Rock Stop #5: Newbury Comics

A favorite amongst music enthusiasts is the record store Newbury Comics! Newbury Comics got its start as a comic book shop in Boston, right on Newbury Street. Gradually, the comics were relegated to a small area of the shop while the music section took over. Say it with me rock fans, “Whew!” The original location is still there and definitely worth a pit stop on your way through Boston. Aside from the original, there are 29 store locations, all located in New England, though most are in Massachusetts.

(Photo courtesy of celebrateboston.com)

Massachusetts also boasts the largest store in the chain on Route 1 in Norwood. This location is much more spacious and filled to the brim with, well, what seems like everything. Occasionally, bands perform acoustic sets and host meet-n-greets here (and at the Newbury Street location too). Steel Panther and Andrew W.K. are just two rock artists to have swung through!

You might be asking yourself, “What’s the big deal? A music store is a music store is a music store.” But…you’re wrong! :) Yes, Newbury Comics has a wide variety of various genres of new and used CDs like any other store but the company is big on supporting independent and local musicians, so you’re bound to find something new and intriguing! And they keep a nice supply of vinyl in for you turn-table devotees. Aside from the tunes themselves, you can score band merchandise in the form of clothing and posters and pick from the numerous music-related magazines, books, and DVDs.

Also, Newbury Comics is one-stop shopping for many quirky goods, from slogan shirts to unusual figurines to hilarious magnets, body jewelry and accessories, all kinds of books, and, yes, comics. If music isn’t your thing, then perhaps you’ll also want to peruse their large selection of movie and television show DVDs. Sports fan? They’ve got ya covered with an assortment of sports paraphernalia. There’s surely something for everyone here and, if not, at least you’ll have a laugh or two at some of the more out-there items. Hamburger phone, anyone?

(Steel Panther in-store appearance photos courtesy of our own You Ain't Blonde, via Mega Metal Photos !)

For a complete list of store locations, please visit the Newbury Comics website.

The original Newbury Comics is located at 332 Newbury Street, Boston, MA.

The largest Newbury Comics is located at 859 Boston/Providence Highway (Route 1), Norwood, MA.

Rock Stop #4 : Rock N Roll Hall of Fame and Museum- Cleveland, OH

You can't get much more rockin' than the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. The Arbz made the pilgrimage last fall (ROCKtober, to be precise) to the holy land of rock history and left with an even deeper appreciation and knowledge of rock (as if that was even possible!).

What To Check Out At The Hall!

The Hall of Fame & Museum is an amazing place. There are exhibits ranging from current, modern rock all the way to the roots of rock n roll music. My favorite part of the museum is the exhibit room divided into timelines of rock n roll - most notably, the 90's section on the Seattle music scene! (Unfortunately, the museum prohibits ALL types of photography, even cameras without flash, otherwise there would be TONS of photos to go along with this).

(photo courtesy of rockhall.com)

The grunge section features incredible, one of a kind pieces, including the claymation figures for Alice In Chains' "I Stay Away" video, featured below.

There is also an absolutely adorable school photo of Chris Cornell in addition to several Soundgarden posters and guitars. You'll also find lyrics to several Alice In Chains songs and Jerry Cantrell's softball jersey from Rock N Jock, in addition to Chris Cornell's boots. There are some other cool pieces from Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Tad and Mother Love Bone.

There is also a running presentation in one of the theatres acknowledging all inductees. The exit ramp (or entrance ramp since we went in that way!) is enclosed by a dark black wall with electronic signatures of every band member and inductee.

(photo courtesy of rockhall.com)

If you want to sit down and take a break, I recommend watching the feature. We snuck in at the last part to see the inductions of Van Halen, Metallica and AC/DC.

Some other highlights in the museum include:

- Display of pieces from the current year's inductees. We got to see some great Metallica pieces, including one of Kirk's guitars, a black tshirt and jeans ensemble from Jason, and a heartbreaking letter from a European fan to Cliff Burton's family following his death.
- Jimi Hendrix childhood artwork. Many of the pieces are on the backside of school papers and Hendrix's love of football is evident in his many football drawings.
- Jim Morrison exhibit. His report card (mostly A's and a few B's) along with birth certificate andother documents are showcased, including this school paper:

(photo courtesy of rockhall.com)

- Wardrobe section with outfits from Aerosmith, U2 and others.

There are seasonal and limited exhibits at the museum, so if you're looking for something specific I recommend checking the website to check run dates.

Why You Should Go (and what to do after you leave the Hall!)

