The Show of Shows
On last night’s Roundtrip show on WNRB-LP (93.3 FM, Wausau), I was basking in memories of night clubs, arenas, stadiums, auditoriums and hillsides where I’ve seen memorable concerts by some of the biggest names in the biz. Every tune last night was by artists I’ve seen at some time and place. I feel very lucky to have seen all these artists, and to be able to play them on the radio. This show certainly transported me to many of those experiences … I hope the listeners enjoyed the lineup:
Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley … Bo passed this week (see my earlier post below about an encounter with him)
Grateful Dead, Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion … a Dead show is just an experience unlike any other
Kinks, Dandy … seen ‘em bunch of times, met Ray Davies once
July ‘69 Milwaukee outdoor festival (race track):
Led Zeppelin, Communication Breakdown … their encore at that show (wow!)
Taste, Blister on the Moon … Irishman Rory Gallagher was one of the friendliest shows I’ve ever seen
Blind Faith, Can’t Find My Way Home … what luck to catch this group
August ‘69 Woodstock:
Crosby, Stills & Nash, Long Time Gone … this was time travel for me; got a bit of a chill up my spine
Jimi Hendrix, Izabella … recorded live at Woodstock
Sly & the Family Stone, Stand! … one of the festival’s many show-stoppers
4 acts that Jane & I have seen together:
Todd Rundgren, I Went to the Mirror … the pride of Philadelphia (seen this guy all over the place)
Joe Jackson, Be My Number Two
Squeeze, Satisfied … British pop polished to perfection
Counting Crows, Catalpult … we have tickets to see them again this summer
Bo Diddley, Who Do You Love? … starting off hour #2 with more Bo
Iggy Pop, Real Wild Child … caught him at grand opening concert for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Lou Reed, I’m So Free … also at the R&RHOF gig (backed here by David Bowie)
Elvis Costello, Goon Squad
U2, Gloria … these guys are unbeatable in concert
Roxy Music, Street Life … they owned the Masonic Auditorium in Detroit
The Clash, Clampdown … caught these Brit legends at a little auditorium in Dallas
The Who, Call Me Lightning … several times (Woodstock tops the bunch)
Bruce Springsteen, 4th of July Asbury Park (Sandy) … east coast blue collar angst from a group that kills in concert
Peter Gabriel, No Self Control … there is only one Peter Gabriel, period
Alvin “Youngblood” Hart, Moonlight Mile … Stones’ tune by this young guy who played Wausau a couple years back
Rolling Stones, Let It Loose … seen ‘em a bunch; once in the driving rain in the Cotton Bowl (they had a very good time) … catch their new concert movie “Shine a Light”
Frank Zappa, Montana … “… and ride like a cowboy into the dawn of Montana … yippee-eye-oh-ty-ay!”
So, from Bo to Zappa … that was it. Please tune in next week 7-9 Thursday night for who knows what.
Adam Duritz said:
The Counting Crows are the best live band ever.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:17 am #
Tom Neal said:
Well, Adam … you seem pretty sold on ‘em, for sure! You would have been pleased to hear me on last night’s show raving about seeing the Crows in concert. Jane and I (and our 2 teens) are Counting Days until the show in Milwaukee in August. Have a great summer!
June 6th, 2008 at 9:33 am #
Insert Name said:
The Who, Lou Reed, and Zeppelin. Three I will always regret never getting the chance to see.
You are right, Dead shows are an entity of their own.
No Floyd? If not, you missed out.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:17 pm #
janeal said:
Oh sure, here I am this HUGE Counting Crows fan and you’re the one getting messages from Adam.
June 7th, 2008 at 9:23 am #
Dino Corvino said:
Adam,
I will let James Brown, and Jerry Lee Lewis, and Iggy Pop, and Darby Crash, and Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Jr know that they have been moved to the back of the line.
June 8th, 2008 at 4:54 pm #