TOP-10 OF ’09 FREEWAY500

picture THIS crowd.... only 30X larger!

10. GOING SOLO#11 409
9. ROYAL BLISS 624
9. POP EVIL 704
8. TESLA 814
7. JET BLACK STARE 1,332
6.  HELI-LESSON#5 1,368
5. WASHINGTON PILOTS 1,428
4. IN THIS MOMENT 2,444
3.  SEATTLE SEA GALS 2,512
2. QUEENSRYCHE “AMERICAN SOLDIER” 2,522
1. SAVING ABEL 2,627

~ Geoff

LEARN'N TO BURN

Spokane’s freshest rock, for two fun-filled days at CLUB-EDGE this weekend! It was the BATTLE OF THE BANDS; Six of the area’s finest (plus BUTT UGLY, the official “battle opening band”) taking stage for solid guitar-fury, screamin’ leads & enthusiastic audience appeal! All competing for their chance to score prime-opening slot for nationally touring ROYAL BLISS (Club Edge; 11-13)

A big thanks to ALL the bands, none of them ‘sucked’ and that made it hard; The judges definitely had their work cut out, weighing each band’s own strength and weakness, and the crowd had their favorites, too!

L S Diablo wins "the battle"

HERE ARE THE FINAL RESULTS:

#1. L S DIABLO  …Will be opening for ROYAL BLISS on 11-13!!!

#2. VANGUARD

#3. PRIOR SIN

Honorable mentions to BUMP DOOSIE, CRIMSON RESOLVE, and LEVEL ZERO for awesome sets. Everyone came to rock the place, and I would have been happy to have any one of theses bands opening for a number of shows…

Runners' up / VANGAURD

PRIOR-SIN

NEXT UP: SUPERSUCKERS @ CLUB-EDGE (SPRAGUE & VISTA) THIS FRIDAY NIGHT, 10-30. I remember watching these all-star punkin’ rock-a-billy blues-dudes opening for FOO FIGHTERS, in San Fran about 15 years ago at the legendary Fillmore and the SMOKED THE NIGHT… Don’t miss this show! LO-DOUGH and good to go, we’ll see you Friday night.
-=Gs=-

POST-SHOW UPDATE:
Want to thank ROYAL BLISS for an awesome show at CLUB-EDGE! …You want some pictures?

Royal Bliss pics are here!

Playing to a “private party” of Rock listeners who braved the November weather to Rock the night away, we enjoyed opening acts; 33, Character Flaw, and L.S.Di-ablo (Winners of the “battle Of the Bands” two weeks ago, seen below) There were also many “Cameo” appearences by Tanzi and a few of the RACKTOBER CALANDER GIRLS sharing stage with GEOFF SCOTT as MC’s for the evening. It was a great night of solid wall-to-wall rockin’ and excitement! ROYAL BLISS performed a full set and then asked everybody if they minded if they played a few new songs (Not always a good idea, but this night, the crowd seemed genuinely receptive in the notion) it was good to hear a fresh set.

They also had a NEW CD in tow “STUDIO A” (that isn’t going to be officially released until next week) found one at the merch stand, and bought it, then I turned around to see Taylor standing there “Congratulations, you just bought the VERY FIRST copy of our new CD!” *Bonus prize* it was then promptly whisked backstage to be signed by the entire band. Kewl Beans!

PS: Chris, love the “Dudley Doo-right” you should keep it, bro.

The ORIGINAL "Basement" set

I bring you this little “Flashback”, because: Today, the GEOFF SCOTT WEBSITE turns 14 years old! Born out of necessity (the mother of local-rock invention, like duct tape) as a way to post clips, photos and links to bands we were talking to each Sunday night  and every show. (that stations website never changed in the 5 years we ran this thing) But for ME… “if it’s on the air, you’ll find it there” has always been the key.

