Sunday, June 24, 2012

Concert countdown



Wow, the blog is just dead this weekend! 
As filler, here’s my current list of top ten memorable concerts… and my memory isn’t that great, so picks and dates are approximate… and most memorable doesn’t always mean best. For me it’s a combo of the quality of the show itself, the “importance” of the artists, the crowd, the adventure quotient, etc.  Would love to see other people’s lists and/or hear about any memorable shows (I know some of this has been covered on the blog before but I just love talking live music with you guys).
#10 Neville Brothers/Grateful Dead, Oakland Coliseum 1987

Memorable because I flew to CA to see the New Years shows with some deadhead friends, and said “friends” switched out their tix for another night without being able to find or tell me (in the days before cell phones), and I found myself at the show with no place to sleep that night… everything worked out, but that was the night I learned there are some deadheads you can rely on and others you can’t.
#9 Spinal Tap unplugged, Wilbur Theater 2009
Hilarious and probably the closest I’ll get to seeing them play in their metal incarnation.
#8 U2, Gillette Stadium 2009

Great night of music with the Horrorthon east coast gang.  Remember that line for the GA ticketholders?  And the traffic?  And wasn’t it still all worth it?
#7 Robert Plant, B of A Pavilion 2008
Yes, he was playing with Alison Krauss, and no, not exactly my kind of music, but OMG, Robert Plant has “it” like no other vocalist I’ve ever seen.

#6  The Zombies,  Axis nightclub 2006
I’ve loved the Zombies since my teen years and since they broke up in the sixties always assumed I’d never see them; then they played a teeny, now-defunct Boston venue on my birthday.
#5 Stevie Wonder, B of A Pavilion 2007
Passionate and uninhibited performance, and as Eddie Murphy said, Stevie Wonder’s a musical genius.
#4 Clapton/Winwood, IZOD center NJ 2009
Met brother Seth to see this phenomenal show

#3 Paul McCartney, Boston Garden 2005
NOW I get it.
#2 Davy Knowles and Backdoor Slam, Higher Ground Burlington VT 2009
Absolutely electrifying young blues guitarist playing a postage stamp sized mellow venue
#1 Dandy Warhols, Club Beyond Philly 2005

Blew my mind, changed my life!

18 comments:

JPX said...

Excellent post. In no particular order these are my favorite shows;

The Cure (Wish tour, 1993)

This is my favorite band. I have seen The Cure many times but the Wish tour is a standout in my mind. It’s not only my favorite album but I recall it being the best Cure show I’ve ever seen. This was their most popular album and it was my favorite lineup.

Paul McCartney (Fenway, 2009)

AC got us amazing seats for this show and it was a perfect summer evening. It was simply astonishing to see McCartney live. I have heard Beatles songs my entire life but to see a live Beatle singing those famous songs was fantastic.

Pink Floyd (Division Bell tour, 1994)

Sadly Roger Waters was no longer in the band but that didn’t stop this from being a sensational show and one of the best performances I have ever seen. From the movies to flying pigs this was a scintillating performance for the senses.

KISS (Reunion tour, 1996)

I’ve seen KISS many times but the 1996 reunion was the first time I saw the original lineup in makeup. Say what you want about KISS but until you have seen them live you have not seen a rock concert.

Judas Priest (Turbo tour, 1986)

Turbo was a pretty weak Priest album but what was lacking on the album was made up for in concert. Like KISS, Judas Priest puts on an amazing spectacle live. From lasers to explosions and giant robots, Priest is a must-see performance.

Fleetwood Mac (2009)

There is nothing like seeing musicians at the top of their game and Fleetwood Mac delivered a perfect performance. Lindsay Buckingham was particularly amazing. I never appreciated what an amazing guitarist he is until I saw this show.

Roger Waters (Wall tour, 2010)

Similar to seeing McCartney it was amazing to see/hear this music that I have heard all my live performed live. Waters was at the top of his game and the show was a feast for the eyes (cliché, I know).

U2 (360 tour, 2009)

I’m not the biggest U2 fan but this performance was simply fantastic. To this day I have never seen a bigger stage show. The stage was a transforming spaceship – I can’t imagine anyone topping this show.

