Live Concerts

 "Do not get too attached to life, for it is like a sailor's leave on the shore, and at any time the captain may sound the horn, calling you back to eternal darkness." - Epictetus

 

 I enjoy attending live concerts - I just don't enjoy the process of getting there.  I detest purchasing tickets online, and don't particularly enjoy large crowds and uncomfortable seating.  I've often been dragged along unwilling by friends who wanted some company.  As a result, the number of live concerts I've attended would not be considered noteworthy.  

That said, I've missed a lot of shows that I really would have enjoyed attending.  The shows I missed were usually due my work schedule and/or exhaustion due to my work schedule.  There were also underway periods in the Navy, and frequent lack of funds for entertainment.  Even so, I've had the chance to see some wonderful musicians.  Time to name them.

My first concert.  (1976) The Eagles - Hotel California Tour

(1980) There was a Boise band named "The Quirks" - later changed to "Paragon" due to copyright claims by a previous band also named "The Quirks".  They were a three piece band that I really enjoyed.  I went to see them whenever I had a chance.  Somewhere I have an audiotape of one of their performances.  Can't find a hint of these guys anywhere on the internet.  One of their songs got a bit of play on the local rock station, "Duke of the Neighborhood"

(1981) Orlando - Rolling Stones - Tattoo You Tour.  With Van Halen - Fair Warning Tour  And The  Henry Paul Band - a pretty decent southern rock band.

 

(1982) I went to a really awesome bluegrass festival with some amazing fiddle playing by mostly unknown artists.

(1981-2) I got to see this dude - Rusty Springfield - several times when he was a young fella in a rock/jazz band named Big Bambu, in Orlando.  They absolutely killed Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen.  Percussion, bass, and guitar - all perfect!

(1982) Charlie Daniels Band and The Outlaws - Los Hombres Malo Tour.  The CDB video below was filmed at the same venue I saw them at, although not in the same year.

 

The first year or two I was stationed in San Diego (1983-4), going out dancing was always a preferred way to spend the evening.  The clubs would host a number of local bands that played cover tunes.  One that I didn't particularly care for was the "Micheal Bolton Band".  Heard 'em a lot, didn't much like the vocalist, and usually tried to find a different club. LOL.

(1984-7) I saw Oingo Boingo perform three times, and had every one of their CDs.  Danny Elfman rules!!!  I knew this long before he started writing the musical score for every movie in the world.

(1987) Radiators - Law of the Fish Tour.  Nice little guitar solo in this song.  The rest of the album has some great slide guitar work.

(1987) Hiroshima - Go Tour.  Really neat oriental-influenced jazz.  The Koto adds a neat plinky sound to the music.

(1988) Got dragged to see Emmylou Harris

(1989) Steve Miller Band at Irvine Meadows

 I had a long live-music hiatus while I lived in the Mojave Desert.  Traveling to the city just to see a band was not on my to-do list at all.

(2005) Chevelle and Taproot.  The venue was really small, so it was a super-cool concert!

(2005) Seether and AudioSlave.  AudioSlave was amazing.  It was like having two bands in one:  Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden.  Lots of tunes from both, and also new stuff from the combination. RIP Chris Cornell.

(2006) Chevelle, Three Days Grace, and Nickelback.  I'd already seen Chevelle, didn't care about Nickelback, and just wanted to see Three Days Grace.

 

(2015) Joan Jett, Blondie and Melissa Etheridge.  Had to sit through Melissa to see the others.

(2019) Goo Goo Dolls and Train. 

I've been blessed to see some great performances by some great musicians.  I'm extremely grateful for that.  

There are a few that I've missed over the years that I wish I'd been able to see.  Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson.  Several of the big-name seventies bands like the Doobie Brothers, Styx, Boston, Kansas, Journey, and a few others that aren't coming to mind at the moment.  I've missed seeing Tool and the Reverend Horton Heat twice.  Until the pandemic subsides, we probably are not going to be attending performances for a while.