Pajiba

Top 5:



1. Bishop Allen - Summer 2006 (Milwaukee, WI - Mad Planet)
My girlfriend and I drove 6 hours to Milwaukee to see these guys play a 45 minute set. I had no reason to believe they'd ever play where I live (Des Moines, IA) so we made the trip, and it was worth it. Nice intimate setting (fewer than 40 people). Surprisingly, they've played two gigs in Des Moines since then. Still, worth it.



2. Rilo Kiley - Fall 2004 (Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground)
Caused me to fall in love with Jenny Lewis for a good while. Eventually I snapped out of it, when she released her solo album. I was in a trace the entire show.



3. Sufjan Stevens - Fall 2006 (St. Louis - Pageant Theater)

4. Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers - Winter 2003 (Omaha, NE - Ranch Bowl)
First and only concert I've ever attended solo. I had a great time, met some cool people, and simply rocked out really hard. These guys aren't a great band, but they are a great live band.



5. Ben Folds - Summer 2002 (Lincoln, NE - Rococo Theater)



Most Disappointing

Ben Folds - Summer 2006 (Des Moines, IA - Val Air Ballroom)
By this point, my Ben Folds fandom had pretty much come to a close, and this concert gave it a resounding THUD. Ben played in a musty old gym, with 10 million screaming pre teen girls, and he played the SAME SONGS he plays every show. This was my 8th Ben Folds show, and unless he goes back to playing nice quiet theaters, it'll probably be my last.



Most Anticipated

Barenaked Ladies
Always wanted to see these guys. Maybe someday. I have a few of their live shows on my iPod, and they have great energy.

1. Metallica, L'amours in Brooklyn 1985 -back when they were still a killing machine.

2. Anthrax/Exodus, The Ritz, NYC 1986 -the birth of "moshing", back before it became trendy & gay

3. Aerosmith/Deep Purple/GnR, Giants Stadium 1988 -GnR were still "new" & Aerosmith was still "cool".

4. Kiss, MSG 1996- first reunion tour, Saturday night, NYC, electricity in the air...'nuff said

5. Sunn0))), House Of Blues Vegas 2006- loudest-show-ever

Disappointment-Metallica, Giants Stadium 1992 -20 minute crowd participation raps = Dullsville. It's over, Johnny.

Band I always wanted to see- The Ramones, too late for that now.

U2 - Continental Airlines Arena - 1987 the Joshua Tree tour - it was the first time a concert became a religious experience for my fragile young mind.

siouxsie and the banshees - radio city music hall, 1988 - she came down this catwalk spiderweb strung across the back of the stage for the opener and the two mohawked gay men in matching leather vests over shirtless chests sitting in front of me nearly exploded in squeals.

depeche mode, giants stadium, 1990 - Violator tour; when alternative music finally became stadium sized. they completely rocked.

Grateful Dead, RFK Stadium, 1991 - three hits of california acid, a Help>Slipknot!>Franklin's>Estimated>Dark Star opened the second set and permanently altered all reality since.

Radiohead, LA Greek Theatre, 2001 Kid A tour. Radiohead did two US shows after the release of kid A one @ Roseland, NYC and one in LA (where i lived) back in 2000 (they toured the states extensively after the release of amnesiac a year and a half later instead) and this was the most anticipated release of any band for that entire year. needless to say i and countless others tried in vain to get a ticket for this show. message boards, craigslist, newspaper ads, whatever. it was madness. but my friend samantha (i'll never forget you for this sam, thanks wherever you are) scored a tic by calling ticketmaster and got not a nosebleed, but two honest to god 15th row floor seats at the greek theatre in hollywood. I sat near Beck and Winona Ryder. Whatevs. During the encore Thom dedicated the song 'climbing up the walls' to the literally thousands of fans that, without tickets, had taken to the trees and woods of Griffith Park surrounding the venue. We in the audience proper were stunned at the dedication, having no idea they were even there, and in unison turned around and saw hundreds of lighters and heard a huge cheer erupt outside the venue up the hills from the dusty trails covered in vines twisting into the darkness behind us. i think i can speak for the whole audience when i claim that as one of the most incredible concert moments in my life.

1. Sigor Ros/Bjork, Coney Island in 2004 (I think): Bjork didn't interact with the crowd much, but the passion in her voice and the orchestration of each song negated that fact.

2. Rodger Waters, Wachovia Center in Philly, this past weekend: I'm not as familiar with Pink Floyd as I could be, so listening to the first hour was intriguing and such a fun way to get to know their stuff. Then the next hour was dedicated to just The Dark Side of the Moon, which was an experience I'll never forget.

3. Tori Amos, Electric Factory in Philly 1998: This was my first real concert, during the Choirgirl Hotel Tour. Watching Tori belt out her songs with that much power, while gyrating on her piano stool and playing the piano AND I what think was a harpsichord, was surreal. Bitch can SANG.

4. Green Day, Wachovia Center in Philly 2005: not only did they sound better than their albums, but Billy Joe Armstrong was the most energetic performer I've seen to date. Every single song, every shout out and story, every time they encouraged the stadium to sing along...it was all for us. They catered completely to the audience, and their enthusiasm for their music was infectious.

5. Tom Petty, Tweeter Center in Camden, NJ 2004: He was just as badass in person as I imagined, and you could tell that he lives for performing live.

Most Disappointing: The last DMB concert I went to, back in 2005. Mainly because I realized that I was sick of seeing him live. I have to give them props though, their concerts were always a great time.

The Band I've Always Wanted to See: Radiohead or Arcade Fire. It kills me that I haven't seen them yet.

The commentary hits home: I'm old and grumpy and don't like going to live shows any more. DR, I also have a Little Rock show, but it's not as cool as yours.

1) REM, a roadhouse outside Memphis, 1986: The only time I've seen them live; they were touring on Document, and I'd never heard anything like them.

2) Counting Crows and Cake, 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C., 1996: The Crows were touring on August & Everything After, and no one except Californians had heard of Cake yet. Simply fantastic.

3) Fleetwood Mac, San Jose, 2006: The fulfillment of an old promise to my sister, who gave me her Rumours album in 1980. I called her on my cell so she could hear "Go Your Own Way," and we wept like children.

4) Chris Isaak and the Silvertones: anywhere, any time. These guys tour constantly and never phone it in, ever, ever, ever.

5) Def Leppard: Little Rock, AR, 1983 on the Pyromania tour; my first real concert. I think Billy Squier opened for them.

Most Disappointing: Cake, at Slim's in San Francisco, circa 2003. John McCrea got pissy because the crowd wouldn't shut up during the songs; he sort of forgot that we paid him to sing and that it's a bar. Also, they wore stupid cowboy hats. And they pretty much phoned it in.

Band I've Always Wanted to See But Haven't: Pearl Jam. They helped me through and out of my first marriage, but as they became popular, I mostly stopped going to large-venue shows.

Haha, this was the comment diversion I was waiting for, since I'm one of those "I-can't-believe-Ticketmaster-charged-me-this-much-for-stupid-fees-but-I-NEED-to-see-them" people. Granted, I'm still picky about my concerts, but some people are really worth seeing live. Mine would have to be...

1) Jamie Cullum, Chicago, September 2006. Hands-down, one of the best performers I have ever seen. He also travels with his studio musicians, which I think adds a lot to the live performances, since they truly know each others' musical styles in any setting.

2) Michael Bublé, Las Vegas, February 2006. Yeah, yeah, I know, he's not "Pajiba-cool" (or, as many of my friends would argue, not cool at all), but I grew up on a lot of this kind of music, and I think he puts on a great live show. He's pretty much been on tour every year since, what, 2003, and I respect that in a performer. Plus, he's hot, his band's hot, and they're also a great group of people to hang out with. (Superficial, yes, but it's the truth).

3) Rufus Wainwright, Chicago, October 2005. A great show at my school by an amazing performer. I've liked him for years and he did an amazing set. He's also funny as hell between songs.

4) Phantom Planet, Chicago, 2003. I think this was a few years before Jason Schwartzman left the band. Which, uh, bonus for me, since getting to hear Max Fisher on the drums was basically my whole motivation beind getting their album in the first place. Actually they weren't the best part of this concert, though--their opening act was a local group, Torben Floor, and I fell in love with them immediately.

5) Journey (Steve Perry-less Journey, unfortunately), July 2006. Yeah, it's Journey, but it's still the first concert I went to with my boyfriend/guy I'm gonna marry, so, a bit of sentimental value there. Plus, neither of us knew Steve Perry had left the band, nor that the new (but now-replaced) singer of Journey was also named Steve, so at the time we were like, "Shit, Steve Perry's out sick at OUR show? WTF!!!" However, still, I like their songs, cheesy as they may be, and where else are you gonna see spandex, crunchy bangs, and a shitload of mullets? (Sidenote--Journey opened for Def Leppard. I didn't see them, but part of me wanted to just see the drummer).

Most disappointing--Any really, really shitty opening act I've had to sit through. Nine times out of ten, they're really, really shitty. Can't think of anyone who was truly disappointing though.

Band I've always wanted to see but haven't: Travis. But they are back on the road with a new CD, so one way or another, I'm seeing them live. Oh, and Jeff Buckley, but I can't.

Top 5:

1)Richard Thompson, Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS 1990
2)Lyle Lovett, JKH Hall, Springfield MO 1990
3)Adam Again, Cornerstone Festival, 1993
4)Robert Randolph, Cornerstone Festival, 2003
5)Vigilantes of Love, Cornerstone Festival, 1991

Biggest disappointment:
Sam Phillips, Buffalo Tom, Counting Crows, JKH Hall, Springfield MO, 1990 Really not that bad musically, but a suck crowd that almost ruined the show.

I don't see too many concerts, but here goes:

1) Wilco. Saw them last year at the Ottawa Bluesfest. Incredible concert. They played a couple songs off their new album ("Impossible Germany" was breathtaking) and a surprising amount of songs off Being There. Jeff Tweedy made fun of the middle aged White people sitting in the expensive seats.

2) Joel Plaskett Emergency. Saw them in my home town of Sackville, NB. They opened for Sloan, but were way better.

3) Grand Theft Bus. Saw them in Fredericton, NB last year when I lived there. I was pretty loaded by the time I got to the show, but I seem to remember having a good time and enjoying the band.

4) Sloan. Same show as Joel PLaskett. It was alright.

I've only seen one other concert and I'm using it as my most disappointing. It was Alexisonfire in Moncton, NB. I don't even like this band. I just went because it was cheap ($10, I think) and my friends were going.

As for someone I'd like to see but haven't, for people who are alive it would be Ryan Adams (I'm sure his performances have gotten better since Dustin's experience) and for people who are dead it would be a toss-up between Jeff Buckley and Elliott Smith.

If only this diversion came a little over a month from now because I'm seeing Bob Dylan, Cat Power and The White Stripes in July.

1. Ryan Adams - Wiltern Theater, 2005. What the fuck with Ryan Adams is that he's insane. Brilliant, but insane. This was a killer show, though. It just depends on his mood. You could have heard a pin drop during the quiet moments, the crowd was so reverent. Amazing.

2. The Raconteurs - ACL 2006. They rocked my face off. I was a casual fan until I saw their set, and now I am Jack White's bitch.

3. Live - Tampa, sometime in 1995 (all I can remember was it was my senior year in high school). Make fun of Live all you want, they used to put on a great show. This show was a transcendent music moment for me.

4. Josh Ritter - El Rey, March 2007. Acoustic solo show. Amazing performer who told some seriously hilarious stories. The songwriting really stood out with just him and an acoustic guitar.

5. Arcade Fire - Greek Theater, last week. There is something about the community the Arcade Fire's music creates. Every person in this venue was completely engaged, which is rare. Singing along to Wake Up with 7,000 other people? Unforgettable.

Most Disappointing: The Shins, all three times I've seen them. They are not a good live act.

The Band I've Always Wanted to See but Haven't: Pearl Jam. I know I could still see them, but I want to see early Vs.-era Pearl Jam and I missed out on it, which will always haunt me.

1. Steven Malkmus and the Jicks, High Dive,Champaign-Urbana,IL - Holloween 2001? -Steven with a pith helmet and mustache rocked my world.

2. Apples in Stereo, Little Brother's, Columbus,OH - 2007 ties with the show in IL in 2000? Helps when Robert remembers that you requested the same song 7 years before.

3. Belle & Sebastian, Fox, Detroit, MI - 2002?

4. Beulah, Murat, Indianapolis, IN - 2002? - Paid $30 to see them open for Cake and were so awesome I didn't even feel the need to stay and watch the headliners whole act.

5. Morrisey, Palace Theater, Columbus, OH - 2007 -Expected disappointment from this one and ended up having a great time. Anytime 40 year olds are throwing themselves on stage to touch the singer and them getting thrown off is awesome. Plus he took of his shirt and threw it in the audience. Free ticket helped this one too.

Disappointing: Belle & Sebastian, Columbus, OH - 2004 - Assigned seats and lack of dancing people made this boring. especially after the last show I saw.

Want to see: Pulp. I was so jealous when my brother got to see them at Wembley in 1998. While I did get a t-shirt, I would still love to see them myself one day.

YAY! Here we go:

1. The White Stripes, 05/18/2007 - Cannery Ballroom, Nashville TN. Jolene and Ball and Biscuit stand out, but the whole show...just amazing. Jack White was a caged animal set free, Meg seemed accustomed to the madness. A truly beautiful experience.

2. Beck, 06/14/2003 - Red Rocks, Morrison, CO. Sea Change tour. Both the album and the show affected me deeply. I left this one with "that feeling"

3. The Pixies, 10/06/2004 - Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN. Kim said she didn't feel like singing...but she did.

4. Ben Folds, 11/13/2005 - Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN. Should have been called "Sing Along with Ben Folds". The entire crowd knew every word of every song.

5. Suzanne Vega, 08/09/2003 - Exit In, Nashville, TN. I'm prepared for crucifixion on this one, but she was absolutely amazing. She engaged me in a way that few performers have.

Most disappointing...Nine Inch Nails, 06/18/2000 - Pepsi Center, Denver, CO. This probably wouldn't have been so bad, but A Perfect Circle opened for them and *completely* stole the show.

Band I've always wanted to see...There are a few, but I'm going with U2

Top Five
1: HURT, Little Rock, AR, 2007. The opening bands were so-so, but this performance was the one that shot Hurt to the top of my favorite bands list. They were incredible live, so much energy and passion. The lead singer left the stage and went around the club playing violin on one song. Plus I got to meet the guys after the show.

2: Disturbed, San Diego, 2006. My love of Disturbed comes and goes, but I would jump on the chance to see them again without question. It was just amazing. David is so hypnotic.

3: Breaking Benjamin, w/ Theory of a Deadman and The Exies, Los Angeles, 2005. I was already a big BB fan, and their performance was good. Not mind-blowing, and didn't make me love them more, but it did introduce me to Theory, now one of my favorites. And I got to meet the Theory boys afterwards.

4: Evanescence, Little Rock, 2007. Solid show, with Finger Eleven a good opener. Also not mind-blowing, but it was at the Altel Arena, the biggest venue I've seen a show at so far, so it was quite different from the atmospheres at the other shows, which I liked much better.

5: Berlin w/ The Switchblade Kittens, 1999. That's a guess on that year, I'm really not quite sure. I barely knew who Berlin was, but it introduced me to the Kittens, and I just adore them in all their insanity.

Band I Most Want to See: Dixie Chicks. I've become a big damn DC fangirl this year, and I'd love to see them live.

Foo Fighters - 2005/6 - 9:30 Club (Washington, DC) - Taking a break from their stadium tour, the band let it all out playing Grohl's home town.

Pearl Jam - 2000 - Glen Helen Pavilion (San Bernadino, CA) - My first Pearl Jam concet, outside in November. Absolutely fantastic. Having seen them since, Pearl Jam should definitely be heard outdoors.

Singleskin - 2001 - The Liquid Room (Edinburgh, UK) - A tiny little Scottish band playing a little underground club. Best energy and sound of any concert I've been two, they absolutely owned that room at the end.

KROQ Weenie Roast - 1999 - Irvine Meadows (Irvine, CA) - My first festival.

Stone Temple Pilots - 2000 - Anaheim Stadium (Anaheim, CA) - Techincally, this was part of the KROQ Weenie Roast that year, but the rest of the day was somewhat of a letdown. However, this was STP right before the bottom gave out the last time, before the heroin took too much of a toll. Weiland sung his heart out.

Honorable (Recent) Mentions - Bloc Party (9:30 Club, Washington, DC), The Pippets (Black Cat, Washington, DC)

Worst Concert - Interpol - 9:30 Club (Washington, DC) - The crowd killed the concert. Never before have a seen a crowd to sap a room of its energy. Of course, with a room of pretentious hipsters, what do you expect? (Thankfully, I didn't pay for the tix)

Biggest Haven't Seen - Would have liked to have seen Rage Against the Machine.

Biggest Haven't Seen that would Require Black Magic to Fulfill - Sublime

I don't watch a whole lot of live music, but I have some favorites; these are in no kind of order.

