Do you guys concert as hard as I do?

ICTWoody

No longer a junior member
I love LIVE music. I think it's one of the main reasons I'm into hifi as much as I am. While I'm not trying to recreate that "live experience" like a lot of people, I think it helps reinforce my love of music in general. A lot.

This is the time of year that it seems like all the concerts are being announced. It's really taking its toll on my wallet. I live in Wichita, Kansas... and while there is a lot of stuff we get here (in a city of about 500K) I drive to Lawrence, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Tulsa a lot for shows too. Occasionally further if part of a larger vacation etc...

On top of going to The Winter Wondergrass Beer and Bluegrass Festival in Steamboat Springs Colorado later this month, which is being headlined by Trampled By Turtles, Fruition, Railroad Earth, The Infamous Stringdusters and more, I've so far in for 2019 purchased tickets for:

• The Pixies (Wichita)
• Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (Salina, KS)
• Bon Iver (Oklahoma City)
• The Avett Brothers (Red Rocks - Morrison/Denver, CO)
• Chris Stapleton (Wichita)
• Vampire Weekend (Oklahoma City)

And I really want to get tickets to Interpol and Foals in Kansas City and Black Moth Super Rainbow in Lawrence, KS. Ahhhhh... to many good shows!

What are you guys into?

- Woody
 
With school age kids in the house, we don't get out as much as we would like to... and when we do, it's been quite a bit of chamber orchestra, lately.

Your lineup looks like a lot of fun, though. I'd go to any of those shows!
 
I've got Kaycee Musgraves coming up this month, and Vampire Weekend in September. Hoping that Wire and Slowdive come back to the states (missed them both in 2017 due to scheduling conflicts), although that seems unlikely. Might try to catch Bob Mould in April as he does great solo shows. Sadly, Sharon van Etten is sold out.

Looks like King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard will be at the Paramount in August, so definitely going to that. Also hoping that with the upcoming release of their next album, Sleater-Kinney will go on the road again. I don't think I've missed one of their stops in town in almost 20 years (and even drove to the other side of the state for their first show back from hiatus).

Also, am going to see Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio in March. Seriously kick ass jazz-funk.
 
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I used to see more shows when I was in Chicago full time, now its hit or miss. My wife has connections with the owners of several venues so we often can just get in at the last minute if we're around, which is a good fall back. I'm seeing Bauhaus this month, saw Nine Inch Nails, Jesus & Mary Chain and Twilight Sad before the holidays, so I'm all caught up in fulfilling my wife's goth demands (and my own left over post-punk curiosities).

I'm just not as into it as I used to be, because its all I did for nearly 20 years. I like hearing live jazz and classical these days, as, well, I'm getting OLD and the kids out there annoy me.
 
I like hearing live jazz and classical these days, as, well, I'm getting OLD and the kids out there annoy me.
That's a sure sign of it!! :)

One of the most fun shows we saw last year was an Irish band called Lúnasa [link].

They're touring again and will be in Ann Arbor March 4th, and Batavia March 9th. Go see 'em, @JohnVF!
 
That's a sure sign of it!! :)

One of the most fun shows we saw last year was an Irish band called Lúnasa [link].

They're touring again and will be in Ann Arbor March 4th, and Batavia March 9th. Go see 'em, @JohnVF!
Well that looks interesting. I always like a little day-evening trip to Ann Arbor. thanks.
 
I used to see more shows when I was in Chicago full time, now its hit or miss. My wife has connections with the owners of several venues so we often can just get in at the last minute if we're around, which is a good fall back. I'm seeing Bauhaus this month, saw Nine Inch Nails, Jesus & Mary Chain and Twilight Sad before the holidays, so I'm all caught up in fulfilling my wife's goth demands (and my own left over post-punk curiosities).

I'm just not as into it as I used to be, because its all I did for nearly 20 years. I like hearing live jazz and classical these days, as, well, I'm getting OLD and the kids out there annoy me.
I don't get to many concerts these days apart from the ones I am involved in. Ticket prices are generally too much for the budget and with my wife running her art supply shop full-time now she mostly wants to chill when she isn't working. Sad as there are so many good shows in town. I do like to pop into a club now and then for a bit of jazz, Blues or Trad stuff.
 
After moving from Autin TX to where I live north of Houston a few years ago, my live music count has declined... sad
That said, I love small shows and avoid the stadium stuff
I do use live performances as a metric for my own system, but not any type of goal or thought that I am goimg recreate live music
I love rock, blues, jazz, Texas non-mainstream country/ american and more.
Exited about seeing Ian Moore next weekend for our wedding anniversary.
 
From 96-01 I taped over 600 concerts, mostly jam bands. Since then Ive been to about 5, for a varietyof reasons (mostly still burnt out/“getting too old”, also cost has gone up significantly (gotta love “Ticketslut - bc we eff everyone”).
 