The Dandy Warhols (Earth to Dandy Warhols tour, 2008)

I’ve seen the Dandy Warhols at least 6 times but this was the best time I have ever seen them live.

I’m certain that I’m forgetting many shows but this is the list that comes to mind.

JPX said...

I would also add Motley Crue's 1985Theater of Pain tour, which was another show that delivered the (spectacle) goods. Tommy Lee performed his drum solo upside down and the boys never sounded so good.

Johnny Sweatpants said...

Fun read, thanks for sharing AC! I'm going to have to ponder a bit before posting my list...

AC said...

thanks for playing, jpx! but whatchoo mean tommy lee played upside down, how is that possible?

jsp, i can't wait to hear your thoughts!

JPX said...

Check it out, AC! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJD94O0Hw_I

Catfreeek said...

Great and quite impressive post AC, I apologize for my absenteeism, busy wedding/singing gig season. Still no excuse, I should be on here every day dammit!

Johnny Sweatpants said...

Ok, here goes…

15) Gotan Project (2010) – This was the first and only concert I’ve seen with my parents. The band was incredibly professional, inspired and the music is exquisite.

14) Nine Inch Nails (1999) The Fragile Tour.

13) Alice in Chains (1993, Lollapalooza)

12) Radiohead (2001)

11) Outside Lands Festival (2010, Golden Gate Park) Empire of the Sun put on one of the most dazzling stage shows I’ve ever seen. Also great was The Budos Band, Social Distortion and Al Green.

10) The White Stripes (2002)

9) Beck (1996) Although he went on to release several more worthy albums I would argue that Beck was at his creative peak during the Odelay tour.

8) Doves (2000) While I love Doves it was the opening act The Strokes (before they even landed a record deal) that stole the show and blew me away. I’ve been disappointed with them ever since but their set at The Paradise was unforgettable.

7) Smashing Pumpkins (1993) I loved the Pumpkins so much I drove to Pittsburgh, PA and Norfolk, VA to catch them live. To this day I don’t think there’s an album that I’ve listened to more than Siamese Dream. (The new Pumpkins album is shockingly good by the way!)

6) The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (1996) Lightning in a bottle.

5) Kiss (1996) It was like seeing superheroes that I never truly believed existed.

4) Benicassim Festival (2004) A 4 day concert on a beach in the Mediterranean featuring several of my favorite bands (I can’t pick just one!) – Primal Scream, Kraftwerk, Lou Reed, LCD Soundsystem, Air, Dandy Warhols, Spiritualized, Brian Wilson, Love with Arthur Lee, Scissor Sisters .

3) Dandy Warhols with Rick Bain and the Genius Position (2000) I saw them 6 times that year. I felt like a 12 year old girl meeting Justin Bieber when I first met Courtney and Peter.

2) Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991, Rocky Point Palladium with Pearl Jam & Smashing Pumpkins opening) My introduction to the mosh pit.

1) The Verve (1994, 2nd stage at Lollapalooza) I’ve seen The Verve 5 times over the years but for me nothing comes close to the magic of their half hour set in broad daylight.

Honorable mentions – Nirvana, The Cure, The Hives, The Arcade Fire, Mazzy Star, The Beta Band, Rage Against the Machine, Interpol, Bob Dylan, The Libertines, Morphine, Sigur Ros, Iggy Pop, Gorillaz.

AC said...

incredible, jpx! like, literally, crazy.

catfreeek, that's awesome your singing career is going so well!

hah jsp, i knew you'd have some great ones! i love how you casually throw in "when i first met courtney and peter."

Crystal Math said...

10)Linda Ronstadt (1989 and 2001)

9)Scott Weiland (2009) -- Excellent jam sessions, but the fact that he forgot lyrics and tried to act badass about it fizzled any enthusiasm I had towards the show.

8)Coachella (2006) -- Madonna and Daft Punk; Kanye West invited himself; and an 80-foot Karen O was projected on a gigantic stage. I also endured a 16-hour bus ride (both ways), heat exhaustion, dehydration, Matis Yahu and She Wants Revenge autographed my CDs.

