(Lionel Richie at the Chumash. Photo by Dwight McCann)
More than a week after Aerosmith performed to a packed grandstand at the Mid-State Fair, I’m still hearing about the show. And so far, I’ve yet to hear anything but stellar reviews.
It was a good show — but not the best I’ve ever seen. Which, of course, has led me to consider which concerts I’ve seen were the best.
Do you feel a list coming on? I won’t let you down.
I’ve been to quite a few concerts over the years, so I’m a little worried that I’ve actually forgotten a few. But the best ones will never fade from my memory.
So here’s that list (my top 6, in reverse order):
6. Eric Clapton, Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, 1987. So you’ve got Eric Clapton, one of the greatest guitarists ever. There’s one big plus. Then you have rockin’ bluesman Robert Cray opening. Plus number two. But here’s the icing: On drums? Phil Collins. Now how cool is that?
5. Lionel Richie, Chumash Casino, Solvang, 2006. Granted, the average age at this Chumash Casino show was about 60, so the energy level wasn’t exactly high voltage. But you know what? I love it when I can sit at a concert. Standing hurts my back. And it sucks. Lionel was a bit schmaltzy, in a casino-act kinda way, but he was really entertaining. He was funny (He made fun of the way he used to randomly say, “yeow!” as a Commodore), his band was great, and he didn’t play any of the new crap.
“She’s a brick . . . howwwwse!”
4. Kool & The Gang/Rod Stewart, 1999, downtown Indianapolis. Media conglomerate Emmis Communications put up big bucks to celebrate its 20th anniversary with a free outdoor concert, which I’m all in favor of. Kool & The Gang, with all its key players, got the crowd feeling funky, which was good enough by itself. But then Rod Stewart rocked it up with a set list heavy on the raw early stuff. At the end of “Maggie May,” perfectly synched fireworks segued into the final vocals. For free!
3. John Mellencamp, Indiana University, Bloomington, 1986. My senior year in high school (Yes, I’m that old.), I waited in line overnight for tickets to Mellencamp’s show at the I.U. football stadium. Seeing as how I was #7 in line, I was pumped at the prospect of having great seats. Heck, I figured #7 was good enough to actually be ON the stage, possibly singing “Hurts So Good” with the Coug-ster. As fate would have it, it was the first time they sold tickets randomly, so I wound up with horrible seats. In fact, I think guys in the parking lot had a better view. Still, given that it was Mellencamp’s biggest crowd – on his home turf, during his prime – it was an energy-filled night. Lots of great banter, long sets and several encores made my first concert a huge success.
2. The Who, RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C., 1986. A lot of the concerts I’ve seen sort of blur together, but the top two are no-brainers. The Stones and the Who easily outdid any other act. No contest. Had drummer Keith Moon still been alive, maybe the Who could have stolen the #1 spot. Still, these guys were incredible. To see Pete Townsend do the windmill, Roger Daltry swing his microphone like a wrangling rope and John Entwhistle go bananas on his bass was like witnessing rock deity. Daltry’s scream on “Won’t Get Fooled Again” is the best in rock music.
1. The Rolling Stones, Indianapolis Hoosier Dome, 1989. Okay, first of all, it’s the Stones. That alone says plenty. Sure, they’re old now, and they were even old 18 years ago. But I don’t care if they’re 80 — all those years of experience just gives them more time to hone their craft. These guys play so effortlessly, they just exude cool. And they’re filthy rich — with sponsors — so they can spend gobs of money, which they do, for the live act. An explosion across the stage launched “Start Me Up” with a bang. “Honkey Tonk Woman” was accompanied by two huge floats, and “Sympathy for the Devil” found Mick Jagger near the ceiling of the Hoosier Dome, surrounded by flames. What a set list. What a show. What a band.
Honorable mentions: James Brown, Chumash, 2005. Not long before he died, the Godfather of Soul was still a tremendous showman. He performed a short set at the Chumash, but I would have gone to see him perform for a half an hour just to say I did.
John Fogerty, Deer Creek, 1997. Due to legal battles, Fogerty hadn’t played his Creedence songs for quite some time, so his CCR hits were fresh and lively.
Elton John, Deer Creek, 1989. Sir Elton didn’t do anything special (The duck suits and oversized glasses were long gone by this point), and his voice isn’t what it used to be. But he’s so talented, it’s a thrill just to hear him play piano.
Chris Isaak, Santa Barbara Bowl, 2002. You can really tell Isaak and his band are good friends who just love to have fun onstage. And, of course, there’s that crooning voice.
Paul Simon, Mid-State Fair, 2006. Simon has so many great songs, he’d have to be horrible live to not love his shows. Luckily, he’s a great songwriter and performer.
Richard Thompson, The Graduate, San Luis Obispo, 2006. This guy does so much on guitar, you can’t really even tell exactly what it is he’s doing. He’s also very witty and insightful onstage.
Worst concert: Bob Dylan, Deer Creek Music Center, Indianapolis, 1997. Dylan mangled his own hits so badly, I didn’t even recognize them. It’s one thing to reorganize your songs for a live show, but these live versions were just . . . blah. You got the feeling Bob was just bored with them and wanted to do something different. Our loss.
Best local deal: Richie Havens, Morro Bay Harbor Festival, 2002. I didn’t hear too many people talking about this one, but it was an incredible show – and for just the price of admission to the festival ($7). Havens, who opened Woodstock, is a great acoustic guitar player, with an impeccable sense of rhythm and a commanding voice. When he performs, it’s like he’s in a trance.
Performers I should have seen by now but haven’t: Bruce Springsteen, The Eagles, Genesis, Stevie Wonder.
What are your favorite shows?
–Pat P.
Posted on August 2nd, 2007 by Pat
Filed under: Music, Uncategorized
Best out-of-area concerts:
Steely Dan in the old Long Beach auditorium in 1974. Boz Scaggs - Greek Theatre, 1978. Led Zep - Forum L.A. on their final tour.
Local? Has to be the Yes concert at the Fremont around 1996. Tom Jones at the PAC put on a pretty fun show around that time, as well.
The best show i’ve seen recently at Downtown Brew has to be Trainwreck — fronted by Kyle Gas of Tenacious D.
Not only did it look like the band was having tons of fun — they dress and play like a cheesy Southern Rock band from the 70s — but they did some unexpected covers (”What a Feeling” from “Flashdance”, the theme to “Smokey and the Bandit,” that Eminem song from “8 Mile”) and stuck around for a six or seven-song encore.
Packed house with a very mixed crowd. Tons of fun.