THE FIVE CONCERTS I'LL NEVER FORGET.
When I was in my early twenties, I had a box filled with all my concert tickets and stuff. My plan was to make a huge collage on a wall in my new apartment. Photos, programs, ticket stubs, autographs, posters and CHUM charts. I was a music freak, had tons of records, knew the words to every song, and wanted to be a deejay on CHUM-FM. By the time I had moved into the new apartment, gotten settled, started a new job and bought furniture and stuff, it had been about a year when I started to think about that box again. That was in 1976. I still haven't found it. However, since I've been on a concert rant, I've been thinking about all the great shows I've attended. Perhaps you were at some of these. If not, you would've loved them. Trust me. I warned you about Neil Young, didn't I?
My Five Greatest Concerts
5. Led Zeppelin, Pontiac Silverdome, April 30,1977. On the drive down, we listened, of course, to every Zeppelin album on 8 track and wondered what they would play. 76 thousand others joined us to watch the Mysterious Gods of Rock. What a scene! Led Zep did not disappoint. The sound was so-so, but the stage show was spectacular so nobody really cared. I had never seen anybody hit the drums like Bonzo, and that includes Keith Moon. Both, of course, were dead within a few years. Sad.
4. Steely Dan, Massey Hall Toronto, 2009 The "Chinese Food of Music" said Steve Moore of CHUM-FM back in the 70s. "Listen to an album and an hour later you're hungry for more". I can't tell you how many times I've gone off to Dreamland with "the Dan" inside my head. This show was delicious, even though Fagen's voice needed the help of several back up singers. Hard to match their studio sound but this show was pretty close. They played the entire album "Aja" and much, much more. You had to be there.
3. Bruce Springsteen. Montreal Forum-Ottawa Civic Centre, January 1981. These were back-to-back shows during The River tour and I got to sit in the first row for both shows thanks to a very well connected friend (His Dad was a bigshot with the Montreal Canadiens). I'm pretty sure I never sat down either night. Springsteen was everything I had dreamed of an then some. I had missed out on seeing him several years earlier in Detroit when a blizzard prevented us from driving down. The night before, a bunch of us listened to his first five albums (that's all he had at the time) He was magic. 4 hours of bliss.
2. Los Lobos. Lafayette Tap Club, Buffalo NY, July 2009. LL was supposed to play a free concert in Lafayette Square downtown. Only problem was a wicked electrical storm cancelled the gig. With nothing else to do in Buffalo on a rainy night, they asked if there were any nearby clubs that would let them play, no charge. 45 minutes later, there's a 5 dollar cover at the place and Los Lobos are rockin' on a tiny stage in front of a few hundred lucky people. Great atmosphere, powerful sound, tons of fun and an up-close look at a band that just loves to play. Oh yeah, they invited women up on stage to sing along too. Do you think Neil Young would ever do that?
1. The Tragically Hip, House of Blues, Los Angeles 1995. On a day off from their tour opening for Page&Plant, the Hip absolutely rocked H.O.B. Since they had been playing dinky little 45 minute sets as an opening act for P&P, the Hip needed to cut loose for a couple of hours. Wow! Blew the roof off the joint. In attendance that night were many Canadians who had dragged their American friends to see what all the fuss was about. Gord Downie was at his absolute finest. Robbie and Paul were in perfect sync. Gord S and Johnny provided a tremendous rhythm section. I'm so glad I was there that night. Best concert I've ever seen.
Honourable mention to Tom Petty, Tower of Power, Frank Zappa, King Crimson, U2, Loggins and Messina, Johnny Winter, Pearl Jam, Bette Midler and Neil Diamond (not Young)
Maybe one day I'll find that box full of memories.
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