7)Babyland (2008 and 2009) -- The electronic trash band (I kid you not; one dude is playing beats from a Macbook and the other is banging on steel drums and copper pipes) performed their last show at Gilman in Berkeley. The place was off the hook with violently-moshing punks aged 15-40 and I was working the door to watch the show for free.

6)The Drums (2007 or 2008) -- Two dudes on full drum sets facing each other and screaming distorted lyrics into microphones. The show was inside an Oakland friend's house with kids and dogs pacing about, and it was one of the most profound moments in my concert-going herstory.

5)"Weird Al" Yankovic (1999 and 2006)

4)The Wallflowers (2003 and 2005) -- First time in Santa Rosa for my birthday, the second time with a friend from middle school with an equal love for Jakob Dylan. The '05 show ended with a fireworks show off the SF bay and partying all night in Santa Cruz.

3)Meat Loaf (2001) -- Pure entertainment. Jim Steinman is the genius behind the lyrics and Mr. Loaf's got amazing vocals and stage presence to bring it to life.

2)mc chris (2010 and 2011) -- Both concerts were at Slim's in SF, both with great "nerdcore" opening acts like Math the Band and MC Lars. Although I haven't seen him perform my favorite SW bounty hunter tribute song, "Dengar's Dumptruck," he always puts on a hilarious show and has raised over a thousand dollars towards cancer research with his new single, "Tasty Face."

1)Stone Temple Pilots' reunion tour (2008) -- This show was the ONLY thing I talked about from the moment I bought the tickets until about a week after the concert happened. It was especially awesome because I lived only a few blocks from the Berkeley Greek Theatre, and the controversial Berkeley tree-sit was happening adjacent to the venue.

Johnny Sweatpants said...

Crystal - I love your list and and props for posting links! I can see how The Drums would be a good ol' time live. It must be noted that there is a popular hipster indie band with the same name that sounds nothing like them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeZbbx5SPTs It makes me wonder if the band you mentioned was forced to change their name.

I've had a weird relationship with STP over the years and regret not seeing them when I had the opportunity.

Also seeing mc chris with you was pretty memorable. That motherfucker knows how to work a nerdy Star Wars crowd like no other. I'll never forget the way he railed into/banished the entitled hot girl that pushed her way to the front of the crowd.

Catfreeek - enough with the apologies and post your goddamn list already! I know you've seen some amazing shows (Pink Floyd's The Wall in 1980 + countless Grateful Dead gigs for starters...)

JPX - I have only seen a handful of concerts with you but the Cure Wish gig in '92 was pretty damn special. I remember the song "High" vividly. The blue lights crashed like waves... Also seeing The Monkees with you at the Warwick Memorial Theatre was a joyous experience.

AND - that Motley Crue show in 1989 was nothing short of phenomenal.

AC - I'm insanely jealous that you saw the Spinal Tap acoustic gig. They played Folksmen songs (from The Mighty Wind) as well, correct?

*punches wall*

I have to retract Bob Dylan from my honorable mentions list because as much as his (good) music melts me like butter, the concert I attended in 1999 was... not great. It was more of a "check the legend off the list" sort of thing.

Johnny Sweatpants said...

"I just did bath salts, you're face is tasty!"

Johnny Sweatpants said...

This thread sparked memories of other fantastic shows I've seen with Horrorthonners and it has reminded me of why I love being alive:

50 Page McGee - the first Treasure Island Music Festival. We ran back and forth to play various Pacman games in the old school arcade and rode the ferris wheel before Thievery Corporation. Also that Clinic concert was sublime.

Octopunk - Seeing Paul Stanley solo at the Fillmore was HUGE DEAL for me. I know you're not a big Kiss fan but I'm endlessly thankful that you accompanied me, and that concert rocked me like nobody's business.

Handsome Stan - Phish Y2K in the everglades (ok, best not to talk about that one), The Verve, The Beta Band, Kiss, Blind Melon, Phil Lewis (the motorcycle accident (!), Beck, Lollapalooza...

I want to hear all of you recall your favorite rock concerts, ya bastards!

Jordan, DCD,

JPX said...

Johnny, I agree with your concert memories. That Cure show was fantastic and seeing the Monkees live (and slapping them "five" as they walked past us) is one of my favorite memories. I remember you screaming "Davy" right in his ear, it was hilarious.

