As we enter into the warmer weather months we figured it was once again time to get the HT gang together to crack open some Porkslap Pale Ales, and fire up the ‘Ol BBQ before the summer concert season kicks into high gear and we all head off in different directions.

For our inaugural edition we gabbed about our first favorite song. This time we thought we’d once again take a walk down memory lane with this question: What was your very first concert?

Shane Handler: Having been dragged to the likes of Neil Sedaka, Smokey Robinson and Glen Campbell with my parents as a child, it would be anti-climatic to call one of those my “first concert.” Therefore, my first real concert without my elders took place at the now defunct Sting Nightclub in New Britain, CT.

It was March 1993 and it was Pantera who where just breaking big while in the midst of their Vulgar Display of Power tour. There I was a scrawny high schooler caught in a mosh pit during such Pantera staples as Fucking Hostile, By Demons Be Driven, and Live In A Hole. The venue was an old roller rink, an ideal venue for loud music and a sweaty mosh pit - where shoving your fellow metal brother around served some kind of rebellious purpose. Phil Anselmo was loud and brash while the late Dimebag Darrell supplied the monster heavy riffs. Of course I bought a Pantera t-shirt at that show and still wear it today.

READ ON for more firsts from your favorite HT’ers…

Charlie Daniels has a bone to pick with the makers of Guitar Hero after he got word that The Devil Went Down To Georgia had been included in the third installment of the game. Check out this posting from his blog…

I had a rude awakening recently when I looked at a video game.It was called Guitar Hero and is wildly popular with the younger set. I heard they had used one of my songs but I hadn’t seen it until recently and when I did I was in for some unpleasant surprises.

The game features a rock band playing heavy metal covers of different songs and enables the player to become part of the band, pushing colored buttons on a faux guitar neck which correspond with colors going by on the screen as the song plays.

Actually the game really has a dark side complete with grotesque monsters on stage with the band, strange, eerie lighting effects and all manner of weird things popping up on the stage.

Read for more of Mr. Daniels’ ramblings…