My younger sister often goes to concerts. She and her husband drive to nearby states to see their favourite bands and she sends me video clips. I haven't been to a concert in over a decade, and that one was in a private box at The House of Blues in Cleveland. I was the guest of a big shot on the board who is a former student and was also my financial adviser at the time. It was the perfect situation for me because I didn't have to worry about people standing up in front of me, people dancing around next to me, or people holding up their arms or their phones in front of my face.
I've wisely stopped going to concerts because I know that they are simply not the place for me. I'm not going to pay big bucks to listen to thousands of people sing along and annoy me in other ways. I'd rather stay home and listen to music in comfort.
In my youth, however, I did go to concerts, and thankfully, I didn't have to pay exorbitant prices. At the risk of all of you furrowing your brows and repeatedly asking Who?, here is at least a partial list--in no particular order--of
Concerts I Have Attended
1. Eric Carmen
2. Seals & Crofts
3. James Taylor
4. Harry Chapin
5. Genesis
6. Peter Frampton
7. The Cars and Wang Chung
8. Phil Collins
9. Rod Stewart
10. Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks
11. Stray Cats
12. Michael Crawford
13. Trans Siberian Orchestra
14. Aretha Franklin
15. B.B. King
16. Neil Diamond
It's entirely possible that there are more and I can't remember.
Seals & Crofts was my very first concert. My best friend and I were huge fans, and her parents took us to see them at the Ohio State Fair. I was in probably 8th grade, and we were both so excited. Eric Carmen was my second concert. He was a Cleveland boy, frontman for the group the Raspberries. He went solo and had the big hit All By Myself. He played at a local high school's theater, and my older sister and I went. I was 16 at the time. You aren't the only one wondering why these acts were playing at such relatively obscure venues.
There are a few of these on the list that I saw more than once, like Genesis and Rod Stewart and Phil Collins. A few were concerts that weren't chosen by me, like B.B. King, Neil Diamond, and Stray Cats, but I went and had a great time. The Aretha Franklin concert happened after a Cleveland (then) Indians baseball game. Aretha arrived in a big Cadillac that drove right onto the field. She had a huge entourage, and I have no idea what all those people were doing because they sure didn't sing with her.
There are some concerts I would have loved to have seen: Elton John, Queen, Tina Turner, Carly Simon, and Earth, Wind and Fire, among others. Heartbreakingly, I had plans to see Elton John, but that was the year I got very sick with mono and strep. He played Cleveland without me--an Official Elton John Fan Club member!
My older sister actually saw The Beatles in concert in Cleveland. Can you even imagine?
What are some of the concerts you've seen? Do you even know who these acts are?
I do know most of those artists! My parents have seen Neil Diamond multiple times - I wish I had seen him! I’m not sure if he still tours, though.
ReplyDeleteI am particular about which concerts I go to. It has to be a very very beloved artist. The person I have seen the most is Brandi Carlile. I will see her for the 8th time in February and cannot wait!! She is so talented. I saw her before she hit this current level of popularity, so I saw her in small venues with amazing acoustics. Now she plays in huge arenas so the quality isn’t what it used to be but it’s still very fun to see her live!!
Lisa--I confess that I kept thinking Belinda Carlisle whenever you mentioned Brandi Carlile. Duh. Then I googled and discovered my mistake. I listened to the song you referenced in your latest post. She's got a really down-to-earth voice and the song is so relatable. I can see why you like her so much.
DeleteMy father was a huge Neil Diamond fan, and the family got tickets so that we all could go for his birthday. Unfortunately, he was ill and unable to join us, but we all went and had so much fun. That concert was really fun and Diamond talked a great deal about the songs, his songwriting, and memories. Unbelievably, he is still touring at age 84.
Nance, I'm like you - I thought of Belinda Carlisle!! Where have I been? I haven't heard of Brandi yet!
DeleteThat's quite a list of notable musicians!
ReplyDeleteIf memory serves, the only rock/pop concert I ever attended was Bruce Springsteen, when he came to my college town. It was the loudest moment of my life. I am more a classical music fan, and also never a night owl. When I was in high school my parents gave me a super special gift of a ticket to hear the famous violinist Jascha Heifetz in concert. It's still appalling to me that I fell asleep during the concert.
