Category: News

STARSET: IMMERSION TOUR

Science fiction-themed music heroes Starset have embarked on their biggest-ever concert swing. The Immersion: Part One Tour is hitting dozens of cities across the United States and Brutus accompanied the band for a number of dates.

One of the unique aspects of the tour is the band’s use of their new phone app. It allows fans to access an augmented reality world during the demonstration. Download it for free wherever you get your apps. We also recommend their graphic novel from Marvel Comics “The Prox Transmissions” as well as the accompanying book.

Other bands on the tour include Palisades, Grabbitz, and Year of the Locust.

Lou traveled with Starset for the demonstrations in Milwaukee WI, Rockford IL, and Fargo ND. He photographed each of the shows and did an in-depth interview with the band’s Dustin Bates. Brutus also gave out free stickers, pins, and guitar picks from he and Darla the Wonder Dog to “messengers” of the group. “What an amazing tour experience. I can’t thank Starset, their crew, and the other groups for making me feel so at home on the tour. Most of all, thanks to Ernie the Wicked Tour Pup…even though he peed on me.”

FACTOID: While Brutus is a lieutenant in the Starset Society, he is outranked by Darla the Wonder Dog who has attained the rank of Major. She was awarded the society’s prestigious Laika Medal for Canine Excellence in Planetary Endeavors in 2016.

ADVENTURES IN ROCK

The brave new year of 2018 is already a busy time for your friend and humble narrator.

Lou was in New York City early in January for a marathon four-hour interview session with the legendary Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac. The audio will be heard on upcoming SiriusXM project featuring Fleetwood Mac.

On February 3rd Brutus traveled to Evanston, IN for The Stage World Tour. While there he spoke with Zacky Vengeance of Avenged Sevenfold, Benjamin Burnley of Breaking Benjamin and Matt Tuck of Bullet for My Valentine.  FYI the guys in A&X confirmed a 2018 summer tour of the United States to LB.

From there it was down to Nashville, TN to spend the day interviewing Lynyrd Skynyrd for an upcoming project on SiriusXM.

Then February 15 Lou flies into Milwaukee WI for a three-gig trip with Starset. From there he’ll accompany them on the bus to shows in Rockford, IL and Fargo, ND.

Sadly, because of his Rock N Roll schedule, LB has had to withdraw as host of the Rock Radio Awards at the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas, NV.

Be sure to come out, say hello, and support live Rock!

FREE STUFF FROM LOU & DARLA

There is always free schwaggage you can get from Lou and Darla the Wonder Dog! It includes Cthloubru stickers, pins, guitar picks and autographed Scott Pilgrim-style postcards. Plus, there are a limited amount of the latest LB and Darla baseball cards from Topps.

Lou wrote on Facebook, “I have a paid merch site but I also like having people write in for free stuff. It makes me feel a kinship with the old time radio programs like in Woody Allen’s wonderful film “Radio Days.” Be sure to write in and get cool junk from Darla and I!”

Send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Brutus World Industries PO Box 361 Arnold MD 21012. The autographed postcards are 5×7 so send a big enough envelope if you want one of those. The more postage you put on your envelope, the more we can send back.

SLED RUNNER: 2017

Once again, the incredible Alan MacBain, illustrator to the stars, has created an image for LB’s Christmas card.

The card for this year is entitled “Sled Runner: 2017” and it’s based on the poster artwork for the sci-fi masterpiece “Blade Runner: 2049.” Brutus replaced Ryan Gosling in the image with a silver-eyed, replicant version of Darla the Wonder Dog standing in for the film’s Jared Leto. The great Harrison Ford is pressed into service as St. Nick. Amongst the background images are an origami reindeer and origami devil horn’s in a nod to the origami from the film

These will be sent out to LB’s friends and family with a handful of others going out to his followers on social media. You can see it and other holiday cards from the past in the ART section of the IMAGES area of this site. Just click here.

SONIC BOOM 2017

Sonic Boom has become one of the preeminent late-season festival concerts in the USA and LB returned to Southern Regional Airport in Janesville WI to cover it again this year.

The 2017 lineup included Rise Against, Stone Sour, Five Finger Death Punch, Mastodon, The Pretty Reckless, Halestorm, Gojira, Falling In Reverse, Thrice, All That Remains, Theory of A Deadman, Beartooth, Steel Panther, Of Mice & Men, Sleeping with Sirens, Starset, Nothing More, Radkey, Bleeker, Fozzy, Greta Van Fleet, Badflower, As Lions, Ded, Through Fire, Bobaflex, Wayland, Versus Me and Breech.

Lou was onstage as host, backstage interviewing artists and in the photo pit. Thanks to the crew at WJJO for bringing him in again this year for the shindig. Thanks also to legendary music photographer Harry Reese for capturing images of LB doing his thing.