Iron Cross Band 8/11/2012 @ Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center

Went to see the Iron Cross Band (from Burma) at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (CSPAC) at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMDCP). Tickets were a bit expensive ($50 for the cheap seats!), but when else are you going to get to see a BURMESE rock band? Milla got a box seat (secret stories) gratis.  And at CSPAC, which I'm sure had no idea what they were in for, as I don't think I've EVER heard of a rock group performing there. Ever. I got a balcony seat.

So we get there and I notice a ton of Asian people in the parking lot and at CSPAC. We eventually count 4.5 white people there. Rest are Asian (mostly/all Burmese)- which was not surprising. From what I understand, this is like THE rock band of Burma. No students(unless they were Burmese?) (who'd get greatly reduced tickets as well).

I noticed 3 police officers and about 4 extra security guards, positioned like at a rock concert, near the stage. I was thinking, they have no idea what they're in for LOLz.

They came on around 6:45 and didn't stop until like 10:13 when they turned the lights on. They allegedly woulda played until 10:45, but there apparently was a lot of rowdiness and maybe even an arrest or 2. The band started with some instrumentals and then finally the *first* singer (and crowd) came out. They crowd was very enthusiastic and loud! The crowd sang along LOUDLY, jumped up and down frantically, danced, and took a TON of photos. During the guitar solo and some of the more popular ballads or rock songs, the crowd surged forward. more than once, a police officer came in to herd the crowd back to their seats. People were controlled rowdy- standing on the armrests on the seats, smuggling in drinks (no food or drinks in the theatre), jumpin between rows, etc.

Musically they sounded great, the acoustics and sound system at CSPAC were great. The musicianship was fabulous too- drums, guitar, and keys all got solos (no bass solo tho!). However, everything was in Burmese, so I understood nothing. I did, however, recognize 3 or 4 songs. Out of all things an Yngwie Malmsteen cover (Vengeance), a Gary Moore cover (Wild Frontier), Wipeout, and I'm pretty sure I heard Blue Suede Shoes and maybe an AC/DC ish song. Everything else was pretty much had no idea.

I was not sure what to expect besides it was a rock band from Burma and they were pretty famous. I tried to take some detailed notes as much as I could. The girl singer (D Lun), I thought, completely halted the momentum. At times, not knowing the songs and IMO too many ballads did make things kind of drag, but I had no idea how long they were supposed to be playing. Overall a fun time, woulda liked to have a cheaper ticket, and maybe have a better idea of the set time and songs. A lot of positive energy from the fans, and that really gave a good vibe throughout the whole place.


They played like 40 songs!

Photos:
http://metalcowboy.tumblr.com/post/29523604853/iron-cross-band-cspac-8-11-2012-i-iron-cross
http://metalcowboy.tumblr.com/post/29523775375/iron-cross-band-cspac-8-11-2012-ii-the-show-is
http://metalcowboy.tumblr.com/post/29523910520/iron-cross-band-cspac-8-11-2012-iii-more
http://metalcowboy.tumblr.com/post/29524015083/iron-cross-band-cspac-8-11-2012-iv-probably
http://metalcowboy.tumblr.com/post/29524094559/iron-cross-band-cspac-8-11-2012-v-the-finale

Touring website Photos:
http://www.queenbeeentertainment.com/queenbeeentertainment.com/wordpress/?gallery=maryland

Note I also found someone else's writeup
and their Yubtub videos too!

Setlist
singer Myo Gyi is singing first

• ? (rock song)
• Vengeance (Yngwie Malmsteen cover) (Complete with Yngwie Malmsteen guitar spin around himself!)
• ? (bass heavy funky jam)
• ? (ballad w/ arm waving)
• Keyboardist talks and Y Wine comes out
• ? (happy sounding song w/ horns)
• ? (country sounding song)
• Pengyoumen rang women ganbei (Epic/cheesy synth intro to acoustic to HUGE sing along and a guitar hootenanny at the end!)
• ? (another ballad with a sweet guitar intro)
• Ah Nge comes out
• ? (Heavy song sounds like a cross between Too High TO Fly and Its My Life)
• ? (Ballad)
• Wild Frontier (Gary Moore cover!)
• ? (familiar sounding ballad)
• Lay Phyu comes out (HUGE applause)
• ? (rock song that sounds kinda like the Theme from Friends with better guitar. Yngwie Guitar throw on this one too)
• ? (Big Ballad)
• ? (rocker, mid tempo with a lot of jumping)
• D Lun comes out
• ? (rock song, with a surf/retro vibe to it. The guy in front of me seriously started watusiing)
• ? (Ballad w/ video about the beach)
• ? (Ballad)
• ? (Piano intro to ballad- huge sing along)
• Wipeout and drum solo (can't escape this, even overseas )
• ? (Happy sounding song)
• ? (another ballad)
• ? (heavy sounding song...into a ballad with a good solo)
• 2nd singer out again
• ? (B52s or swing sounding song)
• ? (Ballad...keytar strapped on, with big sing along)
• Keytar solo to a keyboard solo
• First Singer out again
• ? ( ballad, huge applause and great sounding singing by the dude)
• ? (rocking song, people dancing in the aisles, sounds kinda AC/DC like)
• Nge singer out
• ? (starts out hard, slower tempo to mid tempo)
• ? (slow ballad)
• Guitar solo(w/ Flight of the Bumblebee and maybe Burmese anthem or something) (w/ behind the back playing and BACKWARDS [holding the bottom of the guitar!], and then a double guitar! and then playing 2 guitars at once!)
•  Famous singer back out
• ? (Harmonica song with huge reaction)
• ? (Slow ballad huge sing along, acoustic, other singers come out as it is going on)
• Blue Suede Shoes(?)
• ? (Rock song "just like that?")
• ? (Rock, everything jumping!!)
• ? (ballad, acoustic w/ famous singer)
• ?(another ballad w/ first singer)
• ?(slow ballad)