1. Run DMC, University of Nebraska Big Red Welcome, 1997. Yes, they played at Big Red Welcome. Yes, they were greeting by thousands of cheering....cornhuskers, crowded into a walled off street in downtown Lincoln, nearly all of them gnawing on corndogs and carrying bags with free razors and deodorant and Visa applications. Yes, it rocked my little sophomore face off. Except we didn't say that back then.

2. Sugarhill Gang, University of Nebraska Big Red Welcome, 1998. Yes, *the* Sugarhill Gang. Yes, they played at Big Red Welcome. Yes, they were greeted by thousands of cheering cornhuskers. Yes, it rocked my little junior face off. What can I say? UNL was good to us back then.

3. For serious now, Martin Sexton, Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, GA, something like 2005. I have to say I can take or leave his recorded music but seriously, can that man do amazing things with his voice. And he's about the best live performer imaginable. He loves his audiences, and always interacts directly with the crowd.

4. David Jacobs-Strain, Eddie's Attic, Decatur, GA. Man can that kid play. He's something else. If you can catch him live, you won't regret it. At least if you like the blues at all.

5. Eh. I don't really have any more. I've seen plenty of good shows, but none I would say were best-ever.

MOST DISAPPOINTING: The Shins, 2005, Athens, GA. I sorta resisted liking the Shins, because they were oh, so Emo and oh, so Braffian, and oh, so Trendy, but I finally gave in because it really is just good music. Until I saw them live. Buncha whiny pissants. The lead singer, whatshisface, got really ruffled by the frat boys in the crowd singing along to every song, so he turned stone-faced and tantrumed through the rest of the show. Not that I wasn't irked by the singalong, myself, but seriously, don't punish the rest of the audience.

1. The Boss. (1978 - Georgetown University) Bruce before he became Rock Poet Laureat. Helped him unload his amps. Pure adrenaline rock!
2. Bette Midler (1974 - Albuquerque, NM) She was thoroughly pissed off about anything and everything and still gave an indelible performance. Sure, sometimes she only comes within spitting distance of the pitch but no one puts on a live show like La Divina.

3. The Ramones (1977 - CBGB and OMFUG) The birth, baptism, confirmation, and extreme unction of alt/punk rock.

4. Tammy Wynette (1974 - Nashville) No one ever did or ever will again pour their whole being into each and every song.

5. Lyle Lovett (~1980 - after hours club in NYC) Minus the big band but unplugged before it became a verb and an adjective.

Most disappointing: Every single one of the stadium tours by almost every rock band. Too muddled, over-ampd and claustrophobic while surrounded by stoners too far gone to appreciate the music.

1 Metallica 1986 Felt Forum
2 Prince 2006 Rio Hotel Las Vegas
3 Lalpalooza 1996 Syracuse NY
4 Rolling Stones 1989 Syracuse NY
5 Pink Floyd 1988 Giant Stadium

Someone mentioned that Giant Stadium show with G+R
Deep Purple and Aerosmith......Guns arrived that day.

Guns was also my most disappointing show when they played in the early 90s on the double bill with Metallica, after watching Metallica kill for over 2 hours Guns came on and just seemed pointless, we left. 2 years ago I also saw Springsteen at Giant Stadium, I had wanted to see him for years, fianlly had my chance, I dont know if it was the seats or the sound system but it was horrible, I left that show also.

1) Jane's Addiction - 1990 - Aragon Brawlroom, Chicago - this was the Ritual de lo Habitual tour. Henry Rollins opened. By the end of the show a full on beer fight was happening in the back and 10 rows of folding chairs had been stomped flat for the pit...

2) The Onion Cellar - 2006 - ART, Cambridge, MA - this was a live music / drama / art show by the Dresden Dolls with some actors as well. Very intimate, unpredictable and surprisingly poignant and involving. I can't believe they did this show 20 odd times.

3) Tribe - 1994 - Clark Univ, Worcester, MA - a small college rock band from Boston that broke up in 95. Aside from the fact that I knew every song they played, I loved that I was about 3' away from the lead singer, front and center (there were only 100 or so folks in the space).

4) Lollapalooza 1 - 1991 - Mansfield, MA - something about an open, muddy mosh pit on a hill, Jane's Addiction and Nine Inch Nails...

5) Pink Floyd - 1988 - Foxboro, MA - My first ever concert, it didn't matter that there was no Roger Waters when they played Run Like Hell as an encore.

Disappointing - Sleater-Kinney - 2005 - I really was into this band, and the show was only OK. They played very little off of anything but their recent album and the show was over too quickly. I'm most disappointed to hear that they've since split.

Almost forgot, most dissapointing... Whitley takes this one too. June 2000. The night before I moved from NYC to LA, Bowery Ballroom, brought a whole bunch of friends who'd never heard him but had heard me go on and on and on about how brilliant he was. He came out so wasted he couldn't stand. Most of my freinds left before it was over. Sigh.

Still haven't seen but wanna - Stevie Mother Fucking Wonder.

Top Five:

1. Muse/My Chemical Romance, W&M Hall VA, 2007: This was my husband and my first live concert in a really long time (We're new parents.), and both bands put on a wicked show. Muse rocked the house, and Gerard Way is a truly enthusiastic entertainer. Lately, bands seem so self-absorbed they don't even acknowledge the audience in concert, but MCR went out of their way to give us a good, old-fashioned rock concert with sing alongs, shout-outs, pyrotechnics, confetti, and fireworks. And booty shaking from the lead singer.

2. Harry Connick Jr., The Mosque (Landmark Theater, whatever) in Richmond, VA, 2000: Okay, whoo! Other side of the spectrum entirely. HCJ is phenomenal live, especially with a full horn section backing him. His voice is near pitch perfect. He's a great band leader, piano player, and entertainer. My only complaint was being squished into the tiny seats next to a rather larger man who was overflowing into my personal space.

3. A bunch of NOLA jazz musicians, Preservation Hall, 2004: If you get a chance to visit NOLA, pay a visit to Preservation Hall. We waited over an hour to get in, and then sat on uncomfortable benches in a poorly lit, hot room. But the experience of watching a bunch of guys who clearly love music jam and take requests and encourage the audience to help sing along was worth it. I could have stayed for hours, but we wanted to give up our seats to someone else waiting outside.

2. Tie between R.E.M. in RVA 1995 and The Cure at the USAir Arena 1992: Both of these bands had an enormous impact on my adolescence and so seeing them live was akin to a religious experience. The shows could have been utter crap, but I was in heaven just being in the band's presence.

1. Tori Amos, The Mosque in RVA 1998: I've probably seen Tori the most of any artist, and this concert by far the best experience seeing her live. It was on her Plugged Tour supporting From The Choirgirl Hotel and the first outing with a backing band. I had incredible seats with a perfect view from above of her hands on the keyboard. Her performance was spot on. She's not quite duplicated the experience since for me.

(Honorable Mentions: Sting, any of the five times I've seen him; Curve in 1998, DMB back in the early 90's when they were the house band at the Flood Zone, Live in 1995, Pink Floyd in 1994, and of course, Tori in 1994 and 1995. I'm sure I'm leaving something out. In my old age, my memory has faded. Ha, ha.)

Most Disappointing: Smashing Pumpkins at W&M Hall in 1994. Billy Corgan is a motherfucker. He seemed bored out of his mind the entire time, like he was doing us all an enormous favor just by being there. When the band returned after an unexplained 20 minute absence from the stage, he told the audience to "Tell all those people who left (There were quite a few that bailed.) 'FUCK YOU'!" Finally, after a roll of toilet paper flew on stage, Billy walked out in the middle of the song leaving the band to finish up without him.

Oh and when M'chelle Ndegeocello opened for Sting once she freaked out in the middle of her set and threw the mic stand into the orchestra pit, walked off, and didn't come back. Again, the band was left to wrap the song up sans singer. It was weird.

The Band I've Always Wanted to See: Oh totally, Madonna. But only if I could go back in a time machine to the Blonde Ambition Tour.

Dammit! Prince...need Prince on there too. i know he's all into the god god god thing now...but just the CHANCE to hear Darling Nikki live would be good enough for me.

Prince doesnt play darling nikki anymore.......according to him "He dont cuss no more"

JULIE!!! You rock!!! Roger was amazing this weekend! I saw him on Friday night. Rolled up there with 12 people. i ended up voluntarily sitting up in section 210 because my friend Mark's mother gets Vertigo...so SHE got to sit in 106. Who cares! It was still brilliant. Got some sick pictures of the cieling prsim on my phone.

I have to agree with everyone who listed The Barenaked Ladies, I've seen them three or four times and they always perform with so much energy and humor. I thought I was going to bruise my ribs laughing when I saw them at the Tower Theater...they had some dude dressed up as god who walked around and let the audience ask the band questions. And I love how they always showcase each band member and let them have the stage to themselves, the skinny red-haired guy on the big bass is a fantastic solo act.

No particular order:

Rolling Stones 2006--everything I'd hoped the stones would be and more

Madonna--2001 in London. What can I say? Girlfriend puts together quite the show and gives it her all

Aerosmith--1997. They absolutely rocked out and I loved them for it. At one point I thought Joe Perry was do-able during this concert and then I realized he's almost 40 years older than me...ewww.

Rusted Roots--1996. OMG. Room of less than 1000, all acoustic. I was positively amazed and had never seen anything like them.

U2--around achtung baby. I can't remember if there was an actual tour with that album. Anyways...it's u2, do you really have to say more?

Most disappointing....nothing comes to mind. I always felt like I got what I expected and was sometimes pleasantly surprised.

still really want to see REM (I realize this is probably a pipe dream), Wilco and Barbara Streisand because one of these times it is ACTUALLY going to be her farewell and final concert.

And fine, I'll admit it. I almost bought Christina Aguilera tickets in february and I regret that I didn't.

Hee Pissboy! I was there on Saturday (I was in the 200's as well, I loved our view of the visual effects)...I almost passed out when he closed the show with Comfortably Numb. I spent the 15 minutes in between his 1st set and Dark Side talking to a guy who was NOT pleased with Waters' anti-Bush stance. :)

This is the kind of question where I will undoubtedly regret my answers upon further recollection, but here goes off the top of my head--

1. The Pogues at the Ritz NYC 1987--MacGowan was only semi-incoherent.
2. Paul Simon in Central Park NYC 1991--the logistics were just a mess, but the show was spectacular.
3. Bill Staines at the University of Montana 1992
4. John Prine/Heather Eatman at the Masonic Temple in Spokane, WA 1995
5. Jackson Browne in Spokane during the I'm Alive tour--sometime in the nineties.

Biggest disappointment--Bright Eyes, Seattle 2005

Would love to have caught SRV or Warren Zevon--RIP.

5 best shows:
1-rage against the machine-bercy-paris-summer 1993. i'm fuzzy on the date but i remember being breathless at the intensity of zach delarocha's performance. that and i had never seen a performer strip nekkid in front of 10,000 people to make a point.

2-velvet underground-la cigalle-paris-summer 1993. after listening to my parents talk about how amazing VU was for a lifetime, i was finally able to understand what they meant. and i was with my dad, a great father-daughter moment of bonding and mind melding. lou and john cale jammed out white light in a way that made me have an out of body experience. not to mention maureen's charming rendition of I'm Sticking with You, a rarity for VU apparently.

3-the changes-metro-chicago-february 2007, it was a snowy and horrid chicago winter night. not a lot of people were brave enough to venture out that night. their loss because the changes ROCKED the house to the ground with a tight set of incredible melodies and a tight rythym section. that and the crazy dancing. fun!

4-dizzee rascal-double door-chicago-july 2006. i've never thrown down to flow and fat garage bass beats that vibrated the very centre of the central nervous system like that before. dizzee's manic energy fed to the crowd, it was packed and hot as hell but no one cared, we just kept pushing him to give us more.

5-chemical brothers-aragon ballroom-chicago-summer of 1998, i think. holy shit. that's i can say.

most disappointing: hands down, smashing pumpkins, every time. they're from chicago and i remember how big they were when i was in high school before they released gish. i swear they were good then. after high school, every time i saw them play, all i could think was that billy whines, darcy can't play bass for shit and they have suck ass acoustics every time they play. that and i resented the fact they relied on the magic of the recording studio.

the band i always wanted to see but didn't: led zeppelin. my mom and dad have some great stories about seeing them before they hit it big in the u.s. and every time they tell a story, i just wish i could have been there to witness it.

Oh! This is a GOOD one!

No particular order:

Queens of the Stone Age/Distillers - Warfield SF, Ca. October 2003 - The best rock show I've ever been too. Such a small venue - and my absolute favorite -, you could feel the music just pumping through your chest. I really love this band too. Live, they are a knock out everytime. And Gene Simmons was right behind us in the box seats and it was cool to catch his eye and share that trade mark dirty grin.

Beastie Boys - Oakland Arena 1998 (?) Whenever Hello Nasty was huge . . . - Still ranks as one of the very best shows I've seen. Waited up all night in line to get tickets. 2nd row. So awesome! Such energy. Happy to have caught them at a high point.

Tool - Oakland Arena - Sept. 2006 - Long time fave band that it took me many years to finally see in concert. Everything I'd hoped it would be. Maynard was even rather genial to the crowd.

TV on the Radio - The Library, Sacramento, Ca. Sept. 2006 - This has to be my top one or two bands in recent years. The venue was the size of a postage stamp. You could literally step onto the stage. A lot about the show, i.e. the rude hipster crowd, sucked, but the music and energy was fierce. I was transfixed. And Tunde walked off stage at the end and had to squeeze past me to get through the crowd. I had Tunde sweat all over me. I saw them at the Fillmore in March, but it just couldn't beat the intimacy of the Library.

Tie: Ani DiFranco July 4th in San Jose 1998/Tricky Warfield, SF, Ca. 1998: Tough to pick out of these two. Ani had fireworks going off behind her stage and it was the first time I ever saw her live. Amazing show with the Rebirth Brass Band. Tricky was a long time love I finally got to see and had the chance to meet him. Both were in the same year. 1998 was a good year for shows. =)

Biggest disappointment: Janes Addiction, Lollapalooza 2002 . . . (?) I'm awful with dates. Whenever the last one at Shoreline in Mountainview, Ca. was. Most of the day was really great, but these guys were just phoning it in that night. We left in the middle of their set and I had been really excited to see them at the start of the day.

Anticipated bands: The Roots. But I get to see them at Rock the Bells this summer. Woot! Portishead. And Radiohead. One of these days . . .

1) Sleater-Kinney - The Ventura Theater May 2004. I could fill my whole five with SK shows, but I won't. My favorite band then and always, I hit up three of their California shows this tour, Ventura was the first. It had been a long time since I had last seen them, and it was an ace set, filled with new songs that would become their last record, The Woods. I'll always remember waiting outside the venue forever so I could blurt out to Corin, "youguysplayedanawesomesetyou'relikethebestbandever" to which I got a polite, "thanks."



2)The Gossip - The Troubadour 2004. The Gossip are one of those bands that you have to see live. Non-stop dance party. Awesome fun.


3) Erase Errata - the Che Cafe March 2005. the lead singer offered me a hit before the show. (I refused, but still felt super cool.) I love this venue, I love this band, and everyone in attendance was dancing dancing dancing.


4) Billy Joel - LA Staples Center, 2006. I love Billy Joel. I hate LA and the Staples Center. Still, the culmination of all my childhood hopes and dreams as I got to get drunk to Uptown Girl and Scenes From an Italian Restaurant.


5) Lou Reed - The Wiltern, 2004. I can never decide whether the best part was when he explained that Sweet Jane was actually four chords, or when he told off a brawling duo in the balcony during the encore, Lou Reed-style.

And by far the most disappointing show ever - The Unicorns at the San Diego Epicentre, I think sometime in 2004 or 2005. Their cutesy little album was pretty catchy, but they spent most of their set conversing with some heckler in the audience and telling ghost stories. SNORE. And they gave us orange juice just because. Which was probably the best part of the show.



And now I feel old because my weekend consisted of watching the Futurama marathon and drinking Guinness. Sigh.

1. Sleater-Kinney, August '06, at Webster Hall, their last NYC show. Just a fucking power-house of a show. Plus it was like 106 in New York City, but my fiance and I snuck around some audio equipment on the balcony and were about ten feet from the stage, by a drafty door. Heaven.

2. Smashing Pumpkins, October '96, Rosemont Horizon. I had had tickets to a show at MSG earlier that year, but Jimmy Chamberlin and Jonathon Melvoin ODed the night before, leaving Melvoin dead and my favorite band from my high school years in turmoil. So it was pretty sweet when I finally got to see them several months later, at the height of their rockingness. The only arena show I've ever really liked.

3. The Hold Steady, Ocober '06, Irving Plaza. The night before Boys and Girls in America came out, kind of a victory lap for the band and they invited everyone to an after party when the show ended.

4. Green Day, October '04, Irving Plaza, the night before American Idiot came out. I had no idea Green Day had an album like American Idiot up their sleeves still, and hadn't bothered looking around the internet for any leaks yet. I was really astounded by this show.

