19-year-olds, her cover of the classic 2000 U.K. garage hit "Flowers," and when she stopped the music to say hi to her fan Alan, who screamed into her mic at her May L.A. show. (She later jumped down into the crowd and Alan got an encore scream. Beautiful.)

British group Stereolab have been making synthy, experimental alt-pop since the early '90s, and while they're influenced by various decades of pop, their records truly transcend time and space. The sun was just beginning to set on day one of the fest, and Stereolab (whose four members look like cool music teachers who each own an amazing vinyl collection) channeled that dreamy setting with their music.

This is 'Reflections,' an ode to the realm of possibilities remaining open rather than closed, lead singer Laetitia Sadier announced right as the sun dipped out of view behind the stage. The next couple tracks were a bit more noisy, upbeat and rock-y, and the crowd was fully immersed in their layered sounds. They closed with two of their biggest songs, "Pack Ur Romantic Mind," and "French Disko."

Lorde | Ismael Quintanilla III for Primavera Sound L.A.

Lorde's Friday closing set was both a powerhouse pop production and an intimate moment. The first day of the fest was joyfully not crowded, so fans were able to gather close as Lorde delivered her ode to summer and mother nature, chatting from atop an epic ladder-to-heaven on stage. The ladder leaned against a big circle, and they rotated around the stage, with a large sun-like orb of changing hues on the screen behind. Her band stood on either side in matching mustard-colored suits, while the New Zealander donned her summer best: a cute black bra top with big puffy sleeves, black mesh pants and long blonde hair.

Im really happy to be here, Lorde announced after several songs. "Especially playing here, outside at the end of summeryou might know I'm kind of obsessed with summer," she continued with a smile. "I dont know if you have a crush here tonight, but I came down here from the mountain to unite all the potential lovers, she said before performing "The Louvre" from Melodrama. Next up was "Secrets from a Girl (Who's Seen it All)and "Mood Ring" from her 2021 album dedicated to the healing power of the sun, Solar Power. This was followed by an amazing cover of Bananarama's 1983 hit "Cruel Summer."

She also put out a call for action to combat the climate crisis, hinting that she already knew what her fourth album was about. Closing her set with "Solar Power," Lorde cast a spell to let the summer vibes last a little longer. This song was written in a wet bikini, in late July after a long day at the beach. I want to preserve that feeling, so wherever you are you can feel that." With a wide smile, she continued, "They say its almost fall, but dont let them trick youits still my season."

The sun was shining again on Saturday, and British dance pop artist Georgia got temperatures rising as she commanded the stage with her electronic drum kit and synth. She started with Seeking Thrills' opening track "Started Out," going into "Never Let You Go" and "Ray Guns" from her infectious 2020 album.

Her energy was invigorating, as she sang, drummed, danced and commanded the stage. While Georgia was jet-lagged, she told the audience at her first-ever L.A. festival that they were giving her the energy she needed but it was definitely a mutual exchange.

She played three new unreleased songs, and shared that she's been working with Rostam, who was somewhere in the crowd and would be mortified that she was touting him as the best producer in the city of Angels. Her "babes" came out to assist on guitar for one of the Rostam-produced tracks. She closed with a cover of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" while that song is very rinsed at the moment, it felt fresh and resonated with the crowd.

Khruangbin | Pooneh Ghana for Primavera Sound L.A.

Houston psychedelic rockers Khruangbin jammed for an hour on the mainstage as the sky darkened above. The set went by quickly but was expansive, as they riffed on familiar rhythms that knitted their songs into one large, cozy sonic quilt. The trio looked cool as hell on stage with Donald DJ Johnson in a cowboy hat, Laura Lee in thigh-high leopard print boots and a matching dress, and Mark Speer in a black and silver geometric-patterned suit. DJ and his drums were elevated and there were two giant disco balls on stage, which the visuals on screen offered trippy renderings of the groovy action.

After running off to the bathroom in the middle of their set and briefly listening from afar, I joked that I wasn't sure if I'd missed one or seven songs, but both were kind of true. They expanded each track and carried it into the next, like a jam band or DJ set. I think we all could've jammed on for several more hours with them.