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One thing I don’t enjoy is music festivals. I can put up a huge list of bands that I’ve seen at festivals like Pitchfork, Lollapolooza, All Tomorrow’s Parties, etc, and with but two exceptions, I don’t feel I really saw the bands. I saw them, but the experience felt removed or just weird because it was during the daytime with a bunch of drunk obnoxious people around not paying attention. The exceptions were The Flaming Lips and The Cure. Both translated well, but also the crowds were really engaged.
 
I still enjoy going to shows at the more intimate venues like the Ark in Ann Arbor or some of the local jazz clubs. The Ark is considered "A Listening Room." We recently saw Haley Heynderickx open a show there. After she did a couple of tunes she said,"Wow, this is so great, everyone is listening. It is so quiet in here I can hear myself think."

I actually feel bad for artists trying to play shows when half the people are chatting, surfing, texting etc.

We also go to a local music festival called HollerFest. Wide range of Michigan artists and the audience is respectful of the music acts and of each other. It is really like stepping back to a different time.

I have old friends that still go to see the $$$ acts in arenas and stadiums. They always seem to bitch about the folks around them, the ones screaming Rock and Roll, or standing up for entire shows, or holding their phones up to livestream the concert while talking about other things, the $12 beers and the lines at the johns...and yet they are getting their summer concert tickets now? I don't get it.
 
Are you keeping track? My guess is somewhere bw 2-3k recordings (
would not be surprised if more) as youve been at it 30-40 years. Archive on!!!
 
Seems like I'm seeing fewer shows as time goes on. Going out on a work night requires taking the next day off. Hard to believe I only went out specifically to see live music four times last year.

I made it out to see the Dead at Deer Creek - first time I'd seen them billed as such. It was a well-oiled machine with plenty of spectacle and virtuosity, but the show lacked spark. John Mayer's pretty good if you can forget he's John Mayer. Drums/Space was a particular highlight, which I was NOT expecting, by virtue of being the most joyful and spontaneous performance of the evening. Now I can say I saw the Dead.

Gillian Welch at the Taft was incredible. Perfect performance, impeccable sound, and a hall full of people pumped to see one of their favorite artists.

The other two times I dragged myself out were to see my friends' band Road Eyes ("3rd Best Neil Young/Crazy Horse Cover Band In The World!") and a backyard show with Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards. There's a lot to be said for intimacy, socialization, and a 10-minute drive home.

Road Eyes:


Erika Wennerstrom:
Rita Book
 
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I've gotten pretty selective about what venues I'll even bother to go to here in Chicago.

The UIC Pavilion (Death Cab for Cutie) is on my no-go list, and the Vic (Buzzcocks) is teetering on the edge, both based upon the *abysmal* sounds at shows I attended. The Vic gets another chance when I see the Specials there this summer.

Too many shows have just sounded really really bad and it's just not fun for me when that happens. Outdoor venues such as Ravinia (Garbage) and Northerly Island (Gorillaz) are usually much better. The Auditorium (Death Cab, again) is wonderful, as is Space (English Beat).
 
Gillian Welch at the Taft was incredible. Perfect performance, impeccable sound, and a hall full of people pumped to see one of their favorite artists.

Yea, I would make a point to try to see Gillian any chance I get.

That being said, the last time I saw her, the place that did the show went onto my 'never again will I attend a concert at this place' list.
 
Yea, I would make a point to try to see Gillian any chance I get.

That being said, the last time I saw her, the place that did the show went onto my 'never again will I attend a concert at this place' list.

I'd seen GW open for Bright Eyes, and had gone to see David Rawlings Machine at a big outdoor show, but the theater was a whole 'nother thing. Two hours of goosebumps. Hats off to the sound guy.

They're pretty much the best.
 
Bit of a generational difference. In my day, I saw Pink Floyd (many times), Yes (many times), The Who, Jethro Tull, The Band, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Grateful Dead, Santana, Eagles, Joe Walsh (alone and with the Eagles), Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messinger Service, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Cold Blood, Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Taj Mahal, Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks, John Mayall, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steve Miller Band, Elton John, Kenny Loggins, Jimmy Buffet, Foghat, Rod Stewart, Peter Frampton and a whole bunch more who I may (or may not ;)) remember given enough time.

Now it's more the local Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra, occasional Opera, as many Jazz shows as I can find plus Brit Floyd and other great musicians who come to town and support our local PBS station (been on the Board of Trustees for 20 years :)).

Occasionally my Bride drags me to whoever she wants to see from the world of Country music (which sounds more like rock, but that is another discussion).

No mosh pit for me - that's my Son's music. ;)
 
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