5. Andrew WK/Flogging Molly, October '02, Irving Plaza. I got concussed by a crowd surfer while on my way onstage, and wrenched my knee trying to get over the security fence. Mostly memorable for being a Sunday night, and everyone at the office gawking at how much I kicked my own ass on a Sunday.

Most disappointing: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Columbus, April 2000. Just not very good. I've been mystified by their reputation as a live band ever since.

Band I want to see: I can't believe I've never seen Radiohead.

I'm one of those people who isn't a fan of live music for the most part--the sound is often not so great and my claustrophobia gets the better of me. However, I've been to a few shows and had a rocking good time (please don't laugh too hard at me.)

1. Billy Idol (Bank of America Pavillion, Boston, 9/2003) He totally rocked out hardcore the entire show. It was a great atmosphere--both leather-clad bikers and what appeared to be suburban soccer-moms all drunk and screaming along to Billy's best together while he ran around the stage shirtless. Yum! (Chris Robinson was the opening act...and let's just say I was glad when he was finally done.)

2. Poison (Hershey Pavillion, Hershey PA, 6/2000) I LOVED Poison, and I got the tickets as a HS grad gift. They were the headliners, and even though it had been raining all day, and pretty much the moment their set started the skies opened up and drenched us all, the enthusiasm was incredible. They put on a kickass live show.

3. Dexter Freebish (Avalon, Boston, spring of 2001) They were opening for Everlast, and they put on a great show. Also, they were hot.

4. Bow Thayer (Lizard Lounge, Cambridge MA, spring 2007) I'm sure few if any of you have heard of Bow, but he is an amazing folk/rock musician. His banjo player was phenomenal.

Most Disappointing: Probably Elvis Costello (Fleet Pavillion, Boston, fall 2003) I was probably disappointed less because the music wasn't great, and more because I had no idea who Elvis Costello was at the time, and was startled by the fact that he didn't really banter or anything--just came out, played for 2 hours, and then was done.

Most Want to See that is Still Possible: Wilco. Although I'd be the one screaming for stuff off of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

Most Want to See that Would Require Black Magic or a Time Machine: The Beatles. Or maybe Elvis.

Considering I haven't seen that many concerts (I know I hate me) And it appears I have seen all my concerts in 2006 Here's my list:
1. The Stills-The Social Orlando 2006
2. Stars-Siren Music Festival 2006 NYC
3. Keane-Hard Rock Live Orlando 2005
4 Coldplay-The Oakdale, Connecticut 2004 (before they were so big. It was awesome)
5. Ed Harcourt-Bowery Ballroom NYC 2003
Biggest Disappointment-Third Eye Blind 96 They suck live
Band I want to see-The Shins and I would love to see U2.

1. Ben Folds, The Palace in Los Angeles, November 13, 2002. It was the Ben Folds Live tour, with just him and a piano. Awesome show, capped with William Shatner coming onstage with a big beard, giving a fire and brimstone sermon, and then segueing into "In Love." Spectacular show top to bottom.

2. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, The Spectrum in Philly, circa 1995. Rusted Root, who was a relative unknown at the time (at least, to me and my friends), opened with an amazing live set. Page and Plant then put on a simply stupefying show, magnified by the fact that I was second row and repeatedly made eye contact with Robert Plant. Still gives me chills. And to my friends who continually mock me when I tell them this was the second best performance I've ever seen, I still say "fuck off."

3. Bruce Hornsby (yeah, I said Bruce Hornsby!), the now-no-more Valley Forge Music Fair, circa 1994. A very small and intimate theater-in-the-round, Hornsby was at the top of his game, with the tightest live band I've ever seen, playing all of his hits, various covers, and requests from the audience. Cool as shit (plus, I got to hang out on his tour bus afterwards, without even having to give him a BJ!).

4. Rage Against the Machine, someplace in Jersey, circa 1992. They were the opening act of that year's Lollapalooza. I had never heard of the band (they were at least half-a-year form breaking big) and I've never had such a strong experience of being into a band I was just seeing and hearing for the first time. The energy was fucking electric. I got the CD as soon as I got home and spent the next 6 months telling everyone I knew that these guys were the shit and that they should get on board with the Rage now.

5. I gotta' go with a cluster-fuck tie here of various bands I saw at Woodstock 94, particularly Green Day, Nine Inch Nails, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Peter Gabriel. An amazing weekend (I think I saw 28 bands in total), and these four in particular put on absolutely unforgettable shows.

Most disappointing - Meatloaf, the Spectrum in Philly, 1994. Yes, expectations never should've been high, but I was a big fan of his two Bat Out of Hell CDs, and on those CDs, the man's got some singing chops. But it was the absolute worst vocal performance I have ever heard at a non-karaoke show. Abysmal.

Show I desperately want/need to see - Beastie Boys. I've had tickets for them three times and have missed seeing them for various reasons (although I have been at a Dali Lahma reading they were at, but that's not the same). I will see them before I die.

TK - No, we are not old. Believe me, I know.

(I do get addletwitted, though, working on a campus. I was having a beer the other day with three much younger types, and NONE of them had ever heard of Barbarella.)

1. Nine Inch Nails in '93 or '94. Started in row 5, ended up getting moshed back to 30 or so. Incredible show, that stage was a wreck of smashed equipment by the time it was over.

2. Weezer - The Ogden(?)in Denver on the Pinkerton album. Incredible show. I was surprised they were that good live.

3. BNL - I've seen them 4 times, every show was awesome.

4. Tori Amos - In Chicago at the taping of her Soundstage special on PBS during the Scarlet's Walk tour. I wish I could get that complete show on DVD. I wish I could get it on DVD PERIOD instead of the VHS recording I have. Third time seeing her and because it was a filmed concert it was like a greatest hits show. Some of the songs were played twice for the taping like Bliss and A Sorta Fairytale.

5. Metallica - Load tour. First time seeing them and the show was a killer. People were on fire, riggings collapsed, and at the end Metallica played acoustically with just the emergency lights flashing to illuminate them. It was all a put on of course but still awesome.

Most Wanted: Sublime. I got into them right after Brad Knowles died.

Worst Experience - Creed - Fieldhouse in Boulder, CO
They were the headliner on a triple bill with Our Lady Peace and Oleander. OLP was awesome, Oleander was very good, then Creed came out and about 4 songs we couldn't take anymore. Stapp's stage persona is a cross between Jesus Christ and Jim Morrison. What a tool. I didn't like them must to begin with but after that I flat out hated that band.

Most disappointing: WOLFMOTHER. Man, their CD is so good, and their live performance was like three overly tall 5 year olds strung out on pixie sticks. Horrendous! I still rock that CD, tho! I am a whore for music.

Prince - Purple Rain Tour 1985
Amy Winehouse - Minneapolis 2007
Peter Gabriel - Womad Tour, Atlanta 1994
Deelite - Atlanta 1994
War - Atlanta 1994

Most disappointing: My stepdaughter's piano recital (30 kids, 5 songs)

Liked to have seen: Janis Joplin

i'm not one for exact dates...

1) THE CURE Wish Tour; Sacramento, CA; early 90s;
Robert wept during the singing of 'from the edge of the deep green sea'--talk about intense!

2) PEARL JAM Sacramento, CA; 94-95?; the last full concert they played before Eddie got sick and Neil Young took over...the show had ended and Eddie came back on stage to sing 'yellow ledbetter'--stunning!

3) JANE'S ADDICTION Nothing's Shocking Tour; Fillmore, San Francisco; early 90s; the best of the best in freak shows--beautiful!

4) STONE TEMPLE PILOTS Purple Tour; Sacramento, CA; 94-95? a really good time!!

5) THE POLICE Sacramento, CA; very early 80s; my first concert!

most disappointing: ?? it/they probably sucked so much i've erased it from my mind.

want to see: THE WHITE STRIPES, DOVES, OASIS

I'm a latecomer to the music scene, so these are all recent. Top 5 in no order:

Andrew Bird (2006, The Aladdin Theater, Portland OR): the seats were packed and people were standing wherever they could find space. It was a gorgeous, mesmerizing set with perfect sound and the audience was rapt during the songs- you could hear a pin drop.

U2 (2001, Rose Garden, Portland OR): I've been in love with U2 since high school, yea these many years, and this was the first (& only) time I've seen them live. The show was amazing, of course, but what really sent me over the edge (heh..) was Bono's dramatic exit. Security guards forced a path through the middle of the pit and Bono jaunted out through that path. I was standing there, arms folded, a grin stretching from ear to ear, when he walked by and smiled, reached out his hand & touched me on my shoulder. Jesus could have told me to pick up my cot & walk and I wouldn't have been any more excited.

Dr. Dog (2007, Doug Fir Lounge, Portland OR - see a pattern?): I was kinda, meh, about their album, but their live show rocked my panties off. Craazy energy! I was ready to follow them anywhere on the road.

Radiohead (2003, White River Amphitheatre, Auburn WA): Amazing, amazing show. Thom Yorke is a genius of emotion.

Grandaddy (2003?, The Aladdin Theater, Portland OR): Brilliant, thoughtful show. They did nothing overt, but afterward I wanted to go out & save the world.

Worst show:

Death Cab for Cutie (2002, The Crystal Ballroom, Portland OR): The Dismemberment Plan opened & blew the place down, even did a little DCFC parody of "Guinevere," but when DCFC took the stage they sucked eggs. Spent most of their time with their backs to the audience. So little energy; guess there's something to that "shoe-gazer" term.

If I could turn back time: Would love to have seen Elliott Smith. My husband saw him a few times, back in the day, and I'm always green with envy when I think about it.

While I still got time: M.Mard. That man is just magic.

1. Sleater-Kinney- 2005, Nashville, and 2006 Louisville KY. The best live shows i have ever seen. Nashville was probably the better show, but only because the vocals were turned down too low at the KY show. on the other hand, the KY show was one if their last 5, which gave it a really intense level of urgency to know it could be the last time i got to see my favorite band perform. plus, i got to say hello and take a picture with corin tucker because she was at a table selling t-shirts, which left me shaky for the rest of the night.
2. The White Stripes-2007, Nashville. only 2 days notice, and their 1st show in 2 years. words fail me. it was just...raw
3. rage against the machine-Nashville, 1997(ish). 5th row center. i had bruises the next day.
4. Patty Griffin-2002, Nashville. somehow made me reflect on my life while i was hanging on every word sung. her voice breaks my heart.
5. Tori Amos- 1994, Nashville. my first concert, and i was never the same.

i still NEED to see P.J. Harvey
bright eyes was disappointing. i was was there to hear songs from i'm wide awake it's morning, and he only played 2 of them.

Bless you for this comment diversion. There is no music I love more than live music from my favorite artists.

Top 5:
1. David Bowie at the Roseland Ballroom 2002 - My husband and I were close enough to see just how much stage makeup he and the band were wearing. Bowie opened the show by playing the ENTIRE Low album live, something I thought I would never live to see. The second part of the show consisted of some old favorites and new songs from the Heathen album. Oh, and he threw himself against the microphone stand like it was a stripper pole during Gemini Spacecraft. Awesome.

2. Bauhaus at the Coachella Valley Music Festival 2005 - I never thought I would get to see the gothic godfathers live so I dragged my dear sweet husband literally across the country to see Bauhaus perform live for measly hour (which began with Peter Murphy hanging upside down for the full 9 minutes of Bela Lugosi's Dead). They hit me like a bolt of fucking lightning. One of my good friends describes their live sound best, "It's like an earthquake or tidal wave -- rumbling toward you in waves and tremors, aggressive but not coarse. Smooth and undulating, with fractures and fissures erupting all around you. Sweeps you up. It's dangerous yet completely compelling and almost womblike." I refused to blend in with the black-clad crowd and wore all white.

3. Bauhaus at Verizon Wireless Center in Atlanta - An amphitheatre is not the best place to see Bauhaus, but it's friggin' Bauhaus so who cares, right? Still an orgasmic show. My friend and I were wearing red boas and got some amused glances from the band members.

4. Red Elvises at the Bamboo Room in Ft. Lauderdale - If you like live music, you MUST see this band. They make everyone get up and dance and it's actually fun instead of annoying.

5. The Decemberists at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando - Totally blew away my expectations of their live show. I love the Decemberists, but I expected them to be pretentious in concert. I was wrong. They were so much fun and they covered Brian Eno's I'll Come Running - one of my favorite Eno songs.

Honorable Mention - Nine Inch Nails at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Atlanta - First time I've seen them live. They were great! One of the more amazing experiences of my life is 10,000+ people singing every word to Head Like A Hole. I would definitely see them live again, preferably in a small club or at least in the pit.

Most Disappointing:
Iggy Pop at some sleazy club in Ft. Lauderdale - Only disappointing because the sound was shitty. Iggy always rules, despite the sound. However, he did a stage dive and the crowd surfed him up to the balcony where my husband and I were watching the show. So that nearly made up for the sound. Oh and FYI, Iggy doesn't sweat, he slimes.

The Band I've Always Wanted To See But Haven't:
David J - He is the bassist for Bauhaus and Love & Rockets. His solo music is fucking brilliant. If he came within driving distance I would so be there.

1. Tori Amos, DC, 1998. Playing with a full band for the first time. If the jerkface boyfriend of the girl sitting in front of me would've shut his mouth during "Me and a Gun" it would've been a perfect show.

2. Ani Difranco, Meyerhoff Theatre, Baltimore, 199?. First and favorite Ani show. Andy Stochansky was playing drums on that tour, and they had a great rapport.

3. Mike Doughty, Fletchers, Baltimore, 2003(?). Making up for missing Soul Coughing when they played Baltimore a few years earlier. My friends were late, we were stuck in the back by the bar with the assholes who were paying no attention to the show, but it was still great. He's an incredibly engaging showman.

4. G. Love and Special Sauce, Bohager's, Baltimore, 1999. Much fun - G. Love is sexy as hell, the music was good, and local blues/soul singer Kelly Bell guested on a couple songs, which was awesome.

5. Cesaria Evora, Skopje, Macedonia, 2002. The concert hall was unbearably hot, crowded, smelly, and the seats were uncomfortable. But between her voice and her incredible presence, Evora had the crowd in the palm of her hand the whole time.

Most disappointing: Ani Difranco, Pier 6, Baltimore, I forget when. Mostly down to the audience being crap that night.

Show I want to see: Virgin Festival, Baltimore. Dear god I hope I get a job soon so I can afford to go. But then watch Modest Mouse, Amy Winehouse, M.I.A. and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs end up playing at exactly the same time.

1) Wilco: Kalamazoo, MI, February 2005

The first of four eventual times I would see them, and still the best. A Ghost is Born had just won a Grammy, they opened with Via Chicago (it takes balls to have the first words you utter at a show be "I dreamed about killing you again last night, and it felt alright to me"), the fantastically weird Detholz opened, and the encore was amazing cover after amazing cover. Even in the balcony seats we had, it was unbelievable.

2) The Flaming Lips/New Pornographers: Lollapalooza, August 2006

The Lips have a legendary live show that didn't disappoint, complete with santas, aliens, confetti guns, Wayne Coyne in a bubble, giant balloons, and anything else that could result in sensory overload. Entire set was phenomenal with singalongs, jumping, dancing, crowd surfing, et al, but it was made near perfect from the moment the countdown began into "Do You Realize???", which was akin to a religious experience (though my memories may be shaded by the contact high)... the energy led right into the New Pornos' set right clear across Grant Park, which rocked hard despite the lack of Neko Case and Dan Bejar... worked through the crowd high-fiving everyone during "The Slow Descent into Alcoholism" in time to be front and center for "Sing Me Spanish Techno". Definitely the best one-two punch of an amazing weekend.

3) Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Detroit, MI, April 2007

Makes the list solely based on the fact that it managed to not disappoint in spite of a set clocking in at just about an hour and equipment problems preventing the encore, which would have featured my personal favorite "Walkin To Do". Incredibly energetic show (I can't think of any other band I've seen move quite as much on stage) in a small venue, with great banter to boot. Also notable as my first post 21 show- my friend and I got PBRs to celebrate- as well as having been attended on Monday of finals week with campus an hour away and half of the folks I went with having early morning finals.

4) The White Stripes: Detroit, MI, October 2005

I skipped out on the first UM-MSU game the Spartans had a chance of winning in years for this, and it was well worth it (and not just because MSU lost). Once Jack White got started on the guitar, he didn't stop, making it feel like one continuous medley... save for stopping for Meg to play "Passive Manipulation" on the tymps (twice?!) and to switch to piano for "My Doorbell" and "Forever for Her (Is Over for Me)", the chorus of the latter being belted out by myself and my roommate and possibly nobody else in the theater.

5) The Mountain Goats: Kalamazoo, MI September 2006

Amazing for being one of the most intense "quiet" shows I've ever been at (the crowd literally mouthed along with the songs at some points, which was chilling), but also for so many strange reasons- running into my best friend from kindergarten, having John Darnielle standing literally shoulder to shoulder with us during the opener sipping a beer and spastically rocking out, my friend inexplicably passing out midway through the show and having to be carried out and checked out in the back of an ambulance, getting back in time to chant 'hail satan' in the doorway during the encore and tell John he rocked as he rushed offstage, and finally driving on the wrong side of the road for about a mile on the way home.