For day two's headline set, the disco balls were removed and the crowd packed the main stage, patiently waiting for Nine Inch Nails to rock them. Before they'd even begun, security stopped letting fans in to avoid overcrowding, and a line formed to let people in as space allowed. The flashing lights began and Trent Reznor appeared in a triangle of light and smoke. Soon, the light expands to reveal the rest of the band, and they break into 1999's "Somewhat Damaged."

The next 70 minutes were a full-on assault of light and a wall of sound. There was no way to escape the emotions rattling through your body as the layered bass, synth, guitar, drums and growls shook everything to the surface. The band worked like a well-oiled machine, effortlessly performing their intricate music with precision and energy.

Reznor shared that they'd really enjoyed playing at Primavera Sound in Barcelona a few years back, so they said yes when they were asked to play what was supposed to be Primavera L.A. 2020: "Finally, here the f we are.

They played tracks from across their extensive catalog, including "Closer," "The Hand That Feeds," "Head Like A Hole" and "Hurt," ending with the latter three. "Hurt," famously covered by Johnny Cash, was the only moment of relative quiet during the set, allowing for Reznor's lyrics to really sink in.

Bicep | Quinn Tucker for Primavera Sound L.A.

Belfast producer duo BICEP create immersive, dreamy electronic soundscapes, and their live show ups the immersion with lasers, bright lights and flashes of color. While their set overlapped with Nine Inch Nails, it luckily continued on for 45 minutes after the rockers ended their wall of sound. As I ran from one wall of sound and lights to the next, from rock to rave, the synths and lights at each tying nicely and surprisingly together.

As the two childhood friends faced each other and delivered their expansive dancefloor sound with big energy and extra flourishes. They saved an extended version of their massive 2017 track, Glue, for second-to-last, as the lasers erupted into two rainbows shooting out over the crowd, the smoke dancing in its light and casting trippy, liquidy shapes. A tall guy in the crowd jumped up to touch the rainbow laser magic, just barely missing.

Part of the description on J-pop group CHAI's Spotify bio reads: "With lyrics focused on 'women empowerment' and redefining the definition of 'kawaii,' or cute in Japanese," and they brought their high energy girl power, fun and cuteness to the last afternoon of Primavera L.A. Rocking the stage in coordinating pink-and-white outfits topped with big, frilly, rainbow-print capes, CHAI filled their 40 minute set with pure energy and joy, leaving the crowd captivated and asking for more.

After two songs, they "interrupted" their live performance for a mini DJ set led by the drummer and keyboardist, a high energy mix that included Hardrive's "Deep Inside," Crystal Waters' "Gypsy Woman," and Spice Girls' "Wannabee." For the latter song, the quartet came to the front to sing along and dance with fluffy pink-fitted fans, getting the audience to shout out "CHAI!" and "Yesss!" CHAI, YES is exactly how I felt about them in this moment and now forever more. They continued with a few more of their songs, closing with "N.E.O," which had the audience screaming the English words and jumping along.

As the Arctic Monkeys rocked the main stage and Detroit techno wizard Jeff Mills captivated the dance music stage, British-born, L.A.-based James Blake offered his angelic vocals to soothe the rest of us. He opened with an early track of his, "Unluck," into 2020's "Before" and "Limit to Your Love," which was originally recorded by Feist.

Blake asked the crowd to sing the chorus of "Say What You Will from his latest 2021 album, Friends That Break Your Heart imploring the audience to sing louder to compete with Mills and the Arctic Monkeys. For another track from the 2021 album, "Frozen," he brought out one of its featured rappers, Atlanta's SwaVay, who brought the energy with his OutKast-nodding flow. (Blake shared that the rapper had a new, great album coming out soon.)

After a few more songs, the "Retrograde" singer closed with his cover of Frank Ocean's gut-wrenching "Godspeed," which he co-produced.

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No Strangers to Music: 9 "Stranger Things" Actors With Musical Connections, From Joe Keery's Djo To Millie Bobby Brown's Video Cameos - The...