Much like a baseball fan's trip to Cooperstown, all rock fans must visit the Hall of Fame at least once in their lifetime. However, plan your trip accordingly. While researching the Cleveland area, The Arbz did not find too much to do outside of their main journey. If you're planning on making this a day trip, then you're all set. You can spend at least 3 or 4 hours in the museum, reading and admiring all the artifacts on display. If you plan on making a multi-day trip to CLE, then be prepared (two day passes to the Hall are also available).

The time of year can be crucial to planning your trip. While The Arbz were not expecting amazing weather for an October weekend in Cleveland, we were also not expecting rain/snow and high winds with 40 degree temperatures. That put a bit of a damper on our adventures, especially without a car to get around. Luckily, we had planned our vacation around a concert at the Quicken Loans Arena in downtown - Metallica, baby!

I strongly suggest that if you don't find anything super exciting to do while you plan on being in Cleveland, definitely plan your trip around a concert. That's the ultimate rock vacation! There is an amusement park nearby and several seasonal attractions, but if you want to stay busy in the off seasons, definitely look for a concert. There is also a House of Blues on East 4th Street, which is a cool street closed off to traffic and filled with a variety of bars and clubs.

Unless you find a wide variety of options in the Cleveland area (or if you have a car and are planning to venture out of the area), The Rock Hall is a perfect weekend getaway. There are great hotel options on Expedia and Hotwire, where The Arbz got a great deal on the Crowne Plaza . I highly suggest the Crowne Plaza as well - the Hall is a 10 minute walk north and the Arena/House of Blues/East 4th street area is a 10 minute walk south. There's not too much around the hotel itself, but is still a great, centrally-located option and highly recommended!

The Arbz love food nearly as much as rock n roll. Some great places to try while in Cleveland include Vincenza's Pizza (amazing, cheesy thin crust pizza!) and Flannery's (just steps away from the arena).

If you're not getting a car and want to save on cab fare, take the RTA from Hopkins Airport into Tower City in downtown for about $2. From there you can catch a bus or cab to your hotel. Heading home, The Arbz decided to walk from the hotel to Tower City and the walk took less than 15 minutes and was manageable even with a duffel bag and backpack.

As with any vacation, it's only as great as you make it. Find the best time for you to go, and make the most of it. The Arbz were a bit under the weather during the vacation, but luckily our comfortable hotel room and great company made the trip a fun time.

Rock Essentials

Keep these facts in mind when planning your trip!
Adult admission: $22 (check out AAA for membership discounts)
Hours: 10a-5pm (best to get there early and take your time, or head over after an early lunch)
Check the official guide from the HOF to help plan your trip here!



The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is located at 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd, Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Rock Stop #3: Showcase Live, Foxboro, MA

On the opposite coast from the Rainbow and Feelgoods, there’s a small venue located in the heart of Patriots country – Showcase Live in Foxboro, MA. While a fairly new establishment, it has already endeared itself to many with its varied schedule of events, great location, food and drink menus, and enjoyable environment.

A wide range of genres perform at Showcase Live, so there is something to keep everyone happy. But, this is Within Rocking Distance dammit, so we’re here to share that Showcase has been the head banging host to some 80s metal acts recently. Recent rockers to swing through have been W.A.S.P., Adler’s Appetite, and the Triple Threat Tour, which joined the sleazy forces of Faster Pussycat, Tracii Guns’ version of L.A. Guns, and John Corabi. The venue lends itself to these kinds of rock bands well, due to its modest size and top-notch sound. So, to all you rockers, keep your watchful eye on their schedule!

Now that we’ve covered the most important aspect of Showcase, let’s move on to the second most…booze, naturally. (Metal and alcohol just go hand-in-hand, don’t they?) Showcase Live boasts a decent bar, with a tasty menu of signature drinks and top-notch liquors, as well as beer and wine choices. Though a bit pricy, you get what you pay for. In that vein, Showcase offers a dinner menu to those who score a table, though I can’t comment on the grub – too much rock happening to waste time eating. However, it is yet another option for show-goers and is what helps set this venue apart from many others. Additionally, if being seated is your thing, you can call ahead (or log onto Ticketmaster) and reserve a large VIP booth for a party of 4.

Other perks of Showcase Live include free (!) parking, located next to Patriot Place [translation: shopping, more restaurants & bars, blah blah blah], private event bookings, and, oh, how could I forget to mention...most of the bands we’ve seen come through here host a meet-n-greet after the show in the lobby. Yeah, how about that?!

Showcase Live is located at 23 Patriot Place, Foxborough, MA 02035.

Rock Stop #2: Feelgoods Rock Bar & Grill - Las Vegas, NV

Rockstars + bars = good times!


