Dean stood before him with head bowed,
repeating over and over again,
"Yes... yes.... yes... man he's the end!
You see, if you go like him all the time you'll finally get it."
"Get what?"
"IT! IT!..."
- Jack Kerouac, "On the Road" (1957)
I've always loved that passage from "On the Road" when Jack and Neal (Sal & Dean) go to see a jazz concert and are swept up in "IT": the passion and ecstasy of live music...
"Get what?"
"IT! IT!..."
- Jack Kerouac, "On the Road" (1957)
I've always loved that passage from "On the Road" when Jack and Neal (Sal & Dean) go to see a jazz concert and are swept up in "IT": the passion and ecstasy of live music...
I was cleaning out a drawer recently and stumbled across a stack of old concert tickets. It made me think about some of the great live music I've seen over the years. Tried to decide what my top concerts would be... easier said than done. I posted some of the tickets from these shows above, some tickets have been lost to history.
TOP FIVE CONCERTS:
1.) PSYCHODELIC ZOMBIEZ, 1995(?), The Fox Theater, Boulder.
I don't have a ticket for this one, but it set the standard. The Zombiez, despite their rather scary name, are a groove/funk/rock band from Colorado with an amazing horn section: trombone, sax, trumpets, alto sax, more sax - the works - think Weapon of Choice meets Fishbone. They must have had 15 people on stage playing. I've never felt that kind of power coming off a stage before or since. It was almost something tangible - like a giant wave of music cresting over the audience and physically crashing down upon us. Beautiful and terrifying all at once. I danced and jived until I was a sweaty mess - I remember thinking at the time, "This is the "IT" Kerouac was talking about." Didn't make it home until late the next afternoon. I don't think the mushrooms played any part in it.
2.) THE CURE, 1996, McNichols Arena, Denver, "Wild Mood Swings" tour. Not one of my favorite albums - but the concert was amazing. Probably because they played almost all of "Disintegration." Set included a mesmerizing 30+ minute version of "Prayers for Rain" with the band lit from behind so they were all in silhouette. I remember being entranced. When the song finished I thought,
"Well, I guess I don't need to see any live shows anymore..."
3.) BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY, 1998, The Fenix, Seattle.
3.) BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY, 1998, The Fenix, Seattle.
The first date I ever had with my future-wife. I had met her just a week before. I had a ticket to the show and she didn't. I remember sliding the doorman a $20 and asking him to "look at the guest list again." He "found" her name and we were in. We danced and laughed and drank all night. A great start to a continuing romance.
You and Me & the Bottle Make 3 Tonight!
Here's the entire story: Chance Encounter
4.) THE AFGHAN WHIGS, 1999, The Showbox, Seattle.
Here's the entire story: Chance Encounter
4.) THE AFGHAN WHIGS, 1999, The Showbox, Seattle.
Playing for SubPop's 10th anniversary party. One of my favorite bands fronted by one of my favorite singer/musicians, Greg Dulli. An amazing performance in the old Showbox, before the refurbishment - one of the best live venues I've ever been in.
5.) GEORGE CLINTON & THE P-FUNK ALL-STARS, 1996, The Fenix, Seattle. What an introduction to Seattle. My best friend, who's house I had just moved into from Colorado the DAY BEFORE, had a ticket waiting for me when I arrived. We took the bus downtown and witnessed one truly ridiculously amazing whacky silly solid show. Seriously. Off the hook.
Honorable mentions:
THE ROLLING STONES,1994, Mile High Stadium, Denver. Simply because they are my favorite band. I would have loved to have seen them in their heyday with Brian Jones or Mick Taylor, but I'll take what I can get. A 20-minute version of "Miss You" didn't hurt either...
MAKTUB, 2003, Liquid Lounge at EMP, Seattle. Local Seattle neo-soul/funk/rock band. Played their asses off that night.
