Welcome

Welcome to the first posting of my completely new blog!! I'm new to this so PLEASE bare with me. As of right now I'm rather pretty stoked about taking on this new venture. 

This particular Blog will be for those whom happen to love music as much as I. Notice I said music, I didn't specificity a genre. Meaning any and all that I encounter shall be discussed. More importantly this blog is for local (my state, Florida)  talent, from new high  school bands hitting the stage for the first time to bands that have been established, & quite familiar with the scene & how things work. 

My goal is to feature bands, groups, individuals, events,& artists on a personal as well as a professional level. Pictures. videos. interviews, vlogs, personal messages. art. ect will be posted by yours truly. 

*A little about myself*

I've been on the Metal scene for almost a year now. My first show was about two years ago when the Brass Mug was still on Fletcher in Tampa. I was sitting at work on my computer when a co worker made a post on Facebook, about a show that was to be held there that night. The headliner was Death Angel. I've been a lover of music my whole life, & have been to many a concert on larger scales, but nothing quite compares to that of the local vibe. So after reading the post, & clearly seeing how excited the poster as well as his friends were I had to get in on it. I had to see for myself what all the buzz what about. 

I contacted a friend I went to high school with who coincidentally knew the one who made the original post and pretty much exposed me to this new world that I have grown to love so much today; she and I arranged our get-a-way and before I knew it we were cruising down Hillsborough Ave. being Navigated by Bela Lugosi. Upon arrival I found myself both ecstatic an extremely nervous for this was all new territory for me. New group of people, new place, even the vibe was new. Welcoming, but new. 

It was winter and everyone that wasn't inside jamming to the band that was on stage was outside chatting it up and passing around whiskey trying to stay warm. for the most part I sat back and observed. When the bottles of alcohol were handed to me, and there were many, I took a controlled pull and sent it back on its what seemed like, endless voyage. As the the liquor as well as beer began to take hold I became aware that the laughs that were just a background noise pushed their way to the front and escaped my mouth. I had finally  joined in. I was no longer being the shy, quiet girl that just stood there taking it all in. I remembered that I had my camera & before I knew it I was snapping away. 

At this point I had yet to actually enter The Mug. I wanted to VERY badly, but I didn't want to come across as being needy or uncool. So I chilled a bit longer waaaaaiting in blatant anticipation. It was like they read my mind!! One person made the comment "Hey lets go check it out." & before I knew it, it had spread like a verbal wildfire this massive group of close to 30-40 people began to migrate like flock of metal loving geese. Before reaching the door you could only faintly hear muffled sounds, when that first person swung the door open the sounds of the band that was currently playing rushed out at me in an angry stampede of distorted love & from that point on I knew The Mug would be my happy place for years to come. 

continuing on.....

once I made it through the door, paid and got my wrist band, the friend that I had come with and I made our way to the bar which sat directly to the right upon entering. She and I took a moment to discuss what we wanted to drink, agreed on a Jager bomb and a beer and further enjoyed our night out. I was pretty intoxicated once Death Angel took stage. Mind you I had never even heard of this band before and in a way I was kind of embarrassed because of it.     once they started their set the energy of the room elevated ten fold. Hooting & yelling, whistling & screaming.The energy was both mind blowing and  contagious!! A song started and so did the moshing. I had never moshed,REALLY moshed before. I always stood on the side lines that way I could see everything & every now and then get bumped,But about the third song in I looked at my company and shouted to her" I need to get in there!!" "Will you hold my hoodie?" "yeah of course!" BAM!!! & that was the first time I ever REALLY moshed. 

Dudes stage diving, under the influence of  alcohol and only Oden knows what else. Some shirtless the brave ones shoe-less, covered in sweat and in some cases blood, ramming, slipping, catching, helping one another up from falls.  all while having a smile on their faces? "YES." I thought to myself this is my world now, my home away from home. 

-Madalena Hutton