Located about 20 minutes west of the Las Vegas Strip, Feelgoods Rock Bar & Grill is the creation of Motley Crue singer Vince Neil and Custom Chopper Builder, The Count of Count's Kustoms. Most people don't really stray from the Strip or downtown on their Vegas vacations, but this venture is worth it. Unlike The Rainbow, which has been around since the 70's and is seeping with rock history, Feelgoods is essentially brand new. Opened in 2009, the bar offers a full menu, full bar and live entertainment 4 nights a week, including Bike Night on Wednesdays, local bands on Thursday and the occasional national act on weekends.

Feelgoods has ample free parking in their lot (score!), but if you're planning on indulging, take a cab (tip: You can't hail a cab from the street in Vegas; you must call a cab company ahead of time, so be prepared with a list of numbers). The bar layout is pretty cool; the bar part is a bit secluded from the main area/music hall with windows giving a peek out to the stage so you can still see a bit if you're sitting at one of the high top tables in the bar area. The Arbz sat at the same table on each of our trips and had a great view of people watching and the giant TV over the bar that played nonstop rock and metal videos from the 80s, 90s and now.

One of The Arbz's favorite things about Feelgoods is the specialty drink menu. Not only do they have clever, Motley Crue related names, they are delicious.

I enjoyed the Sunset Strip and the Kickstart - absolutely delicious and about half the price of a drink on the Strip. They were sweet, but not too sweet and went great with the cheese pizza we got (yes, we always seem to get pizza).The Sunset Strip (pictured below) combines Absolut Mango, mango puree, a splash of 7-Up and sweet and sour, served over ice. Yes, delicious! The Kickstart is a tasty concoction with Absolut, Peach Schnapps, Midori, Red Bull with a splash of OJ and grenadine served over ice. Also, delicious!

Unlike the Rainbow, Feelgoods is not constantly swarming with rockstars, although Vince does make an appearance at his place every so often. Lucky for the Arbz, we happened to be at Feelgoods for Bike Night with Vince and the Count (and it was our last night in Vegas!). Vince was sneaking off to the VIP area, but The Arbz are a force to be reckoned with! You can't stop us!

Whether you're looking for a low key night, or you're ready to rock out, Feelgoods is a necessary stop on your Vegas itinerary. Leave the Strip for a night, and head out onto West Sahara to rock out with all the pretentiousness and attitude of clubs and bars on the Strip.

Feelgoods Rock Bar & Grill is located at 6750 West Sahara, Las Vegas, NV 89146

Rock Stop #1: The Rainbow Bar & Grill - West Hollywood, CA

This is the place that has started it all. Well, not really, but it's smackdab in the middle of the Sunset Strip and sees its fair share of rockstars each and every night (and the frequent Ron Jeremy sightings...).

On The Arbz's first trip to Los Angeles, our host brought us directly to the Rainbow straight from LAX. It was all we had imagined and more. Granted we were too tired to have a beer, we had to settle for some Cokes and an amazing large cheese pizza. The pizza at the Rainbow is a must-have from their menu; I've honestly only had one other food item besides that.

The Rainbow is not about food though; the pizza is awesome, but people go to the Rainbow to see and be seen. B Real of Cypress Hill will be sitting in the outside patio area closest while Ron Jeremy tends to fall asleep at his indoor table (The Arbz have witnessed it!).

If you hate going to bars and clubs that play nothing but top 40 and rap, then you will breathe a sigh of relief at the Rainbow. It's all rock - Alice in Chains, Nine Inch Nails, Motorhead. No wonder Lemmy loves the place! The vibe downstairs and cool and low key - there are tables set up for just chilling, talking and drinking. The upstairs portion "Over the Rainbow" is more reserved for those rocking out or for private parties...or for season 1 of "Rock of Love".

If you hang out inside, the photos on a wall tell a story all their own. Pictures of rockstars at The Rainbow, hanging out, getting wasted and living the dream. All the booths are situated so you can see almost everyone in the room (see what I mean about being seen? It is LA after all...).This was the place where Anthony Kiedis hung out as a kid, while his dad partied with Keith Moon and Robert Plant.

(photo from rainbowbarandgrill.com)

There is usually a small cover charge to get in at night (probably $5), but in return you get Rainbow bucks! What's a Rainbow buck? Unlike a Schrute buck, a Rainbow buck is worth $5 towards any menu purchase. Our host had saved up about 6 Rainbow bucks to pay for our pizza that first night.

It's hard to describe how awesome The Rainbow is - some will say it's overrated, but it's the best place to hit on the Strip with great music and great drinks. It's the decadence of Los Angeles and 80's rock combined. Plus you never know who you will see. The Arbz saw Billy Zane at the bar. I wanted to quote Zoolander to his face.


You need to make The Rainbow part of your LA rock adventure. At nearly 40 years old, it is still the place to rock. Otherwise, your trip is pretty lame.

The Rainbow Bar and Grill is located on 9015 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood.