Alice Cooper and Vinnie Vincent Invasion: 12/28/1986

This stub is from Alice’s “The Nightmare Returns” tour. My memory of this show is a little spotty, mainly because I would see the same show again a few days afterwards on New Year’s Eve (that stub and memory to come soon). I can’t remember with whom I went to this show, but I have some recollections about the performances.

The Vinnie Vincent Invasion opened the show. Vincent was the guitarist for KISS prior to striking out on this solo venture. They were very much an embodiment of 80’s glam metal, and mildly entertaining. But I had to chuckle to myself, because at the end of the set, Vincent kicked over one of his amplifiers, but since I was close to the stage I noticed there were no cords or wires connected to it, and it did not seem to have speakers inside the cabinet, so I deduced it was a dummy amp (my assumption was confirmed on NYE when he kicked over the same “amp”). Anyway, not the best opening act I had seen, but not the worst either.

After a break, the Coop took the stage, opening with “Welcome to My Nightmare,” a great opener and right up there with “Hello Hurray,” which in my humble opinion is the best opening song ever.

Anyway, the rest of the show was all killer and no filler, as is evident from the setlist below. Rock on, and be sure to check back soon for my memories of the New Year’s show.

Setlist:

• Welcome to My Nightmare
• Billion Dollar Babies
• No More Mr. Nice Guy
• Be My Lover
• I’m Eighteen
• The World Needs Guts
• Give It Up
• Cold Ethyl
• Only Women Bleed
• Go to Hell
• Ballad of Dwight Fry
• Teenage Frankenstein
• Sick Things
• I Love the Dead
• School’s Out

Encore:

• Elected
• Under My Wheels

The Moody Blues and The Fixx: 9/29/1986

Here is a great example of why it was cool to be around in the 70s and 80s. You could go and see two cool bands for a mere $16.50. I’ve spent three times that much just for parking at concerts these days.

Anyway, I had seen the Moody’s the night before in Miami, but I figured, “Why not go see them again?” Supposedly The Fixx opened at the Miami show too, but I don’t really have any recollection of that concert. This one I remember better. I went with my friend Carlos and we had a great time. While the West Palm Beach Auditorium was not nearly as intimate as the Knight Center in Miami, it was cool because you could walk around and pretty much do what you wanted. It was a very laid-back venue.

Nothing really extraordinary to share about this show. I was able to locate the setlists online, so here they are. Enjoy!

The Fixx Setlist:

• Lost Planes
• Saved by Zero
• Built for the Future
• Secret Separation
• Are We Ourselves?
• Treasure It
• Deeper and Deeper
• One Thing Leads to Another
• Red Skies
• Stand or Fall

The Moody Blues Setlist:

• Gemini Dream
• The Voice
• Rock ‘N’ Roll Over You
• Tuesday Afternoon
• Your Wildest Dreams
• Isn’t Life Strange
• The Story in Your Eyes
• It May Be a Fire
• Reflective Smile
• Veteran Cosmic Rocker
• New Horizons
• The Other Side of Life
• I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)
• Nights in White Satin
• Legend of a Mind
• Question

Encore:

• Ride My See-Saw

ZZ Top: 9/6/1981

This was my first time seeing the little ol’ band from Texas. This show was part of the El Loco-motion tour and I was pretty psyched to see them.

While I am not 100% sure of this, I think I went to see this concert with my friend and fellow guitarist Mike. What I do remember most vividly about this concert, though, was the laser light show.

Our seats were in the back of the Sportatorium. I confess that when the first blast of lasers erupted from the stage I was taken aback. ZZ Top was not a band I expected to have lasers. I equated lasers with bands like Blue Oyster Cult, Yes, and Pink Floyd. But I have to say, the lasers worked really well, especially during “Cheap Sunglasses.”

The band was totally rockin’ the entire show. I don’t recall any weak spots at all.

I have no recollection of an opening act. I read on Wikipedia that the Joe Perry Project opened for a bunch of shows on this tour, but Joe was definitely not at the Sporto show.

Anyway, here’s the setlist. Rock on!

Setlist:

• Groovy Little Hippie Pad
• I Thank You
• Waitin’ For The Bus
• Jesus Just Left Chicago
• I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide
• Ten Foot Pole
• Manic Mechanic
• Heard It On The X
• Francine
• A Fool For Your Stockings
• Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings
• Pearl Necklace
• Cheap Sunglasses
• Dust My Broom
• Arrested For Driving While Blind
• Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers
• Just Got Paid
• Party On The Patio

Encore:

• Jailhouse Rock
• Tube Snake Boogie
• La Grange
• Tush

Cheap Trick: 10/28/1984

It’s been a long time since I posted. Life has gotten in the way. It happens. But here we go.

