This Week in Concert History - Celebrating Your Golden Years

[bearman🐻]

For me this week includes:

Erasure @ 9:30 (2003)
Oasis @ WUST (1995)
Afghan Whigs @ Metro (Chicago) (1999)
Belle and Sebastian @ 9:30 x2 (2006)
Foo Fighters @ Anthem (2024)
Bob Mould @ Gaston Hall (1995)
Supergrass w/the Coral @ 9:30 (2003)
Badly Drawn Boy @ 9:30 (2007)
Inspiral Carpets @ Metro (1991) (To this day one of my very favorite shows.)
Oasis @ Patriot Center (1996) (Got stuck at the Denny's in Fairfax all night because there was a freak snow storm and the roads were such a mess that my friend couldn't drive her Honda CRV without sliding off the road.)
Shawn Colvin w/Freedy Johnston @ 9:30 (1997)
The Pretenders @ 9:30 (2000)
Cocteau Twins w/Moose @ Lisner (1994) (One of the worst concerts I've ever seen.)
The Who @ Verizon (2007)
Throwing Muses w/Tanya Donelly @ Bowery Ballroom (2014)

Boy, it's entertaining to read my concert journal. That last one included something that I had completely forgotten about: "The Bowery Ballroom was really great…wonderful sound, nice sight lines. I’d say it’s my favorite place to see a show in New York. But towards the end of the last song there was a scuffle and next thing I knew four bouncers were carrying out a guy who was white as a ghost and had a blank, drugged-out stare. His girlfriend was screaming and shrieking and they took him outside where he started convulsing. At that point the show was basically over."

[Mobius]

How did the Oasis 1995 vs 1996 shows compare?  I saw Patriot Center show and really regretted missing Definitely Maybe show with original lineup at smaller venue.

Why was Cocteau Twins so bad?

[distance]

You still in RVA, distance? You see that Mogwai doc is coming to Studio Two Three on Saturday?

still in the area.  was not aware.  i'll look into it.

[bearman🐻]

How did the Oasis 1995 vs 1996 shows compare?  I saw Patriot Center show and really regretted missing Definitely Maybe show with original lineup at smaller venue.

Why was Cocteau Twins so bad?

Well, Tony McCarroll was kicked out of the band, so there was a new drummer in 1996. In 1995, it was all Definitely Maybe songs and maybe a couple b-sides like "Fade Away" and "It's Good To Be Free", as well as "I Am The Walrus". By 1996, they really had become a better live band and I thought were growing into something more interesting. Noel broke up the set with some acoustic songs, including a solo version of "Wonderwall", as well as a medley of "Whatever" with "Octopus's Garden". It was more...polished. In 1995, they didn't really seem to give a fuck. By 1996, I think they were sort of happy that they were getting successful, but in the incredible documentary "Supersonic", it is ASTOUNDING how fast the band blew up between 1994 and 1996. What happened in that short amount of time is nothing short of stunning. They should have broken up. That would have been the coolest thing they could have ever done. Though I do enjoy some other songs they did as Oasis, and Noel is still a decent songwriter. He's wickedly funny too.

As for Cocteau Twins, I saw them in 1991 on the Heaven or Las Vegas tour, and it was transcendent and beautiful and ethereal. Everything you'd want. By 1994, things had started falling apart pretty badly. Miki from Lush told me her husband Moose was on that tour, and apparently Liz and Robin were having a REALLY bad falling out on that tour. She was deliberating ruining songs...I called it "the Pregnant Whale" tour because she was making really awful sounds and noises as opposed to using her voice like the magnificent instrument it is. Robin took a CD or LP and threw it at her head and screamed "sing it the way it fucking sounds on the record!". But the difference between 1991 and 1994 was shocking. And I know of 2 other people that saw that tour in different cities who had identical experiences to mine. Utter disaster. 

[grateful]

March 16 2024 - Thievery Corporation
March 15 2023 - Alt-J and June McDoom
March 12 2012 - Gomez
March 8 2007 - The Who
March 7 1999 - Rolling Stones
March 16-18 1993 - Grateful Dead
March 8-9 1992 - Grateful Dead
March 17-18 1991 - Grateful Dead
March 13 1991 - Paul Simon
March 14-15 1990 - Grateful Dead

[Julian, Hyperpop SLUTFUCK]

March 16-18 1993 - Grateful Dead
March 8-9 1992 - Grateful Dead
March 17-18 1991 - Grateful Dead
March 14-15 1990 - Grateful Dead

Lies -- you're right here communicating with us.

[Bombay Chutney]

March 16-18 1993 - Grateful Dead
March 8-9 1992 - Grateful Dead
March 17-18 1991 - Grateful Dead
March 14-15 1990 - Grateful Dead

I was at all of these (and a few more).

[distance]

2002/03/11 - dismemberment plan / death cab for cutie / cex - cat's cradle, carrboro nc
2003/03/19 - sigur ros / the album leaf - 9:30 club, washington dc
2004/03/12 - primus - chrysler hall, norfolk va
2004/03/13 - primus - constitution hall, washington dc
2004/03/13 - george clinton - 9:30 club, washington dc
2006/03/11 - mogwai / growing / torche - whirlyball, roswell ga
2006/03/12 - mogwai / torche - whirlyball, roswell ga
2007/03/15 - explosions in the sky / the paper chase / eluvium - cat's cradle, carrboro nc
2007/03/16 - explosions in the sky / the paper chase / eluvium - starr hill, charlottesville va
2007/03/17 - explosions in the sky / the paper chase / eluvium - 9:30 club, washington dc
2011/03/19 - godspeed you! black emperor / ? - 9:30 club, washington dc


some months definitely have had a lot more shows than others.

[Julian, Hyperpop SLUTFUCK]

2002/03/11 - dismemberment plan / death cab for cutie / cex - cat's cradle, carrboro nc
2004/03/12 - primus - chrysler hall, norfolk va

I was at both of these. I think I saw you taping the Primus show, IIRC.

[distance]

2002/03/11 - dismemberment plan / death cab for cutie / cex - cat's cradle, carrboro nc
2004/03/12 - primus - chrysler hall, norfolk va

I was at both of these. I think I saw you taping the Primus show, IIRC.

it's possible, but i think there were a lot of people set up at that primus show.  i honestly don't remember all that much about the show, though.  i could be wrong.

[hAtchsIde lııllı|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl]

I'm still bitter about missing that explosions in the sky that happened 2023 at the club
they are still touring...but have been steering clear of the DMV

[sweetcell]

2002/03/11 - dismemberment plan / death cab for cutie / cex - cat's cradle, carrboro nc

the Death & Dismemberment tour!

2007/03/17 - explosions in the sky / the paper chase / eluvium - 9:30 club, washington dc

i was at this, and it was <insert cliche here: epic, mind-blowing, transcendental, etc>.  crowd was insane, when the show ended the punters refused to leave & demanded more for what seemed like forever.  Munaf had to come out and confirm that the show was over, and that there was a late show that night so everyone really needed to leave.  i recall the late show being one of those Bob Mould DJ thingies, which he encouraged us to come back and check out (after we got the hell out).  possibly the most intense we-demand-more vibe i've ever experienced after a show.  both openers were solid.  one of my all-time top-10 shows.

[hAtchsIde lııllı|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl]

grr, your comment is making me more bitter....

[sweetcell]

grr, your comment is making me more bitter....

in case it's any consolation: i saw EitS a few years after this, and while they were great they didn't hit a peak like the 2007 show.  it was a case of an otherwise excellent show not meeting my (probably unrealistic) expectations.  i haven't seen them since, and i'm kinda OK with that... no use chasing a past moment.

[distance]

i was at this, and it was <insert cliche here: epic, mind-blowing, transcendental, etc>.  crowd was insane, when the show ended the punters refused to leave & demanded more for what seemed like forever.  Munaf had to come out and confirm that the show was over, and that there was a late show that night so everyone really needed to leave.  i recall the late show being one of those Bob Mould DJ thingies, which he encouraged us to come back and check out (after we got the hell out).  possibly the most intense we-demand-more vibe i've ever experienced after a show.  both openers were solid.  one of my all-time top-10 shows.

i've seen them a few dozen times and there's never been an encore (i'm aware as of my last real awareness, they'd done maybe half a dozen? saw one watching a webcast from the netherlands in 2002, but never seen one in person).  at this point i'd never expect one.