Monday, May 12, 2008

Don't Say A Prayer for Me Now...

One of Katie's posts really got me thinking about the concerts I've attended over the years and all the really fun memories that go along with them. Then I remembered my memory isn't what it used to be! So I'm taking this opportunity to document the shows I can remember, in no particular order, and add notes when I'm feelin' it. The spelling will be poor no doubt.

This is not a complete list, I am certain. Form opinions as you wish. As I remember more and/or find ticket stubs I'll update my list for posterity:

Rick Springfield - my first concert ever. Starkville, Mississippi. My dad brought me and a friend. He stayed for the show cause he was a real music lover and I recall him saying it was one of the best shows he ever saw. Still have Rick's Working Class Dog album on vinyl.

Radiohead - @ DV8 in Salt Lake City for $0.96...yes 96 cents, but really $1 cause they didn't give change. Awesome, awesomeness.

Beck - @ DV8 in Salt Lake City. Not sure if it was one of the $0.96 shows, but either way the venue couldn't have been cooler. He was touring for his debut album.

Smashing Pumpkins - their touring for Siamese Dream totally rocked. I got to see them 3 times while they were on the road for it. Fairgrounds in Salt Lake City, Lolapalooza tour twice...once @ some arena in Las Vegas (hotter than a mother-F-er outside) and again in Mountain View outside SFO, CA, again another summer at the Tibetan Freedom Concert in Golden Gate Park, SFO and lastly not my favorite show of theirs and mostly because of the venue...@ the Delta Center in SLC.

Nirvana - in Ogden, UT @ the Golden Spike Arena. What can I say? An evening I'll remember forever. I was blown away.

Beastie Boys - again, Lolapalooza Las Vegas and SFO. Sabotage was AMAZING and I'm not all into that song, but they rocked it hard.

The Breeders - Ogden, UT and the Lolapalooza tour in Las Vegas and SFO. I swear that Lolapalooza tour was crazy ass good. I recommend they do a reunion tour the lot of 'em.

Morrissey - I missed out on the Smiths...just a little too young, but caught Morrissey in Chicago. He's a pompous ass, but I love him.

New Order & Echo and the Bunnymen - I keep thinking Depeche Mode was there and I keep seeing Dave Gahan wearing white pants. Anyway, can't remember the venue...in the Chicago burbs. It had been raining and flooding around our house for days before the concert. We were lucky to get to the concert with the water everywhere. In my memory this was a magical evening. I probably felt all heroic making it out of my neighborhood to go.

Duran Duran - I lived and breathe Duran Duran starting in probably 6th grade. Posters plastering my walls...literally. I finally got to see them in Chicago my senior year in high school. A friend of mine had read once, years before in Tiger Beat or some such mag, that they like to stay at the Ambassador East hotel in downtown Chicago. Her mom was a travel agent and booked us a room. It's true, they DO like the Ambassador East! OMG when the elevator opened and Simon Le Bon waltzed in I really almost shit my pants. He's not as cute as I had thought. But John Taylor really IS hot. It wasn't just my hormone numbed brain. And Nick Taylor really does wear a ton of makeup and has his hair all done up. Anyway, yeah...nothing like 'Save a Prayer' and 'The Reflex' live.

R.E.M. - @ UIC Pavillion in Chicago. Touring for Life's Rich Pagaent. Really, really cool.

Ministry - Lalopalooza in an outdoor arena in Wisconsin somewhere. I never, ever would have believed it would be so damn good. Really. They weren't the headliners, but they sure acted like it and I think just about everyone in that stadium was shocked by the awesomeness and loved every second of it.

Sinead O'Connor - @ the Metro in Chicago. She ain't foolin' around. I'd never before nor since witnessed such a thing. The place was packed and she was just belting it out with the entire crowed standing completely still and just staring at her. What we really needed were chairs to relax in. As I recall Nothing Compares 2 U was getting to be big at the time and it was great to see her in a relatively intimate setting.

Random Rundown -
The Sundays, Love & Rockets, Psychedelic Furs, The Cure, Duran Duran, Charlatans UK, Primal Scream, Liz Phair, Tori Amos, The The, Pearl Jam, The Revolting C*cks (this is a family oriented website:), The Jesus & Mary Chain, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bjork, Jane's Addiction, New Order, Echo & the Bunnymen, Depeche Mode, Fine Young Cannibals, Bob Seger, Zwan, U2, Tricky (almost intolerable), Shonen Knife, Weezer, Elastica, the Black Crows, L7, the Verve, Green Day
...to be continued.

I never saw The Grateful Dead, but I did hang in the parking lot at what I think was their last time at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Who I'd love to see, but haven't gotten to yet? The White Stripes and The Shins.

Who I'd love to see if they came to town, but I'm probably too cheap to buy tickets and/or am so clueless I'd never know they were here? The Dixie Chicks, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Prince.

Who I'd swear I've seen, but can't muster a super solid memory, so I can't say for sure, but I'll write them down just in case: B-52's, Stone Roses, Foo Fighters, Cracker, Edie Brickell, Mazzy Star.