5.) GEORGE CLINTON & THE P-FUNK ALL-STARS, 1996, The Fenix, Seattle. What an introduction to Seattle. My best friend, who's house I had just moved into from Colorado the DAY BEFORE, had a ticket waiting for me when I arrived. We took the bus downtown and witnessed one truly ridiculously amazing whacky silly solid show. Seriously. Off the hook.
Honorable mentions:
THE ROLLING STONES,1994, Mile High Stadium, Denver. Simply because they are my favorite band. I would have loved to have seen them in their heyday with Brian Jones or Mick Taylor, but I'll take what I can get. A 20-minute version of "Miss You" didn't hurt either...
MAKTUB, 2003, Liquid Lounge at EMP, Seattle. Local Seattle neo-soul/funk/rock band. Played their asses off that night.
Turned it up to eleven.
MACEO PARKER, 1997(?), The Showbox, Seattle.
MACEO PARKER, 1997(?), The Showbox, Seattle.
Again, before the refurbishment. The guy had to be what 55 years old at the time? I was in my twenties (OK, late twenties) - and he wore me out. He blew the hell out of that horn for almost four straight hours. I was exhausted, delirious, and enraptured by the end of the show.
JAMES BROWN & MACEO PARKER, 2000, Key Arena, Seattle.
JAMES BROWN & MACEO PARKER, 2000, Key Arena, Seattle.
The Godfather of Soul along with maybe the greatest sax player of all time. Enough said. Period.
JANE'S ADDICTION, 1990, Mammoth Events Center, Denver.
JANE'S ADDICTION, 1990, Mammoth Events Center, Denver.
Just after the release of "Ritual de lo Habitual." Primus opened for them. It just doesn't get any better than Jane's.
THE THE, 2000, The Showbox, Seattle. One of my favorite bands from the 80s/90s hitting the concert scene again. Oh yeah.
THE THE, 2000, The Showbox, Seattle. One of my favorite bands from the 80s/90s hitting the concert scene again. Oh yeah.
"Mind Bomb" is still a favorite album.
THE TWILIGHT SINGERS, 2000, The Showbox, Seattle. Greg Dulli
THE TWILIGHT SINGERS, 2000, The Showbox, Seattle. Greg Dulli
(of Afghan Whigs) returns with his new band. Hits another home run.
JOHNETTE NAPOLITANO, 2007, The Triple Door, Seattle.
JOHNETTE NAPOLITANO, 2007, The Triple Door, Seattle.
My new favorite place to see a show. The ex-lead singer of Concrete Blonde (another of my fave bands) put on an intimate, acoustic/piano show that still haunts me.
IRON MAIDEN, 1983, McNichols Arena, Denver. My VERY FIRST concert. "Piece of Mind" tour. My mom drove me and a friend up from Fort Collins. Scrawny little eighth-grade kids headbanging in the upper deck, getting a contact high from all the pot-smoking going on around us, and loving it. Total Bevis & Butthead moment.
OZZY OSBOURNE, 1984, McNichols Arena, Denver.
IRON MAIDEN, 1983, McNichols Arena, Denver. My VERY FIRST concert. "Piece of Mind" tour. My mom drove me and a friend up from Fort Collins. Scrawny little eighth-grade kids headbanging in the upper deck, getting a contact high from all the pot-smoking going on around us, and loving it. Total Bevis & Butthead moment.
OZZY OSBOURNE, 1984, McNichols Arena, Denver.
My SECOND concert ever. My mom drove me and a friend up from Fort Collins. Again. Motley Crue opened. "Bark at the Moon" & "Shout at the Devil" two-fer. Can you say "Metal Rules!"
CONCRETE BLONDE, 1990, some shitty little club in downtown Denver. Excellent, dark, moody show. From the "Bloodletting" tour.
CONCRETE BLONDE, 1990, some shitty little club in downtown Denver. Excellent, dark, moody show. From the "Bloodletting" tour.
I love her.
ELVIN JONES, 2000, Paris Jazz Festival, Bois de Vincennes, Paris. Amazing jazz drummer who used to play with John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Charlie Parker. A legend. Glad I got to see him before he passed. And what better venue than the sprawling city park on the outskirts of Paris on a warm summer evening.