There's an understandable weariness to the Pretenders' biggest Billboard hit, as Chrissie Hynde returns to the rock 'n' roll grind with "Back on the Chain Gang" after suffering unspeakable loss.

The band had quickly established itself over two early albums and an EP, earning platinum success by combining her all-attitude contralto with guitarist James Honeyman-Scott's distinctive suspended-chord phrasing. Next, Hynde was having a baby with boyfriend Ray Davies, and she thought she had everything figured out.

Hynde, drummer Martin Chambers, bassist Pete Farndon and Honeyman-Scott would construct their third album during her pregnancy and then she'd take some time off after giving birth in early 1983. But "life," as Hynde ruefully told Rolling Stone in 1984, "is never what you think it's going to be."

Instead, she was forced to have a very difficult conversation in the summer of 1982 with the heroin-addicted Farndon. "For me, the hardest part of the past couple of years was deciding to fire Pete. It was so bloody sad that it had come to that," Hynde added. "He was in a sort of diminished mental condition 'cause he was stoned a lot. He couldn't handle drugs that well. No one can handle that drug very well.

Two days later, Honeyman-Scott was dead after suffering cocaine-related heart failure. "It was incredibly tough," Chambers told the Mercury in 2009. "I lost my best friend [in Honeyman-Scott], and my second best friend in Pete."

Watch the Video for Pretenders' 'Back on the Chain Gang'

Hynde put on a stoic front. "I don't look back at those events as being a hardship," she told Rolling Stone in 1984. "It's just real life. People die that's part of life." They were back in the studio a month later, after quickly adding Rockpile guitarist Billy Bremner and Big Country bassist Tony Butler. A basic outline for "Back on the Chain Gang" awaited them.

"We had rehearsed it a lot with Jimmy, and thought it would make a pretty good single," Chambers told Creem in 1983. "So after his funeral and everything was sorted out, we thought: 'Let's get on with it.' There was never any real thought of packing it in or anything. We decided to get some people to work with us for the time being."

They spent a week rehearsing with Bremner and Butler before recording began, and eventually brought in Honeyman-Scott's friend Robbie McIntosh for some additional guitar. The lyrics "I found a picture of you," Hynde sings, "well, it hijacked my world at night, to a place in the past we've been cast out" became a personal remembrance, something more emotional than anything she could perhaps say out loud about Honeyman-Scott.

"He made whatever I had sound good, and I got him out of Hereford and out of the music store where he was working and put him onstage and in the studio," Hynde told Curve magazine in 2020. "So we offered each other what we both needed. I mean, I loved Martin and Pete too and they were absolutely integral to the sound of the band but frankly, a band is about electric guitar. Thats my opinion.

"I had my little tunes and my little guitar parts," she added, "but Jimmy Scott made them sound a whole lot better, and he invented the Pretenders sound with [the] very simple effects he had and the way he played."

Hynde stole away, as was her habit, to record the lyrics all alone. "When it came to her vocals, Chrissie was great so long as nobody else was in the room," Pretenders engineer Steve Churchyard later told Sound on Sound. "The band, everybody was kicked out. They all went upstairs and played pool, and nobody was allowed to come back down until we'd got them."

Watch Pretenders Perform 'Back on the Chain Gang' at Live Aid

On some level, this quick return to work served as a coping mechanism. "What else were we going to do?" Hynde asked Rolling Stone. "Stay at home and be miserable, or go into the studio and do what we dig and be miserable?" Pressed, she finally admitted: "Well, it wasn't exactly a barrel of monkeys."

Chambers was typically more forthcoming. "It was a very strange time, very tough for Chrissie and me, with no Jimmy or Pete," he told Creem. "But we just shook our fists to the heavens and got on with it. With 'Chain Gang,' we thought ourselves into it to a point. There was a real feeling of hopelessness, really like Can we do this? Not that it crossed our minds that we couldn't but you really question yourself."

In fact, Hynde briefly considered changing the band's name. Sessions that produced their No. 5 comeback hit convinced her otherwise. "I finally thought it still was the Pretenders more than it wasn't. To me, 'Back on the Chain Gang' sounded like a Pretenders song," Hynde told Rolling Stone. "It was sort of like Ken Kesey: Either you're on the bus or you're off the bus, and I felt like Martin and I were still on the bus even if the other guys had gotten off."

