I just saw Viagra Boys last night. Sebastian Murphy, the lead singer totally has a dad bod, which gives me hope that I could also front a Swedish post punk electronica band.
Finally! After years of trying to see the Russian Surf band Messer Chups live, I finally caught them at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach last night. It was a great show , but now I have the earworm from Hell burrowed deep into my brain.
Cheap Trick rescheduled! Will see them in a few weeks.
Trivia: I was at every show The Dead did at Sam Boyd’s Silver Bowl. The only other place they ever played in Vegas was the Aladin, years earlier.
Saw Gogol Bordello two weeks ago, had great fun absolutely exhausting myself in the mosh pit. Nearly lost a shoe and my glasses, somehow managed to recover both unharmed. Resolved to take my old glasses to future concerts.
Then Parkway Drive last Saturday, supported by The Amity Affliction (whom I didn’t know) and Thy Art Is Murder (whom I don’t particularly care for). Did bring the old glasses; managed to forget them in the car. The band said it was their largest headliner concert outside of Australia, and boy did they deliver a show, fire and rain and a bridge lowered and raised from the ceiling several times, enabling various musicians to play the crowd from above. Got to briefly support Winston McCall when he crowdsurfed over us, desperately trying to direct the crowd to return him to the stage.
Also, I got tickets to see System of a Down next year in July—an apparently sold-out show with 80,000 fans! Not sure how I feel about that, tbh. We’ll see, but young HMHW wouldn’t have been pleased if I hadn’t grasped the opportunity…
Also, learned that my memory isn’t what it used to be.
I saw El Vez last night for the first time since 1992. It was one of his acclaimed “Merry MeX-mas” shows. I’ve been a fan of Robert Lopez since the days of his punk band The Zeros c1980. He’s still one of the greatest showmen of my generation.
Interesting side note: I have tickets for Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys and Deke Dickerson and the Whippersnappers at the same venue (The Casbah, San Diego) this Friday. Turns out El Vez’s band The Centuries are also Deke’s Whippersnappers. Small world.
I’m happy to say I’m going to see Triumph on their reunion tour in the upcoming year. I never got to see them back in the day despite them being one of my favorite bands. I did see Rik Emmet several times more recently doing his acoustic show with Dave Dunlop. Met him once and got pictures.
I saw Hank Williams jr. In 1989. That was at the height of his career.
He ended the show by going around the stage playing various instruments. Drums, bass, piano, banjo, mandolin, and others. He’s very talented.
I saw Triumph twice back in the day. They did put on a good show.
The one thing I remember about both concerts is that they did NOT play “Hold On” at either show. Don’t know why.
For many years, I played music with a guy who had seen Hank Williams (Sr.) in concert. Twice. My friend passed away last year at the age of 95.
So many,
Blue Öyster Cult and Black Sabbath (in that order - they alternated) with Ronnie James Dio on vocals for Sabbath. My First Concert. Both bands had elaborate setups, yet Sabbath often complained that BOC took a long time to set up their Godzilla and other things. Ended at 1 AM, both my friend got in a bit of trouble, even though my older brother was there too.
The (Bob) Dylan and (Grateful) Dead shows I saw - three of them. As good as I’ve seen Dylan play, and often as good as the Dead played.
Over a hundred Dead shows, in both Madison Square Garden and the Nassau Coliseum, Virginia (Hampton Coliseum), Hershey Park (Pennsylvania), Foxborough (outside Boston), Boston Garden, Soldier Field (Chicago), Saratoga Springs (upstate New York). We’d often try to see a baseball game if applicable.
About 20 CSNs, generally at Jones Beach. Generally quite good.
Jimmy Buffett. Jones Beach.
Leon Russel at the Stephen Talkhouse, Amagansettt Long Island, circa 1990. I was in my very early 20’s on the standby line, and all these folks with me were talking Mad Dogs and Englishmen at MSG nearly 20 years before. He was great.
Hot Tuna, same little venue out East on Long Island. Had a front row table, so Jorma or Jack were playing right in front of us.
Lollapalooza (2nd in 1992)
Lush opened, then Pearl Jam with Eddie Vedder - as he did in those days - scaling the left speaker tower to finish “I’m still alive!” on the top, and I can’t recall the order of the rest of the lineup, which was Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ministry, Ice Cube, Soundgarden, and The Jesus and Mary Chain.
The “Crackdown Concert” at MSG on Halloween 1986, ended around 1 AM: The Allman Brothers Band, Babatunde Olatunji and his drums of Passion, Paul Butterfield, Mick Taylor, Felix Cavaliere,
Santana, Crosby, Stills & Nash (Crosby just released from Jail), Run-D.M.C, Rubén Blades. Every guitarist got a solo in a very long Jessica.
So many,
Blue Öyster Cult and Black Sabbath (in that order - they alternated) with Ronnie James Dio on vocals for Sabbath. My First Concert. Both bands had elaborate setups, yet Sabbath often complained that BOC took a long time to set up their Godzilla and other things. Ended at 1 AM, both my friend got in a bit of trouble, even though my older brother was there too.
The (Bob) Dylan and (Grateful) Dead shows I saw - three of them. As good as I’ve seen Dylan play, and often as good as the Dead played.
Over a hundred Dead shows, in both Madison Square Garden and the Nassau Coliseum, Virginia (Hampton Coliseum), Hershey Park (Pennsylvania), Foxborough (outside Boston), Boston Garden, Soldier Field (Chicago), Saratoga Springs (upstate New York). We’d often try to see a baseball game if applicable.
About 20 CSNs, generally at Jones Beach. Generally quite good.
Jimmy Buffett. Jones Beach.
Leon Russel at the Stephen Talkhouse, Amagansettt Long Island, circa 1990. I was in my very early 20’s on the standby line, and all these folks with me were talking Mad Dogs and Englishmen at MSG nearly 20 years before. He was great.
Hot Tuna, same little venue out East on Long Island. Had a front row table, so Jorma or Jack were playing right in front of us.
Lollapalooza (2nd in 1992)
Lush opened, then Pearl Jam with Eddie Vedder - as he did in those days - scaling the left speaker tower to finish “I’m still alive!” on the top, and I can’t recall the order of the rest of the lineup, which was Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ministry, Ice Cube, Soundgarden, and The Jesus and Mary Chain.
The “Crackdown Concert” at MSG on Halloween 1986, ended around 1 AM: The Allman Brothers Band, Babatunde Olatunji and his drums of Passion, Paul Butterfield, Mick Taylor, Felix Cavaliere,
Santana, Crosby, Stills & Nash (Crosby just released from Jail), Run-D.M.C, Rubén Blades. Every guitarist got a solo in a very long Jessica.
Another worth mentioning: Me and my brother were seeing Peter Gabriel at MSG in 1986. At first we walked past smashed doors and glass all over cops patting down everyone. Showed our tickets, and were told this was the adjacent “Felt Forum” (I believe Paramount Theater now) then went to MSG. I didn’t know till the train ride home that a lot of people has seen some band I’d never heard of: Metallica.