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I worked local crew for concerts around Raliegh NC from 1993-1996 and got to work so many concerts from backstage I can't remember all of them. For some reason I was always stuck working a lof of the non-descript Country music shows, not like cool old country but "new" adult contemporary country, and it all sucked.
The concerts that stood out were because of the people working on the crew and the musicians
the good
Bonnie Rait - absolutely great show and she was very nice to everyone
Van Halen - well not them but Sammy Hagar is really nice and a very cool guy
Barry White - absolutely as smooth as any human being can be (like you didn't know that already)
Morphine - they were playing stage 2 of Horde fest and I was working that one. They were really nice guys, I hung out backstage with them talking backstage while the other bands were playing. right before setting them up They absolutely were one of the best live bands I have ever seen. Absolutely amazing live - too bad
I know I'm going to get made fun of for this - Yanni - he came and talked to everyone and was nice to all his crew and they loved working for him. Had a fun time with his crew
Live - didn't get to interact with the band, but my fellow crew members that did said they were cool. Their roadies were awesome and a lot of fun to work with
the bad
Anita Baker - Everyone on her crew hated her, absolutely detested her in every way and loathed working for her. She's a spoiled brat and made everyone near her miserable. Apparently she absolutely sucked all of the good out of wherever she was.
Eagles - I can confirm that Don Henley is an arrogant douchebag if you didn't already know
the weird
Barry Manilow - just apparently a very odd fellow according to his crew. Not mean, not bad, just very odd
Hank WIlliams Jr Showed up to the back loading dock in his limo late for the show, wreaking of alcohol, stumbles up the stairs, walks to the guitar tech who is in the middle of stringing a guitar, grabs it (it only has 5 strings, not tuned, not plugged into wirless yet) and starts stumbling towards the stage. The stage manager manages to somehow get the entire band from the back dressing rooms, the lights turned down and the sound guys notified in about 30 seconds so the show starts. He plays for about 40 minutes says goodnight and stumbles back off the stage, out the back and into the limo
the violent
lynard skynard - the security had to break up more fights in the audience during that concert than any they had ever had to in the history of the venue. They were even pulling members of the local crew (me) out to help with crown control there were so many fights breaking out
I did work the Bowie/NIN show back in those years - it was a great show, I wish Bowie had played more of his older stuff since I had never seen any of it live.
so in summation, much much more good than bad, and a hell of a summer job during college. -
Since we seem to have opened the floor to best/worst shows, one that really floored me was Radiohead and Foo Fighters in a bar, summer of '97. It was an invitation-only industry event, and at the last possible minute a pair of tickets fell into my lap courtesy of a radio-station rep. Phoned my friend John up, and unbeknownst to me, not only was it his birthday, but he was bummed out because his girlfriend was out of town and nobody remembered the birthday.
We got high as a kite and went to the show. Foo Fighters were pretty great (first of five times that I've seen 'em), but Radiohead were over-the-top trippy and psychedelic. Fucking stellar night.
Worst was probably the much-vaunted "farewell" end-of-the-century show by Kiss. Initially it was promised that the show was fully licensed, but was instead downgraded to shitty beer and wine coolers. Gene Simmons floated rumours of the Chili Peppers and Foo Fighters as opening acts, but it turned out that was bullshit, too. And they said beforehand they'd be recording a new Alive album that night. More bullshit.
To top it off, I was going with a whole bunch of friends, and we were meeting beforehand for a pot-luck dinner. Unfortunately, almost nobody brought food, and I'd skipped lunch that day because my boss was supposed to be giving us the afternoon off and giving us our paychecks. Instead, he kept us waiting till almost 6:00pm. Because he was a gigantic douche.
Anyhow, I got absolutely plowed on vodka, and to this day nobody even knows if I made it to the concert or not. I had a torn-off ticket stub in my pocket the next day, but no recollection of even getting to the stadium.
