In reply to MadScientistMatt :
That's my understanding, record companies kept the lion's share of album sales so tours and merchandise we're the only way for artists to make money. Which is fine with me, I'd rather pay $20-50 to go to a show and give the artist a healthy cut than buy a $20 cd and the artist only get a dollar or less. Granted brick and mortar music stores have gone pretty much extinct, but even after our 40% employee discount the store still made more profit than the artist when I worked at Sam Goody. I know itunes doesn't pay artists E36 M3, I can't imagine many other places do.
My first without parents concert was Billy Ocean and Nu Shooz in Reno, man 1986 was a long time ago.
Don't really go to concerts that much. Odd, as someone who used to play for a living I have issues being in large crowds. Also, it seemed to mostly be the case that whenever anybody was in the area worth seeing, I was playing that night.
First real concert was a triple bill at Broome County Arena. Badlands, Great White and Tesla. Completely blew me away. Big lesson on showmanship and working the crowd.
Then saw Billy Squier after his career was dwindling (if you could call it that as he still rakes in millions as the most sampled artist for rappers). I originally went as his opening act was supposed to be Blue Murder. Was really looking forward as I was a big fan. Even made my band cover "Jelly Roll". But I didn't learn until that day they pulled out but was introduced to Kings X... Wow! Biggest sounding power trio I've ever heard and been a big fan since. Walked out on Billy Squire as the sound man was fornicating with the canine with too much high end gain. My ears were bleeding. Shame, he had Jimmy Crespo with him and I was also looking forward to that. Did get to meet dUg Pinnick and his seemingly two foot high Mohawk out in the lobby.
Went to see STP just to see Cheap Trick open (also Broome County).
Opened for Mark Farner from Grand Funk. That man is timeless. Energy of a teen and still has the voice.
Saw Slash Featuring Miles from side balcony level. So close I coulda high five'd guys on stage. Wow! Both Miles Kennedy (they call him Thor cause he has a THUNDAAAAH!) and Todd Kerns are incredible vocalists. Great showmanship even with Slash rockin' a little bit of a beer gut. Changed guitars every song. Pretty sure they weren't real Gibsons ; ) Looked neck thru from the back.
Opened for Jackyl. Great show. They've calmed down allot. Almost tea totalers. Stayed mostly in the tour bus and Jesse James is much quieter in person. Even had his son on tour.
Mr. Big... Missed first opportunity while deployed to Korea. Got called into the field because a Blackhawk crew failed to properly secure his 60 to the mount and lost it at around 5,000 feet. Second time bought tickets but band disbanded. Never turned in tickets.
But did finally get to see Billy Sheehan with Winery Dogs. CANNOT recommend them enough!
Today's music climate... the music you want is out there, but mainstream radio isn't going to hit you over the head with it. You have to go find it yourself.
Duke
MegaDork
8/14/18 12:17 p.m.
We've actually been on a real resurgence of seeing concerts in the last couple years, now that the kids are grown and we have more time to fill. Some recent experiences:
- Going to see Cake with Ben Folds opening (Mann Music Center in Philly) on Thursday night. Can't wait. It'll be our second time seeing Cake, first time for Ben Folds. I love Cake, and I like Ben Folds.
- Beck (Festival Pier in Philly) - this was our third time seeing him. Out of my top 10 favorite shows, probably 2 if not 3 of them are Beck. He's got a ton of varied material to draw from, he knows how to change it up live, his shows are always very well paced, and he always throws a few surprise covers into the mix.
- They Might Be Giants (Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA) - I think our 13th or 14th time? Interesting, tiny little club; we were like 10 feet from the band. They're always engaging and dynamic and entertaining. Tons of improv, which I love. They like to mess with each other on stage. We've been seeing TMBG any time they are within a 2-hour drive for the last, oh, 25 years, and we'll keep going until they quit touring. If I hit the Powerball I'm hiring them for the party.
- Franz Ferdinand (Fillmore Philly) - energetic and fun show, though they are starting to age a bit. Very tight, great sound, not much improv, though they let a kid on stage to play drums for 1 song and he berking nailed it.
