Musically Inclined

Top 5 Concerts

 I love music. I can remember the second I really got into music. It was in 1998 and my boy gave me a copy of DMX great debut album, “It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot”. Just everything about this album left me amazed. The passion in DMX’s voice, the things he was talking about, but most importantly the beats. I am a huge
beats guy. More so then the words of a song I am interested in the pounding baselines, the relentless drone of a keyboard, or the loud guitar riff. This album had all that. It engaged me and showed me how music could tell stories.

 At the beginning of my musical journey I was all about hip hop music. But several years ago that part of music grew extremely stale and honestly I feel it has never come back. So my musical tastes became more rock, indie, alternative rock based. But the reality is I really have a diverse taste in music. There is no genre I will not dabble in as long as you promise me a listening experience. This is evidenced by my collection of over 1,814 albums and growing. Its one of the passions of my life to consume as much music as I can cause there is always something new to listen too.

 By extension, live music is one of the great joys I have. Seeing, and hearing a band live is one amazing experience. You get to feel the music in person with a group of people in a shared experience. It is hard to describe how it feels except, I would imagine it is what people who really enjoy church feel. It is, for me, a religious experience. The feeling is undeniably cathartic in nature. And it doesn’t matter whether you are with 80,000 people or just 50. Those people share something amazing together and it is those moments in life we live for.

 Lucky for me the Chef and I are very open to all types of music. We have gone to about 20 concerts together and counting (and I’m not talking about Crows ). Her and I just enjoy the live music experience and it is awesome to have someone who is willing to try different types of music just based on your recommendation. We just put ourselves out there musically and it’s a great way to enjoy new bands and acts. As far as this years concert schedule next up is my highlight of the year, Radiohead followed two days later by Keane. A bunch of other shows are lined up as well so needless to say the only thing that holds us back is our wallets. Concerts are not cheap people and you can only sell a kidney once.

 Having said all that I would like to present to you my all-time top 5 favorite concerts I have ever seen live. After much deliberation this is the order I feel best represents my favorite concert experiences. I’m leaving out a ton of shows I have seen, particularly seeing Keane in Williamsburg which was epic because of the venue being on the East River which was a show I had to cut cause its only top 5. But the rest I feel are that good that it could bump Keane off my list.

 So in order:

