The Night Life Ain't No Good Life, But It's My Life: Willie Nelson & Family– September 5th, 1984 Jones Beach Theater Wantagh NY

I must've seen Willie Nelson at least a half dozen times over the years, but waaaay back in 1984 was my first time. The Jones Beach Theater, September 5th, 1984.

It so happens I spent that summer working at the theater, tapping kegs of beer as a porter for the food service vendor who ran the concession stands and beer gardens.

What started out as a stock boy job for the snack stands at the local mall blossomed into this music lover's dream. And I was all of 15 years old– couldn't drive and not old enough to drink, but somehow I managed to get to the theater and drink, night after night.

My routine was pretty simple, bum, beg or hitch a ride the 20 miles or so to Jones Beach, then make sure all the bars were stocked. This usually involved a hand truck, a few dozen kegs of beer and a whole bunch of back-breaking, hernia-inducing lifting.

Thing is, if I really liked who was performing, I would work double time, set up all the bartenders, then disappear and watch the show. That summer I saw Neil Young (during his Bluegrass phase), the Pretenders, Simple Minds and Rod Stewart, just to name a few.


This particular night I was off the clock. I actually had a legitimate ticket to see Willie. If memory serves, it was me and my pop. Now I've done a little searching, but cannot find the setlist from that night. Though it really doesn't matter, the Red-headed Stranger has had a pretty consistent show for the better part of 30 years. He always, always opens (and closes) with Whiskey River. In between he stops on every page in his songbook. From outlaw classics like 'Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys', to the tender ballads; 'Help Me Make It Through The Night, 'If You Could Touch Her At All'. A few spiritual diddys, thrown in for good measure; 'Uncloudy Day', 'Amazing Grace', and even a touch of the blues (as only Willie can); 'Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain', 'Angel Flying To Close To The Ground'.

The culmination of a Willie Nelson & Family show- the takeaway– is that you're not so much seeing a concert, but experiencing a living piece of Americana. A legend who's authentic style and sound have transcended both music and time.


A Typical Willie Nelson & Family Setlist:

Whiskey River
Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)
Funny How Time Slips Away
Crazy
Night Life
If You've Got the Money (I've Got the Time)
Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to Be Cowboys
I Can Get Off on You
If You Could Touch Her at All
Good Hearted Woman
Angel Flying To Close To The Ground
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
Help Me Make it Through The Night
City of New Orleans
Bloody Mary Morning
I'm a Memory
Me & Paul
Hello Walls
Will the Circle Be Unbroken
Amazing Grace
Uncloudy Day
The Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line
A Song for You
Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms
Georgia on My Mind
Blue Skies
On The Road Again
Whiskey River

Come As You Are: Nirvana- November 14th, 1993 New York Coliseum, NYC

17 years ago today, Kurt Cobain checked out, but 17 years, 4 months and 22 days ago I checked out–Nirvana.

What would turn out to be their final studio LP had just been released that September and the show was on the first leg of their 'In Utero' tour. I remember it was one of the few concerts that I had to camp out overnight for tickets. In hindsight and considering fate, it was well worth it.

The show was held at an odd venue, the now extinct New York Coliseum. Located in Columbus Circle, the 7000-seat hall had been the home of the NY Boat Show for years, until the Javits Center rendered it obsolete. Half Japanese and the Breeders opened, but if I hadn't just looked that up, I wouldn't have remembered–all I know is that I was there for one reason.

My girlfriend (and future wife) Laura, along with my buddy Steve (from Rock Turtleneck fame) and his brother Super Dave were all in attendance that night. Laura had just days earlier taken a nasty spill off a horse and was suffering from a stiff neck. She enjoyed the show from the back of the hall and obliged me to find my way up to the mosh pit. If memory serves, they blasted straight through, I don't remember an encore. I think by this point Kurt and the rest of the band (to a lesser extent) were kinda ambivalent towards the whole thing. Either way, they just played and played. Truly Nirvana.

To say it was an epic show is an understatement. It was one of those shows where for two hours everything was right with the world. Everything made sense. Albeit corny, it was an 'important' show, by an 'important' band, and I was fortunate enough to bare witness to the spectacle that was Nirvana. It clarified and solidified the reason there are and always will be rock shows. And it further helped to shape the rock snob I am today. Although Kurt ended his life just five short months later (talk about all exits final) that evening was absolutely life-affirming. No doubt the peak of my 20's occurred that night–most likely whilst crowd surfing to Territorial Pissings.

