3.26.2012

Rock On

I am going to admit something kind of embarrassing. My first concert ever was...

Bryan Adams.

If you are my age, you may remember the Robin Hood Prince of Thieves era and the Everything I Do, I Do it For You phase. Remember going to school dances? Where the boys were on one side and the girls were on the other, both of them too shy to ask the other to dance? But you were AT the dance, so obviously you WANTED to dance. Thank you Bryan Adams. Thanks for giving me the courage to grab the guy next to me and dance with him without touching anything but his shoulders.

My Dad took me and my friend to the concert. It was great. We got up to the front of the crowd, closed our eyes and sang along with "Summer of 69". It was some good times, let me tell you.

The other day, my brother and I went to see the Kaiser Chiefs, and it made me remember how much I love going to concerts. Growing up, we lived pretty far from the nearest amphitheater (about 2 hours) but we still managed to see a few shows and through the years I have made it a point to see a concert now and then. There is just something about live music that is magical. Do you know what I mean?

Here are a few of the concerts I've been to since "The Summer of 69":

- Aerosmith
- The Scorpions
- Rage Against the Machine (w/roots)
- Steve Miller Band
- Metallica (w/Korn)
- Sevendust
- Page and Plant
- 311
- The Deftones
- Rage Against The Machine (w/ Mix Master Mike)
- The Rolling Stones (w/ Pearl Jam)
- The Beastie Boys
- Chris Isaac
- Phil Lesh and Friends
- Cheap Trick
- The Trans Siberian Orchestra 
- Medeski Martin & Wood
- Slow Gherkin
- Dave Matthews
- The Crystal Method
- Underworld
- Bumbershoot (Kings of Leon etc)
- Jazzfest (Joss Stone, Paul Simon, Lionel Ritchie, Ellis Marsalis, etc)
- Kings of Leon
- Arctic Monkeys
- Rebirth Brass Band
- Blues Traveler
- Kermit Ruffins
- Galactic
- Teresa Andersson
- Professor Longhair
- Enanitos Verdes
- She Wants Revenge
- Kaiser Chiefs 

My favorite? Its a 4 way tie between Rage / Rebirth / The Kings of Leon at the House of Blues in New Orleans / Page and Plant; they are legends. The most interesting? Phil Lesh and Friends. If you are looking for hippies, go see Phil. The coolest? Enanitos Verdes. I saw them in Cochabamba, Bolivia. It was so much fun! 

As you can see, I was into the hair bands for a while. I guess I also pick rock concerts over anything else (although I have been to the Symphony quite a few times and I love Musicals!)  I also really loved being in New Orleans, where you can watch a band at a smaller venue, and oftentimes you may even catch an impromptu show!

Okay, feel free to make fun of me now. I know. You've been waiting patiently.

What was your first concert? What is your most embarrassing concert to admit to? What was your favorite concert?

9 comments:

  1. Most embarrassing would probably be a back street boys concert I attended in college. Favorites would be Ben Folds, Damien Rice, and Brandi Carlile. I do not like loud music AT ALL so I will pretty much only see acoustic type of acts live! And I pretty much only see acts at small, intimate venues!

    My first concert was a Christian band called Jars of Clay, way back when I was in 8th grade, I think!

    You have seen a lot of concerts - that's awesome! I love going to concerts. :)

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  2. That's a lot of live music. I haven't been to many concerts but the most embarrassing would be Pearl Jam - like 6 times.That's what happens when you date an angsty older guy.

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  3. That's a lot of concerts! Allan's favorite band is 311 so he's been to several of their shows. I've seen some bands at events where live music was part of what was going on but the only actual concert I've been to was in 2010 and I saw three contemporary Christian bands.

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  4. Wow, you've been to some great ones! I like your music choices:) My first concert was Whitney Houston. I am a little embarrassed to admit it. I was in elementary school. My favorite concert was Jamie Cullum. He is so entertaining! I love going to concerts but don't go very often. I took my mom and mother in law to the Rolling Stones concert and they loved it. More their type of music.

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  5. My first concert was Aerosmith's Permanent Vacation tour. I was in 6th grade. My favorite was Zac Brown Band because it was rainy and cold and they played in a big grassy field in the mountains. I wore my Muck Boots around in the mud and drank beer. Felt so right. My most embarrassing? Word Up song people. Can't remember their name. They came to my middle school's auditorium.

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  6. Oh, Bryan Adams ... although I've never seen him in concert (my sister did!), I of course loved his music.

    My first concert was NKOTB (naturally!) and it was also one of my favorites... although most of the other concerts I've been to (and I've been to many... many festivals, too!) were rock concerts and my most favorite of all was Pearl Jam.

    I also saw Green Day (very early days in 1996), Garbage, Heroes del Silencio, Aerosmith, Metallica, Lifehouse, Matchbox 20, Three Doors Down, The Deftones, Alanis Morrisette, Donots and sooooo many others :)

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  7. Um, I have to admit... I kind of loved Bryan Adams for a while there! So no mocking from me!

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  8. That's quite a list. I wouldn't be embarrassed to admit to going to see Bryan Adams. But then, I still have one of his CDs on my iPod...

    My first concert was Garth Brooks in 1992. I'm not really that embarrassed about any of the concerts I've seen, but I guess the one I don't usually admit to is Yanni. But I went because it was free!

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  9. Ha! I love this. I totally would have gone to a Bryan Adams' concert if my parents would have spent money on things like concert tickets. My first concert wasn't until I was in college and it was Tori Amos. I think because I am so rarely a concert-goer that there aren't any that I feel embarrassed by.

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