Released on Sept. 17, 1982, "Back on the Chain Gang" was paired as a single with "My City Was Gone," which in turn became a rock-radio staple. But Bremner and Butler wouldn't last. As halting work on the album that would become 1984's platinum-selling Learning to Crawl continued for nearly a year, a new lineup coalesced around McIntosh and bassist Malcolm Foster.

One day during the sessions, someone brought in an earlier Pretenders album just for musical comparison's sake. "I haven't listened to any of that stuff since we used to play it," Hynde told Stiletto magazine in 1984. "While it was on, I found it very difficult to look at the other guys. I had to leave the room."

By then, she'd also lost Farndon. He died before Learning to Crawl arrived, drowned in his own bath after overdosing on heroin.

UCR takes a chronological look at the 100 best rock albums of the '80s.

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How 'Back on the Chain Gang' Gave Purpose to Grieving Pretenders - Ultimate Classic Rock

Week 2 of the NFL season is here and I've been over every play from the opening week of the NFL. I've studied all the Week 2 spreads with the passion of Nicholas Cage in "National Treasure," like I'm trying to use them to solve some historical clue and save my family. Well, listen Dad, you can go to sleep soundly tonight because I figured it out: I declare Week 2 "The Week of The Dog." Specifically, it's actually The Week of The (Road) Dog, but I don't discriminate when it comes to what type of dog you love, every type of man's best friend has a home here in my best bets column.

On paper, we had a middle-of-the-road start to the season, going 4-6 across the board in Week 1. I went 1-1 in my kidney bets (which by my gambling math means I still have two kidneys, but one is somebody else's?). But it feels like we did even better than that.

We won our biggest bet of the week on Brady and the Bucs. ??It took five turnovers and seven sacks to lose the Bengals bet. The Lions had a gross backdoor cover to hurt us and, hand up, I didn't realize the Cardinals defense had the afternoon off last week when we got smacked for betting the under against Mahomes.

A few small lessons to learn there, but largely I think I saw the board clearly with only a few bad breaks. This week, I see it in grayscale...LIKE A DOG.

In my Week 1 article (while picking the Browns on the road, who won NBD), I told you I considered myself a bit of a road dog connoisseur due to my largely nomadic lifestyle. I mean I started this column in Vegas, continued writing it in Albuquerque and finished it somewhere near Memphis, Tennessee. I'll be watching the Sunday games in Florida. I know good road dogs, we can catch each others' scents...and this week the good ones smell like MONEY. Below are 10 bets that I Love, that I Adore and that I would Bet an Organ For...in that order. Let's go!

Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

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You knew the first game in the 'Love' portion of the column had to be a road dog! If you find yourself in conflict this Saturday night or Sunday morning as you place your bets, here are three little words to remember: Take. The. Points.

I've even heard sparkles on the internet that this spread could get up to 10.5 and you must take it. Yes, the Broncos fans will be incredibly loud for the home debut of Russell Wilson and Denver should come out with something to prove following their shocking loss in Seattle, but Denver is not a team that is two scores better than anyone right now. We saw in the first game, and I previewed it in my coaches article, how much Nathaniel Hackett believes in utilizing his running game. The Broncos aren't a team that should blast anyone out of the stadium, especially while Russ is still building continuity with his new teammates.The Texans hung with the Colts last week. They aren't a good roster or a team we expect to make much happen this season, but they did climb out to an early two touchdown lead. They are playing with passion and speed and causing turnovers. Their goal this season is to be in every game, and to make every single team earn a victory against them. The Texans are a great underdog to bet on because they will not quit. Guys like Rex Burkhead, Brandin Cooks and Davis Mills will keep trying to make plays even if they are behind. You won't ever be out of this bet, even if the Broncos get out to a quick lead. That means we are going to win with the points. Boom.