I think this was the first time that I saw Cheap Trick in concert. I know the first time I saw them was at the Sunrise Musical Theatre, and I am pretty sure I only saw them there once, but memories get foggier the father back you go.

Anyway, if this is indeed the concert I was thinking about, I went with my friend Jim who was a big Cheap Trick fan. He was telling me about the plethora of guitar picks that Rick Nielsen would toss into the crowd, and some of the other rock and roll antics. And they did not disappoint in this area. I was amazed at how far Nielsen could flick a pick. And yes, when they played “Surrender” as an encore, they sailed a KISS record out into the crowd too!

I looked online and the following is an average setlist from 1984. It seems to be about right from what I remember. Rock on!

• Hello There
• California Man
• Reach Out
• I Want You to Want Me
• I Want Be Man
• The Ballad of T.V. Violence (I’m Not the Only Boy)
• If You Want My Love
• Baby Loves to Rock
• Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
• I Can’t Take It
• Up the Creek
• Dream Police
• She’s Tight
• Stop This Game
• Surrender

Brian Eno’s 77 Million Paintings: 10/28/2011

This ticket was for admission to an art installation by Brian Eno which was part of MoogFest in Asheville, NC. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Eno, he “is an English musician, record producer, visual artist, and theorist best known for his pioneering work in ambient music and contributions to rock, pop and electronica. A self-described “non-musician”, Eno has helped introduce unique conceptual approaches and recording techniques to contemporary music. He has been described as one of popular music’s most influential and innovative figures.” (Source: Wikipedia)

The concept of the art installation is a combination of visual images and ambient music generated through software to create a continually morphing experience. “The title is derived from the possible number of combinations of video and music which can be generated by the software, effectively ensuring that the same image/soundscape is never played twice.” (Source: Wikipedia)

Anyway, MoogFest was a weekend-long electronic music festival, and this year I was doing the full festival (more on that soon). I decided to check out the art installation, to get myself in the proper mental-state-of-being for three days of mind-expanding music. And this definitely did that. I spent a fair amount of time basking in the sights and sounds that can only be described as consciousness-altering. After that, I was primed and ready to indulge myself into the rest of the festival.

This is one of those things that needs to be experienced. Words fail to adequately convey what it was like. As such, here is a link to a 7-minute sliver of Eno’s multimedia masterpiece on YouTube. Check it out. Headphones recommended.

Taj Mahal Trio: 11/5/2006

This is going to be a short and sweet post. This stub hearkens back to a simpler time. I had bought tickets for me and my wife to go see Taj Mahal. Before the concert, we went out for dinner, then made our way to the Orange Peel and just had a great time listening to excellent live blues music.

These long months of COVID social distancing and no concerts has really emphasized how wonderful it is to just go out for dinner and attend a concert with someone you love. I really miss these simple pleasures. I can’t wait for when I can have a date night with my wife, enjoying dinner and a concert. Hopefully it will not be too far in the future.

Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe, and please do your part to help us return to a happier place.

Jethro Tull: 11/17/1993

So I have to confess that this concert was a little disappointing. I am a big Jethro Tull fan, and the first time I saw them they were AWESOME. For this reason, I had very high expectations, especially seeing them in a smaller venue like the Sunrise Musical Theatre, as opposed to an arena like when I first saw Tull.

My wife and I went to this show with my friend Stewart and his girlfriend. We had fairly good seats, although there were no bad seats in the Sunrise.

I was pumped when Tull took the stage, but my excitement waned, and then I found myself thinking that I should be enjoying the show much more than I was, and finally realizing that they were just dragging through the performance. The contrast to seeing Jethro Tull in the 70’s was stark. As I watched them plod through their songs, I was forced to remember a scathing review I had read about the band in a rock magazine, where the writer referred to them as “Jethro Dull.” Sadly, that about summed up this concert for me.

Stewart seemed to have enjoyed the show, so I played along and said I thought it was good. I didn’t want to spoil someone else’s musical experience. And honestly, there were a couple songs that got me pumped, particularly “Living in the Past” and “The Whistler.” But mostly, it was weak. Even “Locomotive Breath” lacked steam.