1. Counting Crows, featuring Michael Franti & Spearhead, Augustana, and Emmy Rossum Sept. 3, 2009 – This was the greatest show I have ever seen live. A couple of things went into me picking this show. One was the venue. Rumsey Fieldhouse is an open amphitheater in the middle of Central Park. Any outdoor venue is a great place to see live music. Two was the musical format of the show. Honestly there was none. Usually a headline act will go on last and the other bands will put on smaller sets before the main act. This show started with Counting Crows coming out first which is just brilliant. They were then joined by both Augustana and Spearhead and proceeded to come on and off stage for different songs at random. This went on for the entire 3 ½ hour show. Third was the crowd. A bad crowd can really shit on a shows flow and atmosphere but this crowd was really into everything that was going on and it made the performers give a little more and that really lent itself to being an even better show. And on a personal note Adam Duritz of Counting Crows is one of the best frontmen of all-time. He is non-stop energy and probably the most engaging lead singer I will ever see live. If you can ever see a Counting Crows concert live you owe it to yourself cause its an experience onto its own seeing him perform. So you take all those elements and put them together and you have the greatest show I have ever seen live.
2. U2 featuring Muse Sept. 25, 2009 – If you know me you know that U2 is my all-time favorite band. So putting them second required me to put all my personal biases aside and let me say it was still hard to do that. But in the end I felt the Crows was just an epic experience and while U2 was just as good I could not say I had a better time at U2 then I did at the Crows. Having said that, U2 was the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to crowds. While Counting Crows may have had 3,000 people at most in attendance, U2 took place at Giants Stadium with 80,000+ people. To see that many people together singing songs, like “One” or “Where The Streets Have No Name”  sends chills up my spine just thinking about it. It was a rock concert on the highest level. For me this show will always be my personal highlight of my live music viewing. First I got Muse as an OPENER (more on them soon) which is beyond crazy when you think about how big a band they are. But for me what was crazy was I got to be in the pit that was 15 feet from the stage. I was so close to U2 I could see the sweat coming off of them as they were playing. Being that close to them will be something I will never forget. Everyone has buckets list and seeing U2 live was on the top of my list in things I wanted to do. To say I was happy would be a waste of the word happy. It’s a moment I will never forget for the rest of my life.
3. Up In Smoke July 19, 2000 – This was one of my first concerts and still is my favorite hip hop concert I have ever attended. This was when Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg were in the second primes of their careers, and they were joined by virtually everyone who mattered in hip hop at the time. Eminem, Xhibit, Nate Dogg, and Warren G are just a few of the guest stars. But it was like getting a history lesson in West Coast hip hop which was so amazing live. My personal highlight was watching Mack 10 do a crib walk across the stage with everyone going nuts for it. Only negative was the show took place at the Nassau Coliseum which is the worst venue ever. Just horrible and I never plan on going back to it again.
4. The Sounds featuring The Limousines, Kids at the Bar, and Natalia Kills Nov. 4, 2011 – Often times the opening acts are groups you have never heard of before. But once you see them live you become fans. That is what happened at this show when I saw the Limousines for the first time. They were the opening act and they just completely rocked my socks off. Specifically it was a song they did called, “Dancing At Her Funeral” that was just mind blowing to me. I love electronic music and they combined electronic with a rock beat and it just hooked me. Needless to say I am a huge fan of the group now. But I wanted to go for the Sounds who are one of my favorite bands out now. They are from Sweden and the hook is that they are fronted by this hot blond women singer who smokes and drinks on stage like a classic lead singer. But she’s a hot chick. But more importantly she has super energy when she is onstage. And she brings it live. The Sounds are the perfect band to play Webster Hall as it’s a smaller venue but you are right on top of the act and the crowd is very passionate about the music. And this crowd was rowdy and excited for every note and song they played. It was fun to just jump up and down for some live pop music. And the Sounds with their electronic infused rock pop is easy music to just get into and dance along with.
5. Muse featuring Silversun Pickups March 5, 2010 – Muse has the reputation of being the best live band in the business. And you can see it when you watch them live. Matthew Bellamy is one of the best lead singers in all of music. The dude is all over the stage throughout the entire show. What always amazes me is that he plays both guitar and sings falsetto all at the same time. And he does it at such an amazingly high level. What I loved about this show was the crowd. They knew every song and every word. To the point that the band would just play the hook and 20,000 people would sing the words. It must be an incredible feeling for the band onstage to here that. I get chills when I think about them performing, “Starlight” and then the crowd singing the hook together in perfect unison. It is almost orgasmic. If you don’t agree just type in “Starlight MSG 3-5-10” on Youtube and enjoy 1/10 of what it was like live. Cause live it was otherworldly. But without a doubt Muse brings it live like few bands can.

 Oh in case you were wondering the all-time worst concert I have been to live was The Fray.

THEY SUCKED.

Unfortunately for me, I haven't been to as many concerts as my co-writer, but the few that I have been to have been more than just a place to be on a Friday night. I can say I've genuinely enjoyed nearly ALL the music events I've been to over the years.

