hit us with the best Concert you have ever bee nto, the worst concert (or one yo uare most embarassed) to have attended, and the first concert you attended. FIRST: Alice Cooper w/ Billy Squier opening up - Joe Louis Arena - Detroit Michigan - c. 1981 Great concert, Coop rocked, Billy was riding high on the popularity of STROKE ME...good time had by all....My older sister took me and let me drin ka beer on the way there (6th grade) BEST: This is always the toughest one - is it the Dead at Apline Valley Summer of 1988, Ben Harper at The Warfield in 1998 ???? I have to go with Janes Addiction at the Avalon Ballroom in Chicago in 1989 (ish)...JA was at their peak (IMHO) and the music was so raw and energetic, such a nice change form the awful hair rock at the time.. Worst/Most Embarassing: Culture Club 1984 or 85....Went with then girlfriend and another firend of mine and his g-friend...needless to say, there wasnt a screwdriver to ram into my ears nearby BONUS CATEGORY - Concert you most wish you could travel back in time for? The Doors at the Whiskey
Best: The Pogues with Joe Strummer, 1993 in NYC Worst: Not "embarrassing." But I don't like stadium shows, so the Stones and Pink Floyd at Foxboro are among my least favorites. First: Rolling Stones, Foxboro, 1989
First: Greg Allman Man w/ Colin James Hay opening at Bumbershoot in Seattle. I think I was 13 years old. Allman was riding high on the success of his recent single "I'm No Angel." No, wait, he was actually riding high on heroin. It was an awful show in every regard possible. Total suck from start to finish. Best: The Replacements on their final tour, Paramount Theater, Seattle. They surprised the hell out of me--I had expected a boring, uninspired set, as the band (w/ a scab drummer) had all but broken up by that time. They played 2+ hours and stretched way back in their catalog. Honorable mentions: Nirvana's famous surprise show with Mudhoney, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA. Rocket from the Crypt, 3-B Tavern, Bellingham. Man . . . or Astro-Man w/ the Smugglers and the Galaxy Trio, Crocodile Cafe, Seattle. Gas Huffer w/Seaweed at some tiny little community center in Seattle. The show was fine, but it was more a great memory than anything else. Worst: I've seen plenty of awful shows, but the first to spring to mind was the Violent Femmes at Bumbershoot. Opening act Barenaked Ladies, who I had never heard of at that point, sucked for 45 minutes. The Femmes played an absolutely atrocious set, chock-full of god damn bass solos and guitar solos. It was unbearable. I should have left early.
The best and the most embarrassed concert I went to was the same -- Prince in Hong Kong. I went there because we rarely got oversea concert liked that. Besides, I grew up in the 1980s and I knew most of his music. Perhaps, it was the same reason why I also considered it the most embarrassed concernt I ever went to. What 16 years old guy admitted that they listened to Prince? I was into heavy metal in the 1980s!!!! Prince started the concert and went 2 hours without stopping. The concert was actually a medley!!!! The music never stopped for even a second until he wlaked off the stage. Then, I heard that Prince went straight to a local disco and played 2 straight hours for his private party. The worst.... The Cure in Providence or Worcester, MA around 1992 I really forgot. The band was high on something. They did not play a single song in the entire concert. Yes, they did not play a single song..... not even one!!!! They banged on their guitars and drums aimlessly. I cannot play music, but I would have done a better job. I did not recall anyone singing.... I really forgot.
I totally spaced that I saw Prince, The Time and Vanity 6 in 1982 at The Masonic Auditorium in Detroit...gr8 show...nothing to be embarassed about!
FWIW This has been asked before: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-4266.html The only new thing for me would be the spin on the travel back in time thing. It'd definitely be The Bothy Band's first show in Dublin 1974-75.
Best: Tough call. Lots at the top. But the John Lee Hooker tribute show at MSG back in 1990 was pretty spectactular. I just remember being constantly amazed the entire show as they dragged out more and more classic blues legends to play with John or one of his songs. Here's the write-up I found on the net: The Worst: The Hooters and The Outfield at Mennan Arena when I was in high school. The only reason I went was because half of my high school was going. It was the thing to do that night. But I didn't like either band and got jammed up against the speakers for a large part of the show by the excess capacity crowd in the tiny hockey arena. So, my ears were ringing for days afterwards. To suffer hearing loss at the hands of The Hooters and The Outfield is a temendous waste. First: Stevie Nicks and Joe Walsh at Brendan Byrne Arena around 1981. The daughter of one of my parents friends wanted to go so they asked me to accompany her. Being dropped off and picked up by our parents was as akward as the scene in Almost Famous presented it to be. However, overall, it was a fun night.
I wouldn't consider myself a big MoAM fan but they were amazing live. One of those bands that you drive long distances for even if you don't know any of their tunes. I believe the original line-up will be performaing together again for the Touch & Go 25th Anniversary show next month.
At that particular show, the first band (Galaxy Trio) were great. Then, the Smugglers absolutely blew the Galaxy Trio off the stage. Having never seen MoAM before, we had assumed that the Smugglers (whose record was bland as bland can be) would rule the roost that night. We were, of course, very wrong about that. I'm going to the T&G show on Saturday and will likely catch them. I can't stay for the whole day, so I need to determine whether I'll arrive early and catch the Ex or arrive late and catch Shellac/Big Black. Decisions, decisions.
Best - Beastie Boys in Dallas for Check Your Head tour. The album had just come out and hadn't exploded yet. It was a tiny club that had like a 600 capacity, but it felt like there was a 1000 in there. Hot, sweaty, sardine packed and totally, totally rocking. They started out with To All The Girls and then straight into Shake Your Rump and the place just exploded. The intensity never let up. When they played So Watcha Want, I honestly thought someone was gonna hurt, the crowd was jumping up and down so much. Bonus fact...Fu-Schickens opened, haha. Worst - No question here...the Verve in Houston for the Urban Hymns tour. This was the second tour, after BJ Cole replaced Nick McCabe and it was just brutal . Nothing but the slow songs on Urban Hymns, no rocking at all. Just a big Richard Ashcroft wank-fest. First - INXS, Guns N Roses, Iggy Pop, Smithereens and Ziggy Marley at Texas Stadium in 89. Barely remember it, I was in eighth grade or so.
If you go early, be sure to get there in time for The New Year (Bedhead's Matt & Bubba Kadane's new band). Here's my review of their recent Boston show and here's Footix's review of the same show. Here's a few songs: The New Year | The Age of Conceit The New Year | Carne Levare The New Year | Disease The New Year | Chinese Handcuffs The New Year | Gasoline
Best: Tough call, but i'd say Dash Rip Rock in 1991. Small club, excellent show, a good time was had by all. I think. First: Judas Priest, circa 1982. Worst: Had to "chaperone" my sister to a Huey Lewis & the News concert.
First: Madness, Kabuki Theater, SF, 1982? Best: Tom Waits, Wiltern Theatre, LA, 1987 -- crazy ass genius Clash/English Beat/Los Lobos, Civic Center, SF, 1983? -- life changing Chief Commander Ebeneezer Obey and His Band of Interreformers, Music Machine, West LA, 1986 -- seething, sweaty, rhythmic mass of joy Worst: De La Soul, The Palace, LA, 1989 -- awful sound, awful performance Cracker, Some joint in LA, 1996? -- assholes Nelly Furtado, House of Blues, LA 2002? -- indescribably stupid (I have to add that I was there for a work-related meeting, if you can believe it)