Fuck you, Gene Simmons. You lying sack of shit. -
Worst? Bob Dylan, the shitbag said one word the the crowd. played every song completely different from the recorder version so that until he started singing no-one knew what song it was. i was gutted and my dad was actually quite upset that a hero of his he had waited all his life to see didn't want to let the crowd sing along...
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Underworld's performing here in a month. Looking forward to that. Now, if Massive Attack would just come to town.
@Alastair
I've heard similar stuff about Dylan before too. -
A friend of mine is going to see KMFDM late next month and I'll hopefully be seeing Ingrid Michaelson at some point.
As for best concerts I've been to? Hmm...
Alice Cooper - During his Rock n' Roll Carnival tour. Fucking fantastic performance as always. Got to meet him after the show and he was a super-nice guy.
Dr. John - Started off kind of out of it but got up to full awesome-speed after a couple of songs.
Van Morrison - Him, practically a fucking orchestra and some of his old songs. Perfect.
Dresden Dolls - They were opening for Nine Inch Nails and were the best part of that night.
Guy Clark - He did L.A. Freeway. <3
Bill Joe Shaver - Very small venue. Incredibly intimate and moving concert
Raffi - Apparently a 3 year-old me got on stage and danced. Since I have never done that at a concert other than that one, I have to think that this makes my list of best concerts. -
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CommentAuthorjoe.distort
- CommentTimeAug 25th 2009
i have a list...but its already in the FAVORITE LIVE SHOWS thread for the few that care. maybe ill update it. -
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- CommentAuthorAnanzitusq
- CommentTimeAug 28th 2009
MANIC STREET PREACHERS are playing philly in October among other U.S. tour dates.
I got my ticket, anyone else going? -
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CommentAuthorbrittanica
- CommentTimeAug 30th 2009
Went to a bar in Murfreesboro, TN to see a Secret Policeman's Ball last night. Got in for free. The flyer said that the show started at nine. Apparently, in college towns, that means load-in starts at nine.
First opener was a guy who used to be in some band I'd never heard of, playing a couple of covers (and one original) on solo electric guitar. "Die, Die My Darling" was interesting.
Second band was called Organ Thief (from Memphis), but I'm not going to link them, because fuck them. For some reason, they were convinced everyone was there to see them. Which meant they played FOREVER. They even had to borrow aSPB's drum kit. When they asked the owner of said drums if they could play one more, that was fine. But they played THREE more. Because some drunk asshole kept yelling "One more!" Fuck any band that thinks they're so awesome, they can play 10 minutes into the opener's set.
aSPB was cool. They got their friends to play musical chairs during one song. I was dead tired by the time they played, though, so it wasn't as fun as the last time I saw them play. -
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Somewhat of a derail but I just moved down to L.A. recently and actually got a job at The Wiltern as an usher. Some of the bigger shows I'm going to be working/seeing this month are: David Cross, Sonic Youth, Mos Def, It's Always Sunny Tour and lastly NIN (possibly twice as they are playing at The Palladium.)
Im pumped. I'll save you guys from anymore dick waving and put it back in my pants. -
- CommentAuthorian holloway
- CommentTimeAug 30th 2009
don't really get to many gigs these days as there are no worthwhile venues nearby but my highlights include...
Slayer on the reign in blood tour. i was 18 and already a gig veteran but this was just the most intense live experience of my life to that point until i saw DRI, Holy Terror and Napalm Death and the Hammersmith Clarendon. It was so hot every breath hurt, the divers were jumping off the stacks feet first in steel toecap boots and there was blood everywhere...on the floor, the walls, the ceiling, the audience...everywhere. oh and bill the guitarist from Napalm was teaching shane the bassist the songs as they went along because he'd only joines the day before.
Godflesh played one of their very early gigs in Cardiff. We were all about the faster hardcore in cardiff but these two guys and a drum machine turned up and proceeded to play the slowest, heaviest, murkiest sludge i'd ever heard.