1. Alanis Morissette "Jagged Little Pill" Jones Beach 1996 - Alanis was not my first concert. That esteemed title belongs to New Kids on the Block circa Summer of 1990- Giants Stadium. My friend Lisa asked me if I wanted to go as a back-up, only because this other girl Jenna couldn't come with her. It was a terrible experience because we ate cheese pizza and diet soda at her house before leaving (two things I do not like, but was too polite to refuse). Stuck in traffic, stewing in the middle seat in the back of her father's town car, I was nauseous and car sick. I tried to sleep it off, but being in the middle meant I had nothing to lean on so I could pass out. I puked. I was embarrassed. Her mom had to find me a shirt quickly so I could ditch my pukey one. That was my first concert shirt EVER- Jonathan Knight in a black and white portrait on a white shirt....to take the place of my puked-upon shirt. I tried to give her the money my mom gave me, but she wouldn't take it. Anyway, I digress. Alannis was the idea of an ex-friend from high school who LOVED LOVED LOVED her, but sadly did not know ANY of the other songs on the album except "You Oughtta Know". I found this out as we were rocking on the second to last row of the massive venue. She sat on her chair, eventually standing up uncomfortably because everyone else was standing, dancing, and singing. She was clueless. At that point, I lost my own inhibitions and rocked out with the girls to the left of me. I sang loudly (and badly) with everyone around me to the high-pitched tones of "Forgiven", feeling every ounce of her lyrics lamenting the pitfalls of the Catholic faith. We danced around to "All I Really Want", the first song she opened with. We swayed and sang along to the ballad "Head Over Feet". It was one of the best concerts I've ever been to. I knew every song.  I felt every lyric. I was a million miles away from the stage, but felt like I was standing right in front of her. And the buddy who got the tickets had no fucking  clue what was going on. That's when I learned the difference between people who buy tickets so they can say they went to a concert, and people like me who go to concerts to be IN the concert.

2. Counting Crows - Central Park September 2009. (See the headliners J mentioned above because I'm referring to the same concert.) So, my buddy Jenn put out a feeler on Social Network Unnamed, asking who would be interested in going to see the Crows. A few of us responded and she bought tickets months ahead of time. We all actually got there really early. I had taken off from work that day. I slept over the boyfriend's apartment. He made an awesome romantical Restaurant Week reservations at Cafe Centro, where I dined on duck and we polished of a fantastic bottle of wine. The bottled water was also fancy- so fancy, in fact, that he pinched the pretty blue bottle, saved it, and used it as a vase when he surprised me the next month at the diner where we had our first meal together, at the same table, during one of our monthly anniversaries. (Yes, I insisted on celebrating months because I'm cheesy like that....shoot me!) We walked off our obnoxiously rich fair at the Nintendo store, before we went our separate ways. I went to the concert and he went home to work. Like, I said; perfect day!! I don't know about you, but most concerts open with some obscure band no one has ever heard of, so most people feel free to wander about or come a little late. However, as I was online with Jenn, who wanted wine, I heard the music starting. And I realized Adam Duritz was on stage, sitting down and singing. SINGING! What happened to Michael Franti and Spearhead? What about that Augustana band that I was reading about? What the hell was Adam doing on stage when all these other people were supposed to go on before him? Anyway, since we got there fairly early, we had a great spot near the stage, and we rushed back just in time. What Counting Crows did with the other bands on the bill for this concert was nothing short of amazing. They mixed it up. It wasn't just one band doing their set, getting off stage and another banding getting on. Each of these bands took turns performing, sometimes mixing it up with one another. It was epic. There were no lulls in the set. The energy was cranked up all night long and as I stumbled away at the end of the evening to the farewell tunes of "California Dreamin'" blaring over the speakers to wish us 'goodnight', my head thoroughly lost in the contact high from the cloud of ganja surrounding us, I had a wicked little smile of my face. I thought to myself, "This is the BEST fucking concert I have ever been to in my entire life!!!!!"

Just singing a song......(badly).

Out little band of misfits.

LOOK at the boobage I was sporting back then!!!

Chilling out on the lawn, waiting for the music to start.

I don't remember what the hell I was saying, but apparently I was REALLY feeling it.

3. Gorillaz "Plastic Beach" MSG. October 2010 - Gorillaz. Man, you either are in the mood for them, or you're not. The noxious cloud of THC was hanging in the air even before the lights went out for the first act. In fact, as we walked to the Garden, people were already smoking up a storm outside, and no one was bothering them. It was as if the NYPD said, "Gorillaz show? Eh, leave the fuckers alone. If they're stoned, they'll be too chill to start a fight with each other." With N.E.R.D opening for them, the party started even BEFORE the music did. People were just in a great fucking mood! And why not? They had their customary animation screen up and running the entire time, but we were treated to seeing Damon Albarn IN THE FUCKING FLESH in front of the screen, this time. See?

  

This concert was nothing less than amazing. Besides N.E.R.D, we were graced with the featured artists from their album: Lou Reed, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, De La Soul, The Clash, and Little Dragon. The visual dude, Jamie Hewlett, also came out to say hey. The energy was fucking pumping all night long, with Damon jumping and dancing all around the stage. Besides their new stuff on Plastic Beach, they also treated us with "Clint Eastwood" and "Feel Good Inc." What more can a girl ask for? Maybe some snacks after....we were STARVING when it was all said and done!! 

4. Keane w/ Fran Healy & Ingrid Michaelson at the Williamsburg Waterfront August 2010. - So, remember all those endearing anecdotes I included about a boyfriend who made romantic reservations before the Counting Crows concert and saved the water bottle to use as a vase blah, blah, blah??? Well, a month before the Keane concert we called it quits via email while he was on vacation and I was at his apartment pet-sitting. Awkward? Yeah, no shit. I had wanted to go to this concert since I first heard about it month prior to this predicament, and he had mentioned maybe going when he got back from Cali. The breakup of all breakups happened, and I was in a dark, lonely place. I didn't think I would be able to go to the concert; broken heart and all. But, circumstances placed me in Williamsburg on August 6, 2010 and that's when things turned all around for me. I ran into people I had not seen in years and rocked out in a way that kick-started my broken heart back to pumping again. I made up with an old friend, and it's been concerts and good times ever since. Fran Healy was fucking amazing. I knew nothing about him except that his group "Travis" did a kickass rendition of Britney Spears "Hit Me Baby One More Time" on acoustic guitar. By the time he was done, the lyrics to "Flowers in the Window" were firmly tattooed in my brain. Ingrid. Oh, INGRID!! (I bought her shirt, btw.) She kicked ASS. Amazing does not describe her set. Every song, every word of her interaction with the audience was perfect and entertaining. I walked away knowing I would be a life-long fan. Keane came on as the sun was setting over the East River. What do I look at first; Keane rocking the fuck out on stage or the incredible view of Manhattan with the orange and yellow glow of dusk reflecting off the water and the buildings? The setting couldn't have been more perfect, as all the romantical fumes permeated the crowd, causing all the couples to start swaying together in the breeze to the music. Sucks for me, since I just had my heart trampled on like a scarf dropped in the middle of rush hour traffic in the subway, but whatever. The music and the setting more than made up for it. I sang. I danced. I belted out "Somewhere Only We Know" word for blessed word along with the crowd at the top of my lungs. Despite the shambles my lovelife was in, at that very moment, that very night- Nothing was wrong with the world.   

 

Fran Healy

Ingrid Michaelson

Keane

I fucking love Brooklyn.

Man, oh, man. What do I choose as my last spot for awesome concerts? Do I picked Duran Duran? Muse? NKOTB w/ Lady Gaga circa 2008? WHAT?! They rocked, man! What do I pick as my last spot for awesomeness??? I'm going to go obscure on this one.

5. Medusa Fest 2009- WTF is that, you ask? Surprisingly, I'm a little baffled myself, as to why this set was so endearing to me. I mean, I was with someone special who is no longer in my life. The mood was tense most of the evening because of several uncomfortable situations going on among all of us. I hadn't slept in 2 nights because of cake orders and I was running on fumes and Red Bull. However, it was different from your normal large-venue productions, and despite all the crap going on personally, the music was amazing. Headlined by Lourds, a sorta-underground punk group fronted by the amazing Lourds Lane, this concert set was a handful of punk rock female-outfitted groups, who-one way or another-was tied to a new rock musical coming out- Chix 6 (which turned out AMAZING, and is currently on its way to Broadway). That night, I discovered Queen V; a GORGEOUS rocker who ripped off her shirt halfway through her set and finished off her tunes wearing just a maroon bra. Fist pumping and dancing to "Revolution" started it, and I just lost myself song after song. FAN FOR LIFE! We had entered while Danielle Greaves performed with her band. We watched all of Sirsy, which J thoroughly enjoyed. We were treated to one of the songs from the upcoming Chix 6 play, sang by the incomparable Kacie Sheik- "What Are You Doing Right Now". I fell in love with that song before I would ever really understand the pain that went behind it. And it got me through some really rough times afterward. Towards the end of the night, our little group was faltering. Margaret had to catch a train home. J wasn't going to let her leave by herself, and he was sort of winding down, as well. My date was loving every minute of this night because he was a fan of Lourds many years and counting. He wanted to see her set and stay for the finale of the Chix 6 group doing songs from the upcoming show. Hell, I wanted to stay and watch it all, but the wall we were leaning on was the only thing holding me up, and as much as I tried to smile and pretend I still had it in me, it was clear by the look on my face that I was ready to drop dead. We did stay for Lourds, and she was utterly AMAZING. It was too loud for such a small space for me to hear her lyrics, but the energy and the sounds were like nothing I have ever heard before from such a small, unknown band. (Unknown to me, at the time, she had a pretty large following for years.) J & Margaret left after her set. My date's sister and her friends arrived right in the middle of it. She was giving us a ride home, and she was ready to go since she had been out all night, too. Reluctantly, my date conceded. Here is where I have regrets. Years later, after our break-up, I had run across a small Queen V show in the city, not too far from where I worked. Entrance was free. I went by myself. (I was single again.) I loved it! I went home and downloaded her CD on iTunes.  iTunes, in its infinite wisdom suggested I download Lourds, as well, and offered a discount if I did so at that very minute. I did. WHAT A DIFFERENCE A PAIR OF EARBUDS MAKE!! I could hear the words now. Every single word. And it felt like each one was talking to me. To say that I was in a dark place at the time would be an understatement. I wasn't just in a dark place, I was under a rock hidden in a cave, underneath the dark place. My heart was pounded into pieces too small to fix. I went to bed only to lay awake with dry tears that were all cried out. These lyrics, the music...it called to me. It said, "Yes, the world can suck and lovers lie and break our hearts, but you'll be okay." So, over and over and over and over I listened to Lourds. I played her music. I chanted her lyrics like some monk hidden in a temple in the clouds. And little by little, word by word, I found myself again. Or maybe a little bit of my old self. To say that music can save a life is a dramatic cliché that has been used too many times over. I'm not going to do that. I'm just going to say that her music lit a little candle for me to help me crawl out of that dark place. And I don't expect anyone to understand that, unless they've been there, themselves. Had I known how important this album was going to be in helping me get back on my feet after such a devastating time in my life, I would have stayed that night. I would have found some adrenaline to inject into my system by hook or by crook so that I could stand and dance and absorb every second of that Chix 6 set. Unfortunately, I was blind and ignorant of the amazing potential hidden in this one little CD. I just didn't know, and it will be one of my biggest regrets ever in my concert history. Subsequently, I've been to several of the Chix 6 shows that played at the Queens Theater, and their set at Comic Con 2011. I've taken friends with me. I've met them. It's all good, but what I wouldn't give to be able to go back in time to that ONE night where I could have experienced it for the first time- along with everyone else who got to hear it for the first time. Oh, well. Life can really fuck up our best laid plans, but I'm sure there's some booming voice somewhere in my head that tells us it's all for a reason. Whatever. Medusa Fest fucking rocked, and will always rock when I look back on it in my mental scrapbook.

On the way via subway!

Tunes spun courtesy of DJ JennCity!

J!!!!

Queen V rocking the Secret!

Sirsy

Kacie Sheik

Check out the crowd!

LOURDS- "I HOLD UP MY HANDS!!!!"

Kacie again!

Lourds holding up the awesome artwork of the ex.

Good God, I look disgusting!  Then again, I usually look pretty wasted and washed out after any awesome show. Well, we can't always be pretty.

WORST CONCERT EVER- I have to agree with J. The Fray, who we saw at Radio City Music Hall April 2012, was probably the most subdued and corny concert I have ever been to. Not that their smash hit radio songs weren't ok, but it's just not fun watching such a mellow group with a bunch of people who rock out like "White Chicks" singing along to Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles". I nearly fell asleep. There was no dancing or rocking out involved. IT SUCKED.