We all know how this story ends. Sad, sad sad. But man, what a show that was. Certainly one of, if not the, best show I've ever been to. If only Kurt could have felt or understood exactly what he meant to so many people. I wonder if it would have made any difference?



Nirvana -November 14th, 1993- New York Coliseum, NYC

Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
Drain You
Breed
Serve The Servants
About A Girl
Heart-Shaped Box
Sliver
Dumb
Come As You Are
Lithium
Pennyroyal Tea
School
Polly [acoustic]
Milk It
Rape Me
Territorial Pissings
Smells Like Teen Spirit
All Apologies
Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam [traditional, cover] [acoustic]
On A Plain
Scentless Apprentice
Blew
Do Nuts [The Legend cover, Everett True on vocals]

You can get the show here.

Fossil Fuels: Rod Stewart/Stevie Nicks- March 26, 2011 Madison Square Garden, NY

Never really been a big fan of arena shows, but was pleasantly surprised by the Rod Stewart/Stevie Nicks gig at the Garden this past Saturday night. I put aside my rock snob presumptions and went with it. Turns out they both put on a good show, delivering most of their hits. The seats were free, the sound Ok and the crowd just mildly annoying. And for a few hours I gazed deeply into the amber of 70's AOR to discover that Jurassic Rock is alive and well.




Stevie Nicks, 03.26.11 MSG, NY
Setlist:

1. Fall From Grace
2. Secret Love
3. If Anyone Falls
4. Dreams
   (Fleetwood Mac cover)
5. Sorcerer
6. Gold Dust Woman
   (Fleetwood Mac cover)
7. Stand Back
8. Rhiannon
   (Fleetwood Mac cover)
9. Landslide
   (Fleetwood Mac cover)
10. Edge of Seventeen
    
    Encore:
11. Love Is

Rod Stewart, 03.26.11, MSG, NY
Setlist:

1. Love Train
   (The O'Jays cover)
2. Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)
3. Havin' a Party
   (Sam Cooke cover)
4. Passion
   (with Stevie Nicks)
5. Young Turks
   (with Stevie Nicks)
6. The First Cut is the Deepest
   (Cat Stevens cover)
7. You Wear It Well
8. Downtown Train
   (Tom Waits cover)
9. Reason to Believe
   (Tim Hardin cover)
10. Forever Young
    (Bob Dylan cover)
11. You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim)
12. Sweet Little Rock & Roller
    (Chuck Berry cover)
13. Rhythm of My Heart
14. Proud Mary
    (Creedence Clearwater Revival cover)
15. Have I Told You Lately
    (Van Morrison cover)
16. Hot Legs
17. Maggie May
    
    Encore:
18. Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

A Toe In The Water: Wilco August 13, 2008-McCarren Park Pool, Brooklyn NY

Well, this wasn't my first Wilco show, but it was for my kids. In fact, it was the first concert they ever attended (if you don't count Sesame Street Live as a legitimate gig). Since my wife and I were already huge Wilco fans and missing the show wasn't an option, we considered taking the kids. It looked good on paper: all-ages show; middle of summer; early start, we figured we'd make it a family affair. Dive in, head first, deep end. Why not?

I had been traveling for a client meetings that day, so we planned to meet at McCarren Park, the somewhat delapidated, haphazardly-converted city pool that had been transformed into a sprawling outdoor concert venue located in the epicenter of the hipster universe, Williamsburg, Brooklyn. NYC Parks and Rec. had been hosting shows at the pool since 2005 and the Wilco show we attended that night was one for the last before the pool was once again closed. Set to receive a makeover, back into a proper swimming pool once again.

The band took the stage around 7pm and played a routine 2 1/2 hours including banter, encores, etc. Now typically, standing outdoors on an August night, swaying to the sound of your favorite band would be sublime. Except we had the kids in tow, and six year old twins: a) have a defined attention span, no matter what's going and b) have a set bedtime for a reason. These characteristics not withstanding, we managed to actually, really enjoy the show. All of us.


As the sun and stickiness gave way to moonlight and cool breezes, the band poured it on, flowing through their songbook with a grace and ease finely honed from an endless touring schedule and some of the best songwriting of the last few decades. The kids even got to hear their faves: 'Hummingbird' for the boy and 'Late Greats' for my daughter.

