Over at the telecaster forum the question was posed: “best concert you’ve been to and why”. I got to thinking about it and posted this:
Damn that’s too hard! Very inspired to post long!
In rough chronological order….
1.The Supremes, Michigan State Fair. Why: only concert I remember going to with my parents, and the Supremes were doing their hits.
2.The Beatles, Olympia Stadium Detroit (both 64 and 66). My grandma bought our tickets, Saturday afternoon concerts, I was 9 and 11. A sea of screaming girls but I could make out the songs I loved. It was something else. My friends down the block got signed pics ’cause their dad was chief editor of the Free Press (mine was a columnist for the News).
3.Leon Thomas opening for Rashaan Roland Kirk, hopped the fence at Cranbrook in Michigan (I was a poor teenager) Why? Leon was blues and the soulful truth, a member of his band danced with a samurai sword and had to leave in an ambulance, Kirk did the multi horn simultaneous thing, playing multiple parts all by himself all at once, and finished by destroying the chair he was using. Amazing musicianship and incredible intensity.
4.Butterfield Blues Band opening for the MC5 at the Grande Ballroom, Detroit. Same set as the “Butterfield Live” double album. Why: Amazing performance.
5.Stooges. At some catholic high school gymnasium in Detroit. Jane Fonda opened w/ anti war speech. Iggy got punched by a preppy, and later laid on the floor while getting magic markered on the face. They sounded absolutely cool.
6.Won tickets to a Cobo Hall in Detroit concert, Dr. John opened, this was the full gilded splinters gris gris man show in night tripper costume, writhing women strewn with glitter. Mesmerizing. Then Edgar Winters White Trash played for too long (his “Frankenstein” “Tobacco Road” peak). Headliner was Alice Cooper touring the Schools Out album, one of the first real production rock shows (guillotine etc..) great great show though it didn’t quite work out in regards to re igniting my relationship to 1st girlfriend.
7. New York Dolls at the Michigan Palace, killer kane in a cast, they absolutely rocked.
8. Stooges at the Michigan Palace. The concert that became infamous as their last, I do remember “louie louie”.
9.Queen opening for Mott The Hoople, first row standing at a small gym in Denver, I’d just arrived for USAF tech school. Remember thinking it odd how Freddy Mercury did the microphone stand maneuvers. That first album was the best. Mott had the marionettes drop down onto the stage, I still enjoy Ian Hunter.
10.Tommy Bolin, Santana in Albuquerque New Mexico (was it called Veterans Memorial Colosseum?). Why: top of Bolin’s short career and Carlos joined him for an encore jam that was longer than the concert. I had to leave and could still hear them trading licks on the way to my van (yes a 70′s van).
11.Frank Zappa, Detroit. Why: Cause he was Frank.
12.David Bowie, Albuquerque or Detroit. Why: Station to Station tour, opened with the French silent film with an eyeball slice, great crowd reaction…. fantastic set list.
13.The Rockets. Wayne State University, Detroit. Free concert. Great local band.
14. Stevie Ray Vaughn, 2 different Arizona State Fairs… First included a great sit on the edge of the stage solo bit, last was his first w/ keyboards and clean. I went home and plugged in, amp on 11.
15. Fabulous Thunderbirds, Buddy Guy, BB King, Santana at a Phoenix Blues fest. 3 rows back all by myself after a divorce. Almost got one of BB’s picks. Buddy did his “Hendrix got this from me” routine and Santana’s percussion section helped them to steal a show that couldn’t be topped, kept going deeper and deeper into a really heavy groove.
16.Peter Gabriel, Phoenix. Why: First concert I took the lady who’s my spouse for life to (and it was damn good, Tony Levin on the stick).
17. RHCP on the Stadium Arcadium tour was great, and Clapton/Winwood led to my purchase of a strat.
Posting this has made my day. I realize what a lucky man I am after all…
Next morning edit…
BB King & U2, Sun Devil Stadium, Joshua Tree tour. Around Christmas time. A very light rain shower during “Bullet the Blue Sky”.
April 16, 1974, Regis College Field House. Queens first American concert. I remember Freddie Mercury turning his back to the audience and stepping up on the drum riser, I always thought he had a slight case of nerves. I think the marionettes dropped down during machine gun bit on Crash Street Kids although they probably came down during Marionette. I was standing two or three rows back, must have been pretty close to you. You didn’t go with two guys named Chuck and Greg did you?
The interwebs are amazing. Were you in the Air Force at the time? You know for the life of me I can’t at the moment remember the names of the guys I went with. I had met one at Lackland AFB not long before while pulling dorm guard duty – he had the 1st Queen album and the Lou Reed Rock and Roll Animal record. We both played guitar and I bought a Les Paul copy and a Peavy 212 at a pawn shop as soon as I got to Denver. I didn’t remember that it was Queens FIRST American concert.
Was not in the AF. I was about to graduate high school in Colorado Springs. I met a guy named Chuck at a party a day or two before the concert and he turned me on to the concert ticket. I’m 99% certain that Chuck’s friend was named Mike. (I think they went to Mitchell High, I went to Palmer.) I still have my copy of Queen 1 with the gold embossed “Queen” lettering, a bit worn, but I’ve never seen one like it.
Yeah, that’s why I thought Freddie looked a little nervous– it was his first American show!
Well I’m amazed you found my post. We were within feet of each other probably. I had myself convinced that the guys I went with were Greg and Chuck!
The reason I found your post is that I have a Google Alert set up for Mott The Hoople– (been kind of obsessed for some years now).
It just dawned on me that my two BEST concerts were spur of the moment freebies!
1) Humble Pie/Foghat/James Montgomery Band.
Why? The Humble Pie show was perfect; better and better from opening acts to headliner– Steve Marriot was awe inspiring– never heard anything like it before or since. (AND, I was 3 or 4 rows back, dead center.)
2) MTH/Queen
Why? Well, it was MTH and Queen.
Impressive list.
The only thing that would have made it better is if it had been Jane Fonda who got punched in the face.
You can’t go home again.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16939591@N04/sets/72157608135480431/