| Avenged Win Over Crowd, System Snore, Ozzy Returns To Form At Ozzfest Launch
AUBURN, Washington - Some of the sun-crisped metalheads packed into the White River Amphitheatre for the first stop on this year's 11th annual Ozzfest were skeptical of "TRL" favorites Avenged Sevenfold being on the festival's main stage. But there they were on Thursday, and the naysayers weren't about to distract the band from the mission at hand: Trying to win the crowd over. So, Avenged, led by the diamond-grilled, Axl-Rose-imitating M. Shadows, pulled the proverbial rabbit out of the hat by covering -- and handily at that -- a tried-and-true metal classic: Pantera's "Walk." Shadows dedicated the tune to the memory of slain Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, and about three riffs in, the audience -- even the cynics -- were sold, pumping their fists and barking the song's stilted refrain: "Re! Spect! Walk!" And for the rest of the band's set, which ended with "Bat Country," Avenged owned them all.
Hughes & Kettner Ships Switchblade Combo Amps
Switchblade guitar amps were introduced at this year's Winter NAMM Show and combine real tube tone with the sound flexibility of fully programmable amps. The new combos complete the Switchblade line-up with a 1x12 50W and a 2x12 100W model. Like the Switchblade head, the combos provide 4 fully programmable tube channels, on-board digital multi- FX and include a MIDI-board for instant access to 128 user presets. The combos' four channels are optimized to cover a wide range of tones from California clean to British crunch and classic rock to contemporary American nu metal. The FX-section provides considerable effects power and features three independent blocks that all work simultaneously (delay, modulation and reverb). The amps' front panels offer classic tube amp look & feel - but are fully programmable for a total of 128 different tube tones at the touch of a button.
Guitar Center Introduces Guitarcenter.com Online Retail Store
Guitar Center (Nasdaq:GTRC) today announced the introduction of Guitarcenter.com as the centerpiece of the Companys online retail offering. For the first time, consumers can visit GuitarCenter.com to search, compare and buy direct from one of the largest selections of guitars, basses, amps, keyboards, drums, pro audio, DJ, lighting and accessories. The enhanced website broadens Guitar Centers online presence and builds upon its existing direct response business and eCommerce website, MusiciansFriend.com. The introduction of the GuitarCenter.com online store completes the first phase of the Companys plan to become a fully integrated retailer. The next phases of the Companys plan involve the addition of kiosks in Guitar Center stores to allow customers to search for products throughout the chain and on the website and eventually the integration of its Guitar Center stores and GuitarCenter.com to enable customers to complete purchases online and pick up or exchange merchandise at stores.
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