November 10, 2011

TableTopics: #24

If you could have front row seats to any concert, who would you like to see?

I'm going to chuck the option of traveling in time to see anybody in history - purely an arbitrary choice. I don't feel like going through whether I'd rather see Bob Dylan in 1962 or 1975, Led Zepplin on which tour, U2 in Sun Devil Stadium, Queen at Live Aid, Beatles in whatever year.

The acts in contention...
  • Beastie Boys*
  • Richard Thompson*
  • Ryan Adams*
  • Avett Brothers
  • Wilco*
  • U2*
  • Chris Isaak*
  • Beck
  • Cake*
  • Lyle Lovett*
  • Yonder Mountain String Band*
I've already seen many of those in person already (those marked with a *), and some of those were pretty decent seats - Richard Thompson and Yonder Mountain in particular.

I'm gonna go with order of elimination...
  • 1st out - Beck - His past couple of albums have left me cold, so I don't know that I'd enjoy all the stuff he plays.
  • 2nd out - Richard Thompson - I've seen him in concert a half dozen times. While I've never been in the first couple of rows, I've been in the near balcony just over Richard's shoulder at the Southgate House. I can't imagine it'd be much better directly in front.
  • 3rd out - U2 - Bono wanders around a whole lot, and I'm thinking that no one particular seat would do for one of their concerts.
  • 4th out - Yonder Mountain String Band - I've seen the people who hang out in front of the stage at the Yonder Mountain concerts, and I'm not sure I'd be able to handle that level of controlled substances without getting a prescription for glaucoma. I like my teachers license.
  • 5th out - Chris Isaak - The Girl and I saw him a decadeago, and I have no idea whether Isaaks can still rock the concerts, so I'll pass on the risk.
  • 6th out - Avett Brothers - I don't know what kind of show they'd put on, and as much as I dig their music, they just don't quite make the cut compared to the rest of the acts left for me.
  • 7th out - Lyle Lovett - He's a little too laid back to need the front row. His concerts are good enough from a few rows back.
  • 8th out - Cake - Their music is a rockin' experience and would be good from the front row, but their newest album is way weaker than their previous albums...don't know what they could bring to the concert.
  • 9th out - Ryan Adams - Here we start getting to tough choices. Adams isn't a guarantee to show for the concert, so I'm not going to take the risk.
  • 10th out - Wilco - Man, this one's tough. They're  without debate my favorite band, and I would love seeing Jeff Tweedy's expressions from down by the stage, but I've seen Wilco a whole bunch of times. They're rock solid, but I'd rather go with...
  • My choice - Beastie Boys - They're a rocking band, and they're hilarious in concert (one 45-minute set at the Rock the Vote concert in 2008), so I think seeing them up by the stage would be awesome. I'm down with pretty much their entire oeuvre,  so I'd be able to sing along with everything.
Beastie Boys...I'm sure they'd be thrilled to have me there. Right there at the first row in their next NYC concert.



In case you're late to the party, here's the deal...

Here's what I've answered so far...
  • #25 - "I Know What Love Is" by Don White
  • #35 - no business 
  • #36 - MLK, Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech on the National Mall 
  • #16 - Scotland...Wabash...my first college visit home
  • #19 - No 
  • #22 - skydiving
Already requested answers...they'll be answered (probably in this order)...
  • 27...32...37
Feel free to request other answers in the comments.

5 comments:

coachsullivan said...

Springsteen. Even if he's not bringing the fastball anymore, his stage worth ethic remains legendary. As someone told Larry Bird once: "He's the you of rock music." Good enough argument for me.

PHSChemGuy said...

I'll admit. I saw Springsteen once (down in Lexington), and he did put on a hell of a show.

thomasJh said...

fashion nugget>showroom of compassion>pressure chief>comfort eagle>prolonging the magic.
I would personally love to see Flogging Molly or Mumford and Sons, or The Fratellis. But then, if we're talking older bands as well, The Doors or Pink Floyd or Styx, and then there's Buddy Holly... I imagine Van Halen would be quite exciting, and I think Jethro Tull would an interesting show. I agree with Cake and Springsteen, and I would love to see Billy Joel, Chicago, Trombone Shorty, Grateful Dead...
I think that the winner would have to be Pink Floyd, based on the whole experience.

Smamy said...

Springsteen in Lexington was an acoustic performance. Incredible show. Don't think I would want to see him again if it was not acoustic. Eric Clapton would be my consideration. PS: I can get you the glaucoma prescription if needed.

PHSChemGuy said...

TJH - No, Comfort Eagle deserves to be way higher on that list. And really, Pink Floyd? Pink Floyd? You do understand that they haven't existed as a viable band during your lifetime, right?

Smamy - The show I saw Springsteen on was on The Rising tour, and it was fully electric - back with the E-Street Band in full form. Good stuff.

Thanks for the offer of glaucoma, but I think I'm in the wrong state for that.