Posted on 06/28/2005 3:16:46 PM PDT by pissant
Many Freepers grew up in what they considered to be the golden age of Rock concerts. Of course, it may have had more to do with the fact that we were young and fanatical about the music in our youth. These days, ‘ol Pissant prefers the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Military Band music and Jazz, but I have some very fond memories of the craziness of my Rock concert yesteryears. I’m quite sure many of you have some concert stories that rival and surpass mine. So this thread is the place to share!
Following are 2 concert experiences that left a permanent scar on me! ;o)
You punk! You gotta be kidding about the 25 thing, right? Right?
Unfortunately, my first concert ever was the Beach Boys. That is probably what turned me into a bitter old shrew, all that happy drippy b.s.
I did see the B-52's around 89; they were cool. Saw They Might Be Giants, too. Very, very cool guys. Small venue, and I got to play with them.
Jane's Addiction around 90. They were awesome.
I can't even remember the last concert I went to. I really cannot tolerate all the people, with the drunk and shoving getting-in-my-space crowd.
I really am getting old.
2. My first Creed concert- incredible. Became an instant fan.
3. Blown away by Fleetwood Mac in the summer of 2004, particularly Lindsay Buckingham playing 'Big Love' all by himself.
4. Sarah McLachlan- best pure singer I've ever seen live. No one I've seen comes close.
5. My first Tina Turner concert. Need I say more? The woman is a living legend. And she got better with each concert after the first one.
6. REM- they sucked SO BAD I never bought another CD since. Plus, Michael Stipe had the nerve to preach politics and brought Patty Smith on stage to preach at us. What a jackass.
7. Sheryl Crow- only because I had front row center seats and was close enough to strum her guitar. This was, of course, before she got all stupid with the war in Iraq. I got great concert photos though. Also in that show was Train, and I got the a drum stick from the drummer, and the lead guitarist walked over and handed me his pick. YUMMY!
8. Chris Isaak- *sigh* Dreamy voice, great showman. Met him after the show and thanked him for supporting the troops.
For a 55-year-old, he put on a better show than any young pup I've seen as of late. That's the thing with the older performers and bands I've been seeing recently: Nugent, Kiss, Priest-- they don't have any of that nihilist, really don't care if I'm here thing. They love performing, they love their audiences and it really comes through.
Jethro Tull, 90 or 91 at the Summit in Houston, they drapped the place to half size, (about 8,000 peeps, instead of 15K) was a great show....
The BOC set in Fairfax this month.
The fair has absolutely no "no video" policy unless the band signs a contract prohibiting recording [which they had not] and I taped the whole thing.
The set was an hour long and I had just switched tapes when they came back for their encore [Hot Rails To Hell].
The show ended and -immediately- this little N.VA Nazi rushed up and demanded the tape from my camera *or* the camera *or* he'd call the cops.
I didn't know the fair policy for -sure- at the time and after much screaming and carrying on, I gave him the tape.
[yes, the tape with 4 minutes of the so-so encore, half of which was filmed with the vidcam strap hanging over the lens]
The people who were still there were gathered around freaking out at this draconian display of illegal serach and seizure but smiles broke out all around when I pulled the buckle on my studded belt out just a bit to reveal the *first* tape stashed conveniently therein...an hour of kick-ass BOC.
The fair people were all apologies and have concluded a temporary volunteer just wanted a copy for himself and misused his "authority" to get the only one available.
Somewhere, I hope he's enjoying his 4 minute long tape as much as I'm enjoying my hour long one....:)
[no...I *can't* stay outta trouble...why do you ask?]
My second fave was another BOC gig in Martinsburg WV at a little roadhouse in the early 90s.
I sat atop of a guitar amp onstage with the band for the whole show....:)
Another BOC show was at the Cap Center in Largo.
I sat up in the nosebleed section surrounded by a horde of US Marines.
When "Roadhouse Blues" started up, they went berserk.
What a wild memory...LOL!
[then there's the other Springsteen, Foghat, Edgar Winter, Jethro Tull, Procul Harum shows]
Anybody remember "Kix" from the 80s?
Local guys.
My friend and I used to see them at the long-gone Mountain View Inn and throw stuff at the stage.
They sucked....;))
I saw him at the Cap Center in '79.
By the time the show was finally over, *we* were exhausted.
His politics suck big time but he used to put on a show that was nothing short of awesome.
I remember seeing Oingo, Tom Tom Club, Public Image Ltd; all at the Boathouse.
I'm showing my age, but my two are being backstage for a Ray Parker, Jr. concert with the radio station I was working at hosting it in 1979; the summer before my senior year of high school.
The other one (and even bigger for me), was December '79 when the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville had it's grand opening, and I, still the boy wonder weekend disc jockey, showed up for a Donna Summer concert (and I was a HUGE-beyond-huge fan of hers) with a drop-dead-gorgeous date on my arm. I was in heaven. She and I didn't stay together much beyond that night (you never get to keep the really hot ones, especially in high school), but for that night, I was in heaven...
1) KISS, St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, 2003
2) Rush, Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa, 2004
3) Judas Priest, Ford Ampitheatre, Tampa, 2005
4) KISS, TECO Arena, Ft. Myers, 2000
5) KISS, Ice Palace, Tampa, 2000
6) Brian Setzer Orchestra, Jannis Landing, St. Pete, 1995
7) Rush, Ice Palace, Tampa, 1996
8) Rush, Ice Palace, Tampa, 2002
9) Peter Murphy, House of Blues, Orlando, 2005
10) Ted Nugent, House of Blues, Orlando, 2002
Oh, wait, you said best. Nevermind.
I totally forgot about Nuge at the House of Blues. Now that was a damn good show!!!
I figured Eric Burdon had sold 'em for drugs, himself.
Sad...
Stevie Ray Vaughn and Edgar Winter in Austin, Texas in 1981.
Minnie with leg warmers.
Why, you need some more fantasy material?
On the Counterparts Tour in St. Petersburg, I remember specifically them playing Xanadu & The Analog Kid. Your right about the rest, the brain is a little fuzzy after a decade. ;-) I saw the Roll The Bones tour in London, but I don't remember them playing Xanadu. I do remember Primus opening up for RUSH in London, they sucked. In St. Pete, Candlebox opened, they were pretty good. The Test For Echo stop in Tampa, nobody opened.
Although we have never met face to face...we have been in the same buildings many times together.
Right. But in your original post you said the tour you saw Xanadu on was in 96...you got it right in the 2nd post to me :)
true, unfortunatley I have no interest in rock. any idea how old mikeiniraq is?
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