ANI DiFRANCO, 1998, Pier 62, Seattle waterfront.
ELVIN JONES, 2000, Paris Jazz Festival, Bois de Vincennes, Paris. Amazing jazz drummer who used to play with John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Charlie Parker. A legend. Glad I got to see him before he passed. And what better venue than the sprawling city park on the outskirts of Paris on a warm summer evening.
ANI DiFRANCO, 1998, Pier 62, Seattle waterfront.
Summer Nights At the Pier. Sun setting over Puget Sound. Concert set up out over the water on the pier. High-rises of downtown behind us. Stacie and I still in the courting phase.
MICHAEL FRANTI, 2003, The Showbox, Seattle.
MICHAEL FRANTI, 2003, The Showbox, Seattle.
"Everyone Deserves Music" tour. My calves were sore for weeks after this one - OD'd on jumping and dancing.
OK, that's about it. I'm probably forgetting a few that I truly loved, like Prince at the Paramount, Mazzy Star at the King Cat Theater, and Charlie Hunter at Jazz Alley, but oh well...
OK, that's about it. I'm probably forgetting a few that I truly loved, like Prince at the Paramount, Mazzy Star at the King Cat Theater, and Charlie Hunter at Jazz Alley, but oh well...
UPDATE, NOVEMBER 8: Thanks for all the great concert memories posted to the comments - sparked a few that I had forgotten about (which I knew would happen...) A few are important enough I wanted to list them:
P.J. HARVEY, 2007, The Showbox, Seattle.
One of my favorite singers - haunting, scary, brilliant.
Unforgettable show, that I promptly forgot!
REBIRTH BRASS BAND, 2005(?), The Tractor Tavern, Seattle.
Phenomenal live brass/second line/jazz/funk/party band from New Orleans. Another dance-a-thon. They are coming back to the Tractor this January. I'll be there...
B.B. KING, 2004, Jazz Alley, Seattle.
The king of the blues brought his Lucille up to the Pacific Northwest and lit it up. Pretty much brought the house to tears.
SOUNDGARDEN, 1991, some small club, Denver.
"Badmotorfinger" tour. Segued into a bit of Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold" right in the middle of one of their songs.
Chris Cornell has one of the best voices in rock.
SMASHING PUMPKINS/RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS/PEARL JAM, 1991, Denver Coliseum, Denver. No one knew who Pearl Jam was yet (except for us, since we worked in a record store), Jeremy hadn't been released as a single yet, and we went to the show with an enigmatic man we knew named Hugo. He claimed he knew the band, new the Chili Peppers, and could get us back stage. Yeah right, we thought. Well, we watch the concert - which was great, all three bands ON FIRE. Then Hugo leads us around behind the stage, security lets us all through, Eddie Vedder spies Hugo and gives him a shout and a big hug. We were speechless. We got to talk to everyone in the band, discussed Freddie Mercury's recent passing, and met Flea and Anthony from the Chili's as well. Surreal evening.
LOLLAPALOOZA (Pearl Jam/Soundgarden/Ministry/Lush/Jesus & Mary Chain/Ice Cube/Red Hot Chili Peppers), 1992, Fiddler's Green, Denver. Went down to my friend's house in Denver before the show for some illegal pre-partying. The entire concert was one big blur - but we had a blast. The fans during Ministry's set terrified me.
STEVE MILLER BAND, 1990, Red Rocks, outside of Denver.
Great, smooth show, highlighted by a half-hour version of
"I Want To Make The World Turn Around."
METALLICA/THE CULT, 1989, Red Rocks, outside of Denver.
Two great bands on one bill in an epic concert setting. I caught a drum stick from Matt Sorum of the Cult and a guitar pick from Kirk Hammett of Metallica during this show (we were fifth row.)
WARRIOR SOUL, 1990, Bangles Bar, Denver.
Another great show, just had to mention it.