Davy. Sniff.

AC said...

crystal math, great list, and "the drums" experience sounds epic!

yeah, jsp, they did play folksmen tunes as well as tap and plenty of comedy thrown in. and i felt the same way as you about seeing dylan.

50PageMcGee said...

okay, here's my 10 in no particular order...

black sabbath (1999) - the concert was actually sabbath after pantera, after system of a down. we missed system of a down, who were just about to get big. in hindsight, this doesn't bother me in the slightest. never did care much for them. but after two sets of the loudest bands i'd ever seen, i stepped into the forum parking lot in a daze and asked, "what's happening?" my friend jason got right up in my face and said, "you just got rocked, son."

brad mehldau (several times) - most thrilling and complex musician i've ever had the privilege to see live.

tom petty - my friend dave calls me one afternoon and asks, "do you want to go see presidents of the united states at the fillmore?" i think for a second and go, "yeah, sure. why not?" dave says, "good. because they're opening for tom petty and the heartbreakers." and i'm like, "fuck yeah!" great show. we stood about three people back from the stage. mike campbell's solo was goldfinger. but the best part was when john lee hooker came onstage for a few songs. he looked like one of these people with a guitar sticking out of him.

jon brion (seen countless times) - my absolute favorite musician. he basically improvs every performance so the show is different every time. he takes requests. he's hilarious and there's usually someone amazing in the audience who he's produced that comes up onstage to play with him (i've seen him play with fiona apple, brad mehldau, chris thiele, sean and sara watkins, crowded house, benmont tench, ricky lee jones). planning on seeing him on friday.

roger waters/the wall (2012) - maybe his last performance in los angeles? the show is everything you've heard. the man is just riveting onstage. dazzling light and effects display.

rolling stones (1998) - if you've ever been like, "eh" about the rolling stones, it's because you haven't seen them live. caught them at the oakland coliseum. pearl jam, the opener, played in rain slickers because it was kind of pouring all night. the stones step onstage and just like that the rain stops. keith looks to the sky and says wryly, "i knew we had a deal, roight?" it's insane how much energy the band continues to have. if the whole point of a concert is to watch performers believe in themselves then the world will never see a better live performer than mick jagger. oh, by the way, the very moment the band hit the last note of their last encore, the rain started again. frickin crazy.

medeski martin wood (2001) - i saw them a bunch of times in the early 2000s, often as featured musicians at other bands' concerts. i caught them at the warfield with octopunk. we sat way in the back. didn't stop me from going into groove-trance.

massive attack (2006) - also with octo, as well as our friend heather (who was at one point listed as a thonner, but i can't remember her handle). another show where it didn't matter that we were sitting way up on the back lawn (it was at the greek, so it's not like it was that far away). dazzling lights and deep grooves.

sufjan stevens (2006) - zellerbach hall in berkeley. i was on a huge sufjan kick at the time, so i was pretty much destined to love the show. they all came out with butterfly wings strapped to their back. basic rock band setup, but with a mixed choir, and a 16 piece string section. nice full sound, and a really friendly experience

treasure island music festival (2007) - went with JSP. i remember the arcade more than anything else, but thievery corporation, gotan project, chemical bros., clap your hands say yeah, were all solid. highlight of the weekend for me was probably MIA.

50PageMcGee said...

crystal, i remember the berkeley tree sit -- not sure where you stood on the issue, but i totally remember reading in the Daily Cal the quote by that guy RunningWolf about how building the stadium extension was "a hate crime; we call it Guantánamo Berkeley," and thinking, "shut. the. fuck. up."

Crystal Math said...

50P -- yeah, pretty much everyone feels that way about Runningwolf. I had a 3-hour intervention with that dude to try and convince him that hitting your partner is abuse, not a "love tap." Ugh.

JSP & 50P, I think your recollection of arcade fun necessitates another trip to the Alameda Pinball Museum...

AC said...

great lineup 50p. roger waters is amazing live, probably shoulda been on my list too.

the stones are definitely on my bucket list, especially after i read keith's memoir. wicked fun read.

and i remember you raving about mehldau... hope he hits boston one of these days!

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