Time to reflect on some concert experiences

I have seen a lot of concerts from small acts-small venues to larger names-larger arenas. As many that I have seen there are still more that I have not and still hope to get the opportunity. To me a rock concert is a special experience, almost holy in a way. After you have seen many concerts over the years, there are different reasons why some stand out over others. Maybe it’s a just an all time favorite artist, or a band that simply came out and rocked you, or just the opposite – one that stunk the place out. Although there are many I may eventually write about, here are just three that stood out to me for different reasons.

Platinum Blonde
I am sure this one is surprising you. Either you are saying a) your kidding??!!!? or b) who’s Platinum Blonde? Just in case you selected b, if you grew up in Canada the early 80s, you knew this band well. For a few years they were superstars and they were my first rock concert. This was the first time I was ever crammed into an arena with 10 000 other people and witnessed the big stage, the lights, the explosives and at the time, the stardom of the band. I often joke that it was a life changing experience for me. From that night on there was no turning back and I have been hooked on the experience ever since. As for Platinum Blonde, well, their star faded a few years later. However, I still say their first album, Standing in the Dark, is a great listen. It was produced by David Tickle, who also worked with Prince, The Police, Sheryl Crow and others. Unfortunately Platinum Blonde’s other efforts do not stand up. No matter what they were, or were not, the magic of that first concert will live on for me.

Def Leppard
As a teenager, I worshipped Def Leppard. I was immediately hooked on the sounds of Pyromania and shortly after had their first two releases, On Through the Night and High on Dry, in my possession. I had a bit of a wait for the next release, but it was well worth it when Hysteria finally hit the shelves. I didn’t get to see the band during any of their tours supporting these records, but when they hit the stage after the release of Andrenalize I got my chance. I was obviously very excited as I anticipated this show. Because I was such a big fan, it was one of those concerts where the band probably couldn’t have done anything wrong for me, I was just so glad to be seeing my teenage idols perform (front row too I may add). I am happy to say that they did not disappoint anyone in the audience that night. A lively crowd sang along to all their hits and the boys gave it everything they had. It is always special when you see anyone you have been such a big fan of for a long time, and even more special when the artist gives such a great performance. In less than a month I will be seeing Def Leppard in concert for the second time and it will no doubt be somewhat of a different experience for me. But I must admit the anticipation is building again to levels that it did first time around. Stay tuned for a review of the show.

Pearl Jam
The night I saw Pearl Jam play all the stars aligned to make another truly magical experience. I have never been in an arena where you could sense such a high level of anticipation and excitement from the audience while waiting for the band. The place was obviously full of people who felt the same way about Pearl Jam as I did about Def Leppard. As I sat and waited, I wondered why type of set list the band might play. I had my own dream set list for the concert, but had no idea what to expect. When the lights went down, and after the loudest ovation I ever heard from a crowd occurred, the band broke into one song after another that I wanted to hear. After the first 10 or 12 songs, the band had me hooked, and did play some material I wasn’t overly familiar with. But as I said, I was hooked by then and into the show. The crowd tremendously continued to show their appreciation and enthusiasm. Later in the show, they played more familiar material, some cover songs, and Eddie Vedder entertained us with some funny antidotes and stories. Also the in total length of the show was not quite three hours, but close. An awesome night all round!

As always feel free to send along some of yours. What was your favorite concert? What was your worst?