CH Mom--BRUUUUUUUCE! Oh, man. I'd have loved to see him in concert. I watched the documentary about him recently, and it only made me love him more, both as a musician and a person.
DeleteYou know, I understand that it's quite common for people to fall asleep during concerts such as those. I know it happens all the time during Cleveland Orchestra concerts. I read a story a while back, and several musicians said that they didn't take offense to it. One violinist said that he understood it to be almost a compliment, that the music was so soothing and transporting. Still, it was an expensive nap, right?
OH MY GOD NANCE. YOU SAW ARETHA FRANKLIN? I just had to type that sentence three times because my fingers stopped working. She is my all-time favourite! I almost can't breathe right now and this is not an exaggeration!!!! YOU SAW ARETHA!!!! I could die. I'm so glad one of us saw her.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen a single concert that you mention! I used to go to a lot back in the day, because they were so inexpensive. Like, if I paid $20 for a ticket, that would be a lot. I remember taking an all-night babysitting shift so I could make $50 to buy a Billy Joel ticket! This was in 1990 and I think it was his We Didn't Start The Fire tour. The Piano Man! That was a good concert.
Nicole--I. Know. I love Aretha, too. She's not just the Queen Of Soul; she's The Queen, period. The sound wasn't the best in that venue, but still! I SAW HER IN CONCERT. There will never, ever be anyone like her, and no one--NO ONE--comes close.
DeleteWe didn't go to nearly as many concerts as we could/should have. Tickets were so reasonable, and so many great bands/singers come to Cleveland. We have great venues here, and they love to come. I'd have enjoyed seeing Billy Joel, too.
Wow, you've been to so many concerts! I've heard of all the acts except for Harry Chapin. I'll have to look him up. My first concert was REO Speedwagon in 1988. I did not enjoy it because the crowd got a bit toowild and I was afraid I was going to get injured. I left early. My husband and I saw Kelly Clarkson in 2005. Her voice was so amazing - but it was beyond loud. We had good earplugs, but it was still painful. We left early because we couldn't bear how bad our ears hurt. We couldn't hear well for several days!
ReplyDeleteMG--If you've ever heard of the song "Cat's in the Cradle", a tune about spending time with your kids before it's too late and they don't have the time to spend with you, that's Harry Chapin. He was a real poet and his concerts were fun.
DeleteI never wore earplugs to concerts, and I'll ask my sister if she wears them now. I'm a little shocked that the crowd got so crazy at an REO Speedwagon concert!
Yes, I recognize most of those names! I'm not really a concert person either (TOO LOUD! And GET OFF MY LAWN!). Really, the only concerts I went to were with my MOTHER and her best friend. We mostly saw Kenny Rogers. Sawyer Brown opened one of his concerts and I was a bit smitten. I also saw Roger Whittaker. Oh! And the Righteous Brothers! I thought they were ancient (being a teenager and all).
ReplyDeleteBug--Those are concerts you'd never see me attending due to my deep antipathy for country music. The Righteous Brothers, maybe. Rick was always a big fan, and we used to listen to a few of their songs during Saturday morning housecleaning sessions. I think it's cool that you saw them in concert!
DeleteI've always been fascinated to hear about the concerts that others have seen. You have a great list! Of course, I know them all as well as the ones you wish you had seen. I think my first concert was John Denver, which feels really lame now. lol If I had stayed at William and Mary I would have seen a lot more great concerts because there were far more venues in the area and students would get together and go to all the cool concerts. Not so much at little Mary Wash. (It's odd to say that because I don't think there was much difference in the enrollment at the time but there was definitely a different feel. Now Mary Wash is a pretty well-known university though.)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, concerts ... I don't think I can remember them all even though I don't feel like I attended that many, We actually went to more concerts in the last decade because we found a couple of small venues that featured old school bands that were still together. You could enjoy them and all the memories that went with their songs and not have to deal with the craziness that is so many concerts now. As you and others have shared, those typical concerts are just not fun anymore. What's the point of having a seat when others are standing and dancing and singing in front of you (sometimes with their kids on their shoulders--that should be illegal IMHO) blocking your view and hearing (you can only hear their singing not the performer's)? Sounds whiny but all that seems far more appropriate for a music festival than a concert with assigned seats.