All the public money on this game is on the Bucs, but what bettors should actually be focused on is the under. I got this total at 46 in Vegas. I believe it has fallen to about 44 in some books, but I like it as low as 41.5. If you watched closely during the Saints' first win against the Falcons, you saw that the Saints have some serious issues on the offensive line. Jameis Winston was sacked four times and was constantly running for his life. As Winston so eloquently said after the game, "It was pain everywhere." When you eliminate Taysom Hill's long rush attempt, the Saints largely struggled on the ground as well.Now the Bucs defense is coming to town with a potent set of defensive lineman and linebackers. This spells a situation where the Saints are going to be dealing with a high amount of broken and negative plays on offense. It will be tough for them to put up big numbers.On the other side of the ball, I expect the Saints defense to perform much better at home this week. Marshon Lattimore always gets hyped to cover Mike Evans and will likely raise his game. The Saints had a slow start on the road but found their stride late. I expect them to face a Tampa team that is interested in long, methodical drives and running the football. These coaching staffs know each other well, and no one wants to make any critical mistakes early, so expect a low-scoring game as they head into the locker room at halftime.

The most recent time these two teams played ended in a 9-0 Saints victory. That game took place in a season where Tom Brady led the league in completions, attempts, yards and (43) touchdown passes. Nine points. Give me the under and give it to me now. Boom.

Another road dog, baby! WOOF WOOF WOOF! I got this at +10 earlier this week, but if the line has moved to +9.5 you still need to get on it. Some might think this is an overreaction to a poor showing by the Packers in their opener, coupled with a comeback win by the Bears, but it's not. The reality is at this point in the season very few teams should be more than a touchdown favorite over anybody. This league just has too much parity and is too matchup-based. Yes, this game is in Lambeau on Sunday Night Football -- both situations where Aaron Rodgers typically owns the souls of Bears fans, but this game just shouldn't shake out this way. When both of these teams are playing decent football they are running the ball a ton, and that usually means it's hard for anyone to win by double digits.

If Green Bay does get lucky enough to get ahead, the last thing Rodgers wants to do is pass more than necessary to expose himself to a ton of hits like he took last week, and to rely on his questionable receiving core to make plays. They will take a more conservative route. If the Packers get down early, it's extremely likely they can pull back ahead, but it shouldn't be like years past where Rodgers throws for three second-half TDs and they win going away. They simply don't have the firepower for that in Green Bay, and will be using every piece of their offensive prowess just to take the lead back.

The weather should be rough in Green Bay on Sunday night, with possible thunderstorms. Again, this plays in the favor of the underdog to just keep it close. This game really feels like it finishes inside a touchdown, which means the underdogs are barking. Add in that the Bears have an in-memoriam game for the beloved bear Jim who passed away at a Chicago area zoo and I smell a cover. Boom!

Another road dog, woof woof. I promise this pick isn't an overreaction to the Vikings win over the Packers in Week 1. If you read my pre-season futures blog, you'd know I am not a believer in the Vikings, but this is a response to the Eagles giving up more than 6 yards a carry to the Lions in their opener. Now the Eagles get Dalvin Cook at home on Monday night, along with aVikings defensive line that is just a little too good to allow Jalen Hurts to break the pocket and make plays. This feels like the type of game the Eagles barely win at home by 1 with a late field goal, or one the Vikings stay comfortably ahead because they are able to run the clock out by holding the ball late. Either way, I expect the Vikings to cover on the road in Philadelphia on Monday Night. Boom.

Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

RELATED: The Buffalo Bills Are Going To Be a Problem in 2022

Do you hear that? It's the road dogs of the Tennessee Titans barking and it's our second Monday Night Football road dog of the column. I couldn't be happier, because I adore the Titans in this spot.

The Bills are primed for a letdown after they demolished the Rams in the NFL season opener. Meanwhile, the Titans should be extremely motivated to bounce back after letting a Week 1 win slip through their fingers against the Giants.

Yes, the Bills are good, but the Titans are enormously disrespected. Tennessee finished last season with a 12-5 record and the one seed in the AFC despite All-World running back Derrick Henry playing in only eight games. They have the reigning coach of the year in Mike Vrabel.