The website, in it’s original form, was housed on AOL Hometown and therefore was afforded just FIVE MEASLY MEGABYTES of internet world. We rotated graphics, made a little “chat” blog, and posted very tiny clips and announcements based on the current show and next week’s shows, etc. I even, for a time, produced a “streaming” video content that was actually (I can tell you now) nothing more than a series of .GIF images I shot while recording the show, and then constantly updated to the Hometown server at just the right time… as it played back on-air. But then there was this 4 track Akai Reel To Reel I to tow with me everywhere I went (including the station)

Rock 106 & a YES t-shirt... ahh good times!

Now…  sure have come a long way together since the old days of my first Windows 95 computer (75 MHZ, 697MB hard-drive, 8mb of RAM= $3,000) and My mom’s old Apple2 on the dining room table back in Junior High; the “Commodore-64 Kids” could only gawk at.

after 20 years Rocking this place and decades more… to come

-=Gs=-

*** FEBRUARY 2009 TOP 10 DOWNLOADS ***

• 10. FLYLEAF MEETS SPOKANE (AUDIO)
• 9. FLYBOY-11 GEOFF PRACTICES SOLO FLIGHT/PALOUSE (VIDEO)
• 8. THIS DAY / CURT LOWERY PROJECT SONG (AUDIO)
• 7. HELL’S BELLE’S MEET ACDC (AUDIO)
• 6. SNOW-MEGGEDON ’08 BROADCAST DOCUMENTARY (VIDEO)
• 5. WASHINGTON PILOT’S ASSOC TRAILER (VIDEO)
• 4. JET BLACK STARE “IN-STUDIO” PERFORMANCE (VIDEO)
• 3. ROYAL BLISS “MOSH-PIT” PERFORMANCE (VIDEO)
• 2. IN THIS MOMENT “1ST MOSH PIT PERFORMANCE” (VIDEO)
• 1. SAVING ABEL “MOSH PIT” PERFORMANCE *NEW* (VIDEO)

Drum roll…. AND, Congratulations to SAVING ABLE debuting with a big fresh NUMBER ONE! And, a big #1 type THANK-YOU to everyone who has made a “pit stop” to THE FREEWAY500… we are enjoying our 4th month of posting highlights from the radio show. And~ THE WORLD IS LISTENING. 27,559 “hits”, including visitors from CANADA, U.K., ROMANIA, GERMANY, AUSTRALIA, BRAZIL, INDIA, and JAPAN. We are mighty thrilled to have the chance to share our Pacific Northwest Air with cool people who know how to ROCK ALL OVER THE PLANET.

-=Gs=-

1. Spokane Shock Dance finals … see who competed, and get the “full report” with photos, ofocarse! Thanks for attending this record event.
2. 2008 WEATHER YEAR-IN-REVIEW… I was right about the Tornadoes, (this year will be a hurricane year, unfortunately) Wrong about California’s “first Typhoon” (but it was close) and global warming continues.. just NOT here.
3. HELL’S BELLE’S pics are FINALLY posted on the Rock945.com website!
4. My latest video project, the 2009 WA STATE PILOT’S video has finaly been approved and posted on my personal videos page. Enjoy! *and think about the wonderful year of flying it took to make that with those awesome local pilots.

Disclamier: I , on the other hand, am just a student pilot and am NOT a certificated forecaster nor climatoligist. I study trends and observe long range patterns as a hobby. Do NOT take my word as any “official” prediction. Just a “gentleman’s handshake” and, just co-incedentally have a fairly good track record. **Always check with NOAA, the National Weather Service or other offical source for official climate data and resources.

-=Gs=-

SEE THE PICS HERE

For those who were dreaming of a WHITE CHRISTMAS… ok, you’re funny. We get it… YOU CAN STOP NOW. Ha ha.

ALSO: I went double nutts on the whole year/end BIG-10/Countdown thingy and here’s my TOP 20 list for 2008, enjoy! Thanks for the 18,000 ‘hits’ on the new web page, and have a HARD ROCK new year.