Anyway, concerts that I remember at the moment (not in any order): Three Dog Night, Iron Butterfly, Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, Firefall, Lynyrd Skynrd, Marshall Tucker, Jimmy Buffett, Reba McIntire, Conway Twitty, George Jones, Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks, Hal Ketchum, Kathy Mattea, Emmylou Harris, Brad Paisley, Dwight Yoakam, Judy Collins, Stephen Stills, John Mayer, Bruce Hornsby, Nathaniel Rateliff, Amos Lee, Lindsay Buckingham and Christine McVie, Jesse Colin Young, Gavin DeGraw, Jem, Southside Johnny, Merle Haggard, Brooks and Dunn, Allison Krauss, Marty Stuart, Alan Jackson, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lee Ann Womack, Rodney Crowell, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sugarland, Larry Raspberry and the Highsteppers, Saffire. I'll probably remember more as the day goes on---now that you've activated some long dormant brain cells. Haha.
Thanks for taking us down memory lane, Nance!
Shirley--John Denver is not lame. I loved him when he was first popular, along with so many others. My older sister bought his album, and we listened to it often.
DeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way about the behaviour at concerts. I just don't get it. Why pay all that money and then pretty much ignore the main event? I suppose I'm showing my age and my Teacher/Mom proclivities.
You've seen a ton of concerts! Our tastes are different--you know I don't like country music at all--but I'd have loved to see Three Dog Night, Judy Collins, and Lindsay Buckingham and Christine McVie. My sisters and brother and I listened to a lot of Three Dog Night one summer, thanks to the Record Club of America (13 albums for a penny)!
Almost all those country music shows were for Smokey's benefit, especially the female singers. lol Many of those tickets were actual birthday presents to him. I still love Emmylou Harris though. I forgot seeing Joan Baez when I was just a teenager (so maybe that was my first concert but it was more of a protest thing in DC so I didn't consider it as a concert really although she sang several songs) and several other enjoyable concerts. The smaller venues are always my favorites. The John Denver show was a great one (although it was at a very large venue but long before people behaved so poorly at concerts) because he had enormous screens (now those kinds of things are routine) showing stunning scenery. At Red Rocks, there is the Colorado Music Hall of Fame and it includes John Denver, Judy Collins, Firefall, and a few other favorites like several members of Earth, Wind, and Fire (one of my dear friends is a HUGE fan of theirs and travels all over to see them--so much so that they made her part of their show in a recent concert in Vegas).
DeleteSo much of my actual vinyl came from those kinds of deals, Nance! Record Club of America and Columbia stick in my head but there may have been others. I couldn't resist the savings or getting all that new music at once! I miss listening to vinyl here but I disassembled all that after Smokey passed.
My heart breaks for your high school self missing Elton. The nerve that he went on even though you were unable to attend. But as they say, the show must go on. Your notes about why you wouldn't go to a concert now are so relatable. A few years ago my SIL texted to ask Coach and I if we wanted to see the BoDeans in concert on NYE. We texted back a polite we love the bodeans but no thanks. She texted back, Is it the company then? (like, why not go, if you love the band?) I called her to explain. It would be winter in Chicago. Where would we put our coats? My back complains if I stand very long. Etc. Etc. Then she informed me that this was a venue with assigned seats and a coat check (or leave coat on your seat), etc. They would be driving, so parking would be easy, etc. Well, this was a different story. It was a concert designed for people of a certain age. We went and it was a blast.
ReplyDeleteI don't know all of the bands/performers you mention, but that should shock no one. I'm not really into music. I like music, but I didn't listen to a ton of it as a kid. Our cars had AM radios only and my dad played traditional Irish music records. My mom played a ton of Neil though, and I would've loved to see him in concert. My sibs and I went to see the musical about him last winter as a gift to my mom and it was fantastic. Highly recommend.
I've seen U2 quite a few times. I saw them in concert the year I lived in Ireland studying abroad. I've seen the Counting Crows. Bon Jovi. Hootie and the Blowfish. Indigo Girls and REM at Notre Dame while I was a student at St. Mary's. The Violent Femmes when I was in high school, um I snuck that one in - my parents would never have let me go to see them. I would've loved to have seen Prince. My Violent Femmes concert is a funny story. I've written it as a chapter in my (hope to one day publish) book. Maybe I'll share a brief version for NABLOPOMO. *I also thought of Belinda Carlisle.