On what looks like it could be a rainy evening in Buffalo, you don't think the Bills could come down to earth a little bit, while Henry and the Titans slow the pace of the game down on offense? There isn't a little part of you that knows deep down in the places you don't talk about...that Ryan Tannehill is going to hit that big play-action pass after seven straight runs including one disgusting scramble he made himself for a first down about three plays earlier? You've seen this movie before. Vrabel and the Titans impeccably working the clock to shorten the game and keep the ball out of Josh Allen's hands. It was only a three-point game last year, and remember: Good teams win, great teams cover. Boom.

So when I bet this game on Monday, I got the spread at even, which is a lot sexier I will admit. However, I would bet this game with a line as high as Patriots -3 (and I expect it to drop closer to 1.5 around kick-off). It doesn't matter to me if Najee Harris plays, but it certainly matters to me that T.J. Watt will not.

The Steelers needed five turnovers, seven sacks and two missed kicks to win last week. Their offense was an absolute disaster and it appears the coaching staff has done nothing to implement what Mitch Trubisky is actually good at into the game plan. They are playing a Patriots defense that is coming off a mostly strong Week 1 performance and finished last year with the second ranked unit in the league. This Steelers offense can't stretch the field and will have an incredibly hard time scoring this week. The Patriots offense will likely rally back to their average after an opening game filled with critical turnovers and poor execution, especially without having to block Watt coming off the edge. One of these teams is contending for a playoff spot, the other is just trying to figure out when to start their quarterback off the bench. Always bet the team trying to win, and the Patriots should do that easily in Pittsburgh. Boom.

A rare home dog this week, you absolutely have to bet on the Jaguars. The Jaguars are talented enough to stay in almost any game this year, even if they don't always win them. They have dynamic receivers and backs, a quarterback with all the potential in the world, and a coach who has won a Super Bowl. The Colts are still trying to find themselves with Matt Ryan under center and I expect another slow start on the road like we saw from them last week. When you rely as heavily on the run as the Colts do, sometimes it is hard to run away from anybody. I'd bet this line at +3.5 as well, because The Jaguars keep this game close and they certainly bring it within a field goal late if they don't win it outright. Boom.

Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

RELATED: Devin Hester is the GOAT Returner of the NFL, Not Cordarelle Patterson

Last week I bet my kidneys (I'm 1-1 in my organ bets), but this week we know the road dogs bark, so we have to bet our lungs. I've got three picks for you, so that's two lungs and then we are throwing the damn ribs in for the third bet because THAT IS HOW YOU WIN GAMES WHEN YOU'RE A ROAD DOG, BABY! WOOF WOOF.

I can't put into words how much I love this bet, but I have to try, because, well I am writing a column about it, so here it goes: "I love this bet more than I love Mila Kunis in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall,' which is an UNCOMFORTABLE AMOUNT."This spread is way too high because far too many people overlook the play on the offensive and defensive lines when they are betting. If you know football, you know the game is won in the trenches. Last week as I said earlier, the Falcons demolished the Saints offensive line while making Jameis "hurt everywhere." Last week, the Rams' offensive line got demolished in the NFL opener against the Bills. The Falcons ran the ball extremely effectively against a good Saints front, and the Rams could hardly figure out how to get their best ball carrier any touches. Seems like Atlanta can hang with these boys in the trenches.

Meanwhile, the Rams have one of the worst home-field advantages in football and their star quarterback has a lingering elbow issue that is clearly still impacting him on the field. Again, very few teams should be more than a touchdown favorite against anyone and at this stage in the season. The Rams are not one of those teams. Now you are giving me a line where the Falcons can lose by a touchdown and a field goal and I still win money? Is this stealing? I think it is and I am betting ORGANS ON IT! Boom.

Two bets on the same game? Can he even do that?? Hell yes I can, I'm sprinkling some ribs on it baby!! And do you know what? Vegas doesn't even want me to.

I tried to include the Falcons and the under in a parlay at the Westgate Superbook and they told me the spread is too large, that you can't parlay the under and +10.5 points on the same game.

Please pull up a seat in my Gambling 101 class and take out your pens and paper because what I am about to tell you is very important.