Biggest Disappointment: Stars at Lolla 2006. Possibly just not a great outdoor festival band, but "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" completely failed to move me as a heart wrenching breakup anthem should.

Dream to See: Billy Bragg. My life will not be complete until I can stand in a crowd of people screaming the near perfect lyrics to "A New England" right along with the now-middle aged man who wrote them, standing alone on a stage with guitar and amp and still rocking harder than half the bands out there today.

It's hard enough for me to remember what shows I've been to this year, so I'll just do the top three of the year and throw in two that were really good at the time.

Beirut- Urbana (Fall 2006). I think this show was like two hours late or something because they got stuck in traffic (the tollway takes longer during rush hour, who knew?!?). There weren't very many people there even though it was on a Friday. But it was still a decently high energy show, the openers were actually good (so rare), and no girls threw themselves at Zach Condon.

Of Montreal- Urbana (Fall 2006)- they always put on a pretty good live show, the openers sucked though minus Headlights.

Andrew Bird- Urban (Spring 2006)- Even though I'm from Chicagoland area, I've never seen him live before. It was one of the better shows of the year, and I totally want to see him in Chicago and not mid-week now.

The Cure (?)- I was 15 and really into being a poseur goth. I think the Cure play basically the same set list at every show and don't really do all that much on stage, but I was stupid then so it was like life altering or whatever.

Silverchair- (Milwaukee ?) I'm so embarrased that I saw them now, but I was 12 and it was my first rock concert- so it holds a dear place in my heart.

Most Disappointing: Conershop (Rosemount 1998). I was 13 and I went to see Oasis just because Cornershop was opening. I still listen to and like their "When I was born for the 7th time" CD though.

Want to See But Haven't: Oh, this is a tie between the Talking Heads and Radiohead. If I could be transported back to 1978 and could see Talking Heads at CGBG I would in a second, but that's filed under never gonna happen. Radiohead I almost saw in concert during the OK Computer tour, but I'm glad I didn't because I guess Thom Yorke was all depressed and not into touring then. I'd like to see them now though.

1. Living Colour - Summer 2005, Knitting Factory, Los Angeles

This was my absolute favorite contemporary band back in high school, but I never caught them live. Then they went on that long hiatus and finally started doing shows again almost ten years later. Thus, it was a godsend to finally see them perform after all that time. The truly awesome aspect of this show, though, was that the stage was in an absolutely tiny venue, and it seems that no one left realizes how awesome these guys are. The bar was full, but I had no problem being right at the front, a mere few feet away as they brought the place down. I even shook Corey Glover's hand after the show.

2. Ben Folds Five - 9:30 Club, D.C., Spring 2000

I've seen Ben perform six times now in various incarnations, and it is tough to choose one show, as I loved them all. I go with this one because it was the last time I saw him play with Robert and Darren and I was right in front of the stage with a raucous crowd. Who knew that last encore of "The Last Polka" would be truly be the last polka? I didn't at the time. (A close runner-up would be the second August 2005 show at the Wiltern in L.A., partially because it got me laid but also because that setlist rocked.)

3. Joe Satriani - Wiltern, late 2005

I've seen Joe play a few times as well. I'm partial to the first time I saw him at the 9:30 Club back in 2000 as far as setlists go, but this night at the Wiltern was transcendent because of its encore. Eric Johnson was the opener, and Joe brought him back out on stage. Then Joe asked if the crowd if anyone wanted to come up onstage to have a mini-G3. Of course, dozens of amateur guitarists clamored to be the one chosen. Joe smiled and said, "Thanks, guys, but I think I'll bring out my good buddy Steve Vai." In a complete surprise Vai appears from stage left, and the three guys put on a sprawling half-hour virtuoso jam for us.

4. Fiona Apple - 9:30 Club, February 2000
I've seen Fiona perform several times as well, but this was the first show of hers that I caught. It was a perfect setlist, and her energy was incredible. I got sloshed off innumerable drinks, tried hitting on a few women to no avail, and just had a generally great time. Plus, there was a bizarre serendipitous story that involved my getting into the show for free.

5. Music Midtown, Atlanta 2004

This was a pretty incredible experience for me. Some were better than others, but check out who I saw: Galactic, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Doors of the 21st Century, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Wyclef Jean & Chris Robinson, Joss Stone, Toby Lightman, Steve Miller Band, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, & others. I was pleased.

Band I've waited my entire life to see that I'll be seeing twice this month: The Police (Based on Stewart's quote today, let's hope they get their act together.)

Band I'd see with a time machine: The Beatles, of course!

1. Queen and Paul Rodgers at the Duck pond in anaheim. I'm still reeling from what a mind blowing experience it was.

2. Nickle Creek (any of their shows, but especially summer of 2006 at the House of Blues Disneyland). I have yet to see a band that connects with the audience as well as they did.

3. Simon and Garfunkle circa 2005 at the Staples center. Their reunion tour was a lot of fun, especially with all of their songs being played live...with a special touch.

4. Scissor Sisters. They're show was so full of energy, you couldn't help but join in and dance with them.

5. Mika. (His release concert in LA). I saw Mika at the Troubador, which is a tiny tiny concert space. If we'd reached out our arms a little further, we would have been able to strum on the guitars. His music and performance style makes you want to dance and sing with him.

Biggest disappointment
A tie between Mika (the fans in the audience were some of the most obnoxious people I've ever met)and Sondre Lerche. The latter could be just because I'm not the biggest fan.

Concert I'd like to see

Queen back when they had Freddie with them, or more realistically, Aerosmith.

1. spearhead - 1997, house of blues NOLA

2. david byrne - 2004, house of blues NOLA

3. pennywise - 1995, somewhere in florida

4. prince - superdome, 2003

5. the marley kids(steven, cedella, damien, ziggy, plus a few grands) - 1997, central park

Jen,

I was reading your shows and I realized that I was at 5 of the 6, because you're my sister!! Good choices, we both chose BNL on New Years Eve, it was 1999, and ACDC was our first real concert! Remember the Metallica show, where we brought Patrick to his first concert? And I totally fell in love with Jerry Cantrell then, still love Boggy Depot. And the U2 show, how could I forget? Remember when I cried when I saw Bono for the first time?

Finally, I am DYING to see Nick Cave. I NEED to see him. ciao hermana

Hey beckylooo glad to hear from someone up in the hills from that show - what a night, eh? I've been lucky to have seen Radiohead 4 times since and each time has been absolutely amazing.

Other notables have been Flaming Lips after Yoshimi, Queens of the Stone Age in Asbury Park in 2003, Yeah Yeah Yeahs in Brooklyn in 200?, Phish at the State Theatre in Ithaca in 1991, Menomena this year at the Bowery Ballroom, R.E.M supporting Green in 1989, Death Cab and Rilo Kiley at the El Rey, J. Mascis at the Troubadour, Beastie Boys at MSG, Prince at MSG, Sonny Rollins at the S.F. Masonic, Cream at MSG; the list goes on...

As for those that i wished i could see, time machine style, that's easy. The Velvet Underground circa 1969-1970, followed closely by My Bloody Valentine circa 1991-1992.

Disappointed by Morningwood (blecch), The second time i saw The Shins @ the Bowery Ballroom (they were drunk and kinda going through the motions), Huey Lewis and the News (really, just one hit and 20 unknown songs for a whole show?) and lastly Rage Against the Machine in Philly for Lollapalooza 1993 when I was so excited to see them and instead they came out naked, gagged, and tugging... ahem... themselves in a odd protest of the P.M.R.C. They were arrested and hauled off without playing a note.

Jesus, kb, were we separated at birth? Spearhead, Fishbone? Seen 'em, seen the latter five times. And I LOVE firehose. Never saw 'em, but seen Mike Watt solo and he was absolutely unreal.

I don't generally go see live concerts that aren't classical, since the noise hurts my ears (I am a delicate flower!). The worst show I ever saw was a Wallflowers/Counting Crows concert at Hershey stadium. They both played their albums IN ORDER and left. It was incredibly underwhelming. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra show I saw was better- at least they didn't play right off the CD.

1. Rickie Lee Jones-Prospect Park Brooklyn, Summer 2005
The day had been super hot, but as the sun started to go down it started to rain lightly, and Rickie came out with her crazy little girl voice, and she's so involved,and rolling across the piano, and the whole event was just...trancendent, it sounded and felt like...love.

2. Tom Petty and the Black Crows- Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Bonner Springs KS- Summer 2005
Damn, he is just so fucking cool. Nothing better than hanging out on a lawn under the stars and rocking out to Tom Petty.

3. Barenaked Ladies- Sewell, NJ- Nov. 2005
I love BNL, I've loved them since I was "just a kid". This was their holiday show and was funny, and warm, and big-hearted and played in a high school auditorium which somehow made it that much more fun. No one does self-deprication like the Ladies. Love them, love them, love them, oh, and live, they totally fucking rock out.

4. The Strokes- Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC- March 2006
I couldn't see any of the band over the heads of the crowd, but it didn't matter, because all that mattered was dancing my ass off in the middle of sweaty, dirty, New York. So fucking loud, so fucking hot, so fucking sexy.

5. The Rolling Stones- Nice, France Aug. 2006
I had seen the Stones so many times by then that I didn't even bother trying to watch the stage, instead my (brand new-we were on our honeymoon) husband and I just found a spot behind the sound tower and spent then next two hours dancing, dancing, dancing. Say what you will about the Stones, but when they start into Midnight Rambler I can't do anything other than dance.

Worst Concert: Shelby Lynn-Central Park, NYC Summer 2005
She seemed bored to hell and back. I don't even know why she bothered to show up. I think she might have been drunk. Totally lame.

Still want to see: Counting Crows.

1. Bauhaus - 1998, The Warfield, San Francisco. We were squished all the way in the front and Peter Murphy leaned down and held my sister's hand while singing "She's In Parties."
2. The Flaming Lips - 2000, Maritime Hall, San Francisco. This was during the "headphone tour" but we quickly discarded the headphones because they were kind of useless. The place was only about 2/3 full and everyone was standing a nice polite distance from everyone else singing along and dancing until "She Don't Use Jelly" which became an eruption of confetti and giant pink bunnies. I found confetti in my car and clothes for months afterwards.
3. Belle & Sebastian - 2006, Hollywood Bowl, (The Shins opened.) The whole experience from the unexpectedly posh seats to the great set it was perfect.
4. Elliott Smith - 2000, The Warfield, San Francisco. This was the perfect combination of seeing a great performance right when I was at the height of my love for the performer. Grandaddy opened and they came out and sang George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" with Elliott for a final encore.
5. Lorretta Lynn - 2000, Silver Legacy Casino, Reno, NV. I took my mom to see this show for her birthday and it was great. She was chatting with the audience and taking requests. The band was tight, they played anything the crowd asked for.
Most Disappointing: Wilco - in LA a couple years ago. Couldn't see well, the songs were all dragged out to interminable lengths, lots of guitar noodling. Boring.
The Band I've Always Wanted to See but Haven't: Pulp. One day, when I invent my time machine...

Top 5:

Prince, San Jose State University, 1996 - Small venue with maybe 1000 people in attendance, and Carlos Santana came out and jammed with him during the encore.

Radiohead, Columbia Gorge Amphitheater, 2001, 2002? (can't remember) - I wasn't a big fan as of yet, but a lot of my friends were. We camped there for two nights, had a great time, and I realized how great Radiohead is.

White Stripes, Portland, OR, 2005 - Man they rock. And chick drummers rule!

Beck, Champoeg State Park, OR, 1995, 1996? (can't remember again) - Outdoor amphitheater where bands played all day, including Sonic Youth. Beck rocked that venue, and the closing song with animal pagan masks is not to be forgotten.

Prince, Portland, OR, 2002 - The whole evening, beginning with seeing the warm-up because my husband is part of his club, then being in the front row for the show itself, then going to the small venue aftershow and once again being up front. That man can put on a hell of a show.

Biggest regret - This is my own damn fault. I saw a Beck show one year, again in Portland, and the Flaming Lips were opening for him. Instead of realizing that I should be in there watching, I was standing out in the lobby getting drunk. I still haven't managed to see them perform since, and I kick myself every time I think of it.

1. The Foo Fighters - Berkeley Community Theater

An all-acoustic show to promo their double-album that rocked my world. Who knew Dave Grohl was the most talented member of Nirvana??

2. Willie Nelson - The Fillmore

For a man as old as my parents, the dude can still rock.

3. Ben Harper/Damian Marley - The Greek in Berkeley

Holy shit, that was a lot of weed.

4. The Old 97s - The Independent in SF

Awesome, awesome rockers.

5. Pearl Jam - Griz Stadium, Missoula, MT

This was the defining moment of my young, angsty high school life.

Most disappointing: Modest Mouse. Such a great band, yet they just SUCKED live.

Who I want to see: Roger Waters, Radiohead, Ben Folds Five

1. Elvis Costello and the Impostors / Billy Bob Thornton at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis in 2002.
2. Beck and The Flaming Lips at the Orpheum in Minneapolis in 2002.
3. Trail Of Dead / The Sword / Octopus Project at the Metro in Chicago in 2005.
4. Arcade Fire / Wolf Parade in 2005
5. TV On The Radio / White Collar Crime Club at the Circolo Degli Artisti in Rome.
Most Disappointing: The Shins / Calexico / Rogue Wave at 1st Ave in Minneapolis.
Band I Most Want to see: The White Stripes

TOP 5:

1. U2 - Denver, CO 2001.
This concert was amazing!! Our seats were crap but the stage was set up so that you could see everything from almost wherever you were sitting. Bono is just such a rock star....enough said. PJ Harvey opened...she was kind of underwhelming.

2. Ben Kweller - Engine Room, Houston 2004??
The Engine room is a really small, intimate venue and was the perfect place for a Kweller concert. He opened up with a few fun little songs he had just written. He's very charismatic and a blast to see live!

3. Green Day - Houston 2005
My friend and I got free tickets to this concert. I had never been a huge Green Day fan (I enjoyed their music well enough but probably would not have paid for tickets) but this concert was amazing! This concert had everything - great music, humor, some nudity, anti-Bush sentiment. I have since become a much bigger fan of Green Day after attending that concert.

4. Dave Matthews - The Woodlands, TX May 1998, 1999, 2000.
I was a HUGE DMB fan in High School so I attended almost every show he played in my hometown. He always played the right mix of old and new and always seemed like such a fun-loving guy. There was always plenty of pot being passed around at his concerts and the whole audience seemed to get really into the whole experience. The first 3 years I saw his concerts were great....until 2001 (see below)

5. Incubus - San Antonio, July 2002
This was the first concert I attended with the man I ended up marrying. The whole experience was memorable. We got stuck in a flood on the way to the concert, missed the opening act (Phantom Planet) and then lost our car when we were leaving. Even though the concert was in a huge arena, it seemed really intimate. They sound better in concert than they do on their albums!!

WORST concert:
Dave Matthews Band - Houston, May 2001
Dave was in a really pissy mood that night. He didn't interact with the crowd at all and left before playing an encore. That was the night that my obsession with him ended.

Still want to see:
Ben Harper
Rilo Kiley
Rufus Wainwright
Damien Rice
and also, if we could bring him back to life...Jeff Buckley

On a side-note,
Gig 'em Cody!

So my concert going experiences are chock-full of serious disappointment. So I unfortunately have to list my just missed concert experiences. I have had tickets for all of these, and missed all of them for reasons ranging from ice storm to artist illness.

1) Damien Rice- Minneapolis Dec 2006. Maaajor threat of an ice storm, so I had to leave drive home a day early so I wouldn't have to spend Christmas at the Mall of America Best Western. Found out later the storm never arrived.

2) Damien Rice- Lyon, France March 2007. I bought tickets 3 months ahead of time and took a six hour train trip just to go and find out I had booked a hostel for FEB 6 instead of March 6. It happened to be the same night as the Lyon/ Milano Football Match which brought over 5000 italians to the city. No hotel rooms free within an hours drive of Lyon. Had to miss the concert and take a last minute train to Chambery, or else sleep on the street with drunk and rowdy football fans.

3) Bonaroo- 2005. I was gonna see my favorite band, The Frames, for the first time. The guy I was supposed to go with got arrested and didn't call to tell me he couldn't go. Don't even know what he got arrested for.

4) Ray Lamontagne- Dublin, 2005. He got sick and rescheduled for the week after I moved back to the US.

5) Aerosmith- Nashville 1998. They were supposed to play on my birthday, but then rescheduled for the night of my high school choir concert. I would fail my class if I skipped it.

The artist I want to see most: Glen Hansard, alone or preferably, with The Frames

to wandereraz: Gwar! ha ha ha!

When my husband was 11, he won a radio station contest to be killed onstage at the Gwar show. They put him through a meat grinder.

He still talks so fondly on that experience. :)

The Best:
A Fire Inside
The energy projected by this act has earned them their dedicated fan base. We rabid fans even sang an entire song along with the musicians until technical difficulties with the microphone could be corrected. I've seen them three times and find it impossible to narrow it down to a favorite concert, considering their sound matures with every new album.