Now besides the attention span thing and the up-way-past-bedtime thing, The one thing we hadn't really considered was the crowd. Specifically, their indulgence in certain substances to 'enhance' the concert experience. I'm not sure why, because I don't consider them a stoner band myself, but Wilco is to pot what Hipster is to irony. They are all intrinsically linked.


We would catch a whiff and herd the kids away from the smell, only to be inundated by more smoke someplace else. Eventually we found refuge in a smoke-free zone towards the back of the venue, near the concessions. Here, we resigned ourselves to dancing and playing with the kids with Wilco as our soundtrack. Then oddly and suddenly, the kids started getting hungry. We had already waited on the huge snaking lines of the food stand a few times early in the evening and I thought everyone was full, but sure enough it was after 9pm and the kids were craving cheeseburgers and hot dogs. Uh, yeah.

I still remember the wave of guilt the washed over me having realized that my kids were experiencing the munchies from a contact high. I'm sure this episode has been bookmarked the the annal of Bad Parenting 101, but what can you do? We chalked it up to being perpetual first-time parents and enjoyed the rest of the show. I mean, we knew the kids were certainly enjoying it. They crashed out soon after and we carried them back to the minivan, fast asleep. No doubt Wilco tunes playing in their buzzed little heads.

The night – and the show was amazing. What's more, we had created a family memory and inadvertently given our kids some cred they would be able to carry with them throughout their lives: their first-ever concert–when Mom & Dad took them to a Wilco show at 6 years old and they got the munchies. Talk about making a big splash.

Wilco -McCarren Park Pool setlist, 8/13/08
Via Chicago
Blood of the lamb (w/ clarinet)
You are my face
Hummingbird
IATTBYH
A shot in the arm
Side with the seeds
Misunderstood
Far far away
Impossible Germany
Pieholden suite (w/ total pros)
California stars (w/ total pros)
Handshake drugs
Pot kettle black
Poor places >
Spiders (kidsmoke)

Encore 1

Jesus, etc.

Can't stand it (w/ total pros) 

Hate it here (w/ total pros) 

Walken (w/ total pros) 

I'm the man who loves you (w/ total pros)

Encore 2

Heavy metal drummer 

Late greats (w/ total pros) 

Kingpin (w/ total pros) 

Monday (w/ total pros) 

Outtasite (w/ total pros) 

I'm a wheel


The Show is here
Concert recording courtesy of
http://www.nyctaper.com

The Shirt is here

Carnival of Sorts: R.E.M. August 31, 1985- Radio City Music Hall, NYC

Ok, so here we go. My first R.E.M. show, late summer 1985. Following the release of 'Fables' in June of that year, they played this show during the first leg of the tour in support of that album. The opening act was 'The Three O'Clock', and utterly forgettable L.A. quintet that played a mix of insipid, jangly psychedelic pop.

I had been anticipating seeing R.E.M. since having first seen them on Letterman a few years earlier. They did not disappoint live. Cloaked mostly in shadow, the band was incredible. Stipe was his typical reticent self, draped over the microphone stand, mumbling through lyrics in his lazy, southern drawl. I was astounded and moved. A real serious show of a real serious band turned me into a real serious fan.

I remember at the time I had been expelled from high school and was pumping gas to make ends meet. Somehow I found the $33.00 for a couple of tickets. In attendance with me that night was 'Jon M.' He was another stoner/outsider who was just as aimless and as broke as I was, so I gave him my extra ticket. He did however help influence and shape my musical tastes, so I guess I owed him something.

Last I heard he was in jail.

Setlist
1. Feeling Gravity's Pull
2. Harborcoat
3. Green Grow The Rushes
4. Skip A Rope
5. Hyena
6. Maps And Legends
7. Fall On Me
8. Driver 8
9. So. Central Rain (I'M Sorry)
10. Have You Ever Seen The Rain?
11. Pills
12. Can't Get There From Here
13. Seven Chinese Bros
14.Auctioneer (Another Engine)
15.Old Man Kensey
16.Little America
17.Pretty Persuasion
18.Life And How To Live It

Encore 1
1.Second Guessing
2. (Don't Go Back To) Rockville

3.Behind Closed Doors

4.See No Evil

Encore 2
1. Theme From Two Steps Onward

2. Sitting Still
3. Time After Time (Annelise)
4. Carnival Of Sorts (Boxcars)
5. Moon River
6. Windout

Were you at this show? Let it show,
get a custom 'stub' shirt here