Author Archive: Mike Vanek
MetalView: The 209 Scene 2000-2010
Metal View: The “209” Metal Scene 2000-2010By Mike Vanek Check out his blog Mike Vanek Sucks Hello friends and neighbors. It’s your old friend Mike Vanek and I still suck!! I’ve come out of hiding to talk about possibly the best ten years in the history of the Modesto area Metal scene 2000-2010. I could […]
MetalView – Mother’s Day Special
Metal View – By Mike Vanek 2016 Mothers Day Special May is rad month for me. I was born in May, my pool opens in May, we start bbq’ing in May. The weather starts getting good but most importantly to me, it means it’s Mother’s Day and this month is all about mom’s in our […]
MetalView – Two Voices Lost too soon
Metal View – By Mike Vanek Two Voices Lost Too Soon I had originally planned to write this 2 months ago to pay tribute to a friend of ours and then something horrible happened, we lost one of the singers from one of the biggest bands in town. This month we pay tribute to 2 […]
MetalView
Metal View – By Mike Vanek SAVE METAL IN MODESTO 2015 has been a interesting year in the metal scene… What started with great promise has dwindled down to the bleakest of futures. Modesto has shunned the metal scene. We only have 2 bars to play at which many people in the downtown community are […]
ModestoView Interview with Zetro of Exodus
ModestoView Metal Gets the Super Scoop Interview by Mike Mike Vanek, 209 Productions exclusive interview with Zetro of Exodus. Exodus, Cursed, & SINICLE Live at Strummers in Fresno 11/4/2015 Aaron Lewis of Lewis photography It’s been way to long and I mean way to long since I’ve reviewed a show!! When I heard my favorite […]
MetalView – X Fest Season
Metal View – By Mike Vanek It’s that time again folks… X Fest season!! And once again it features a metal stage. This year, like the past 2 years it will be hosted by the band Eroszion and the bands were hand picked by them. It includes bands from all over the area fully representing […]
MetalView – Metal Extravaganza
Metal View – By Mike Vanek I write this in a cheap motel in mountain View after the Rockstar Mayhem Festival which was an amazing experience all day!! I saw a lot of new bands including Jungle Rot & Sister Sin from Sweden!! Not to mention Thy art is murder & The mighty White Chapel!! […]
MetalView – The Yosemite Strip
Metal View by Mike Vanek The Yosemite Strip This month I would like to pay tribute to the heavy metal side of town, the Yosemite Strip. Gone are the days of going downtown for metal shows. Our metal scene was cast aside by the downtown venues, and left off their dance permits. Slowly but surely, […]
MetalView – Girl Power in our Scene
Metal View – Girl Power in Our Scene By Mike Vanek Females have taken our scene by storm as of late. They have come a long way in the 209 metal scene, that for years has been a boys club, and I’d like to tell you about a few. The past few months have seen […]
WrestlingView
Metal View – By Mike Vanek Wrestling View There is a long and rich heritage and history of Pro Wrestling in the city of Modesto. Roy Shires ran his “Big Time Wrestling” (A circuit of the NWA) through the “Uptown Arena” on the corner of 10th and G St throughout the late 60’s and the […]
MetalView – Death Metal in Ceres
Metal View – By Mike Vanek DEATH METAL IN CERES & THE LOCAL KID DONE GOOD… Greeting and salutations friends and neighbors!! I’m back to spread the word of 209 Area Heavy Metal. This month we have a couple topics that need to be discussed. First of all we need to take a trip to […]
MetalView – A New Metal Year
209Metal VIEW By Mike Vanek STARTING A NEW… A 209 METAL NEW YEAR!! Happy New Year head bangers!! I hope everyone had a great holiday season! So starting new is this year’s theme and there seems to be a lot of that going around! First we will start with my favorite sport, Independent Pro Wrestling. […]
MetalView – Past & Future
Metal View – By Mike Vanek Reflections of the past and future 20 years of 209 Heavy Metal and Rock Shows… Hi & Howdy friends and neighbors!! As you may know I was fortunate enough to win a MAMA Award for best live music promoter… Before I go on, I must congratulate Best Metal Band […]
MetalView – Recollecting 20 Years
Metal View – By Mike Vanek Reflections of the past and future 20 years of 209 Heavy Metal and Rock Shows… Hi & Howdy friends and neighbors!! As you may know I was fortunate enough to win a MAMA Award for best live music promoter… Before I go on, I must congratulate Best Metal Band […]
209Metal and MAMA Awards
209Metal View – 209 Metal and the MAMA Awards By Mike Vanek Hey there friends and neighbors, it’s MAMA Awards season and as a nominee its hard to describe what it feels like to have the honor of being nominated for such a thing. I have mixed feelings about this event but I will not […]