Gwar
This was on the Sounds of the Underground Tour, which is heavy metal's equivalent to Ozzfest. The costumes and stage show are without rival, just google the images. These awesome performance artists brutally dismembered the Pope, President Bush and some crazy space monster, to some sweet ska-metal songs with imps jumping around stage spraying the audience with green and purple goo.

Johnny Clegg and Savuka
I was ten years old and I danced my ass off to the Zulu-pop musical sylings of this South African band. It was a hot night in Arizona and the tour was aptly titled, "Heat, Dust and Dreams."

The Red Elvises
These Russian showmen wear lounge lizard suits in bright colors and animal prints while delivering pelvis gyrating rock songs. They're amazing musicians and equally amazing performance artists. I haven't danced for an entire concert since Johnny Clegg.

Nine Inch Nails with Queens of the Stone Age
It was a perfect combination of hard rock and grinding industrial. The sound quality was amazing and I sang along to every song played.

The Worst:
N*SYNC
A friend had an extra ticket and needed someone to accompany her. Since I had nothing to do that evening, I decided to attend. It was certainly a spectacle to be seen with all the wardrobe changes and flying through the air, but the screams of young girls crying around me almost made me claw my ears off, and that's nothing compared to the actual set the "musicians" performed.

Desired act:
Tiger Army
Although they come around all the time, I've never managed to see them.

Best: Depeche Mode, December 2005 in Toronto for the Playing the Angel tour. I really don't feel the need to list any other shows, because this is the Holy Grail, my friends.
Most Disappointing: Smashing Pumpkins. Love 'em, but they sucked live.

All-time #1 Forever--The Cramps, New Year's Eve 1987 at the Fillmore West, San Francisco. What a glorious way to ring in the New Year, baby!

#2 Bonnie Raitt, Keb Mo and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, 1996, at the Adams Field House, Missoula, MT. Keb Mo stole the damn show, and probably four or five others before and after this concert.

#3 The Damned, 1988, some nameless club on Broadway in San Francisco. I loved them for so long, and just seeing Dave Vanian in person made me a happy, happy girl.

#4 George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars, anytime, anyplace. Need I say more?

#5 Wilco, 2003, Adams Field House, Missoula, MT. I love these guys. They can do no wrong, and they never phone it in.

The most disappointing concert I've been to was/is Bob Dylan. He never interacted with the crowd, barely moved around the stage, and seemed totally bored to be there. What a rip.

The band I've always wanted to see live (and never will)? The Beatles, hands down. And not just at some screamy stadium. No, I want to be there in 1969 on that roof at Abbey Road Studios while the boys play "Don't Let Me Down".

TOP 5 (I feel like I'm living out my High Fidelity fantasy here)

1.The Finn Brothers (Brisbane 2003)
- Neil and Tim Finn on stage together (back when the thought of Crowded House getting back together was only a dream)
- There was great crowd participation, two men in a horse suit, numerous Kiwi v. Aussie jokes and songs from both their solo careers, crowded house, split enz and their work together. Nothing short of amazing (especially the fact that Tim hasn't broken his hips yet with all that swivelling).

2.Ben Folds (The Tivoli, Brisbane 2005)
- I missed out on The Bens tour of 2003 but this was still worth it. I went and saw Ben Folds with the Queensland Orchestra in 2006 but it just wasn't quite the same as singing your lungs out with friends at a little bar in Brisbane.

3. Augie March/Death Cab for Cutie
- Splendour in the Grass (Byron Bay 2005) had a fantastic line up, lots of rain and great organic donuts. Augie March had a fantastic set, that while racked by technical problems was a beautiful moment in a chaotic weekend. Death Cab for Cutie did an awesome job with the difficult afternoon set but were just amazing.

4. Doves (the Arena, Brisbane 2005)
- Absolutely gorgeous set in a pretty shitty venue. They made up for the tight squeeze with an encore of Black and White Town, featuring all three guys on drums. Much better than their album.

5. Go-betweens Tribute Concert (the Tivoli, Brisbane 2006)
- Live at the Wireless recording to pay tribute to 25 years of the Go-betweens and the passing of Grant McLennan. It was an amazing night with Sarah Blasko, Bob Evans, Glenn from Augie March, the boys from Youth Group, Powderfinger and Custard getting together to perform their favourite songs from the back catalogue. The night was filmed and they're acutally releasing a CD of the night so if anyone is interested you can probably track down a copy from triple j.

Biggest Disappointment:
- Oasis at Livid Festival (Brisbane 2002)
- Half an hour late (which is not the way to win a crowd at a festival), missed out the majority of their hits, only good note was a cover of the The Who. They were then upstaged by local boys Powderfinger who were able to get the crowd back in the mood.

Bands to see before I die/please, please be announced in the second Splendour line up for August this year:
1. Radiohead
2. Sufjan Stevens
3. Arcade Fire

In order of awesomeness:

1. The Beastie Boys and A Tribe Called Quest, Detroit, 1998. I was 15. It blew my mind.

2. Dave Matthews Band, Detroit. Any one of the 3 concerts I went to between 1999 and 2001. No longer a fan, but DMB did put on some great shows.

3. Ray LaMontagne, Brooklyn, 2006. Summer, park, hippies, "Jolene," etc.

4. Eminem @ the Vans Warped Tour, Pontiac MI, 1999.

5. Backstreet Boys, Detroit, 1999. F off, I was 16 and Brian waved at us.

Never seen but would like to see: Justin Timberlake, John Mayer, Ryan Adams when he's in a good mood.

Gabrielle,I also saw the Gypsy Kings in Toronto--the city where there is too dancing at concerts, all the time!--and they were so much fun. Even better:

1. Nine Inch Nails, Lolapalooza tour Toronto, 1992: who knew they were even on the bill? But when they started playing--their presence just riveted the audience. The most raw, sexy, vital performance I've ever seen on stage, in 100 plus degree weather and the beginnings of a sunburn, anywhere.

2. U2, Massey Hall, Toronto 1982: fantastic acoustics and excellent sightlines everywhere, and a really young and lean band. Bono climbed the speakers up to the balconies and french-kissed a woman sitting in front of us who'd wandered into the concert and had never even heard of U2 before that minute. Then, while Bono did a quick cover of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean", she asked people around her who "that man" was.

3. Sarah Harmer, Harbourfront Molson Ampitheatre, Toronto, 2006; tied with Sarah McLaughlin, at what was then known as the Phoenix club in Toronto, 1999. I'd barely heard about Harmer when I saw her in concert, and she had Dolly Parton's vocals and easy power over the audience (without the famous accoutrements!); McLachlan was only 19 or so at the Phoenix concert which was filled with journalists and A and R people murmuring the "easy listening" new age musician's show would be an excuse for a beer....till she opened her show by singing an a capella ballad in gaelic that had them screaming like teenaged girls. They were mesmerized.

4. Robert Fripp and David Sylvian at Massey Hall in Toronto, 1994. Still remember everything about it, but it was the most quiet concert I've ever experienced.

5. I saw David Bowie play in Toronto (again--never had to go far, everyone came here) during the Serious Moonlight Tour. His voice was fantastic, but I decided that would be the last stadium concert I've ever want to see. Way too much heat, huge crowds, too much waiting, and it's disappointing to see most of a concert on a video screen.

The Worst Concert: I had tickets to an XTC gig, in a tiny little auditorium in a suburb of Toronto. In 1979. It was the first show Andy Partridge decided to cancel because of his fear of performing in front of an audience.

They haven't played live since.

I can only imagine how great they would have been! Other than that, I've got nothing else to say cause I still love that band.

Besties: 1) Los Lobos in Cincinnati circa 1993. They rocked and folked the house!

2) Chrissie Hynde and Iggy Pop in Lexington, KY circa 1987. Iggy opened for Chrissie, and when she first came on she dropped to the stage floor and kissed the spot where he had stood!

3)k.d. Lang in Louisville, KY circa 1990. She admitted onstage that she was a "L-l-l-Lawrence Welk fan"

4) John Prine 2000 in Muhlenberg County for the Everly Brothers homecoming concert. The Everlys were good, too! So was Chet Atkins!

5)Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie at Wolf Trap 1992. I think I sobbed through the entire concert (in a good way).

Worstie: David Bowie and Tin Machine at Madison Square Garden. Just boring somehow, though Bowie still delights in general.

Dream Concert: I'm HOPING it will be Cake here in Anchorage this August.

This exercise makes me thankful once again that I lived in Kentucky from 1986-1998, where I was within traveling distance to experience all kinds of great live music, including Uncle Tupelo, Lucinda Williams, Lyle Lovett and Ralph Stanley. I really like my new home of Alaska, and some great musicians do make the trip, but it is just not as deep a well to drink from...

In no particular order, here we go:

Sonic Youth at the ANU (Canberra) -- just after Sonic Nurse was released. "White Cross" rocked my socks.

Supergrass at the Coogee Bay Hotel, Sydney -- where I had more ridiculous dancing-like-an-epileptic-eight-year-old fun than ever before.

DJ Shadow with Mos Def at the Hordern Pavilion, Sydney -- The latter? Eminently forgettable. The former? Fucking brilliant.

PJ Harvey at the same venue -- I'd like to have her babies. Come to think of it, I did before I went to the gig anyway, but it really cemented the obsession, y'know? The girl knows how to use a tambourine.

The Mint Chicks at The Green Room (Canberra) -- a band you've probably never heard of, in a venue that fits about fourteen people if they all skip dinner before the gig. Nevertheless. If you're reading this, and you like the sound of a band that occasionally brings a chainsaw onto the stage, check out Fuck The Golden Youth or their latest album Crazy? Yes. Dumb? No. Shit name? Yep. Great music? Damn straight.

Ok, I read like three entries and now I'm going to post mine without readng any more before I chicken out because I'm a classic rock nerd and mine aren't cool/indie/obscure. In my defense though, bands like the ones a lot of you have seen just don't come around where I live (a couple of my best shows were way out of town). But you know, even if they did, I probably wouldn't go see them. Music for me is all about a mood and a good time, and there's nothing better than standard classic rock for that perfect mood that just fits me.

1. Fleetwood Mac- Denver, 2003. Me, my best friend, and her dad, who remained fairly calm during the show up until the opening chords of Rhiannon. He jumped out of his seat screaming, "STEVIE, STEVIE, I LOVE YOU WOOOO!!!!!!" and was flailing around like a maniac. When he was our age, Stevie was the hottie of the day. Watching him was almost as good as the show. Highlights were Lindsay's solo acoustic Big Love, Stevie's arena rocking out version of Stand Back, and Mick's drum intro to World Turning. AMAZING.

2. Steve Miller Band- Memphis in May, 2003. Me and my best friend, dancing around in the rain in a field of mud next to the Mississippi River. And the band was SO much better than I even thought they would be. Played their asses off all through the rain.

3. John Mellencamp- Sandstone Ampitheatre, Kansas City, 2002. I don't care what anyone says! AWESOME show and in many ways my favorite. It was me and my four best girlfriends, "the girls" of that era in my life. Just amazing. Smoked ourselves ridiculous all the way up to KC and danced the entire time. The intro for "I Need a Lover" alone was enough to make the show. It started storming, I mean a good old Missouri ass kicking thunderstorm, and we were sure the show was over. It was NOT, as the storm seemed to almost amp the band up, and when the sky turned orange and crashed lightening all the way through "The Walls"- there almost isn't a more memorable moment for me and those girls.

4. Willie Nelson/John Fogerty- Starlight Theater, KC, 2006. What needs to be said, really? Freaking great time, again with my best friend and her dad.

5. James Taylor- Sedalia, Missouri State Fair, 2006. Probably my most sedate concert. But magical just because of the circumstances, who I was with, the night we had. A very impromptu good memory.

Most disappointing? I can't say I've ever really been disappointed with a concert, because, hi, really, you're out for the night listening to a band, how bad can it be? But Tom Petty was kind of ruined a little for me cause of the circumstances and who I went with. I'd love to see him again cause he was awesome, but that particular show just wasn't the best night.

Show I most want to see? Pink Floyd is the dream, but that for me means all four together (and no, I don't count Syd Barrett before someone jumps on me) and it doesn't look like it's gonna happen unless it's for another charity event. I'm still waiting for the Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam, though Pearl Jam is one I'd like to have seen back in the day when Eddie still had long hair and wasn't quite so serious. But I'll still die when I do actually see them.

When I read that comment by the person who said they didn't understand the appeal of concerts, I almost passed out from confusion and disbelief. You are missing out on one of the best joys in life, my friend. What could be better than rocking out to your favorite music, especially outdoors, with your best friends and some beers, dancing like fools and singing every word? I ask you.

1. The Police: Synchronicity Tour, Reunion Arena, Dallas-because you never forget your first.
2. Son Volt: (1996) at Sons of Hermann Hall, Dallas-where my husband and I met.
3. REM (1986)at the late, great Bronco Bowl, Ft.Worth
4. Billy Joe Shaver: The Sons of Hermann Hall, Dallas
5.Wynton Marsalis: Caravan of Dreams, Ft.Worth

Most disappointing: Ryan Adams at Trees, Dallas. Drunk, rude, didn't realize his guitar was unplugged, ...

Would love to see: The Black Crowes (because I passed out and missed the whole show.)/Would love to have seen: James Brown.

1. Prince -- Reunion Arena, Dallas, 1998. Unreal. He made a basketball arena feel like a club.

2. Built to Spill -- Irving Plaza, New York, 2001. A few weeks after 9/11, they sounded incredible and the mix of sadness and joy in the room was palpable.

3. The Hold Steady -- Abbey Bar, Harrisburg, PA, last month. The band played a free show for the bar's 10th anniversary. Loud, joyful, insane.

4. The Innocence Mission -- Southpaw, Brooklyn, 2004. Like church.

5. Ray Lamontagne -- Bowery Ballroom, New York, 2005. Also like church.

I'm leaving off lots of good ones. Also, biscuits, I'm 99% sure I was at your #2 show (Son Volt).

Most disappointing -- REM, in Houston, on the Monster tour. Only because I (still) worship them, but they're just not the best live band (in my opinion). Plus, obviously, it wasn't their best material to be touring behind. But Radiohead opened for them (supporting The Bends) and that set nearly made my top 5 -- amazing.

Band I'd still like to see: U2 and Pearl Jam are the only really big ones I haven't seen that I wanted to, but I'm kind of past caring in both cases now.

Top 5:

1. Matthew Good, Mac Hall, Calgary. October 2005. It was amazing.

2. Calgary Folk Festival, July 2006. A lot of the smaller acts, I can't remember, and it'd be hard to choose. But it was such a great day of music.

3. Barenaked Ladies, Fort McMurray, 199..6/7?

4. Wil, Banff (Alberta), 2004. Acoustic, folky music. An opening act, but he's fantastic. People should check him out.

5. Okay. So since I haven't been to many concerts,I'm just gonna namedrop and say I met Bif Naked. And she talked to me. So can I count that as a concert?

Upcoming: Rufus Motherfucking Wainwright. So excited. Yay, Calgary Folk Festival! And also, Hawksley Workman. Striptease for me, baby. And Matthew Good. Again.

Would maim to see: Ben Folds.

As usual I will date myself with this listing. I haven't been to many concerts (other than the best Folk Festival in N. America every year) since the late 80's
Top 5
1. Bryan Ferry (post Roxy Music)a small venue and somewhat akin to a junkie's dream....Mr. Smoooooooooooooth
2.Paul Simon - Graceland Tour -I had missed the Simon & Garfunkel Reunion but this was truly amazing
3.David Bowie Modern Love Tour (much much better than the spider one)Outdoors and we were maybe 20 meters from the stage.
4.Dave Bromberg after a 20 year hiatus I first saw Dave back in the mid 70's and to see & hear him again on a hot sunny afternoon was magical
5. David Byrne Another Folk Festival first, weird, wonderful and he DID play all the Talking Heads hits with an octet for a backup band.
Most Disappointing - Stevie Wonder sometime in the 80's.He played MEDLIES of some of his best tunes and the one that got the audience to their feet?...'I Just Called To Say I Love You'! I nearly cried.
Concert I wish wish wish I had seen? Pink Floyd - The Wall -nuff said.

1. Rufus Wainwright, Beacon, NYC, 2005. Sublime.

2. Alison Krauss, Town Hall, NYC, 1997. Heavenly.

3. Gillian Welch, Knitting Factory, NYC, 2004. Girlfriend (and Rawlings) was pitch perfect. Amazing. She pulled Norah Jones/Ryan Adams onstage for the last song as her special guests. She and Rawlings blew NJ and RA off the stage - seriously.

4. Reverend Horton Heat, NYC, 1997. Energetic, fun. Just a total blast. Amazing live show.

5. Elliot Smith, Boston, 2001. I actually hesitated to get these tickets because I was broke, but I'm so thrilled I did. He was fantastic and, well, for obvious reasons I'm glad I got to see him.

Most anticipated concert: The Cure, Great Woods (am I dating myself, Massholes?), 1989. I nearly had a heartattack in anticipation of seeing this show. Robert et al. did not disappoint. Runner-up: INXS, Great Woods, 1988. My first concert - I was soooooo excited. Ziggy Marley opened.

