Earplugs and Overpriced T-Shirts: Concerts!

[ratscabies]

Glad to hear this Queen tour is good. I never got to see Queen with Freddie live, but have been a fan since the 70s.

When I heard about the shows with Paul Rogers, I thought that, on paper, it was the worst idea in the world. Then I bought the CD of the European show (Wembley...?). I was FLOORED. Somehow, Freddie's farewell, "The Show Must Go On" was even more gut wrenching when Rogers sang it. Saw that tour in Cleveland.

I don't know if I'll get a chance to see this tour, but will wait eagerly for the DVD.

[carrier76]

I have seen bits and pieces of Paul Rodgers' stint, and I was kind of "meh." The glitter, the spectacle of Queen was missing with him. It just felt like a classic rock show. Queen needs that spark, I feel, to really sell it.

Queen + Lambert are doing a version of a Freddie solo song, "Love Kills." You could have knocked me over with a feather when I realized they were doing that one. I think I was the only person in the arena that clapped when that one started (I quickly retreated, like a chump).

[newmanium]

I saw Home Free, the winners of last year's The Sing Off. They were great, they sang beautifully, and were very personable.

[famvir]

I just got home from a Beach Boy concert. They were great! Originals, Mike Love and Bruce Johnston. Jeff Foskett doing the pretty pretty Carl Wilson parts. They had the Cowsill (John Cowsill?) guy on the drums!

We know the Beach Boys back in the day (I painted Mike Love and Carl Wilson), we were friends with Carl Wilson. After he died, we didn't go to many more concerts. Tonight they were playing a venue a few hours away, MrF contacted the road manager weeks ago to see if we could get backstage passes, but we never heard back. We were sitting on the grass all the way at back of the concert venue, when we saw the band bus on the other side of the park behind the stage. MrF walked over and knocked on the bus door, and said we were there. The driver sent us away, but then Mike Love came out and invited us back on the bus. We had a very nice visit talking about the old times, putting on silly glasses, talking about rap music, the Rolling Stones, then we were told they had VIP passes for us at will call (we didn't know) and the road manager said she'd get them for us. We rode on the golf cart with the band to the green room and had a snack, then got the VIP passes, grabbed our blankets from the cheap seats and get to sit in the reserved section at the front of the stage.

All and all, a very excellent time. (And those guys looked and sounded great.)

[ikmccall]

The Beach Boys will be playing at a venue just 15 minutes away in a couple of weeks and I couldn't decided if I wanted to go. You may have swayed me. I saw The Mavericks last week and will be seeing Marty Stuart this week.

[famvir]

I know there has been controversy about Brian Wilson not singing and how can they be the Beach Boys w/o the Carl/Brian falsettos, But Jeff has been singing for Brian since 1980. He actually sang literally for Brian during the Brian Wilson tour last year. In all practicality, he is Brian's voice. With Mike Love and "Brian Wilson", you got the Beach Boys.

[Deleted]

Not exactly a concert, but... I saw Hedwig and the Angry Inch in NYC yesterday! It was AWESOME! NPH totally deserves all of the millions of accolades he's gotten. He was incredible. An absolutely masterful performance. It was so exciting!

I was sitting on the aisle and have heard the rumor that he goes out into the audience and molests a couple fortunate people on the aisle... but I was on the wrong aisle! Curses! That was the only downer about the show.

[Martini Girl]

Are any Greecies going to Kate Bush's sold out shows? If so, you are lucky b*tches! Please report back! I need to live vicariously through you.

[chiquita]

I'm going to Riot Fest this weekend. I'm so excited! The Cure, The National, Dropkick Murphys, Weezer playing the Blue album in its entirety, Offspring, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, The Buzzcocks, The Descendents,Rise Against, and on and on. Squee! I shouldn't squee - it's not very punk.

[chiqui]

This is a silly question, I know, but after watching a documentary on Led Zeppelin, do any rock stars or other artists
still get the motorcade / police escort thing when they arrive at or leave their concert venue? Or the airport?