Anyway, that’s the thing with a live performance—sometimes it’s great, and sometimes not so much. Here’s the setlist…

Setlist:

• My Sunday Feeling
• For a Thousand Mothers
• Living in the Past
• Bourrée in E minor
• So Much Trouble
• With You There to Help Me
• The Whistler
• Farm on the Freeway
• Thick as a Brick
• Sossity; You’re a Woman / Reasons for Waiting
• Songs From the Wood / Too Old to Rock ‘n’ Roll, Too Young to Die / Heavy Horses / Songs From the Wood
• Later, That Same Evening
• Budapest
• Andy Gidding’s Parrot
• Passion Jig / Seal Driver
• A New Day Yesterday
• Aqualung
• Locomotive Breath

Encore:

• Cross-Eyed Mary
• Dharma for One

Vatican: 4/19/2011

OK, so this is not a concert ticket stub, but it is a ticket stub and a pretty cool one in my opinion. Back in 2011, my wife and I took a trip to Italy, which was amazing. Often, you have expectations of places that you visit and they don’t quite live up to them, but Italy does not fall into that category. It surpassed all my expectations.

Rome was the last stop on our trip, and we definitely wanted to see the Vatican, particularly the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter’s Basilica. Because it was Easter week when we were there, the crowds were larger than usual. Someone who was a veteran traveler to Italy suggested that we pay for a guided tour, which allows you to skip the lines. I have to say, it was money well spent. The line literally stretched for miles, and our tour guide took us up to the entrance whisked us right in.

Now, we all know what the Sistine Chapel looks like. We’ve seen plenty of pictures. But I have to say that when you are standing there, looking up at this massive work of art, it is an experience that is totally transcendent. A picture cannot do it justice. The sheer scale of this masterpiece boggles the mind. I could have spent a week there, gazing up at the ceiling and losing myself in the images, symbols, and colors. It was a moment in my life that I will treasure.

After the Sistine Chapel, we went to Saint Peter’s, which was packed. It was almost impossible to move inside there, but we slowly made out way around, taking time to marvel at Michelangelo’s Pieta. But what I found the most fascinating in St. Peter’s were the mummified popes. Yes, throughout the basilica, glass caskets displayed the mummified remains of various popes. I personally find the whole concept of religious relics to be intriguing, the belief that the physical remains of a spiritually powerful individual can convey mystical power to those in its presence. I must confess, there did seem to be some tangible energy in the atmosphere.

After the tour, we wandered the streets of Rome until it was time for dinner, and indeed, food in Italy is worth the trip. After dining there, you’ll never set foot in an Olive Garden again.

Ciao!

Wilco: 4/21/2009

The first time I heard Wilco was when someone turned me on to their collaboration with Billy Bragg, which is an amazing album (check it out if you are not familiar). After that, I began to explore more of Wilco’s music and gained a deep appreciation for them. Since I had not seen them before, my wife and I jumped at the opportunity to see them at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, an intimate venue.

There really isn’t a whole lot to talk about with this show. Wilco was amazing, and I had a wonderful evening with my wife. Sometimes just enjoying live music with someone you love is all you need.

Here’s the setlist.

Setlist:

• Sunken Treasure
• Remember the Mountain Bed
• You Are My Face
• I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
• Pot Kettle Black
• Handshake Drugs
• She’s a Jar
• Impossible Germany
• At My Window Sad and Lonely
• Forget the Flowers
• Jesus, Etc.
• I’m Always in Love
• A Shot in the Arm
• Box Full of Letters
• Heavy Metal Drummer
• Hummingbird (with Lilac Rain – vocals)

Encore:

• The Late Greats
• Candyfloss
• Hate It Here
• Walken
• I’m the Man Who Loves You

Encore 2:

• Misunderstood
• Hoodoo Voodoo
• I’m a Wheel

Ozomatli: 3/11/2009

This was a really fun concert. I had seen Ozomatli open for Santana and they were awesome, so I was excited to see them in a small venue.

The opening act was Chali 2na, who was one of the founding members of the hip hop group Jurassic 5. He was cool and got the crowd going. Always great when you have a good opening act, it’s like a bonus.

As far as Ozo goes, they were fantastic and had the audience dancing from start to finish. Near the end, they came out into the crowd with various percussion instruments and had a real tribal thing going. It was very cool. If you’ve never seen or heard Ozomatli, I highly recommend them. They are the epitome of what a multicultural world beat band should be.

Rock on.