How many of you have ever thought of going through random cities on the map, just to drop by at some random gig or even at their local metal shop. Something like scene-tourism (is that a word?) or what ever you want to call it. I've been wanting to do that for quite sometime though money is always the issue.

http://whereverroam.blogspot.com/2007/1 ... art-1.html
http://whereverroam.blogspot.com/2007/1 ... art-2.html

This blogger actually did something along those lines when he visited Malaysia (my home country) and went to a local metal shop, Nebiula and some Hardcore Gig. So guys, any plans? Also, if you were to stop by around town and I'm free, I'd be more than willing to show you around some metal shops.

Always good to have some local knowledge... I was in europe last year... checked the gig guides a month or so before I left home... found out while in Bergen that I'd missed a Taake Noregs Vaapen album launch/show the night before... saw a flyer in the street the next morning... Fack!!

That kinda sucked. In 2007, I missed the Napalm Death Smear Campaign tour. It was in Kuala Lumpur (KL), I stay in East Malaysia at that time. But a few days before that, I was in Kuala Lumpur with my family. I don't know when else are they coming back to Malaysia. If they plan to go to Singapore next time, I'm willing to take the bus/train whatever there since now I'm in KL.

I kind of do that. In fact I'm doing it right now. Since Thailand is essentially a second home to me, in the past few years whenever I come by I stop by the metal shops in the area and have at one point stopped off at a show earlier this year. You don't even need to stop by the metal shop to find some nice gems, since you could get lucky and find something rare and for cheap.

Since were at the south, any thoughts of taking a train here? We can go for some gigs here.

Sure, when I visit places, I like to see if there are shows to attend or cool shops to check out. That's totally normal and not restricted to metal. Everyone checks out the things they are interested in when they are in a new place.

thats an awesome idea, of course you have to do some research first and the money factor will be important (althought i dont thinks is THAT important if you are a survivor xD) when i go on vacations i love to go to local gigs or at least local metal shops...maybe get some underground band´s demos and stuff like that. Something you dont have to forget is and mp3 or cd player to listen while traveling

excess baggage charges...
cool idea though, i'd do it for sure if i ever left my city ha ha

i like to go on what i call 'metal missions" here, if i buy cds or records from someone i'll go for a huge hike to collect them sort of thing.
one of the more extreme ones was i went for an hours walk and collected and carried home 22 kgs of cds in the middle of summer [the old email said it was 30C] and had to go part way over a mountain to get there and back, wicked.
plus every week i make a pilgrimage to my 'local' record store which is almost a 2 hour return walk [plus a couple of hours or 3 in there]

the closest gig venue is a 40 minute walk too ha ha

I've thought about heading over to the east coast and doing this someday. The only problem is being able to save up enough money to do it. Something always fucks up my plans.

i have done this.

i travelled thru eastern europe starting at finland, took a ferry to estonia then buses to latvia, lithuania, etc. all the way down to bulgaria. 12 countries in total and must say it was a great experience. saw 9 or 10 shows total over the course of 6 weeks.

except the flight, the east is pretty cheap and you can get by for $20 a day or less if you like to walk, limit booze and buy your food in grocery stores. lodging in latvia was the cheapest and ran me $6 a day in a large dorm at a hostel. a 3 liter bottle of beer in the grocery store was, like 65 cents. of course travel days will cost a bit more, but if you take the night trains you wont have to pay for a hostel that night and is a great way to save time. just remember the earplugs - they are worth their weight in gold for sleeping on trains and some hostels.

ha! classic, night train is slang for speed

that sounds really cool too, did you go to any record stores or fairs etc?

Done it and will be doing it again later this summer.

i hit up many metal shops - not to purchase anything since i traveled with a single bag and had enough shit as it was - but to find out what bars to go to, if any local bands were playing or any interesting events, etc.

i did make a single cd purchase, but only because of how unusual the situation was. i was high atop a hill looking into the walled old city of tallinn when some long haired guy spotted me and walked up and asked if i was interested in any music. he had a box of cds and a portable cd player. told me i could listen to anything before i bought it. a lot of big name music mixed in with some bands i had never heard of. i listened to a few but nothing caught my attention, so i asked if he had anything from estonian bands. he handed me a disc, i put it on and it was quite good. skipped thru a few tracks and it continued to sound good so i told him i liked it and would buy it. he then tells me that he is in the band and plays guitar. i start to shine him on and he invites me to their rehearsal space. i called him on it and sure enough, he was in the singer/guitarist in the band. name of the band is metasoll, but i might be spelling it wrong.

now that is a cool story!

http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Metsat%C3%B6ll/3207

They're quite well known and quite good too.

Thats the band! Thanks for the correction on that. You are correct...they are amazing. Excuse any spelling as I am on my phone.

ha ha ha go estonia!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU6VBTGjYkk

cool photo

You guys should all read this page:
http://www.into-the-void.com

Take some hours to read through the pages of their journey and watch the beautiful pics that Annick is making. Lots of Metal, lots of food... something I hope to do one day too...