-=Gs=-

Last year was the 2^nd snowiest year on record Spokane (NWS-OTX) the snowiest year EVER in Coer D’ Alene Idaho….and we’re off on a good start this winter already (now 1 day old). Is this how the giant glacial lake Missoula got it’s start? Well, all geographical records (every 18,000 years and now we’re in year 17,998) aside~ Mother nature didn’t have to work THAT hard to really mess everything up in our little “corridor” last week as the snow started falling Wednesday, and by Thursday morning it was waist deep and we we’re officially “snowed in” at the home studios for the first time since 1994 for me, and that’s the 2^nd time ever. It should be noted I did most of my 3,000,000 miles of driving in New England, so I thought I was pretty used to this stuff but when the snow is up over the floor boards there’s not much you can do. It did remind me of a “good ol’ Nor East-a” I have to admit, EVEN IF the water is on the wrong side of the map. At 23.4″, even the weather people were amazed at this RECORD 24-HOUR dumping mother nature had taken on the Inland-Northwest.

Wednesday I got out my snow car, the trusty Subaru 4×4 wagon. 270,000 miles on this ski machine, it has proudly, never let me down. I made plans to take “the Bat Route” the back way that keeps me away from freeway diversions and across the flattest, most open land, I know. (Which Ironically enough, takes me through “North Pole”, Idaho, and eventually over to Seltice and downtown CDA from there along the Spokane river). But this was not to be THIS day. About half-way into the ride, I started to notice my radio was getting fuzzy, then the headlights were like looking through sunglasses, then my wipers started running slower and slower. The ice was caking up on my window making it very hard to see anything. My Pilot’s instinct said “Charging system” so I radioed my mechanic and told him “I’m losing power, going to need to land”… or something like that, and within 10 miles my engine coughed and sputtered and I was forced to make an OFF_FIELD landing in a parking lot somewhere near Huetter. In the middle of the storm.

I made arrangements with the kind folks of CDA Polaris to leave it there until help could arrive, grabbed my “crash bag” and decided to trudge off in the direction of the station as I knew Beavis was fighting his way through traffic going the other way to come rescue me. My plan was to meet him a few miles up the road. ….about ½ mile later, shivering, snow in my sneakers, and fog steaming up my shades…I walked into Columbia Excavation headquarters “c-c-c-Could I sit in here for a minute, car broke down, waiting for a rid-dd-d-d-e” and they were very kind to me as well, heating me up and offering me phones and basic survival necessities. We engaged in long deep discussions about excavating and demolitions work, either of which I was considering should the tow truck not make it to pick my ride up.

But, within a few more minutes… Beavis was there, and off we went to do the show. Coming home Beavis handled the roads like a master (he is from Montana) and despite the traffic, we were home, safe and sound within three hours of leaving the “Bikini Island” studios.

The next morning, I awoke to see the snow was 16” out on the driveway. MY wife’s car has a 3” wheelbase. So that was that. The show WOULD NOT go on today. The boss called from South Hill (20”) saying he wasn’t going to be able to make it either. What would we do??? G.A. was on the radio having a snow party and said he’d stay on for however long it took to get somebody there, but having seen him do several radio marathons, I knew he was good for about 8-10 hours but would eventually need support when the radio-hallucinations start. A few phone calls were made and now enter OUR HERO, “Johnny Mac” in his monster 4×4, another former Montana boy who would brave the heart of the beast and trudge into the station to assist G.A. But better than that, he ws ready to assist ME in making the appropriate connections and board changes and low and behold~ I had now had a direct link to the out-of-control-tower from my home studios!!!!

So we did the entire show (extended coverage) from my house, in my PJ’s and relaying important information as it became available via the KXLY NEWS chat blog Mellisa Luck provided from the newsroom. It was awesome! We even did a few breaks outside in the snow to give everyone a better “feel” for how much we had in the S.C.C. area and interviewed the wife while shoveling us out (all six hours) and saw kids walking by that were just torsos “adrift” in a sea of white. But THE SHOW DID GO ON! A technological miracle and a moment in radio history I shall never forget. Not since doing the old local music show from “the basement” for those five years at my old station, have I had so much fun doing our thing from “the comfort” of our own home, so to speak.