Ernie--You've seen some pretty big names. I loved Hootie and the Blowfish, and I've still never forgiven Darius Rucker for going country. One of my teaching colleagues was deeply in love with Jon Bon Jovi. All of us were shocked because she was a rather straitlaced woman, but she got pretty smooshy about Bon Jovi, and she was older than me!
DeleteAnd seeing U2 in Ireland! Pretty impressive.
You had the perfect setup for the NYE concert. That would be my idea of a concert!
Oh gosh, I haven't been to a concert in years - and honestly, don't miss it. Like you, I'd rather be at home. I did see Billy Joel and Elton John together in concert and that was amazing.
ReplyDeleteBut back when I was so much younger - we had it made regarding concerts. Back then the Houston Rodeo always had an amazing lineup and general admission was only $10. And, if you got there extra early you could get amazing seats in the Astrodome. I can't even begin to list how many shows I saw back then. From what I understand now, that is not the case anymore.
Gigi--What a fantastic concert--Billy Joel and Elton John! That had to be more than worth the ticket price.
DeleteTen bucks for concerts--what a deal. I bet you saw some great shows. Can you even believe the cost of concert tickets now? It's really criminal.
Of yours, I’ve seen BB King and Rod Stewart. I’m not a huge fan of either, but they both put on great shows! I found a ticket stub from a David Bowie concert in May of 1990, for which I paid $22.50. Now tickets are digital, so no ticket stubs, which makes me kind of sad.
ReplyDeleteI’m ho hum on concerts, but they’re totally Ted’s jam, so we go pretty often (I think, I’m sure he doesn’t think we go enough.)
My first concert was Simon and Garfunkel in 1983, and they were amazing. My next concert was the next weekend I think, the same venue, but was an all day thing with amazing acts. It was The Police, The Fixx, The Thompson Twins, Madness, and Oingo Boingo. Was there someone else in there as well? Maybe. But those were definitely two of the best concerts I’ve ever been to.
J--Rod Stewart puts on a terrific show. I love him and his music. We saw BB King in 2011. By then he was doing shows sitting down, but still putting on a good show.
Delete$22.50 for David Bowie! Can you even imagine? I never saved a single ticket stub. My sentimentality gene went missing a long time ago. Rick may have them, however.
I would have loved to see Simon and Garfunkel! I still listen to a lot of their music. Their lyrics are so poetic and beautiful.
What an 80s dream that all-day concert was! The Police and Thompson Twins were two of my faves at that time. I can see the videos for Thompson Twins in my mind right now.
Interesting topic for your first November post. I recognize most of the acts from your list. Very impressive--- Aretha Franklin, Rod Stewart, James Taylor, Neil Diamond… Wowza!
ReplyDeleteMe? — I never attended a concert during my childhood or even later in my college years, mainly because I was working 50 hours a week. Which isn’t to say I didn’t have a social life at all, but concert tickets were not in my budget back then. I only went to see local music groups if it was free, lol.
—MY ECLECTIC LIST OF *JUST SOME* OF THE SINGERS WHOSE CONCERTS I *WOULD HAVE LIKED* TO ATTEND...
The Beatles (Although I did run into Paul McCartney in a deli shop in London. He said “good evening” but didn’t sing for me, lol.) Also: Bob Dylan, Joan Báez, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Carly Simon, Cat Stevens, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, The Eagles, Elton John … and a long list of etceteras.
—THE VERY, VERY FEW CONCERTS I DID GO TO ... (All during the years I lived in Spain)
*Joan Manuel Serrat – 1980-something. Basically the Spanish equivalent of Simon & Garfunkel. Beautiful concert in a small town on the outskirts of Madrid.
