Concert Experiences

[sadie]

My favourites;

Tanya Donelly Bush Hall, London, July 2004
My first and only time I saw her so far, having missed out on the Belly/Throwing Muses era. It was magical. I got to meet her twice, and she's super-super-nice, and cutesy funny. This is definitely my favourite artist.

Alanis Morissette
I saw her 5 times now, in different places around Holland and Germany. I can't really recall which one was the best although obviously the first time I stood front row made the biggest impression on me. She's amazing.

PJ Harvey Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam, June 2004
I was not that familiar with all of her music when I saw her, but she left a huge impression. PJ rocks! She's sexy and enchanting in her own unique way. Definitely want to go see her again!

Metallica Rock Werchter, Belgium, 1999
My alltime favourite metalband. I saw them 2 more times after this... But this was my first and therefore most memorable. What can I say? They kick major ass!

Honourable mentions to Slayer (Ozzfest 2002), Coldplay & Live (2003), Soilwork (2004), The Gathering (2004).

And my wanna-see-list;
The Mars Volta, Tori Amos (missed her twice! Grr), Ani DiFranco, Tool, Anika Moa, Rilo Kiley, Little Birdy, Magic Dirt, Veruca Salt and many more

[FineyMcFine]

I like singer-songwriters and folk music. The music is great - I love guitar, percussion, the fiddle, and generally any and all instruments that are played in this genre. But I also love the lyrics - they most often tell stories, and I love stories.

The concertgoing experience is also so much better, in my opinion, than it is in a large stadium-style place. That's not a comment on the quality of music, just a comment on my personal preference. I like the up-closeness of being in a smaller venue and the opportunity to talk to the performer afterward.

This weekend I attended the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, which is my favorite folk festival of all time. People who played there included Dar Williams (I LOVE DAR), Susan Werner, Tracey Grammer, Ani Difranco (though we left before she played on Sunday night), Nerissa and Katryna Nields, Paul and Storm (formerly of DaVinci's notebook), Fruit, Vance Gilbert, Crooked Still, Eddie from Ohio, and many more. It was a 4-day camping extravaganza.

One of my favorite things about folk festivals is the workshops. These consist of 4 or 5 people/bands who play songs according to a theme and also comment about the theme (as in, 'The Songwriting Process' or 'Rolling in the Aisles' aka humor). Most often I go to a workshop to see a favorite artist but end up discovering someone else I might not have otherwise gone to see, so it's a great way to get me to try something new.

[BFR from Paris]

Very recently, Alice Cooper in Paris (Olympia) - July 11th!
I don't care much (or at all) for the "garage band" sound, which means you can't hear a damn thing, but it's still fun to see the guillotine!

I love his new album, "Dirty Diamonds" (it's already out in Europe ), sadly he only played two new songs, and the show was almost the same as two years ago, on the "Dragontown" tour... I hope he will take a break and come back with a new show next time! But the crowd was there, it was fun! Actually, Calico played Britney Spears last time, now she plays Paris Hilton (of course, Alice slaughters her chihuahua ), so the show does evolve

(that's me on the right )

[itusedtobefun]

PJ Harvey. One word. Hot.

[seurat]

Let me drag this old thread back up to the front in recognition of the fact that after a long winter of hardly going to any live concerts (with the exception of the triumphant homecoming gigs of Metric and Broken Social Scene) I finally made it out to see some new bands recently.

On the Saturday before last I was energetic enough to get out to see two shows in the same night. First was The Subways who played an early show and just tore the place up. A writer here described them as being like a teenage Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) forming a band to play music like The Vines, but much better. That's just about right. Massively enjoyable live, particularly if you can be near the front on Charlotte's (the bassist) side of the stage which allows you to fully enjoy the amount of energy she's expending as she leaps all over without ever mssing a note. Great energy, very good music and huge fun to watch. Catch them soon before they injure themselves and can't bounce around so much.

Later only a half hour walk away on Queen street I saw The Grates from Australia play a set, and they were actually even more fun than the Subways. Really playful, knocking balloons back and forth with the audience members - yeah, me included - and having a great time. They are a trio like The Subways, with two female members on vocals and drums. I really like their ep, The Ouch, The Touch.

Finally a few nights later I saw Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins do a beautiful mesmerizing show. Not as much fun as the others maybe, and a lot more obviously professional a show, but glorious sounding and certain to make you feel good for the rest of the night. Highly recommended.

[bytrsuite]

I've been to a few concerts. Had a good time at all of them. Love live music in general, such fun energy.

Ahem, several Amy Grant ones. (years and years ago, No, really.)

Keith Urban at some poorly run country music festival. Good thing it was free. He's cool though.

