teh Forum

I once had this crazy idea to attmpt tp write down every concert I have ever been to. Crazy. I think it is somewhere around 500. I maybe got close to 100. I think it would be smarter to write about a show after I go, kinda like the movies thread. Maybe I will go back and write about some of the particularly cooler shows I have been to in the past as I go along.

Last few shows I have been to:

Finch w/ Saosin @ UCSB Dec '04
Finch was all right. I like their CD a lot and they weren't quite as cool live. The guitar player kept making lame comments. I wanted to shout, "just shut up and play you silly bitch." They had some weird builds with the feedback that would have been good opportunities to launch into a rocking song that they blew by stopping and chatting. I had never heard of Saosin but I was impressed. I'll check them out.

Something Corporate @ Hollywood's House of Blues - Nov '04
Yes this band is one of my secret pleasures. The kids love em, but I dig their music. The lead singer/piano player was exactly how I pictured him. The ultimate indie throb. He must have jumped up on top of his prominently placed piano 10 times. I had never seen them and they did rock. The HOB is a really cool venue as well.

All Tomorrow's Parties - feat. Flaming Lips, Built to Spill, and The Shins @ Long Beach's Queen Mary cruise ship - Nov '04
Amazing show. The Shins are as great as I had hoped and I was blown away by the Flaming Lips. Their concert was more like a celebration than a live act. They threw out what must have been 100s of giant baloons. Plus they jammed. BTS played all new songs except for 1 which was unexpected. I would have been dissappointed except I have seen them around 20 times and the last time they played 2 1/2 hours of every song I love. I also caught Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks which was cool and part of the very interesting set by Peaches.

Green Day, New Found Glory and Sugarcult at Long Beach Arena
As one of the last stops on their American Idiot US tour, Green Day played like it was the beginning of their first tour ever. These guys still have amazing energy even after the thousands of shows they've put on, one of the few remaining bands who always pump it up a couple notches all for the fans. They dusted off all the favorites like "Armatage Shanks' and "Macy's Day Parade". I'm a huge fan of Sugarcult, but they let me down with their 20 min performance. New Found Glory did the same. Then comes Green Day who puts on a solid 2 hour jam session. These guys truly are amazing.

Excellent post!

Last few shows I saw...

Moe. - Roseland Ballroom, teh NYC...it was a good show, but the combination of too much sangria and too much fernation made it a bit freaky at times. The music was on (although I don't think there are too many moe.rons in this room...), but too many hs kids just getting fucked up....

Medeski, Martin, and Wood - The Showbox, seattle. What an incredible show. If you have never seen this trio live, than get on it! The grooves they lay down is just out of this world. I am convinced that Medeski, the keyboardist, is an alien. The crowd was amazing, the vibe was incredible...just a great great show!

I have wanted to see the flaming lips for a while...I hear they put on a monster show. Glad you liked it!

I just saw the Derek Trucks Band last night at the Tractor Tavern...

I know most (all?) of you don't seem to be into this kind of music, but all I can say is that the show was incredible. I think this is one of the most talented bands out there in terms of musical composition, technical mastery, and pure band vibe/communication...amazing...


any of you seattle-types gonna check out g-love at the showbox later this month?

Smokin' Grooves was pretty cool. A couple headliners didn't show up, but Cypress Hill, Black Eyed Peas, Refugee Camp, Pseudo-Public-Enemy, and a few I can't remember were excellent that night. I was influenced by several units of the purple gel. We also brought re-shrinkwrapped cigarette boxes containing about 25 "special" smokables (which when shared with security, got us way up front on the floor of the Key.) That was a fun show.

PE was cool just because they did most of the old tracks off of It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, and none of the stupid new stuff that made me not like them anymore.



The Thrill Kill Cult was cool when I saw them too.

I've probably only been to around 50 "actual" concerts. I've been to a lot of raves that had big headliners though, (Run-DMC, Crystal Method, De La Soul, Mix Master Mike, etc.)

I am down with D.Trucks Dan. I'd be down to check them out for sho.

The Tractor Tavern, isnt that in Ballard? Woo hoo, go ballard, I miss the old peculiar!

Speaking of Public Enemy, I had a dream that Flava Flave died last night...

is anyone else catching this right now?

www.kroq.com

the mars volta go on in 2 hours...

Just spent a very drunken and HOT weekend at the Gorge for Sasquatch...I had a great time, although it was INSANELY hot...like 96 with no where to hide except under your beer bottle...and as much of a good idea I thought it was to start drinking at 8:30am, it really isn't.

anyway, onto the music...(I missed quite a few shows as I was either hiding in a patch of shade drinking, or passed out on the lawn somewhere)

Blue Scholars - This is a seattle based hip-hop duo that definetly rock the house...tight beats, good lyrics, and good sense of what the crowd wants. Yes, they are UW alumn, and so some of the songs reminscing about life on the Ave is a little silly, but overall they are great! I want to check out more of trheir stuff.

Benvennto/Russo Duo - The only true Jamband at the festival, so I was psyched to see them (they actually went to my high school...). A very tight Organ/Keyboard and Drums duo...they mix in alot of sampled beats to play over, but are extremely talented and lay down some groovy moveable tracks


Wilco - You know what...I remember seeing them, but I can't remember a god-damn thing about the music. I think that was the Jack Daniels phase of my day...

Kanye West - I was psyched to see Kanye...but he was def. the most out-of-place act in the entire lineup...it just didn't make sense (he was between Wilco and Modest Mouse!)...it was also probably the whitest crowd he has ever played to...his DJ was ok, but didnt amaze me...but he has good stage presence and it was fun

Modest Mouse - These guys were alot of fun...they put on a solid show. The best part was the audience really got into it, so you could feel the energy a bit...and the sun was finally disappearing, which made life a lot easier...but at this point the sun and the booze started to really beat me hard...

Pixies - They actually rocked! Incredible...except I didn't make it past the 4th song...neither did anyone around me...


all in all a great weekend of drunkeness with some old friends...can't wait until next year

danz: Just wondering if you've ever heard of a band called Ray's Vast Basement?
(they seem relatively jam band-ish...)

Oh Danz - you lush.

I just got back from a great Queens of the Stone Age show at the very cool Ventura Theater. Damn they rock, even without Nick Oliveri or playing No One Knows. They powered through an hour and forty minute set with an amazing light show and great sound. I was especially impressed by drummer Joey Castillo laying into the skins. The new album is great as well.

Danz and others who are into it. Derek Trucks and his band laid down an interesting interview/jam session on NPR this morning. Stream it here