I even video-documented the whole thing on the website for you, so you can see how we got it done… and as for my car, well, Good Ole Ralph at AA-pro towing finally got out there Saturday and said “I towed that snow pile, I THINK was your car” so we’ll have to wait and see what the mechanic finds once he digs through the 36” of snow covering those four wheels, last I saw it. But glad we made it through the best we could and what a great “welcome to winter / 2008-09” it was. Please be safe, and warm, sit close to your radio and we’ll fire it up for you…. We’re going to need it.

(see the video, posted HERE)

-=Gs=-

Wife overheard two women in the ladies room talking about how it was “OK” to bring their families next year. Jamie Nova is great with the kids, and adults, alike, while it is hard to keep your eyes off Adriane / “Angus” (where does she get all that energy from? Isn’t she sore the next morning???). Rhythms were solid and band tight and the sound was good seemed like everyone knew every song and were screaming along: Hope y’all enjoyed the show as much as we did, good to see them again ~ keep rockin~ Now you know why we always have to park 5 blocks away on the night of a Hell’s Belle’s show… glad they escaped the snowfall… more pictures coming; watch THIS space!

-=Gs=-

Snowvember is here, as is the Month-long BIG TEN anniversary!!! Want to thank an INB (formerly known as Spokane Opera House) full-of skiers for coming to the Warren Miller film and look forward to seeing you on the slopes, in what looks to be a few days time…Snow levels are already dropping as of this entry. I really thought the “dancing snowflakes” we’re funny… Crystal, thanks for “the ride” on our chartered chair-lift to The Blvd.

….And the Corona Girls. Also a big shout-out to the Haloween-ies at Bottom’s Up Friday night, we saw some great costumes, “Tantric chick” is going to send some pics… FROM SWORD TO SUNRISE put on an action-packed show, good luck opening for 5FDP and ITM @ the factory on 11/28 –11/29.

Our “Time Caps” are already rolling on 94 & ½ and please pardon the occasional ‘flashbacks’ to celebrate our tenth anniversary, but it’s quite a trip we’ve all been on and this is really putting things into perspective as to just how much we’ve grown over the past Decade Of Decadence…There are so many faces, winners, and memories (and so many more to make) so buckle up! It’s going to be an awesome ride through our Month-Long Time warp.And awesome TIMES lined up as well.

On a personal note, I want to thank Spokane’s Best Rock listeners for making us so cool, as I’ve said a million times before because without YOU guys this would be a big ten years of static on the dial (atleast on MY radio). I’ve loved working here for you and your entertaining phone calls add just “the spice” we need to flavor up the day. Never know what to expect, and that what makes this place so much fun to be a part of. I hope you appreciate us, as much as we love Rockin YOUR world. When I think back to Spokane radio BEFORE 94&1/2 …. (OK, well after Rock106) …. Anger, bitterness, despair, and darkness all come to mind~ Oooo, just like an election year!

….Aren’t you glad THAT’s over???

I’ve just completed producing all the ROCK 94.5 “Flashbacks” and I’ve encompassed 10 years of Spokane’s Best Rock Guests, Promotions, Activities, Concerts, and Moments into about 200 “Micro bites” you’ll be hearing throughout the month of November! I wish I had somewhere to post these Interviews (primarily) where you could go to hear the whole dang thing if interested, but I don’t have the 300 megabytes of webspace it would require, as of this time. However, THE FACEBOOK EXPERIMENT (See link two posts below) continues… I posted some Photos from some of these moments in an album called “Rockstarz”.  For those already on Facebook I believe you just need to type my name in search “Geoff Scott”. I did choose the option to make them viewable by EVERYBODY. (for whatever that’s worth)

If worse comes to worse, please send me an Email from your account, and I will either, send you a direct link “Invite” in return, or, I will add you as my friend so you can view all content, but I would warn you there is boring family stuff and a lot of old friends from my previous radio life (over 20 years ago) in Boston Radio area… My current Email address is: Geoffs@kxly.com.

Geoff Scott – Rock Radio Album

• About “The Facebook Experiment” coming next….

-=Gs=-