*sigh* Ahhh, I used to live for concerts when I was a youngun. It's been a while since I've been to one, but I was all over that scene from around '78-93(ish).
Concert I most regret not going to when given the chance: The Clash. I mean...The
Clash. The Only Band That Mattered. After London Calling, but pre-Combat Rock. But I was broke and couldn't wrangle a ticket or $$ for the trip. Dammit.
I went to a Police concert (one of their first US tours, late '70s-1980-ish?) during a snowstorm and only a couple dozen people showed up. They played anyway, and EVERYONE had a front-row seat. I also went to a U2 concert in a small club (the Paradise, in Boston) for a few bucks. I spent more on beer. I liked them (and REM) better when they played clubs instead of arenas.
Band I used a fake ID to see over and over in clubs when I was a teenager: The Ramones. Same three chords every time but I never got sick of it. RIP Joey.
Most unwanted concert: Summer of '84, my downstairs neighbor used to play his music. A lot. Very, very, VERY loudly. My downstairs neighbor was Lemmy from Motorhead. Nice guy, though...he apologized for all the noise. Also used to help an elderly neighbor lady with her groceries, but I think I've done enough to savage his reputation already, so I'll stop now.
Most "fish out of water" concert experience: Was one of about 2 dozen white kids at a Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five Concert in the early '80s. Suburban America (and England) had yet to discover hip hop.
The concert I dreamed of going to as a teenager and finally got to attend: Elvis Costello at the Hammersmith Palais in London. I was up against the crush barrier, with only a roadie between me & Elvis. I actually exchanged words with the man. Bestill my heart. Runner-up: The Pretenders, same year. Chrissie was my badass rock chick heroine.
Worst teen-fangirl ear-shattering squee-fest (TIE): Culture Club (Hammersmith Odeon '83) and Thompson Twins (same place, following year). Nightmare. Runner-up? The Stray Cats, 1983.
Best free concert: The Smiths (and others), GLC
Jobs for a Change Festival in 1984. I was picking wilted flower petals out of my hair and pockets for days!
Most unusual concert: Luka Bloom in Galway, Ireland, during University Arts Week, late '80s. There was a power failure mid-concert. Instead of calling it a day, Bloom asked everyone to bring the candles from their tables up to the stage (it was a smallish pub with a small, raised platform stage, not a concert hall). Everyone passed the candles forward and put them on the rim of the stage. Bloom then sang a 1-hour set with no mic and no amp...just playing his acoustic guitar and singing. Aside from applause, you could've heard a pin drop...everyone in the audience was mesmerized!
Concerts I didn't know I'd be going to: street festival performances by Morphine (late '90s) in Cambridge, MA, and reggae legends Toots and the Maytalls (last year, Portland, ME). These ones snuck up on me...I didn't know they'd be playing until I wandered past the big crowd and figured out that it was the real band, not just music playing on a PA system. Unexpected good concert karma! Also stumbled onto early performances by 'Til Tuesday, The Pixies, Throwing Muses, Galaxie 5000, the Lemonheads, and Julianna Hatfield, just by going to Boston clubs in the late '80s/early '90s.
Most reliably enjoyable concert experience: never, ever been to a bad Billy Bragg concert. Always a hoot, always makes me think, always a good crowd, makes me feel 19 again every time I go to one. What's not to like?
Dwanollah, I love Aimee! I used to see her a lot in Boston back in the day. As to your question about being backstage? Believe me, blowing roadies is
not the way to go.
TrafficChick is completely right, walk in like you belong there. Worked for me a whole bunch of times. Don't go in there looking like a stereotypical groupie (or SuperFan, which is scarier); dress low-key. Jeans and black anything lets you blend into the background, as a rule, though it depends on the artist.
If you want to make
sure you get back there, you could try actually belonging there, too. I used to volunteer as event staff, and it got me into more than one hospitality suite and tour bus (of course, I was usually lugging the drinks or something like that). Make friends with someone working the event. Volunteer to help with flyers, promotions, door, hospitality, transport, merchandise, whatever. If they ask you if you know how to use a 2-way radio, the answer is, of course, "yes." :-)
Or wrangle a press pass...see what the regs are for your local venue. It's easy these days to pass yourself off as an internet journalist (or freelance music journalist) and get credentials that way. You have an established pop culture site; shouldn't be a problem to pull that off. If you're feeling brave, contact the artist's management (info will be on their latest CD) and see if you can't get 5-10 minutes for an interview; if it's a big name artist who's going to get lots of demands on his or her time, or you're in a bigger city with lots of music journalists, try pitching an unusual angle: Aimee's touring with her husband, releasing things on her own label rather than dealing with big label constraints, her work scoring films (I adore her stuff on the
Magnolia contract), her current career as opposed to her '80s work...etc. etc.
Let's see...you can also cozy up to someone on staff at the local radio station sponsoring the event, if any. There are usually free passes to be handed out like candy, and many of 'em allow for backstage meet-n-greets. My sister used to date a radio dj, and that's why she's got a photo of herself with Peter Gabriel in her scrapbook, and a concert stub from LiveAid.
Good luck!
