Music Monday - The Concert Experience

Being the complete music freak that I am, I was beyond ecstatic at the prospect of my first live concert! Summer, 1984. I was 15, we had just moved from Des Moines to Bellevue, it was a nice warm summer, but I didn't have any friends in the neighborhood yet... And then one day one of my friends from Des Moines, who was older and had a car, called and said that he had tickets to go see The Cars, and would I be interested in going with him!



And what a show! The opening act was Wang Chung, riding high on the huge success of "Dance Hall Days," although since I was a connoisseur of fine New Wave, I was even more interested in their other great songs like "Don't Let Go," and "Wait." They didn't disappoint, performing most of their Points on the Curve album, and doing a great job of it. I remember thinking that it was a good thing most of the drums were pre-programmed, as their "drummer" on stage spent as much time dancing on his drumset as he did playing it. But I didn't care, because they sounded great, it was louder and clearer than anything I'd ever heard before, and they were just the opening act anyway!

When the cars took the stage, my mind was blown. They were on the stage, though as I recall, the musicians were largely in shadows, while the set was littered with TV monitors of varying sizes, showing images, Cars videos, and probably live footage of the band as well. I really don't remember the visual aspect as much as I do the music. It was flawless! They were incredibly tight, played ALL the hits (even "Touch & Go" which was is one of my all time favorite Cars songs) and they sounded incredible. The show ended way too soon for my taste, and I was ushered back to the real world.

A few years later, I had a chance to see The Cars again, this time with DEVO as their supporting act. I bought tickets immediately, then The Cars broke up, the tour was cancelled, and my hopes were dashed. To rub salt in my wounds, Devo re-scheduled their show about a month later, but at a 21 and over club so I didn't get to go. I did finally right that wrong two years ago, though!

Through the years between that first concert and Devo, I saw countless shows... Working in the music biz opened a lot of opportunities for free concerts, and I took advantage of as many as I could! I saw Duran Duran, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Tom Jones (YEAH!), Kitaro, John Tesh, George Michael (twice), Jellyfish, Bette Midler, Olivia Newton-John and so many others that I'm embarrassed to say I can't remember them all! Really embarrassed because I didn't realize that I couldn't remember them until I actually went to list them out!

But there were two concert experiences that stood out as well as that first Cars show. In the summer of 1990, two of my favorite '80s New Wave bands - two that began as one, and are therefore forever linked in my mind, both had new albums and went on tour. Those bands were Depeche Mode and Erasure... And while Erasure's "Wild" album is one of their weaker efforts in my view, DM's "Violator" was the absolute, undeniable, unsurpassable peak of their career.

Their tour skipped Seattle that year, hitting Vancouver and Portland instead. One of the guys in my group of like-minded friends had relatives in Portland, so we loaded up the minivan and his Accord and ran an extremely enthusiastic road trip down for what was to be an incredible concert... Like The Cars, the sound and performance were amazing. Unlike The Cars, the band was lively, dynamic, engaging... Wow... What a great show! I was incredibly disappointed with the drama (drug induced near deaths, band fighting, long delays) that preceded the followup album, but even more disappointed when I heard the leadoff single, "I Feel You." Gone were the rich, melodic textures that made Violator such a joy to listen to, even 18 years later. Instead, it was all distorted guitars, angst ridden vocals... it was like DM was trying to be Nine Inch Nails. There were a few good songs on "Songs of Faith and Devotion" but nothing that even convinced me to buy the album, first DM album I skipped since...well, ever. And I've never bought one since... Very sad, but I'm SO glad I got to see them at their peak. That makes the memory of the Portland Violator Tour show even sweeter in my mind, knowing that they really never did recapture that magic.

But this is about CONCERTS, not the decline and fall of a once-great band. So on to the other show that summer, Erasure at Seattle's Key Arena. I'm pretty sure it was still called the Colosseum at that point... Now, I mentioned that I didn't care for their 1989 album, "Wild!" Given that, I didn't rush out and buy tickets when they announced a Seattle show. Besides, Erasure is a two man synth pop group, where one guy sings, and the other guy plays ALL the instruments, so in a concert setting, 90% of the music would be programmed, where's the fun in watching that??

Wow. I learned not to pre-judge concerts after that show! It was a warm spring day, I was off work... Got home to a message from my boss that he'd just been handed a pair of tickets to the Erasure show THAT NIGHT, and would I like to go? Well, I wasn't interested in BUYING them, but for FREE?? Sure, I'd go.. They're BOUND to do at least a few of the songs I love...

Well, I still don't care much for the Wild album. But that show was SUCH a performance!! And Vince Clarke (the music-making guy, original founding member of Depeche Mode, writer of nearly all their first album, including "Just Can't Get Enough") was anything but a hermit hiding behind a bank of keyboards. He moved around, and even played live acoustic guitar on "A Little Respect!" Andy Bell, the singer, set a new definition for me of what a flamboyant performer is. Obviously inspired by Elton John's '70s and '80s shows, there were countless costume changes, each more extravagant and/or bizarre than the one before... Props like giant inflatable snails, just really odd stuff, and yet, so much joy of performing that it held my attention and kept any potential scorn at bay for the entire length of the show. Unlike DM, Erasure followed that album up with Chorus, which was excellence from start to finish. And they still put out a ratio of one great album to every two OK albums, on average. (If you like them, and don't have their late '90s Cowboy disc, GET IT!)

Still on my list of acts from that timeframe I'd love to see, are Pet Shop Boys. Like Erasure, they're a synth based duo, and from a live video I bought several years ago, they also put on an amazing show. They were even in Seattle a couple years ago, but I wasn't able to go... Don't you hate when things like LIFE RESPONSIBILITIES get in the way of frivolous fun?

I'm sure at least one person has noticed that I didn't mention Barry Manilow in the above list... That's because I've seen him at least three times, probably more... And want to see him at least once more (with Cindy, since she's never seen him!) before he quits performing. That man is a complete entertainer, which is why he's still performing constantly to sold out crowds nearly 30 years after his hitmaking prime.

In my current life-stage, concerts just don't happen very often. I am hoping to go see Smokey Robinson this summer, since my niece Lisa is going to be playing in his backing orchestra!

Once again, it's your turn now. Tell us all about the memorable, greatest concerts you've seen!