I’ve been to a billion concerts, so I’m having to make some tough decisions to limit it to five. Here goes:
5. Pearl Jam, Masonic Temple, Detroit, 1994. I won a special drawing (out of about 100,000 to 200,000 inquiries for tickets) to be one of only about 2,000 people at this show. The band’s second album had just came out, and they were at the top of their game. Played for like 3.5 hours, did three or four encores, until they were doing cover tunes. Fantastic time for the (not yet) wife and me, both huge fans of the band, particularly their first two albums.
4. REO Speedwagon, Castle Farms, Charlevoix, Michigan, 1981. This was my second concert ever. I was only 14. REO was the top band around at the time, their “Hi Infidelity” album topped the charts. Loved the band, the album, all the songs on it and on their earlier albums. Singing at the top of my lungs to “Keep on Loving You,” “Take it on the Run” and “Time for Me to Fly.” Just a great summer night in my youth.
**3. AC/DC, Castle Farms, 1988.**One of the greatest hard-rock bands of all time, a band perfectly geared for a live show, finally came to my neck of the woods. About 20 of my friends and I rented a Ryder truck, put one friend’s $2,000 stereo system in the back, some couches and barbecue grills and made a day of it. We were the hit of the parking lot before and after the show. I got rip-roaring drunk, the band played all the great old songs you’d want to hear, Angus Young did his thing. What an excellent time.
My very best friend died two-and-a-half years ago in a car accident at the age of 29. When I think back on our days together, this concert stands out as one of my fondest memories.
2.Pink Floyd, Pontiac Silverdome, 1987. Another show with my late best friend, and another good buddy. Yeah, Roger Waters had left the band, but for four or five years, everybody thought the band was done. I was such a huge fan of their’s back then. When I heard that they were reforming, coming out with a new album and touring, I had to be there.
For any of you who’ve seen a concert in a domed stadium, you know the acoustics suck. This was no exception. But the band and all of those amazing songs just transcended all of that.
“Time” off the Dark Side of the Moon album, with drummer Roger Mason’s sticks changing colors as he played during the beginning. “Wish You Were Here” with 60,000 singing along. “Comfortably Numb” with the incredible sight of tens of thousands of lighters in the air – the coolest thing I’ve seen in a concert to-date, with all of the expensive pyrotechnics and whatnot.
1. The Smashing Pumpkins, St. Andrew’s Hall, Detroit, 1999 My favorite band goes on a tour of tiny clubs, and the Missus and I score tickets! I kicked myself in the butt when I finally entered St. Andrew’s – all of the bands I like over the years that I’d heard were playing there but passed on. This place was incredibly small. Only room for like 500-600 people! (They crammed about 1,000 in for the Pumpkins show.)
As any Pumpkins fans probably know, the band typically likes to stick to their new albums in concert, and don’t dig too much into the old stuff. Well, it was like this show was totally for the fans. They opened with “I Am One” off Gish. They played “Soma,” which they never play live anymore. The energy in the place was unbelievable. I discovered, however, that in my early 30s I am now officially too old for 3 hours in a mosh pit.
Hope this didn’t bore everyone to tears. I get fired up when I talk about music, concerts, and how they affect people. I look forward to reading all of your posts too.
(Don’t feel you have to be as long-winded as me.)