So my question for you is this, what are YOUR TOP FIVE CONCERTS?
Leave your own list in the comments section below:
KJT - Seattle (2008)
Leave your own list in the comments section below:
KJT - Seattle (2008)
28 comments:
Talk about a trip down memory lane...
#1 has to be New Order at Red Rocks with PIL and the Sugarcubes opening for them in 1988 or 1989 or so. Epic rain, thunder, typical red Rocks experience. I remember the bass guitar being so loud during the Joy Division set I could see the water spraying off of the new shirt I was wearing.
#2 Oingo Boingo at Mammoth Events Center in 1988. Anytime the lead singer comes out and tells the crowd he's not going to start singing until they drain the kegs is a nice touch.
#3 The Cure at Fiddler's Green on the Disentegration tour. Front row seats, back stage passes and an absolutely gorgeous day turning into an epic night. Love and Rockets and Toad the Wet Sprocket added a lot of fun, not to mention the Pixies!
#4 Shooglenifty @ Bumbershoot around 2001-ish (??). Awesome "rock and reel" band from Scotland that just flat out jammed nonstop from the getgo.
#5 Brian Setzer at the Pier in Seattle in 1998. Fresh off the "Dirty Boogie" tour and i'll be damned if he didn't blow the lid off the Battery Street tunnel. Awesome guitar licks, a huge shout out to the Stray Cats and rockabilly in general, all done with his orchestra. Epic.
other fun concerts have to include Motley Crue in Denver for my 21st birthday -- yay for "legal" alcohol and Social Distortion in Seattle. Robyn Hitchcock and REM at Bumbershoot as well as the Cure again at The End's Deck the Hall Ball before they went sucktacular with their music for a while...
Nice! I got to see Toad the Wet Sprocket on the CSU campus once - great show!
I'd have liked to see O.Boingo in their prime!
Love the word "sucktacular" too!
Kt
any of the 7 or so Replacements shows, they were never "bad".... (hahahaha) Pixies in Miami, Tortise @ the Showbox, REM on Green tour, U2 opening night of Achtung(?) Baby tour (Miami, Pixies opened)... wow, I need to think about this more.... The Who, Stones (2x)
good, not GREAT.... Oh, Dylan at the Berkley Community Center was AMazing!, really. So many, thanks for getting me to remember this stuff, as, I dont really go out any more!
The Eel
db
Dylan, excellent.
I so wish I could have seen U2, especially around Joshua Tree time...
1. Schubert's Trout Quintet at St. Martin in the Fields church, London, England
2. Andre Watts playing the Rachmaninov 2nd Plano Concerto with the San Antonio symphony
3. Andre Watts playing the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto (in LA)
4. Slayer in London
5. Slayer at The White Rabbit in San Antonio
(but Sepultura and early Metallica also tres cool)
OK now someone has raised U2 then I'm re-thinking the list that I put on your facebook. It all depends on the criteria, so I've had to add an extra gig at the end in a separate category.
1. Clash - first concert for me, the last concert for them. Brixton Academy back when Brixton was known for riots. I was taken for a Christmas present by my brother who was at uni while I was a 14y/o schoolboy. Wild time, right down the front and I can still see it clearly with Uncle Joe ten feet away.
2. Crass (kind of) - the number one punk band for real English punks. A reunion gig with the old lead singer backed by most of Conflict but playing only the iconic Feeding of the 5000 album.
3. Subhumans - the band I used to follow all the time when i was 15-18 and saw again in Denver last year. Real punk spirit, fun non-macho dancing, apart from fighting the skins that is. Seeing the young punks in Denver reacting to them like I had so many years ago was incredible.
4. Pogues - Great fun gig with major political overtones. Only two years after the Brighton bomb when they played The Streets od Sorrow/Birmingham Six' the crowd split, the tricoleur flew and the hairs stood up on my neck. Bear in mind that the song was banned in the UK. But then there was Sally Maclenane and everyone was friends again!