Urgent Gambling Rule of Thumb: If Vegas, a city where shiny, glittery towers are created entirely with the money people have used to bet on literally everything, DOESN'T want you to make a bet, it's because it's good for you and you should make that bet. If the casino offers it, you (like insurance in Black Jack) you usually don't want it, but if the casino refuses it, you NEED it.

You'll notice in my previous paragraphs, I didn't mention much about the offenses in this game succeeding. It's because I don't think they will. Atlanta has an elite cover corner who can at least stay with Cooper Kupp, and Arthur Smith loves running the ball too much. Remember if the Rams win this game 20-10 you win both bets. I think we are looking at something closer to 21-17 and that means green. Boom.

How could we not end this column with another road dog baby! WOOF WOOF! I'm not going to lie to you, I liked this game even more when I was able to bet it with Seattle at +10 earlier in the week, but the line still hasn't moved enough for me not to want to bet my lungs on it because it takes my breath away.

Look, both of these teams are beat up. Safety Jamal Adams will likely miss the rest of the season for Seattle. The 49ers are missing starting running back Elijah Mitchell, but even more importantly, All-Pro tight end George Kittle is likely to miss another game with a groin injury.

We will still see a combination of Trey Lance and Deebo Samuel do the ball carrying for the 49ers, but if your running back and wideout are toting the rock all game long, it's going to be hard to hold a lead larger than a touchdown, if you are lucky enough to get the lead to begin with.

The 49ers should not be favored by more than a touchdown ever, and certainly not against a divisional opponent who has such familiarity with the team. Trey Lance still has a lot to prove when it comes to consistently beating NFL defenses and the Seahawks and Pete Carroll will have a plan to make life hard for him. The Seahawks showed an impressive ability to run the ball in the first half last week and will do the same this week. No one in the 49ers secondary can negate the impact of DK Metcalf, who I expect to have a monster game. Seattle is going to be a cover machine this year if the NFL keeps giving them spreads easier to take down than a game of Jenga on a rowboat. ROAD DOGS baby!! WOOF WOOF. Let's all make some money. Boom.

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Best Bets of Week 2: Falcons Take Flight, Pats Burn Pittsburgh in the "Week of the Road Dog" - Fanbuzz

Almost anyone who can sing can get onstage with a band and perform, but what does it take to really be a good frontman? Lamb of God vocalist Randy Blythe shared his two cents during a discussion on theStoke the Firepodcast earlier this month.

Thedynamic of the conversation was interesting because the podcast is hosted by DJ Matt Stocks and Killswitch Engage's Jesse Leach, so there was already a singer participating. But, Blythe offered another perspective on what he thinks the qualities of a really good frontman truly are.

"There are guys in their closet with their YouTube rig or in their garage who can outsing either fucking one of us. There is no doubt about it, man. They have more talent, natural talent, in their little pinky than either of us," Blythe affirmed. "But the difference is, I think one of the main requirements to be a frontman, a good frontman actually the only requirement probably, I mean, you've gotta have some talent is a willingness to get up in front of people and make an idiot out of yourself and be really bad for a while until you become good."

Leach laughed and agreed with Blythe, adding that he knows "very well" what it's like to be in that position himself. The Lamb of God frontman then elaborated that natural talent doesn't matter if you aren't delivering a good show and bonding with the audience.

Check out the full chat below.

Lamb of God and Killswitch Engage are currently out on a co-headlining tour together that will seeBaroness, Suicide Silence, Motionless in White, Spiritbox, Animals as Leaders and Fit for an Autopsyserve as the opening acts throughout it. The next show is scheduled for tonight (Sept. 13) in Youngstown, Ohio. Get tickets for the tour here, and check out some incredible shots of Lamb of God from the tour opener last week in Brooklyn, N.Y. at this location.

Lamb of God's upcoming album Omenswill be out Oct. 7, and can be pre-ordered now onLamb of God's website.

See Loudwire's picks for the Top 66 Hard Rock + Metal Frontmen of All Time

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Lamb of God's Randy Blythe - What It Takes to Be a Good Frontman - Loudwire