Biggest disappointment: Tough to say. I loved seeing Morrissey in 1992, but I did think he cut the show short.

Band I'd love to see: Naturally, The Smiths reunited. I love Fiona Apple and have never seen her live. Had tickets this past summer and couldn't get out of work. DAMN YOU, LAW FIRM GRIND.

I'm glad to see Ben Folds in almost everyone's lists, as well as TMBG. We have the best taste in music versus any other website out there.

1. Ben Folds (2002, Verizon Theater, Houston) - This was during the "One Man and His Piano" tour where he solo'd the whole thing, alternating between the piano and a guitar for a few songs. I got to meet him after the show by luck.

2. Barenaked Ladies (1999, Woodlands Pavillion, Houston) - This was during the Stunt tour, so they were riding high with "One Week" still, but they stole my heart long ago with Gordon. They had arguments in their underwear, and they brought a big burly white guy named (or so he said) "Shaft" on stage from the audience who did parts of Collective Soul's "Shine". Hella awesome show.

3. Dave Matthews Band (1999, Woodlands Pavillion, Houston) - This was actually the third time I'd seen him, but this had a whole experience to go with it. It started pouring rain so loud that you couldn't hear the show anymore about 15 minutes into him playing, but Dave kept on. It lasted about 20 minutes then the sky opened up and all was well. I ended up smoking out of an apple when I got back to my seat. He played for an extra 30-45 minutes to those that were left.

4. Depeche Mode (1998, Compaq Center, Houston) - This was during their 1998 greatest hits tour, so they played just about everything from old to new stuff. I went and bought Spellfire cards (it was so much better than Magic, heh) beforehand and then got lost for an hour and magically made it to the show on time. Seats weren't great, but they sounded AWESOME.

5. The Offspring (1995, International Ballroom, Houston) - Ahh, the Ballroom, how I miss thee in all its indoor concrete and no air conditioning glory. This was actually the very first concert I went to. I got to ride the crowd and fell down in the mosh pit without getting hurt.

Honorable mention: Maroon 5 at Numbers, before they got really huge. They opened for Cowboy Mouth, for gods sake. Also Jamie Cullum at Stubbs in Austin for putting on a hell of an energetic performance for a guy the size of the Lucky Charms mascot.

Biggest Disappointment: Lenny Kravitz, the three times he's played at bigger concerts I've been at. But he just sucks anyway so I always left.

Dream concerts: Cake, Violent Femmes, The Clash, Nirvana, Sublime. Except for Cake, the rest exist purely in my dreams.

- Radiohead @ Suffolk Downs MA, 6/27/01
Just a really fucking amazing show, and still one ony my favorite setlists from them. And, although of course Radiohead can rock whatever venue they're in, there's just something very special about being crammed elbow-to-elbow with a bunch of people you know are there for the same reason you are.

- Xiu Xiu @ T.T. The Bear's Boston, 4/7/07
One word: intense. Phew. It still gives me chills, just remembering it.

- Bright Eyes @ Irving Plaza NY, 9/20/02
Before he was the next Bob Dylan, Conor Oberst was just a guy who liked to get drunk and pour his heart out onstage, and his audience was just a bunch of kids who liked to watch him do that, and occasionaly sing along (see: "Make War"). Ah, the good ol' days...

-...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead @ Irving Plaza, 4/10/05
By the end of this show, I'd had beer poured all over me, been deafened by the pounding of two drum kits and three guitars, and elbowed in the head more times than I could count. I'd also forgotten why I'd hated ToD's last album. I remembered that last bit eventually, but a brilliant show should do that to you.

- Muse @ Axis Boston, 4/15/04
As far as current touring bands go, Muse cannot be beat for showmanship and spectacle. They actually managed to cram their stadium show into a tiny club, and man, did it work.

Most disappointing: Explosions in the Sky @ Middle East Boston, 3/21/07
Absolutely not the fault of the band, who were every bit as amazing as reputed. No, the blame is laid at the feet of the astonishingly numerous frat boys in the crowd (and their girlfriends), who had undoubtably learned about ETIS through "Friday Night Lights," and who insisted on screaming throughout the entire show and applauding after every climax, having no idea when the songs actually ended. After three years of missing their shows, after paying $60 for a ticket on Ebay, this is what I got. I am still bitter.

I also must disagree with this comment:

"DJ Shadow with Mos Def at the Hordern Pavilion, Sydney -- The latter? Eminently forgettable. The former? Fucking brilliant."

Shadow was good as always, but I thought Mos Def was mos def the highlight, although I saw this gig at the Tivoli in Brisbane so perhaps it was different. When Miss Fat Booty came on I danced my arse off and all my mates (even the non hip-hop loving ones) did likewise. Very impressed.

U2, 1982 area, the RockIt Club, Tampa, FL
Room was fairly packed. someone later said 800 people showed up. We were all up front and each got a feel off of Bono. He was quite taut as I remember. Also quite short when he passed by us after the show.

Talking Heads, 1981, Lakeland Civic Center, Lakeland, FL They put on a good show but Byrne seemed quite bored by it all. Chris & Tina got to do one Tom Tom Club song.

X, Tampa Jai Lai Fronton, 1981 or 2 Very nice, Exene especially turned on by mostly young male crowd. She used to live in St Pete, just like Angela Bassett.

10,000 Maniacs, The Ms Lucky Club, Tampa Various dates, 1983-4 Another group with Tampa Bay area ties, Maniacs played here a lot. Excellent live band, and Natalie was still young & just beginning to get sexier

Mo Tucker (Velvet Underground's drummer), The Cuban Club in Tampa, one of the annual WMNF Tropical Heatwave shows in May, sometime in the mid-80's. They always have a few interesting bands playing on several stages; that year they also had a group from Africa that did soukous music

My five best live performances...
(1) David Gray at Karma, Boston, 1999 (or early 00). Wicked small room, all the great songs, people jumping up and down with the Welsh flag. I think 5 for Fighting was the opener. I've seen all of his Boston-area shows and this one is the standout that makes me go back for more.

(2) Beth Orton at 9:30 Club, Washington DC, 1999. So musical, powerful, she had the audience eating out of her hand and no one said a peep when she played one song twice.

(3) Martin Sexton at Lebanon Opera House, NH, 2003-4. He can do amazing things with his voice live and it was a treat to see/hear him make things happen. Made the albums more potent for me.

(4) Ryan Montbleau - numerous shows - he tours like there's no tomorrow. Voice that's the result of a union between the aforementioned Sexton and Stevie Wonder. Would love to see him become the next big thing, even though I'd have to share him with screaming girls.

(5) U2, Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, 1993. Great boy, great night, great weather, unbelievable seats. Could have touched Bono were it not for the security guard. My first experience of this kind & you never forget your first.

Honorable mentions: Peter Gabriel, Alison Krauss, Lori McKenna (years before Faith Hill found her), REM, Dave Matthews (the third row show where I got to conga with Ozomatli), Chris Whitley, Tori Amos, Blue Rodeo (one of the last shows at Boston's House of Blues).

I was really disappointed in Ryan Adams (Boston, 03-04) because he was so high and kept telling us he was & the music sucked. I think he is genius & would love to see him again, just a lot less high.

Living artist I would love to see: Beck, The Police, Genesis with Peter Gabriel. Would love to attend Coachella or Bonnaroo someday. If I could have seen Jeff Buckley, I think that would be amazing because his recorded voice totally haunts me.

1. Elliott Smith - Los Angeles 2003, what more can I say. I saw him just in time. And, Rilo Kiley played first, so it was all sorts of wonderful.

2. Travis - LA 2007 - frakkin' AMAZING live. And Fran Healy in person is even sweeter and more adorable than imagined (totally got a hug).

3. Bob Dylan - The Forum, 2006. Mainly just because I kinda worship him and this was my only experience seeing him live.

4. Tie: Bright Eyes & Arab Strap, LA, 2003 (Conor made out with Aidan of AS... Hi-Larious). And Bright Eyes was only just getting big, so there were FAR less obnoxious people and posturing than subsequent times; AND Sigur Ros, 2005, San Diego -they played Copley Symphony Hall and it was exquisite.

5. Independence Jam, San Diego, 2004: Secret Machines, Death Cab for Cutie, MUSE, Franz Ferdinand, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. While they only played short sets, every band rocked it out (Muse, especially!). Sentimental value since I took my little sister - it was her first concert.

Honorable Mention: Aqualung - LA 2007. Super energetic, near empty house, front/center. His drum player also plays the fiddle. That just rocks.

Most Disappointing: Switchfoot. I didn't even want to go, but stupid friends gave me a free ticket to accompany them. They played pretty well actually, but the crowd was ridiculous, of course. A drag.

Most Wanted: Wilco - not having made it to one of their shows is a gaping hole in my musical life experience.
Also: The Magnetic Fields (I would stab someone in the eye to see Stephin Merritt). And Clem Snide.

1. Crowded House-final concert on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. I was thirteen years old and the entire Sydney waterfront was a crush of people. My mum cried when they played 'Don't dream its over'.

2. Basement Jaxx- Bondi Beach New Years Eve 2006. What an amazing group of musicians, and they were having so much fun on stage. The perfect New Years party.

3. Royal Crown Revue- Sydney 2004. Danny Glass climbs out from behind the drum kit and plays the double bass with his sticks.

4. The Killers- Sydney 2007. I was pretty dubious about these guys, but Brandon Flowers had an immense voice that night and they nailed every song. The crowd loved it.

5. Maisyahu- Sydney 2006. His guitarist is basically some kind of automatic awesome machine.

Worst band-Green Day in Sydney. They were boring and didn't really care.

Want to see- Sublime or Jeff Buckly. Both amazing artists who sadly died too young.

1. mewithoutYou - Cornerstone

2. the Decemberists - New Orleans

3. Anathallo - Cornerstone

4. Five Iron Frenzy Farewell Tour - Dallas

5. Coheed & Cambria/Blood Brothers/Dredg/mewithoutYou - Dallas

Pretty much all of these are interchangeable and there are several more that are very close to being on here.

Biggest disappointment: driving two hours to see He Is Legend and them not showing up and then spending 14 hours in the car going to Cornerstone Festival only to find out that He Is Legend didn't make it there either, but I got to see plenty of other bands there that more than made up for it.

1. Weezer, Philly 2005. I have loved Weezer since I was 11. I finally got to see them (with my little sister), in a standing-room-only venue. Rivers was relatively non-suicidal, and the rest were very energetic. When the whole crowd was singing along to "The World has Turned" and the lights suddenly cut out for 10 seconds, and I was isolated from everything except the music... God, I thought my heart would explode.

2. Coti (Argentinian singer), Salamanca, Spain, 2005. I was studying abroad, drunk, swinging a bottle of cider above my head, crammed into the most beautiful plaza in the world, packed in with my international motley group of classmates, in the pouring rain, listening to a free concert and screaming (and mispronouncing!) the words to the only song I knew. And there were fireworks. And then we went to a bar where things were only served in litres... a great night all around.

3. George Strait, Las Cruces NM, 2002. No hoopla, no fuss, just King George and his beautiful songs. The man fills out a pair of Levis pretty well for someone in their late 50s (?) too!

4. The Starting Line, at my college, 2005. Howie Day opened and sucked. I'd liked TSL for about a year at that point, due to having been introduced to them by my freshman-year love. They came on, and gave a kickass show, full of emotion and energy. It was a small venue, and free. This band is really better live, with their voice cracks and guitar squeaks. I hope they get bigger than the NJ-PA-NY area... but then again I don't.

5. STYX/Journey/REO Speedwagon, Las Cruces NM, 2003. Doesn't get any better than this combination when it comes to wailing along to the songs your stuck-in-the-80s mother raised you on. Plus I had just broken up with my high school boyfriend so many of the songs really touched my innocent heart... and the bands still put on a great show.

Runner-up: Breaking Benjamin, my college in PA, 2004. My tiny school somehow booked the band right before they blew up, so the crowd's energy was awesome. And the band was pretty awesome too. Just... a little loud for my tastes.

Worst ever: Taking Back Sunday, my college (again!... I usually only go to free concerts), 2007. Couldn't understand a damn word, and the acoustics were god-awful.

Would love to see:
+many many Spanish bands (La oreja de van gogh, El canto del loco, Joaquin Sabina, Chambao)... but that requires that they be in Madrid on one of my visits, which is really a logistical nightmare.
+Athenaeum and Alabama... alas, no more
+Dispatch and OAR, on a beach, at night

1) RADIOHEAD!! Boston, Bank of America Pavilion, June 5th 2005, exactly 1 year ago today in fact! Amazing show-- everything just came together flawlessly that night. The crowd was absolutely the best crowd i've ever seen a show with-- so much energy. The venue was really cool.. the stage is set right in front of the waterfront, and if you turned around and looked behind, the downtown Boston skyline filled the night. The band played all my favorites.. Yeah, that was definitely my #1.

Anyway, it seems funny to me that nearly every mention of Radiohead on this diversion is under "bands I'd love to see someday." Folks, I have to say, make sure you do it once before you die!

Now I'll have to think very hard for the other 4..

2)Interpol. Nov 8, 2004, Lupo's, Providence RI. Small Venue, Big show-- I was totally surprised by how awesome Interpol was live. For a band that seems to spend all their time locked in a studio, they were really feeding off of the audience that night.
3)Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Berny Brains-- I believe that was in 2003, also at Lupo's
4)Ben Folds, UCONN, 2002-- I've seen Ben Folds 4 times, but this time was by far the best-- he's definitely better to see in a small, intimate theatre than a club.
5)The Killers, June 6th 2005, Lupo's-- OK, i feel a little embarassed now, especially since 75% of the audience were adolescent girls. but anyway, they were great, and I still remember it being a fantastic night.

Most disappointing-- The Vines. Yuck.

Band I want to see but haven't: Muse. I actually had tickets to see them last month. But, damn it all, the band's crew got food poisoning (along with My Chemical Romance) and cancelled the gig. I got stiffed for $150. I would still take any opportunity to see them live.

Well..the thing is that I don't get to go to a lot of concerts due to my allergies and the copious quantities of smoke (both kinds) that usually accompany them. But hmm...

1. Sarah McLaughlin/The Chieftans. I was about 14, and I got my parents to go with me because they love the Chieftans. It was really funny; most of the audience was there for Sarah, and they were just flat out stunned by the Chieftans.

2. Nickel Creek. I saw them at the Houston Rodeo, and it was the biggest venue they'd ever played. Every time they took a break, they'd look around with these *huge* eyes and comment on how *big* it was.

3. Alison Krauss. Houston Rodeo, 2002. That girl can really play a fiddle. And I'm a sucker for fiddle music.

4. My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, dingy club, can't remember the year. Ah, the violence that was acceptable at their concerts. It's where some jerk who tried to feel me up discovered why piercings connected by a chain are a bad tactical idea.

5. Anonymous 4, some church. Damn those women could blend their voices. It was so tranquil; sort of like being hypnotized.

Most ovverated: Lyle Lovett at the last rodeo in the astrodome. Usually he's great, but that day he couldn't have found the right key with a map and a flashlight.

Most wanted: hmmm...probably a tie between Lucinda Williams and the Corb Lund Band

Bullet for my Valentine/Rob Zombie - The Tabernacle, Atlanta GA, 2005 - Zombie was recording a live album at the time so the crowd was extra enthusiastic.

B.B. King/Jeff Beck - Mizner Park, Boca Raton, FL, 2004ish - The man can rock like no other, sitting down no less.

Andrew WK - 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA 2002ish - If you ever get a chance to see a show of his please go. He lets the crowd get on stage and everything goes to hell. Jaw-dropping.

Counting Crows/Adema/Stone Temple Pilots/others - Music Midtown Festival, Atlanta, GA, 2002 - The lead singer of Counting Crows stopped the show just to get a would-be mosher kicked out. By the time STP came on I had made it to the front of the crowd with a superfan friend of mine, and the band just plan rawked.

Most disappointing: Weezer, 99x's Downtown Rocks, Atlanta, GA, in '04? was terrible, because of the crowd. The show was free so everyone came to get drunk, I left without really seeing the band, but the sound was terrible.

1. Tool, Cricket Pavilion 2006. I'd waited forever to see them, had set the highest expectations and was still very impressed. Some cock threw a bottle at Maynard and it hit him, he got pissed (I would be too) and walked off stage for the next song (46 & 2, I was really pissed then).

2. Deftones, Marquee Theater 2006. A very small, intimate theater. The crowd was f*kin vicious but it was worth it. Those guys are amazing.

3. A Perfect Circle, Dodge Theater 2004(?). I'd wanted to see these guys so bad, and I found out just before the show that Maynard was sick so they might not have even played. Thankfully he gutted it out to play most of their great songs before he had to stop. It was something in his chest, he probably left so he wouldnt blow his voice out. The show was still beautiful.

4. Nine Inch Nails, America West Arena 2005. What can I say? Great band, great location, fantastic performance. Hope they're back soon.