5. Stiff Little Fingers - The band that introduced me to punk but who I never saw. Until they reformed and I took a colleague from work to see. The experience was made as much by the raw joy in the experience of my friend as finally seeing this amazing band. The sound of the opening of Alternative Ulster...wow.
Worst gig ever:
1. U2 - Wembley stadium, bloody awful. Only went to please a girlfriend. Disgusted by the celebration of consumerist and packaged pop, I thought that this was why I felt ill. Not wanting to seem like I was being churlish I retired under the stands where I started to feel more and more ill. When I went back to the stand it was obvious to 'the yank' (you called me a limey Kevin!) realised how ill I was and we left early. Spent the next few days wishing I would die quicker, with the g/f waking me up every 2hrs to give me more drugs and change my sopping T shirt. I lost a stone in weight and it took me 2/3 months to recover and over a year to regain the weight. U2 make me ill. I knew this before I saw them, I knew it better afterwards.
Let me preface this with an unnecessary autobiographical note: I've spent the bulk of my life not being overly fond of my live music experiences and have, thus, attended very few concerts. I don't like crowds much - especially screaming ones when I'm trying to get my money's worth out of something I came to hear - and tend to do things other than sit contemplatively while listening to music, such as read, drive, bike, eat, or work.
Further, a lot of my negative attitude towards live music has to do with my first couple of experiences which were so painfully impersonal as to put a damper not only in my interest in live music but even in the bands I saw!
I particularly dislike coliseum-like venues and will never go to a show of that type again - I'd rather be in a mall around Christmas. Luckily my music taste tends to restrict me to the kind of folks who can barely fill your hall closet, much less a concert hall.
My Top 5:
5. Jane's Addiction - Boulder-1989(? - Nothing's Shocking tour)
Both Jane's shows I saw (I was at the same show the author mentions) were amazing but the first one was in such a small, intimate venue and introduced me to the palpability of live music (unlike my first two concerts which had featured all the life of canned asparagus). An intense scene.
4. John Zorn's Masada - Fox Theatre, Boulder 1996
One of the most incredible displays of competent musicianship I have ever witnessed, rivaled only by my #1 show. John Zorn came off as an arrogant prick but the interplay between the players, particularly Joey Baron and Greg Cohen was something to see. Incredible - wish I'd been sober.
3. Mr. Bungle - Gators, Ft. Collins - 1991
An insane show. The audience consisted of around 20 people so the band played their balls off. All of them were in latex masks (well, Mike Patton was in a leather bondage mask) and, at half time, the reached up to remove their masks to reveal ... another mask underneath! You could see the sweat literally flowing in a steady stream out the chin of the drummer's mask. Maniacs.
2. Ruins - Seattle 2002(?)
This show was incredible. I can safely say this because, despite the fact that I spent the entirety of it reconnecting with the author of this blog, it left an immense impression on me. These guys are (were) one of the most amazing bass&drum duos out there ...
1. Sweeter Than the Day - Upstage, Port Townsend - 2005(?)
(essentially the acoustic version of Wayne Horvitz' Zony Mash)
Without a doubt my best ever concert experience. Not only was the band hot, hot, hot but I was in a small, comfortable, uncrowded venue that also serves as a restaurant, which means I was able to not only order beer but coffee and pie! I mighta liked those coliseum shows better had they served coffee and pie. Further, I witnessed half the show from ringside, the second half from directly above them, and chatted with Wayne directly after the show for a goodly period of time. No other experience has come close to this one. I want more just like it.
Here is the (admittedly pathetic) list of all the pro concerts I've ever attended:
Iron Maiden - McNichols Arena(?) Denver 1984
Pink Floyd - Mile High Stadium(?), Denver - 1988
Jane's Addiction - Boulder - 1989(? - Nothing's Shocking Tour)
Jane's Addiction (Primus opened - and fuggin' blew me away) - Mammoth Events Center, Denver 1990
Soundgarden - Denver - 1990?
