QotD: Thanks for the Memories
What are the 10 most memorable music performances you've seen?
Submitted by Bill.
Ten? Are you kidding me? Here's 16 (in chronological order):
Billy Joel (8/12/90 - Riverfront Coliseum/Cincinnati, OH) - This was my first concert ever. I went with my parents, two sets of aunts and uncles, and my grandma. The highlight for me was when the audience took over the chorus during "Piano Man". It was beautiful and I knew then that I was hooked on live music.
Neil Young w/Booker T & the MGs, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden & Blues Traveler (8/18/93 - Exhibition Stadium/Toronto, ON) - This show featured the first and only riot I've ever witnessed. There was an audience of 53,000 and about 20,000 of them left their seats and poured onto the field as soon as Pearl Jam took the stage. The security guards were overwhelmed, so they took to clotheslining any random person they saw running onto the field. Once the guards got the fans on the ground, they beat them into submission with Maglites. It was awesome. Also awesome was the final song of the six hour concert: "Rockin' In The Free World" performed by Neil Young, Booker T & the MGs, and Pearl Jam.
The Grateful Dead (7/29/94 - Buckeye Lake/Hebron, OH) - The music wasn't anything special, but trying to get there was an unforgettable adventure.
Bob Woodruff (5/30/95 - The Borderline/London, England) - Bob Woodruff is a singer-songwriter who made two criminally overlooked albums in the mid-90s. His debut, Dreams & Saturday Nights, is my all-time favorite country album. Unfortunately, it only sold about 63 copies. I was going to school in London in the summer of 1995 and heard about Bob's upcoming concert at the Borderline. I headed down on the night of the show and proceeded to wander around Soho in the rain for about 45 minutes trying to find the venue. I had to buy an A-Z Guidebook (it's still stained with raindrops) to help me figure my way through the alleys and sidestreets. I eventually found the Borderline and was treated to one of the best nights of live music I've ever experienced. He played all but one song off Dreams & Saturday Nights and then added a few covers into the set like "Streets Of Baltimore" and "Ooh Las Vegas". Bob Woodruff and I drank beers together after the show, and then he disappeared into the night with a bevy of British cowgirls. I don't think he's been seen since.
Dave Matthews Band (6/26/95 - The Forum/London, England) - My musical world revolved around the Dave Matthews Band for much of the mid-90s, and this concert was the highlight of that era of my life. I couldn't have scripted a better scenario: I was having the time of my life in London. My favorite band was coming to town. I invited half my summer school class. Most of them came. I stood in the front row with the band just a few feet in front of me. It was absolutely magnificent.
Wilco (2/27/97 - Ripley's/Cincinnati, OH) - Suddenly the Dave Matthews Band didn't sound so good anymore.
Whiskeytown (8/22/97 - Double Door/Chicago, IL) - This was my first time at the Double Door and first time seeing Whiskeytown. I think it's safe to say that Caitlin Cary was the only sober person on the stage. Ryan Adams was a cocky, drunken asshole all night long. The sound-guy was crap and the band was plagued by technical problems from the beginning. It was a ramshackle performance, but the beauty of the songs shone through the drunkenness and rockstar posturing. Highlights included "Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight", "Too Drunk To Dream", and "Somebody Remembers The Rose". The show ended with Ryan playing solo acoustic versions of "Avenues" and the Smiths' "Girlfriend In A Coma" before bringing everybody back out for a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams". Fleetwood Mac is my all-time least favorite band, but even their song sounded good that night.
I saw Whiskeytown a couple months later at the same venue. By then, Ryan Adams had replaced just about everyone but Caitlin Cary, and it showed. The new version of Whiskeytown sucked. They carried on for awhile, but eventually they derailed for good. I'm glad I got to see them before they did.