5. Slipknot, Glendale Arena, 2005. One of my favorite bands, they exceeded all my expectations and pumped out one hell of a skull-throbbing performance. The audience completely lost their minds...a good 20-30% of the crowd (of over 10,000) in the lower sections flooded the pits.

most disappointing- Godsmack, Dodge Theater 2004. It was a good show, but they didnt play one of their biggest radio songs at the time, and I think the entire audience lamented it.

most wanted- Any of the 5 mentioned above, but if I had to pick, I'd probably say Tool.

1. Tom Waits, Asheville, 2007. Wow.

2. Blonde Redhead/Sleater-Kinney, NYC, 2001(?)--My friend Lauren walked up to me about an hour before the show and offered me a ticket. Blonde Redhead is a great live act; definitely recommended.

3. David Bowie, NYC, 2003ish--okay, so he only played three songs as part of the Tibet House Benefit that year, but seeing him do Space Oddity with the Kronos Quartet was freakin' awesome.

4. The Reverend Horton Heat, 5 times. Consistently a great show. The NYC show with Nashville Pussy was particularly memorable.

5. Spoon, Asheville, 2006. Great, energetic performance.

Most Disappointing: Aimee Mann, Asheville, 2007. Seriously, how can you sing or play the guitar without moving any part of your body? Zero stage presence, really nasal vocals.

Would Still Like to See: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

Ok, here goes:

1) Flogging Molly. First time at Warped Tour in '98 or something. These guys are the hardest working Irish guys I have ever seen. Every one of their shows I've been to is just as energetic and kick ass as the last. And you just can't beat a fiddle player sawing away at 100 mph for a little get-up-and-go.

2) Dropkick Murphys. First time in '01, 4 times since. I think somebody earlier mentioned these guys. I have a blast every time I go, and usually leave the venue covered in sweat and bruises with a huge grin on my face. Can't ask for much more.

3) Weezer, 2001 Baltimore. Screaming pre-pubescent girls aside, they put on the best encore I've ever seen. We're talking Rivers Cuomo slowly being enveloped by smoke from the stage as he grinds out a blistering 10 minute guitar solo with the "W" logo in the back blinking like a strobe light. One by one the other members of the band leave until it's just Rivers, just a shadow in the smoke making your face melt (yes, I said "face melt" and "Weezer" in the same breath). As the smoke clears you see his guitar laying on the stage, still reverberating. Heavenly.

4)Jethro Tull, 1996. First concert I ever went to. And I went with my parents. Aside from the horror of getting a contact buzz with your parents, the show was pretty good for some old guys.

5) Warped Tour 02, Baltimore. Great show over all, but what made it really awesome was Dropkick Murphys. The stage workers union was striking outside the venue, and the Murphys come on stage with the same T-shirts the strikers were wearing. They do half a set, and then after the concert do an accoustic set out in the parking lot to show support for the union guys.

Worst show: Lars Freidericksen and the Bastards. This guy is nothing without the rest of Rancid, and this show proved it.

What I want to see most: Rage Against the Machine. Which I hear is a possibility again, if the rumors about them reuniting are true.

Ok, here's mine:

1) They Might Be Giants (George Mason Univ., 1991) Excellent show. I actually saw a man w/ a shrunken head there...no shit!

2) Grateful Dead (The Vet, 1993) One too many nitrous balloons, but that was a magical show.

3) Blind Melon and Lenny Kravitz (U. of Delaware, 1993) Man did I love me some Shannon Hoon. That was an amazing show. My friend got on stage during Lenny and touched his white patent leather platform clog. He never stops talking about it!

4) HFStival (any venue, any year) That is one concert I think I've only missed maybe 2 or 3 years of. Godsmack 3 years ago headlining the show at RFK stadium was amazing! So was Chris Cornell!

5) A Tribe Called Quest (Rams Head Live, Baltimore, 2006) I will pay any amount of money to see Q Tip bounce up and down playing anything from Low End Theory.

Worst Concert: Cake (Pier 6, Baltimore, 2007) Went to this show a few weeks ago and it's honestly the worst concert I've ever been to. People around us were all complaining too. The opening band blew, they came on late, then Cake came on late. They only played for less than an hour and they were spewing crap about the environment and gas prices in between and during every song. It was ridiculous. People started screaming, "Shut up and sing!!!"

Band I would die to see: For some reason, I have always wanted to see George Clinton and P-Funk. I will go one day...mark my words!

* Here's another fun comment thread: Most embarrassing concert you've attended. Mine was New Kids on the Block. I was 13, and it was my first concert. I am not proud at all...

Bestest Concerts . . .

1. White Stripes: Jack White can eat my shorts.

2. Garbage: Shirley Manson is a fucking goddess. Her boys aren't too bad, either.

3. Nine Inch Nails: Trent Reznor, what can I say? Trent is the coolest of the anticool.

4. Black Crowes: Fifteen years ago . . . gah.

5. Jonny Lang: Whatever happened this guy? As a bonus, the Hanson brothers were in the audience, so gave them the middle finger.

Disappointing . . .

The Smashing Pumpkins: Don't even ask.

Would die to see . . .

Pete Doherty, of course!

Iron Maiden, London Earl's Court, 2000
Supported by Entombed (so-so) and Slayer (fuckin' awesome). Metal thrashing mad, as Anthrax once said.

Jane's Addiction, Reading Festival, 2002
They'd split up at their peak, but any ill feelings as to the motivations behind their reformation were immediately blown away. What a performance. I'm pretty sure I orgasmed during Dave Navarro's first solo on 'Three Days'.

B.B. King, Royal Albert Hall, London, 2003
Self-explanatory, I'd have thought.

Steve Vai, London Astoria, 2000
A bit of guitar shred is a guilty plasure of mine if done right, and boy, does Vai do it right. Doesn't hurt when Billy Sheehan and Tony Macalpine are in your backing band. Excess at its best. Jaw dropping virtuosity.

Radiohead, Glastonbury Festival, 2003
Life altering. Simple as.

Porcupine Tree, London Shepherd's Bush, 2003
Best band of the last ten years. There's no argument, so don't even bother.

Wait, that's six. Oh, screw it.

Biggest disappointment(s):
Metallica, Reading Festival, 2004
Self-importance redefined for the new millenium.

...and Monster Magnet, London Shepherd's Bush, 2004
Jesus, what happened. Where was the freakout?

AIR- Florence, Italy, 2004, on top of that mountain across the arno from the old city. It was the highlight of an otherwise crappy summer in what felt like Disneyland.

Aerosmith (Bell Center, Montreal, 2000?), I think I was finishing up high school when my friends and I got the brilliant idea to go crash an Aerosmith concert at the Forum. We managed to scalp 4 tickets in the first row off the stage for about $30 each (we were so good at sweet talking those scalpers). One of my friends pushed the other out of the way to try and touch Steven Tyler... and then Steven Tyler stepped on my other friends hand. She still has a scar.

Radiohead (Place Des Arts, Montreal, 2006) I've always loved Radiohead, but this was the first time I saw them. It was like watching an incredible symphony orchestra and very mathy.

Dave Mathews Band (Saratoga Springs, 1997) This is hilarious- my dad pretty much forced me to come on this DMB road trip mission with the whole fam. and I HATED dave mathews. I was all about Eddie Vedder and we used to fight a lot about who had the better voice.... needless to say I got a bit converted listening to Crash on the drive down and then completely converted (temporarily- like for that eveninig) when the crowed rushed the stage at this outdoor venue and I was 13 in a sea of stoned college kids and they had this backdrop with twinkling lights for stars and ... yeah.

Arcade Fire with the Organ (Halifax... 2004?)
It was well before they broke really big on a tour for the album Funeral. They did a talking heads cover that was pretty spectacular and I couldn't see it coming that they were about to break so huge. Just a nice treat given the time and place, and how much I subsequently became impressed with that album.

I'm kind of p.o'd about giving 2 spots to bands that i don't care for at all and another to a show that was just a foreshadowing. I would have to say that AIR and RADIOHEAD, and probably seeing Wilco last summer... and all the pearl jam concerts that eventually turned me off my obsession because I can't stand the proximity with other fans. Cat Power, Keren Ann, Rufus Wainright all great live. I'm done racking my brain!

5) Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Molly Hatchet at the Mid-South Fairgrounds in Memphis, TN (1986?)

They didn't actually all play together on the same night, it was more like a week long music fest but it was super-cheap (as you might expect from fairgrounds show) and just as Aerosmith was coming back into success. Notable also because my dad, who accompanied me to these shows, still mentions how Ted Nugent "sacrificed a virgin" during his show and how Molly Hatchet was not at all like Crystal Gayle. One of the cops working security had bullets in his ears in lieu of earplugs.

4) The Rolling Stones, Legion Field in Birmingham, AL (1989)

They know what they're doing when it comes time to put on a show.

3) U2, Legion Field (2002)

Ditto

2) The "Escape from New York" tour featuring The Ramones, The Tom Tom Club, Jerry Harrison and Blondie, Mud Island Amphitheater in Memphis, TN (1990?)

Lots of fun

1) Elvis Costello, many times in many different venues with many different formats and performers, the best of which were at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN

The man has never disappointed me.

5) Dave Matthews Band, Summer 1999, Three Rivers Stadium. This was my first concert that was not a musical or orchestral in nature. It was also the last show to ever be played in Three Rivers Stadium. Therefore, it rocked so hard.

4) Crosby, Stills, & Nash, Summer 2000, Starlake Ampitheater. Even though Crosby looked like he was going to fall over, he still rocked, and Stills & Nash were as awesome as ever.

3) The Doobie Brothers, Summer 2005, Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Every band member ever in the Doobie Brothers was there. There were about 3 drummers and more guitarists than I could count. It was pretty sweet.

2) Incubus, Fall 2002, Bryce Jordan Center, Penn State. It was my first real introduction to Incubus, and I fell in love with them & their music during their concert. They were a big deal at that time, and even so, they were very humble. They thanked every one in the crowd for cheering after every song, and were genuinely happy to be there. I wish more big groups could act like them.

1) John McCutcheon, Fall 2004, Ohler Hall, Juniata College. This was the evening before the 2004 Presidential Election. John pulled out all the stops, playing all of his "Short Shelf-Life Classics" about the current administration & his fantastically funny song called "Hail to the Chief" made up entirely of Bushims. It was exactly what my liberal little campus needed.

Most Disappointing - Ben Folds, Spring 2007, Burruss Hall, Virginia Tech. Ben basically couldn't have given two shits about this concert. He was a complete asshole through out the set, basically refused to play any songs from the Ben Folds Five era, and what's worse is that the freaking undergrads ate it up his asshole attitude. This was the first and last time I will ever see Ben in concert.

Dream Show - Joanna Newsom. Period.

Okay, here's mine:

1. My Morning Jacket - the Fillmore - NYE 2006
BEST SHOW EVER. There was fake snow falling into the crowd, ya'll. Full horn section. They played "All Night Long" and frakkin' "Careless Whisper" at midnight. When we stumbled out into the City streest just past 2am, the band was still playing. We left out of exhaustion, not because the show was over. MMJ is the best live band I have ever seen, hands down.

2. Beastie Boys - Oakland Coliseum - 1998
Savoyeve, YES, I was there too! 10,000 peeps singing "Paul Revere" so loudly the Beasties gave up and just let us do our thing. Awesome.

3. Ziggy Marley - Reggae on the River - 1999.
Ziggy came on after 3 days of nonstop camping, raving, and smoking buds. It was like Bob came down and hung with us for a while. A truly spiritual moment.

4. Blind Melon - the Warfield - 1994
This actually wasn't one of the best live shows ever - Shannon Hoon was so smashed that he forgot most of the lyrics to most of his own songs - but it was the only time I ever got to see Blind Melon and they are one of my favorite all-time bands. A year later Shannon was dead. *sniff*

5. Pearl Jam, opening for the Rolling Stones - Oakland Coliseum - 1997
November outdoor shows suck ass, I do not know why they continue to schedule them. It was pouring ass rain for this show, outside in the baseball stadium. The field had been turned into a large mud puddle by the time PJ took the stage. They were such good sports about the shitty weather and played one of the best PJ shows I've seen (also saw them at San Jose State in 1993 with the Rollins band opening - aaawwwweeessoommmeee). And, Eddie Vedder took off his soaked jeans and tossed them into the crowd. I've never wished I was int he front row of a concert more in my life!

Honorable Mention: Madonna, 2004, San Jose Arena.
Worst Show: Not So Silent Night, 2004, San Jose Arena - Modest Mouse played like they wished they were any where else in the world. The crowd was full of over sugared teeny boppers and bored hipsters. *YAWN*

Yes, Asterik, it's true! I'm going to see them at Rock the Bells this summer. Woot!

1. U2, Slane Castle, 2001: This was such an amazing day - between Ireland qualifying for the World Cup, and the 'native sons' coming home, and hearing all those songs (which I swear were burned into my brain at birth) live, it was the most amazing night.

2. Foo Fighters, Dublin, 2002. I'd never listened to the Foo Fighters before I went to this concert, but afterwards I was a fully-fledged fan.

3. Supergrass, Dublin, 2000. I'd vaguely listened to a few Supergrass tracks every now and again, but they were just amazing in concert - I've never seen any band put so much sheer energy into a performance (it's just a pity all that energy was wasted preparing for a disappointing main act).

4. Destiny's Child, Dublin, 2002: Yeah, it's pop, but it's good pop, and I went with half a dozen of my girlfriends, all of whom knew all the words to 'Independent Woman.' It was a night to enjoy being a single girl, and people may doubt this, but the women of Destiny's Child definitely know how to work a crowd.

5. Moby, Slane Castle, 2001: Though I'm not a huge fan of Moby, I will always remember this concert with affection, as he brought Ardal O'Hanlon out on-stage and played 'My Lovely Horse' from Father Ted, right up to the 'I Can Get This' bit.

Most Disappointing: Oasis, Dublin, 2000. Perhaps this was always going to be a disappointment - I was a huge Oasis fan and always had been - but I do remember that I could barely hear any of the lyrics and half the obnoxious male fans tried to feel me up while I was straining to listen.

The Band I've Always Wanted to See but Haven't: Well there are three: Pink Floyd (which I suppose I sort of did, at Live 8), The Smashing Pumpkins (which will never happen), and Garbage, who are still together, so who knows...maybe.

Tom Waits, Monash University, Melbourne Australia, some time in early-mid 1979 (yes, kids, I am *old*). He was touring to promote his album Blue Valentine, and he played non-stop for three solid hours, doing solo spots at the piano when he sent the band off for breaks. He told some great stories between songs, too. He was having a great time.

Crowded House, Athens Theatre, Athens GA, in December 1991. Neil Finn had a slight cold, but he gave it everything, and it was a great venue. Plus Peter Buck had just given him a new guitar and he was stoked.

Patti Smith, CBGB New York, May 2005. She was just about to release Trampin, her best record since Horses, and she was really, really enjoying herself. Man, CBGB was a dive, though.

Crowded House, the rooftop of the Myer Department Store in Melbourne Australia, early 1986, before the release of their first album. It was a gig for the record company and associated staff as a thank you for getting the album out. They closed with a very funny multi-part harmony version of Anarchy in the UK.

Eels, Enmore Theatre, Sydney Australia, mid-2000, touring to promote Daisies of the Galaxy with a really tight 9 piece band. The version of "Cimbing Up To The Moon" made me cry.

Worst: David Bowie on the Scary Monsters tour in 1983, at AFL Park in Melbourne. Awful stadium show, the very last stadium gig I ever went to.

Counting down from five to one:

5. Lauryn Hill - Marcus Amphitheater, Milwaukee; June 30, 1999

4. Sonic Youth - The Rave, Milwaukee; July 30, 2004

3. Sigur Ros - Chicago Theatre, Chicago; Sept. 21, 2005

2. The Arcade Fire - Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago; Thanksgiving day, 2004

1. Radiohead - Auditorium Theatre, Chicago; June 19, 2006

Dying to see: My Bloody Valentine, which will probably never happen as they have been broken up for at least a decade. sigh.

Most disappointing: Maybe The Strokes in Milwaukee, back when "Is This It" came out. I just wanted a fun rock concert but they weren't in it at all (citing illness), cut the concert short, and the crowd was basically just a bunch of standing logs. It was all one huge BLAH.

1. Hives, Bowery Ballroom, 2002 - Had no idea who they were, my buddy had an extra ticket, and they blew me away!! Best energy ever!

2. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Raleigh, 1990 - My first arena show, and he was phenomenal. The set was this huge, elaborate oak tree, and his presence and theatrics I will always remember.

3. Sloan, Bowery Ballroom, 2002 - These guys are the most talented group I have seen. At one point in the show, they all get up and trade instruments and sound even better! That blew my mind.

4. Pearl Jam, Charlotte, 1996 - These guys were my bread and butter in high school, and they happened to play nearby my first semester in college. Everything I had hoped and prayed it would be, and they whipped the crowd into an unbeleiveable frenzy the whole show. I feared for my life at points, and I loved it!

5. My Morning Jacket, Gypsy Tea Room in Dallas, 2005 - Just a superb live band. Beautiful music that hypnotizes live, and the energy eminating from the stage was fantastic.