Mr Bungle (Psychedelic Zombies opened) Gators, Ft. Collins - 1991
Primus (Psychedelic Zombies opened) - CSU, Ft. Collins 1992(?)
Melvins - Ogden, Denver 1996
Laurie Anderson - Chautauqua, Boulder - 1996
John Zorn's Masada - Fox Theatre, Boulder 1996
Melvins (a great show, really) - Stardust, Ft. Collins, 1997(?)
Tatsuya Yoshida - Seattle 2001?
Ruins - Seattle 2002?
Tom Waits - Paramount, Seattle 2004
Sweeter Than The Day - Upstage, Port Townsend - 2005?
Battles - Neumos, Seattle 2007
Zappa Plays Zappa - Paramount, Seattle 2007
Lara> you certainly have both extremes there! Well-rounded... I've not seen any on your list, except for your addendum of Metallica. Three times. Even caught a guitar pick from Kirk at their show at Red Rocks - 5th row!
Graham> The Clash? You bastard. That one I'd have killed for. Seen the Pogues - excellent fun. I'd bet it wasn't U2 that got you, but perhaps universal karma! Hah!
Corus> That Jane's show was epic, wasn't it? I was also at that CSU show w/ the Zombiez & Primus. And the Soundgarden show, if it was the one where they segued into a bit of Nugent's "Stranglehold" right in the middle of "Jesus Christ Pose." I don't remember much of the Battles show, alas, other than the good conversation... And I'll die if I don't get to see Mr. Waits before I die. If you know what I mean...
> And the Soundgarden show
Jah - we carpooled.
I barely remember the Jane's show we both attended. If you'll recall I helped kill a 12 pack of beer and a 750 of tequila on the way up. I stage dove three times at that show while wearing a black trench coat - surely one of the fashion crimes of the decade. The last time I got on stage, Jane's bass player helped me gently back into the crowd by way of putting his boot in the small of my back. Witnesses to this horror show, you or Jamus compared my performance to that of a drowned bat. I came down to earth the next day sans most of my earrings, wallet, and dignity.
Hotcha.
in no particular order cause i just can't:
*hudoo ghurus / psychfurs: paramount 87' maybe
*soundgarden : Showbox 91' maybe
*GBH : somewhere in Bremerton mid 80's {side note...it wasn't so much the music but the danger and excitement of such a wild show at such a young age. My parents thought I was spending the night at a friends house - i slept in his truck in a parking lot}
*Beck : key arena mid 90's?
*Janes Addiction : First ever lalapalooza - IN ENUMCLAW - my home town..I couldn't believe the music that i had been made fun of my whole life for listening to was coming to my home.
*Beastie Boys : Key Arena late 90's?
>KP! The Beastie's is another band I'm sorry I've never seen. The GBH story cracked me up.
thinking back.... I forgot about the 4 or so NIckCave and the Bad Seeds shows.... and Tom Waits, of course!
I saw Paul Westerburg in an instore a few years ago, amazing. The Crust Bros. at the Breakroom! I forget allot too..........
TheEel
Yeah, it's tough to remember all of them. Something or other sparks a memory... I realized I forgot P.J. HARVEY at the Showbox. Phenomenal.
Kt
AnonoMan: Which Waits tour did you see? I am surprised to admit that the show I saw (Real Gone tour) didn't make it into my top 5. After hearing that podcast of Glitter and Doom, I have to say, THAT show woulda made it in!
Re: keeping track
Even with the few shows I've seen, I find it hard to keep track of them. Keeping the ticket stubs is key.
I used to take all my ticket stubs and stick them in the back of the appropriate cd, if possible. Then I went through a cd purge - and left the stubs in! D'oh! Now I have the cd's (Mr. Bungle, Jane's, etc.) back but not the stubs =(
Of course, the only reason to remember such specifics is so you can pop-off all cool like about the shows you've seen at parties or on the internet - not that I'd ever do that ...
=D
Let's see, in no particular order...