Melissa Ferrick. She rocked awesomely.

The Weepies. They were nice, very mellow.

Missy Higgins was adorable. She was very nice and had fun chatting to the audience. Kept having to switch from the piano to the guitar and back again. Good times.

And tomorrow I'm going to see Jill Sobule. So that should be fun.

[umgaynow]

OK, have to go way back for this...it has been a while I must say...

First show, I think was Warren Zevon when I was in college, it was an acoustic set and he was 2 hours late cuz he was drunk and wouldn't come out of his hotel room...not really bad apart from the waiting...when he did Werewolves of London it seemed like he might actually turn into one

Next I believe was The B-52s also college years...front row center...Halloween night...amazing...I couldn't hear properly for 2 days...it was great

Jimmy Buffet...won the tix on the radio...also in college years...didn't want to go cuz I had only ever heard Margaritaville...but we went and it was an outdoor concert at the ballpark at Old Orchard Beach and it was a blast...a wonderful summer night...like a big party really...have been a parrothead ever since

Shawn Colvin the first show she did after winning the Grammys for A Few Small Repairs...she was 7 months pregnant...just her with her guitar...one of the best shows I have ever been to...she really connected with the audience and was very funny, amiable and down to earth...and her opening act Anna Egge was almost as good as she was

Strangefolk and The Big Wu...massive hippie show...lots of white folks with dreadlocks, but a great time...danced all night in the aisles except for 2 songs...which is amazing seeing I have fibromyalgia among other things...was sooooo sore the next few days but it was totally worth it...and yes I was on drugs

Dar Williams with Catie Curtis opening...Catie was amazing, but only got to do like 6 songs...I told her how bummed I was that she couldn't do more, when she was signing my ticket and she said "yeah, so was I" in a rather pointed tone...as for Dar, who did 2 hours, I was disappointed, not because she performed poorly...she sounded great...but it was all so rehearsed and she had a real attitude...never thought of the concept of a hippie diva until I saw that show...then I saw her on Austin City Limits a week later and she was telling the same exact stories the same exact way not a word, or inflection changed...ugh...I like a performer who connects and forms an intimate bond with the audience, ya know?

RedHook Brewery Music Festival...I know Keller Williams was there and was amazing and funny and talented as usual...was an all day outdoor show...frankly I was too stoned to remember much else

Lillith Faire...M'shell N'degeocello, The Pretenders, Sheryl Crow, The Dixie Chicks, Sarah McLachlan (of course)...I think it would have been a much more positive experience if it hadn't been 98 degrees and so humid you had to drink water and eat salt and simple carbos all the time or you felt like hurling...learned my lesson...never go to PA in late August...and I thought NH was humid! Also I was with my ex whom I had split with just a month earlier (we bought the tickets long beforehand) and it was the first time we'd seen each other since the breakup...other friend I was with felt sick all day and another couple was fighting the whole time...it was not pleasant...M'Shell was amazing, Sarah was great, Sheryl was wonderful, came out in leather pants and a long sleeved shirt and was in leather pants and a bra by the end of her set...have to love that, a hot woman playing the accordian shirtless...at this point I hadn't really heard of the Dixie Chicks and I was like "Aw man, freakin' goat-ropers" but they were amazing (even did the whole set in long sleeves without dying) I have been a fan ever since

And saving the best for last... I went to see Ani Difranco on my birthday year before last...the most amazing live show I have ever seen...such energy in such a tiny package...and she is so beautiful in person and so engaging and funny and sexy and it was so cute that she had to stand on a box so everyone could see her...I was completely blown away the entire night...like I was in a musical pleasure trance or something...and my mind was wandering to all sorts of interesting places...ahem...all that power and passion in that little body...how can a girl help it...and she is so great with the audience...and that laugh...I reiterate...AMAZING

[FemaleOfTheSpecies]

I've seen quite a few live bands - too many to count really. My first was Genesis in 1986 - I've never been too fond of the new stuff but have always loved their early/middle years (anything pre-Invisble Touch really). I have to say they were incredible. Paul Young who was supposedly quite big at the time (over here anyway) was the support act and barely raised a ripple.

Perhaps the best time for me though was Summer 1990 - when the whole 'Madchester' scene was at it's peak. I saw just about everyone worth seeing that summer - kicking off with The Stone Roses at Spike Island. Although it has to be said I don't have too many memories of that particular concert. I know I went - I remember setting off, I vaguely remember coming home. I have no idea where I slept and I believe I had a good time!

Then I saw The Happy Mondays supported by Donovan - again, a bit of a blur.

