Some people have stacks of concert tickets from their teen years. I can count on one hand the number of concerts I saw when I was young. Growing up in rural Ontario, traveling to a live show wasn’t a top priority. Let’s see, there was Triumph, Frank Zappa – I’m already stumped. Apparently I only needed peter pointer and a thumb on one hand.
Later, I made up for it with quality over quantity. Thanks to my radio job, I saw everyone hot in the mid-80s: Howard Jones, Paul Young, Corey Hart – all of those hit-making pop acts. And later, the rock acts I loved: Bruce Springsteen at both ends of his Born in the USA tour; Pink Floyd on the Division Bell tour; Paul Simon with his African musician friends doing songs from Graceland. I got to witness my childhood crushes, David Cassidy and Donny Osmond, kill it on stage. There would be more Springsteen, Styx, Chicago and many other bands whose music rocked my young and middle-aged worlds. Finally, concert-going became a bucket-list activity with only two bands left. AC/DC and Def Leppard.
Three years ago my pal Lianne and I went to Def Leppard at Bud Gardens here in London. The show was wonderful and lived up to my hopes. As for AC/DC, I’d already given up on that idea before the death of Malcolm Young and the retirement of frontman Brian Johnson. There’s no way in hell I’d see them with Axl Rose filling in. They’re over and I’m over it.
At some point, I became a comedy zealot and I’d rather see a live stand-up show than anything else. If I could travel back in time I’d go see Jim Carrey in his early days of stand-up. I’ll never get to see Ralphie May (RIP) or Louis CK, for another reason. But I’ve seen some greats live; Dennis Miller, Lewis Black, Derek Edwards, Jim Gaffigan, Glenn Foster, Louis Anderson and JJ Walker among them.
My pal Ted has seen Chicago perform dozens of times. Recently, a morning show listener said he’s seen Gordon Lightfoot fourteen times. Springsteen has my record, at three and one-third. (My date for his solo show at what was then Skydome insisted we leave because he hated the Boss without the E Street Band.)
If you’re a repeat show-goer, who is your artist of choice and what keeps you going back?
My very first concert was at Kingswood in Canada’s Wonderland where some friends and I climbed the fence and snuck in to see Eric Clapton. Excellent concert. Good dollar value! My absolute favourite band is Rush which I’ve seen twice. First the Moving Pictures tour and years later the R30 tour. Both were fantastic. I saw Metallica once but I could see them every other month and never get bored of them. Aerosmith on their very first ‘final’ tour in ’82 (I think) sucked with Tyler being so drunk or stoned he forgot lyrics and slurred his way through songs but years later on one of the other ‘final’ tours at the Molson Ampitheatre (2007 I think) they were amazing! Staind, Stone Temple Pilots (with the return of Weiland) at Bayfest Sarnia, The Trews, Our Lady Peace, Kiss (twice), Kid Rock, Lynyrd Skynyrd. The first time I saw Tragically Hip was in a small bar in Kingston way back when I lived in the area for a couple years, having never heard of them yet. I went on to see them four more times in bigger and bigger venues over the years. I’ve seen Nickelback twice but both times by mistake, I swear. 3 Days Grace, 3 Doors Down, Meatloaf at one of the craziest outdoor parties I’ve ever been to, Tea Party, Great Big Sea down in little Port Dalhousie, Matt Good, Theory of a Deadman, Big Wreck then Thornley years later, 54-40 (surprisingly good!), Big Sugar (blew me away!), Springsteen, Santana (better than I expected and I expected alot!), Foo Fighters at Lee’s Palace after winning tickets in a local radio station contest where the competition was to write a letter explaining why I deserved the tickets more than anyone else. One of the absolute best musical performances I’ve experienced. I wish I still had that letter! Frank Zappa, Neil Young, The Reverend Horton Heat at the House of Blues in LA. There are many more that keep coming to mind but I’m just now realizing what a big part music has played in my life. The ones I most regret missing are Johnny cash and Pink Floyd. I had opportunities to see both on more than one occasion and put it off one too many times. Big mistake on both counts.
Well, I saw both. Nyah nyah nyah little brother. I got to hang out with Johnny, June and John Jr who was a kid at the time. Charley Pride, too. I had photos but they were lost in a fire. You’re reminding me that I also saw Tragically Hip before they were a thing. This long-haired radio friend named Derek Botten insisted that I go to a little club in Kitchener with him to see them and they were great.
Hey Lisa, I cannot recite all of the bands that I have seen over the years, but I think the only “big” act I have not seen is Springsteen. I have seen Aerosmith, Boston, Fleetwood Mac, Triumph, AC/DC, Streetheart, Asia,Meatloaf, the list goes on and on. The one that I will always go and see and have, I think, 14 times is Elton. I have seen him with the band, with a full symphony and solo. All great concerts in different ways. The consummate showman. The only not great show was at the Skydome, he played the very first show there and the sound net at the top was not installed yet. We had seats one row from the very top, he was miniscule and sat behind a light post for the stage. The sound came up and reverberated around. Had no idea what song he was singing and could not see him. Not great, but all the others regardless of format were terrrific.
Well, I’m assuming you’ll want to see him again on his marathon final tour? I think I might even be persuaded to see him too. It’s funny, as much as I love his music, seeing him perform live was never a priority. Same with Billy Joel and so many others. I would have liked to have seen Boston at their peak, when Brad Delp was alive. Still one of the best rock voices to ever grace the planet.
Boston was indeed amazing, back in the early 80’s. We are planning on seeing Sir Elton one last time. Forgot a couple of the others, Journey, Billy Joel with Elton and without, did see Def Lepperd. Man the more I mull this over the bands come to mind.