Most Disappointing - Oysterhead, Irving Plaza - I loved the lineup - Les Claypool, Stuart Copeland, Trey Anastasio - but I didn't get the music at all. They didn't have any chemistry, and the crowd was completely wasn't into the show either.

Most Anticipated -

Living - U2 - Everyone I have ever talked to that has seen them swears it is a life changing experience, and I believe them. Sign me up.

Dead - Grateful Dead - I wasn't into them at all when they were still around, but got hooked in college. Wish I could've experienced a show.

Oh, and most disappointing: Laura Veirs, earlier this year at the Basement, Sydney Australia. She can't actually sing - there must be a *lot* of work done for her albums.

Sorry if this seems petty, but I'll only give one of each.

Best thing I've ever witnessed on a stage: REM, Rock in Rio, January 2001. By far.

Worst: I've had a few, but nothing particularly unpleasant, as live gigs are not my thing. Maybe, it'd be some act too small to be mentioned here.

And one I'd like to, but probably will never see: Muse - especially the upcoming Wembley concert, but to get any close of that would be truly amazing. Trust me on this one: you'll hear about this concert, and you'll like it if you get to see it in the subsequent DVD.

1. Misfits - OKC, 2000-ish
2. Queers - Dallas, 2002-ish
3. Groovie Ghoulies - multiple times
4. Zeke - OKC, 2004(?)
5. Squad Five-O, Bartlesville, 1999

Argh!!! Who mentioned the Presidents of the United States of America? I can't get "Lump" out of my head now!

Fun comment diversion, but I live in the sticks and almost never get to concerts...saw the Barenaked Ladies on the Gordon tour (when I was in grade 9, baby), that was pretty awesome.

This reaffirms my belief that I am the only person who hates live music. I've never been to a concert, but what I've heard, passing by at fairs, and recordings of it, of which I've hard an awful lot, sounds awful.

Also, I can't believe I forgot about Ben Folds. I really want to see him as well.

The Best:

5. Motley Crue, various times. I can't believe I'm owning up to this. Crap band? Yes. Total misogynists? Yes. Great show? Every. Frickin'. Time.

4. Guided By Voices, various times. I had to stop going to their shows as I always ended up with my dinner on the floor of the Southgate House.

3. Cocteau Twins, Newport Music Hall, Columbus OH, 1994. Beautiful, ethereal, breathtaking. The entire crowd was speechless, including me. The crowd around me also stared in wonder as I lit up a doobie.

2. Prince, US Bank Arena, Cincinnati, 2004. Even though we could barely see Prince (we were in the front row ba dum bum), even though we were in the nosebleeds, he totally rocked the house. Unbelievable. I almost cried.

1. B.R.M.C. Bogart's, Cincinnati 2005. This is how you play rock n' roll. The only band I've ever seen take the world's crappiest showplace (NOBODY has a good show at Bogart's) and make it one of the best...for one night only.

Most disappointing: BECK. Saw him twice, and both times he couldn't play to anyone farther than the second row. What a fucking hack. Listen buddy, if you're going to rip off Prince, rip off his charisma, not his old stage sets. Sold my CD's shortly after and haven't looked back.

I wish: Alive? I'd love to see if The Kings of Leon can deliver. Dead? Mahalia Jackson.

My dates may be off.
1. Led Zeppelin, 1977, Atlanta.
Massive power and unbelievable excitement.
2. Van Halen/Black Sabbath, Birmingham, 1981.
Van Halen's first tour opening for Sabbath, with a young David Lee Roth going absolutely nuts. Then, Sabbath came out and blew the house down.
3. King's X, 1991, Atlanta at the Cotton Club.
This band is so incredibly tight, fast and powerful. They were so good the girl I was with said she kept forgetting to breathe and thought she was having a panic attack.
4. Pat Travers Band, Atlanta, Agora Ballroom, 1981. Travers and Pat Thrall kept the guitars blazing the whole night, and Tommy Aldridge hit the drums like he was trying to pummel his way down to the center of the earth.
5. Motley Crue, Augusta, 1990. Guitars, leather, fire, girls, drugs, and Tommy Lee's drum cage went out over the audience when he soloed. A total spectacle of excess. Listening to Ben Folds plink out some wry little songs on a piano cannot possibly hold a candle to something like this.
Most disappointing. David Bowie on the Glass Spider tour. Too many distractions, no one onstage looked like they gave a shit and the audience was bored.
I wish I could see..Jimi Hendrix, Wilson Pickett,
Pink Floyd, Amy Winehouse and Pantera.

1) Ben Folds in pittsburgh 2004 with Rufus Wainright and Guster. I love Ben Folds!
2)Patty Griffin in Pittsburgh 2007 Patty always blows me away!
3)Vertical Horizon 2004(?) Hard Rock Cafe in Pittsburgh
4)Counting Crows 2002 in Pittsburgh
5)Ben Folds 2002 Electric Factory in Philly. I think he always puts on a great show.

most disappointing-
Weezer, in pittsburgh they played well, but they didn't seem that into it.

I really want to see Arcade Fire!!!

OK, here's what I remember...in no particular order and with ishy dates:
U2...'82 (and two times since)
Van Halen... '84
Plant & Page... early '90s?
Fleetwood Mac... '97 Would love to just see Buckingham/Nicks and skip the Mick Fleetwood ego bs, but I'll settle for that show.
The Police... '86
Lollapalooza... the first two... awesome!
Most Disappointing: The Cure, mid '90s. BORING!
I've been to a lot of concerts, but those stand out as being really fun. I'd love to see Liz Phair, Antigone Rising, Courtney Love (yup, that's right) and Lucinda Williams at an all day concert at Freebirds in Jacksonville Beach. Can someone arrange that, please? I am (unfortunately) going to the 311 concert next month in the coliseum with my (younger) boyfriend. He's a fan. Hope I'm not bored. Anyone seen them?

1. Pearl Jam 2002 - Molson Amphitheater fucking magical experience. Out side on the grass i still have goosebumps.

2. Green Day 1994 - my first concert. Love those guys

3. Silver Chair toronto 1999 - They really got the whole crowd going. They rocked my world.

4. Great Big Sea - the best band to see wasted

5. Ben Harper and the innocent criminals - toronto 2002

6. Ani DiFranco - Massey Hall Toronto 2003 , Ani had a broken leg and still kicked ass. She is so funny too

1. Aerosmith, Get A Grip, 1994: Steven Tyler literally turned cartwheels for three hours. I have never seen such energy and enjoyment of what they were doing come out of one person, before or since,

2. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, 1995: Okay, so I'm way too young to have seen Zeppelin. I did what I could. Phenomenal show...my first inkling that men in their fifties (Plant) could still be sex symbols. I didn't know what to make of that.

3. Nine Inch Nails, 1995: Others have said it better, but it was a mind-bogglingly fantastic show. Having Hole and Jim Rose Circus open didn't hurt. Their first concert in my hometown was (apparently) electrically sabotaged before they could come on...so they set up another a few weeks later, at another venue, and let all original ticketholders in first and free...and ended up letting a lot of kids in free, as a general fuck-you tothe neighborhood.

4. my beloved MOFRO, 2007: Sublime for Southerners, in a hot, sweaty tiny club here in Tallahassee...the best moment was when JJ Grey, the singer, asked the crowd to picture whatever made them angriest right then, then on the count of three, everyone was to scream their fool heads off. It was great--hippie boys and sorority chicks screaming bloody murder, and then shaking their booties together. Love that band.

5. Ohmigod, five's a tie: 1995, Primus...Les Claypool having a lit joint bop him on the forehead, picking it up, dusting it off, taking a deep suck, and then launching into "Welcome to this World"...or 1994 NOFX, in a wee little club called the Nite Owl in Pensacola, Florida, jammed full of 300 of the happiest punks I ever saw. We all fell over like dominoes at one point, from lack of moshing room...the band was laughing their asses off. Great times.

Jesus Christ, I meant HELMET opened for Nine Inch Nails, not Hole.

Though I wouldn't have minded seeing Hole either!

Always wanted to see? You're gonna laugh--Kiss. It's a childhood thing.

Most disappointed? Kill me, but I wasn't that thrilled with Tori Amos back in 1998. I'd been a fan for years, and my friends had raved about her moving live shows...but in the case of the show I saw in Orlando, she carelessly butchered her songs, and didn't seem to give a fuck about being there. Everyone just stood there. That record was great, but it was her last good one. She bought her own hype after that, and you could see it beginning at that show. Man, that kills to write. Sigh.

In no particular order:

1. Beck in San Diego, 2000 (I think). Don't remember the venue, but it was great. I was resigned not to go, in fact, to that date I had never gone to a concert in the US (i live in the happiest place on earth, Tijuana), but a friend called to invite me 'cause he just had won some tickets on a radio station. I even got to meet Mr. Hansen. Needless to say, I froze when I met him, and it was a great, great show. He was promoting Midnite vultures, which happens to be my favorite Beck album. And also, he was touring with Cafe Tacvba, an awesome band, which leads me to...

2. Café Tacvba, Tijuana, 1997 (I think).

For those not familiar with Cafe Tacvba (or Cafe Tacuba, whatever), regardless of your nacionality, your're really missing out. This was a free (free!) concert in a really big venue (not a concert venue), and it was really intense and it was kind of my rock and roll baptism. It sounds cheesy, but it really was: covered in sweat (mine and others), bruised, squeezed and so, so tired at the end, it was one of the best experiences of my life.

3. David Byrne, San Diego, 2005. This has to do more with being at the right place at the right time. I was just getting really into Talking heads, so watching Mr. Byrne burning down the house (hehe) with the Tosca String Orchestra was great. And he played Beyonce's Crazy in love with San Francisco's Extra Action Marching Band, which was bizarre.

4. Los fabulosos cadillacs, Tijuana, 2001. Yep, the mythic argentinian ska-punk-rock-jazz-reggae-salsa-cumbia combo came to my town and I had the chance to see them. Another big communal experience with a lot of friends belching each and every one of those absolutely fantastic songs. Doesn't get better than that.

5. My Coachella 2007 trifecta: Jesus and Mary Chain, Jarvis Cocker and Gogol Bordello.
Man, that's the closest I've been to an epiphany. No, really. First off, I love those three artists, and seeing them in a row was frankly overwhelming. God I love that rock and roll. I loved how Jim Reid's was all unconfortable and kinda hating us all, Jarvis Cocker strutting along the stage and fucking singing with his soul each track, and that sound and energy orgy that was Gogol Bodello and their 10 minute Baro Foro finale. It gives me the chills.

So yeah, that's it.

lawrence, Ks yay!!!

Never posted here before, but I´ll bite. Can´t resist the lure of recounting my favorite concerts!

1: Tom Waits, Mule Variations tour (Paramount, Seattle) - I paid $150 for my scalped ticket, and it was worth every penny. To watch him dancing with his porkpie hat and smacking the chalk out of it as audio-visual percussion, listening to his rambling interactions with the audience was priceless... he floored me. Also his live version of "What´s he building in there" had quite a different turn with a live audience than on the album. He´s a hero.

2: PJ Harvey, To Bring You My Love tour (Warfield, SF) She did this amazing slow extended version of Water where the lights were blue and warbly and it felt like the whole place was underwater and under her spell, incredible.

3: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, murder ballads tour (5th ave, seattle) : everybody rushed the stage and I was in the first row pressed up against the stage, and got to touch him. Yay! His duet of Where the Wild Roses Grow with Blixa where they kissed at the end was amazing.

4: One of the many times to have seen The Cramps at the Warfield in San Francisco. They simply kick ass. I love Lux Interior.

5: Violent Femmes, Why do Birds Sing tour(Warfield, SF). My first "real" concert, I never wanted it to end.

most disappointing: Modest Mouse, Seattle, 2005: they acted like they were at a rehearsal, but I heard the following performance (the next night) rocked, so maybe it WAS a rehearsal. pfft. This disappointment was followed by the Pixies headlining for Sasquatch festival in Washington, and it was obvious Black Francis (or in this case I guess Frank Black) was just there for the money. I was so disappointed I left early.

most anticipated: reunion tour of Neutral Milk Hotel! (in my dreams)

1. Prince, 1984, Purple Rain tour, in Detroit. Utterly fantastic. I cried. Quite possibly because I was hit in the head by a tambourine he threw, but still...
2. Ray Charles, 1993 or so.
3. John Lee Hooker, with Robert Cray opening, 1992 (I think).
4. Peter Gabriel, 1987, and 1993 (?). WOW.
5. Any time I've been to Preservation Hall.
6. Honorable mention, Madonna, 1990 with 5 gay men. I'm sorry if I've offended anyone by mentioning my companions' sexual orientation, but I went with a friend, his boyfriend, and 3 of their friends, who were all nearly obsessed with her, and it was the best time ever.

1. The Flaming Lips - The Chance Theater, Poughkeepsie, NY, 2000. The Flaming Lips should be at the top of everyone's list. They handed out wireless headphones to everyone in the crowd to hear the show in stereo wherever they walked. People in mascot costumes, puppets, videos, a mini-camera on Wayne's mic stand, and buckets of fake blood. Best show ever.

2. Beck - The HORDE Festival, Connecticut, 1996. This is when Beck still put on an amazing show. Incredible dancing, falsetto on "Debra," and the band put on animal heads for the encore.

3. They Might Be Giants and The Molder Peaches - Town Hall, New York, NY, 2001. I've been to ten TMBG shows, and this was the best one with giant William Allen White heads on stage. Plus it introduced to the The Moldy Peaches and their shocking anti-folk.

4. The Books - Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Williamsburg, MA, 2006. Nick Zammuto on guitar, Paul de Jong on cello, and a DVD full of samples and videos. It was a profound show.

5. Gwar - Webster Theatre, Connecticut, 2006. I haven't read all the comments yet, but I'd be surprised if they're not a really common pick. If you don't know anything about Gwar's live show, just look it up. I don't want to type up how awesome it is.

Thank the lord someone mentioned Radiohead. I saw them in Atlanta in 2003 after the release of Hail to the Thief; aside from being a rabin fan, it was certainly one of the best concerts I've ever seen.

Best:

Muse - Best live band in the world. You don't even need drugs to make it transcendent.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Karen O can wail like a banshee.

Sarah Brightman - Don't knock it 'til you try it.

U2 - A "One" Encore left my friend and I almost in tears.

Rammstein - He SET. HIMSELF. ON FIRE. Enough said.

Worst:
American Idol Season 1 Tour - I was chaperoning. Kill. me.

Wish I Had Seen Them:
Garbage. Over and over again.

Wow, I really missed the boat on this comment diversion - so I'm just going to go ahead and post now. I've only seen about five concerts in my life, but then again, I can't afford to go to any and every show that strikes my fancy ...

1. Voxtrot - San Francisco, May 30. They're a pretty small-time group still, and not known for overwhelming live shows, but the venue was small and Ramesh was adorable and charming and something about those five kids exuded such LOVABLENESS that I, my boyfriend, and our friend all kind of wanted to be their best friends. And the music was fantastic. I think I beamed with joy for a week.

2. The Decemberists - New York, Nov. 3 2006. They're just amazingly energetic and fun, one of my favorite bands, and they played an excellent selection of old and new favorites. At one point they hopped into the crowd to perform a dramatic interpretation of the charge of the Light Brigade. Like Voxtrot, I think half the power of the Decemberists live is sheer charisma.

3. The Arcade Fire - Berkeley's Greek Theatre, June 1. My great shame is that prior to this show I was not a great Arcade Fire fan. Practically all of my friends and family adored them, but I just didn't understand. My boyfriend brought me along, and GOD am I glad. I was a little lost at a couple points when they played songs I was unfamiliar with, but balance that against the transcendence during "Rebellion (Lies)" and "Wake Up" and it was far, far more than worth it. A previous commenter mentioned the amazing power of singing along to "Wake Up" with seven thousand people, but I don't think it can be emphasized enough. I also got a lot of amusement out of watching the musicians scoot around and switch instruments - some played at least four or five.

4. Sufjan Stevens - New York, September 2006. My first college concert experience, and thus the first decent concert I ever went to. A bit more formalized, due to the all-sit-down venue and Sufjan's quiet demeanor, but the music was magical with the full instrumental and choral ensemble, especially songs like "Man from Metropolis" and "Predatory Wasp".

5. Ben Kweller - Princeton, May 2007. It was a hot hot day and I could hear his amps from halfway across campus, so of course I got as close to the stage as possible and sang along with a bunch of my brother's drunk friends and clubmates. What better place to hear him pounding out "I am wasted but I'm ready"?

I can't really say that I've ever been genuinely DISAPPOINTED by a concert, but in the interest of full disclosure I have been to an Avril Lavigne concert. It was early in my high school days; I went with my best friend; it was cute; we had a good time. Okay? Not fabulous, but I wasn't disappointed. I was somewhat disappointed by another Voxtrot concert (the day after the first at UC Davis), but that was probably more because of the sparse crowd, noon-time show, and hung-over band.

I can't think of anybody I desperately want to see but haven't, as I've had the good luck to see a few of my favorite bands already, but I would love to see Ben Folds and Belle and Sebastian.