19 comments:

Cara said...

Lollapalooza in Vegas was THE SHIT. For so many reasons. That is the one concert I would love to time travel back to.

Danilo Celic said...

I seem to remember your first concert, as it was my first concert too, but I don't think it was Rick Springfield. Dad took the whole family to his favorite band, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band in Birmingham Alabama...for my birthday gift no less. Typical. :-)

Janice said...

Oh man, if you go to Dixie Chicks or Madonna I so wanna go. If it is like $25 or less, maybe a little more if they are at Usana. My FAVE venue.

Regina said...

Dear Brother who doesn't remember his sister's adolesence...and why should you? You were in high school,

I distinctly remember wearing a Bob Seger t-shirt in 7th grade after the concert. Patrick Thornton even teased me about it a few years ago.

I definitely went to Rick Springfield in 6th grade...with Cheri Will. Believe me I KNOW when I saw Rick Springfield! I may be confused about other things, but not Rick.

Maybe Bob Seger was your first show, but definitely not mine! ;) So there!

Holly Child said...

Ah...the Verve! Weren't we at that concert together?! Well, not that we went together but we saw each other there right?! In Denver?! Those were the days my friend! That's the first time that you met Jeff, I think! :o)

Regina said...

Yeah Holly, it was the first time I met Jeff. Is he still a big Weezer fan? That's what I remember. I completely forgot that I went to the Cherry something mall and saw the band at a record store there. Then I was off to Crate & Barrel...got priorities!

Melissa said...

You've been to some cool shows. I'd like to see The White Stripes and The Shins, too. We had tix to the last White Stripes concert but it was canceled. Hopefully we will see them sometime.

UPDATE: Danilo is now claiming that the Bob Seger concert is when he was 13 and a freshman in high school, and you were in fifth grade.

I can't take sides...I wasn't there. :)

Melissa said...

Now he says you were in sixth grade.

Unknown said...

Apparently I haven't been to any *really* cool shows with my wife, since the ones we've seen together only made the "random rundown". I can't compete with Rick.

Regina said...

My notes were keeping me up WAY past bedtime as it was.

Robby and I saw ZWAN, Liz Phair, Tori Amos...what else? All VERY cool shows...especially the ZWAN of course. Anyhoo, it was only random cause I was tired.

5th grade, 6th grade, 7th grade...whatever. We'll just have to agree to disagree, but I'm right cause it's my blog. :)

Katie said...

Okay, so as I was reading your list I'd go, "Oh yeah, I forgot I saw them in concert." Now I'm going to have to do my own list. What a fun trip down memory lane!

And I still remember driving to work and hearing you on the radio when you won tickets to see Smashing Pumpkins by making some smashed pumpkin muffins or something like that.

Heather said...

Robby--The concert she attended with me, Tori Amos, only made the Random Rundown as well.
Whatever, Jean! Like you don't remember Foul-Mouthed-Mary sitting behind us and her friend puking in the aisle! WAIT! We saw Tori together TWICE. September 1998 and October 1999.

And I'm sure you've heard my Duran Duran concert story...so I won't bore you with the deets of how I got to MEET them, TOUCH them and have MY picture taken WITH them.
(Next time you'll think twice about leaving me in the Random Rundown!)

Regina said...

Heather...luckily your sister only made the random rundown too. Whew!

I'm thinking Cara made the notes section and she'll be happy to know she's the one getting the props.

But really folks, many of the random shows were very memorable and have good stories too. I was just being lazy. It was 10pm and I was tired!

Cara said...

Wait. Did I see Lollapalooza with you in Vegas or San Fran? I cannot remember what state we were in for, um, ahem, reasons we won't get into here. Whatever United State we were in, that concert rocked my ass. And when I was living in your basement and you hooked me up with Patrick, that was one of the first things he brought up was that Bob Segar t-shirt you wore.

Regina said...

Cara...it was San Fran. It was a crazy, crazy time so it's any wonder we can even remember it at all. Aaahh to be EXTREMELY stupid and 23 again!!

Holly Child said...

It was the Cherry Creek Mall. And yes, Jeff is still a Weezer fan....when we actually get to listen to OUR music, that is!! The kids seem to take over the airwaves when were in the car!!

Regina said...

All I've been listening to in the car is the Jungle Book soundtrack. They insist on listening to what they call the 'King Louie' song...I wanna be like you-hoo-hoo! I can hardly take it anymore!

It's either that song or Ursula's song from Little Mermaid. The boys get obsessed for a while.

Cara said...

I think I am officially refusing to play kid-specific music in the car. I cannot HANDLE that shit.

Anonymous said...

Okay Regina...it is 2:30 in the morning and I "finally" made it your blog...what can I say I am a busy person :) Can wait to read more and put in my two cents here and there about your life post babies '04! (I still can't believe you are a mommy, can you?) I think we seriously need to discuss this Kanye West concert again...time is ticking...Robby, you and I would have a blast! I believe my first concert was The Fugees at Wolf Mountain, it was great and it was also the first of many contact highs to come...