Bruce Springsteen - Born in the USA Tour at Mile Hi (the old one) in 1984 for his 40th birthday. 76,000 fans and he played for 3 1/2 hours with everyone singing along.
Dizzy Gillespie at the Paramount Theatre- 1987. A trip down from CU-Boulder as a freshman. He was my trumpet hero in high school. Kush still gives me goosebumps when I listen. Dizzy is a genius.
Brooks & Dunn at Guitars & Cadillacs Bar in Kansas City 1991. Before they became stars. Went with Todd Giefer and his soon to be wife, Diane. I remember how much fun that was in a crowd of maybe 300 and my feeble attempt to two-step with some girl.
They Might Be Giants at the Sunshine Theatre, Albuquerque,NM 1997. Small theatre setting with the over-21 crowd behind a chain link fence, so we could drink! They were just as entertaining in person as their music. Some average local group opened for them. Still love the entire 'Flood' album.
Greatest concert regret... 1988-Getting U2 Joshua Tour tickets by sharing camping in line duties with some college friends while at CU. Then having to give them up to go back to Ft. Collins to watch the motel for my folks after their help flaked out on them. Man, did they rub it in post-concert.
Most emabarassing- Kansas at the Greeley Stampede Arena. I am still trying to forget that one! Sometime in the 90's. Everyone was waiting for the hits so they could leave. Nothing like folding chairs in a dirt arena!
Some of my top shows in no particular order....
#1 Rush (1996 - Dallas, 2001 - Charlotte, NC, 2004 & 2008 - Dallas)- Saw them for the first time in old Reunion Arena in 1996 on the Test for Echo Tour - epic show. Since then I've seen them on the Vapor Trails, 30th Anniversary, and Snakes and Arrows tours - all of which were killer. It's nice to go see them because it's just them with no opening act.
#2 Queensryche - a band I've always wanted to see and got the opportunity back in 2004 when they came through Dallas. They did Operation:Mindcrime in it's entirety with the stage show - killer.
#3 Depeche Mode/OMD, 1987 - McNichols Arena, Denver. Depeche Mode was awesome! Their stage show was killer and as loud as it was, I was amazed my girlfriend fell alseep DURING the show.
#4 Judas Priest/Megadeth/Testament - 1990, McNichols Arena, Denver. One of the loudest shows I've even been to, but Judas Priest rocked the house. Rob Halford entered the stage on a motorcycle from underneath Scott Travis' elevated drum kit! We got to meet the band after the show which was a bonus!
#5 Def Leppard (3 shows, 1990 (McNichols Arena), 1993 (Fiddler's Green), 2005 (Ft. Worth) - These guys put on a great show each time I've seen them - just good old rock.
I've seen many other shows, but these are the ones which stand out in my mind. I do recall a great show at Red Rocks back in 1989/1990 where Kiss/Slaughter/Poison rocked the starry night sky.
>Curt: Dizzy. Wow! That would have been one for the record books. I've got the "Bird & Dizz" album with him and Charlie Parker. A true genius, as you said.
That SUCKS about U2!
I would have liked to have seen the Boss...
>SFR: I saw the Operation:Mindcrime show in Denver - it was like an play or opera or something - pretty cool. The whole album all the way through, with visuals.
Rush: Neil Peart rocks.
I forgot another great show to add to my list. I got the opportunity to see Dream Theater with Fates Warning at Deep Ellum Live back in 1995. It was just after they released the Awake album and they put on one helluva show. Portnoy's 10 minute drum solo was not nothing short of genius. I also equally impressed with Fates Warning.
KJT: I was impressed with how good they sounded after all these years. I thought the stage show was cool - take or leave it, but it certainly added something unique to the show.
Best show I ever went to... Kenny Wayne Shepherd at the Uptown, which is (oddly) downtown Kansas City. it was the "10 day out" tour. Man...it f*&%$#@! rocked! Blues so good it made you wanna cry, or laugh..or both! They absolutely LOVE what they do and it shows. The passion that Kenny has playing that guitar...it's awesome to be a part of.