- The Shins (Fillmore Philly) - this show was not disappointing, but not amazing either. They came on, played their songs well enough, did the obligatory encore. They were pretty late coming onstage and weren't exceptionally engaging, so maybe it was just an off night.
- Camper Van Beethoven / Cracker (World Cafe Live, Philly) - I'm a huge David Lowery fan, and since both bands center around him, they kind of do a Camper set, a Cracker set, and then a set with pretty everybody on stage. I love Johnny Hickman's guitar playing, and his original songs aren't bad either. But it's really about Lowery and his grumpy, offbeat redneck intellectual humor. This was a fantastic show and they clearly were enjoying themselves.
- Southern Culture On The Skids (Queen Theatre, Wilmington DE and World Cafe Live, Philly) - one of my all time favorite bands. Hillybilly surf that goes out of its way to not be serious, while still being excellent professional musicians. During "8 Piece Box", they throw fried chicken at the audience. They sometimes have a bald guy in a lab coat playing theremin. They mess around and have tons of fun playing. Since it's hillbilly surf every song basically revolves around Rick Millers flatpicking guitar solos, so he doesn't tend to improvise that freely, but it's never just autopilot. They don't come by our way that often, but any time they do, I'll see them.
Some older shows:
- The Fratellis (TLA, Philly) - Touring behind Costello Music, with The Airborne Toxic Event opening, before their first single even broke. The Fratellis were clearly having a ball playing, and would have played all night. But this was without doubt the most obnoxious general admission crowd I have ever been in, and frankly it kind of spoiled the show.
- Nine Inch Nails (Spectrum 2x, Camden waterfront 1x) - saw Trent + Co for the Downward Spiral, The Fragile, and whatever came after that tours. NIN always plays a loud, dynamic show, but clearly pretty regimented and not improvisational at all. A Perfect Circle opened the first show, pretty much right after their first album came out. Queens Of The Stone Age opened the second show, right after Songs For The Deaf - both were good, but QOTSA was better and at the height of their powers. Bauhaus opened the third show, but I kind of wished they had left Peter Murphy sleeping in his coffin and done it as a Love And Rockets set instead - I prefer them without Murphy.
alfadriver said:
The band we love to see is headed by a guy exactly my age, 51.
And they just came out with a new studio album this year.
We've been following them since about '94, and been regularly going to concerts since '98. Not every year, as our trips sometimes conflict with their tours.
The best thing about them is that they play all the old stuff to sound really good, but also with a lot of new in them. And they jam some new songs that end up in albums over time.
I'm pretty sure everyone here hates them, but that's fine with me- it's a great combination of rock, jazz, and a lot inbetween. Plus with enormous talent of players.
Dave Matthews Band? So much diversity in their music over the years. They also manage to bring some ridiculously good guests on stage, ie Tim Reynolds, Rashon Ross, Robert Randolph, etc. I didn't realize they released a new album this year.
I refuse to give NIN any money whatsoever after being arrested for working on one of their videos and spending over a week in L.A. County jail. Their people held the proof that would have had me released the same day but refused to release it. When Trent came to the studio a couple years ago I mentioned it to him and he just shrugged and walked away.
jamscal said:
I saw Marilyn Manson open for Nine Inch Nails in 1994.
In reply to Duke :
Love playing at the Chameleon.
Sounds like you're down around a couple friends of mine.
Matt who is with Goldenaire, Metroplex, Belgrade and used to be with Krhissy. We know each other thru Vintage BMX.
and Kristen from Kristen and the Noise. I used to play with her in a band called Tin Pan Alley.
MulletTruck said:
I refuse to give NIN any money whatsoever after being arrested for working on one of their videos and spending over a week in L.A. County jail. Their people held the proof that would have had me released the same day but refused to release it. When Trent came to the studio a couple years ago I mentioned it to him and he just shrugged and walked away.
jamscal said:
I saw Marilyn Manson open for Nine Inch Nails in 1994.
Yea, Trent's a Shiny Happy Person... Especially to Richard Patrick, but that didn't confront him none.
