Guest Post – Nico Rosso
Sep
25
2013
Hey everyone – please welcome the fabulous Nico Rosso to the blog today! His upcoming release, HEAVY METAL HEART is the first in a brand new series, Demon Rock, will be out September 30!
Thanks so much for having me, Lauren! Whenever I’m lucky enough to have a chance to hang out with you, we usually end up talking about music, so this seems like a perfect place to share rock and roll experiences.

One of the best things about going to a rock concert is the anticipation. It’s live, unpredictable. Like the excitement before a first kiss with someone. What will it bring? Where will the night end? Usually, you’ve heard the music from the artist and can only guess what they’ll play. Or hope they do your favorite song.

I remember my first real rock concert in high school. It was The Pixies. I’d been to other shows, but I can’t quite count those because someone’s parents had dropped off my friends and me. This one was me and my buddy, in his car through the night, not knowing what would come next.

We arrived before the opening act and couldn’t believe how lucky we were to find spots right at the front of the stage. Honestly, I can’t recall who the first band was, but they were good and we bobbed our heads accordingly. With that energy flowing, the anticipation for the Pixies grew. And we were just a few feet from the stage. How cool would that to be that close to the band whose music helped me through all kinds of teenage angst?

Me and my buddy held our cherished spots at the front of the stage during the break between acts. More people filled in behind us. The excitement charged higher. I was really there about to feel the music. Live.

The Pixies took the stage. The crowd pushed hard to see them, filling any gaps between the people. We were part of the communal consciousness, ready to experience the rock and roll. Then the music started, grinding out post punk throughout the small venue.

The mosh pit erupted all around me and my friend.

It took most of the song just to slamdance our way to safety. No wonder it was so easy to get to the front of the stage before the show started. That area, we learned through bumps and bruises, was reserved for the hardcore.

And after that, we weren’t first-timers anymore and knew where to hang out for the best concert experience without getting kicked in the shins. But that didn’t mean we were so seasoned there was no excitement before that first note was hammered out through the stacked amps.

In HEAVY METAL HEART, book one of my new Demon Rock series, I wanted to capture that same anticipation before a concert, even though the heroine, Misty, has been to other Trevor Sand rock shows. But she’s never been to one in such a small venue as the surprise gig he throws in Hollywood.

She’ll be closer than ever to the man whose music always finds a way to connect to her deepest emotions. It doesn’t hurt that he’s drop dead hot as well. What she could never predict is that in this one night, she will make the bold choice to find him after the show, then get swept up into the world of near immortal demons who live by feeding off the energy of the audience. There is danger, and sex, and a mystery both she and Trevor must solve when he tells her she is his Muse.

At my first concert, I didn’t meet any demons (that I know of). But I did learn that rock and roll is an unpredictable force of nature. What were some of your first experiences at a concert? Let me know and one lucky reader will win a PDF copy of HEAVY METAL HEART. Good luck and rock on.

 

-Nico!
Nico can be found on:
Twitter: @Nico_Rosso https://twitter.com/Nico_Rosso
More info on HEAVY METAL HEART, including an excerpt and buy links are here:

11 comments to “Guest Post – Nico Rosso”

  1. Christine
    September 25th, 2013 at 6:49 am · Link

    Sounds like a great new series.



  2. Nancy H
    September 25th, 2013 at 6:54 am · Link

    This sounds amazing. I always enjoy reading new authors to me. Thanks Lauren for introducing me to someone new.



  3. bn100
    September 25th, 2013 at 12:43 pm · Link

    haven’t really been to any



  4. Robbie B
    September 25th, 2013 at 12:52 pm · Link

    I read the excerpt & now have it on pre-order. The book sounds fantastic and I loved the guest post to introduce us to something new.



  5. Alexandra
    September 25th, 2013 at 1:27 pm · Link

    The first concert I ever went to was Bryan Adams, sometime in the early 90s. It was AWESOME. He played for over two hours, left, and then he and his band came back in from the other side of the venue and played for another 40 minutes.

    He set an impossibly high standard for all other concerts I ever went to.

    Oh, and it took me about half a day until I started hearing right again, and about two days to get my voice back 😀



  6. Glittergirl
    September 25th, 2013 at 2:25 pm · Link

    The first music concert was’t rock but country…I went to see LITTLE BIG TOWN early in their climb to fame. It was at an old converted movie theatre that held all sorts of music and other venues. It was pretty small and I was thrilled to be there with my daughter. What I remember was how loud it was and wonderful to see the artists interacting with the crowd. By the way I’m a big fan of your wife’s Zoe Archer and I love the steampunk series you wrote together 🙂



  7. Nico Rosso
    September 25th, 2013 at 3:31 pm · Link

    Big thanks to Lauren for having me and thank you guys so much for coming by and leaving your comments! I hope you all dig the new series. The pre-order is appreciated, Robbie B!

    That Bryan Adams concert sounds fantastic, Alexandra. That’s definitely the way to kick things off for rock shows. And that venue for the Little Big Town show sounds really cool, Glittergirl.

    I know what you both mean by the high volume of the shows. Zoë and I went to a concert over the weekend and alternated shouting and saying “What?” on the ride home. Really glad you like her work, and the steampunk series, too, Glittergirl.



  8. Isis Nocturne
    September 25th, 2013 at 3:56 pm · Link

    I’ve been a bunch of concerts, but the one that most affected me was seeing my current favorite band, Ghost of the Robot, in San Diego during Comic-Con this year. I’d spent a few hours prior to the show as the band’s unofficial PA, and they rewarded me handsomely. This was an indoor venue, and very small, with maybe fifty fans there besides me, but there was seating right up to the stage, and one of the best spots in the house was reserved for me! I spent the show singing along to all the songs played and ended up with the set list. It was a top night. 😈



  9. Nico Rosso
    September 25th, 2013 at 5:52 pm · Link

    That sounds awesome, Isis. Everything from helping the band out, to the exclusive seat at an intimate venue. Must’ve been sweet.



  10. Isis Nocturne
    September 25th, 2013 at 8:15 pm · Link

    It was very sweet, indeed. 🙂 Plus, I’ve seen the lead singer (James Marsters) a few times since. I just adore that man. Such a sweetheart.



  11. Nico Rosso
    October 30th, 2013 at 10:27 am · Link

    And the winner is…Glittergirl! Congratulations! Drop me an e-mail at nico @ nicorosso (dot) com so we can work out the details.

    Big shout out to the incomparable Lauren Dane for letting me guest here. Thanks everyone for dropping by and leaving your comments. The second Demon Rock book is scheduled for March 2014, so keep the music cranked.