Paul Weller (10/3/97 - The Vic/Chicago, IL) - This was an amazing show. I never thought I'd get to see Paul Weller live, but he came through Chicago--on one of his rare U.S. tours--while I was living there. The highlights of the night were acoustic versions of "All The Pictures On The Wall" and "You Do Something To Me" followed later by an electric version of "Mermaids" that morphed into "Sunflower". All those songs are personal favorites of mine and it was wonderful to hear them performed in person.
Jeff Tweedy w/Richmond Fontaine (11/18/97 - Lounge Ax/Chicago, IL) - This is my all-time favorite concert. I don't need to say anymore.
Sleater-Kinney w/the White Stripes (9/15/00 - Southgate House/Newport, KY) - This was back before the White Stripes were famous. It was back when everyone still thought Meg & Jack were related. I remember standing in the audience getting blown away by a band I'd never even heard of and thinking: sister & brother, my ass, those two are doin' it after the show.
Neko Case & Her Boyfriends (10/19/00 - Woody's Place/Columbus, OH) - I left work early and drove an hour and a half to see Neko Case & Her Boyfriends perform a free show in the OSU student union. It was my first time seeing her live and I was overwhelmed by the power of her voice. That woman can flat-out sing. At most shows I've been to, the audience waits until the end of a song to applaud; at this show, we were hooting and clapping during the songs. It was like an old-fashioned hoe-down. It was absolutely incredible. I've seen Neko many times since, but she's never been able to top the performance she put on that night at Woody's Place.
Elliott Smith (11/2/00 - Southgate House/Newport, KY) - Elliott Smith put on a great concert, but the entire night was ruined for me when I almost got into a fight with a member of his entourage after the show. I was literally shaking with rage as I left the Southgate House. I made it back to my car and cursed Elliott Smith and his minions as I drove home. It's seven years later and Elliott Smith is dead. I feel kind of bad about that. I don't curse people anymore.
Richard Buckner (2/22/01 - York Street Tavern/Newport, KY) - This was my first time seeing Richard Buckner. I've seen him a few times since, but this show was special because it's the only one where he sang "Reuben Pantier". If you ever want to see me cry like a baby, play me that song. The lyrics are from a poem from Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology and it just shreds me every time I hear it.
Willard Grant Conspiracy w/Jackie Leven (5/2/04 - The Queen's Hall/Edinburgh, Scotland) - This concert was the perfect ending to a day spent roaming the streets of Edinburgh. The Queen's Hall is an old, refurbished church, and it proved to be the ideal venue for the noir-ish sounds of the Willard Grant Conspiracy. Jackie Leven, who I'd never heard of until that night, was an amazing opening act. The best part, though, was that the bar at The Queen's Hall had Scrumpy Jack on tap. Yes, I got drunk in a church while listening to one of my favorite bands. I then proceeded to stumble home through unfamiliar streets while singing Blind Faith's "I Can't Find My Way Home". I didn't even get mugged.
Chris Isaak (8/29/05 - Ryman Auditorium/Nashville, TN) - Everyone in my family likes Chris Isaak. We eventually got tired of waiting for him to come to Cincinnati, so we all piled into the car and drove down to Nashville. The Ryman Auditorium is a beautiful venue with amazing acoustics. Chris Isaak has one of my favorite voices, and I consider myself lucky to have heard him sing at the Ryman. After the show, my brother and I went to the meet & greet and met the man himself.
The Who (12/11/06 - Schottenstein Center/Columbus, OH) - Roger Daltrey was sick. The Who had actually cut their previous concert short due to his throat problems. I wasn't even sure if this show was going to take place. The Who took the stage and Roger proceeded to struggle for most of the evening. His voice was rough and it sounded like it hurt him to sing. The show was coming to a close and the band was playing "Won't Get Fooled Again". There's a place at the end of the song where Roger usually screams. It's one of the quintessential rockstar wails, and I thought he'd certainly skip over it and just end the song. It would've been very easy to end the song without the wail (or not play the song at all). The lights went down. That familiar organ riff started up. The drums kicked in. The lights went up and Roger Daltrey let out his "YEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!! He held nothing back. That's rock 'n' roll right there.
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