*Simon & Garfunkel – 1982. The concert was held outdoors in the biggest soccer stadium in Madrid. I went with a friend of mine who worked for an American magazine published in Madrid called The Guidepost. I had a part-time job (side hustle? —lol) at the mag writing weekly movie reviews. My friend was the editor and managed to scrounge up a couple of courtesy press tickets. No seats, but we were allowed in early and staked out our territory on the front row just below the stage. Amazing. They sang all the classics and then some. Mid-concert a bit of light rain started to fall and there was a short break. When S&G resumed, Garfunkel said (with a fairly decent Spanish accent) La lluvia cantó su canción y ahora nosotros cantaremos la nuestra. = The rain sang its song, and now we will sing ours. I was impressed by that gesture to connect with the audience in their own language (even though, clearly, they understood the songs in English.)
*Les Luthiers – 1996. I went to this concert with a great friend of mine who was Argentinian. I’ll let Google describe this incredible group: Les Luthiers are an Argentinian comedy-musical group known for their unique blend of witty humor, musical parodies, and self-made instruments. Formed in 1967, the group is celebrated for its intelligent wordplay and creative use of instruments, which they build from common objects, hence their name "luthiers," meaning "makers of stringed instruments". The group achieved widespread popularity in Spanish-speaking countries and is often compared to Monty Python.
*The Cranberries – 1995. ¡Dios mío, qué desastre! No, I was never a fan and did not even know who they were before I went to that concert. I went because my sister’s best friend’s daughter was a huge fan: When their family came to Spain on vacation, the parents had a lot of pre-paid tourism plans and wouldn’t let the daughter go because it interfered with their itinerary. When I met them for dinner the day they arrived in Madrid, the daughter begged me to go to the Cranberries concert and buy her a souvenir T-shirt. Said she would pay for my ticket, but I didn’t let her, of course. The concert was in a humongous indoor sports pavilion. It was also a very hot, humid July evening and the AC wasn’t working. I stayed for about half the concert until I felt like heat stroke was coming on, bought the coveted concert T-shirt, and skedaddled back home before the crush of screaming teens filled the streets. Whew! 😂
Ortizzle--Our taste in music is very similar, judging by your Wish List. And you saw Simon and Garfunkel! I'm envious. As I said to J, above, I've always loved their music and listen to it even now. Much of my musical taste was formed by sharing a bedroom with my older (by 7 years) sister. Her music became my music.
DeleteI love the story of you attending a concert as a favour to another person! And you even paid for the ticket yourself! What a kind thing to do, especially since it was such a hot night and you didn't even particularly care for the band.
Les Luthiers sound like a lot of fun and very unusual. I'm going to do a little googling!
AND YOU RAN INTO PAUL MC CARTNEY?! What is it with you--are you a magnet for famous and important people? Honestly!
DeleteImpressive list: a bit jealous. We had tickets to Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac but they cancelled and we couldn't attend the alternate date. We were also on our way to see Bryan Adams once, but...again, cancelled. We just went to Sarah McLachlan's concert in Edmonton, but before that, I haven't been to any big name concerts for decades. My first concert? Tom Cochrane & Red Rider. I've also seen Rod Stewart, Sting, and Buffy Saint Marie, but my favourite concert ever? Definitely Ray Charles.
ReplyDeleteDB--Oh, Ray Charles! I'm jealous for sure. That must have been a fantastic show and a fond, fond memory.
DeleteWhat a shame, to have two concerts cancelled! That's never happened to us. I'd have liked to see Sting, but I think my concert days are well over.
That is quite a list! Although Elton John, what kind of crap is that? I almost went to his farewell tour concert here, but I had a conflict, and my girlfriend who went said it was kind of annoying how much he milked the applause after every single song. Earlier in his career would have been better.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite individual concerts: Bryan Adams, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Indigo Girls, the Lumineers, Great Big Sea, Frank Turner (twice). My favourite festival concerts: Bryan Adams again, Melissa Etheridge (twice), Indigo Girls again, Tegan and Sara (twice), Foy Vance, Tom Petty, Tom Cochrane, Blue Rodeo, April Wine, and (surprisingly) Pit Bull.
I love live music, but like you I'm not crazy about, um, other people. Bluesfest outside has been good because it's less claustrophobic and you can decide how close to other people you want to be, but I'll still do stadium concerts for someone I really want to see.
To be clear, I meant what kind of crap was it that you got sick. Eep.
ReplyDelete