Your Live Band Bucket List.

[The Curmudgeon]

Ever since I started going to see live bands, I've kept a book of all the tickets, with the dates and who I was with at the time. As time went on, the book became book(s) and Mrs C took over that duty, because she can write nicer than me. Girls can always write nicer than guys. Scientific fact.

Anyway, I was flicking through those books the other day and enjoying the memories, seeing names of friends I haven't seen in a while and pondering over why the fuck I went to see Bush play live.

I then began thinking of bands I really HAD to have a ticket stub of within those pages. Yeah, I've seen loads of the bands I like and some pretty amazing once in a lifetime bands and artists (Prince - admittedly, that was twice, David Bowie, Aerosmith, Sonic Youth) but there are still a few I really need to see. Bands like..

The Smashing Pumpkins


A happy start to this list, because I will FINALLY get a chance to see them play in June. Even though Mrs C is quick to point out that it's not actually THE Smashing Pumpkins, only Billy Corgan and some new guys. Well, fuck it. It's the closest I'm ever going to get.

Arcade Fire


This one is a distinct possibility, as they have a new record out this year and may well tour it. God knows how they'll fit them all on stage, though.

Tilly and the Wall


Infuriatingly, the tap dancing as drums collection of misfits played a great, small venue when I only had heard one song. I was tempted to go but didn't, and three album purchases later and 1 million listens, I'm hoping history will one day repeat itself.

The New Pornographers


In one of those "OK, God, you're clearly just fucking with me now" moments, TNP played in my city in an excellent small venue .... when I was on holiday in Gran Canaria... the day BEFORE I got back. You can imagine how I took that news.

Belle and Sebastian


It's only the last year or so I've become heavily obsessed with Belle and Sebastian, and they seemed to have vanished off the face of the earth. They're a Scottish band so I figured I'd have no trouble seeing them live, but they seem to have become some phantom band that no-one actually sees.


And that's just some of my Bucket List. Who's on YOURS?

[trashcanman]

Anthrax


My favorite metal band of all time. I've had two chances to see them in Frisco in the last 12 months and have gotten skunked both times. It's difficult to get anyone to go with me to see a non-mainstream metal show to begin with. And one that's halfway across the state is pretty much impossible. Some day.....


The Mighty Mighty Bosstones


These guys were scheduled to open an Offspring show I attended years ago, but canceled. I also managed to only attend the one Warped Tour they weren't on. FML. It may happen one day that I manage to catch them, but seeing that nobody I know likes ska music, it's not likely to become a reality at this point.

Faith No More


I'll never get to see the classic line-up with the original guitarist, but I'll take what I can get. One of the most creatively diverse and unusual bands of all time. Not a lot of bands can draw a thrash metal crowd and then unironically regale them with a straightforward cover of Lionel Richie's "Easy". In fact, I'm pretty sure only FNM could pull that off. They seem to limiting their reunion to overseas festivals so I'm pretty fucked on this one.

[The Curmudgeon]

Man, you've had some bad luck with those bands. Luckily, Mrs C will come along to any show without too much complaining (she even volunteered to go see the Smashing Pumpkins, a band she has NO time for, on her BIRTHDAY!) so I don't really have to worry about knowing people with similar music tastes. Basically because I don't.

Is there a big live scene in your area, Trash?

[trashcanman]

There was a pretty happening local scene (mostly metal with some punk mixed in), but I've fallen out of that. I used to have some friends and co-workers at one time that were pretty active there, but they've all moved, dropped out of the scene, lost touch, or whatever over the years so it's back to having nobody to go to shows with. As far as big bands in CenCal, that's a big NO. Fresno gets some great shows from time to time, but their big venue (the ridiculously-named Save Mart Center) is kind of shit and most bands seem to pointedly avoid the city, possibly due to it's reputation for rough crowds. A young AC/DC was once booed off stage there and they didn't return for over three decades in spite of being one of the heaviest touring bands in the business.