"I'm breathing the same AIR as her!!"

     What in the heck was the last concert that I went to?  I think it was the Black Crowes back about 4/5 years ago at the Somerville Theater in Davis Square.  I gotta say that it was one of the best shows I've ever been to due to the fact that it was so intimate (and so close to home at the time!).  There was such a great crowd and the band seemed to have a blast on that stage.  I used to go to concerts all of the time.  Used to hit about 5 per summer and come fall, probably about 3 or 4 when a good band/performer was playing at the Orpheum.  I used to walk up to the box office after work and buy one ticket to sit as close to the stage as possible.  All by myself which is the best way to buy a concert ticket!  The best show I saw by myself was Sigur Ros at the Boston Opera House.  It was a super last minute spur-of-the-moment type deal and I had never been to that theater since they had renovated it.  I saw that they were playing in an article in the Boston Phoenix and headed there in time enough to get third row.  What a gorgeous venue and to see that ethereal band play there was almost a magical and artistic experience.  I hadn't even heard any of their music and only knew who they were thanks to Bjork's speaking so highly of them in an interview I read somewhere.  Glad I decided to check them out because I'm a fan now!
     I miss going to shows.  From Great Woods (or whatever it is called now) to a small place like Toad in Porter Square....from the Garden to the Middle East in Cambridge....sigh.  I used to have a blast!  I remember my first-ever concert was Pearl Jam back on April 10th or 11th, 1994 (it's killing me that I can't recall the exact date, and I'm too lazy to search for my saved ticket).  A kid named Chris in my Physics class had an extra ticket and knew I was a huge fan so he asked if I wanted to go.  I had to run across the street to my Mom's work and beg her for the $65 to pay for the ticket before anyone else had a chance to claim it!  I remember the stage that seemed miles away was darkened to a navy blue with candles lit all over the stage and equipment, and you heard Eddie's voice humming into the first song of the set, "Release".  I sobbed because this was all a tribute to Kurt who had died a few days earlier....another lead singer with whom I was obsessed!  Sadly, Nirvana is not on the list of the many bands I have seen.
     Another great show (and they were great both times I saw them) was Radiohead.  I saw them back in the end of August of 2001 at Suffolk Downs in Revere.  It was a beautiful summer night--sky was clear and pink with sunset, and the air was warm.  I went with my friend Anthony and we were able to get into the blocked fan area towards the front of the stage.  We kept creeping closer and closer to the stage while the Beta Band and Kid Koala were opening up for them.  I could see Thom jamming out in the wings of the stage. It was neat to see a member of the headlining band enjoying his opening acts!  I worked hard at creating a pillow of sand at my feet that I could stand on but it didn't help because I still ended up with a fractured right foot from standing on my toes in platform flip flops the whole night.  Since the venue was so close to Logan Airport, we were able to see airplanes fly over head: creepily low and loud.  Weird to think that September 11th happened a little more than 2 weeks after this concert.  


Let's visit some more memories of those nights:

• "Are you sure we shouldn't turn back and skip seeing Rage Against the Machine with Wu Tang opening?  It's pouring rain with no end in sight and we have lawn seats...."
--thanks to garbage bags, we lived to see the next day.

• "No Doubt sucks."
--and that is why we left after Weezer and Luscious Jackson opened.  

• "The Sheila Divine are playing their last show ever?  At the Paradise?  Of course I'll go!!!"
--said Danielle to some guy she was dating about 10 years ago....needless to say, it never ended up being their last show because they play reunion shows at least once a year now.  Regardless, it was an awesome time.  I couldn't believe that people traveled all the way from Belgium to see these nerdy guys from Boston, but they did.  I think I got the CD of this show somewhere.....

• "Tina Turner AND Cindy Lauper?"
--you betcha and I brought Mom. 

• "I'm breathing the same AIR as her!!"
--my reaction to seeing Madonna. 

• "WHAT?  NKOTB are reuniting??!!  Even Jonathan?"
--Yep, and I am proud to say that I sobbed my eyes out when they cascaded down those bleacher stairs during their opening number.  My younger sister laughed at me but at the same time was sympathetic to my strong, guttural emotions.

• "Wait--Poison, EnufZnuf, Quiet Riot and Warrant are all playing at this show?  I will finally be able to see Bret and Janie in one night?"
--Mmmhmm, and Danielle made her own puffy paint T-shirt to commemorate and still has it in the closet and will take it out to show off upon request (RIP Janie).

• "G-Love and Special Sauce just free-style rapped about my Bon Jovi concert T-shirt that I'm wearing!!"
--Yes, true story and I have witnesses (2nd row at UNH, opening for Run DMC). 

• "Hmm...I dunno.  $250 to see Morrissey?  Yikes.  Second row though?"
--I couldn't bounce that check fast enough!

So many other shows attended and tremendous times had, and so little time and space to write about it.  They really add up to a big part of my past.  I guess this proves that I'm really getting old and settling down.  Unless I can get to a show sometime in the next year or four (and Sesame Street Live won't count), I doubt you'll spot me at one.  Hell--I don't even know what bands are cool these days or who half of them are that are listed on the Marquis! Instead I'll continue following all of the bands that keep reuniting or keep coming out with new albums.  I'm sure years from now I'll be looking forward to when they end up playing at venues like Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun.  Oh! And I'll get all dolled up and hit the Casinos for the free cocktails as a pregame to the big show!  Eeeeeeeeks!

Ooops.  No offense, Mom.