The Inspiral Carpets came next - they were great but I spent the last bit of the concert in the first aid room. It was boiling hot - middle of July - and I had spent most of the day in the sun having a couple of drinks with friends. Not a wise thing to do - the concert was indoors, at the G-Mex in Manchester and it was so unbelievably hot, they were spraying water hoses at us to keep us cool. All was going swimmingly - I was having a merry little time right at the front, bopping away. But then I fainted. I suspect I would have been crushed were it not for some tall guy behind me who noticed that this wild little redhead had disappeared. I'm forever thankful to him because he scooped me up and literally held me over his head - according to friends, the crowd just parted to let us through and the band stopped while I was carried out. My escapade made the NME review (fame!) After half an hour recovering in first aid I got the train home, went to the chippy for a chicken and mushroom pie and promptly went clubbing. I was tough in those days.

The final concert of that summer was James at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. August 1990, a whole weekend of madness and probably the best concert I have ever been to in my life. The atmosphere was incredible, it was the first time Tim Booth had ever commanded an audience to 'Sit Down' and I vaguely recall that the floor was less than clean but no-one cared.

If I could relive one time in my life that would be it.

I've since seen James on four more separate occasions but they never were quite as good as Blackpool - not for me anyway.

Who else have I seen then - well a whole variety of local bands and some minority bands when I used to party away the weekends at The Boardwalk in Manchester - including The Stereophonics.

Most recently though I saw The Waterboys in Manchester - I've loved this band for so many years and to finally see them live was incredible. They are true musicians, spine-tinglingly good - especially when that fiddle comes out.

Rambling again, but the memories are good ones

[LesbianJedi87]

Ive never posted here before! Well my first concert experience was seeing Silverstein and Hawthorne Heights last October. My friend won tickets on the radio, so we drove the whole 2 in a half hour's to see them. I loved Hawthorne Heights. When they started playing "Ohio is for Lovers" I decided to shove my way to the front of the stage. We were already close but I just really loved that song. The band it's self was just AWESOME live. Im so glad I got to expierance it.

[dynigirl]

I haven't been to many concerts, my first was Hard Candy tour by Counting crows a few years back, then a general tour again by then the next year.

Alex Parks gig at a club, was good if not very squashed.

Last year I saw Tracy Chapman, it was good apart from the support acts. She even took requests.

Most recent was Teax about a month ago. Charlene Spitteri even came out in a white naval officers outfit at the end!!

HeHe to all of those who legged it before the encore

[bytrsuite]

Jill Sobule kicks ass. She's really funny and a good songwriter. Intimate settings are a blast.

[FineyMcFine]

A totally cool and awesome band from Australia, The Waifs, are going on tour for at least the month of August in the USA. I've seen them 3 times and they have rocked the house. They did the most kickass cover of "9 to 5" ever, prompting me to Netflix the movie, and their own songs are phenomenal. Including "Willow Tree," which although it wasn't written about Willow Rosenberg (haha) always makes me think of her.

Seriously, if you go see them and are disappointed, then I'll eat my hat.

http://www.thewaifs.com/tourdates.htm

[kisstheviolets]

sally, i just read your post about going to falcon ridge last summer. will you be going this year? this will be my sixth consecutive. its my favorite summer event. if you go we absolutely have to meet up (most people know my camp, "camp chichi", by the armless legless mannequin that sits out front... her name is chichi).

uhm... topic... recent concert experiences? i saw madonna last weekend. she tried to kill us all by forbidding the venue from puttng the a/c/ on. we were in the nosebleed section and the heat of a bajillion people was rising up to us. we ended up leaving before the show was over because we were all sick. there was no warning or anything.

this is why i don't dig on big venue stars or shows. i'll take a small-time singer/songwriter in a little bar or club any day.

[FineyMcFine]

ktv, of course I'm going to Falcon Ridge! I'll be pioneering the new Camp Dar at the new location of Dodds Farm, since they moved from Long Hill Farm due to the sale and all. We totally have to meet up!

I was there last year too, perhaps we crossed paths? I've been going since 1998, but I skipped a few years here and there (when Dar didn't play...)

[kisstheviolets]

yay! we definitely have to rendezvous. i've never been over to camp dar, but i know a lot of the crazies who organize the nields camp (also know as the "george fox pavillion"). my friends and i always camp on the small ridge on the right along the bus route. we've been next door to "happytown" (the dave carter/tracy grammer camp) every year for the last few (though not intentionally).... tracy comes up on saturday nights for their dave carter tribute song circle. its pretty cool. while i'm sad about leaving long hill farm this year, i'm trying to get myself excited for some new digs. let's talk as the date approaches!