Fugazi were awesome at TJ's in Newport on their first british tour. i knew almost nothing about them at the time just that the singer had been in minor threat. 4 skinny bald guys took the stage and opened with waiting room. the rest of the night is a blur.
More recently the gigs that stick out are The Boredoms playing their 4 drummers plus yamatsuka eye on wierd guitar construction and screaming set. completely bonkers and utterly enthralling.
the best gigs though have to be the two times recently I've seen Faust (my absolute favourite band). The second time i saw them they started playing while the drummer was still outside having a ciggie and the singer (Jean-herve peron) was walking around the audience with an active chainsaw passing it above our heads - and when i say above i mean no more than a foot above. and then they turned on the angle grinder. wonderful. -
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CommentAuthorjoe.distort
- CommentTimeAug 30th 2009
i went to see THE REVENGE last night. it was the singers birthday-i have grown up seeing his bands, and as a reporter i now see him on PBS locally-so it was more of a party than a show. which, to be honest SUCKED. i wanted a rowdy show vibe, but instead found out that people there DIDNT want dancing and a circle pit. they wanted to hold their beer in the air in nod along. the highlight was trying to do a flip over the front row, knocking a beer out of some girls hand and smashing my face on the ground, only to later get punched in the face by the girl. it was hilarious (and didnt really hurt. she was tiny). -
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they wanted to hold their beer in the air in nod along.
I don't understand why people like that even go to live shows. Is it just so they can write a review for their college paper when they get home? -
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CommentAuthorjoe.distort
- CommentTimeSep 3rd 2009
my guess is that this particular venue never has a cover (which sometimes is CRAZY) so people near ASU want to go to "the bar where bands play n shit, dude".
i dont get it either, but hey im a snob sometimes haha -
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I don't understand why people like that even go to live shows. Is it just so they can write a review for their college paper when they get home?
Know what really irks me? Kids that get to the front of the stage then get upset when things get rowdy. If you're at a show where shit like that's bound to happen, you should fucking know better. -
@dot_xom
I definitely agree with you, but I'm just as equally irked by meatheads who show up for the sole reason of being tough guys, and actually set out to hurt people. -
- CommentAuthormybrainhurts
- CommentTimeSep 3rd 2009
Just went and saw Cobra Skulls who were fucking great. A decent length set with all my favourite songs of theirs and good banter. I hate a band that ignores the crowd. -
@JeffZero
Oh, absolutely. The worst are the kinds that show up at gigs where people are generally just looking to chill out and have a good time. A Beastie Boys gig I was at about two years ago was like that. -
On another note: got my ticket for Underworld later this month. Hope that turns out great.
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CommentAuthorbrittanica
- CommentTimeSep 3rd 2009
I was going to see Look What I Did and NRE (Nathan Ells, formerly of Submethod, currently of The Human Abstract) tonight, but I couldn't get out of work in time. I absolutely love LWID's shows. They typically have fun crowds, like the ones you guys have been referring to. One of the few bands that I don't feel self-conscious rocking out w/.
In that vein, what shows have you regretted not seeing?
I was born far too late to see Fugazi, and everything I've read about their live shows has made me wish I was older. Same w/ U2's ZooTV and Popmart tours. Especially Popmart. I loooooved Pop. I may be the only person who would've really appreciated seeing that stuff live and in vibrant and sparkly color. -
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CommentAuthorjoe.distort
- CommentTimeSep 4th 2009
I definitely agree with you, but I'm just as equally irked by meatheads who show up for the sole reason of being tough guys, and actually set out to hurt people
thats why metalcore and chugga-chugga (nonpunk) straight edge shows in phoenix are HORRIBLE. buncha kids trying to "be hard" and "stand their ground" rather than just get rowdy and have fun.
general rule for me: if people are smiling, its all good. its those scowling tough guys that are problematic usually. -