Comments on: five shows

By: jon

jon — Mon, 05 May 2008 20:55:09 +0000

“Favorite show spotting” would be a good topic. Mine was at a Figgs show when I noticed there was a midget to the left of me, and David Cross to my right.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sun, 04 May 2008 19:49:30 +0000

No way man, age don’t matter.

Axl Rose is older and he was TOTALLY at that Lightning Bolt show, red braids / backwards Kangol and all. No joke. Probably my favorite show spotting of all time.

Lightning Bolt are so incredible in person, everyone should see them at least once.

By: WJPurdy

WJPurdy — Sun, 04 May 2008 15:53:48 +0000

First show I ever saw was U2 at Red Rocks in 1983. I was 15 years old and highly impressionable; nevertheless, 25 years later that performance remains my personal benchmark for a rock and roll show. The setting (giant rocks encased in eerie fog and drizzle; bonfires), the audience experience (assigned seating became general admission when promoter Barry Fey realized the sparse early-arriving crowd would make the crowd look a bit weak on TV), and the performance (Bono conducted the affair like a preacher giving a particularly powerful sermon — he held us enraptured for nearly two hours) have yet to be matched in the hundreds of shows I’ve attended since. I think U2′s career took off at that point, and I knew I’d never again see them in a place like Red Rocks (of course, had I been old enough to drive I would have probably seen them At the very intimate Rainbow Music Hall a year and a half before that — missed opportunities).

I’ll also throw out The Arcade Fire at Coachella as one of those rare shows that marked a band’s elevation to “the next level.” I had seen and been dutifully impressed by them several months prior in Chapel Hill — a show in a relatively intimate venue that, at the time, made me realize (like the U2 show) I’d never have a chance to see them in a setting like that again. The performance at Coachella, though, which drew what seemed like two thirds of the people at the polo fields that day (despite a reunited Gang of Four playing on the adjacent main stage), was amazing. The band seemed to realize everything was converging for them at that point, on that day — and they nailed it.

Patrick, I am jealous you’ve seen (lived through?) Lightning Bolt. I have their DVD & have promised myself if I ever get a chance to see them, I’m there (even if I am, like, the oldest guy in the room).

By: Matthew

Matthew — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:49:04 +0000

That time when bodycity and Lloyd & Michael played at your house. Pretty epic.

By: Sara

Sara — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:39:36 +0000

I think a lot of shows affected me more when I was a youngster…

I think during the course of 1994-95 I saw the Breeders, Juliana Hatfield, The Lemonheads, Yo La Tengo, Versus, Superchunk, Polvo, and Pavement at the Omni New Daisy, and I’m sure I flipped for all of it.

Any Fascist Frank or Superstar show at any coffeehouse or DIY space in Memphis, TN during the course of 1995 or 1996.

Neutral Milk Hotel – Athens, GA @ 40 Watt Club – Summer 1998 @ Kindercore Festival

Red House Painters – Atlanta GA @ Variety Playhouse – 2000?

The Olivia Tremor Control Reunion Show – Athens, GA @ 40 Watt Club in 2005 – flew back for the memories and it was worth it.

Bill Callahan – the entire “Mouth of the South 2008″ tour with Jonathan Meiburg and Thor Harris

Monotonix – March 2008 @ The Empty Bottle – After the show the entire audience chanted WTF but not in acronym form.

By: ptolemyclark

ptolemyclark — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:17:57 +0000

I’d have to say that seeing The Most Serene Republic last September at Maxwell’s was damn near the best show I’ve seen.

The night before that show I saw Jukebox the Ghost at Pianos. (Sorry, I had to put a little plug in for Jukebox…who put on a freakin’ sweet show themselves!)

By: doorknobs

doorknobs — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:57:50 +0000

First time I saw Jamie Lidell, I was pretty blown away. It was at Bowery Ballroom w/Jimmy Edgar. His whole loop/sample/soul/glitch one man show is pretty inspiring.

The Dirtbombs at Maxwell’s in Hoboken. Super duper ultra loud, but raunchy and super fun. This was just before Dangerous Magical Noise, I think.