Of course any and all shows at Red Rocks are the shit. Something about that place...
Julie> Nothing better than the blues. I got to see B.B. King a number of years ago... about made me weep.
KJT, I too compiled a list of concerts attended. However, I didn't rank them. http://thebanditsaltercations.blogspot.
com/2007/06/concerts-attended.html
If you want a good laugh, check them out. I can't post them here because I clearly am not in the same league as you and your friends. By that I mean...I have been to a lot of country concerts and a lot of embarrassing concerts. So please, be kind when you read them. Cheers! ---The Bandit
>Bandit: two words for you: Richard Marx? C'mon now! We also saw The Police on this recent reunion tour and they were great...
I had a slight, ok major, obsession with him when I was a youngin. I knew it wasn't cool but I didn't care, I loved that schmalzty bastard anyway.
Top 5? Impossible. I thought this one over and then dug out my pile of stubs. Here’s a small batch of the best shows I’ve witnessed (no special order) – you were with me for how many of these?
•Pyschodelic Zombiez – Any show. 1991-1995. Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver CO
•Femi Kuti – April 2000 – Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach CA
•Maceo Parker & Fred Wesley – Sept 1995 – Fox Theatre, Boulder CO
•Parliament/Funkadelic – Sept 1994 – Fox Theatre, Boulder CO
•Afghan Whigs – May 1996 – Showbox, Seattle WA
•Mark Lanegan – Nov 1998 – Noe Valley Ministry, San Francisco CA
•AC/DC – Nov 1988 – McNichols Arena, Denver CO
•George Carlin – Aug 1994 – Bally’s Casino, Las Vegas NV
•Rollins Band – Aug 1999 – Slim’s, San Francisco CA
•John Zorn’s Electric Masada – Nov 2002 – On the Boards, Seattle WA
•Prince – April 2002 – Paramount, Seattle WA
•New Birth Brass Band – March 2002 & Sept 2003 – Donna’s Bar, New Orleans LA
•TV on the Radio – Oct 2004 – Metro, Chicago IL
•Queens of the Stone Age – June 2002 -- Graceland (Off Ramp) Seattle WA
•Jeff Buckley – May 1995 – Bluebird Theatre, Denver CO
•Mingus Big Band – June 2002 – Fez, New York City NY
•Tuatara – March 1998 – Crocodile Café, Seattle WA
•Blue Oyster Cult – Feb 1991 – Gothic Theatre, Denver CO
•Green Apple Quick Step – Any show. 1995-1998. Seattle WA
•Zuba – Any show. 1991-1995. Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver CO.
•Critters Buggin’ – Dec 1995 – OK Hotel, Seattle WA
•Metallica – Aug 1989 – Red Rocks, Morrison CO
•Zappa plays Zappa – Dec 2006 – Paramount, Seattle WA
Weirdest Show:
•Royal Trux – May 1998 – Loppen, Christiania (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Worst Show:
•Scorpions – July 1988 -- part of the Monsters of Rock. Mile High Stadium, Denver CO. Choreographed metal. Absolutely vile.
> John Zorn’s Electric Masada – Nov 2002 – On the Boards, Seattle WA
I hate you.
Let's see... I was with you for a lot of the Zombiez shows - including my all time #1... I think that Prince show... some of the Green Apple shows... a shite-load of the Zuba... Critters at the OK... Metallica - thanks for helping me not get my ass kicked... Scorpions... ah yes the Royal Trux show in Copenhagen - that was a most bizarre experience... remember the Ozzy show at Red Rocks in the pouring rain - everyone stripped down to skivvies for the ride home we were so soaked. And who could forget Barry flipping off the lead singer of Bullet Boys - his huge, 7-inch finger flying like a banner above the crowd, right in that clown's face!
I also have fond memories of seeing "The Trip," "Sketch Heavy," and "Larry's Mishap" playing at Avo's and Tony's in Fort Collins. Coffee & Beer, anyone...
What - no pie?!?
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